"There is no change!"

It's always great when people show some initiative and try to make things better for themselves. Sometimes this is forced out of necessity, occasionally it's when someone has a brilliant idea that's just to good to pass up, but more times than not it's a proven idea that just different people take turns giving it a try. My wife loves to pull-over every time she see's some little kids selling something on the side of the road. Most of the time it's some sort of lemonade, but once in a blue moon it's something else like:  popsicles, cookies, rocks, and one time it was their artwork - these would have looked great on the fridge if you know the kid, we passed that one up.The other day there was a six year old that had set up a lemonade stand just around the corner from us, now just so you know the younger the entrepreneur the more likely I am at stopping. This little girl was great, not only did we know her but she had a big sign that she was waving and everything. As we pulled over Lori asked if I had any money? I didn't have any change but I knew I had a couple of dollar bills in my pocket. As I rolled down the window we told her we would like some lemonade. She came over to get the money I had stuck out the window and said did you want one glass or two. Boy this little girl was a salesman. It's then that I noticed that it cost .50 cents a glass. We told her one and she walked over to the table to get our drink. Now occasionally I'm a generous guy and leave a good tip, so I decided that this would be one of those times. As she brought us the drink back I told her to keep the change. "Oh I know, there is no change" she said. Unbeknown to me the decision had already been made, the question wasn't if I was going to get any change or not it was just weather I wanted one or two cups. Now if I was at a restaurant I would have paid three dollars for a lemonade, yes it would have been bigger and come with free refills and wouldn't have tasted like it was made by a six year-old, but that day I met the world's next great salesman - and the dollar was worth the laugh and smile my wife and I had on the way home.

Boat Races

Traditions are events or circumstances that are repeated over and over, was the first time a mistake or was it planned and just turned out in a way we wanted to duplicate such a wonderful event. If it wasn't wonderful, we wouldn't try to duplicate or do it again. Families, neighborhoods, friends, any group or individual has some type of traditions. We could talk of hundreds of examples over the years. There a couple of families that we have done things with for ever. Every year, usually in the later part of the summer, we meet for a picnic and and then the competition begins - boat races. Now these aren't your normal boats - even though style doesn't count it does make an impression. In reality which boat gets to the finish line first doesn't matter much at all, there isn't a prize, just temporary pride or boasting. There are a few people in the group that would say they usually finish first - the problem is there are more of those than is possible for the number of races that have taken place. What the boats are make out of is left completely up to the participants. Only a couple of times has someone thought another persons design was unfair, I'll get to that in a second. Doll parts, hollowed out fruit, make shift sails - you name it, it's probably been tried. The two most common materials used are glue and duck tape! Duck tape is the best, because if you use enough of it your boat is most likely waterproof. Everyone try's to get a little extra nudge or boost to start - but our location is a slow moving cannel that runs through a local park on it's way to water some families gardens. I'm not an engineer, or have been accused of inventing a design that will change nautical production forever. Honestly most of the boats are put together fifteen minutes before we're suppose to be at the park in the first place. During my frantic rush to produce a boat I came across my secret weapon. Another one of our families traditions is a 4th of July picnic and firework show. These same three families are involved, but we have a whole lot of other families that participate as well. Some times we have so many people and fireworks being lit that we don't use them all. That was the case the summer before this particular boat race, the left over firework was about eight inches long and a couple of inches wide - just right for the top of my vessel. With that spraying out the back my boat I would have to be propelled way out in front of the competition. At least that was the intent. I needed to be in the water so it could be lit just at the right moment. That all worked alright, for that matter it started to off OK as well, the problem started shortly after - I guess when the top of the boat is heavier than the bottom it corrects it's self. Who know that the firework would continue to go off for a while under water? It sure wasn't faster! Maybe putting an engine on the top of the boat would be a good idea if it was designed properly - in this case it made it slower. I didn't come in first - not even close, but it definitely gave everyone a good laugh. I think that next year there might be a bunch of new ideas as a new precedent has been set. I just need to think out the options at least an hour in advance.

Mario Kart

I don’t understand how some things work – cell phones, internet, face time, by the time I figure them out - chances are there are a bunch of new things that would work better. I needed to send a text to my brother-in-law to thank him for a favor he did for me, after about ten minutes I asked my son to do it for me. This worked much faster and the words were now spelled correctly. As a family we have most of the gadgets, I just don’t know how to use them. The other day my kids and some of their friends asked me to play Mario Kart with them. This is a Wii game that your character races around on different tracks in cars or motorcycles with tons of obstacles all over the place. Four people can play at once as the screen is divided into four different sections. I was confused which buttons to push and when to do it. When you get off the track you either fall into the black abyss or have to try to find your way back through the obstacles. After one such event I found my way back to the track – but I couldn’t figure out where I was. There was a little U on the screen that I had never seen before. I didn’t know what it meant, nor did I care, I needed to catch the leaders. I was taken off guard when the other cars almost hit me head on, then my son asked me why I was going the wrong way. I didn’t even know that was possible! I was already in last place and this sure didn’t help things out. To paraphrase a quote I once heard – “How fast your going makes little difference if you’re going in the wrong direction.” I’m sure this was a variation of the famous conversation Alice in Wonderland had with the Cheshire Cat. Alice said – “Would you tell me, please which way I ought to go from here?” The Cat answered “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” “I don’t much care” said Alice. The Cat’s answer is understandable - “Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.” Now I believe there are very few people that really have no idea where they want to go. I would bet that most of us even have some sort of vision or goals that we want to achieve. Sometimes that goal or vision is different than those around us think that it should be, or it could even be something that isn’t in our best interest. Spiritually that end should be exaltation. Financially it should be to have what we need. We may even be on the right track or have the proper plan in place. That makes little difference if we don’t know how to use the proper buttons or follow the warnings or caution signs along the way. Another thing I didn’t understand while playing, that after all of the other racers have finished the race the time has expired and no matter where I am the game is over. Satan is a master of making us think that we are on the right track, the fact we aren’t progressing isn’t that important. He encourages us to leave the track to experiment and enjoy the journey along the way. When we listen to his prompting it doesn’t take long to realize that his joy is fleeting and hollow. We may even try to steer back and find in reality that we are going in the wrong direction or that the addictions or obstacles we have acquired are far harder to over come than we had ever imagined. He will try to make you think you have entered that black abyss - that it's hopeless and not worth the effort to come back. This, like the game, isn’t true or real. The Savior has provided the way for us to return to the right track, that little U was a warning sign trying to tell me to u-turn and go the other direction. These U’s are given to us thorough the scriptures, prophets, righteous church leaders and loving parents. They are placed before us as warnings and encouragements to try a little harder. If we ignore them, like I did, we will find ourselves not knowing where we are or how we got there. But unlike the game, the Savior through his atonement has provided the way the truth and the light to guide us back to the proper location.

Martha

I don't know much about Martha Champlin, I probably never will, at least not in this life. At this point it's unlikely anyone will ever know very much. She was four years old in 1870, at least according to the censes in southern Mississippi of that year. I've never found any other documentation that she ever existed. She was the oldest child of Zachary Taylor and Virginia White Champlin, who happens to be my great-grand parents. If I figured it out correctly that makes her my great-aunt. Normally to be a great aunt you would have to shower someone with a lot of love and treats, or be quit old, Martha didn't have the opportunity to do either one, not even my father knew she existed. In the 1880 censes, Zachary and Virginia were listed as the parents of four children - William, Margaret, Nellie and my grandfather Walter. Martha was no where to be found. She could have gone to live with relatives, but more likely she passed away. Being a Latter-day Saint the linking of my ancestors is a important responsibility, we believe that families can be together forever. The binding of the fathers to the children's and the children's to the fathers. This binding is possible by the power and authority of God through the priesthood. This power is what the Savior gave to Peter in Matthew chapter 16, - "whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." When my father joined the LDS church, one of the first things he did was make sure that the temple work was done for his extended family. Making sure that the saving ordinances of salvation were preformed for his forefathers. He had the access to the 1880 censes, the records of the life of this family, except Martha. For 75 years this family seemed complete. In August of 2011, I was in a training meeting with Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve. He encouraged us to find our ancestors and take them to the temple. I sat there knowing that I had never found someone to take to the temple. I had a strong impression I needed to change that. Not knowing how to do that didn't slow down my resolve. Under the heading of Zachary T Champlin I found the 1880 censes that was available to my father so many years before. There was the family we all knew and have known for decades, but no Martha. About a third a page below the link to the 1880 censes, was listed a 1870 censes with the heading Zach Champlin. Computers now can make the decision to find similar possibilities, a event not possible to my father so many years before. That link was indeed to my great grandparents small families' information, but the oldest child was Martha, someone none of us had heard of before. At first I thought there was a mistake - that was quickly replaced by excitement. She was the first of what has turned out to be hundreds of names that we have been able to find. When I called the temple to set up an appointment to do Martha's baptism - they asked how many names I had, I told them just one. I guess I could imagine they may have laughed, but they treated us like royalty as I took my twelve year old daughter to do the work. I envision for all of those years Martha was prayed and anticipating the time someone would find her name and help her to receive the ordinances of salvation. Allowing this family to be complete.

Sponge Bob?

Perhaps I could be mistaken for someone that is famous. Now if I am, it's not going to be someone that's super cool, I would be more in the category of Curly from the three stooges. Honestly It would be more likely my actions were mistaken for their behavior than my looks are to theirs. Let it be said, no one has ever mistakenly asked me for my autograph. The other day someone for the first time called me Sponge Paul - playing off the Sponge Bob fame. He's pretty immature so I was glad my actions weren't the same as his were. Working in the service industry I'm aware sometimes things go wrong. I was required to go to a conference for a couple of days. Most of these conferences are a waste of time. They usually have plenty of high calories, high carb treats - water, coffee or soda intended to help you stay awake. Occasionally they are awesome and really help your peace of mind and productivity. This was a two day conference so I needed to stay over night. I didn't get to chose the location or hotel, but normally it's in a nice facility. This happen to be in the Downtown Salt Lake City Marriott. It's really is a nice hotel - the beds were wonderful. Since all of the meetings are in the same location, I knew exactly how long I could stay in bed and still make it down stairs in time to make my required appearance. When I dragged myself out of bed, I went into the bathroom to start the grooming and hygiene process. I was a little surprised and disappointed when I found out that the shower wouldn't turn on. Really, the shower handle was broken and wouldn't turn on. I thought how I didn't have time to call and get someone to fix it - there probably isn't a empty room to close, then there's the fact that I'm standing nude in the bathroom. Now I've been camping a lot over the years and would have loved having hot water for a quality sponge bath, maybe in the Wind Rivers - but thats not my idea of excitement at a "luxury hotel." Out of necessity I made due and did the best I could. It still wasn't that pleasant, nor was the way I wanted to wake up. When I went down stairs I went to the service desk to take care of my bill and inform them of my discomfort. Now I had no expectation of possible results - everyone that travels knows that if your discontented at a Hampton Inn they guarantee that your stay is free - well in this case my stay was free anyway since my company was giving the conference in the first place. I was a bit disappointed that my morning torment wasn't as big of concern to the man at the desk as it was to me. There really wasn't that great of an apology rendered, but he did ask me if they could make it a little better by buying me a Starbucks coffee that was located just off the lobby of the hotel. Really, a Starbucks Coffee! First of all I don't drink coffee, second I'm at a convention at their hotel that has fifty gallons of it at the back of the room all day. I could have showered with that earlier in the day. Now I wasn't excepting anything, I just wanted them to know that there was a problem - and hoped that they would be a little more concerned about my feelings or discomfort. Many years ago my wife and I had a problem that was even worse at a Ritz Carlton resort in Naples Florida. Through work I had won a trip to Florida, and this resort. This was the greatest thing ever. There were meetings and a lot of events and parties planned for both my wife and I. We had brought with us our new baby that was to young to leave at home. Upon arriving at the resort we found out that there were no more rooms available - like many locations they had over booked for the evening. To make things right they put us up in a different hotel a mile down the road and had told us if we needed to come to the Ritz they would send us a car. They told us we didn't need to pay for the room - well they didn't understand I wasn't paying the bill in the first place. Not only was it a dive compared to the Ritz - but I also had spent the past year qualifying for this experience. My wife couldn't just go back and forth with a new baby, she needed a private location to feed the child. To say it mildly, we weren't happy. The next morning we found out that our sponsors weren't to happy either. The hotel made the arrangements necessary to move us back to the resort. It was a wonderful experience. The Ritz was so concerned about our happiness that later we received a letter from the management of the Ritz inviting us back to their resort at a different time. The most amazing part of their invitation was that they would not only pay for our stay but our airfare as well. Hopefully I don't have to be taking a sponge bath again anytime soon, but things occasionally go wrong - but when they do it's so important that they are taken care of in a quality friendly manner. The gentleman at the Marriott just made me mad.

Campfire Stories

I'm not some Grizzly Adams or Jeremiah Johnson - but I've lived in the middle of the Rockie Mountains all my life - With so many years of association with scouting and youth camps, I've sat around hundreds of campfires in my days. There's always a couple of concerns or objectives when it comes to the fire - whoms the pyromaniac in the group? Its usally easy for me to watch him - since it's me! That doesn't make it better - I've always been my own worse enemy. (Read story called Fire.) I'm sure these kind of events have been happening since the dawn of time. The caveman talking about the one that got away - the pioneers or trappers entertaining each other and relaxing after a trying journey. This was their stage, their entertainment, an opportunity to share their views, goals and dreams - mixed in with a few tall tails.

This is a time to get to know each other in a different setting, it's also a wonderful time to teach and have a memorable moment. Since most of my experience around a fire are with church groups or family - I have always used stories from the scriptures - the ones where fire is part of the story are always the best. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego - and the fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar, that's a keeper. Elijah challenging the priests of Bail, it's great when a prophet mock or makes fun of his competition - of course he backs it up when he calls down fire from heaven burning up the sacrifice, this material is priceless, you just need to use some emotion for the presentation. My favorite campfire story from the Old Testament is the story of Elisha and the chariots of fire in the mountain - "they that be with us are more than they that be with them." The lesson is that those that are righteous are given assistance, and that angels of God - are watching out over us." This is when their eyes get about the size of saucers. What little kids wouldn't like to envision chariots of fire surrounding their campsite.

There are great visuals when it comes to the fire it's self - but make sure that the other leaders are on board. I had one lady at a girls camp that wasn't so happy I was playing with the fire. After the fires is blazing and there are a lot of glowing embers - I put another stick or thin log on the fire, but you need to make sure it's longer than the rest and that half of it isn't in the fire at all. Like I said - this isn't normal and can be dangerous - and she wasn't very happy with me. As it begins to burn like the rest of the wood you can talk about how each of us in a group are like this fire. The logs share their heat and flame and keep the fire burning - then you pick up the part of the stick that isn't burning (that's an important part - I'm sure you can understand why) and talk about when one of you step away from the group the fire starts to die - as the stick loses the heat around it - it starts to go out. This also happens to each of us - we need each other and the fellowship and support of our family and friends to stay strong and bright. There are a lot of references of the fire of the spirit and how it burns within us.

Most of these stories are the enders - the ones that you tell just before you go to bed. You always want to end on a good note. The ones before are the funny ones the scary ones the one that are the tall tails. There is just no better setting to shot the breeze and pass on some of your heritage - this was all most of our predicessors had, no TV, cell phones, video games or I-pods - by the time someone reads this who know what else will be around. But we should always take a step back and try to make a moment or two where the simple thing of the past come shinning through.

Infirmities

During our time here on earth, all of us individually or through someone close to us, will be burdened with difficult afflictions or imperfections. Those that suffer aren't the only ones that have a hard time with these circumstances. Many times these difficulties bring sorrow or worry to those that love and watch over the afflicted.

Some of our friends just found out that their twenty-year-old daughter has thyroid cancer. The success rate for a complete cure with such an early detection is extremely high – but any kind of cancer is a concern and there is always a possibility of side effects, something that could hinder her ability to live a normal life or to have a family. My mother-in-law experienced sorrow and discouragement when her last child was born with Down Syndrome. If we had only dwelt on the fact that there are certain things he would never have the opportunity to experience, we could have missed the wonderful loving qualities that he has brought into the family. Now he is a great blessing to all of us. These positives were hard to recognize twenty-five years ago when she and her two oldest daughters were expecting children at the same time.

These infirmities are difficult and taxing to the individual or a family. How we face and handle these challenges can change the possible outcomes and its eternal consequences. A friend became mad at God because his daughter was stricken with diabetes. From a medical standpoint this disability doesn't seem as devastating as the other two examples – but it doesn't minimize the difficulties that could be imposed upon his child. This raised questions about her future and the possible complications that could follow this condition. Another man questioned the existence of a just God as his wife was diagnosed with cancer for the second time within a few short years.

In both of these cases they allowed the trials to drive them away from the Savior, becoming less-active in the church. Because of the sorrow or fear of the unknown it can be understandable that such difficulties could in reality make someone move away from the greatest source of truth and relief. Often it happens at the point when heavenly assistance and direction is needed the most. Why do some individuals react this way when others with similar or even harder circumstances draw closer to the Savior and the peace he offers? It’s not my intent to criticize or demean such reactions, sadly they are normal and heart felt emotions that all of us have experienced

These weaknesses may in reality be the lessons or blessings that we need or that will prepare us for the missions we're assigned to complete. These buffetings can give us the strength and guidance we need to succeed.

Paul to the Corinthians talked about the thorn or weakness that he was given and despite his attempts at pleading for relief, the Lord told him that these weaknesses would help him to be stronger.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I don’t know how many times you have gloried in your infirmities, or “most gladly” accepted them. He did, and it brought him the power of Christ. These weaknesses helped him grow in a manner he couldn't have in any other way – “for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

This viewpoint or perspective is the first step in handling or accepting the difficulties we face: That an all knowing and loving God is in reality allowing us to experience these trials as part of our earthly test and progression. But as stated by Paul, we must remember the Saviors grace is sufficient to get us through our challenges and that his strength is adequate in making our weaknesses strong, enabling us to receive the power of Christ in our lives.

We must understand that our attitude will influence our perspective and direction in all facets of our lives. We may have all of our worldly possessions taken away or even lose our liberty, but how we react and what we do with our thoughts is our choice. Just think of the life of Job and the trials he faced in his life.

To ignore this process is also to ignore the continual blessings that the Lord has given to us. Our loving Father in Heaven has indeed given us all that we have and are. A lack of gratitude and thankfulness in such situations shows a selfish and greedy attitude. No wonder King Benjamin said the natural man is an enemy to God (Mos. 3:19). Such recognitions are made know unto us through the power of the spirit. Paul stated they are spiritually discerned and not available to the natural man, indeed they are foolishness unto him (1 Cor 2:14). Despite the fact that our challenges seem overwhelming and unfair – a closer look would reveal our continued indebtedness to our Father in Heaven. In the church song we are told to "count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

This recognition of the Lords hand in our lives can be the root of the faith and hope that we need and the assurance that He will continue to guide and direct us in our times of need. Despite our best effort, there are times that discouragement and doubt overtake our feeling of hope, bringing us down. Using the analogy that faith is like a seed (Alma 32), that assurance may start out small, then as we nourish it, it will begin to grow even to a perfect knowledge that God's purposes will be done and that we will not be allowed to suffer more than we have capacity to bear. During such moments of despair it’s difficult to take the opportunity to list the blessing we have received in your life. Even if we serve him with our whole souls yet we would be unprofitable servants (Mos.2: 21). Indeed, we will always in debit to God for the blessing we have received.

This action many times is easier said than done. In Paul's confession he admitted that he asked that his thorn in the flesh might be removed thrice. Thrice seems like a small number for the majority of us, there have been times I have seemingly prayed for years for the guidance and direction I felt that I needed. After his declaration he said of the Lord, "and he said unto me." Then is when he received his answer, no it isn't always the answer we thought it would be. But his grace is sufficient, and our weaknesses are strengthened as His will is achieved.

As I talked with the father of the young lady diagnosed with cancer, I was overwhelmed with an assurance that she would be all right. I marveled at their courage and faith in the power of the Savior, He was in control of the situation. This event was in fact a miracle, as a medical exam was being given in preparation for a possible mission. An opportunity to serve will need to be put on hold - but her strength and testimony has been multiplied as the power of the Savior's love has rested upon her. My testimony has grown by the manifestation of the spirit and the dedication of this wonderful family. Infirmities and challenges are a part of each of our experiences in this life, how we accept them and use them to draw closer to the Savior and his love is how our weaknesses are made perfect in Christ.