Pioneer Trek Practical Joke

It's usually a bad idea to play in an intersection or announce to a bunch of people your doing something wrong before you do it. Under the same concept of DAAA.. you really shouldn't play a practical joke on someone who has more authority or opportunity to get you back. If you make your boss look like an idiot - they better have a great sense of humor or your a great employee they can't do without and hopefully both. Otherwise their act of revenge could make your life miserable. I guess I shouldn't have used the word idiot - you shouldn't pull a joke if it makes them look that bad.

One such occasion was on the golf course - in what many organizations call a team building experience. It's more like an opportunity to get out of the office and play. Now I wasn't the one that had the perfect prop - but I was willing to use it. In all there were close to twenty people from our group on the course that day. Word got out what was going to happen and most of them wanted to see it go down. On many golf courses a number of holes come pretty close to each other and the boss was about to tee off in one of those locations. The majority of us pulled our carts off a short distance away and walked to the tee box - kind of like let's talk and let the boss show us what he's got.

I'm usually one of the vocal ones, I approached the ball making some kind of comment that I needed to know what kind of ball he was using in case I got hit later in the round. Insinuating that he couldn't hit straight and we were in danger. But the true reason for my approach was to change his ball. Now the new ball looked real and unless you looked closely it was hard to tell - we just hoped he didn't check it out. After the switch others joined in, encouraging him to show us his stuff and let it rip. Now this guy was as competitive as the rest of us and he was going to make the greatest shot of the day, perhaps his life. Stepping up to the ball, he went through the shacks, twists, turns and practice swings. Then with all he had - swung for the fences. The next part was classic, hitting the ball it exploded into a cloud of dust, powder - I really don't know what it was made of. There was a definite expression of confusion in his eyes and body as he wondered what had just taken place - of course as the cloud cleared he was met with laughter from the rest of us. After a second or so he understood what had taken place and joined in - the perfect presentation.

Another event that would make this list took place on the plains of Wyoming. This was with a church group and I couldn't have been fired - but it was done to someone that had plenty of opportunities to get me back. My victim was one of our fearless leaders, a member of the Stake Presidency. We were on a pioneer trek with about two hundred teenagers. In order to keep track of the kids and make it fun we split them up into families of eight to ten with two adults that acted as their parents for a couple of days. These parent was what our position was - they called us Ma's and Pa's. In our group was my victims own kid, thus the reason he wanted to spend time in our group. As we were preparing to make the five mile hike back to the camp ground - President Larsen the Second Councilor in the Stake Presidency came up to me and asked if it was OK to walk back with our group. Of course that would be great! He had to go to the restroom and would be ready to head out when he was done.

This gave me just enough time to set the stage and prepare the troops. I pulled everyone together and told them about our visitor. I instructed them that while on the trail when I said who's turn is it - they should respond "I've done it - I've done it." Then I turned to his son and said "you need to make sure you do it as well." He chuckled and agreed to participate, now I had accomplices. It takes a while to walk five miles, so I just had to wait for the perfect opportunity. When I thought it was there I said OK who's turn is it? None of the kids knew what was going to follow their assigned lines - so each of them gladly joined in, if for no other reason than to see what would follow. "I've done it, I've done it, each person joined in the baiting of the hook! President Larsen wanted to know what they were talking about and what they had done. To understand this event I need to point out that for years each of these kids had been part of the primary organization and one of the things they do is sing songs about faith, worship and their heritage. One song tells the story that as pioneer children walking across the plains they passed the time by singing songs as they walked.

I turned to President Larsen and said "Oh you know the song - primary children sang as they walked and walked - we are each taking turns singing a solo. It must be your turn!" He asked what he should sing - "anything you want." He thought for a moment and started into his song - it was a great performance. After he was done we all clapped, then I turned to the kids and said - "now something else you need to know is that when you sin - you need to repent. President Larsen none of us sang a song." We all had a great laugh then he turned to his son and said "you didn't sing either." Depending on the way you look at it that wasn't the end of the story. A year or so later President Larsen called me as the new Stake Young Men's President, that was in charge of planning the next trek - a huge job. When the Stake Presidency was released he was called as the new Stake President and I was called as his counselor. He hasn't made me sing in public yet - but I've had a lot of other assignments. Just be careful who you pull a trick on or get to close too - they may keep you busy for years.

Brother from a different Mother!

The benefit of being a brother with different DNA is that you would have more hair, a smaller head and no heritage that includes an uncle that died on bad Mexican whisky in the arms of a senorita that wasn't his own, or a grandpa that hit on girls at his own wife's funeral. I'm sure we could come up with a lot of positive reasons that our DNA doesn't match on both sides of the fence. I guess both of us would agree that our differences are more than the normal biological maladies that siblings would possess. For the most part this has been a positive that we don't have too much in common!

Technically we're all brothers and sisters in the eternal sense - but if I understand it correctly that doesn't mean we have the same mother. It's safe to say that our greatest bond isn't because of the fruit of someone’s loins, but is a kinship that has evolved or has been forged because of events, circumstances and situations that can't be coincidences. These events have come through joy, sorrow and service that have woven a tapestry that is inseparable over approximately a third of our lives.

So much for first impressions - you put me in the same category or character as someone we have talked about often, and if I was like him I would be nauseous from the radical swings of extremism's. (That's a whole different story!) It took Lori to make sure I considered your placement in the new ward's bishopric. Then the spirit made sure it took place - this is one of the greatest tender mercies in my life. It took a while before we started to click in a way that you would know what I was thinking and start the process to take care of things before being asked. This was always done in the proper order and authority. That was even more obvious when we were released and would look in each other’s direction when something wasn't being done the way we thought it should be.

The one time calling a president was the only time I can remember we didn't click at the same pace. I had some fun with that one - but in the end the Lord's will was accomplished, and the rest of the ward sat in shock needing to receive their confirmation. My Sunday morning rituals were enhanced by our companionship discussions that weren't planned but just seemed to evolve. That relationship was founded on a service foundation has never left those precious roots. Blessings, decisions and strength have always been drawn from this relationship - the byproduct has made it stronger and more dependable.

This has evolved into other aspects of our lives: travel, parties, dinner and games. Our families have an extended relationship and closeness. I still don't know how you beat me at basketball on the high seas! I think that the ship was swaying so that your normally off center shot became straight and sure. At least I didn't lose to Curtis. Golf is nothing more than a diversion for a higher purpose. We both seem to be a little too competitive -- I've never broken my hand in frustration or in an attempt to motivate, or was it both. But you haven't been kicked out of a church basketball game - one of the few fights that begin with prayer. Both of our lives haven't followed the format we would have chosen or thought was in our best interest. Ashley was your miracle that you wish would be duplicated over and over. Your influence on our children is greater that you will ever realize. If you were to give any of them advice - they would think it's closer to thus saith the Lord than anyone else that doesn't have the title of prophet seer and revelator. I know that last part is hard for you to hear - but I agree with it. It's not to make you feel awkward - it shows the process you have of including the Lord in your daily life. Thank goodness for football to bring you back to earth.

Before I get to mushy and build you a monument in the back yard - I cherish the fact that you have become a brother, mentor, example and friend. It's hard for me to have such things - I had two different dogs that ran away the first chance they had.