What i think of Christmas

12-31-08

Dear Elder & Sister Hansen and all my kids away,




It was amazing to talk to all of you on Christmas. Elder Hansen, both Uncle F and Uncle R said your Spanish was very good, and Sister Hansen, Uncle R said that your Russian pronunciation sounded like a Russian speaking rather than an American speaking Russian.*

[My married daughters], thank you for the pictures of your sweet kids.

BYU Men’s Basketball is 11-1 with a win last night over Tulsa (in Oklahoma)1 (Tulsa’s home win streak was 28 before the loss). [They lost last week to Az. St. Sun Devils 75-76, with making a last second shot for the go ahead of 77-76, but the refs called that the shot was made after the clock had gone to “0:00”, so they lost by one point to a ranked team.]

On Sat. BYU hosts Unbeaten, #6 Nationally Ranked Wake Forrest, in Provo Utah, the highest ranked, non conference foe to ever play in the Marriot’s Center. BYU has a national leading “Home Win Steak” of 53, hope that they can make it 54. In the Tulsa game, Jackson Emery (the starting guard and former Missionary in the Mexico Leon Mission and buddy to Elder Hansen) had to leave the game early because of a head injury. After getting a rebound, Emery was slammed to the floor hitting his head. Team doctors said he would have no lasting symptoms from the injury.




Paul H and Charlie M have done some Tractor work for me this past week. We also did a row change with the 8 Stakes (every 2 years we take every body’s Quarterly Report, and take their Sacrament Meeting attendance and active Melchizedek Priesthood, and re-assign rows accordingly). Our Stake total remained at 40 rows but, because other Stakes changed (including Fresno North Stake picked up 5 rows for a total of 45), I always catch flack for it. Even Stakes that loose rows complain that they did not have enough taken away.

Madera I Ward has 4-1/2 rows now, and most Wards have 3 to 6 rows depending on their size. But as a youth in Chowchilla Branch, we had 14 rows!!! The Hansen Family had 4 rows!!! For picking we would go from sun up to sun down that first Sat. and then as soon as we got out of school each day during the next week, we would go down to the farm and pick until dark (I can remember at least once or twice my dad pulling the car to the end of the row to point the head lights down the row to finish picking a row, because we were so close to finishing and he could not stand the thought of leaving that little portion for another day). Then we would come back for a second Sat. – sun up to sun down. Then the next Monday (Labor Day) we would finish our rows at some point on that day, but that was not good enough for my dad, we had to go help some other poor saps, that were half dead and needed our help to finish their rows. I remember thinking in my simple, boyhood mind, “why doesn’t any body ever help us on our rows,… why is it that we are always the ones helping other people to finish their rows?” And maybe even expressing that a time or two.

Then in a couple of weeks, going down and helping roll up the raisin trays for several days (and you guessed it, when we finished our rows, we would help others finish their rows). Then in a week or two we would come for Boxing. We had the old vineyard wagons, and would pile them up with the old time 40 LBS wood “sweat boxes” (before we had the 1,000 LBS bins & bin trailers). That was the first time that I met Bernie P, he had on a white jump suit and I asked my dad why he “had on his Temple clothes at the farm?” My dad told me he worked with Bees, and that is what Bee workers wore (minus the gloves and hat with facial netting).

Plus a lot of my Christmas vacations were spent pruning, layering, putting in replacement stakes, and wrapping & tying canes. My dad taught me how to prune the vines when I was yet a boy, but I had to go to college and learn plant physiology to know why we prune the Thompson Seedless the way we do. All in all it was some of the best times that I had with my dad.

So when I hear murmuring about how over worked folks are at the Church Vineyard, I just smile and remember…




I was asked to share what I think of Christmas,… ever since I can recollect, from my earliest boyhood, I have been taught about Jesus Christ from my family, and Church (Primary & Jr. Sunday School). I always had a powerful feeling about Him, and sensed that He was a major force in my life. All that I am, and all that I ever would be, was because of Him. The story of His birth, the shepherds & angles, and the wise men bringing gifts, all created a magical, exciting time in the young life of a starry eyed little boy.

My parents would gather us around the fireplace on Christmas Eve, and my Dad would read the Christmas Story as found in Luke 2 & Matt.2 (to include the story of the Wise Men, as Luke does not mention them). It was here around the hearth in our home, with the warm glow of the fire light that The Christmas Story became part of me, as much a part of me as my name, or the color of my eyes & hair. This was the beginnings of my budding knowledge and testimony of the Savior. Then the next day, with symbolism from the gifts given by the Wise Men to the Baby Jesus, the King of Kings, we opened our presents. We were taught this same symbolism about Santa Claus (Saint Nicolas) with the gifts that he brought.

As time passed by, my feelings about, and my knowledge and testimony of the Son of God grew line upon line and precept upon precept, and continues to this day. But there was a quantum leap in that testimony that occurred close to my first Christmas in Australia while serving as a Missionary in Alice Springs, NT. After a life time of learning about, and ten months of teaching about the Savior and His restored gospel, I had an undeniable witness of our Lord, I truly came to know Him and what He has done for me, and all mankind. [See my letter about leaving Alice Springs, and going to Payneham.]

When I think of the Christmas story, I think of the faith of Joseph, to accept this woman heavy with child and take her on a donkey on this journey of 70 miles, find a place for her to give birth, in a place that they keep animals. That he would accept the duty of raising this child as his own.

I am in awe of Mary, her courage to be with child without officially being married, and risk being stoned to death! Her stamina and fortitude to ride that donkey 70 miles (several days travel) only to find there was no room for you anywhere except in a stable alongside animals; with no place to lay your baby except in a manger, where they feed the animals.

I wonder what it would have been like to be the shepherds in the fields and see the Angel, and hear his announcement of the Son of God that is born in Bethlehem. Then to see and hear the Multitude of Angels rejoicing this birth! Then to actually go and see the babe, and give honor to him, and praise him! What would that have been like?

I thrill at the Wise Men seeing the sign given, of a new star, and risking their lives traveling over deserts, mountains, rivers and lands swarming with bandits willing to kill for any amount of valuables. The joy they must have felt finally finding the “young child” in a “house”, “and fell down, and worshipped him”. Then they presented their 3 gifts of “gold, and frankincense, and myrrh”.2 [My father was always quick to point out that, we do not know how many Wise Men there really were, there may have been two, or there could have been 20, but they gave three gifts.] Those same Wise Men risked their lives again with the wrath of Herod when “they departed into their own country another way”, instead of reporting back to Herod as he had requested. The evil king was so wroth when he discovered that the wise men mocked him, that he “slew all the children… in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time… inquired of the wise men.” My heart aches for them and their mothers & families! This butchery did not end with children, but also included Zacharias the Priest and father of John the Baptist, who was slain “between the alter and the temple”, because he would not reveal the whereabouts of his son. He became the first Martyr of the Christian era(that is why John the Baptist was raised in the wilderness, they were hiding out to preserve their lives).

So many people died, or were willing to die, or risked death for Jesus to come into the world. It would make our Father’s gift to the earth of His Son all that more precious. Foreboding the Saviors own sacrifice at the end of his earthly Mission; Giving His own life as a ransom for our sakes, to make us clean and able to return to our Heavenly Father. 

May we cherish this wondrous time of the year. 

Love Jamie

*Some full names have been omitted

1. http://www.scacchoops.com/viewhdgame.asp?hSchedule=2272&bView=10

2. Matthew 2:11  https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/2?lang=eng

the 12 days of Christmas

12-18-08

Dear Elder & Sister Hansen and all my kids,

       

      BYU is now 10 - 0, and has a 53 game home winning streak (the longest in the country), including a 20 plus point win over Boise St. [It has been really hard to get "ranked" teams to come to Provo (non-conference ranked teams), because they are so dangerous there. It's a lose/lose situation for most teams. In fact for the football & basketball schedules teams have agreed to "home and home" series, but after BYU plays them on their home field (court), they cancel the contract when they have to come to Provo.

       Sister Hansen, I am sure that the Mission Pres. in Madrid would love to have you for 6 to 8 weeks after they kick you out of Russia. And that is on the way back to the States that you would have travel anyway. Plus I imagine that there must be other Russian speaking countries (Ukraine) that you could finish that last 6 to 8 weeks. Or there is Temple Square or plenty of other Temples/Visitor's Centers that would love to have a Russian speaking Missionary for that last transfer. Anyway, stay focused and sprint through and past the tape, don't stop at the finish line. Our Father has shown you how to be an effective witness for Him, never let up! [Especially AFTER YOU COME HOME!]
The following was a forward that I received from a dear friend about something that I had always wondered about myself (the 12 days of Christmas), ...


[The following text is a popular belief, brought to the internet in the 1990s, regarding the origin of the "12 days of Christmas" song. However, in recent years, the invalidity of these claims has been uncovered. While the following symbolism was not the true inspiration for the lyrics of the French Christmas carol, Jamie enjoyed the ideas presented and chose to share them. He did not know at the time that this email was a popularly circulated tale, rather than an actual historical study. 1]

...

"-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed."

...

All my love and devotion,

Jamie

1. http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp

"Reflections of Christ"

12-08-08

Dear Elder & Sister Hansen and away kids,

First, to get a few things out there, ...  I brought a 25 to 30 lb. box of 5 or 6 varieties of seedless table grapes, and a box of red grapefruit, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and sweet red bell peppers [to my aunt's funeral]. All of the Grapefruits, tomatoes and bell peppers were gone in half the time as the grapes (and those were top of the line quality grapes, but no one had any tomatoes or peppers ripe in their gardens yet, and they said "those are the sweetest grapefruits that we have ever tasted" - they also said the same thing about the grapes - "the sweetest that we have ever tasted").

      [Elder Hansen,] 

       I am SOOOO EXCITED about your baptisms!! What a great blessing for those special people as well as the Ward to have them joined with them.

       Do either of you Missionaries need or want more (used US) stamps? I got a lot of mileage in PR or bartering with members and nonmembers alike in Australia, for the used US stamps from my mail. But maybe people in general, or those in Mexico & Russia are not as much into “stamp collecting” as they were 30 years ago.

       BYU is 8-0 in basketball, and just beat Utah State on Sat. night to remain undefeated.

       Sister Hansen, ...

       Your gift of tongues has now included Russian, Armenian, Spanish, and now sign language. For both of you, the Greatest Chapters in your gift of tongues (as great as it has been already), have yet to be written.  The Lord still has many more, and deeper gifts still to be found.  

       Last Sat night our family went to a fireside (and opening night of), “Reflections of Christ” at the Stake Center, and then viewed the art show set up in the Cultural Hall with accompanying music (most of which was composed specifically for this display), “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (a man’s voice, sung soft ,almost whispered at times, with light Guitar background), (2 or 3 verses), “Amazing Grace” (woman’s voice and again soft and slow with a light piano/string orchestra background)(did not sing the most well known first verse, but rather my favorite the 2^nd & 3^rd verse):

           

T'was Grace that taught -
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear -
the hour I first believed.



Through many dangers, toils and snares -
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far -
and Grace will lead us home. 1

         

There was also at least one of the Sacrament Hymns done instrumentally. The photographer Mark Mabry, told his story of how this all came about. 2    His own personal cleansing and preparation, and the road that led him to his contacts to do a presentation at the Mesa Temple Easter Pageant. He told of his calling and being set apart by his Bishop for this presentation. That he had been prepared for this since before his birth. He told a little about the live actors who would portray the Savior and others in the pictures.

Some of the shots were of the manger scene, Angels dressed in brilliant white robes against a starlit night sky, announcing the birth of Jesus (to get the appearance of them flying/floating in the air, he had them jump on a trampoline, and would take the picture of them while at the apex of their bounding; including one guy with one of those long trumpets – like the Angel Moroni on the Temples), Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, Jesus writing on the ground with the woman caught in adultery (“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” was being played as I viewed this, also from the Baptism of Jesus to the start of Gethsemane), Jesus walking on the water (he was on the shore of a large lake walking on cinder blocks in the shallow water, but the angles which they shot it at made it look so real – like he truly was walking on water), healing the blind man by smearing mud on his eyes, The Ten Virgins, Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the betrayal, the scourging by the Roman Soldiers, the Crucifixion (VERY AUTHENTIC LOOKING)(“Amazing Grace” was playing here including the lines “How precious did that Grace appear – the hour I first believed”), His Resurrection (the scars visible on His hands, were incredible) , with the 2 men on the road to Emmaus, Jesus appearing on the shore of Galilee and Peter jumping from the ship and swimming to shore to meet him, and last but not least, The Ascension (the looks on the faces of the men was true emotion, as Jesus was rising up from them,… leaving them). The pictures in and of themselves were stunning, and had a Spirit all of their own. But with the uplifting, heart warming, soul stirring musical backdrop, it made the presentation down right Sacred. Most people came out of that room pretty choked up. 3

They also had a movie about the making of this production, with on sight filming of the photo shoots, interviews with the actors, photographer, set & costume people, etc., that was at once interesting, informative, and inspiring.

Then Wed night (the last night of the viewing), we took many of our youth from our Ward to the Stake Center for mutual night (and a special Stake youth fireside) with Mark Mabry, who flew in (again) for this follow up fireside (including all our kids, most of the YW, [and others. names omitted]).

The [Full name omitted] "F"s are family friends in Arizona, and Matt F had come over for the viewing and personally introduced me to Mark Mabry (on Sat night). Well Wed night I waited until most of the crowd of those that had gathered to thank/speak to him had already left, and I too thanked him, and acknowledged that I concurred with his blessing that, he had been raised for this very purpose, and that this was just a beginning for him. That he still had many things to accomplish for the Lord. 

I also told him that for a Stake Youth Musical, and several other times (“Faith Walks” at Girl’s Camp, etc.) that I had been asked to play the part of the Savior. That I knew a little bit about what his actor ... went through in preparing for such a performance. Even though my experience with this was a blip in time compared with the scope and far reaching effects of this current production; Mine was a life altering event for me. On a physical side, it was so draining that, I felt as though I had just played a non-stop 3 hour football game, and at the same time on the mental/emotional side, I felt as if I had just completed a “2 day fast”. I was spent, physically, mentally and emotionally spent. My eyes hurt – they had cried so much, my mouth and nose were dry (like when it is really hot and dry, and you have not had any water for a long time). On a Spiritual side, you actually get a little glimpse of the total, complete, unconditional love that the Great Mediator has for ALL OF GOD’S CHILDREN! To see the faces of all those who look upon you in the light of the person you represent, and the effect it is having on them (and you), something passes between you. Everyone you touch, or shake hands with, or embrace, some thing leaves you. I remember the first time that this happened at Camp Elowin for the Faith Walk of our Stake Girl’s Camp. Afterwards in my weakened condition, I remembered the question the Savior asked after the woman touched the hem of his garment, “Who touched me?”…”for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me”. I received a witness of just a small part of what he meant. Bro Mabry & I had some thing pass between us that night, including that I shared with him about us having a son in Leon Mexico on a mission, and a daughter on a mission in Russia (Moscow West). He had served in St. Petersburg, and his trips to re-apply for his visa were to Finland. We told him some of [our daughter]’s stories, including her trips to Spain. He was very impressed.

I would urge everyone who has an opportunity to view this “Reflections of Christ”, to spare no amount of time or expense to take everyone (especially your youth), to go and see this exhibit.

With all the love and tender feelings that a father can posses, I leave you with my blessing, and ask for God’s protection and guidance to be with you.



Jamie

1. http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Amazing_Grace/

2. http://www.reflectionsofchrist.org/artist_mark.php

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oteno81QzzQ&list=UUp9yuVkTbTT2XH7YhaVne1A&index=8

Moon & the Bridge Builder

(7 years ago today.)
11-30-08

A few things to catch up on; first, the moon as seen in Russia will be very close to the same as what we see here in California. The same face of the moon always points towards the earth, we never see the back side of the moon except for pictures from space craft on the far side. There is some slight difference in viewing from how far north or south you are on the planet, or from when it first rises to when it is about to set. As it will give a change in angle that you are seeing the moon from. So that could be partly why it might appear different. There also could have been some climatic or natural happenings (clouds, Fires, etc.) or recent meteor(s) strikes (although I had not heard of any) to make it look different. 1

Sister Hansen, if you want to have a Fivel moment (ah la ‘Some Where Out There’), if you will look at the moon just as it is about to set, we will see it rising. We will be looking at the very same moon, at the same time. But only for a few minuets each day that it is visible.

Elder Hansen, where you are in Mexico, after the moon has been up for about 2 hours, we will see it rising. And when it is about to set for you, we will still observe it for another two hours. Thus we can be looking at the same moon at the same time for about 5 or 6 hours each day that it is visible. Plus contrary to popular belief, (that the moon only shines at night), the moon will shine just as much in the day time as in the night time (on an annual basis – longer in the daytime in summer, but longer at night time in the winter), depending on what phase it is in. A true “full moon” will rise at sundown, and at various other times of the day or night depending on the phase or part of the 29 day cycle that it is on.1

The sun is a different matter. In Russia we would be able to see the sun together at the same time on June 21 (the Summer Solstice) for 2 to 3 hours (your last few hours of the day, our first few hours). Most of the year, mid Aug. through early May, we would not be able to see the sun at the same time. It will be early May before we will see the sun together at the same time again (you will see the sun setting and we will see it rising for only a moment together, and gradually each day be able to see more of it together until it’s peak on June 21).

In Leon Mexico, on June 21 we probably will be able to see the sun rise together. But we will see it set about 2 hours later than you. Even in the depth of winter we will still have at least 4 hours a day, that we could both see the sun at the same time (if it is not foggy). But your sunrise will be at 3 to 4 hours ahead of ours. 2



On my mission, both my Dad and my Mom wrote to me every week. I did not know of one missionary whose father wrote every week, except for mine. Some had fathers who wrote once a month at best, to sporadic or not at all. Only a few of them had moms that wrote every week, but most moms only wrote once or twice a month. I remember Elder (name omitted) W being so amazed at my parent’s letters, especially my Dad’s, as his father never wrote him once (Elder W was a convert and the only member in his family). I mentioned this in my letters home, and my Dad started writing to Elder W also. Elder W was so impressed with his letters and told me later that one of the saddest parts of coming home was that he missed my Dad’s letters. So, yes, I have a glimpse of what letters from home mean (including all of your siblings).



Elder Hansen, I spoke with (name omitted) the son of your Mission Pres. ([He]  works at Church headquarters) and he said he was with Pres. & Sister C for Thanksgiving in Leon. He said his dad was very excited about the progress and programs in the Mission.


...


I spoke in (name omitted) C Ward this morning (on the Spiritual aspects of the Vineyard, and the “Big Picture” of the Welfare & Commercial Farms that the Church has, the Humanitarian efforts, etc.). The whole congregation was quite moved (even the squirrelly Deacons).

I then also spoke in our (name omitted) Ward 3rd hour (5th Sunday Presentation), along with Bro. P who did a great job (Bishop B was out of town). I spoke on “Salvation through Service”, and the conclusion of my talk I quoted this poem that I memorized as a teenager and used many times on my Mission:



The Bridge Builder


An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide --
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Will Allen Dromgoole 3

As one fair haired youth, I had many bridges built for me throughout my life. Especially from the biggest “Bridge Builder” of them all, our Savior Jesus Christ. So, I am left with a debt so great, that I could never repay it all. It becomes my duty then, to do everything I can, no matter how long the day, or difficult the work, to tirelessly serve him who bought and paid with his very blood, all of my sins, weaknesses, short falls and blunders. That others could be brought to taste the sweetness of the fruit that I have tasted.

All of my love, Jamie





1. http://www.moonconnection.com/moon-same-side.phtml
2. http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
3. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/237102

11-08-08 - Death Before Dishonor

I was the concluding speaker [In church service on Sunday] and thanked [the first speaker] for the report on his son, and [the second speaker] for his remarks, and a heartfelt thank you for his service to our country. I then acknowledged his final plea, and pledged that "I would pray for the new president, as I had prayed for every President since 1976 when I voted in my first national election. That the new President would be guided and directed to do those things that God would want for America”.

...

I thought [of several remarks i could make], but using tremendous personal restraint, I did not say [them]. Because I have too much reverence for the sanctity of the Sacrament Meeting to use it for my own personal political views, no matter how true they may be.

I then reflectively stated to the congregation, “I know that for many of you the last few months, and especially the last few weeks have been a tremendous strain”. Then added to that, “what has been happening most recently to our Temples, Chapels, Church Office Building in the way of desecration, vandalism, lack of honoring property rights; and individual members beaten and brutalized is shocking and tragic. But I fear that this is only the beginning. These kinds of things will only intensify until the Savior comes again. Our Prophets have told us that, there will be a polarizing effect on the earth in our day; the bad will become worse, and the good will become better and stronger. We have to decide where we stand. Will we be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or will we stand as witnesses of our Lord, and support and sustain His Holy Prophets? No matter what they ask us to do?"

Our prophets have told us, “the Lord will never permit his Prophet to lead this Church astray”1. If we follow the Prophet, “we will be blessed”. They also tell us that those who fail to give head to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people. They will be physically separated from the body of the Church, as well as spiritually separated from God. They will not have the Holy Spirit to be with them. It will be the difference of making it to the Celestial Kingdom, or falling to the Terrestrial Kingdom.

Aside from political turmoil and lawless behavior, we will face devastating natural disasters, terrorist attacks, increasing additional wars, and economic collapse even more than we have recently experienced.

Ezra Taft Benson as the European Mission President was in Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1946 and watched the losses of freedom and methods of conquest of those lovely countries and beautiful people. He also served as Sec. of Agriculture to President Eisenhower from 1953 – 1961.2
 He saw first hand the evils of Communism and Socialism and warned about that cancer destroying our country, unless we fight against it: “Watchman, what of the night?" (Isaiah 21:11) is the cry of the faithful. I have tried to warn you of the darkness that is moving over us and what we can do about it if we will only follow the prophet.

Have you counted the cost if our countrymen, and especially the body of the Priesthood, continue to remain complacent, misled through some of our news media, deceived by some of our officials, and perverted by some of our educators?

Are you prepared to see some of your loved ones murdered, your remaining liberties abridged, the Church persecuted, and your Eternal Reward jeopardized?

“…I have talked face-to-face with the godless communist leaders. It may surprise you to learn that I was host to Mr. Khrushchev …when he visited the United States. Not that I’m proud of it – I opposed his coming then and I still feel it was a mistake to welcome this atheistic murderer as a state visitor. But according to Pres. Eisenhower, Khrushchev had expressed a desire to learn something of American agriculture, and after seeing Russian agriculture I can see why.”3

“As we talked face-to-face, he indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under freedom, he arrogantly declared in substance:

You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept communism outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won’t have to fight you. We’ll so weaken your economy until you’ll fall like over-ripe fruit into our hands.”4

The Book of Mormon teaches us “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ”.5 Part of serving the God of the land is to honor and obey His Prophet. No matter what the cost. No matter what the price.

Pres. Benson also quoted Norman Vincent Peale who proclaimed, “Once we roared like lions for liberty; now we bleat like sheep for security.”6

Men often will trade freedom for security, and mistake lack of violence or war, for peace. True freedom is never earned, nor maintained without tremendous effort and sacrifice through the shedding of blood. Pres. J. Ruben Clark stated “Freedom was never brought to people on a silver platter, nor maintained with whisk brooms and lavender sprays”.7 Many Patriots throughout our country’s history have given all they had, and over a million of them have paid the ultimate sacrifice of their very lives for the glorious cause of FREEDOM. I would like to tell you about one of those Patriots, Bill Miller. He was a counselor to my father in the Branch Presidency in Chowchilla when I was a young man. (Among other things, he had a $1 or $5 dollar bill that had the signatures of Omar Bradley, George Patton and one other General that I can not remember on it.) He had a tattoo on his forearm, and at one activity I (as an immature punk teenager) chided him saying something to the effect, “Mormons aren’t supposed to have tattoos”. He then told me that he got it long before he and his wife joined the Church. He was in the military in WWII and his unit fought in Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, across Europe into Germany. There was none of this “Tour of Duty” stuff, you were in it for the duration. ‘Til they won the war and came home. In one of the earlier battles, a portion of the battle line folded and ran. In the counter attack by the Americans, even though successful, they suffered heavy casualties. Many more lives were lost in retaking the ground, than they would have if the original lines would have held their ground in the first place. So Bill Miller and the rest of their unit made a collective oath, that they would never surrender or retreat (unless ordered to do so), but they would fight to the death. This they did because they did not want to be the cause of additional Americans to have to die because of their failure to do their duty. Also in this battle or another one, the scuttle-butt was that some one captured had through torture or truth serum (Sodium Pentothal), given away information that led to an advantage of the enemy that led to some of their buddies dying. So part of their oath included the promise to never leave one of their unit behind. If ordered out of an area, they either took the wounded with them, or killed them to make sure that no one was taken alive to give out sensitive information. They all made that oath, because they loved their country, their fellow Americans, and their buddies more than their own lives; and were willing to die (or have their own fellow soldiers shoot them to make sure that they were not the cause by torture or truth serum) of giving away information that would lead to the death fellow Americans or loosing a battle because of that information. To help them remember their oath, they all got tattoos that said, “Death before Dishonor” on a scroll or sash below an Eagle. This was the Tattoo that Bill Miller had on his arm, and the reason for it.

Most of us in this room will never have to give our lives in battle, refusing to retreat or surrender; but every one of us will (sometimes on a daily basis) have the opportunity to stand as a witness, and not be ashamed of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. To honor and sustain our Prophet and other Church leaders, no matter what the cost. I wish it were roses and lollipops that I had to offer you. But I fear it is Briars and thistles that we are wont to wade through. We will need to steel ourselves for the fight.

I then bore testimony of the Savior, this Church, and His Prophet, and defending the Constitution. That following his Prophet will bring freedom, life, and joy. Not doing so will bring enslavement, sorrow, and death. May we never retreat or surrender.

May God bless you all in your standing (fighting) for the right.

Jamie

Citations:

1. https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-37-we-thank-thee-o-god-for-a-prophet?lang=eng

2,3,4. Benson, E., & Newquist, J. (1994). An enemy hath done this. Salt Lake City, Utah: Parliament Publ., [pg.320]
5. https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/2?lang=eng
6. Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 15, October 6, 2000 to October 12 2000
7. http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=1522