Religion – Page 32

Protect Marriage Update

September 12, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Know the Facts

Voicing your support for Proposition 8 can sometimes be a bit intimidating, particularly when you don’t know all the facts. We’re sure you will be surprised to learn that many of your friends and neighbors share your support! Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle. Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits from gays or lesbians in domestic partnerships. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions. Proposition 8 will not change this.

Townhall Meetings

The Proposition 8 Campaign has been busy hosting a series of townhall meetings throughout the state, providing a local forum for communities to discuss the importance of preserving traditional marriage as between one man and one woman. To date, there have been four townhall meetings in Fresno, Sonoma, San Joaquin and Napa Counties. Each event has been tremendously successful, energizing the community and arming attendees with information on how to get more involved to ensure Proposition 8 passes.

Drawing from between 200-600 attendees, the Protect Marriage Townhall Meetings have created an opportunity for voters to learn about Proposition 8 from leaders in their own community. In each host county, the Campaign has identified representatives from each of the major faith denominations, who then speak about why voting YES on Proposition 8 is such a crucial issue, from their faith’s perspective.

Upcoming townhall meetings include Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino. For more information on a townhall meeting in your area, please contact info@protectmarriage.com.

Volunteers Needed

With November just around the corner and a likely close vote on Proposition 8 expected, volunteers can make the difference in this election. Proposition 8 is our last chance to protect the institution of marriage, to keep it from being radically redefined for all of society. You can help us tip the scales by volunteering on behalf of the Campaign.

This effort takes committed individuals working hard at the grassroots level. There are many different ways that you can help. Here’s just a sample:

Walk precincts
Phone voters
Distribute literature to your friends and neighbors
Donate
Show your support through a yard sign or bumper sticker
Recruit 10 new volunteers
Write a letter to the editor

ACLU Donation

We know that everyday our opponents are busy raising millions of dollars that will be used to mislead our voters. Just recently, we heard of the ACLU’s $1.2 million donation to defeat Proposition 8 — the largest single donation to our opponents in this campaign.

Source: ProtectMarriage.com email.

Protect Marriage Campaign

September 4, 2008 by rickety 3 Comments

Volunteers to Visit More Households

50,000 Proposition 8 volunteers have already reached more than one million households up and down the state. These incredible results were accomplished by volunteers who devoted just a few hours of their time during two consecutive weekends. We need to increase this great effort if we want to ensure that Proposition 8 passes come November. If we each do our part, we can protect and restore marriage to the traditional definition that existed before 4 liberal judges working in San Francisco changed it.

Campaign Urges Supporters to Donate

We are up against a well-funded effort to redefine marriage for our children, our families and all of society. Our opponents have already reserved millions of dollars of television advertising, and no doubt have ads ready to confuse and obscure the issues at stake. We need to reserve our own TV and radio time to counter these efforts. With just 60 days left until the November election, the Proposition 8 Campaign is requesting supporters to donate.

iProtectMarriage.com Targets the Youth Vote

In conjunction with the Pastors’ Rapid Response Network, we recently launched a Web site targeting the youth vote in California. At the iProtectMarriage.com Web site, young people in California can learn about the important issues involved in Proposition 8, and can sign up to help.

iProtectMarriage.com targets teenagers and young adults both from secular and faith backgrounds. Miles McPherson, one of Proposition 8’s key supporters and senior pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, says the site aims to reach out to all young voters, especially those who support same-sex marriage for the wrong reasons. McPherson, a former NFL player with the San Diego Chargers, said:

Right now they’re driven by the wrong information and a lot of emotion. They’ll say, “I don’t want to be called a bigot. I don’t want to discriminate.”

Making it clear that the Proposition 8 campaign is not “anti-gay” but pro-marriage, the site challenges its users with information in key areas: civil rights, kids, churches, education, public health, faith and society, showing that Proposition 8 is about much more than marriage alone. It shows young people how they can to take action for Proposition 8.

Utah Temples Tour Details

September 2, 2008 by rickety 2 Comments

First Day

Before I begin I will mention that we won’t be traveling in any of the rickety old cars you see on this page. The first day we get to sleep in our own beds. We start and end in Kaysville. This will work for those of you who just want a day trip. We drive north 18 miles to take in a session at the Ogden Temple. North again for 47 miles to the Logan Temple. Then it is back south for 76 miles to the Bountiful Temple. Back home with a drive of 14 miles. That adds to a total of three sessions and 155 miles. The drive time is approximately 3 hours and 17 minutes.

Second Day

We start off in Kaysville driving 20 miles to get an early session at the Salt Lake Temple. Another 20 miles takes us to the Jordan River Temple. In the same city is the site of the Oquirrh Mountains Temple just 3 miles away. Just a 13 mile drive takes us to the site of the Draper Temple. South for 14 miles delivers us to the Mount Timpanogos Temple. After we are finished at Mount Timpanogos it is a leisurely drive to the Provo Marriott where we will stay the night. For the day the total miles is 85 taking about 2 hours 23 minutes. Three sessions will have be completed and a look at two temples under construction.

Third Day

You could walk the three miles from the Marriott to the Provo Temple for the first session of the day. After a session we go east 153 miles to the Vernal Temple. We are not done yet as we drive the 272 miles to the Monticello Temple. Once the session is complete we stay over at the Days Inn just a mile away. Total for the day is three sessions and 429 miles that will take 8 hours and 3 minutes.

Fourth Day

We are in for a lot of driving today to pick up the last two temples. The St. George Temple is 392 miles away so we start early. You can take a nap on the way but no snoring. After St. George our last stop is the Manti Temple for a drive of 213 miles. Soon we can head home with 143 miles before us. This leg would add two more sessions and 749 miles. Total driving time for today would add up to 11 hours 32 minutes.

When?

Two people who have signed up are attending the University of Utah. So it looks like we will go sometime during Fall break (Monday 13th October to Sunday 19th October). The four days will be 13th to 16th of that week. An alternative would be to do day 1 on Saturday 11th and days 2, 3, and 4 on 13th, 14th, and 15th. Or we can come up with another date. Incidentally the times for each day is the drive times only. I would allow 2 1/2 hours for each temple visit. 90 minutes for the session and another hour for changing and wait times and outside photography. Jake reminded me that we would need time to eat. It will be good to have one or two hungry RMs along!

Utah Temples Tour

Jake’s Missionary Meeting

August 31, 2008 by rickety 4 Comments

As is customary for departing and returning LDS missionaries, Jake spoke in sacrament meeting today.
Here is what he said, taken from my rickety notes:

Testimony

I will speak about testimony today. Preach My Gospel defines testimony as a spiritual witness. A priest is a lot different than an elder. On a service project priests have there hands in their pockets and lean against the wall. They have to be told what to do. An elder works through the spirit.

Graciela didn’t want to be baptized even though she had been to church. I like to baptize everyone I take to church. She didn’t recognize the need to repent. My testimony wasn’t good enough to convince her. After seven months of teaching her my testimony was finally sufficient. She got baptized. She didn’t care about all my knowledge, just my testimony.

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Utah Temples Tour

August 30, 2008 by rickety 14 Comments

Utah has eleven temples with two more under construction. I am planning a road trip to visit all the Utah temples, including those under construction. By the time I get going perhaps the temples being built will be finished. I am considering going through a session at each temple, except of course those under construction.

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Protect Marriage News

August 27, 2008 by rickety 7 Comments

Protect Marriage Pastor Calls

This morning approximately 2,500 pastors and church leaders gathered at 170 sites in California to participate in a Protect Marriage conference call/Webinar. On the call, pastors and church leaders of all denominations received information and resources to be used in garnering YES on Proposition 8 support from their communities and congregations.

Supporters of Same-Sex Marriage Ad

Backers of same-sex “marriage” have begun airing a new television ad. The Let Freedom Ring ad, which is now airing in California, doesn’t make direct mention of Prop. 8, nevertheless, its intent is clear — to encourage tolerance of same-sex marriage.

Prop. 8 Volunteers Visit More Than One Million Voter Households

Approximately 50,000 Prop. 8 volunteers took to their neighborhoods on Aug. 16 and 23 to encourage their friends and neighbors to vote YES on Proposition 8. By devoting just a few hours of their time, volunteers have reached more than one million households up and down the state in two days.

Advocates of Same-Sex Marriage Continue to Force Compliance

The Proposition 8 Campaign reacted strongly to the California Supreme Court’s ruling that California doctors who have religious objections to artificially inseminating same-sex couples can no longer refuse to treat them. The Court’s decision overturns a previous state Appeals Court decision which ruled in favor of the doctors in 2005.

This latest ruling proves that advocates of same-sex marriage are not simply seeking tolerance, but rather are pushing for compliance in every corner of California society. They will stop at nothing to chip away at the free speech rights and the rights of conscience of Californians everywhere, forcing individuals to accept their lifestyle even against a person’s personal or religious beliefs. It is a slippery slope against the individual rights of Californians.
Ron Prentice, on behalf of the Campaign.

The Supreme Court rejected a San Diego County fertility clinic’s right to refuse performing a procedure. North Coast Women’s Care in Vista declined to perform an intrauterine insemination for an individual, and referred the individual to another facility.

Knights of Columbus Catholic Organization

Just this last week, the Knights of Columbus, the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization, donated $1 million to Proposition 8. Throughout its history, the Knights of Columbus has been an effective advocate and defender of civil and religious rights for all.

Knights of Columbus spokesman Patrick Korten stressed that the importance of, “preserving marriage as the indispensable institution in which children are conceived, born and raised to adulthood by a loving father and mother is vital to a healthy society. It is also the most favorable environment in which to protect the rights and best interests of children.”

Additional Information

Information for this post came from a Protect Marriage campaign update. For more information see Protect Marriage.

Missionary Jake Returns

August 25, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Waiting For Jake

Today Jake was returning from Mexico after two years. We all climbed into our rickety old van and went to the airport to greet him. Parents and siblings were all there along with an aunt and cousin. It is indeed a happy day. After two years of weekly emails and a thirty minute phone conversation every Mothers Day and Christmas Day we were ready to talk to him face to face.

Jake Finally Arrives

He was very skinny and had lost weight — no doubt because of the constant missionary labor. This is our third son to return from a mission so we are getting used to the routine. Except it is never routine to see your son for the first time in two years. We had the usual sign that read WELCOME HOME ELDER WILLOUGHBY. A sign that has been stored and recycled for each of our three missionaries. And there is yet another Elder Willoughby readying himself for an October entry into the MTC and two years hence be a recipient of our aging, yet still colorful, welcome sign.

The boys occupied themselves at the airport with a Tombstone Deep Dish Pizza vending machine. Even though they would be eating shortly (their mother reminded them) they had to try out the machine by buying a pizza. Of course their sister provided the dollars to feed the machine. The boys could not be drawn away so we took our photograph amongst the food machines.

Released From His Mission

We left the airport to eat at The Olive Garden in Layton as per Jake’s request. I tried to get him to eat at each Mexico restaurant along the way but for some reason he didn’t want to. Adelaide, Steven’s wife, joined us at the restaurant. Afterwards we went home and at 7pm went to the Stake Center to meet with the stake president. Jake was released from his mission and after visiting awhile at home he left with his brothers to go on a hike.

Mountain Meadows Massacre

August 23, 2008 by rickety 29 Comments

Directions to Mountain Meadows Monument

Read about our visit to the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre

While visiting the Utah Shakespearean Festival, Jill and I left the drama and tragedies behind for a morning to visit a site of much greater drama and tragedy. We have never visited the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre though we have passed by on I-15 numerous times. From the Cedar City I-15 exit it is approximately 50 miles to the monument. There is very little traffic on highway 56 as we ride to Newcastle. There are no signs here to guide the way and we don’t see one until we are one mile away from the monument. We head down Newcastle’s main street and connect with highway 18 to Enterprise. We follow 18 to reach the monument. This place is in the middle of nowhere but well worth a visit.

Mountain Meadows Association Monument

There are two monuments. We visit the Mountain Meadows Association Monument first. There were not many visitors, in fact just Jill and I. A short 220 yard walk gets us to the top of Dan Sill Hill where the monument overlooks locations of interest. On the walk up the hill are two information markers. Rather than have you read plain text I will show the photographs for you to read from. They have been vandalized a little such that “The local indians joined in the slaughter” has been partly scratched out on one marker and an offensive word has been etched on another. “Some mothers do ‘ave ’em,” as my grandmother used to say.

Mountain Meadows Massacre Information

Information about the burial sites.

Carleton Grave Uncovered

Carleton grave plaque marking the burial vault

In the plaque above, at the end of the second paragraph, do you see where it says “…the remains recovered from that grave were re-interred in a burial vault inside the new wall.” I found a small plaque over at the second monument erected by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is easy to miss because you have to look over the left side of the wall as you come through the gate. However, there is more to see before we go to the second monument. On the top of the hill there is a fine memorial that has been constructed which lists the names of those killed and some explanatory markers.

Names Etched in Stone

Jill ponders events at the Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial Site

In the photograph below, click on the five sections to see enlarged photographs of the names.

Mountain Meadows Views

There are two viewing aids. The one of the left is aimed at the grave site where the LDS Church built a monument. You cannot see much because a hedge is obscuring the view. The one on the right shows the massacre site. We did not go there, it appeared that one of the routes to it was a private road. There is an informational plaque in the center. Click on the plaque and the viewing aids to enlarge.

There is a map showing all the sites relative to your position at the monument. Also another informational marker. This completes the visit to the first monument.

The Old Spanish Trail and the California Road

Area site map

Grave Site Memorial

We drove to the Mountain Meadows Massacre Grave Site Memorial. I will simply show you the photographs without any commentary from me. At the end I will add a few thoughts.

Jill with the Grave Site Memorial in the background

Rick and Jill at the Memorial

Grave Site Memorial Dedication Plaque

Grave Site Memorials List

The original rock memorial

Final Thoughts

It was worth the drive to be able to see the actual memorials, take some photographs, and ponder the events that happened here a long time ago. As an adult convert to the Church I have read a little about the massacre and have made some observations over the years. A few who are disaffected with the Church would dearly love to pin the blame on Brigham Young. Clearly the Mormon settlers were looking for direction from him but word came too late. So why the eagerness to implicate Brigham Young? Because that would imply that the current prophet could give a similar order and it would be obeyed. But Brigham Young did not give the order. It was local leadership that made that decision. Even if the current prophet did give such an order it would not be obeyed. Today there are far too many members who are independent of thought and earn their livelihood from employers with no connection to the Church. In closing, remember that the Gospel of Jesus Christ heals all wounds. May peace be with us all, both the living and the dead.
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Our Home Storage Center

August 18, 2008 by rickety 1 Comment

Our Our home storage center is located at the Kaysville granary

My family is fortunate to live very close to a home storage center. We live in Kaysville and the center is located at the Kaysville granary — you can’t get any closer than that! There are home storage centers located throughout the United States and Canada. We still refer to our home storage center as the dry pack cannery — same place, new name.

Our home storage center assists my family with longer-term food storage like wheat, white rice, dry beans, oats, dried milk, and other basic food items. Our stake welfare specialist tells us when times are available at the center and we pack the food ourselves and purchase the items to take home that day. We go as a group and work together on everybody’s orders. We simply scoop the dried food into the cans, place a small packet inside to aid in sealing, and use a simple machine to seal the lid. Slap a label on the can and put six cans in a box and we are all done. It doesn’t take long to process even the largest orders.

There is a home storage center order form available that we use to plan our purchases. There are prices listed on the form. We like to use our computer to enter quantities and the form automatically updates our total cost. We then print the form and take it with us to the home storage center.

A sample from our storage: instant potatoes, sugar, rolled oats, hot cocoa mix, and apple slices.

Our favorites are the fruit drink mix and the potato flakes. You really should try the potato flakes for they make the best mash potato you will probably ever taste. The dry onions work well in stews and the apple slices don’t last long if our children get a hold of them. Check out the storage life listed on the form. Most of the items are good for 30 years.

By keeping out of debt and having an active food storage program our family has a peace of mind that allows us to enjoy life to the full.

Resources

Distribution Services: Home storage products
Food Storage
Gospel Topics: Food Storage
Ready.gov: Build A Kit
Be Ready Utah
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