It's Official

 

And he's gone. Plopped into a parking garage at the MTC, a hug for Mom, a few photos snapped by a missionary practicing Japanese, and we were off.

Almost home now. Happy for him but feeling like the car is a little empty.

It's (Almost) Official

We're lazing about in a hotel in Ogden, getting ready to drop Isaac off at the MTC. He has to be there to meet his district (and Elder Palmer, his companion, with whom he has merrily klonked heads for the week of home MTC). It's odd to think the time has come, and I think this morning the import of the moment is hitting Isaac a little hard. He's been subdued and quiet.

Or maybe just tired from the day before. We did a session at the Logan Temple, then had a $170 dinner at Maddox in Perry before we stopped in Ogden for the night.

Side note: The Logan Temple was much more modern inside than I was anticipating for a Pioneer-era temple. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I certainly know the Idaho Falls Temple has survived remodeling efforts with much more of its 1940s Art Deco intact.

More to come . . .

Another Little Project Done

Michelle painted the stairwell and the stair rail last year. Just got the rail back up today. And I did *not* use drywall screws to fasten it to the wall, thankyouverymuch.

I did this scientifically, since she puttied over the holes in the drywall as she painted. I measured the basement rail height, figured out which end of the rail went where, and then with the assistance of Isaac, busily preparing to depart for the MTC today, got the rail put up and back into the actual studs.

That's one of those things you do when you're taking a much-needed day off work for a trip to Utah but need to burn off some nervous energy before the trip begins.

AI: Used Car Writing

More fuel here for folks like me who don't want AI to write or think for us.

It's the automated rush to mediocrity that bugs me. I mean, I can be a mediocre writer on my own; I don't need technological help to be so.

The worst part: Most AI acolytes don't care. Writing is a chore to be taken off a checklist, not anything to be done to help increase one's abilities or make their brains work.

I get it -- writing is hard. I've been working on a novel for years. Reading is one thing, writing is completely different. It's like saying "Hey, I like cars. I can drive them. I'm going to build one myself." Two completely different worlds.

But this AI writing for us isn't us writing, it's us going to the used car lot and buying the blandest piece of machinery on the lot. . .

Dear Elder Davidson No. 1

 Hello Isaac,

Thought you’d enjoy having a bit of mail in the mailbox when you got to the MTC. That is if this letter beats us there. We’ll see.

I imagine you’ll find your time at the MTC going fast. It went fast for me, as I recall, and I was there for 2 ½ months. You’re going to be busy there – and that’s a good thing.

If I can offer any advice, it would be this: Take what they teach you there seriously. I know you’re going into the mission full-bore; I expect nothing less from you. I’ve always admired your dedication and enthusiasm. Keep it up. There may be times, even in the two weeks you’re there, that you’ll feel discouraged. That’s normal. Just remember you’ve got a huge support group there, and we’re all rooting for you at home. More importantly, God called you to serve, and He’ll do everything he can to help you succeed as long as you’re doing your part. That you’ll do that I have no doubt.

Your personality and charisma will be tremendous assets to you in the mission field. God expects you’ll channel that into good. I saw charismatic missionaries accomplish great things. I also saw them lead other missionaries into things they shouldn’t be doing. Don’t do that.

I’ll get off the soapbox. You know what you’re facing, and you’ll hear plenty of advice from all sorts of people in the MTC and in the mission field. Just remember to listen to the spirit and you’ll do wonderfully.

As you serve your mission, you’ve inspired me to re-read my mission journals and letters. Maybe I’ll send you a bit of stuff here and there and you might relate (or not) to experiences the old man had on his mission. I won’t promise you any Naked Ninja moments, but as I recall my folks did build a new house and move while I was on my mission, so the opportunity was always there. Dad wanted to keep the new house a secret, but Mom was always bursting to send any news she could. Roles would be reversed for your Mom and I, as I’m the one who likes to blab.

Journal writing (soapbox comes back out): Do it. You’ll see the value in it as you go. I don’t know that you need to do it daily, but certainly record things that happen to you. Record promptings from the Lord. Record the good stuff and the bad stuff. I know when I re-read the entries from the days when I was feeling low and lousy it helps me keep perspective on how I dealt with the bad, and how I could certainly have dealt with it better. The more we record, the more we’re able to recall and ponder on. The Book of Mormon in many parts (I’m thinking particularly of Enos and Mormon/Moroni) are dudes like us recording their ups and downs. There’s a lot of value in what they wrote, and while what we record won’t necessarily become scripture, it can still hold a lot of value for us. And remember that the incidental things you write – emails, letters, etc., can double as journal entries. I haven’t journaled on paper in years but put a lot of stuff on my blog. If I have something significant I want to keep, I save the file on my computer. We’ll do what we can to preserve the emails and letters you send, so they can supplement your own journal writing. Just find a way to record your memories and thoughts (backs off the soapbox again).

I just really hope you enjoy your time, have fun with your companions, and can look back on your mission years with fondness. Missions are a lot of work, but as with life, they can be a lot of fun as well. I know you know how to find fun and how to make things fun, so as long as you’re doing things in a way that keep you and your companion safe and keep the spirit with you, you’re going to do great things.

I’ve babbled long enough. I’ll end this letter and let you get back to the MTC thing.

Love, Dad

Hey, I *Know* That Name

So I'm reading J. Golden Kimball by Claude Richards and learned an interesting interaction he had with James Kearl, one of my mother's relatives.

A few caveats:

There may be other James Kearls, but in looking at the timeline and genealogy, I can confirm James Kearl lived in the area Kimball lived in. They're also contemporaries, so the chances of this being my relative are good.

The event itself is not that exciting; I just thought it was fun than an ancestor's name popped out of the  book at me.

The story:

About 1887 my brother Elias and I loaded a sleigh with provisions and started for Evanston, Wyoming, enroute to Salt Lake City, where Elias was to attend the Utah Legislature as a representative from Rich County. We took our mother along. Elias was on crutches, as he had a severe cut on the foot. We had four fine horses. It was snowing, but we were accustomed to snow storms. We left our home in Meadowville and, after we passed through Lake Town, we wended our way to the canyon. A severe blizzard, with a terrifying wind, set in. We plowed our way through banks of snow. We reached the top of the mountain; night set in and we discovered we were traveling in a circle as the horses could not face the storm. We found a cabin, owned by our friend James Kearl, and entered. Tearing up the floor, we built a fire and camped for the night.

I can't imagine James Kearl was all that happy to know a cabin he owned lost a floor to some wanderers, but I'm certain he wouldn't have mind as it likely saved their lives. They did eventually reach Salt Lake, after other adventures involving other ranchers and other cabins.

A Few Updates

I offer a few updates after a busy week.

Update 1: Isaac sold his truck, thus the pile in this photo.

I was low-key worried we'd either be making payments on his truck during his mission or that some jerk would try to steal it away from him, but he ended up selling it to a missionary freshly-returned from Costa Rica whose Dad arrived in a vehicle bought at the same small dealership Isaac bought his truck from.

There wasn't even any dickering on price. I don't know how he avoided that. Maybe because it's a good truck, in good condition, and the used car market is so screwed up anyway.

Update 2: Home MTC is going well, though he's convinced it could be done in just a few days. There's a lot of slack time built in, and that's driving him nuts. He's so much like his mother in that he loves being busy. No matter. We'll take him down to Provo next week, where the real action begins.

Update 3: My car is still in the shop. Not the end of the world as we have a fleet to choose from at home, but I do miss it. Hopefully soon.

Verdict on The Gun Seller: Good.

A while back I wrote a post about this book, saying that if I found it was good or entertaining or some combination of both, I'd be upset at the polymathical talents of Hugh Laurie, actor, pianist, singer, writer, and novelist.

It's good.

So I am upset.

But in a good way. Though the book was a bit predictable in parts, the story is entertaining, and the last 30 or so pages I had to finish in a gulp because the tension built nicely and the bad guys get their comeuppance and it doesn't really matter all that much if there were so many characters, many of whom blended together, I kinda forgot who some of the bad guys were even at the end. That might be this novel's biggest fault, and something I should learn for my own writing. We don't need to make all of our characters zany and Gentry Lee-esque, but we should certainly strive to help them be memorable enough when their names are mentioned again long after they're introduced we remember who they are. And maybe that's my fault; sometimes I'm not the most observant reader. But this book is no Dickens character fest, either.

It's not the best spy spoof or whatever that I've read, but it was a fun read nonetheless.

I can't recommend it to my wife, to whom I pass many a book, because there's plenty of swearing in the story. I don't mind an occasional cuss, but this kind of went beyond the pale. True-to-life dialogue it might be, but it certainly makes the characters a lot less memorable when all they can do is drop an f-bomb rather than say something clever.

Farewell

Today, two momentous things.

Thing First: Isaac gave his farewell talk. He had me read a copy beforehand, and it was great.

As it's out in public, I'll put the text below so I always remember it.

But I love how happy he looks in this photo, sneaked in the chapel before his talk.

Thing Second: Brother Coletti almost ran out of No. 1s for the hymn list today. We've been endlessly entertained watching him sneak 7s into the list when he runs out.

 Nearly 30 years before I was born, President Spencer W. Kimball taught “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom” (December 1974 Ensign “Small Acts of Service”). The more I’ve thought about that statement, the more I’ve started to realize something. As the Lord gives us the opportunity to serve, the people we serve aren’t alone in receiving his blessings, he is blessing us too. Upon reflecting on the opportunities the Lord has given me to serve, I have quickly recognized the way each one has strengthened my testimony and brought me that much closer to Jesus Christ.

The first and most consistent opportunity I was given was the many years I have spent at Island Park Scout Camp. Mom hauled us up to camp one summer to work in the kitchen with a family friend, and it quickly became a huge part of who I am. As I spent my summers growing up at camp, I was exposed to numerous examples of leading, serving, and prioritizing the needs of those around me. At the young age of 7, I was welcomed and served by the staff of the camp despite not having a place among them. I spent a number of years watching the way the staff served those who came to participate in the camp, and I eagerly awaited my opportunity to do so.

When my time finally came, I ran with it. I spent nearly a decade teaching classes, serving the units, and serving the scouts and the camp. Whether that was in the form of welcoming units to camp, answering questions, bringing them to campwide events, or helping them complete their classes, I found great joy in spending time with and serving those scouts and leaders, so much so that it seemed like I spent August back through to May waiting for the opportunity to head back to camp.

Then, last year, something changed. Up until the spring of 2025, I had always been able to get the time off I needed from work to spend time up at camp. Whether that came in the form of my job giving me the required time off, a conveniently timed transition to another job during the summer, or altogether quitting my job, I always made my way back. Last year was different.

At the time I was working for Reed’s Dairy, in their production facility, and due to the nature of the position I was in, and summer being the peak season for ice cream sales, I was unable to take the time off for camp. This greatly impacted me. I lost the most present and consistent opportunity for service that I had been blessed with. By no coincidence, this is also the time at which my testimony suffered the most. It was small changes at first. Forgetting my nightly prayer, spending a Sunday with friends instead of at church, or skipping the YSA activities. Over time, things began to add up, and all of the sudden I found myself in a dark place.

This summer looked much the same, but due to some late subtractions and reassignments within the camp’s staff roster, I found myself with the chance to go back up one final summer before my mission. This opportunity and the youth, adult leaders, and staff that I spent the summer working with and serving taught me a few things. The more we serve and look after the needs of others, the happier we will be, and the greater we will be blessed. This thought was reinforced for me this week as I studied a talk by President Thomas S. Monson titled “What Have I Done for Someone Today”. In it, he says, “The Savior taught His disciples, ‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it’. I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish–and in effect save their lives.” End quote. 

The thought that we will be better off and grow more when we focus on the needs of others is amazing, and as I look back I realize just how much my experiences at camp taught me to notice people the way Christ noticed people, and to love them the best way I know how, regardless of whether they seek it out or not.

Even within scouting, camp is not the only opportunity I’ve been given to learn to serve others. As many of you know, the Eagle Scout is the highest rank awarded within the BSA, and one of the final steps is to organize, lead, and complete a service project benefitting the community. This project aims to emphasize leading others to serve those around you, and from a more eternal perspective, it aids in shifting our focus from ourselves and our own learning towards the needs of others. As it says in Mosiah 2:17, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God”. My Eagle Project was an opportunity to use my time and talents to serve the Lord by serving His children. By sacrificing my time and effort for others, I felt the Holy Ghost more present in my life. As we do this, we can become more like the Savior, whose Atonement was the ultimate sacrifice and service. 

This leads me to another aspect of serving others that has strengthened my testimony and forever changed my personal relationship with Christ: attitude. Another organization within the Boy Scouts that I was given a chance to experience, learn, and grow from was something called the Order of the Arrow. This is the honor society of the BSA, and exists to recognize those who best exemplify the Oath and Law, and to develop leadership through service to their local communities. Within scouting, it is quite often referred to as the “Brotherhood of Cheerful Service”.

Now, OA, as it’s referred to for short, is not about being noticed or recognized, but rather to cheerfully provide service that can positively improve the experience of others. This, again, reminded me of the way Christ spent his ministry on Earth. He spent so much of his time quietly serving others, lifting people one by one, without any desire for praise or recognition. He simply served them out of love. That doesn’t mean that my testimony is growing because I have worn an OA sash, or because I spent a dozen weekends up at Island Park, instead, every time I choose to cheerfully serve those around me instead of focusing on myself, I feel just that much closer to the Savior.

Additionally, the way we approach service can work wonders on our hearts and minds. As we become less concerned with our desires or the struggles of our daily lives, and start to focus on what we can do for the lives of those around us, we become closer to Heavenly Father and what he wants for His children.

While Order of the Arrow did in fact help me become a better scout, it did so much more than that. It helped prepare me to be a better disciple. I have come to enjoy service, with or without recognition, serve even when it wasn’t convenient, and find joy in helping others. These qualities are all vital to missionary work and bringing yourself and others around you closer to Christ.

However, scouting is just one of many ways I and countless others have been blessed to serve. Quite possibly my favorite form of service in recent months has been the chances I have had to serve in and attend the temple. In fact, temple work is the prime example of serving others without any recognition, and it is a form of service through which you are acting completely selflessly. Think about it, most kinds of service have some sort of tangibility to it. Whether that is building something within the community, bringing your elderly neighbor (or father’s) groceries in, teaching someone, spending time with someone, or even just making someone else laugh. The temple, on the other hand, is completely different. We give our time, attention, WORTHINESS, and love for people that we’ve never even met in this life.

Within the temple, while performing that service and those ordinances, whether it be baptisms and confirmations, or initiatories and endowments, we are instruments in the Lord’s hands. Those who we are serving simply cannot serve themselves, and as such rely on our willingness and active decision to serve in order to receive the same blessings we have the ability to receive. While we are by no means replacing the Savior, we are participating in His work, and as such we should do anything in our power to take advantage of this opportunity.

Personally, since receiving my endowment at the beginning of the summer, I have been able to attend nearly a dozen times in the leadup to my mission. These sessions have strengthened my testimony in a way that only temple service can, and has brought me so much closer to Christ, all the while serving as an opportunity to help those who won't have the chance to make those covenants on their own. Alongside these sessions, I was blessed with the chance to attend the temple and do baptisms for the dead 3 days in a row this past week with a couple friends. I quickly noticed the positive impact it had on my day, the peace I felt both in the temple and throughout the rest of the day, and found myself looking forward to the chance to go back the following morning. In his talk titled “Make Time for the Lord” in October General Conference of 2021, President Russel M. Nelson reminds us “Nothing will strengthen your spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship”. Temple service isn’t just a blessing for those on the other side of the veil, it also changes us and allows us to come closer to Christ.

While our work in the temple consists of performing ordinances for those beyond the veil, missionary work is a way in which we can assist the living in preparing to receive those same ordinances. Again I am reminded of something shared with us by President Nelson who taught “Anytime you do anything that helps anyone–on either side of the veil–take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that” (“Hope of Israel” Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 3, 2018).

Although missionary work is centered around the doctrine, I have learned that there is so much more to it. In Alma 17, Ammon traveled to the land of the Lamanites with the intention of sharing the gospel. As he was brought before the king of the Lamanites, King Lamoni, he was questioned on his purpose. He expressed his desire to dwell with the Lamanites, and King Lamoni was not only pleased with Ammon, but even offered up one of his daughters to Ammon to wife. However, Ammon instead asked if he could be a servant to the king. As he watched over the king’s flocks, he valiantly defended them from thieves with his sling, and ultimately smote the arms off of any who approached him. Ammon did this not to seek recognition, but out of love and through his faithfulness. In fact, while the rest of the king’s servants rushed in to the king to tell him about Ammon’s courage, Ammon returned to the stables to tend to the king’s horses and chariots, as he had been commanded previously.

Ultimately, the service Ammon provided to King Lamoni opened the hearts of the king and the his people, and they were willing to listen to his testimony of Christ and the Plan of Salvation. Through simple acts of humble service, Ammon earned their trust, opened the door to teach the gospel, and eventually witnessed the conversion of King Lamoni and many of the people around him through the power of the Holy Ghost.

As it turns out, that same principle has been true in my life. Whether that was my participation in scout camp, the completion of my eagle project, the service I completed in the Order of the Arrow, serving in the temple, or preparing for my mission, I have come to know that service changes not only the lives of those we help, it changes us. If we serve with love, our testimonies will be strengthened as we become more like the Savior.

Alongside the example of Ammon, I’ve witnessed firsthand through spending time with the missionaries in our ward that oftentimes, the most effective way to minister is to simply treat everyone with kindness, lend service, and meet the needs of those around you. As we minister to those around us, they will be more receptive to the doctrine and the love we want to share. So often in Christ’s own life and ministry, he too would first bless, heal, and comfort people before he taught. Such examples include the woman at the well in Samaria, the blind man, and Zacchaeus. In each of these instances, Christ saw the individual, met them where they were, and showed them His love. That love, in turned, opened their hearts to Him.

All of these examples, Ammon’s time with the Lamanites, and my time with the missionaries have all taught me a crucial lesson as I prepare to serve. Missionary work isn’t all about winning debates with those of other faiths, teaching lessons, or knocking a certain number of doors, but rather about loving God’s children enough to introduce them to the Savior and his Atonement. The things they learn and the gospel we spread will work wonders in their lives, but our charity is what opens the door.

The Lord continually provides us the opportunity to serve, not just to help his children, but to allow us to grow in our testimonies and become more like Him. The opportunities we are given to serve can be stepping stones in our path back to Heavenly Father, and have most certainly brought me closer to Him and his gospel, slowly but surely over time. And while scout camp, my eagle project, order of the arrow, service in the temple, and now my upcoming mission have been my personal stepping stones, the Lord knows each of us individually and as such carefully places those opportunities into our lives that he knows will best serve us and allow us to serve others.

I’d like to invite you all to think about the stepping stones the Lord has placed into your lives, and consider how your testimony has been and can continue to be strengthened. Consider how you can be drawn closer to him as you continue to serve those around you.

I know just how great the impact of service, and that the Lord blesses those who love, serve, and minister to others. I know that as we serve, our testimonies will be strengthened as we turn our hearts to the will of the Father, and that through this we can become more like Him. I know that this church is true. I know that Arizona is the place the Lord knows I will best serve His children, and that through His power I can help gather Israel. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and that when we study and pray with real intent that our testimonies will grow, and that we will come to know of its truth. I know my Heavenly Father loves me, and that no matter how hard it might be to leave behind my life, family, friends, and obligations, that this opportunity to serve the Lord and His children is one I cannot take for granted.

Amen.

I'm not A Very Good Artist

Today's task -- a surprise one to me -- included a few tasks in the kitchen.

I started painting the kitchen ceiling a while back, so today was the day to finish. That included the ceiling patch over the kitchen itself, doing a bit of ceiling caulking, and then trying to touch up the paint on these plaster bricks where over time some dings happened and exposed the white plaster underneath.

I'm not very good at it, but from a distance the bricks look better than they did.

I did make a complete mess in the kitchen. I need to get back up there and commit a tidying before Michelle gets home.

I also re-caulked the backsplash behind the sink, complete with new caulk and some better backer rod. We really need to replace the cabinets and countertops, but it's just not in the budget.