Spring Break

You know you planned a good one when your 16 year old says that it far exceeded her expectations.

Our trip began with a stop to visit Grandma and Grandpa Ellis. Grandma and Erik kept having the same conversation about Erik's mission and where he served. She was ecstatic each time she learned they had served in the same area. It was so good to see them again.

Then we went to Grandma's in Ferron.

And took a few side trips.

Tyler had not been with us when we did Little Wild Horse slot canyon a few years back. So we did that and instead of turning around, we hiked the entire 8 mile loop.

And on our way home, we stopped by the Wedge otherwise known as the Little Grand Canyon. 

Ash: "I can't believe this is right by Grandma's house!"

Erik: "This is the coolest place."

Ash: "I can't believe we have never been out here in all the years we've come to Grandma's."

All these places were places I would go for school field trips . . . Arches, Goblin Valley, the Wedge. So glad my kids can experience them also.

Also, we go to Grandma's for the dog. This boy loves that dog.

Nate's Latest

3/29/2021
Conference is Coming!

Good morning everyone!

This week we had a mission tour with Elder Valenzuela, the second counselor in our area presidency! We had three devotionals with him, and he joined different companionships for study sessions, teaching appointments, and some district councils. It was so cool, and we learned so much about our purpose and how to find people that are ready more effectively. He also shared some cool stories from his mission, as well as about some of the apostles he's interacted with.

I want to share a talk with you all that my mom shared with me. It is called Unleashing the Dormant Spirit. He gives us many thoughts at the end that we can use to access the Spirit better, and I want to share two.

• Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.

• Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church

I know that gratitude, combined with an eternal perspective, will change every hard situation into feelings of peace. We cannot sink lower than where Christ has gone for us. I challenge each of you to prepare for General Conference this week like you never have before. Prepare your hearts and minds to Hear Him, and you will find all you need to continue pressing forward. I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

All my love, 

Elder Leary 

* * * * *

4/5/2021
Easter

The highlight of this week was definitely conference. I loved Elder Corbitt's talk in the priesthood session as well as Elder Bednar's about abiding by good principles. My favorite part is that they announced 20 new temples! 

If you aren't prepared and excited for temples to be reopened to full capacity then I'd encourage you to do what you need to to be ready. There's a great BYU speech called “As Long as the World Shall Stand” by Elder Bednar about the early saints and their opportunity to receive temple ordinances before their westward trek. Listen to it if you get the chance. I know that the Lord's work is moving forward on both sides of the veil, and I'm so grateful for that. I testify that missionary and temple work both bring great joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

All my love, 

Elder Leary 

* * * * * 

Nate's not so good about sending photos. Maybe he doesn't take them, but I did get this one forwarded to me in an email this last week from a very distance family member who is also serving in the Denver area and working with the missionaries in come capacity.

This is Nate with his companion Elder Rosenlund.

Peace and Hope

Last Sunday President Nelson posted a short 5-minute Easter video. In this video he shared a dramatic and unexpected experience he had while traveling on an airplane to the inauguration of a university president where he was to give the opening prayer. Partway through that flight, an engine exploded causing the plane to catch fire. He felt certain he was going to die. But amazingly he felt at peace and was calm. He knew he had been sealed to his wife and children. He knew that in the event of death, he would see them all again. However, the spiral put out the fire and the pilot was able to land the plane, getting President Nelson to his destination not only alive but on time.

Another dramatic, unexpected, and similar experience occurred just a few days after the posting of that video. The Utah Jazz players were on their way to Memphis, and shortly after takeoff, their plane hit a flock of birds causing one engine to lose power. The players heard an explosion as the plane tilted to one side. They say it felt as if the plane was falling apart. Some saw a fire in the engine. No one knew what was going on for 5 to 10 minutes. Many players believed this might be the end for them as they quickly sent last minute texts to family and posted praying hands on their Twitter accounts. 

All ended well. The plane landed safely back in Salt Lake and the team was soon on its way again to Memphis minus a player who was too rattled to get back on a plane.

In comparing these similar stories, President Nelson used the words peace and calm while several Utah Jazz players used the words afraid, scared, helpless. Those are not comforting words. We will all encounter dramatic and unexpected life experiences. Having a knowledge of God's plan and knowing our lives are right with Him will ensure that we will come away from those experiences feeling calm and peaceful and having confidence to get back on that "plane."

Quasi cabbage patch kid dolls and 3rd grade memories

1985 was the year of the Cabbage Patch Kid doll.

And every girl had to have one. And every girl brought them to school to put back by the coat rack. That was the doll of my dreams that year when I was nine and in Mrs. Jones's (Miss Leslie to start the year) 3rd grade class. 

My mom knew what was on my wish list that Christmas, but we also couldn't afford the price tag that came with it. Instead, my sister Angie and I got replicas. I took that doll to school with pride, and each night we both put them to sleep in their "beds."

This memory came back to me as I've watched several little girls across the hall at school bring their "babies" to school each day.

That 3rd grade year we could become part of the I.C.M.M.C. which stood for I Can Manage Myself Club. I don't recall exactly what we had to do to be a part of this club hosted by my teacher, but I did get a laminated card to prove I was a part of it. I carried that card for many years.

She also would post our classroom jobs by coming up with funny names. I remember coming into class one day to see Ocean Man next to a class job. I figured out that it must be me since my last name was quite similar -- Seamons.

This was the year I thought it would be funny to pull the chair out from underneath my classmate who sat next to me. As they went to sit, I pulled the chair, causing them to fall hard to the floor. I was reprimanded quite sternly for that.

Many of my friends came back from Christmas break with pierced ears. I would listen to them explain the process of a gun that would shoot a needle into your ear. I imagined someone standing 15 feet away and aiming this device at my head and hoping they were a good aim. To this day, I still haven't pierced them.

One day Mrs. Jones had her back to the chalkboard. The entire class began to snicker at the rip she had in the seam of her pants showing off her pink underwear. A safety-pin took care of that until she came back after lunch wearing a different pair of pants.

I happened upon an old Bible in our basement and took it to school. Whenever I finished an assignment and had some free time, I would pull that Bible out to peruse and read. I'm sure I was the only student to bring such reading material.

Exchange

The highlight this week was going on an exchange with my zone leader Elder Swallow. We had a really good time, and it was fun to work with him. He has been out for 17 months, and never once ridden a bike, so he was really excited we got to ride bikes to one of our lessons. We ended up leaving a little late, and when we got there we found out Eli had to go into work early the next day so he canceled on us. I'm glad Elder Swallow got to bike, even if it didn't end up being for anything.

The other cool thing from the week is they started opening up vaccines to faith leaders. We were able to get scheduled, so I'm going in tomorrow for the first shot. From what I've heard vaccines haven't actually had an effect on us going back to our original assignment, but maybe that'll change.

Lastly, I'd invite you to read this talk I read this last week:
Watching with All Perseverance
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/04/watching-with-all-perseverance?lang=eng

He gives some great counsel on how we can help others gain and strengthen their own children. I know that the Apostles and all other speakers for conference give wonderful counsel, and have been called of God to help strengthen and support us. I'd invite you each to come to conference with a few specific questions, and I promise if you do you will gain the answer you need. I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

p.s. look at this crazy snow fort we made as a zone after shoveling snow for seven hours. It includes a slide, an arch, a throne and a dungeon in the back that the only way to enter or exit is through a tunnel in the wall. 

Life History - Camping

I've attempted to write a history of my life on and off over the past 30 years and was given the challenge to try again last week at a Relief Society activity. It can be quite daunting. Especially when I start perusing old photos and get so immersed that I come away feeling so overwhelmed. But I'll attempt something.

Growing up we didn't do expensive vacations. Our summer fun was camping in the mountains above Ferron in our yellow truck that would haul 5 kids, a dog, camping gear and food to last through the millennium, a picnic table, and usually a few cousins thrown in there.

We would head up to Ferron Reservoir, take a right at the top and continue on to Duck Fork lake. But before getting there we would take another right down a incredibly rough road down to McEwan Flat.

What I remember about a lot of those camping trips was the pine boughs dad would use to create a canopy over the bed of the truck. Tonight I came across a similar photo of a jeep that I believe belonged to my Grandpa Seamons (Grandma Seamons is in the front passenger seat) which also had the same type of bough system over the back. I now know where my dad got such a fun idea for our camping trips.

Dad is a twin and our cousins from Logan frequently came camping with us. One one such trip toward the end of June in 1986ish, it began to rain pretty steadily. The decision was made to just leave. Leave everything behind and get home. The ride down the mountain was a good 45 minutes. We arrived home soaked and cold and muddy. And the next day we went back up to get our camping gear and discovered it had snowed.

Snowstorm

The craziest part of this week was the snowstorm over the weekend. I don't know if or how much other places were affected, but here it snowed for a day and a half straight. I know some places got around two feet of snow; I'm not sure exactly how much we got but it definitely could've been that high. Church was canceled in person, and we did it virtually over zoom. We also got to go help three people get their cars unstuck. The other Elders and us kept seeing people out our window start sliding, and then their wheels just start spinning without going anywhere. We  would go out and push them into parking spots and out of snow drifts that they slid into. It was cold, but still pretty fun.

This week I read a talk from Elder Bednar called, Therefore They Hushed Their Fears. Here's the link if you would like to read it. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/therefore-they-hushed-their-fears?lang=eng
He talks about how Christ can take away our fears as we trust in Him. My favorite quote from it was, "Correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our fears because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace." He truly can bring us peace, no matter the circumstances. I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.