Saturday, October 05, 2019

The Armor of God

Yesterday I noticed a common theme between two scriptures:

Ephesians 6:13-18:

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

and Alma 46:13:

And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land.

Both scriptures mention putting on armor, and both then talk about praying with fervor.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Laie 55-473 Iosepa Street

This picture taken 2019

Adele and Sione (John) Feinga, Johnny Feinga, Joe, Sarah

Front: Tim, Joe, Matt / Back: Heidi, Pete

Taken some time between 1971-1976

Friday, August 02, 2019

Monday, July 29, 2019

Painting of St. George Temple in DUP Museum

Edward Lloyd Parry was master stonemason of the St. George Temple. Nineteenth-century Norwegian artist Dan Weggeland painted a portrait of the temple. This painting is on display in the Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum Salt Lake City. (Click on the images to enlarge them.)




Sunday, July 28, 2019

Puns 4

I don't know when that plane is going to land. It's still up in the air.

When the bank robber yelled, "Stick'em up!" one of the customers just stood there. That was one of the dumbest things you could do, hands down.

Tell me why you feel like a deflated balloon -- no pressure.

I have incon(tro)vertible evidence that my car's roof cannot be removed.

I love the way gregarious eels get along so well with each other. I suppose it's because of their social morays. 

I'm in no position to rest. I'm not lying.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Picture of Tim Brooks, Carolyn Brooks, and Peter Brooks

Taken the day my mother gave a talk in church.

Monday, July 01, 2019

Tour to Washington DC (Schools to Watch) with Fort Herriman Middle School

Pictures from our trip, including Senator Mitt Romney:

At the gala dinner: PJ Smalley, Brian Rambadt, Russell Stephenson, Claudia Bowles, Tim Brooks

 Back row: Rodney Shaw, PJ Smalley, Tim Heumann, Lauren Peacock, Eric Price, Emma Cisneros, Madi Feist, Lauren Nielsen, Kaylee Dunn, Jessica Wilson, Claudia Bowles.
Front row (kneeling): Tim Brooks, Russell Stephenson, Dan Clark, Brian Rambadt.

 On stage at the gala dinner, receiving our Schools to Watch re-designation plaque.

 Karin and Tim Brooks, with Senator Mitt Romney, at the Russell Building.

With our US Senate cards -- whatever that means.

Eating some sort of milky ice cream concoction: Emma Cisneros, Tim and Karin Brooks, Lauren Peacock, Madi Feist, Lauren Nielsen, Russell Stephenson.

 In front of the White House: Tim Heumann, Eric Price, Kaylee Dunn, Emma Cisneros, Lauren Nielsen, Tim and Karin Brooks, Madi Feist, Russell Stephenson.

 At the World War II Memorial: Tim and Karin Brooks, Eric Price, Tim Heumann, Lauren Nielsen, Madi Feist, Emma Cisneros, Kaylee Dunn.
 
 Tim Brooks, Eric Price, Tim Heumann.

Kaylee Dunn, Karin Brooks, Lauren Nielsen, Madi Feist, Emma Cisneros.

Tuesday, June 04, 2019

Samuel Brooks, lighthouse keeper at the Point of Ayr (Talacre)

Samuel Brooks (1789-1856) was a lighthouse keeper at the Point of Ayr, Talacre, North Wales, from approximately 1825 to 1856. He is the father of George Brooks (1845-1930), who is the father of Samuel Brooks Sr. (1886-1962), who is the father of Samuel Brooks Jr. (1934-2016), who is my father. 

My friend Brent Shaw painted this for me in 2019, knowing of my passion for this place. What a wonderful friend!


Code of Ethics - West Jordan Jr. High School

This was the code of ethics at West Jordan Junior High School, likely back in the 1960s. I wish that we as a country would re-embrace these wonderful values:


Saturday, May 25, 2019

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Puns 3


Would you rather wrestle in the ring or strike a goose? Either way it's going to be a smack-down.




To those who have a deep understanding of breaking into computers, I hack-knowledge you.


I don’t like my cosmetology teacher. She won’t let me do makeup work.

I asked the dry cleaners why they ironed my clothes twice, but they wouldn't tell me. I know they're repressing something.

If I had to name an indoor stadium where it was customary to make fun of Latin dancing, I would call it the Mock Arena.

Looking back on the way I used to drive my car, I'd have to say that I didn't use the rear-view mirrors like I should have, because things were out of focus. I guess hindsight is 20-20.

I'd like to pay tribute to Caesar for the monetary system he came up with.

My math teacher is constantly changing the genetic structure of his curly hair. No one can explain the perm mutations.

I have a child-doctor friend named Petey, who is gradually losing his effectiveness. I call it Petey-attrition.

Why do we always wait to RIP on people after they are dead?

Wednesday, August 01, 2018

Social Fragmentation and Social Isolation quote

"I am constantly using this column to argue that social fragmentation and social isolation are the fundamental problems afflicting America today."

- David Brooks, in "Where American Renewal Begins" (July 26, 2018)

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Mormon Tabernacle Choir - European Tour 1955 - Gerrit and Musa Van Tussenbroek


Gerrit Van Tussenbroek (1910-1990) and Musa Van Tussenbroek (1911-1997) were both members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In 1955, the Choir made its first international tour ever, performing in Europe. At that time, Gerrit was the assistant to the president of the choir, Lester F. Hewlett. The event was such a big deal that Warren John “Jack” Thomas, general manager of the tour, published a book about the tour.

A few years ago my father, Samuel Brooks Jr. (1934-2016) gave me a copy of that book:
(click on each photo to enlarge it)

The book mentions or shows Gerrit and Musa several times (at that time, Musa was not yet a member of the Choir, but would join later). In this first picture, Gerrit is bottom center:

 These pages mention Gerrit and Musa:



In this picture, Musa is on the far left:

And in these two pictures, Gerrit and Musa are on the right and near the back:


------------------------------------------------------

Fast forward to 2018: Yesterday I was at the Deseret Industries in West Jordan when I came across this book with three vinyl records in it: 

This was an actual recording of the Choir's performances during the tour of 1955! Somewhere in that cover photo is my own grandfather!

The front cover photo was subsequently replicated when the Choir again toured Europe in 2016:

My particular copy was signed by J. Spencer Cornwall, who was the director of the Choir at that time. The inside cover indicated that these were recordings of their 1955 European tour:




I have digitized each record and posted them to Youtube. You can hear a recording of Gerrit singing with the Choir! Listen to each recording below:

This has been an exciting discovery!