Dad Life - the video

This is hilarious, clean, clever, and creative:

Do you know of a baby in need of adoption?

If you do, or know of someone who does, please refer them to this web site: https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/24857992/ourMessage.jsf

Thank you!

The Edward Lloyd Parry papers

(Edward Lloyd Parry (1818-1906), master mason of both the St. George and Manti Temples)


Recently I came across some fascinating documents of my ancestor, Edward Lloyd Parry (1818-1906), at the University of Utah Library. They detail the construction and dedication of the Manti Temple, as well as the construction of the St. George Temple. They were compiled by his son, Edward Thomas Parry (1859-1938) in the 1930s. If you are interested in obtaining a transcript of them, and are a descendant of these men, please email me at elephantnavel@gmail.com.



(Edward Thomas Parry (1859-1938), son of Edward Lloyd Parry, who also worked on the stonework of the Manti Temple)

.

.


Sometimes I don't think enough.



.

I'm a Believer

.

Though the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is frequently slammed in the media, particularly here in the Salt Lake Valley, I believe the Church is true. The more I study its doctrine, particularly in the scriptures, and the more I listen to the speeches given in General Conferences, and the more I listen to Church music, and the more I learn of Church history, and the more I sit and think about it, and the more I sit and mull over a particular passage of scripture, and when I learn about temples .... the more I believe, the more I know it is true. Its doctrines are profound, touching, and comforting.

The Church offers so much of goodness, and light, and hope. And in this world spiraling out of control in every aspect, I need that.

.

George Brooks (1845-1930) & Emily Cornelia Branch (1855-1929) family photo

This picture was taken in front of the St. George Tabernacle, probably in the 1920s. Click on it for a better, more detailed resolution.

Peterasaurus vs. Weeterasaurus

One of my former students, the brilliant Adam Hawker, has made a three-part movie that you just might find entertaining:

.

.




I tire of inhibition.




.

President Eyring, "Act in All Diligence," April 2010 General Conference

"I close now with this counsel to the Lord’s priesthood servants. Ponder deeply and diligently in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. Persist in prayer for the Holy Ghost to reveal to you the nature of God the Father and His Beloved Son. Plead that the Spirit will show you what the Lord wants you to do. Plan to do it. Promise Him to obey. Act with determination until you have done what He asked. And then pray to give thanks for the opportunity to serve and to know what you might do next."

1830 Book of Mormon

Recently I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold an 1830 first-edition of The Book of Mormon. This one was owned by a woman named Vienna Jaques ((see DC 90:28) one of only three women mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants -- the other two being Emma Smith and Eve), who in 1832 received it from the Prophet Joseph Smith himself.

Underneath her name and the date it reads: "The writing above is Joseph Smith own handwriting which he wrote the day he gave the book to me Vienna Jaques on the 22nd of November 1832."

While I am fascinated with a book that collectors value at $250,000, for me it was a holy, faith-promoting privilege to hold the book in my own hands, because I knew that it had been held by the Prophet of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That made it priceless.

I went to the Paul McCartney concert in Sandy 7-13-2010

The concert was splendid. Here is the t-shirt I decorated and wore to the concert.








Here is what his "Live and Let Die" song was like (this version was recorded in New York City):

Commune-icate

We reach out, to know that we are not alone.

'Trololo Man' Eduard Khil online now! Skype song session with fans

This... needs no explanation:

Youth

Visit from President Thomas S. Monson, our prophet

Cool stuff:

http://crazycluffcrew.blogspot.com/2010/05/we-thank-thee-oh-god-for-prophet.html

I love his inspired spontaneity.

John Daker

Here he is live:




And here he is subtitled, in cartoon form (totally classic!):

Tralalalalalalalala

Behold the union of Lawrence Welk, Slim Whitman, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Communism, conveniently combined in one solid performance:

Too long

Too long to go without publishing to the world
Too long to go silent
Too long to allow myself to be squelched

Let this funk, this doldrum, dissipate in this arid climate

Let this not be the end to expression, to Voice, to speaking out and up

For silence is grave-bound, and death

BLA BLA BLA!

"Annabel Lee," by Edgar Allan Poe

I like this poem, and the voice with which the narrator reads it:

Television, Roald Dahl

Speaking broadly, I am sick of television. It wastes my time. It does not awaken my brain. It lulls me. It bores me. It does not depict reality. It distorts values. It promotes vanity and selfishness.

This poem, by Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), details many of my feelings on the issue:

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exacts what
This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK – HE ONLY SEES!

"All right!" you'll cry. "All right!" you'll say,
"But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children! Please explain!"
We'll answer this by asking you,
"What used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?"
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:

THEY... USED... TO... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
TO READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and –
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole –
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The streams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks –
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start – oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.