Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Two Lines of Death

Last Saturday, our son Samuel had more training in life saving.  His class played a game that he calls, “Two lines of death.”  He calls the game two lines of death because two weeks ago his class played the game called, “the Circle of Death.”  The lifesaving merit badge class plays some interesting games, don’t they. 

In the Circle of Death game, the lifesavers tread water in a circle.  A lifesaving victim swims outside the circle and pounces on a chosen lifesaver in the circle.  In the Two lines of Death game, the lifesavers form two lines.  A lifesaver holds a brick in one hand high in the air preventing it from getting wet, swims to the other line and hands it to the next lifesaver.  This lifesaver swims the brick back to the first line.  And so it goes back and forth.  In Sam’s case, the brick remained in the air while his body dunked in the water.  He remained resolute and completed his task.

Sometimes people surprise us and request us to deliver the warning of the gospel.  Other times, we can carry people to someone else who will bear the message.  Two weeks ago, our family had a nice surprise and a great excitement when our son William opened his missionary call.  His mission preparation ended and his mission began.  He will now carry the load to warn his neighbors about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Our family will support him to the best of our abilities. 

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lifsaving Class

For the last two Saturdays and continuing for the next eight weeks, Samuel is earning the Scouting lifesaving merit badge.  In the first class, he practiced saving someone who is unconscious or a passive victim.   For Samuel, this was easy.  He would turn the victim on his back and tow him to safety.  However, in the second class, he practiced saving an active victim, someone who would make lifesaving assistance difficult.  For Samuel, this was interesting.  His victim was one of his instructors.  This person was taller than Samuel and weighed over three times more than Samuel.  As Samuel approached, the victim grabbed Samuel’s legs with the victim’s legs and grabbed Samuel around the neck dunking Samuel in the water.  Fortunately for Samuel, they were close to the shallow end.  And as these two struggled, they floated toward the shallow end.  Soon, the depth was such that his victim could stand.  That allowed Samuel to complete and task and end his agony. 

Our Savior is coming to our rescue.  We choose how we receive him.  We can respond passively, submissively and humbly and make the process easy.  Or, we can respond with trepidation, with aggression and with desperation and make the process difficult.  

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Elder William Urban Recieves His Mission Call


It is official.  Elder William Urban recieved his mission call to the Utah, Provo mission.  He will report the the mission training center on March 11, 2009.  

We had many people participate in our contest.  Robert Smith guess exactly.  Robert is attending BYU right now.  

We had many people participate in our conference call.  Thank you to you all who shared this moment with us.  We are blessed with technology to share this.  

Will waited 24 hours to open the envelop.  Mary Ann reminds us that she has the Urban record in waiting. She recieved her call while William and I were attending a scout camp.  She waited a week to open her call.  

Elaine and I were very excited.  I could not believe how excited I was.  I could not stand still; I had to walk around the house and up and down the stairs.  Will took it all in stride.  Knowing he had arrived at home passed the appointed time of 5:00, he arrived at home and calmly walked up the stairs.  He waited for the local missionaries to arrive.  After they arrived, he opend the letter and read it out loud.  

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Holidays are Over


The holidays are over.  Our son Samuel heads back to school tomorrow.  Our daughters are back where they were before the holidays.  I think we had a nice visit with all who came and Emily was a phone call away.  

Emily participated in some activities over the phone.  In our traditional round of gift picking on Christmas day, she even took a few turns in the rotation.   First, she picked a present for Mary.  She had already presented her secret Santa gift to Russell Murdoch, disguising the package as being sent from PA.  While she was on the phone, we ate some “Clusters” candy that she sent us.  On the second round, she picked, “That one,”  the “Uncle Joe” gift to me, a rain gauge thermometer wireless set.  I need to set that up.  On the third round, she requested the red present with the bow’ it was a “peace of cake” pan, a cake pan with a peace symbol.  She heard Yoda, our dog, play with the gift she gave him. 

As a family, we watched the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I thought the movie was slow at first as I almost (?) fell asleep.  At the end of the movie, I had tears of sympathy for the characters.  So, I liked the movie, thumbs up from me. 

Carolyn passed a significant milestone.  She passed her driver’s test.  

On Saturday, January 3, Samuel elected to take the Life Saving Merit Badge course.  It is a 10-week class every Saturday morning from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM.  When I signed him up, the lady reminded me of Samuel's growth.  He has taken a swimming class at this location for three years starting with the Webelos Aquanaut badge and then trying to obtain the Swimming merit badge.  Three years ago, he protested going to the swimming lessons that this class provided.  He had no desire to swim.  Two years ago, he caught the vision and almost passed the swimming merit badge; he could not pick up the weight on the deep end.  Last year, he passed the requirements with ease.  Now, this year he chooses to go the extra mile. 

May your new year start well.