j . a . m . k . m . b: Dad

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

... Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in [The Music Man], voices a caution that I share with you. Says he, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”

f you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”³ We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”

In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”

Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Said the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, “In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.”¹⁰ May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey."

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Dad

A few of you already know this, but on Saturday afternoon's session of conference, we were surprised to hear Pres. Uchtdorf say my Dad's name as a new member of the 2nd Quorum of Seventy. As we talked to Dad later, there were signs that might have indicated to some family members what was up, but we didn't pick up on them, and so didn't see it coming. We're very happy for him, although we have mixed feelings about what it will mean for us. Selfishly, we feel like we still need our Grandpa and Grandma for the kids, to be around when we go there, etc. Fortunately, we found out today that they'll stay near church headquarters (i.e. home!) for the first year and a few months, and then they'll receive a 4-5 year foreign assignment (probably Spanish speaking). Also fortunately, they'll be back during each July as it's sort of the church's time for everyone to take a little time off, and they'll also come to general conferences in Utah. So with some small adjustments to our normal travel plans, Christmas is really the only time we'd be in Utah without having them around.

I'm proud of Dad. Not proud in a bad way, just proud that he's my dad, and I'm his son. He's an awesome man, and while I said it was surprising earlier, it really wasn't because we've sort of been expecting it for a while now. I want to be like my dad - NOT because of this calling, or any other calling he's had - but in the way in which his kids love him, the grandkids love him, and he treats everyone so well. He's the best! So we'll definitely support them wherever they end up going, and thank goodness for Skype.

3 comments:

Matt and Becca said...: Pretty cool huh? Matt and I must have been clueless to the signs too because we had no idea either! It took us until we were sitting in our seats for the session and looked closer at our tickets that it dawned on us. So I can imagine seeing it on TV was even more surprising!

We're hoping we're still around too in the future so we can see you guys! We'll definitely all need each other more than ever now.; April 8, 2009 at 6:14 AM
Cammi said...: Very cool, John. I'm sure it will be a bummer to have them on a foreign assignment - I know the girls have enjoyed having them come to see their plays and special events. But what a great experience for your parents!; April 8, 2009 at 7:03 PM
samandbrodi said...: Your dad is fabulous and I sure enjoyed getting to know him growing up around the Richards family. He will do a great job. I look forward to hearing what his responsibilities are over the upcoming years. He will be terrific in that calling.; April 10, 2009 at 6:42 AM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Dad

3 comments:

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