Elder Robert D. Hales

"So General Conference was amazing. I especially loved Elder Robert D. Hales talk about the Scriptures. Elder Hales is shooting 4 for 4 on General Conference talks on my mission. His first about Couple Missionaries wasn't unbelievable, but I enjoyed it because it talked about missionary work and I was in the CTM and it just fit nicely."

Elder Robert D. Hales

Elder Robert D. Hales was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 1994.

Elder Hales received his call as a General Authority on April 4, 1975. He served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He was Presiding Bishop of the Church from April, 1985 until called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

He was a regional representative for five years prior to his call as a General Authority. He earlier served as a branch president, bishop, high councilor, and stake president’s counselor. He was president of the England London Mission in the late ‘70s and has served as first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency.

Couple Missionaries: Blessings from Sacrifice and Service

Preparations for the Restoration and the Second Coming: "My Hand Shall Be over Thee"

To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency

Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation

Representing The Ipiranga Zone

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"This is a picture of Elder Jones and Elder Tonks, representing the Ipiranga Zone and the one and only President Wilkins, and his awesome wife, Sister Wilkins. We were at interviews and we decided that we might as well take a picture with the coolest mission president since President Urry. President Wilkins is the most calm and collected person I've ever met, and he has a way to make everyone feel really valuable and to get the job done. He is quite a neat fellow. We love President Wilkins and support his every move. Except for when he transfers us apart. Just kidding, the support goes on!"

Train Station Music

"We use the train a lot here in Sao Paulo. It's all within the city and the outlying cities. Sao Paulo is huge. We were waiting for the train the other night and now I have pretty much decided that the train, though vandalized, dirty and full of people selling candy and whatnot illegally, has great the music playing at the stations. We heard Elton John (That's Why They Call It The Blues), U2 (I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For), Sting (If I Ever Lose My Faith In You), Phil Collins (The Love Tonight), and some Enya song that everyone knows but no one knows the title. Oh well, the train is sweet! Except when you have to stand."

President Gordon B. Hinckley: A Modern Prophet

"It was great to hear in conference from our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley. He has been the Prophet the whole time that I have been a member of the Church. I have heard him speak dozens of times, each one better than the rest. I love the Brigham Young quote about the Martin Handcart Company that President Hinckley used in his talk about Faith. President Hinckley is awesome, I know he is a prophet and leads this, the Lord's True Church, on the earth. I love the words to the hymn he wrote called My Redeemer Lives: "Oh give me Thy sweet spirit still/The peace that comes alone from Thee/And help me walk the lonely road/That leads to Thine eternity..." Good stuff."

Gordon B. Hinckley

Born in Salt Lake City on June 23, 1910, Gordon B. Hinckley was prepared from his youth to be a prophet. After graduating from the University of Utah, he was called to serve a mission to Great Britain. After he returned, he embarked on a lifetime of service for the Church. He was employed as the executive secretary of the Church Radio, Publicity, and Literature committee, before he was called to be an Apostle in 1961. He was later called to serve as a counselor to President Kimball, President Benson, and President Hunter. Since becoming Church President on March 12, 1995, he has directed the most intense temple building program in the history of the Church in an effort to extend temple blessings to more members. He has exhibited vitality and energy as he has traveled about the world meeting and speaking to members of the Church. Through television interviews and national press publications, he has increased media attention and improved the public image of the Church. He has counseled Church members to fellowship new converts, befriend members of other faiths, live exemplary lives, and avoid the evils of the world.

Biography of President Gordon B. Hinckley

Cool Dad

Curtis told me in one of his emails that I was a cool dad. Here's how he put it:

"Thanks for being the coolest dad since Peter Griffin from Family Guy. You're a whole lot funnier, thats for sure.....

Love, Elder Tonks"

LDS Church Callings

"So does Bishop Taylor already have a calling in mind for me? Tell him I would rule at Ward Missionary, especially if Detrick was my companion. We would teach at least 150 lessons a week. I sure was blessed to have the bishops that I did while I was getting ready for my mission. Bishop Taylor is a good man, I really look up to him and I know he is making the BC3 a better ward."

Service in the LDS Church is voluntary. Members do not receive wages or other compensation for their time. Presidency Leaders have the authority to "call" members to serve in positions under their direction, and do so after prayerful study of those being considered. In the LDS Church a "calling" is a position or assignment in which members have been asked to serve or perform.

Generally members serve in their callings for a few years. Once their time of service is complete they are released from their calling (by the responsible authority) and new members are called in their place.

Some callings of the LDS Church in local congregations include:

Bishopric (includes Bishop, and two Counselors)
Elder's Quorum Presidency
Relief Society Presidency
Sunday School Presidency
Single Adult Representative
Young Men's Presidency
Young Women's Presidency
Primary Presidency
High Priest Group Leader
Teacher Development
Music Chairperson
Ward Clerk
Executive Secretary
Membership Clerk
Finance Clerk
Ward Mission Leader
Ward Missionaries
Ward Librarian
Ward Bulletin Editor

There are many other callings including LOTS of teachers in all of the organizations.

Where's The Park?

"Today Elder Jones and Yours Truly are going to the park to throw the football around. You have to see Sao Paulo; there are no parks anywhere and Elder J has a football so we are going to go throw some long bombs and talk about how much we love Peyton Manning and the 3-4 defense. Elder Jones knows quite a lot about football so he is automatically a sweet companion."

Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo

Redeemer Of Israel

Redeemer of Israel #6 - William W. Phelps, adapted from Joseph Swain. Included in the first LDS hymn book, 1835.

1. Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight, On whom for a blessing we call,our shadow by day And our pillar by night, Our King, our Deliv'rer, our all!

2. We know he is coming To gather his sheep And lead them to Zion in love, For why in the valley Of death should they weep Or in the lone wilderness rove?

3. How long we have wandered As strangers in sin, And cried in the desert for thee! Our foes have rejoiced When our sorrows they've seen, But Israel will shortly be free.

4. As children of Zion, Good tidings for us. The tokens already appear. Fear not, and be just, For the kingdom is ours. The hour of redemption is near.

5. Restore, my dear Savior, The light of thy face; Thy soul-cheering comfort impart; And let the sweet longing For thy holy place Bring hope to my desolate heart

6. He looks! and ten thousands Of angels rejoice, And myriads wait for his word; He speaks! and eternity, Filled with his voice, Re-echoes the praise of the Lord.

Listen to "Redeemer of Isreal"

God Gave Us Memories...

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Happy 21st Birthday Curtis
I came across this picture from 1988. It was taken when we were building our new house in South Ogden. I sent it and a few others to Curtis. It wasn't that long ago that he was a little boy standing by his birthday sign and now he's a young man living thousands of miles away from home. I can't believe how quickly he has grown up.

"Those pictures are so sweet. Especially of the one of me and you in what is now the kitchen, and the one of me on my third birthday. Look at that sweet printer paper and my haircut. I was listening to a good hymn on the computer and it had a good touching piano part and I was looking through the photos. Brought a lagrima to the eye almost. It was like watching the high school graduation video. It's cool to look back on life and the memories that were had. "God gave us memories that we may have June roses in the December of our lives." President Monson always says that. Thanks for the photos. I saved a few."

"On Sunday I turn 21 years of age. Parabéns to me! I don't even feel like it. On Friday Elder Jones and I are going to the Quintal do Braz, the best pizza place in Sao Paulo. It is going to be great. I don't feel like I am getting that old, but time marches on. The work is going well. I am really focused and loving it even though it is hard at times. But yeah, just gotta keep on keepin' on. I hope your all doing well and I love you. Have a great week and send me a birthday card or better yet, a cake. Later, ya'll!"

Uno

"I played Uno on Sunday night with a family who just moved to our ward named Walker and Juliana and their six kids. I felt right at home like with the Junk Family when I was there. I totally worked their daughters in Uno with my unbelievable American skills. This family is cool. We need to find some investigators out there we can teach in their house. And maybe when we teach them about Joseph Smith and invite them to be baptized, we can teach them how to play Uno and I can then beat them."