Thursday Wash Line

Today, random thoughts have been brewing. Chief among them is that today is Yogi Berra's birthday. To the uninitiated it may seem inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, but to me he was a childhood hero. From Little League through high school baseball and beyond I always sought out number "8" to wear on my uniform, because, like Yogi, I was a catcher. Some said that to strap on all the gear required to be a catcher was to suit up in the "tools of ignorance." But Yogi inspired me. So did Johnny Bench later on. Roy Campanella was another favorite of mine. Call me stupid, but I relished having a complete view of the field and being involved in every single play on the diamond. I got to call the pitches, throw out runners, block home plate against charging base runners attempting to score, and contribute my bat to the lineup when it was our turn to hit. I love baseball, and Yogi was the personification of goofiness, odd ball quotes and World Series greatness. The reason Yogi held so many World Series records was the Yankees got to the World Series A LOT in those years. Perhaps the triumph of his career was the game where Yogi caught Don Larsen's perfect game five in the 1956 World Series against the dreaded Brooklyn Dodgers. That's a highlight memory I have never forgotten. 

I've been silent on this page about the tragic war going on in Ukraine. Russia, more specifically Vladimir Putin, has once again shown its true colors as an aggressor in the region. Whatever justification he uses for his attempted invasion has fallen short in the midst of widespread reports of civilian casualties. Many believe he should be assassinated or at the very least held to account as a war criminal. The Ukrainians have stood up to attempts to overrun their country. Whatever your political persuasion, there could be no justification that stands up to close scrutiny of Putin's motives. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) was ridiculed when he ran for President of the United States for asserting his belief that Russia was at the nexus of evil in the world. His views then now have proven prescient. Sensing a weak resolve on the part of American leadership, no doubt, Putin has pushed the envelope when it comes to gaining any favor in the world community for his actions. Indeed, Finland and Sweden have now announced they are seeking NATO membership to help bolster their defense against any future attempts by Russia to overrun their sovereignty. Until the Savior Jesus Christ comes again, we have been warned and forewarned about "wars and rumors of war." We see it playing out every night on the news.

I read this morning that broccoli has properties within it that prevent against COVID-19 and all its variants. Patsy has long advocated the benefits of broccoli, and of all the vegetables available to her broccoli has been her go-to choice forever. We did get fully vaccinated against the virus, but who's to say the reason we never got COVID-19 was because we consumed so much broccoli? It may be the perfect food. Never doubt the wisdom of Patsy when it comes to broccoli.

The leaked proposed majority opinion memo from Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court over what appears to signal the imminent repeal of the controversial Roe v. Wade abortion law has caused a nationwide furor as both sides of that debate are at it again with a new fury. The houses of the justices are being routinely picketed daily right now in an attempt to sway the seeming resolve of the justices to overturn the law. The upcoming midterm election looms in November. Until then it will seem there are no other issues on the agenda for candidates. The rhetoric will be difficult to hack through in search of what is in the best interests of Americans on this issue. Prepare for a raucous and disruptive summer leading into the midterms.

We put a new roof on our house recently. It took them only three days from start of finish. The crew showed up early each morning, and they worked until the sun went down. In contrast, I am watching the house building project next door that goes painstakingly slow. Today the excavation company is working (as they have for many days) to sift through boulders to salvage fill dirt. It seems it takes so long to make something worthwhile and long-lasting. War and all the destruction and waste that accompanies it can decimate whole cities and countries in a matter of days. I hope and pray we may always be on the side of building and creating something that lasts and endures. It is better to create than to decimate.

I do not know the meaning of all things, but like Yogi, I know "it's tough to make predictions, especially about the future."

How About a Little More Happy?

It's time to leave the travails of the Boy Scouts in our rear view mirror and move on to more optimistic thoughts for the future. I was asked the other day why I would put that news front and center in my blog, and my reply was, "If I am going to chronicle our lives and times, it must include some dark clouds and thunderstorms once in a while or it wouldn't be accurate."

This summer has brought some welcome developments in our lives. Like the Olympics, we postponed for a year our family reunion due to COVID-19 restrictions. But this year we gathered for the first time in four years, and we had an unmitigated blast of fun, frivolity and spiritual feasting together. We gathered everyone - all twelve of our living children and their families were in attendance. The last time that happened was when our youngest daughter Merilee was married to Michael Litchfield, and even then it was only for about two hours for pictures at the reception. We felt as though we were all blessed for being there. Power comes when we are all united in the spirit of family love and togetherness that simply cannot be replicated on Zoom or Marco Polo. The strengthening of those family bonds was clearly in evidence.

Speaking of the Olympics, if you can disassociate from the increasing politicization of the messaging and the mind-numbing commercial interruptions, there was a lot to like. I loved watching the women's volleyball team's march to the gold. Men's basketball and women's basketball was mostly a yawner because they were expected to win, but the volleyball was fun to see. Fun to watch Rudy Gobert playing for France (they took silver), and Joe Ingles playing for Australia (they took bronze). I loved that Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda walked away with gold in men's and women's golf. They were both beset with challenging fourth rounds, and yet both triumphed through the adversity. 

Swimming and gymnastics were also inspirational for a host of reasons. Who doesn't love Katie Ledecky? She has circumnavigated the globe in the number of miles she has put in while training and competing during her life, and she says she will be there in Paris in 2024 doing it again. Men's swimming was dominated by Caeleb Dressel. Faster, indeed! 

MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles

Watching Simone Biles wrestle with her emotional and mental challenges, then return in the last possible moment to capture a bronze medal on balance beam was humbling and motivating. MyKayla Skinner snagged silver when Biles withdrew from the vault. For both those young women a long gymnastics career has finally come to its close. Both have overcome inestimable obstacles to set an example of perseverance and consistency. And who will forget Suni Lee capturing gold for America in the all-around gymnastics final? Not many would have predicted that outcome as the games began. There are always a hundred stories of the journeys each athlete has taken to be part of the Olympics. Who were some of your favorites during the Olympics? Why do you love their stories? 

Not many people gave the Tokyo games much of a chance of happening. COVID-19 was still raging in Japan, and the groundswell of opposition to the games from the locals was deafening. But the organizers and the athletes persisted and the result was a triumph of the human spirit. We should have learned something from watching these athletes who were beset with all kinds of ups and downs in preparation for their participation. When there is a will to do in the hearts of the participants, there will be a way to prevail. 

We had our first ward summer party in a long time this summer. It was a tribute to those who put it on that the participation was so strong. Great turnout, fun activities, and great food. It's hard to imagine just how isolated we have been, but this party illustrated that we are all better together than apart. I taught the elders quorum lesson last Sunday, and for the first time in I can't remember when it was not broadcast via Zoom, perhaps a harbinger of better things to come. So fun to once again be interacting face to face.

Since the family reunion our pot gut population has retreated to I don't know where. We reclaimed our territory, I guess, and our sheer numbers have scared them all off. Maybe you can examine your personal life and decide where you can take back some territory from the varmints that may have infested your world. It's a good thing for the pot guts that they've scattered, because now I have installed a 6x scope on my .22, and now that it's zeroed in they will not survive their interactions with me in the future. What installations are you making to fortify yourselves?

President Henry J. Eyring

I loved a video that came online today from President Henry J. Eyring of BYU-Idaho in which he is urging his students to get vaccinated if they can before they return to school in Rexburg. His comments were well-reasoned, including the need to be mindful of the residents of the small communities in Idaho which would surely be impacted if an outbreak were to occur there. He also cited concerns about the limited medical and hospital resources in the community. It seems like so many other things in our society, the need for vaccinations has become a political conversation having nothing to do with public health.

I'm watching the air quality index (AQI) every day now, as smoke from California and other western states continues to fill our skies in Utah. Remarkably, we here in Utah have been able reduce the number of huge wildfires this year, but our skies are shrouded with smoke from surrounding states that is fouling our air. Today the AQI has dropped to 109 (it was 151 on Monday) where I am, but that's still a number that has profound health implications. The particulates are smaller and more toxic than the usual winter inversions we suffer in Utah. 

I saw a remark by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) the other day where he said he hoped and prayed climate change was caused by man because then we might be able to do something about it. Wherever you land on that argument, be assured that we can and we must do what we can to reduce the harmful impacts we are witnessing this summer. If it isn't COVID-19, it's a variant. If it isn't drought, it's a flood. If it isn't wildfires here in Utah, it's wildfires in California or Montana. If it isn't vaccines, it's masks. If it isn't a government mandate, it's the opposition to a mandate somewhere. The debates seem exhausting don't they?

Let's agree on this: It's been a wonderful summer, and it's made us happier than last summer. So how about taking a giant scoop of a little more happy?

The Wednesday Wash Line of Questions

I've had a number of random thoughts running through my fixed brain this morning. Bear with me as I hang them out to dry on the Wednesday wash line.

Governor Spencer Cox

You'd have to be a special kind of stupid to advocate for indiscriminate use of fireworks in a state like Utah this year. The winds and the dry ground are a lethal combination of fire hazard, especially where we live in the high Uintas. I hold my breath every day when the wind picks up and the air is so dry you can feel it all the way down your throat. I doubt that Utah will ever be anything but a semi-arid climate despite all the recent calls for fasting and prayer to mitigate the impact of the drought. I love the leadership of Governor Spencer Cox (R) UT in calling for fasting and prayer for more rain. But, given those facts, doesn't it just make sense to ban fireworks completely? I wonder why that hasn't made its way into the collective consciousness of our legislature yet.

Here's another thought - why are there interstate highways in Hawaii? Is it just because they receive federal tax dollars to build their highways as part of building an interstate system? But why call them that in Hawaii? Which state does Hawaii connect to via an interstate highway? Um, nope, can't think of even one.

This morning I read that a recent poll concluded a solid majority of Americans still favor not overturning the infamous Roe v. Wade decision to allow abortions. You can take whatever political side of that question you choose, but isn't abortion just state-sanctioned murder of fetuses? How long will abortion remain the law of the land? I know there are heated and passionate debates about it all around the country, but come on, Americans, we can do better here can't we? Let's call abortion what it is and just label it as murder, and let's refuse to fund abortion with tax dollars. Isn't it time?

And what about same-sex marriage? As the traditional barriers we once associated with morality continue to crumble, can't we all agree that state-sanctioned marriages of anything other than one man and one woman should be re-examined? Some call it progressive plurality and hail it as coming to a more enlightened age of sophistication. I'd have to say it's something else. You can label me conservative if you like. I've been called worse.

Here's another thought along those lines - can it be much longer before we sanction polygamy or polyandry? I wonder why those ideas haven't surfaced yet in our society. Once thought abhorrent enough to drive the Mormons out of the United States and compel them to set up their community in these arid wastelands in the West, why would our "enlightened" views continue to exclude polygamists in the progressive debate? Does that make sense? Why so many seeming contradictions?

I have a "pot gut problem" at the Ranch where we live. Each year they burrow unrestrained during the winter months throughout the yard and surrounding locations. They are nourished during winter by eating the roots of healthy plants and trees above their tunnels. This year I count ten or twenty running across the road as I drive up and down our 2.5 mile driveway. The larger predators and birds of prey are their natural enemies. I watched a hawk swoop down on one this morning and snag it in its talons. Good for the hawk, but those pot guts must be elusive little varmints, because I feel I need to contribute a strong human intervention to stop them in their tracks. I bought a semi-automatic .22 caliber carbine rifle a few years ago, and that seems to be the only reasonable means of keeping them at bay and out of Patsy's flowers. I really have no problem with them on an intellectual level, but when they invade my wife's flowers, the .22 comes out and they are on my extinction radar. Then it's no longer live and let live with me. It's personal.

When pot guts are able to proliferate without being confronted, then why do we have to put up with other predators in our society too? I have a daughter who was touched inappropriately by a trusted and well-respected physical therapist when she was a teenager. She is just now coming to realize what really happened back then. Turns out what he was doing wasn't in anyone's description of "normal." She will now take steps to confront that reality with other young women who were similarly affected by his aberrant behavior. Sometimes human intervention is required in a situation where adults are allowed to prey on children for their own pleasure without fear of retribution. Like pot guts, they must be destroyed so they cannot prey upon others. The Southern Baptists are taking steps to do just that in their congregations.

Why are some people able to cover their sins for years without any consequences? Why aren't the wicked immediately punished? Why are the good people rarely rewarded instantly for their good deeds? Why does there seem to be so much injustice in the world? Why does forgiveness seem to be so impossible to grant when judgment is so much easier? Why does God permit the wicked to go on unchecked while the righteous continue to suffer at their hands? Why do the tares have to be permitted to flourish with the wheat until the final harvest? Can't we just pluck out a few tares right now?

Why doesn't everyone who has been vaccinated just wear a red "V" around their neck instead of a mask over their nose and mouth?

Why is the Second Coming so slow in coming? Why is finding a reliable plumber so hard to do? When you have a family full of really competent people - doctor, dentist, physical therapists, cosmetologists, electrician, software engineers, trona miner, educators, salesmen, attorney - why do you not have even one plumber? Why does America's GM make what appear to be big tough SUVs that can't take it on the rough ranch road, but Japan's Toyota has the right stuff that cruises over rough roads without wearing out universal joints? Why does a little wind-blown snow over the road in the winter suddenly render useless whatever vehicle you have to conquer those roads? Why do tires always need to be replaced in the summer instead of waiting until winter when new tread is really needed more?

Why does sagebrush seem so difficult to eradicate, and yet watering it can kill it? Why does a worldwide pandemic like COVID-19 have such a devastating impact upon the people living on Earth? Why does it take a pandemic to reduce us to our lowest common denominators of survival? Last week we flew for the first time in over a year, and we walked the one-mile concourse at the new SLC International Airport, which begged the question, "Where are the trams?" That place is cavernous. I learned later the answer to my question is that trams are coming in a subsequent phase of the construction.

And that might be the only answer to any of the questions that are rattling around in my brain this morning.

Lessons Learned

I am not sure where you were a year ago today, but I was undergoing what would turn into a 12 1/2 hour surgery on my brain at the U of U Medical Center in Salt Lake City. COVID-19 had forced hospitals in to a "no visitor" restriction, so at 4:30 a.m. that morning my son dropped me off at the curb and I walked through the doors of the hospital to check in all alone.

COVID-19 proved to be a formidable foe to conquer. It was hard to get any information for my wife and family. They became concerned as the hours wore on into the early evening. What could be taking so long? Finally, they received a phone call from one of the residents who had been in the operating room, who reported that the surgeon, Dr. Schmidt, had been required to do a lot more "chipping and hammering" than he had originally thought he would. 

Um, yeah, when I heard that I thought someone might want to give that resident a few tips on his bedside manner with the wives of their patients, even though it was a phone call. Turns out my particular brain surgery for the removal of a meningioma tumor (benign) involved chiseling inside my skull to remove the tumor that had adhered to the inside of my skull in the frontal lobe. It involved a little artistic advanced carpentry for Dr. Schmidt, who was more than up to the task. My vision in my right eye had deteriorated to 20/50 because of the tumor's tentacles that were wrapped around the optic nerve, so that was delicate. I went back to the ophthalmologist for a follow-up recently, who confirmed what I had known for months - my sight was restored to 20/20.

In fact, that word "restored" is an apt description of what happened to me. All the symptoms and the deficiencies caused by the compression of the brain tissue by the tumor that I had encountered for years leading up to the diagnosis and the surgery have been eliminated. Bodily functions have returned to their pre-cancerous condition. My strength in body and limbs has been restored through rehabilitation and therapy. I can now bear witness in part what the resurrection might someday look like. I know what it is to come through the dark valley of the shadow of death and back up to the mountain top of hope and sunshine.

So, what of the lessons learned? President Russell M. Nelson suggested some lessons that we might have learned during this past year in his recent General Conference address. In addition there are many sobering lessons I have learned personally that will never be forgotten. Among them:

Carl Bloch, The Pool of Bethesda

1. Never underestimate the adversary, who will destroy you in a moment if he could. I was in a weakened state unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life. The doctors were pleased to inform me pre-surgery that their workup of my physical condition revealed that I had a strong heart and strong lungs. That was about all they could tell me that I was contributing to the operation. Everything else had been compromised. And Satan took full advantage of that reality. I was rescued more than once during my ordeal by ministering angels from the other side of the veil who strengthened me and protected me from the spirits who sought my destruction. I sensed there was a titanic struggle for my soul that was raging while I was so weak, and there was little I could do about it. The Savior is truly a Healer, as depicted above in Bloch's masterful painting.

2. The love we have for one another, though it may seem intangible and practically indiscernible on occasion, is in fact eternal in its nature and binds us to one another in every conceivable way. I came away from this year of isolation yearning for interaction with my family and friends. I plan to continue cherishing those relationships more than I ever have in the past. The restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether government- or self-imposed are gradually sliding into oblivion. Of course, some areas of the world are more affected than others, and we are grateful for where we are and we continue praying for nations like India where the pandemic continues to rage. I am grateful for the renewed perspective of love for others.

3. Enjoyment of the reality of home-based, Church-supported curriculum for our scripture study. This past year has seen the Church mature into a place I could only wish for many years ago when I lamented quietly and patiently in my personal journal that the Church seemed mired "in the thick of thin things," as Elder Neal A. Maxwell once expressed it. Today, we are a Christ-centered Church, and that development has been enhanced by the adversity we have passed through this last year. President Nelson saw it coming in the preparations and direction he gave for our home-based emphasis on gospel learning and application. The privilege of having the sacrament in our own homes while we were in isolation was profound and much appreciated. It has been years in the making, but it seems we are poised now to make major strides forward into the future with a laser-like focus on Christ's gospel.

4. I have learned never to take good health for granted. Recently, we were at dinner with two couples at a restaurant, something we haven't done for at least a year because of the pandemic. How rich that experience was for all of us. We are all of a certain age where it seems the main topic of conversation was health and wellness. One had recently had his third operation on a shoulder, after replacement surgeries on both hips and knees. The other had recently had a malignant skin cancer tumor removed from his neck, which followed three stents in his heart arteries that had saved his life. He joked that he's just giving up one body part at a time as he ages. We all had a story to tell, and that's what we all have to look forward to as we age. The law of entropy - that all things fail eventually - has never been more true. When you are young and vigorous, such thoughts of entropy are remote and seldom considered.

5. My love for my Savior has never been more full and complete. I was reminded of a great book that President Spencer W. Kimball wrote years ago entitled, Faith Precedes the Miracle. He is echoing the inspiration of Moroni, who wrote: ". . . it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief and all is vain." (Moroni 7:37). I have been rescued during this past year, beginning with my hours-long surgery one year ago today. I have never been so grateful for an outcome over which I had so little control. Just to be able to sit at my computer again and write the things of my soul is a gift of inestimable worth to me, all possible by the grace and goodness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

COVID-19 - You have no power here

First thought from Patsy this morning: "Have you ever been so excited to have a shot before?" We're headed over to Heber City this afternoon to have our second jab of the MODERNA vaccine. Two weeks from now, we're told, we will be "fully vaccinated" and able to mingle with others who have been similarly blessed with fewer restrictions. I know nothing is perfect, but after one long year of being held hostage by all the restrictions and health advisories, this feels like a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.

COVID-19 has taken its toll on our lives. The vaccines have proven to be the best control mechanism out there, and the numbers here in Utah are on a sharp downward trajectory finally. That's all good news, since the virus has risen to the top of the list of causes of death in America - more than heart attacks and cancer. To say there's no such thing as this deadly virus is silly. To say it is a government conspiracy to control the masses is likewise silly and sophomoric. 

People are free to choose how to respond to the virus - get a vaccine or not - but continuing to help one another by observing safe distancing, wearing masks and frequent hand washing is just good hygiene. 

We have chosen this past year to limit our large family gatherings, and we have hunkered down here at home to increase our chances of avoiding the virus altogether. We have attended our sacrament meetings since they opened up again, simply because the bishopric has been responsible and created a safe space in which to meet. Their precautions have made us feel secure in being there. The ward building gatherings have felt more safe, certainly, than doing something like going to the grocery store for example.

Travel will someday open up again. The airlines are desperate for your business and are offering low cost rates to lure us back into the air. Reservations for cruises are slowly inching up too as the companies come back online with more deals. We had planned a Mediterranean cruise last fall so we could see the new Rome Temple and visit the Holy Land again. Then I got my brain tumor diagnosis and surgery followed soon after that. We applied for a refund of our fares about the same time the cruise was cancelled and all of Europe shut down due to COVID-19. It took months, but we eventually received our full refund from the travel insurance policy we had taken out from AIG. We had a "consolation prize" trip last summer to Moab, Utah, that included visits to Arches National Park, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point State Park with some of our family and we were outdoors the whole time. Now we anticipate this coming year will provide more opportunities. 

It is worth noting that from the outset, President Russell M. Nelson has stated publicly many times that the pandemic would in time subside and that it would be conquered by modern science. He took immediate and extensive precautionary steps to shut down the temples, offer suggestions to local leaders on how to conduct our meetings, and in general has given confident and expert advice on how to proceed through the pandemic's pitfalls. Those who have heeded his counsel have been blessed. Zoom meetings have become routine now, but I have to say it's not the same as actually being together face-to-face.

I suspect we have not seen the end of these overflowing scourges in the years ahead. It was unthinkable a year ago that this virus could have such far-reaching and long-lasting detrimental effects, but it has shown a determined and nasty ability to resist defeat.

Now, however, we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Utah is lifting its statewide mask wearing mandate on April 10th by legislative fiat, and a growing number of Utahns are taking full advantage of the availability of the vaccines. Patsy and I are so grateful for the effects the vaccine will have on our family gatherings as we contemplate more gatherings this year. Soon, we hope, we will participate in person at baby blessings, baptisms, ordinations, and eventually be enabled to return to full-time temple worship.

That minute microscopic virus will soon have no power over us. As we emerge from the restrictions with which we have been saddled in the best interests of public safety, let us remember the sobering lessons we have learned about valuing life, our loved ones and all our friends and neighbors. As we return to normal, let's invest in hugs, kisses, and handshakes to lift and bless others. Let's more fully align our lives with the Savior, the Prophet and our family. 

The isolation we have experienced has easily produced an advanced case of cabin fever in me. I'm certain others feel as I do. The other day I went to Heber City on a couple of errands, and on a 60+ degree day I observed a lot of convertible sports cars with tops down, and their occupants taking full advantage of the sunshine and its warmth. 

It gave me renewed hope that spring cannot be far behind.

2021 - The Road Ahead

 From the moment he took the office, President Donald J. Trump has been a lightning rod for controversy, confusion, vindictive lashing out, and abhorrent behavior of every kind imaginable. Now, thankfully, his era in American politics has mercifully come to an end. It ended the way it began in total chaos and a climatic storming of the Capitol chambers in a failed attempt to overturn the outcome of the election. Did Trump have a hand in rousing the crowd of protestors ahead of the Electoral College vote tally? Well, you can be the judge of that, but for the first time in our nation's history a POTUS has been impeached a second time by the House of Representatives, and even at this late date, only days before his term expires, Donald J. Trump's legacy has a stain on it that will be impossible to remove.

Refusing counsel from everyone, Trump has resoundingly refused to even attend the inauguration ceremonies for his successor, Joe Biden, the winner of the 2020 presidential election. He finally conceded the election, but only when the Electoral College vote was completed. But he has refused to acknowledge his role in inciting the crowd assembled outside the Capitol on the day of the Electoral College vote count. He apparently tongue-lashed his Vice-President Mike Pence that morning, instructing him to "either be a patriot or a pussy." Pence's role in the Electoral College by Constitutional mandate is simply to preside over the vote count and then declare a winner. He had no authority to do anything else despite Trump's little boy tantrum. Pence was the patriot here, not Trump.

The prognosticators of doom and gloom have already begun their predictable tirade of "end of times" analysis concerning Joseph Biden's election. Some will continue to assert the claims of an illegitimate presidency based upon no evidence from Trump's lawyers in numerous court challenges to the election results. Others will assert the nation will fall apart after the failed "coup attempt" supported by Trump supporters. Biden's policy shifts will no doubt be real in an attempt to reverse Trump's. I've read the Republican Party in America will now cease to exist. All of these bold predictions can find equal and opposite counterparts in the years when George W. Bush won, and Trump upended political punditry by winning. The more things change, the more they remain the same, it would appear to me. The one constant for me is that America has not successfully committed suicide - yet.

The road ahead for us in 2021 will continue to be a battle for the hearts and minds of America. However, most hearts and minds have already been made up, and few will change their deepest-held beliefs. It remains to be seen if there are politicians who can tap into the conventional wisdom of Americans. Joe Biden will at least make a show of attempting to interpret his victory in November as reflecting the will of America. He will have both houses of Congress in his camp, just as Barack Obama did when he began his two-term presidency. Few, however, have been able to master the diversity of America. Most new presidents when they take office, pledge to reach across the aisle, heal the divide and work for harmony and unanimity of feelings. Most transitions from one party to the other are carried off without insurrection, though agitators would have it otherwise.  

2021 will also be a year when scientific breakthroughs in vaccine production will in time eradicate the persistent COVID-19 virus if enough Americans agree to take the vaccine when it is offered. Right now there seems to be a much larger demand for the vaccine than there is adequate supply. That's the right trend if the supply and distribution can keep up. The distribution of the vaccines will be problematic, because the vaccines will be administered by the government. In Utah it is being handled through the county health departments. For people 70+ years of age like me, it means expressing interest in a pre-appointment email registration for the vaccine, and the roll-out will happen over the next two months. We are being told to watch our email inbox for a sign-up opportunity. Already we are hearing government leaders in Utah pleading for patience as they figure out how to match the supply with the demand. Anytime we turn the science over to the government it seems there will be a breakdown - bet on it. So far science gets an A, government gets a C-, but guess who will be at the front of the line taking credit for the eventual success. Betcha I know the answer to that one. The doctors will be elbowed out of line by the politicians clamoring for recognition and credit.

Speaking of diversity in America, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) offered an opinion piece recently in the Deseret News entitled "The Union and the Constitution Forever." He insists there is good news in our diversity:

"The good news is, we already have a proven way to achieve this goal. The United States has always been diverse. Our Constitutional framework was specifically written for a regionally, culturally, economically and religiously diverse nation. The Constitution’s checks and balances and separated powers simultaneously empower political majorities while protecting political minorities and, most of all, individual rights.

"America’s ability to make our diversity a strength is part of what makes us the greatest nation on earth. Our job is to make sure our diversity pulls us together instead of pulling us apart.

"Given America’s wide diversity, political issues decided at the federal level are by their nature going to be the most divisive. People in the East and the West, on the coasts and in the interior, in rural and urban areas — to say nothing of “red” and “blue” states — are always going to see the world differently."

Lee concludes that the way the Founders envisioned handling diversity was not to eradicate it but to embrace it, channel it and balance it so that tyranny never asserts itself within our borders. We hear accusations of tyranny from time to time, and it may be true some would attempt to impose it, but so far America has resisted being told what to do by dictators. Just take as an example the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. Some are still insisting that this virus is someone in China's idea of controlling the masses, and that the government conspiracy is what is keeping us all in check. They rise up in opposition to mask wearing mandates and business regulation to control the spread of the virus. Resistance for the sake of resistance regardless of reason and common sense seems to be their cry.

"This isn’t about the size of the federal government — the federal government is going to remain huge for a long time to come. Rather, it’s about the need for national consensus to validate federal policy. 51%-49% issues are controversial, by their nature. Some issues — like national security or immigration — by their nature must be decided at the federal level, no matter how controversial they are. But most issues — from education to welfare to health care to housing to infrastructure — really can be decided at lower, less divided, levels of government.

"Blue states can be as blue as they want; red and purple states can go their way too. And all Americans — across the country and across the political spectrum — would be happier not to be in a constant zero-sum battle against the other party on every single issue under the sun. The founders called this approach 'federalism.' Philosophers call it 'subsidiarity.'

"To me, it’s the only realistic way to restore trust in our public institutions, detoxify our national discourse and heal some of the wounds of our current divisions."

It's not too complicated, folks. You let the federal government do what it does best on the big issues like immigration and national security, and you let the states, cities and counties do what they do best on the local issues in the red and blue states. By design, those outcomes at the local level will be better dealt with closer to the people. We've strayed from the principles envisioned in federalism, and it's time to get back to those principles to tamp down the angst at the federal level.

Trump, it turns out, was little more than an agitator, pitting us against one another for four long years. Yes, he did some good things, balancing the SCOTUS for one, but let's see if Biden can do a better job of following the Lee model than Trump ever did.

Open Letter to My Family

Dear Family -

In the years ahead you will no doubt be telling stories about lessons learned during this COVID-19 laced year of 2020. What will you be telling each other twenty or thirty years from now? Will you recall how the world seemingly shut down over night because of that little virus cell that turned deadly? Will you recall how the pandemic seemed to split families apart or drove them closer together? Will you be saying that it was all over-hyped and that it was a government controlled hoax in an election year? Or will you be recounting the many advantages that you gleaned for closer family togetherness?

Whatever you envision happening to you in the future years as you tell your stories, I would hope that you found some pearls along the COVID-19-strewn pathway. Pandemics are nothing new. We have witnessed them before, and we have overcome them too. Those who have lost loved ones during this pandemic will not soon easily forget the memories. I read a story about a young daughter whose mother is now in the ICU on a ventilator barely clinging to life this week. The mother was a beloved school teacher who welcomed her students back, eager to re-engage with them, only to be struck down by the virus. When interviewed, the daughter admitted that neither she nor her mother had taken all the warnings very seriously about the deadly virus. Now the daughter is pleading for prayers and faith in a miracle that her mother's life might be saved.

I've had friends who contracted the virus and were hospitalized, only to die a few days later. I never thought I would be the one who needed brain surgery until it was me who needed brain surgery, and all that happened during the pandemic. I will forever remember 2020, not as a throw-away year, but as a year full of lessons to increase my faith and to return me to wellness. I will forever remember it as a year when I drew closer to my Savior and His healing power. I will remember the love and the solicitude of my family who fasted and prayed for my welfare, when hope for a full recovery seemed more like a Pollyanna wish than anything else. I will remember how valued our technology was so that we could remotely and virtually enjoy baptisms, baby blessings and welcome home missionaries. 

I will also remember a living loving Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson who has been uniquely qualified because of his medical background to lead the Church during this time. He has said of himself that he is a man of science, but he is foremost a man of faith. 

I will remember how precious the temple became to me as I recited the words of the temple ordinances I had memorized while I was serving as an ordinance worker. I heard those precious words replaying in my mind as I was recovering from surgery, and I was reminded how precious you all are to me. I will always remember how important each of you is to me, and I will forever cherish my relationship with each one of you.

As the Church has begun leading the way carefully back to more normalized worship services each week and gradually reopening the temples, and as governments continue to grapple with the best practices in health care advisories, I have also begun re-thinking what our approach should be as a family as we enter the fall and winter season of family traditions we hold so dear. 

I might have scared you all away with setting some boundaries over travelling to Woodland to be with us. I was responding to an abundance of caution suggested by the medical team who treated me. I have been growing stronger each day, and now feel it is time to consider easing restrictions for us too. Merilee hasn't seen us for a year. It's time to re-evaluate, perhaps, how we might follow the guidance of our living Prophet and still remain safe while interacting with one another.

I hope we may all continue to learn valuable lessons from this year that we can share in some future day with our children and grandchildren. Even in the most extreme circumstances we can exercise our faith in the Savior, have hope in a glorious future, make memories together, and develop the love of Christ in our hearts for all those around us. 

At the very least, let us love one another as never before. Sometimes that's even a virtual long-distance kiss over face time on your smart phone.

Love and blessings to all of you,

Mom and Dad