Remember....(part3)

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

"Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it" Winston Churchill

Serving a mission does lend itself to some downtime. At times my downtime is constructive, and at other times not so much. Where ever I am and with what I am doing it leads me to read something. 

Last night was a long night in our office. Marcia was counseling several missionaries and interacting with two different Mission Presidents. That left me some downtime. One of the blessings of technology is the amazing storage capacity that is found in these small cell phones. I have a new phone that allows me to download some pretty cool apps. One of those apps is Gospel Library that is put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was able to download on to my itty-bitty phone 42 years of General Conference talks! Perhaps it leaves me little excuse to squander my time since now I can go way back to read what modern Prophets and Apostles have said over time.

Elder Mark E Petersen

In a talk given in April of 1971, titled Warnings from the Past, Apostle Mark E. Petersen details to what happened to other civilizations living in this hemisphere. It is a very interesting read. I'll quote directly from his talk as an introduction: 
                   
                    "Three great civilizations have occupied the Western Hemisphere. Two have passed into oblivion.Those that disappeared died by virtual suicide. They brought about their own extinction as they defiled the land and defied their God by extensive crime, sexual deviation, and other loathsome sins of almost every kind."

What follows are some quotes directly from his talk that some say could be prophetic in nature.
From Roger Babson- at one time a leading economist: 

                   "Only religion can prevent democratic rule from developing into mob rule. A nation can prosper only as its citizens are religious, intelligent, capable of service and eager to render it."

                    "Every great panic we have ever had has been foreshadowed by a general decline in observance of religious principles."

Abraham Lincoln:

        
                    "(America) need not fear no danger from without....If danger were ever to threaten the United States, it will come from within. 'As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide...."

                    "We have grown in numbers, wealth and power. ...But we have forgotten God. ...It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins,and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

George Washington:

                     "...we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained. ...." (First inaugural address, April 30, 1789)

Daniel Webster

                     "If we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together, no one can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us, that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity."

It is not too late to remember....


jsf

Remember....(part 2)

What is the collective memory of a society? Does it wither away as our ancients pass through the "valley of the shadow of death?" Is it shrunk to data size bits and bytes to be shelved away in a database to be extracted....whenever? Can it be conveyed down to the size of 140 characters- the maximum amount for a 'tweet?'

Memorial Day brings up many memories in my mind. As a young boy I remember as local veterans (I'm not sure if they were VFW or Legion or good ol' boys with guns) performed a Memorial Day service beginning at St. Clement's Catholic church in Hammond, Minnesota. Words were spoken and a gun salute was given at the cemetery at the church. Then a small parade walked down the hill to the bridge spanning the Zumbro River.

Hammond Bridge over the Zumbro River

There a wreath was dropped commemorating those who died at sea. I remember today these events.

Later, as we lived in Fishers, we would take our children to Crown Hill National Cemetery in Indianapolis. Every Memorial Day a wonderful ceremony was presented remembering those who fought for our country over the years. The first service at Crown Hill had over 10,000 people in attendance. This was just a few years following the devastating Civil War. Fittingly both Union and Confederate soldiers are buried on that sacred ground. Each year individuals come dressed in period costumes remembering those who gave their all during that tragic war.

Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana

Each year a somber roll-call is presented. All branches of the service are represented. The names of those who have died in the past year from Indiana are read off. As their name is called out their service branch representative acknowledges his/her name vicariously.

Sadly the number that come to witness this service has dwindled down to less then 500 each year. The echos of those who have sacrificed all wonder why?

Remember....(part 1)

Remember....
It is a simple word. In itself it can aptly stand alone without supporting clauses, clinging adverbs, self focused subjects or even proud nouns.

Remember....
To some it forms the foundation of who they are. Generations before speak quietly from behind the veil of the past to remind them...to remind them.

Remember....
How well do we build upon that foundation? Do we raise a structure firmly attached to that foundation? or do we allow the corrosive breeze of time wear down our foundation...to the point that that which remains is dust?

Remember....
And what of that Cornerstone? To what can we square our foundations to if the Cornerstone has been eliminated from the building process? Can we as individuals stand strong without The Cornerstone? Can marriages and, thus, families endure the buffetings thrust upon them without The Cornerstone? What about our communities, our cities, and, thus, our nation survive without The Cornerstone?

Remember...
It was Paul to the Ephesians who said:
   

                  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the   saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.(Ephesians 2:19,20)

Do you remember?

jsf

Up close with the locals....

(r-l) Elder/Sister Jackson, Marcia, Sister Taylor, Sister Fleming, Elder Armstrong

There are a lot of pictures in this post. It is well worth looking at. These pictures were taken over the last six weeks in various activities. I will try my best at identifying all.

(r-l)E/S Jacksons, Me, Marcia, Sis. Taylor, Sis. Fleming, E/S Armstrong

The pictures on the right were from a Thanksgiving dinner at the MTC President's apartment. President and Sister Taylor had a wonderful meal for us and great conversation.

Public Affairs Missionary Elder Dupaix

PEF Missionary Elder Bell

The day after our meal with the President and Sister Taylor we had a Thanksgiving meal at the Quezon City Mission home hosted by President and Sister DeLaMare.  All the seniors in the mission showed up, with the exception of the missionaries on Mindoro island. Fun was had by all.

Humanitarian Missionary Sister Hardick and Marcia

Elders Hardick and Jensen

The picture on the right is of two Canadians. Perhaps that might explain Elder Jensen (Member Leadership Support Missionary) on the right. Elder Hardick (Country Director Humanitarian Affairs) didn't know how much he was cared for!

Sister Hadlock with resident

These next few pictures are from a visit to Hospicio de San Jose. It is located on a small island in the middle of the Pasig river in Manila. It cares for abandoned children, seniors, and AIDS patients. It is supported by Catholic Charities. We were their inspecting wheelchairs with Elder and Sister Hadlock who are the country's wheelchair specialists.

Elder Hadlock, Nurses and Seniors. The one holding
Elder Hadlock's hand loved to sing to us!

Department Mgr. Gilda with an Angel's Trumpet

The remaining pictures are from a planning meeting that we had in the beginning of December. We traveled to the province of Bataan. It was my chance to show Marcia Subic Bay as well. When I was in the navy that was the port that my surgical team (Surgical Cadre 13), it was similar to a MASH unit, was sent to pick up our ship, the USS Bellawood. 

"You talkin' to me?"

This fella was with a group of like minded monkeys looking for a handout on the side of the road as we were around Subic Bay.

"You Talkin' to me?"(2)

"Seriously,  you talkin' to me?"

The two animals are called Caribou. White caribou are supposed to be good luck. We refer to them as waterbuffalo.

The remaining pictures are from "Zoobic." It is a park with many attractions. With some we were able to get quite close as the pictures show.

There was a cage between us

"You talkin' to me?"(3)

There were more attractions there then just the animals. Marcia attracted quite a lot of Montessori students who were their as well.

Marcia sharing the Gospel

Marcia and Montessori Kids

Up close and feeding a tiger

Canines on a feline

These last two pictures are of people from the local native group. They were performing the 'monkey dance.' It was quite impressive...

jsf