20 Oct 2002 #0242.html

Bombed

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Dear Paul and Kate, Melanie and Jared, Bridget and Justin, Sara, Ben and Sarah, Heather, Audrey, Rachel, and Matt via hardcopy,

cc: file, Tony Hafen, Pauline Nelson via mail, Sara and Des Penny, and Maxine Shirts

Welcome to "Thoughtlets." This is a weekly review of an idea, belief, thought, or words that will hopefully be of some benefit to you, my children, with an electronic copy to on-line extended family members. Any of you can ask me not to clutter your mail box at any time.

"Early in the week I drove down to the office where my Landmark software licenses are, Interactive Interpretation & Tranining (II&T), and somewhere along the way I got bombed. Matt and David took the attached photo of my reaction, which hopefully shows how glad I am the window wasn't down when the big bird dropped it's cargo. In many ways the photo describes my week.

Just after we got home from Conference and the SEG Andrea received a phone call telling her her Uncle, the last person besides her Mom of that generation and side of the family, had died. I told her, if it was one of my uncles I would go to the funeral. So after a lot of worry about money she went and spent from Tuesday to Tuesday in Cedar and the surrounding area.

Richard James Laub's obituary does not capture Andrea's admiration for his gardening and the number of folks he helped in his retirement years:

`Richard James Laub, 78, died October 12, 2002 in St. George, Utah, of natural causes while laboring in his garden. He was born September 29, 1924 in Brigham City, Utah, the son of Arthur and Neta Christensen Laub. He married Vivian Lucille Baird (Grandma Shirts' sister) on February 21, 1945 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. She died November 29, 2001. Dick was reared and educated in Salt Lake City, graduating from South High School. He served honorably in the Navy reserves as a Merchant Marine during World War II. Dick and Lucille made their home in Salt Lake City until 1980 when they moved to St. George. Dick had a deep and devoted love for Lucille. He was a loving father and a wonderful Grandfather. He loved working in the St. George Temple in the Baptistry. He was honored as ZCMI's Man of the Year. Dick was an avid outdoorsman and loved fishing and hunting with his family and friends. He will be remembered by many for his service. He became a master gardener and took care of many gardens in the area. He was a very talented stone mason, and, in Salt Lake was a partner at State Stone, Inc. He is now happily reunited with his eternal companion, Lucille. Dick will be missed by his family and friends. Survivors include his sons, Richard Baird Laub (Cheryl) of Salt Lake City, and Ryan Craig Laub (Sherry) of Colorado Springs, CO; daughters Shannon Graham (Steve) of SLC, and Tracey Lott of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; 14 Grandchildren; 26 Great-grandchildren; a brother, Blaine Laub and two sisters, Pat Newman and Sandra Keller, all of Salt Lake City. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille, and his parents. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 16, 2002, 11:00 AM, at the Spilsbury & Beard Mortuary, 110 South Bluff, where friends may call for one hour prior to the service. Friends may call also at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City on Friday, October 18, 2002 from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Graveside services will follow at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.'


It was a good thing for me to not have my eternal companion around for a week. No I didn't go out and get drunk (bombed). And it is amazing how after only three years I have become so dependent on all of the good things she does for me and around the house. And it was good for Andrea to have time with family and friends. She got back Tuesday evening, and it looks like it will take a week to unwind from all of the emotions tied up with the trip. There were so many good things, and there were some things that bombed. I think the negative experience of Andrea's trip is summarized by a letter left in the hallway upstairs, which she picked when cleaning up this morning. It includes the sentance:

`Hang in there little buddy. Just four more years and you can be outta there.'


Monday night before Andrea left we went to see the movie `Moonlight Mile,' which is rated an A- in the Houston Chronicle entertainment section. Both Andrea and I would rate it about a C-. Although I can understand there are young people who are so insecure or angry inside they refuse to find and to be honest about their feelings and so any interaction with them comes across sideways. You, and probably they, really don't know what is really going on. The movie was reasonable in the sense the it shows the the way in which relationships are impendingly bombed when someone adopts or chooses, either consciously or unconsciously, to live out someone elses' anger or bitterness or grudges or hopes or dreams or whatever.

During the day on Monday, Andrea, David, and I went to the Bishop's Storehouse and packaged a few hundred cans and sealed packages of food storage. For those of you interested in having some food storage in case a big check you are expecting doesn't come in some month, you ought to consider doing something like this. It is inexpensive, and the food is good. When you are next here you can check out the stuff we got. And if there is any interest, we can probably make arrangements for a family canning day over the Christmas holidays, where we all go up and can and package a bunch of food storage for all of us.

On Tuesday I went over the synthetic seismic trace generated for well KK-2 and tied to line 66-72-08 with Jude. I came away from this meeting concerned about receiving payment for the large invoice that was due. When Jude told me the money was not there on Friday, I became quite concerned, and expressed my concern to several of you when we talked on the phone Sunday evening. The concern was unfounded, at least in that the money was deposited in my bank on Monday of this week.

I had two interesting meetings with Dan Morris, co-founder of Coherency Technology and later e-Seis during the week. He is quite interested in what we have put together as Dynamic Resources, and he claims to have access to a Canadian investor whom he thinks would have an interest in some of Dynamic's AMIs (Areas-of-Mutual-Interest) or TMIs (Technologies-of-Mutual-Interest). As always, time will tell if there is any wind in this sail.

I spent most of the rest of the week at home. Quite a bit of the time was spent working on my new book: An Open Mind. I like it, and it will be interesting to get all y'all's reaction when and if you have any interest in reviewing what I've been writing. Matt needed rides to tutoring, to Young Men's activity, to soccer practice, to usher at the school play, etc. There were dinners to cook, dishes to wash, things to clean up, and I found myself watching TV movies in the evenings because I was so tired. David Moore did get us to play a game of Monoply one night. It was the first time I've done that in probably 30 years. Doesn't say much for my relationship with you kids, does it? Maby it is part of the reason I too often feel I have bombed in that area.

Sunday was busy. Ward Council Meeting, with the bimonthly calendar. Taking Matt's soccer shirt to the team Mom because the game was rained out on Saturday. Ward Conference and some nice testimonies from members of the congregation during Sacrament Meeting. Maybe it is because I felt bombed this week, but I was particularly touched by the opening song, Secret Prayer, and the verses:

`1. There is anhour of peace and rest, Unmarred by earthly care; 'Tis when before the Lord I go, And kneel in secret prayer. C. May my heart be turned to pray, Pray in secret day by day, That this boon to mortals giv'n May unite my soul with heav'n. 3. When sailing on life's stormy sea, `Mid billows of despair, `Tis solace to my soul to know God hears my secret prayer.'


I wrote two stanzas for Prime Words as a result of comments made from the stand:

`Precept: Like the first stones Placed on the foundation(a) Ringing eternal tones Aligned(b) by the Father and His Son' (a) Greg Jones' testimony, who came home from his mission temporarily after 15 months because he is ill, NCW Conference, 20Oct02. (b) Line upon line, precept upon precept as in Isaiah 28:10; II Nephi 28:30; D&C 98:12, and 128:21 `Improvement: The biggest room in any house Is the room for improvement (a) The relationship with our spouse Loving, serving, even when rent' (a) President Mike Pickerd, NCW Conference, 20Oct02


My second week of teaching the Junior's and Senior's Sunday School went pretty good. Good kids, and they have a good spirit. One of the Bingham kids was visiting because he took one of the Wood kids to Homecoming. I didn't ask him if they still have the piano we gave them, which was the first purchase Marti and I made, partly to establish credit, after we were married and moved to Dallas. Memories never go away, at least not mine.

After church there was Halibut and rice in cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup ready, along with a tossed green salad. Wasn't as good as Andrea does, and it was eatable. Then I went to Highway 6 and about 290 for Kevin Dennis McMullin's Eagle Court of Honor. It was really neat. I finally understood the big difference between an LDS and a non-LDS Eagle Court of Honor. Maybe the difference can be tied to the fact callings regularly change, and in the church we don't have consistency in the members of our Advancement Committee. Kevin had letters from 40 prominant politicans and community leaders congratulating him. He went to the National Jamboree on his own initiative. He is active in Theater, and this has helped him get over shyness. Dennis, his father and my friend, was obviously pleased. It was a neat experience. I wish each of you could have been there with me to see what it means to be a scout.

When I got back Matt and I went Home Teaching to the Riches and Bret Thompson. Good visits. Matt did want to get home and play with David, and so we still have three families to Home Teach next month. It was a nice evening. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to each of you I was able to talk to Sunday evening. And I must admit, especially Ethan. He started crying a few minutes after Ben called me back. Ben went in and looked out the window and said there was nothing there to worry about. With prompting from his Dad, Ethan said, `Hi Grandma,' between sobs. In my typical way of reacting, I said on the phone, `Don't worry. If anyone comes to hurt you I will beat them up.' I heard Ben snort. The whole experience brought to mind a song I wrote for Ben a long time ago:

`Questions - 17 May 1981, 21 years ago, when Ben was 5 1. Dad, Don't your shoes get torn up at night? If you sleep with them on? Son, it depends on your dreams tonight, Are you going walking? C. Questions, go together with children Who are trying to grow up As they learn of our world. 2. Dad, Do all dinosaurs have white teeth? Are they ever dirty? Son, it depends on what they ate, And if they're in a hurry. 3. Dad, Does heaven have a back yard? Are there any toys? Son, it's as big as the sky, And full of girls and boys.'


There have been a couple of very nice e-mail messages from Ben this last week, and it felt really good to read them. I apologize for my words about failure. The words of those I consider to be God's mouthpiece for our time, including David O. McKay (`No success in life can compensate for failure in the home.'), and in this last General Conference Gordon B. Hinckley (`No man is truly successful who has failed in his home') are like knives striking at my very soul. In my mind I realize I can not take credit for the accomplishments, nor responsibility for the mistakes of my children nor my step-children. I realize there is a difference between marriage (i.e. divorce) and home, in regards to the word failure. I know it takes two to make or break a marriage. I also know it's not over until the final book is written and presented at the judgement seat of God. Hopefully my emotional venting in these Thoughtlets can be overlooked, especially as you kids grow older and realize just how human I am (i.e. how many weaknesses I have).

The point of this week is simply the fact it is much nicer to have the car window up than not when one get's unexpectedly bombed."

I'm interested in sharing weekly a "thoughtlet" (little statements of big thoughts which mean a lot to me) with you because I know how important the written word can be. I am concerned about how easy it is to drift and forget our roots and our potential among all of distractions of daily life. To download any of these thoughtlets go to http://www.walden3d.com/thoughtlets or e-mail me at rnelson@walden3d.com.

With all my love,
Dad
(H. Roice Nelson, Jr.)

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Copyright © 2002 H. Roice Nelson, Jr.