#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 20 - Making the difference by helping others see the potential in their lives

In January of 2012, I wrote a blog about a former college professor of mine, Ron Coleman who later served in University of Utah administration and really made a difference in my life.  Dr. Coleman was at a crossroads where I doubted my academic ability and it would have been easy for him to dismiss me as someone not capable of succeeding in his class.  Instead, Dr. Coleman invited me to his office, chastised me in a kind way that I could not only do better in his class but be successful as a student at the University.  I use daily the writing skills gained with my history degree and frequently use the context of history in making decisions.  For the two years I served as President of the Advisory Board for the Natural History Museum of Utah, the State's natural history museum, I thought often that would I not have been there or done a number of other things in my life if it were not for Dr. Coleman.

As an LDS Stake President, I have the privilege of receiving back reports from numerous individuals, including couples who serve in a variety of ways from programs helping those with drug addiction, employment, humanitarian work, serving lunch to those who are transitional and have no homes, to education.  Their stories are touching and the lives they effect are real.  Two couples I would mention are Tracy and Sandy Ferguson who serve in the Pathway Program.  This program assists those seeking to get Higher Education, a place to start.  They serve weekly together and mentor a number of students from all ages and with a variety of challenges. The other couple are Clint and Lois Long who serve in the Institute program at the South City Institute, which I oversee, and help those seeking to improve their religious studies and testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They fellowship, and are the steady force for both students/non students of the college.

We never know when we happen to be at a crossroad for someone looking for the right path.  Our patience with those around us and always showing a loving hand will make a difference in the lives of those around us for a lifetime to come.

#LIGHTtheWorld Day 19 - Preparing for the storm

One of the assignments given to me in my work at Salt Lake County is to have responsibility and oversight of our staff in Emergency Services.  Their work is to help plan and coordinate for post disaster recovery by communities as well as helping County Agencies prepare for continuity of operations in the case of an emergency.  I am far from an expert in the subject matter, but always feel compelled to error on the side of preparedness.  I try to have extra equipment in our cars, as well as some resources both in our home, my office at work and a mother-in-law's house in case we needed to ever locate there, or if my mother-in-law needed a resource herself.

Manual Transfer Switch added to our home

Last year when we installed our Solar System and the electrical contractor was on site, we decided to also have them install a manual transfer switch, which allows us to plug our generator in for emergencies and run our home during a power failure.  There are other simple things we can do to help us prepare for unforeseen circumstances. 

I think what is more important, is for us to be prepared spiritually, so we can stand the challenges that will undoubtedly come to us and weather those storms.  That only comes from methodical and consistent efforts to live the gospel. 

#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 18 Honoring the Sabbath Day

When I was doing an internship in the Boston area in 1986, I was working for KPMG Peat Marwick doing audits for their office out on Route 128. The internship only lasted 10 weeks, but every day was pretty lengthy and even required some work on Saturdays. We were a little behind in one audit, when the audit manager suggested we might have to work on Sunday. I wasn't quite sure what to do because I didn't really have any control over the work we were doing and I knew that I pretty much had to do whatever work the audit manager needed done. I was talking to my brother Clayton about it one evening and mentioned my dilemma, to which he replied, "You need to just tell them no." He explained that if you make exceptions, even for just a few times, then you'll be asking yourself 100% of the time whether or not you should be obedient. If you're just obedient all the time, you never have to ask the question. I resolved that I would let my manager know, but the next day our work moved along much faster and I never had to ask. We ended up not needing to work that Sunday.

While my work occasionally requires me to respond, or leave early to go out of town, I do all that I can to not do any work that I don't have to do on Sunday. Clearly there are those who have to work on Sunday, including those who helped me in the ER today with treating my infection. I am grateful for their sacrifice. While many Sunday's start for me at 5:30 am and go to 5:30 pm, my service to the Savior is very different than the work I typically do. I cherish the opportunity to partake of the Sacrament and renew my covenants and I also enjoy Sunday evenings with my family.

Recently Church leaders encouraged us to look at how we honor the Sabbath day. We had a discussion as a family and my daughter suggested that even when I'm there, I'm not really there. Her desire was for us to spend some quality time doing an activity together. Sometimes I take a short nap, but the hour or so we spend together is some of the best time of the week.

Everyone honors the Sabbath in a different way. Many of my Jewish friends do so on Saturday. I think without question those who do so are blessed. Below are some ways you might find helpful in honoring the Sabbath day:

OTHER WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

• Memorize a favorite scripture or religious quote.
• Discover your ancestors by researching your family history. FamilySearch can help you get started.
• Invite someone over for Sunday dinner.
• Spend some time updating, or starting, your own personal history.
• Write down some ways you can draw closer to God.
• Tomorrow, support a business that closes on Sunday.
• Visit JustServe.org for more ways to #LIGHTtheWORLD in your community (U.S. and Canada only).

#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 17 - Caring for your Mother

I technically, only have one mother, but in my heart I have two.  The first is my mother, Verda Mae Christensen, who I wrote about separately in my blog.  We started out our marriage by living in her basement apartment for $150 a month, and that included utilities.  I was just finishing the last of my education at the University of Utah and Cathy was working full time.  It was Mom's way of helping us get over the finish line.  Less than a year later, we moved next door and rented from her for two years, then purchased the home on contract and lived next door for the remainder of her life.  Nearly 14 years in total we were neighbors, but the story in that effort was my wife Cathy.  There are circumstance where you don't get along with in-laws and living close never would work.  However Cathy and my mom got along well and respected each other's strengths and Cathy often helped her when I wasn't around.  We invited her to dinner about once a week and our kids were often over visiting with Grandma.  The selfless acts of service by Cathy to my own mother were endless and we never look back upon those days with any regret.

Mom Nielsen joined us on our trip to Nauvoo, IL and
even went horseback riding with us there.  

My other mother, is really my mother-in-law, Lois Nielsen.  While we don't live as close as we did to my mother, we've tried to reach out where we can to help her.  I have a long way to go until I match the service Cathy rendered to my mom, but I am working on it.  "Mom" as I call her, is the only grandparent we have left here on this earth and is such an benefit in our lives.  Our visits with her never end without my girls feeling her love and I have a hard time visiting without repairing or doing some maintenance on her home.  We were fortunate a few months ago to install a donated chair lift from my sister and brother-in-law Nancy and Warren Bittner.  This has allowed her to get up and down her stairs and keep her quilting and other activities going.  After more than a decade, she finally let us update her cell phone from an old flip phone to a smart phone.  Our Sarah is her teacher, and it's been fun to have her gain access to things shared by family members.  Recently, we along with some of Cathy's siblings updated her front porch railing and another son helped her replace her wood stove.  Having "Mom" still in our life makes it much more worthwhile and beautiful.

No greater example of how we treat our mothers comes from anyone other than the Savior himself.  In his last moments of his earthly life, he expressed his desire to have his mother watched over.  It is a reminder to us, as we look over one another's mothers in how we can show respect and love them as if they were our own.

#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 16 - Showing compassion

I love the picture below of my older brother Clayton and his sons when he lost his hair shortly after he started his can cancer treatments a few years ago.  It's actually a miracle he survived that cancer, and he still has to have periodic treatments to keep it in remission.  While his health issues have not ended with that Cancer, the Dr. told him it's not what he would die from.  To his sons and grandson of the time, it meant a lot to support him, even to the point of shaving their own heads.  They aren't the first family to take that step, nor do I anticipate it being the last.  However they are family to me, and it shows a great reverence to their father.

A few years ago, I wrote an entry to the Deseret News for the Christmas I Remember Best.  It understandably didn't meet the expectations of their editors and while your own personal story is just that, personal, it might not be for someone else.  However in the 41 years since my last Christmas with my own father, what I have grown to appreciate so much, is the compassion my father had for me.  He was the individual who was sick and likely to die, but it was his interest in seeing my Christmas was as good as can be, that makes me realize how unselfish he was in his life.  I will be forever grateful to him.

We likewise are faced with numerous opportunities to extend a hand of love and genuine actions toward others.  It's not uncommon for us to see it, even in the simplest of ways.  I hope that I do it on a daily basis, but I need to make sure I do.  I am grateful for the kind acts of compassion I feel every day with just being part of my family and grateful that God has given me an opportunity to be with them on Earth with the expectation that I will show similar compassion to others.

#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 15 - Music is good for the soul

When I first met Cathy in 1990, she had this list she had written as a young woman of traits she was looking for in a husband.  One of those was someone who was good at music and could sing.  She eventually crossed that one out and figured I had enough traits otherwise, so she kept me and said yes.  I love music, love to listen and follow it.  Truth be told, I follow The Voice on NBC pretty closely and while often I can't watch on broadcast nights, go back to listen to the those episodes on Hulu.  I love to hear Cathy and the girls sing.  In fact one of our first dates, Cathy was playing the piano that belonged to my mom and I think it was one of those things that made me first fall in love with her (besides those really cute looks).  Cathy had grown up singing with her family, performing for church and community events and while some of the in-laws now join them in singing, it's fair to say, I don't compliment that chorus!

Nielsen Family - Cathy is third from the right

Don't get me wrong, I still love to sing, I do so every Sunday.  Cathy says when I try, I actually stay on key but I just don't focus enough to be complete about it.  Music conductors keep wanting to use my deep voice in a productive way, but alas it hasn't happened yet.

A year or two into our marriage, my in-laws, who while of modest means, gave us their family piano.  It's one Dad Nielsen had restored and fixed the best he could.  It is a 1903 upright grand piano, that I can personally testify is as heavy as they come!  I moved it into our first home with the help of friends but have paid to have it moved since, including into our current home.  Well worth the money.  A few years ago, shortly after we moved into my family home, we had they piano insides restored.  I have no idea if it was a sound financial decision, but it was the right one for our family.  It is capable of playing beautiful music and I think I'm on heaven's doorstep when Cathy, Jessica and Sarah play its keys.  I'm ever so grateful for Mom and Dad Nielsen for caring enough about music and my family to give it to us.  It's allowed for piano lessons taught by Cathy, random playing by our girls and accompaniment at family gatherings.  When I hear good music in our home, I feel closer to my Savior.

Family Piano, with a historic picture of Salt Lake City by Al Rounds

#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 14 - Clothing the Naked - Sharing your talents

We all have a few extra clothes in our closet.  On of the challenges of our Rose Park house, is that our closet isn't that big.  My wife and I have a rule, that for every new piece we add, we send one to Deseret Industries.  They do so much good in our community but there are similar charities everywhere that deserve our contributions and do much good for others.  We also should be looking for opportunities to share, and identify needs that we might fill.  My mother was always looking for something for others.

Earlier this year, a friend who serves in a clergy role within a correctional facility had an individual who was tall, and while had to spend the night at the facility, could go out and work during the day.  He called and indicated, he couldn't find any clothes for that individual's height to fit him and much of the work he did was within a law firm.  I had recently had a suit made in Thailand (only place I can find them to fit my 6'10" frame) but it didn't quite fit as well as I would have liked.  I also had a number of white shirts, that while still usable, were a little small for me but could fit someone who was tall.  I took all of them, including a pair of shoes and turned them over for my friend to use with this individual.  I have to admit, that I had to pause for a little bit because the suite wasn't cheap, but I also realized that in the Savior's eyes, what I had really belonged to him and that's where there was a need.  I've not missed those items, and I hope they helped him accomplish what he needed to do.

I'm grateful to a local business called And Sew On. They offer sewing lessons for youth and adults of which our Sarah has benefited greatly.  It's enabled Sarah to do a lot of projects, including for others and Carolyn Bradshaw, the store's owners has been kind enough to help us out on many occasions including recently as I needed shirts to fit me for our Youth Trek.  When you have a hard to fit body, someone who is willing to share their talents, goes a long way.

My mother-in-law makes these little bears out of scrap for
Primary Children's Hospital

While not clothing, my mother-in-law, Lois Nielsen makes these little bears for children at Primary Children's Hospital here in Salt Lake City.  Neighbors donate scraps and stuffing, and she sews them on a regular basis.  We have been the lucky recipients ourselves and our children feel the love they bring.  "Mom" is always questioning their value, but you just have to hug one of them to know it's immediate.  She does it so unselfishly, is of modest means herself, but it's a true donation of the heart that makes a child feel our Savior's love.  When the Savior said, "I was naked and ye clothed me" we can do so in many different ways.