Happy Birthday, Hunter

21 February 2016                                                 Valparaíso, Chile

Dear Hunter,

Happy First Birthday to El Cazador – Hunter James Gibson – The Hunter.  So your hunt has just begun.  Who will you hunt?  Where will you hunt?  What will you seek?  Amazing changes have happened in your life already this year.  You have definitely had an impact.  

You grew your family by one, and tipped the voting majority to the boys’ side.  You have learned how to sleep (mostly), eat and walk.  You have become a seeker of toys under tables and sofas.  Later you will seek direction out of the scriptures.  Now you will start to get off of your baby food menu, and compete with Sadie and Colton at the big table.  You will learn how to run – chasing big brother and sister, then chasing a ball, then friends, then investigators, then a special girl…..  Hey, hold on!   Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves…. 

Just have a super birthday!!  We love you!!!

 We wanted to be there for some holding, hugging and snuggles.

Thanks to your Mom we have been able to see you grow this year.

Here is a fun FHE Activity for all the nietos – Star hunting:

The constellation Orion (the Hunter) ascending over Normandy, France, as seen by EarthSky Facebook friend Mohamed Laaifat.

 4 bright stars mark the Hunter's shoulders and knees:

(above and between his shoulders is a small triangle of stars representing his rather tiny head)

Betelgeuse and Bellatrix are his shoulders. 

Saiph and Rigel are his knees.

In the middle of the rectangle formed by these four stars are three stars on a slant, representing Orion's Belt

Then three smaller stars below form the Hunter's Sword

 Photo by EarthSky Facebook friend Marian McGaffney.

 The Orion Nebula (or M42) is the mid-part of Hunter's Sword.  It is the place where new stars are born. 

"As a general rule, the higher the constellation Orion is in the sky, the easier it is to see the Orion Nebula. Orion is due south and highest in the sky around midnight in middle December. The stars return to the same place in the sky some 4 minutes earlier each night, or 2 hours earlier each month. So look for Orion to be highest up around 10 p.m. in mid-January and 8 p.m. in mid-February." Feb 09, 2016 by Bruce McClure

Here is a treasured memory by Grandma Gibson of President Howard W. Hunter:

I had a special experience with what was taught in Lesson 2 of this years' Teachings of Presidents of the Church.  President Hunter served as President of the Church from June 5, 1994, to March 3, 1995.  In September of 1994, President Hunter came with his wife, Inis, to Arizona to preside over a Bi-Regional Conference in Tucson.  In that meeting we do remember his encouraging all those over 12 years of age to have a current temple recommend which changed the way we thought about the youth .

At the time I was serving as second counselor to Sister Pam Ingermanson in the Stake Relief Society Presidency.  We had the privilege to serve dinner to President Hunter and the priesthood leaders just after President Hunter spoke to them at our Stake Center.

Sister Ingermanson, knowing that we could not involve all the YW of the Stake to help with that meal, invited our daughters to help us. She outlined a plan so that each of our daughters would be able to have a one-time chance to serve at President Hunter's table - serving the meal (picking up the salad plate, serving the main plate, serving the dessert, refilling the water glass, bringing more rolls, etc). As that assigned daughter took her turn she would come in to the kitchen and report how it was to serve the Prophet.  How thrilling it was for all of us!!  I remember so clearly that at the end of the meal, I was at the sink and heard President Hunter's voice. He and his wife Inis had come in to thank us. He had a cane and was bent over, but his eyes and face shone.  As he shook my hand and said thank you, he looked directly in my eyes and I felt the Savior's love.  I will never forget that feeling!

The meeting was directly following in the chapel. It was there that he quoted those scriptures he often used. Those scriptures entered my heart with great power.  I could not stop crying and still remember the peace they brought:

"President Hunter spoke often about inner peace, teaching that a person can receive it only by turning to God - by trusting Him, exercising faith, and striving to do His will.  Such peace helped sustain him through many difficult times….  In situations like these, President Hunter trusted in this promise of peace from the Savior, which he often quoted: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27)....We can find this peace now in a world of conflict if we will but accept his great gift and his further invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt. 11:28–29.)   Chapter 2, “My Peace I Give unto You" – section: From the Life of Howard W. Hunter

We know the scriptures are true.

1 Nephi 10:19   For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded to [you] by the power of the Holy Ghost….

Happy Birthday, Elder Heflin

3 February 2016                                                               Valparaíso, Chile

Dear Elder Heflin,

Happy Birthday to our charismatic and skillful missionary grandson, Elder RWH Heflin!!  We love you.  What a wonderful place to be on your 20^th !

“We share a message like no other.”

W. Christopher Waddell,  2nd Coun Presiding Bishopric,Worldwide Missionary Training, 20 Jan 2016

Your cousin, Elder Heflin, is now in Arlington, Massachusetts:

“I will cover Arlington, Lexington, and Medford - a bunch of super nice suburbs to Boston/Cambridge....My new comp, Elder Brockbank, is here for the Haitian speaking members....It's gonna get crazy these next 6 months though.  I mean, it's serious crunch time and Arlington very well could be my last stop, so now I gotta finish guns out! haha”

Here are some things we learned about Arlington:

Three widely recognized television shows have been filmed in Arlington: This Old House, Trading Spaces, and Made.
A History Channel special, Bible Battles, was filmed in Arlington.

History lesson about the area:
KING GEORGE sent about 700 British soldiers to the colonies. Britain's GENERAL GAGE had a secret plan: During the wee hours of April 19, 1775, he would send out regiments of British soldiers quartered in Boston. Their destinations were LEXINGTON, where they would capture Colonial leaders SAM ADAMS and JOHN HANCOCK, then CONCORD, where they would seize gunpowder.  But spies and friends of the Americans leaked word of Gage's plan. Two lanterns hanging from Boston's North Church informed the countryside that the British were going to attack by sea. A series of horseback riders — men such as PAUL REVERE, WILLIAM DAWES and DR. SAMUEL PRESCOTT — galloped off to warn the countryside that the REGULARS (British troops) were coming. It is a myth that Revere and other riders shouted, "The British are coming!" This warning would have confused a good many of the Americans living in the countryside who still considered themselves British. The REGULARS were known to be British soldiers. These COLONIAL MILITIAS had originally been organized to defend settlers from civil unrest and attacks by French or Native Americans. Selected members of the militia were called MINUTEMEN because they could be ready to fight in a minute's time.

On the night of April 18, 1775, the advance guard of nearly 240 British soldiers set off from Boston toward Concord, Massachusetts, in order to seize weapons and ammunition stockpiled there by American colonists. Paul Revere's famous midnight ride to alert colonists took him through MENOTOMY (from the Indian word for "swift running water"), now known as ARLINGTON. In the early morning of April 19th, eleven Old Men of Menotomy intercepted a British wagon convoy headed for Concord that morning and so seized "the first prisoners and stores to be taken as a result of forcible attack in the Revolution."

The British reached Lexington, where approximately 70 minutemen had gathered on the village green. Someone suddenly fired a shot—it’s uncertain which side—and a melee ensued. When the brief clash ended, eight Americans lay dead and at least an equal amount were injured, while one redcoat was wounded. The British continued on to nearby Concord, where that same day they encountered armed resistance from a group of patriots at the town’s North Bridge. Gunfire was exchanged, leaving two colonists and three redcoats dead. RALPH WALDO EMERSON in 1837 penned “CONCORD HYMN” for the dedication of a battle monument at the site of the North Bridge. The opening stanza is: “By the rude bridge that arched the flood/Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled/Here once the embattled farmers stood/And fired THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD.”

Later that day, when the British were forcing their way back from Concord and Lexington toward Boston and passed through Menotomy for the second time, it became "... the bloodiest half-mile of all the Battle Road." Menotomy's Minute Men under Captain Benjamin Locke were the first to answer Revere's midnight alarm. There were three Menotomy men who perished in the town that day: Jason Russell, Jason Winship, and Jabez Wyman. There was more bloodshed in Menotomy than in the battles of Lexington and Concord combined. Minutemen from surrounding towns converged on Menotomy to ambush the British on their retreat from Concord and Lexington. All in all, 25 colonials were killed in Menotomy (half of all Americans killed in the day's battles), as well as 40 British troops (more than half their fatalities).

Here are some pictures of us on our mission and things we see:

They are still working on this side of an apartment building

nk your mission is "hard". Is it all in the attitude? What is the hardest thing? Best thing??

Here is our note to Elder Heflin:  “There are missionaries – and then those that go on missions.”  Riley, you are one of those truly converted missionaries.  You have taught us much and we enjoy your talent in speaking and writing as we read the emails you send home.  It is a joy to serve at the same time as you. 

We do know that a mission is a blessing.  We are also working hard to be truly converted disciples of Jesus Christ.  As you teach others what you have learned in your life, you know these ideas are true:  3 skills you need to be successful in life, and 15 ways you can become more charismatic, by Mark Ford. 

Three Skills You Need to Be Successful in Life

THINK WELL:
assess, analyze, and solve problems
create and follow a trend of thought
distinguish good ideas from bad ones
understand logic

SPEAK WELL:
express worthy thoughts concisely and clearly

WRITE WELL:
express worthy ideas concisely and clearly on paper

Friday, December 18, 2015 by Mark Ford

Mark Morgan Ford (also Mark Ford and Michael Masterson) is an American author, entrepreneur, publisher, real estate investor, filmmaker, art collector, and consultant to the direct marketing and publishing industries.

Ford is the author of essays and books on entrepreneurship, wealth-building, economics, and copywriting. He has also written a book of poetry and a book on word-use titled “Words that Work”.

Ford's business writing is published under the pen name Michael Masterson. His books, “Automatic Wealth” and “Ready, Fire, Aim”, were recognized on the Wall Street Journal and New York Times Best Sellers lists.

 15 Ways You Can Become More Charismatic:
1. Behave in a way that makes you likable.

    Direct the conversation away from yourself.
2. Be polite and patient.
3. Do exactly what you promised AND by the deadline you promised – or sooner.
4. Resist the urge to be more than you are.
5. Have others' best interests at heart.
6. Don't pretend to be able to do something well.
7. Be honest, ethical, and aboveboard.
8. Use persuasion, not power, to get people to do what's best for them.
9. Eat right. Exercise. Stay fit. Dress well. Be well-groomed.
10. Be "real." The best way to show you're a regular person is to be cordial, friendly, and to avoid pretensions of every sort.
11. Listen and pay attention to what others are saying.
12. Use how you are like someone as an anchor to create a connection.
13. Be accomplished yet humble.
14. Be productive.
15. Practice these skills sincerely.
Self-Made Millionaire: 15 Ways to Boost Your Charisma
By Mark Ford, founder, The Palm Beach Research Group
Wednesday, November 4, 2015

These are the answers Elder Heflin gave to his Mom’s questions: 

Do you think your mission is "hard"?
...Most missionaries that have a hard time are those who are not fully embracing their call.
…They feel like the mission is a sacrifice, not a blessing....

Is it all in the attitude?
....Hard things happen all the time....But that doesn't make a mission hard.  What makes a mission hard is yourself  haha. It's up to you I guess. You can look at everything as an opportunity to learn or as a burden. So, yes, it's all in the attitude....

.....I'm not saying that you have to be an optimist.  I'm saying that you need to do what it says in 2 NE 31:20. Faith, hope, love, diligence, obedience.  You should probably follow Moroni 7:45 too :) Charity is a huge difference maker.  And as you work to obtain these things (because I'm definitely still far from perfectly achieving any of that) you find a good attitude and overall joy in the mission. Overall I'd say that, when you reach that point, you begin to experience the blessings of consecration.  It's really neat how it works, and it's definitely knowledge and happiness that comes exclusively from the Spirit.  But you have to work at it.  It's a process of becoming.

What is the hardest thing? Best thing??
....I think the hardest thing in the mission is overcoming the weaknesses we have that hold us back from furthering our spiritual development... but the best thing is when we accomplish just that. The best thing about the mission is when, as a result of EVERYTHING I'm talking about, you experience a change from the inside. That's the coolest part about it all. -Elder Heflin