Linda conducting her Cerritos elementary school 2nd & 3rd grade choir in "Pickle in the Tannenbaum" for their Christmas concert 2009.

Cole singing in his Elementary Ensemble choir from the Bellflower School District for their Christmas concert.

Mandy's solo in her Showtime choir for their Christmas concert at Mayfair High School.

Taryn's solo in her Showtime choir for their Christmas concert at Mayfair High School.

Being Bishop

Being Bishop means being busy. Busy but great because of the service to others. It's a juggle though. Have to be there for the family as well. I want to be there for the family! I also want to be there for the Ward. Just when I think I've fond a good balance in life, I get called to something like this. It's still a great service though, I haven't had this kind of day to day spirituality day in and day out since my mission days. I'm not sure if that's because of my laziness of the past or if the call is just like this. Probably a little of both. I certainly don't have time anymore to be lazy or to go to a movie or to just hang out. I'm busy!

There is definitely a mantle. The keys are real and I couldn't fulfill the calling with out those keys and the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the revelations they revel. So in that sense, it's great. Fantastic really! But, there's always something to do and I always feel I could be doing a little more, a little better. My family is the best though. Very understanding and supportive. Linda is very patient with my service. She's the best. The Ward is great too and the Ward leaders and members really do the heavy lifting. I couldn't do it without them. Their faith gives me hope. I love my Ward and being Bishop has only increased that love. It is a good call but then, all calls should be, it's just a matter of diligence. Got to be about the work and lose myself in the Lord. Matthew 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it". This is so true and being a Bishop really puts that into focus.

Mandy - A Father's thoughts on his daughter

Mandy, a whirl wind of creative energy. She is cutting and pasting, sewing a dress for an American Doll, she's composing a song or writing a story, she's practicing the guitar or trying a song on the piano, she's drawing a picture or shaping a shot for an animated short. This is a creative force for sure. She takes after her mother's creative skills, appropriate since she has her mother's looks, pretty indeed. From birth she was a mamma's girl. If daddy tried to play, she would look for mom, dad just wasn't interesting enough. Mom would do all the things that this little girl liked. No wonder she's got the creative gift, a gift instilled in her and her mom.

But she doesn't only have mom in her. On the computer she has Dad's skills. She'll poke around with a new software and before you know it has created something fun and wonderful. There's that word again, create! With her Mom's creative skills and her Dad's computer skills there's no stopping this one from her creative interest.

A little older and maybe, just maybe, dad's a little more interesting. She definitely loves to hug and touch. One of dad's first fond memories, when mom wasn't around and only dad could do, is of a little hand reaching out and holding on to his hand. Little hands grasping dad's one finger. She finds peace in being close to those she loves and definitely loves a tickle. Not the laughing kind but the gentle and loving kind. Even today she has a need to hold and hug and nothing delights dad more than his little girl running up to give her dad a hug or sitting close to him on the couch.

Her empathy for others is astounding. She senses when others are sad or happy and cares how they feel. If ever she is mad it is at herself when she can't do something. Frustration at not being able to create. But the best part is she'll come back to try, try again. Not one to give up, if something seems too hard to accomplish she'll walk away and then come back to figure it out later. She's got the biggest of hearts and the kindest of minds.

She and Taryn, her older sister, will giggle and play in their room. For hours they'll play til mom or dad say, "Go to sleep". She'll gather her little brothers and come up with a game. If baby brother Liam needs time she'll gladly give it to him. With her heart and mind she binds the family together, uniting siblings with a family harmony.

And on top of that, I think she actually likes her dad...so why not write him a song? Maybe it's because dad bought her a Mac computer one day and with Garage Band she decided to play. A father's day song, a gift dad received one day with three part harmony on three different tracks:

Today's a very special day
Father's day, father's day
We hope you have a great day
Father's day, father's day
Today is your special day
Father's day...
anything you want you can have
Very, very special day
Very, very special day

and with that song she makes it a very special day indeed.

Depend on who?

"I saw miracles come to help those who went forward as if it all depended on them, but acted as if it would finally all depend on God's power of deliverance... Your experience in enduring well in the trials of life by drawing on God's power of deliverance can bring you the assurance that you need to find peace in this life and confidence for the next."

President Henry B. Eyring
Brigham Young University
January 15, 2008