Robert writes home #86 11 Jan 1997
11 Jan 1997
Dear Mother,
The big talk around this part of California these days is the flood damage that came as a result of that war, storm system a couple of weeks ago, that dumped all that warm rain and melted a big snow pack. It did a lot of damage along the rivers. Yosemite Park was hit hard. It washed out the roads out of the park and stranded 500 people in the park where the valley floor was flooded and the sewer lines broke, emptying into the Merced river. They airlifted drinking water and chemical toilets to them. The park is closed and they are saying it might be months before it opens. That park is a big tourist attraction and alot of towns,, like Mariposa, receive a lot of their income from tourists.
Now, this week, the tail end of the flooding is accumulating in the valley and Tulare Lake, which is almost a dry lake bed usually is filling up and flooding acres (actually, several square miles) of prime ag land.
This past week has been clear, but the fog settled in. Thursday night I went to Merced to get some Name Extraction forms and to attend Know Your Religion. It was so foggy. I had Megan with me looking out the side window for the edge of the street. I tried to follow the center line but couldn't always see it. When I turned onto the street where the Name Extraction Specialist lived, it was a cul de sac and had no center line. I ran off the road twice in a block going to his house. He was living in the foggiest place of all. Fortunately, on the way home after KYR, a big truck pulled in front of me and I followed him to the Dos Palos Y, which was only six miles from home, it it was so foggy in DP that I was worried about hitting parked cars. Coming up my lane I couldn't see the road and was worried about running off into the field of cultivated, soaked dirt.
It was a great Know Your Religion. The speaker's name was Wilson. He talked about how to teach with the spirit. He emphasized that we must teach principles of the gospel from the scriptures (which principles are usually housed in stories) and testify. That testimony will be accompanied by the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
It doesn't work as well if you teach them ethics (behavior patterns...like do this and don't do that.) Principles are things like, the creation, atonement, godhead, faith, repentance, baptism. As Joseph Smith said, "Teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.
"The temptation is to try to entertain kids with stories about behavior and humorous incidents. This will keep their attention if you have a good sense of humor and tell good stories. Then summarize by admonishing them about ethics (behavior) like do this and don't do that. The last technique doesn't guarantee that you'll be accompanied by the Spirit. Being accompanied by the Spirit is essential to teaching the gospel.
Megan and I had a great visit while driving in that fog. Janet was sick with the flu and didn't go with us. I find I do my best visiting while driving. I haven't had a chance for a good visit like that with Meg in a long time. Megan has been away from home at school and working and then involved with wedding plans, etc. So I enjoyed the evening.
Hope you're doing well. We pray for you everyday (usually)
Love,
Robert, Janet, Charlie and Sam
Dear Mother,
The big talk around this part of California these days is the flood damage that came as a result of that war, storm system a couple of weeks ago, that dumped all that warm rain and melted a big snow pack. It did a lot of damage along the rivers. Yosemite Park was hit hard. It washed out the roads out of the park and stranded 500 people in the park where the valley floor was flooded and the sewer lines broke, emptying into the Merced river. They airlifted drinking water and chemical toilets to them. The park is closed and they are saying it might be months before it opens. That park is a big tourist attraction and alot of towns,, like Mariposa, receive a lot of their income from tourists.
Now, this week, the tail end of the flooding is accumulating in the valley and Tulare Lake, which is almost a dry lake bed usually is filling up and flooding acres (actually, several square miles) of prime ag land.
This past week has been clear, but the fog settled in. Thursday night I went to Merced to get some Name Extraction forms and to attend Know Your Religion. It was so foggy. I had Megan with me looking out the side window for the edge of the street. I tried to follow the center line but couldn't always see it. When I turned onto the street where the Name Extraction Specialist lived, it was a cul de sac and had no center line. I ran off the road twice in a block going to his house. He was living in the foggiest place of all. Fortunately, on the way home after KYR, a big truck pulled in front of me and I followed him to the Dos Palos Y, which was only six miles from home, it it was so foggy in DP that I was worried about hitting parked cars. Coming up my lane I couldn't see the road and was worried about running off into the field of cultivated, soaked dirt.
It was a great Know Your Religion. The speaker's name was Wilson. He talked about how to teach with the spirit. He emphasized that we must teach principles of the gospel from the scriptures (which principles are usually housed in stories) and testify. That testimony will be accompanied by the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
It doesn't work as well if you teach them ethics (behavior patterns...like do this and don't do that.) Principles are things like, the creation, atonement, godhead, faith, repentance, baptism. As Joseph Smith said, "Teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.
"The temptation is to try to entertain kids with stories about behavior and humorous incidents. This will keep their attention if you have a good sense of humor and tell good stories. Then summarize by admonishing them about ethics (behavior) like do this and don't do that. The last technique doesn't guarantee that you'll be accompanied by the Spirit. Being accompanied by the Spirit is essential to teaching the gospel.
Megan and I had a great visit while driving in that fog. Janet was sick with the flu and didn't go with us. I find I do my best visiting while driving. I haven't had a chance for a good visit like that with Meg in a long time. Megan has been away from home at school and working and then involved with wedding plans, etc. So I enjoyed the evening.
Hope you're doing well. We pray for you everyday (usually)
Love,
Robert, Janet, Charlie and Sam
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