Recent conversation with Dad

He called me last week for my birthday. I know that I give my family a hard time but they really aren't too bad at remembering. So he called and told me Happy Birthday which somehow turned in a story. With Story-time Phil - this wasn't a stretch BUT this story had to do with how he remembers my birthday every year.

Apparently in November or December of 1989 (around the time that the Vegas temple was dedicated), Dad and Mom were asked to come to Vegas to be interviewed by L.Tom Perry. They had previously been interviewed by their stake president for possibly serving as mission presidents. So Mom and Dad had an interview with President Perry in which at the end, he said that was going to recommend them to serve as mission presidents. He said that if they were called they would know by the second week of January.

(Still wondering what this has to do with my birthday? - it does have a point, I promise). 

The second week of January 1990 passed without any calls. My parents were honored to have been considered but thought that they were not going to be called. 

BUT on January 22 (really the best day ever), my Mom received a phone call from Brother Allred who is President Hinckley's secretary asking to speak with my father.* Mom said that he was at work and gave Brother Allread the phone number. Then she hung up and called my Dad and said, "Don't take a bathroom break - President Hinckley wants to talk to you!" (The bathroom break warning was valid - Dad did take a lot of bathroom breaks). 

So Dad waited patiently by the phone. Brother Allred called and put him through to President Hinckley, who proceeded to give my Dad a small interview. He asked him how he was able to relate to young men - can he be patient? Can he be a good example? Would work allow him to take time off? He asked him all sorts of questions about his background and finally said that he would like to extend a calling for him to serve as a mission president for a Portuguese speaking mission. He said that the mission would be assigned at a later date.

So his mission president assignment is why he remembers my birthday every year. In all honestly I completely forgot they got that call on that day until he reminded me. But it was a really good day for my Dad. He was extended the calling to serve a mission with his wife and family. 

* This is the funny sidenote - Jacque had gotten her wisdom teeth out and was laying on the couch on this particular birthday AND Brother Allred had called but my Mom didn't answer the phone. One of the kids answered the phone and when he had asked for my Dad - the kid called out my Dad's name and put the phone down. Totally forgot about it. The poor man waited on the phone for a few minutes before my Mom happened to walk by and pick up the phone. She was sooooo embarrassed. Slightly funny but that is what I remember from that birthday day. 

Ps - this is Nikki - I have the January 22nd birthday. 

Dad's Christmas Letter

I am posting Dad's Christmas letter now because I just got it in the mail. But I liked it, even though it was about 3 weeks late.

Dear Family & Friends, 

2008 has had its ups and downs.

* I was heartbroken in June. I lost my dear little brother, Brent Brown, to cancer.

On the brighter side, though, as I attended the funeral, I was grateful that although I was a down winder, at least I didn't have cancer.

* Days after Brent's funeral I found a lump and was diagnosed with stage four Multiple Myeloma, a type of bone cancer.

On the brighter side, though, being a father to 11 children finally paid off because I have plenty of care givers (slave labor). They are taking great care of me and it is sweet payback for all of the diaper changing and trouble they have caused.

* When I had radiation treatment, the radiation burned my esophagus so severely that I couldn't eat anything solid for a few weeks. 

On the brighter side, though, I was finally able to lose some of that extra weight. I am ready to start a series of info-mercials for Radiation Therapy, the miracle weight-loss solution where you too can actually lose 45 pounds in ONLY 6 weeks. 

* My cancer is responding well to the medications and should extend my life. I am feeling much better after a rough few months. Stage 4 means that I cannot be cured from it. This makes me sad when I see all of my young, beautiful grandchildren.

On the brighter side, I have a firm testimony that Christ has made it possible for me to see and live with my beautiful wife again. So no matter what happens, I feel at peace. 

In this season when we celebrate Christ's birth, I hope we cal all feel the peace He offers through all lifes ups and downs. 

Merry Christmas

With love,  

Phil