Engage

Sat. 7/28/18 Good morning Brandon, I have been pretty much dead to the world this week. I was overtaken by tiredness, exhaustion and allergies. I bought a hot air popcorn popper to replace my broken one from a year ago. I started eating a bowl of popcorn each night. I have quit eating it in the past because of allergies but I often return to my allergies, like a dog to its vomit, to see if there is anything edible agaIN! I love popcorn. Since I did not have a discernible reaction the first couple of days I continued. What is a little tiredness anyway? It was like an avalanche that built up and wiped me out. @ How long will I remember? I think I am good for at least a year this time. :) @ I am a Youtuber. I love Youtube. I have told you before that when I started teaching science in the 80’s a set of encyclopedias to look up answers to curious questions we raised would have been worth its weight in gold, and that is a lot of gold! Wikipedia and Youtube are dreams come true to me. I can look up anything I want. I have studied interesting things this week. And two stand out.







Don’t those two titles make you curious?

Hong Kong was given back to China in 1997 from England after a 99 year control. Do you remember how concerned the world was about it back then? China agreed to allow Hong Kong all of its continued freedoms for 50 years. But that was back when Hong Kong was a huge economic sector and China wanted to keep Hong Kong and the British happy. Now China has grown economically and Hong Kong only makes up 3% of its total economy. That agreement doesn’t seem very important anymore. :(

Our Church was classified as #3 in the 5 richest religious organization in the world and the video pointed out that it has a constant income: tithing! Amazing. That one really startled me. Of course it is just a YT video! Sunday 7/29/18 Happy Sabbath Brandon, General Comments: Last week I had 7 people gather around my indexing table for SS. This week only 2, Brett and Tiffany Whitelaw. B- Spencer Walker, home from Argentina, did his homecoming address. His biggest frustration in Argentina was missionaries that still didn’t live the gospel. Guess what that tells me about Elder Walker? My nephew in Sydney, Australia had a new missionary from Vanuatu. But only for a few weeks before he went home. Pres. Beatty taught our 5th Sunday lesson and admitted missionaries are sent home in droves. They just aren’t ready. That year of college I spent away from home before my mission probably did some good! C- Our RS has a motto that includes helping their children do hard things. What is the hardest thing you have ever done in your life Brandon? What are your 10 hardest things you have ever done? I really eat this concept up! I like it. Be a man. Work hard. Be tough. Am I doing anything that is tough, difficult, hard right now? I’ll tell you, today I was considering ending my SS class. Getting my whole computer system to church and set up each week is for the birds. D- As I sat in my prayer chair praying and decompressing after church I decided to name 10 interactions with people that I benefited from in church today. Since I was so downhearted that was my way of feeling grateful. E- An apostle and his wife met with the youth in the ward before ours in our building today. Elder Renlund. Pres Beatty shared parts of it. D- Pres Beatty is a master teacher. I know that VarloD has issues with him so I have sort of had a chip on my shoulder. But I have sat through dozens of Varlo’s priesthood lessons and just one from Pres Beatty and the testimony Pres Beatty exudes is without peer. Varlo always questioned the church and its truthfulness. He often played the devil’s advocate and wanted us to convince him of concepts in the gospel.



Del W. Beatty [DB-vern]was appointed Dean of Students at Dixie State College on October 1, 2008 – having served previously as Dean of Students at the College of Eastern Utah and as Director of Student Involvement and Leadership at Southern Utah University.

A native of Hurricane, Utah, Beatty earned a Masters degree in Education from SUU, a Bachelors degree in Music from SUU, an Associates degree in Spanish from Dixie State College, and will soon complete his doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at UNLV.

Mr. Beatty’s background in Student Services has allowed him an opportunity to work with a variety of offices including the departments of Entertainment, Outdoor Recreation, Campus Recreation, Intramurals, Service Learning, Cheer/Drill, Financial Aid, Student Support Services (TRiO), Multicultural and Diversity, Health and Wellness, International Students, Student Activities, Counseling Services, Testing, Career Services, Academic Advising, Disability Resources, Service Learning, the Student Activities Board, the Student Senate, and the Clubs Council.

Mr. Beatty founded the SUU Entertainment Bureau in 1990 including the performance group, “Acclamation” which he directed for 13 seasons, appearing regularly on television and participating in performance tours around the world. He now does a great deal of motivational speaking, conference presenting, and workshop facilitating throughout the USA, and discusses the “Relationship Between Student Involvement and Overall Success in Higher Education”.

Mr. Beatty and his wife, Kimberly, have four very involved children and reside in St. George, Utah. As a family, they enjoy traveling, serving in their church and community, and are a certified Utah Foster Family.

E- As I went to RS/Priesthood I told myself I did not need to participate today. That took off some off the pressure. Consider this story: DB served as the bishop of the Desert Hills ward in our stake. He had 17 priests. He taught them to raise their everytime a volunteer was asked for. Is there anyone who would be willing to offer the opening prayer? They all raise their hands. How about the closing prayer? They all raise their hands. A new 16 year old priest came into their Q and after 2 weeks he was raising his hand too! DB called it being engaged in the gospel of JC. His ward planned a super activity for the priests to go to Moab and do the Colorado river. The first ward ended up being partnered with them. The owners are lds. When they asked for a volunteer they all raised their hands. By the end of the trip the first ward priests were doing the same. Being engaged in the gospel is catchy, he said! F- He taught the youth a lesson of faith. He found the two youth with the most faith and challenged them each to lift a pen off the floor. Neither could. He asked Brother Meyers to do it and he picked it up! Woah. . . can you see the power of that object lesson? After the closing prayer I shook his hand and recited: “Using your faith lift this pen off the ground.” He said, “Engage.” G- You can imagine his frustration with the 6th ward youth today when none of them would participate! Did you guys attend President and Sister Nelson’s special fireside? No answer. Did you know he held a special fireside? No answer. Do you remember the 5 things he asked the youth to do at that special fireside? DB was screaming inside, Come on you guys make a good showing! Engage! Pam Derfler knew one of them in our combined RS/P meeting: Fast from social media for 7 days. That was the one I remembered too. How fitting that an apostle would publicize the 5 challenges from the living prophet.