12 November 2023
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 529
Caleb in the hospital for his biopsy
I had a biopsy on Friday. The doctors at Intermountain Healthcare Cancer Specialists are trying to find out what I really have. They suspect cancer.
I went down to Salt Lake City early in the morning on the November 10 for the operation. The plan was to get some bone marrow from my hip/pelvis area. I was pretty nervous, but the operation went by very smoothly, I didn't feel a thing, I don't think I was even conscious.
Family playing Settlers of Catan
I'm pretty sure I've been in some level of shock this week because I was just really in a daze the entire time. It's been difficult because I still can't walk, so I spend most the day resting, doing things at home sitting down.
Hopefully they can find out the problem so they can make a plan to help me get better. That way I can start moving forward! That's probably one of the hardest parts, just not knowing what's going to happen, and not having a direction to move forward. For now we have to just a wait until they diagnose me.
But my family has been so good to me. Mom and Dad are willing to buy me whatever food I find appealing, Gloria bought me a ton of treats which I don't think I'll ever get around to eating, and every one's very caring and willing to help with anything. I have a ton of people praying for me, and I'm very grateful.
Caleb in the hospital for his biopsy
The biopsy came back and several pathologists didn’t find any cancer, but the PET scan lit up with activity on his pelvis, spine, and ribs, which is an indication of cancer. In the end, they sent everything to a specialized bone cancer pathologist in Florida to see what he could see.
And regular life goes on as you push through the hard times. I want to share a tender mercy that happened this week in the middle of everything else. Quinn had been asking for some new Sunday socks, and I just hadn’t remembered at the right times to go and pick some up.
I stopped by a friend’s house on an errand and she randomly asked me if I needed any little boy Sunday socks. She then handed me a bag full of socks that were just Quinn’s size. I sat in the car and cried recognizing once again that God cares about the little, seemingly insignificant things as well as the big.
Caleb in the hospital for his biopsy
We start performing our play in two weeks, and its really stressful, because we only get two days in the actual theater to do costume and mic rehearsals.
Thankfully, I have all my lines memorized, and everything is coming along great. The real challenge is seeing how it all plays out in the actual theater, and whether or not it goes as well as it is now without costumes and microphones. I hope it all goes well.
Caleb in the hospital for his biopsy
What a week! At work, we got approval for our training trip, and it ended up being so good! We stayed one full day and night at the MTC and joined a companionship for the day. We did this to gain some insight into their experience.
We even spent the night in the residence halls there. It was surreal being back there acting as a missionary. For the rest of the trip we went up to Park City and did activities and trainings aimed at trying to better understand the new edition of Preach My Gospel.
Gloria, Monte, Kai, Isaac, Veidi
I know that if we try to be like Jesus, we will be more like Him, and we will be more kind and loving. I know that if you read the Book of Mormon, you will be able to feel the spirt and be comforted.
I also know that if you pray, you will feel comforted about it, and you will feel the right revelation when you are comforted.
Dad stuck in a reclining chair
We decided as roommates and with a couple of other friends that it would be fun to do a fancy cheese night. I had some brie that I’d been wanting to bake, and my friend Amantha had a bunch of other cheese and crackers and fruit.
Heidi made some mocktails, and we just ate good food and laughed together. I really do love having our own house that makes it easy to host fun parties like this.
Joanna and her wand
I'm taking American Heritage this semester at BYU. it's a notoriously difficult class, but they assign movies for homework sometimes, so it's not all bad.
We watched Glory this week. It's a Civil War movie that follows the story of an all-black volunteer regiment. It highlights the sacrifices they made for freedom and liberty in the United States.
It got me thinking about what impact am I having on future generations, and what more can I do to create a better life for others.
Endia and I are taking an emotional reliance class together with some other members of our ward. It has been insightful to hear prophetic counsel, as well as personal revelation, about how to have good emotional health. There is a lot to learn, and I thoroughly enjoy the classes so far.
Caleb in the hospital for his biopsy
This week I had a lot of fun things going on. I have been driving a lot more with Mom, and I am getting better every time I go.
I also went to Aiden’s house to hang out with Jack, Riley, Monte, and me. We went shopping to get a few things for the region dance. The theme was Barbie (just like last week’s Sadie’s theme).
Then for dinner went went and got pizza. After we ate, we went home and got ready for the dance. Veidi came and joined us. The dance was fun.
Ellie and Play-Doh
For our young women’s activity we watched the Muppets, and we had pizza, pop corn, and a really delicious drink—I don't remember what it was called.
On Saturday we had the region dance. The theme was Barbie. I did not dress up, but Gloria and Riley went as cowboy and cowgirl Barbies. Monte, Aiden Viehweger, and Jack Haymond went as Kens, wearing everything black.
The region dance was alright, but there were definitely a lot fewer people there than most dances.
Monte, Habi, and Aiden at region dance
As the stake clerk, for over two years I have been helping the stake presidency realign ward boundaries, with several proposals submitted to the First Presidency, and back-and-forth discussions with the Area Presidency. A couple of weeks ago, we finally received approval to proceed with our latest proposal.
As the stake clerk, I quickly realized that I would be responsible for communicating the boundary change information in the meeting for all stake members. As we discussed past confusion in previous boundary realignment meetings, I struggled to decide how to best convey this complicated information.
Braden and Charlie
During this process, I had a prompting that I needed to share this information from the point of view of an average member of our stake, not from the vantage point of someone who has been staring at stake maps and church attendance lists for two years.
Another prompting helped me realize that if I explained to stake members what ward they were in based on the street they lived on, the information should be clear, and I put together a presentation that broke down the map street by street. It was such a different approach that I was a little worried at first.
However, as I presented the information in the stake meeting, everyone seemed to understand. Afterwards, there was a good spirit in the room, with positive comments for weeks afterwards.
As a communications professor, I realized that when we communicate clearly, we make it easier for people to feel the Spirit.
Mom and Dad at birthday party in 5th Ward
After the meeting was over, I met with all the ward clerks in a room where they set up their computers on a couple long tables—we jokingly referred to this as the “war room.”
Then, after everyone else had gone home, we spent the next three hours moving hundreds of membership records to their new wards.
I took a picture of the war room, as a reminder of the good work done by clerks and other members of the church in administrative callings. They work silently in the background, without any fanfare, to move forward the work of the Lord.
Ward clerks in the war room