Stillborn Baby Seely

Tim and Rachel Seely are members of the Leavitt Ward who were expecting baby #6. Unfortunately, the baby was stillborn. It was heartbreaking for their whole family.

Austin spoke at a memorial at the cemetery as they buried their baby boy.

I wish in some way I could answer every question that has come into your minds over the past five days. I am unable to do so. Those answers will come over time. They will come in still, quiet moments as you continue to live lives of righteousness, partake of the Sacrament, attend the temple, and prepare yourselves to be an eternal family.

            I cannot answer all of the whys, but I can give you eternal hope in what we do know and I know. I know that you will see your son again. I know that he was taken home to a loving Father in Heaven who has a plan for each of us. I know that our Father in Heaven knows and understands your loss, your pain, your heartache. He himself had to turn away as His own Son suffered for our pain. I know because of His atonement, you can see your son, and you will embrace and find joy in that glorious reunion.

            You have been asked to walk a difficult road. President James E. Faust stated, “In life we all have our Gethsemanes. A Gethsemane is a necessary experience, a growth experience. A Gethsemane is a time to draw near to God, a time of deep anguish and suffering. The Gethsemane of the Savior was without question the greatest suffering that has come to mankind. And out of it came the greatest good in the promise of eternal life.”

            The prophet Alma taught, “He shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind, and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith He will take upon him the pains and sickness of His people. And He will take upon Him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and He will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy.”

            Our Savior knows you. He knows your suffering. He knows your pain. Because of His suffering, we will all return to Him. You have the promise of a joyous reunion. You have the promise of an eternal family. It is now up to us to live worthy, good lives so that we can be together forever. This I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I promise

Bishop Nunn spoke at the opening kickoff fireside for Moroni's Quest. He bore a strong testimony that at some point during Moroni's Quest each of us will know personally that Jesus Christ knows us.

English muffins

During Heritage Week, the population of Cardston triples at least. Everyone comes home for family reunions and high school class reunions. The Sunday of that week there are always a million visitors at our ward. This year was no exception with that Cahoon reunion and lots of other families visiting. 

Austin was worried that we wouldn't have enough bread for the sacrament so he sent Jill home to get some extra. She came back with half a loaf of white bread, two packages with a couple slices of whole wheat bread, and an English muffin. 

Austin had a good smile and came home with the wheat bread and the English muffins.

A Cowboy's Last Words

Austin conducted the funeral for Dale Still.  Here is the talk that he gave:

Not long ago Dale asked if he could come in and visit with me in my office at the Leavitt church. As he was helped into my office in his wheelchair and parked in front of my desk, we were left by ourselves. I asked Dale what can I do for you or what can I help you with? This humble man must have known in someway he didn't have many days ahead of him. He pulled himself up in his chair, looked me in the eyes and said, Bishop, I want to be right with God.

We talked for some time about many topics, from family to church, to relationships with God and Jesus Christ. And yes, we talked about horses and cows.

I have thought a lot about what Dale might have me say in these few minutes, and I hope the words will mean something to each of you. I have titled it "A Cowboy's Last Words."

 Start each day on bended knee

And praise give to the maker of each Green acre

That you are called to be caretaker.

Start each day ready to work

And then go from sunup to sundown.

For God gave you a brain to think, legs to work and hands to hold.

Start each day with family in mind.

Some need a prayer, some need a call, and others just might need a kick in the behind.

Start each day on the back of a horse,

And reflect on the purpose of this life you have chose.

Start each day as if it is your last.

Keep up the pace and never look back.

Build on your pass, as life goes by just too darn fast.

And each day on bended knee,

And plead that tomorrow you'll be better than today.

For you will see your time will come,

And then you'll be seeing me.

This past week I attended our ward girls camp in Milk River. I went for a walk, and as I walked I was considering what I might say, I suddenly found myself walking pass a group of cactus. I bent down to pick it up and my finger was pricked. I smiled to myself and thought of Dale Cactus Still. Thick skin, survived darn near everything, and maybe to some even a little sting, but on the inside was a man who would serve neighbor, friend and stranger.

Jacob 4:13

Jacob 4:13
..."the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.."

The Holy Ghost is not going to tell us to not pay our tithing because they felt like the Lord really would rather we pay our debts. The Lord requires us to pay a full tithing in order to get a temple recommend.

The Holy Ghost will not tell you that it is okay to be unfaithful to your spouse.

Just a small portion of what a Bishop hears, sometimes from people not even in his own ward.

Leavitt Ward Plan

Leavitt Ward Plan 2015

Purpose - To bring ourselves and those in our community closer to Christ.

Vision – The Leavitt Ward members will unite together with faith in Christ

and with love towards one another and the neighbours in our Community.

We will strengthen and uplift each other in righteousness and take care of

the poor and needy in our midst. Members will build meaningful

friendships and engage in missionary work guided by the Spirit. This will set

an inspired example for the youth in our Ward who will serve missions.

Main Goals and Objectives – Leavitt Ward Members will:

1. Perfect the Saints 

a. Study the Book of Mormon individually and together with their

families in 2015 and have daily family prayer.

b. Attend Sacrament meeting each Sunday with a Spirit of being

nourished each week and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.

2. Proclaim the Gospel - Pray daily for missionary experiences and follow

the promptings of the Holy Ghost to share the gospel.

3. Redeem the Dead - (Every family member that is eligible)

a. Be involved in family history work, including indexing.

b. Attend the temple at least monthly and take 3 family member

names to the temple this year and do the work for them,

including our youth.

4. Care for the Poor and Needy – prayerfully identify neighbours in the

community that you can reach out to and support in some way,

including inviting people (4 families) into your home (and to events).

Optional activities  – In addition to the Ward Goals and Objectives we would encourage individuals and families to select one or more of the following objectives to work on throughout 2015:

Strengthen self/others

Have personal prayer at least 3 times a day

Prayerfully review the talks from the last General Conference session.

Do something to increase your individual and/or family spiritual or physical preparedness

Do something to increase your physical health

Strengthen your (and your family’s) testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Strengthen Others Inside and Outside the Ward:

Develop meaningful friendships with inactive and
non-members within our community

Take your spouse on a date night once a month

Have 3 new individuals/families in your home this year.

Have couple scripture study daily.

Forgive someone who had offended you.

Conduct parent-child interviews.

Share the Gospel with Others:

Invite inactive, non-members or newer member  families in your home every year.

Have an individual or family in your home to take the missionary discussions

Be learning from Preach My Gospel in the home

Pray for the members of the Leavitt Ward in the mission field

Pray by name for the missionaries in our stake and the investigators they are teaching.

Invite people to attend baptisms, ordinations, farewells, etc.

Give one or more copies of the Book of Mormon away each year.

Have the missionaries in your home.

Participate in Family History and Temple Work:

Search out at least 3 new ancestors annually

Attend Ward Temple night each month

As a couple take a shift at the Family History Center.

Care for the Poor and Needy:

Pray daily for who you might be able to help

Seek out an individual in the community who you can provide support either spiritually, socially,
emotionally or financially

Give a generous fast offering monthly

Donate to other church authorized funds

Other: ______________________________________________________________

Don't Laugh

The last Sunday in March was Fast Sunday since the first Sunday in April was General Conference. It is Austin's turn to conduct so he bore his testimony at the beginning of fast and testimony meeting. (Hanna, Lucy, Carly and I weren't actually there since we went to Taber for Taylor's ordination to a teacher in the priesthood).

Austin told about how we never know what someone else is facing, so we shouldn't judge and should me considerate.  He told about how is brother, Les, had lost his job and was looking for a new job.  He told about how is cousin, Bob DePoe, was fighting cancer.  (Both Les' family and Bob's family came to Cardston that weekend to visit).  Then Austin told about how we were at a rodeo on Friday, and Hanna went to get off her horse in goat tying, got her foot caught in the stir-up and fell hard. She got up and stumbled to the goat and everyone was encouraging her to keep going and then asking if she was okay.  A few events later, Austin was pushing someone's calf out of the shoot, and he fell and landed in the dirt. People laughed. His message was for us to be more kind to everyone no matter what they are going through or what happens to them.

On another note, Austin and I had gone to visit Blaine and Lorraine Leavitt a couple weeks before, and Austin invited them to come to church. They said they would. So Austin went to pick up Blaine, and he was all clean and ready for church. Blaine said he was afraid the church might fall in if he set foot in the church. Austin helped him walk down the hall, and as they got to the drinking fountain, Blaine said, "well, it seems okay so far."  Lorraine even bore her testimony and many people greeted them after Sacrament Meeting was over.

Not a Coincidence

When it was a few months before Austin's parents came home from their mission, we were looking for a house to buy.   Mel Weston told us that maybe Lawrence and Caroline Cahoon would sell us their house and 100 acres.  So one day I went to meet them, and before I left I had my girls kneel down with me on the kitchen floor and pray with me before I left.  I knocked on their door and visited them and told them we were interested in their house.

Lawrence and Caroline are both in their mid-80s and were never able to have children.

We really wanted their house.  It seemed like the right place for us.  They had already been negotiating with someone else, so after a few weeks, Caroline called and told us that they sold it to someone else.  Little did we know that just a couple weeks later, we found a different house with 60 acres that was the perfect house for us.

Back to the Cahoons. It was no coincidence that we met them. We went to visit them about once a month for the next two years. I took them food sometimes. Sometimes I just stopped to say hi.  A few months ago, Lawrence's health declined and he was taken in for long-term care. We went to visit him at the rest home as often as we could. He was mostly sleeping, but he knew he were and would answer our questions.

Someone called us the afternoon he passed away, and Austin and I went to see Caroline.

Lawrence didn't want a funeral, just a graveside service.  Caroline asked Austin to conduct the service and to dedicate the grave.

It was a cold, windy January afternoon.  Lawrence's nephew suggested that they dedicate the grave and then go to the church for the rest of the service.   So Austin welcomed everyone, did a really nice prayer for the grave dedication, and then all of the people went to the Leavitt Chapel.  The chapel was full.  There were hutterites, family members, friends, etc.  There were people who hadn't set foot inside a chapel for years.  They had a song and a few thoughts from the nephew.  Then our ward had a luncheon and all those people stayed for the luncheon.  It was a miracle that they had enough food.

If we hadn't met the Cahoons, they would not have asked the Bishop to come to the funeral.  They would likely just have had the funeral home conduct the service.

Caroline told Kim Weston that they had never had a bishop come to their house before. I am so glad that Austin was the Bishop who went to visit the Cahoons.

Take My Yoke Upon You

Serving as the Bishop of a ward can be a heavy load to carry. As the Bishop cares for and counsels members through tough times, it can be hard.

Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 It is a good thing the Savior can share the load and carry the burden of a Bishop.

Cancer
Divorce
Attempted suicide
Wayward children
Temple preparation
Repentance
Offended members

Leavitt Ward Breaks Cardston Temple Record

Bishop Nunn and the bishopric were brainstorming how to effectively use ward temple night.  They decided to schedule a special session just for the Leavitt Ward.  For weeks they announced the special ward temple night - February 4 6:30 session - and to come at 6 pm for a message from the temple president.

The Leavitt Ward filled the temple. After the temple president spoke to us, and we went up to start the session, we filled the benches, and they had to bring in 5 chairs.  We had 95 members of the Leavitt Ward in the session.  Brother Logan Zemp who is in our bishopric and also the Cardston Temple recorder, told Austin at the end of the session that there has Never been that many people from one ward in a temple session since the temple opened in 1923.

The Spirit was strong in the temple that night. The temple workers were amazed. Someone asked what the Bishop did to get us all there.  One sister said it was how he asked that made us all want to come.

In March, we had 65 people from the Leavitt Ward for our session.  The temple policy is that you need about 60 people to have your own session.

Articles of Faith

Austin had Gabriella Parker come up because she had turned 16 and moved from Miamaids to Laurels.  He asked her to say the 4th Article of Faith without any notice.  She was a bit flustered and almost got it right.

The next Sunday, she was giving a youth talk and asked the Bishop to come up and give the 6th Article of Faith. He was a bit flustered and almost got it right.

He has asked several youth advancing to share an article of faith.  This week he interviewed a young man turning 12. He asked the Bishop if he could tell him in advance which Article of Faith he was going to have him say.  So Austin said, how about #5.  The Bishop kept his end of the deal and had him come up and say the 5th Article of Faith.

Hope - First Ward Conference Talk

Bishop Nunn - HOPE

For the past several weeks, I have tried to think of a topic I should speak on. I have asked members of the Bishopric, the ward council, members of Bishops Youth Council, and my good wife. I was given a wide range of topics. If I was to use the lingo of our young people, my talk might sound something like this given the topics suggested.

 #testimony

#faith

#gossip

#datingbefore16

#chastity

#theGodhead

As I have pondered about the many things I could talk about, I have had a number of experiences over the past few days that have led me to what I wish to speak on today.

            In the corner of our family’s living room stands a ficus tree.  This tree has moved six times, lived in two states, and has been transported between two countries. Through all this, the tree has remained healthy and looks beautiful. This tree was given to me from my boss shortly after the death of my youngest brother, 18 years ago. The tree stands in our living room and has become a symbol of hope to me. Hope can be defined as the “confident expectation of and longing for, the promised blessing of righteousness.” The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

            Recently in the online newsfeed UtahValley360.com was published an article titled, “15 New Year’s Resolutions from the Prophets for 2015.”  The resolutions include topics such as, Avoid contention. Find more meaning in temple service. Take care of your body. Learn more about the gospel. Improve personal scripture study. Serve someone everyday. Have more meaningful prayer. Increase your fast offering. Repent daily. Have family home evening. Forgive quickly. Maintain a clear vision. Evaluate yourself honestly. Emulate Jesus Christ.

            As I read over the list, thoughts such as, “I need to try harder to be better” crossed my mind. I then read a few comments across the bottom of the article. One comment caught my eye, shocked me, and then caused me to reflect. The comment said, “This list could be summed up as ‘constantly evaluate yourself and seek perfection.’ No wonder so many Utahns are on anti-depressants. This is the impossible gospel.”  I was shocked by the comment and then saddened. Do we not understand that this is a gospel of hope? Yes, we seek personal growth, personal strength, a deeper understanding. But we do all of this only because we hope “the best is yet to come.”

            The Prophet Moroni wrote, “Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope, there must also be charity.”

            Last month as our family traveled to a rodeo in Claresholm, Kaylynn had us listen to talk presented at Time Out for Women in Salt Lake. The speaker was Noelle Pikus Pace. You will remember Noelle as an Olympic bronze medalist for the United States from the most recent winter Olympics in the Women’s Skeleton event.  As she received her medal, cameras caught a glimpse of her Young Women medallion around her neck.

            During her talk, she shared this story. In 2005, she had qualified for the winter Olympics. She was at the top of her game, prepared and ready for competition. She had trained and dedicated her life to her sport. During her last training run, she stood at the end of the track with her friends waiting for her teammates to complete their runs, when what seemed as out of nowhere came a four-man bobsled. Standing at the end of the track with no place to run, Noelle was struck by the sled. She was hurled through the air about 20 feet landing on the asphalt. Her leg badly broken, she was rushed to the hospital for surgery. As she lay in the recovery room crying, the surgeon walked in and looked at Noelle and said, “Why are you crying?” Shocked and unable to answer, the surgeon then asked again, “Why are you crying?” The surgeon then stepped towards her and said, “You can either look back and be miserable about what just happened to you, or you can move on. Your leg is broken and feeling sorry for yourself won’t change that.” Noelle reflected on that comment saying that was the best advice she was ever given.

            President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and more enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we accentuate the positive. I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good. Look for the sunlight through the clouds.”

            President Uchtdorf teaches that, “Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at times.”

            Too often in our lives, we cave to despair. We feel that all hope is lost, that we can’t go on. The road is too rocky and rough. The river is too wide to cross. The hill is too steep to climb. The race is too long and too fast to finish. The despair comes as the adversary wishes us to fail. He blinds our hearts and minds and slowly leads us down the path to destruction.

            Rich Miller has recently shared his story of how he lost his faith and then regained his faith in a Mormon message titled Finding Your Purpose in Life. He states that a lesson he learned is that cynicism creates a numbness towards life. Cynicism is an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of integrity or professed motives of others. Cynicism is the opposite of Hope. We must not allow ourselves to have an attitude of scornfulness. We must love and forgive others.

            The word hope is used every day in our lives. We hope for a good day, we hope for health or we hope for good weather. We hope our kids will be happy. We hope for a good job. The word hope’s meaning changes as we grow and mature.

            Nephi taught that,  “we must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting on the words of Christ and endure to the end, behold thus saith the Father, Ye shall have eternal life.”

            President Uchtdorf shared this insight on hope: “Hope can be seen in two ways. Things we hope for and things we hope in. Things we hope for are often future events. If only we could look beyond the horizon of mortality into what awaits us, beyond this life. Is it possible to imagine a more glorious future than the one prepared for us by our Heavenly Father? Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we need not fear, for we will live forever, never to taste of death again.

            The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptation and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the restored gospel we hope in, can uphold us and carry us until once again we walk in the light.”

            Brothers and sisters, if you are struggling with a challenge, physically, emotionally, maybe a wayward child or your own addiction, hold on to hope.

            The Book of Mormon prophet Alma shared his experience of being racked for three days even as the pains of a damned soul.  He then recounts these feelings, “Now as my mind caught hold upon this thought I cried within my heart : O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness and am encircled about by the everlasting chain of death. And now, behold when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. “

            As we grow in our personal desire to be obedient, as we more perfectly keep the commandments such as the word of wisdom, modesty, dating, marriage, and tithing, we are better able to attain hope.  Hope needs to find place in our every day lives.

            As a freshman attending Utah State University, I learned that hope can get me through.  I arrived in Logan, Utah, late at night in mid-March. I had never been to Logan and was completely unfamiliar with what street addresses like 2000 North 100 West meant.  I eventually found my uncle’s home who had offered me a place to live. I was shown to a garage that had a small office space built onto it with a heater and carpet on the floor, a single bed in the corner. The next morning I found myself enrolling in classes. I had no idea what the word credit even meant. Many of the first nights were lonely. I would often find myself walking down the street alone at night asking God why am I here? Is this what you want me to be doing?

            Knowing an earlier prayer had been answered about going to school, my hope in answer to prayer kept me going to class, searching for work, and trying to make friends. Over time, I found a job I loved, was set up on a blind date with a great math tutor who eventually became my wife. I have found in my life when I am lonely or afraid, it is my hope in a greater cause than myself has gotten me through.

            The 13^th Article of Faith states, “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul – we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things.”

            As we reflect on our lives, I hope we reflect on the many things we have endured because of our hope. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, our ability to endure is made stronger because of our hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

            I hope the following story might illustrate our need for continued hope.  Several years ago, my dad and I were working together for a summer on a ranch in Saskatchewan. Summer was ending and we were gathering horses for the fall sale. On this particular day, it had been raining slightly on and off. We saw a window of opportunity to gather one more field about 12 miles from home. Our boss drove us to the back field and dropped us off. We started to ride, trying to find the horses. At about the same time we found the horses and headed for home, the wind picked up and the rain started to beat down heavily upon us. Suddenly the lightning started to crack.

            Now being on the top of a horse during a lightning storm in a place where you can see your dog run away for a week, is a little on the scary side. We managed to get the horses headed for home. Horses always seem to move better if they can follow the lead horse. I started out in front with the rain and wind beating on my horse’s face, we headed home. He lowered his head and unwaveringly pushed on. The rest followed. By the time we reached the top of the hill overlooking the ranch, our boss had come in the truck to get us. Soaking wet, we loaded our horses and climbed in the cab. I looked over at the old cowboy boss and said, “Bet you thought we gave up, didn’t you?” I have often looked back on his reply at hard times in my life. He said, “I know you better than that.”

            Members of the Leavitt Ward, you have each been given the horse of hope that will carry you home, even when the wind is blowing, the rain is pounding, and the ride is sometimes long. Our Savior Jesus Christ knows each of us. He knows you. He knows the challenges you face. He knows how hard things can be. But because of Him, we can hope in the future.

            President James E. Faust said, “There are tremendous sources of hope beyond our own ability, learning, strength, and capacity. Among them is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through the marvelous blessings of this member of the Godhead, we can come to know the truth of all things.” He went on to say, “Hope is the anchor of our souls.”

            Ether taught in the Book of Mormon, “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world.  Yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.”

            May we each find hope in our daily lives. In a book titled “Focused” by Noelle Pikus Pace appears this quote, “Hope gives us courage to do those things that we don’t believe we are capable of.” Because of our hope in Christ, our understanding of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the restoration of the priesthood, and the sealing power of Elijah, we can have hope in all things. We can have hope of all things.

            I testify that Jesus is the Christ and our hope in Him will bring us joy and peace.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

What Were You Thinking?

Austin conducted our January fast and testimony meeting today and bore his testimony. He told about how last week we went out sledding on our hill. Jill decided to jump on her horse with snowpants on bareback with only a halter. She started walking, then trotting, then a slow lope, and then a full-on run. As she rode past our sledding hill, Austin yelled, "What are you doing?" Jill yelled back, "I can't get him to stop."

The horse came to the next fence and turned and Jill fell off. She came walking back with a bruised shoulder. Austin said, "What were you thinking?" Jill said, "I've done it before."

Austin compared our lives and testimonies to this story. He said that sometimes we have challenges or make mistakes because we think we have done it before and been okay. Or that sometimes we have done things before and been fine, and other times things don't always go the right way and we have challenges.  But it is important to have a strong testimony and stay strong.

Then he bore his testimony.
I know this church is true.
I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and restored this gospel.
I know that President Monson is the living prophet today, and what he says goes.
I know that we receive blessings from going to the temple.
I know that Jesus is the Christ.