Talking with Grandma...

I learned today that Great Grandpa Robert Emett Burns, father (John Burns) pasted away when Robert was in high school so he had to drop out of school. He was the only one that could drive, and he had a mother and three sister to take care of now. He had to do the planting of the crops, the next year the superintend of the school came out to the farm and told him that he should come back to school and graduate which he did. Do to the death of his father he wasn't able to go on to school and become attorney like he would have like, but all three of his sister were able to go on and get teaching degrees. Later in life he would always be reading to educate himself, and he took at least two daily paper and would read both of them. He would also sit with his chair closest to the radio that the family had so that he could keep up to date with the news around the world.

I also learned that Grandma Runkle and at least three of her sisters would have the job of delivering the Indianapolis News (which is now probably the Indianapolis Star). They would go after school to where the Indiana Autobus would come drop off the papers, fold them, and then walk around Fulton, Indiana delivering them. Then every Saturday they would collect the money for the paper.

Mom and Dad

As I listened to Grandma talk I thought about something that Iliana N. Cordova told me and that is that how we meet our spouse's is similar to how are parents meet theirs, and that history is only repeating itself through us. My parents also meet through 4-H, while both were junior leaders, my mother was with a friend who said that my father was attractive. My mother then turned to her and said, "You think he's attractive." She replied, "Yes." My dad was friends with my Uncle Tom and had helped with when showing hogs, so later he came into the hog barns my mother told him that Tom wasn't here. He replied that he wasn't looking for Tom, but had come to ask if he could take her to get something to eat. They spent that week getting to know each other better, and during that week my father took my mom home early from the fair where Grandma Runkle really got to talk to my father. Which in turn helped him get her approved to date my mom, because she wasn't so sure about him where Grandpa had work with dad to get to know him.

Mom may have to get on to edit this story but I think that covers the main parts. I liked how it seemed to match what my Grandmother said about how she met my Grandfather.

Date #3 with Grandma Runkle

Today I took Grandma Runkle on our third date we when antiquing at Green Oak Antiques. As we walked around she pointed out different pieces that were similar to what family member owned, which was kind of the point of the trip for me. I took her to the Flagpole in Rochester, Indiana, to get ice cream, which she paid for which I didn't want her to do but if Grandma isn't anything else she is stubborn so she paid. I always try to ask her some questions about her dates with Grandpa Runkle so this time I asked her how they met. She told me that she was a junior leader in 4-H and she and another girl were setting up cakes to be judged. When grandpa and another guy came up to talk to the other girl so that was the first time she meet grandpa, but she would see him after that at the junior leader meetings.

Moab June 5-7 2008

President Hinckley's Viewing

Feb 1 2008

I went with Juleen, Anna (Juleen's sister), and Adam to the Conference Center last night. We arrived close to 6 PM. We had to walk from the front of the conference center to the halfway down West Temple. There was a huge group of people in lines looping all over the Conference Center grounds. I don't know how long we stood outside at least an hour, before Juleen, Adam, and I walked to the Crown Burger a block and half away to warm up and get some food. We started back to the Conference Center shortly after 8 PM. By the time we arrived back the crowds out side the Conference Center had thinned significantly. We were inside the door of the Conference Center by about 9 PM after going through security. A guest service worker told us on Thursday he found two guns. The gun-toters had no intention of causing harm. The guest worker told us, any time a General Authority would be present, security would be required.
We spent the next hour weaving around the inside of the Conference Center as the workers worked to the us out of the cold at the request of the Presiding Bishopric. We made our way to the Conference Center seating. We sat for an hour or so, before find our way to another line. While seating we watched workers putting the many bouquets of flower, which had been sent. We made our way upstairs to the third floor where President Gordon Bitner Hinckley was laid in his casket. I don't if you remember the room with the busts of all of the Prophets, this is where he laid in state. The casket looked so small compared to what I remembered every seeing. Upon leaving a woman held a box of Kleenexes for those who need to dry their tears. We entered another line to depart, walking past a portrait of President Hinckley and his wife. Further on were group pictures of President Hinckley's family. We made our way down and exited the Conference Center at 11:30 PM. Like my last experience in line, we meet wonderful people, who made the wait enjoyable. Though the length of time and the cold were somewhat discouraging, the experience was well worth it.
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley's favorite scripture. D&C 112:10

"Be Thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."

May our lives be blessed because we knew him.

Bountiful Temple

I took these pictures in December at Beth & Donovan's Sealing at the Bountiful Temple. My first sealing. I talked with Donovan's parents and the other guests in the waiting room. From Beth and Donovan I learned I impressed them. Their big fans of Ryan White because they have a son with hemophilia. The only real memory I could relate was how a girl in school went into the office and told the school they needed to lower the flag because the Governor had made the declaration of honor. Donovan's mother also thinks I should me one of Donovan's friends. We'll see.

The first picture I took after. The other two were before. I have some pictures of the sunset, but I don't like them as well.

Finally

I did it. I got my Utah driver license. It took 2 hours. The system here is very interesting. I stood in line last week to get a form and when I didn't have my social security code, I left. Today I just got in line once because I already had the form filled out. I took the written test and passed. I kept my Indiana license, they punched a hole in it. I got a paper copy of my id and in a couple weeks I'll get the real thing. I don't have any pictures.