http://svu.edu/speeches/forums/2011/frederick-gedicks
This is really interesting. I found this after a curious student asked me about it- her friend goes to SVU, which is one town down from Staunton. I am not real sure what to think, but it is very interesting.
HISTORY
A Little History:
Our story begins in Pocatello, Idaho, circa 1972, when the lovely Debby Christensen agreed to a first, though fateful date with admirer, David Croshaw. Long story-short, he bade her follow him, and they went arm-in-arm to the Logan, Utah temple for establishment of an eternal family unit, Generation 1, on May 23 1973.
From their first blissful summer in Salt Lake City, educational pursuits took them to Provo/Orem, Utah, birthplace of Leslie and Rebecca, and to San Francisco/Oakland California, birthplace of Colin and Matt. Then, for establishment of livelihood, expansion of the tribe with Abby and Dana, and for raising/unifying of Generation 2, it was back to the roots in Pocatello for a rewarding sojourn.
In time, driven by a raging, but commonly shared sense of adventure and independence, one-by-one, Generation 2 escaped the homeland to distant regions of the country and the world, each ultimately developing their own tribal expansions by pairing with worthy mates and initiating Generation 3.
Now sensing fulfillment of their purpose in Pocatello, Generation 1 has also left those roots and transplanted to Cascade Idaho, from which base, they anticipate more abundant contact with The Posterity, Generations 2 and 3, in the future. That contact however, awaits fulfillment of a call to LDS missionary service in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, wherein they hope to help the state of the world by sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
So now, including Generation 0 (Grandma and Grandpa Christensen) home base includes Yuma, Arizona, Pocatello, Idaho, Cascade, Idaho, Vancouver, BC, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho, Los Angeles, California, back to Boise, Idaho, and on and on (Generation 3+) to infinity.
Our Mission Statement:
This is the blog of our eternal family unit. Initiated years ago, it served well as a journal, but even more so, as an archive of our personal interaction. It was a gathering place, a confabulation instrument, a unifying force for four generations of widely dispersed and progressively prolific posterity, and their valued associates. Though it served these purposes well for many years, it eventually took a back seat to new-kids-on-the-block, Facebook, and Instagram, and was sadly forgotten.
We now move to resurrect this blog with an added functional purpose of archiving the missionary experiences of Generation 1, of their movements and activities as they participate with The Gathering of Israel in the land northward. In so doing, we hope that via their own comments and posts, this blog will again serve to gather and unify the posterity and their friends.
As in the past, that the young and vibrant may know the old and tired, that enduring bonds may be fostered and maintained, that experience and encouragement may be openly shared, that posterity may embrace truth, and that hearts may be knit together, we must resist detachment despite our geographic divergence. We shall do so here.
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4 comments:
I had no idea SVU was so close to you. There are quite a few kids from Idaho who go there. I listened to part of this talk - very interesting. I'm going to finish it later. Thanks for sharing this Crystal.
Yes, when I was in college, it was another women's college- and I went through the town (Buena Vista) on the way home. It is 30 miles from Staunton and is less than an hour away from where we live. It is a really beautiful campus- down the road is VMI and Washington and Lee, so we have lots of interesting academies here, for sure.
I thought about the talk all last night and I think it is actually very close to the lines of my thoughts on the subject- but very well-articulated. It will be interesting to see who things shake out with the republican nominee, but I would bet that if Romney gets it, the church is going to be quite scrutinzed. I do think some of the cultural things that are practiced just because every one else in the ward does it, should be thought about. I am 100% ok with the doctrine though. I will have to come back when I have more time and tell you all about the conversation I had with Valerie Sunday. She really, really, REALLY does not like our ward because of some really unkind behavior over and over again. We had a talk about what is the Gospel and what is not. Timely too, because I have had the same struggles.
Best time to have those talks - when the questions and doubts arise. Good mothering. The members are obviously fallible. They are not the Church nor the gospel, even though they (we)are the reason for it. If Valerie can look beyond the pettiness of certain members, beyond that ward to broader gospel horizons, even to eternity, everything will make more sense. Of course, that can be difficult for a young person, but you'll help her.
I think Valerie (and yes, I) expect more from members of the True church. I think we may be a part of the most unkind ward I have heard of and no one is doing anything about it- except for distancing themselves. I am tired of trying to get past the "the Church is perfect, the people are not." When the people are really, really REALLY not.
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