Service to Brazil

I share this with my sons (as well as a nephew and a brother-in-law)who have given a portion of their lives to serve and help the people of Brazil (for what will be in July a total of ten years). This is at Arlington National Cemetery. Tanner, Hunter, Porter; Derek and Zachary Hutchins

The U.S. Army Color Guard carry the Brazilian flag during an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier hosted by the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, March 19, 2019.
While at ANC, Bolsonaro met with Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director, Army National Military Cemeteries, toured the Memorial Amphitheater Display Room, and placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser, Arlington National Cemetery)

With All His Love

My dear Porter and Sons + Family,

It is Monday morning, and I want you to know that I love you.
I'm glad that we get to speak to Tanner, Anne Marie, Nora and Hunter through face time. Think at times about the pioneers, whether within the church or out of the church, who traveled into the wilderness to create a new life. I am grateful for our ancestors who made that choice, especially to come to America. The sad parts are thoughts that they never ever heard from their families again (which is good if your family is horrible, but still sad as they never had a chance [in this life] to repair those relationships.)

I thought about your letter last week (Porter) when you mentioned about being homesick. On my mission, I cannot recall ever being homesick. Perhaps it was because I did not care about being home. If you're homesick, I'm kind of glad, we love having you at home. I'm also very glad that you are working and that you are safe. I'm grateful to hear that you have the opportunity to train a new missionary.

People within the ward and stake, seem to have so many questions about the "Ministering Program." It kind of drives me nuts because it seems so simple. I mentioned it a number of times in Ward Council, priesthood and individual meetings. What does ministering mean to me? It means to follow the Savior by "going about doing good, continually," and to follow the scout slogan by "doing a good turn daily."

Perhaps people have a hard time with this, because in so many aspects o,f their lives they are expecting someone to tell them what to do when to do it, how to do it, etc. My other thought that I share a relationship to ministering and other aspects of the church 's Doctrine and Covenants 58:26. "It is not meet that I should command in all things for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant."

Each of you have talents to do so much good. They are different talents. One is not better than another. They are all useful to bring joy and to help others.

I enjoy hearing of Hunter's dating. There are a number of fun stories. Please don't be pressured, just go about doing good at trying to be good.

There are number of things I would like to write about and need to. But I will send this off today. Have to get back to working on my tenure package which is due on Friday. I hope the committees are pleased. I will not leave agian from a tenured place unless I am granted tenure to come.

Have a great day.

Love Dad

A

With All His Love

My Dear Family,

It is Labor Day and thus I will be laboring. I am up at school to work predominantly on the tenure package I will need to submit in two weeks.

I was driving into work this  morning and the man on the radio asked the question; what was your first job, your worst job, and your dream job? These are the questions for a family history page or chapter. Quick answers for me - first job: Los Altos Drive-In movie theater in Long Beach. There are many good stories that go with this job. Worse job - catching turkeys, working at a chicken farm. Dream job - working as a professor at Berkeley, manager/coach of a baseball team, US Senator, US Army officer. Problem with all of these jobs is that they are not very family-friendly. One job would not be bad, but you would have to live near Berkeley and for family I don't think the pay would be good.

I did take Miller, Sawyer, and Cooper to the Texas Rangers baseball game. It was a good game there is lots that can or should be written. I saw that one player in the starting lineup was from Henderson Nevada. His name is Joey Gallo. Other than him everyone else in the starting lineup was from a foreign country. Sin Soo Choo, we saw many years ago in the minor leagues, is from Korea. Other players were from Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries.

I thought of a new book which could be written: Conversations at a Ballpark. Also thought of the study which can be performed. Evidence suggests that regularly doing crossword puzzles and similar cognitive activities benefit both young and old. Whether increasing one's learning ability or preventing the onset of dementia Alzheimer's. My thoughts that similar results may be obtained by keeping score of a baseball game. This can be done whether a person is watching a game in person, on TV, or listening to the the game.

Added a new bobble head to the collection, Captain the Rangers mascot. We won a Denny's Grand Slam for each member of the family, because the Rangers player hit a home run in the second inning. I haven't been to a Denny's in 35 years but we will have to go before October 18. When Cooper was in the hospital in Carlsbad because of his appendix, Sawyer and Miller went with the rest of the scouts to Denny's in Carlsbad. They had nothing good to say about it, but we will give it a try anyhow.

I will send this letter off now so that Porter may get it be safe and do good.

Love,

Dad

Boy Scout Fishing Trip!

You know it's going to be a GREAT fishing trip when you see an original yellow VW bus!

Although rainy at times, the Buckskin Boy Scout Reservation was beautiful!

It's nestled in the West Virginia mountains, The Mononga- hela National Forest.

Cooper had luck right from the beginning! A very nice large-mouth bass!

As did Jarrod, with another bass

Sawyer still looking for his first catch!

Jarrod also caught a blue gill...and took home the "Smallest Fish" award.

Sawyer still casting...

Cooper brought home the "Most Fish Caught" award!

Finally! Sawyer caught a fish!

Brought home the "Biggest Fish" award

A nice black crappie!

This is the first time they have caught a few fish using just lures...hearing of their stories and feeling their joy...reminded me of my dad's fishing poem:

FISHING IN CLARKS POND, I WAS FOREVER WISHING
I’D CATCH A TROPHY TO BRING HOME.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE WORM MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
AND THERE WERE OTHER TIMES WHEN NOTHING DID

FEELING SOMETHING BITE, I’D MADLY START REELING
HOPING THIS ONE WOULDN’T ESCAPE
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE SUN WARMED THE BACK OF MY NECK
AND THERE WERE TIMES A RAIN REALLY SOAKED ME

CONTENTMENT WAS BEING THERE, NEVER RESENTMENT
IF I ONLY CAUGHT SOME QUIVERS
THERE WERE TIMES I STAYED UNTIL WELL AFTER IT BECAME DARK
AND TIMES I WAS THERE WELL BEFORE THE SUNRISE

WONDER KICKED IN WHEN THE BOBBER JERKED UNDER
HOPING THE FISH WOULD BE BIG
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I SNAGGED MY LINE EVERY TIME I CAST
AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE REEL FELL OFF

WEEK AFTER WEEK I WOULD TRY SOME NEW TECHNIQUE
THAT WOULD BAG ME THE PRIZE
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I BUMPED MY BAIT ALONG THE BOTTOM
AND TIMES WHEN I USED A RED AND WHITE BOBBER

WAITING FOR A NIBBLE TO ME WAS NEVER FRUSTRATING
I HAD FAITH THE FISH WERE THERE
THERE WAS NEVER ANY TIME WHEN I DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE
AND THERE WAS NEVER A TIME I WAS SORRY I WENT

K.G. HUTCHINS
11/1/12

 

(A scenic view of the Crupperneck Bend of the Gauley River.) 

Stewardship

My parents were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when I was four. One of my earliest childhood memories I've retained is of my father participating in my blessing as a child of record, in sacrament meeting. Normally this is done when babies are born, and I've never seen it done since, but I was four. My father learned about this blessing, and wanted to make sure we didn't miss out on this opportunity. He wanted to fully embrace all the blessings the gospel offers. Shortly after their baptism my parents moved to Utah so my father could earn a degree at BYU. I'm sure going from a small congregation in New England to a large congregation in Utah was different, perhaps a little intimidating. But I remember my father standing up in sacrament meeting, and saying, "I've been here for four weeks and every single time the sacrament prayers have been said wrong. Would it be possible to pay a little more attention?" As a four year old I thought nothing of it. As I reflect on these two incidents now I realize that when my parents entered the waters of baptism the level of commitment they made was not shallow. They were willing to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places," as it says in Mosiah 18:9. Their determination to do what was right, at all costs, has blessed our family. They knew what they were suppose to do and they did it. The gospel teaches us and gives us tools to be families. The family is an eternal unit. As parents we have stewardship over our children. How grateful I am for the stewardship of my parents and for the choices my parents made for me. "And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life" (Doctrine and Covenants 51:19).