It takes a village...

My grandpa had his 90th bday.(See the following post) I knew I would have a great opportunity to catch up with some of the people who meant a lot to me while growing up. When I saw them I realized they still meant a lot to me.

The following pics are of Mac Gleave, Pepa Taufui and Gary Astill, and Sid Crandall

Gary was my first scoutmaster. It seemed like he could do everything. His youngest son Mike is a few years older than me, someone I always looked up to. Gary was reasonable, hard working, diligent, and fun as a leader. We reminisced about our trips to So. Utah and the good times we had. He later became the bishop and sent me off to New Zealand. I remember when we knew that there would be a change in leadership and my grandpa said, "Is there really any choice it has to be Gary Astill." As usual he was right. I enjoyed going to scouts each and every week. I enjoyed the camps and we went on. Gary was an essential person in my development, someone who I felt completely comfortable around and who I felt believed in me.

Pepa is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Always happy and kind to everyone. We used to always wonder when he would become bishop. As a youth we determined that if his English would have been better he would have been bishop long before he was. He still has one of the most amazing feats ever. While Ward Mission Leader he visited every single family in the ward and later in the stake. His exuberance for the gospel was catching. On their green truck he put a decal on the back that said "For a free Book of Mormon call#..." His kids hated it, but is showed that he truly believed in what he was doing and that he really wanted to help everyone out.

Mac has always been a colorful character.


Matt Smith and I used to love to hear his stories as we sat out in the hall skipping sunday school. He is as old school as it comes and tougher than nails. When Janalynn and I got married he went through the line and kissed her right on the lips, then stood back, said "You're prettier than I thought." and then proceeded to kiss her again. That is Mac to a tee; a dash for the flamboyant, a little on the edge, but charming as can be, a true maverick.

Then there is Sid Crandall.

Save my Grandpa he is one guy from that ward that I admire more than anyone else. He was always there to help out others. When someone was in need he was there. When my friend Matthew's parents got divorced he was always there to help out. He was in many ways a surrogate dad for the kids. He took them places and made sure everything was taken care of. He is always of good cheer. Whenever Matt or I see him he punches us in the arm and then hits us again telling us to get the other. He is truly a remarkable person, someone I was always happy to see.

Finally my editorializing here. We have become a transient society, everyone is looking for a bigger home, a better neighborhood, yet at what cost? I look back on growing up in the Grant 2nd ward and for the most part everyone stayed put. They were content. The same can be said for the ward Janalynn grew up in. When we go back to functions we see the same people there. In our last ward over 40 families moved out in the seven years we were there. There was little stability. By the time we left I was the only elder in the ward that was still there from when we moved in. I understand the need to move for jobs or even for security or other reasons, but the constant pursuit for something better is I think unfulfilling and most people realize too late what they gave up. Luckily I believe we are in such a neighborhood where there is stability and core families. I just hope everyone doesn't think the grass in greener, cause from personal experience it rarely is, and even so comes with a cost. I think all of us could be a little more satisfied with what we have and quit trying to keep up; it sure would make our lives easier and more fulfilling. If we are not satisfied then we should actually meet our neighbors and get to know them it seems to be a novel concept in our day and age.