I was born in Ogden Utah, but my family moved to Salt Lake City when I was only six months old. I grew up in Salt Lake City and President Russell M. Nelson was my Stake President.
I attended Highland High School and graduated from there in 1969. I then attended the University of Utah for two terms and went on a mission to Paris, France from 1970 – 1972.
Upon returning I continued at the University of Utah graduating with a degree in accounting thinking that I would go on to Law school and specialize in tax law. However, the tax classes in my senior year of the accounting major convinced me that I did not want to work in taxes, so I went to MBA school instead and that was a good decision! After graduating with an MBA, I was hired into a management training position with FMC corporation, a Fortune 100 company at one of their divisions which was in Pomona, California. I stayed with them for ten years gaining very valuable business experience and then became President/owner of my own manufacturing company which I continue doing now part time as I assist my three sons in taking over the company.
My wife Joan and I grew up in the same ward. I was the junior companion home teacher to her family before my mission. She was a few years younger and I didn’t take note of her until after my mission when I not only noticed her but married her. Many years later my son John was my companion to home teach the Holdaway family. He didn’t take note of their daughter Laurel, until after his mission when he married her! My son James followed this worthy pattern and married the Douglas’s daughter Becca.
A very pregnant Joan and I arrived in California in June of 1976. Our first child, Lindsey was born five days later. All six of our children were born and raised while we lived in Rancho Cucamonga. We loved our time there. We moved to St. George, Utah in June of 2012 where we remain.
Conversion
I was born in the Church to an inactive father and somewhat active mother. My mother had a testimony of the Church and a powerful testimony of prayer. She taught me to pray and encouraged my activity in the Church. Growing up, I thought my faith in the restored gospel came naturally although my other siblings, two brothers, were active growing up but have not remained active as adults. We all must gain our own testimony, it doesn’t come “naturally”.
When I was about thirteen years old, I walked alone to our Stake Center for an early morning Stake Priesthood meeting. It was a great meeting and I remember feeling the spirit so powerfully that as I walked home my soul was literally filled with a conviction that the Church was true. It was a powerful experience in my young life (guess my brothers should have gone with me). I always knew I would go on a mission and I passed on playing college basketball to do so. Serving a mission is like having an entire life’s experience in two short years. My mission taught me so much. I worked harder than I had ever worked before, had major disappointments and some wonderful success. I learned gospel doctrine more thoroughly, gained priesthood leadership experience and most importantly, learned how to be led by the spirit. Some of the most powerful spiritual experiences of my life came on my mission.
Church Callings
When we moved to Cucamonga in 1976, David Long was the Bishop of the ward. In 1978 I was called to be a counselor in his bishopric. I then served on the high council, Stake Executive Secretary and then again as bishopric counselor to Bishop Ron Veirs. When the Stake was created, I was called to serve as first counselor to President Escher. Nine years later I was called to be Stake President. After nine years as Stake President I served as Gospel Doctrine teacher then four years as a seminary teacher. It would be wonderful if every member could teach seminary. I loved that calling.
As Stake President I was always impressed with the faithfulness of the stake members. Their willingness to serve made my calling a joy. What a wonderful group of people, I would walk across the Plains with them. I am often asked if I miss California and I always respond that I miss the people. I loved my time and experience in the Rancho Cucamonga Stake.
What we are doing now
When Joan and I moved to St. George we bought a large house so that when our children came to visit there would be room for them all. We never thought that any of them would live here.
Since that time, we moved our California manufacturing plant to St. George and now two of my sons, John and James and their families live here. My youngest son, Thomas and his family are living in Lakeland, Florida working at our plant there. He will move back to St. George in a few years and re-join us here.
Lindsey and her family live in Boise, Idaho. Tracy and her family live in Billings, Montana. Wendy and her family live in Seattle, Washington but have just decided to move to St. George!
Our children have blessed us with 23 grandchildren with number 24 arriving in June. The greatest blessing is that they are all active, faithful members of the Church and the grandkids are awesome. I have lived long enough to know from practical experience that living gospel principles brings love, peace and happiness in this life. This combines with and strengthens my spiritual testimony of the gospel. I want my children and grandchildren to be happy, so I want them to continue to be faithful.
For the last 2.5 years we have been fighting Joan’s two cancers. It has taken an enormous toll on her, but she continues to fight and does so without complaint. She amazes me. We have recently been blessed with a remission thanks to great doctors and a powerful priesthood blessing. We are hopeful and confident for the future.
We love being in St. George. The weather is much like Rancho Cucamonga and the opportunities for outdoor recreation are endless. We can hike, bike, ATV ride, boat, water ski and snow ski all within a short distance from our home. The people here are wonderful. We can see three Stake Centers from one spot, all located within a half mile of each other. The new temple is rumored to be located between them, so all within a mile of our home.
Goals
My current goal is to grow to know the Savior more personally through study, prayer and service. For the last several years I was blessed to home teach / minister to a single mother of two teenage boys who was also a paraplegic. Like so many in her situation she had learned to rely on the Savior. Life without Him would have made her life unbearable. I learned so much from her and was grateful for the opportunities to help her. If life had not been hard enough for her, she contracted cancer which took her life a few months ago. She remained strong in the faith and died knowing she had completed her mission faithfully.
Future
Moving one of our manufacturing plants to St. George and having my three sons join me in the company has taken much of my time. It is a joy to work with them and they are all doing a marvelous job. Joan must have taught them how to work hard! I am hoping to finish this transition stage in the next two years and then we want to go on a mission.
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