A FIRESIDE WTH THE COACH

Last Sunday evening there was a youth fireside with Andy and Tammy Reid.  Andy Reid, coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, is a celebrity here and a great ambassador for the Church.Tammy spoke first and explained how they first met at BYU.  She told the youth that she told Andy, she was going to be married in the temple, and if he wanted to have a serious relationship, that he would have to join the Church and become worthy to take her there.  She spoke about the tragic loss of their son to a drug overdose, and of all the good that came afterward as they explained their beliefs in life after death to non-member friends.

Coach Reid spoke primarily about his relationship with his players, not so much the football side but the personal side.  He mentioned the four sayings he has posted on the locker room: Eliminate Distractions; Create Energy; Fear Nothing; and Attack Everything.  He noted three other sayings he drills into his players: Work to Win; Be United; and One More Rep.  Coach Reid spoke about how these sayings are important not just on the football field but in everyday life.

The next day we saw two of our young sister missionaries at the office.  They told us of a young man they were teaching who attended the fireside with them.  While before he was only marginally interested in their message, after hearing the Reids speak he had a number of questions, including, “Tell me about this temple thing that was so important to Tami Reid.”  

Every other Monday evening, the senior missionaries gather for a pot-luck dinner and activity.The time before last, I (Russell) made it through dinner and five minutes into the activity before getting called out of the meeting by missionaries who had been in an accident.  On Monday I didn’t make it all the way through dinner before I got a similar call.  This time our elders got T-boned crossing a rural highway.  Their truck was struck hard enough it knocked the truck onto its side.  What amazes me is that the missionaries continue to walk away unhurt from serious accidents.  It is clear to me that there is some divine intervention going on.  As the one who has to clean up the mess afterwards, I find myself wishing that the divine intervention could have happened before the accident.  But then, I guess, that would take away our agency to make mistakes.

While my phone is quiet between 10 pm and 7 am, Eileen’s phone is not.  This week we got an unplanned wake-up call about 3 am.  An elder seemed to have food poisoning and was vomiting frequently enough that flecks of blood had started showing in the emesis.  After talking for a while and suggesting a few things to take, Eileen suggested that they talk again in the morning.Unfortunately, things were still not good four hours later.  Since Eileen had a commitment to go with another elder to see a doctor about a broken bone in his hand, Eileen had me go see the elder with the food poisoning, take his vital signs and then call her.  Who would ever have guessed that I would be making medical house calls on my own?

Andy and Tammy Reid gave the youth a beautiful fireside.  We watched it via zoom.  It was very inspiring. As he talked about his motto of "one more rep", he talked about one of his players on his team coming off the field during the Super Bowl and saying I can't do any more Coach.  Brother Reid repeated the one more rep motto. The player went back in and ended up winning the game. 

Our last day with the office staff with Elder and Sister Perry.  We love them and will miss them.

 The truck on its side and being towed. Imagine if the car had hit the passenger door?

The Elder who was in the passenger side of the truck when it got broadsided. There were holes burnt into his shirt from the accident. Fortunately no serious injures occurred. 

Several days this week we have had tornado watches with some crazy lightening storms.  Saturday night it was raining so hard that the streets in Independence were flooding.   On the news on Friday they said the storm chasers with their big indestructible vehicles were in KC ready to film. I guess that is never a good sign if someone is ready to film the tornado. 

The tower at the WWI museum in Kansas City. Sister Creer and Eileen at the top of the tower.

James Flagg was commissioned to paint a poster for recruiting for WWI.  Since his model didn't show up for the painting he used himself as the man in the portrait. 

Russell and Eileen inside the WW1 museum. 

This was a gas mask used during WW1 on display at the museum.

Kit for medics to use.  The saw was to cut into the cranium if needed.

Sister Martinsen and Sister Collete with Corynn Stepeson at her baptism Saturday. Corynn has shared her testimony at fast and testimony meeting even before she was baptized.