Halloween 2024

This year's Halloween season came and went for us in a blink of an eye. JB has been working hard not only at her job but everything else she does lately, and I've been recovering from a lingering infection. My wife isn't a huge fan of Halloween festivities. However, when I can convince her to dress up or go to any kind of Halloween event with me, I consider it a huge win.

On Halloween night this year, we placed camp chairs on our driveway and passed out candy to the many neighbors and friends who stopped by. Among them were Summer and her kids (four of our niblings).

Four-year-old Sadie was dressed up as Spider-Man (Girl?), while two-year-old Sam wore a Dalmatian costume:

We might be a bit biased, but they were the four cutest Trick-or-Treaters we saw all night.

Mad props also go out to the three girls we saw, one of whom was dressed up like Lightning McQueen from Cars, while the other two were traffic cones. Easily the most creative costumes we saw.

Our Day Out with Christian 2024

Last week, we took our 11-year-old nephew Christian out to Nickelmania in West Jordan for his annual birthday outing with Fun Aunt and Uncle. He's definitely better at most of those games than I am. He was good at pretty much everything he played, no joke.

Here is after playing the newfangled version of Space Invaders with JB:

After trading in our tickets, Christian went home with a few goodies:

We also stopped for a treat at Swig before heading home. No big deal, just another fun afternoon with a great kid.

Dallin's & Eliza's Wedding

Our year of four weddings and two funerals concluded Saturday as our nephew Dallin was sealed to his lovely bride, Eliza, at the beautiful new Saratoga Springs temple. As far as August weather goes, it was actually milder than most, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky.

Following the sealing and a hillion jillion pictures, we congregated at Fox Hollow Golf Clubhouse in American Fork for the ensuing wedding dinner, which featured baked chicken, rolls, and salad. Four-year-old Sadie sat at our table, showing off her new cast here:

Throughout the day, we were surrounded by family, new family (the Corbins), and friends. 

The reception was also at the golf club. JB worked very hard to prepare the wedding cake:

Goodies provided included popcorn and a candy bar ((Sour Patch Kids, M&Ms, caramels, gummi bears, etc.) for snacks. There was dancing. There was almost a limbo contest until I realized that that particular decoration is called a wedding arch instead of a limbo bar (I shoulda got a picture of it).

Smiles abounded all day long, because it was a joyous day, indeed. We are grateful that Dallin found Eliza and that she is now part of our family.

Improvables: Goodbye, Willis

Our resident musician Willis, a big part of the heart and soul of the Improvables since nearly the very beginning, is moving on to new opportunities on the other side of the country (Boston). At Friday night's performance, we had one last hurrah with him in the form of a farewell show.

Naturally, music was and has been a large part of every show we've done with him over the past 15+ years. This show featured favorites "Musical Fairy Tale," "Oscar-Winning Moment," "Predictive Text Song," and "Sing It!" Willis accompanied each singer on piano, guitar, and melodica.

Chance, Keenan, Parker, Richard, Scott, Tanner, and yours truly as MC rounded out the cast across games of "Late for Work," "Back in My Day," "Lie Detector," "Nine out of Ten," and "Director."

The troupe directors created this keepsake a token of our appreciation for the countless hours and performances Willis has given us over the years.

We wrapped up the show with a final "Greatest Hits of Willis," in which Willis himself was the interviewee and focus of our songs. Randy Newman showed up by popular demand (composer of the "Monk" theme song and songs from the Toy Story films, among many other works, whom I have portrayed frequently over time).

As always with improv, you had to be there. Fortunately, I got to be there on stage with Willis (and these other guys) countless times over the years, each performance a memory I will treasure. We can't really replace someone like Willis, because his skillset is unique. We will continue to have music, however.

How the Gospel Protects Me

Today at church in our new ward, JB and I were asked to speak in sacrament meeting. What follows below is the text of my talk.

My topic today is: “How living the gospel of Jesus Christ protects my family.”

I think many of the most powerful sermons are taught in the Primary songs. I love the messages they convey. They are simple, direct, and powerful.

In the Primary song (and in Hymn no. 303), we sing:

“Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!

In this there is safety; in this there is peace.

He will send blessings; He will send blessings.

Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace.”

There is protection in keeping the commandments. When we keep the commandments, our Heavenly Father sends the blessings we can claim by no other means than by choosing to obey Him. It teaches us to be truly happy, because “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10). The adversary would have us choose poorly and even become addicted to things that would take away our free agency and will make us miserable.

When we make mistakes and break a commandment, however, there is protection in repentance through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When we come to our Heavenly Father in humility and prayer, how long does it take for the Atonement to take effect in our lives? Alma answers this question in Alma 34:

“Now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you” (Alma 34:31; emphasis added).

The Atonement will begin to work in our lives just as soon as we ask for it! Immediately the Savior’s healing process begins.

In another Primary song, we sing: “The wise man built his house upon the rock” (Children’s Songbook, no. 281).

In Helaman chapter 5, Helaman teaches us about this rock:

“Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

Christ will help us to weather the storms of this life. Sometimes, the storm can be quite literally an actual storm. When I was 13 years old, I lived with my family on the island of Puerto Rico. When I first learned that Hurricane Hugo was headed our way, I was terrified. I’d never been through anything like this before. But we were prepared. The prophets had long taught (and are still teaching) us to prepare for calamities with food storage, including also a first aid kit, clean water, clothing, batteries, etc. As the storm approached, the store shelves became emptied and bare as others panicked and rushed to buy what they would need to get them through the next days and weeks. But we never had to worry about that. All around us there was destruction, but we were OK. Our community and our island rebuilt. Home teachers ensured we were doing well and had everything we needed.

In yet another Primary song, we sing: “Mine is a home where every hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r” (Children’s Songbook, no. 190). The priesthood can bless not only our homes but every aspect of our lives. Through priesthood ordinances, we make covenants with our Heavenly Father that will protect us as we journey through life.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught:

“By making and keeping temple covenants, we learn more about the Lord’s purposes and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost. We receive direction for our lives. We mature in our discipleship so that we do not remain perpetual, unknowing children. Rather, we live with an eternal perspective and are more motivated to serve God and others. We receive increased capacity to fulfill our purposes in mortality. We are protected from evil, and we gain greater power to resist temptation and to repent when we stumble. When we falter, the memory of our covenants with God helps us return to the path. … Ultimately, our destinies are changed because the covenant path leads to exaltation and eternal life.

“Keeping covenants made in baptismal fonts and in temples also provides us with strength to withstand mortality’s trials and heartaches” (“Accessing God’s Power through Covenants,” April 2023 general conference).

The gift of the Holy Ghost is indeed one of our Father in Heaven’s greatest blessings and a source of protection. He warns us of danger and reminds us of what is good and true. The Comforter has accompanied me when I have experienced the loss of loved ones, including most recently my dear mother, who passed away this past November. In the days and weeks that followed her death, I became reacquainted with the Comforter in ways I never expected. I love her and will always miss her, but I am at peace because of His comfort. I testify that He is real.

The gospel of Jesus Christ protects us in so many other ways, both temporally as well as spiritually. The Word of Wisdom, for example, protects us from many avoidable illnesses, including freedom from addiction to harmful substances. The law of chastity helps us to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering and things that would poison our minds and spirits. Tithing and fast offerings help us learn to be less selfish while also bringing with them specific blessings of a financial nature. In my previous calling in our last ward, I had the privilege to see up close on a weekly basis how our bishop used fast offering funds to help people in our ward in numerous ways. It never ceased to amaze me what good could be done.

I love how devoted the Church is to helping us succeed in every aspect of our lives. From self-reliance, job training, and money management classes to LDS Social Services, including mental health and addiction recovery counseling, to its welfare and humanitarian projects, the Church helps us to make of ourselves the best disciples we can be.

One final thought before I close:  Though the gospel protects us from many things, we may not always be “protected,” at least not in the way we might think, from the difficult, gut-wrenching trials of life. The gospel can help us to protect ourselves against unwanted consequences, yet adversity comes to us all.

For example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were protected from burning to death in the fiery furnace, while Abinadi was not. John Taylor was shot and survived assassins’ bullets, while Joseph and Hyrum Smith did not. The 2,060 stripling warriors were saved from death in battle, while other righteous warriors weren’t. Some are healed from devastating illness, and some are not. Some struggle with money problems and job loss, and others don’t. Some missionaries serve with no significant health problems, yet others must return home early and even some contract illnesses, injuries, or challenges that remain with them for the rest of their mortal lives. And so forth.

In my experience, it is not good to dwell on the why or the how of these kinds of things. It doesn’t do any good to speculate when Heavenly Father has not provided a reason. “(We) cannot behold with (our) natural eyes, for the present time, the design of (our) God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that (we) shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand” (D&C 58:3-4).

What we can do, however, is to decide how we will respond to life’s difficulties and what we will make of the talents that have been given to us. (See Matthew 25:14-30.)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: “The great challenge is to refuse to let the bad things that happen to us do bad things to us. That is the crucial difference between adversity and tragedy” (“But for a Small Moment,” address delivered at Brigham Young University, September 1, 1974). Our free agency is the only gift we really have that is ours to offer our Savior, and His greatest and everlasting blessings are reserved for those who do so.

Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy spoke on this point in the April 2004 general conference, in one of the best general conference talks I’ve ever heard. I may be a bit biased, as I was sitting in the choir seats behind Elder Simmons for this talk. (Elder Maxwell also spoke in that session; it was his last conference talk before he passed away.)

He said: “When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow down and worship a golden image set up by the king, a furious Nebuchadnezzar told them that if they would not worship as commanded, they would immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ‘And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?’

“The three young men quickly and confidently responded, ‘If it be so [if you cast us into the furnace], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand.’ … But then they demonstrated that they fully understood what faith is. They continued, ‘But if not, … we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ That is a statement of true faith. …

“Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not. … He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.

“Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has” (“But If Not …,” April 2004 general conference).

I testify that our Heavenly Father loves us, so much so that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to take our pains, sicknesses, and sins upon Him so that we may return to Them, safe and sound. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Luke's Farewell

Our not-so-little-anymore nephew Luke is all grown up now, somehow, something that occurred at some point, right before our eyes. And he's leaving on a mission. On Sunday, he delivered his farewell address at his ward's sacrament meeting in Woods Cross. JB and I were there, along with several family members on both sides of Elder Plowman's family.

By Sunday, Luke had actually already been set apart and serving his mission for a week, doing the MTC from home. This week, he heads to the actual MTC in Provo before moving on to the field in Michigan—right near where Mike and I were born, actually. We're confident he will have many wonderful experiences (and will grow up some more) in the years to come.

Weekend at Bear Lake 2024

Last weekend featured the annual family trip up to beautiful Bear Lake, along the Utah/Idaho border. It was good to get away for a few days and to enjoy some 15-to-20-degree cooler temperatures to escape another long, hot summer, to boot.

A house filled with 26 of us running around was sometimes-chaotic, but it was  never boring. We had the Summer Olympic Games from Paris keeping us glued to the TV much of the time. There were card and board games frequently taking place. Some of us also spent some time at the beach ... go figure. (When in Garden City. ...)

Like last year's trip, "Jack Box" games kept us entertained on more than one night. (I'm not sure who drew the cartoon of Donald Trump on this T-shirt during "Tee K-O," but it amazed us all.)

Vacation time always means more time with the nieces and nephews, and Fun Aunt and Uncle were there for it. The nieces especially love JB.

I need to brag a bit more here about JB, because she captured this phenomenal sunset on one of our nights up at the lake:

My siblings and I took turns providing the meals for everyone. JB and I (let's be honest, she does most of the work, like always; my job is standing in front of whichever cabinet or drawer she currently needs access to) provided the ingredients for tacos and taco salads. We also had pizza, sandwiches, pasta, and assorted breakfast items.

This was our first annual trip without Mom. We felt her absence. But we also know she was with us in spirit and would've wanted the family fun times to continue.

Olivia's & Caleb's Wedding

Last week, our niece Olivia was sealed to her husband, Caleb, in the beautiful Taylorsville temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of course, you know that Fun Aunt and Uncle were there for the occasion and for the festivities that followed.

It was a beautiful ceremony on a beautiful summer day in a beautiful place. Both bride and groom looked so happy all day long.

The reception was held later that evening at the Bountiful Central Stake pavilion, adjacent to Bountiful High School. We were greeted by a railing lined with photos and other memorabilia charting the happy couple's relationship over the years.

There was also this quilt, which attendees were invited to write an entry on. JB, whom I'll admit has much better handwriting, wrote something for the both of us. Presumably, this quilt would then be made into an actual quilt and given to the newlyweds.

There was also an ice cream bar—the perfect recipe for one of the many hot Utah summer days we've been passing through.

All told, it was a wonderful day spent with a wonderful couple and many of our family members and friends.

Plowman Family Dinner/June 2024

One of the many benefits to moving to our new home in North Salt Lake is that we can now (gasp!) host family dinners, as we now have the room for our ever-growing Plowman clan. (Dallin's and Eliza's wedding is coming up in August, by the way.) Leaving our old HOA behind means we have actual parking space close by outside, too. And it doesn't hurt that there is a city park next door, which is always a big draw for the littles in the group.

Sloppy Joes were on the menu, along with chips, fruit, veggies, pasta salad, and other goodies. The kids participated in "Pass the Parcel" and had a blast, as always. Everyone is a winner!

We also celebrated our June birthdays, including Adi's and McKenna's 21st.

Our Day Out with Graham 2024

Last week, we took our eight-year-old nephew Graham out on his annual birthday outing with his favorite Fun Aunt and Uncle. He chose to go to Boondocks in Kaysville, where we he went crazy (crazy good, that is) at the video/token games there.

Graham had no business being as good at these games as you'd expect an eight-year-old to be, and yet he was time and again. We were kinda blown away by how well he did.

He also won another bouncy ball from The Claw:

On the way home, we stopped by Swig for treats. Fortunately, we had our Swig pretzel bites cards (also coincidentally sold to us by Graham and his brother) to help out with getting the goodies.

Home, Sweet Home

Through a whirlwind series of circumstances that took us somewhat by surprise, we were offered an opportunity to buy Mom's and Dad's old home in North Salt Lake. And, after much thought and prayer, we jumped at the chance.

With mixed emotions, we bid farewell to our first home as a married couple in Bountiful, as well as our beloved Stone Creek Ward and numerous friends and neighbors who made our first 6+ years together such a wonderful experience.

Now, on to Foxboro and North Salt Lake, a new neighborhood and ward with a few familiar faces, and a blank canvas to be written on as we move into year 7 and beyond.

If it turns out that this house is haunted by its former occupants, then we will be in great company. More to come.

William Clark

Our newest nephew (and nibling #24!), William Clark, was born on April 4 to Nicole and Spencer. Only a couple of months old now, the kid already has a full head of hair—much more than some of his uncles. Including me.

On Sunday, JB and I ventured out to Grantsville for little William's baby blessing in his LDS ward. His father, Spencer, performed the blessing.

After sacrament meeting, we adjourned to JB's parents' home along with family on both sides and close friends. We were treated to a lovely brunch consisting of Texas French toast, orange rolls, eggs, fresh fruit, and other edible foods (a family inside joke; don't ask me to explain).

Memorial Day Weekend 2024

It was a bittersweet Saturday morning over Memorial Day weekend as we trekked up to Smithfield to visit Mom's and Dad's grave in the Smithfield City Cemetery. The heavens wept (i.e., it rained) as we saw her death date inscribed for the first time on their shared headstone.

Nearly all of the family made it there for the occasion. Naturally, we also stopped at Gossner's in Logan to pick up some cheese curd and other dairy products.

JB and I made a detour of our own to Big J—the malt shop featured in Napoleon Dynamite—in Richmond for lunch. We also visited the nearby Casper's factory seconds store to get some ice cream sandwiches at a really good price. (We highly recommend this.)

Later that Saturday, we received the wonderful news of an engagement: Dallin and his now-fiancee, Eliza. We are very big fans of hers (have already been big fans of Dallin for decades now) are excited to welcome Eliza into the family.

On Sunday, we gathered for Plowman family monthly dinner at Dave's and Jessica's home in Woods Cross. We enjoyed a BBQ of hamburgers and hot dogs, along with chips, veggies, and other goodies.

JB presented our four-year-old niece Sadie with a belated birthday present (her birthday having been in April). It was this cape, which JB hand-made especially for Sadie:

She loved it, of course. This was another reminder that JB is amazing and can pretty much do anything she sets her mind to do.

Luke's Mission Call

We are excited for our 18-year-old soon-to-be-high school-graduate nephew Luke, who opened his LDS mission call on Tuesday, May 7. He has been assigned to serve in the Michigan Detroit Mission, speaking English.

This area of the country has direct connection to our family. Dad lived near Detroit, in the city of Ypsilanti, and worked for Ford Motor Company when he was still a single man. At this time, as he would often remind us, he had season tickets to the Detroit Lions football games and when the Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1968. Dad was living in Michigan when he began dating and married Mom.

Mom and Dad continued to live in the area as newlyweds when Mike and I were born. They served a stake mission together, during which they taught and helped baptize people who remained their dear friends for the rest of their earthly lives. Mom finished her college degree at the University of Eastern Michigan. Dad also ended up serving for a period of time as president of the University of Michigan student branch in Ann Arbor.

After the great news about Luke's mission assignment, we're rather certain there was an angel celebrating to the tune of the U. of Michigan fight song.

Graham's Baptism

Our eight-year-old nephew Graham was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday in Centerville. His dad (my brother Ben) performed the baptismal ordinance, as well as the subsequent confirmation (bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost).

Graham asked various family members, including his young cousins, to take part in the service. Nine-year-old cousin Katy gave a talk on baptism; 10-year-old brother, Christian, spoke on the gift of the Holy Ghost; and eight-year-old cousin Danny offered the closing prayer. Graham also sang a Primary song along with his parents and Christian. Jessica played the piano for the Primary songs we sang as a congregation. Everyone did a great job!

We (Fun Aunt and Uncle) just showed up ... which was all we really needed to do.

Afterward, most of those who attended, including our Sanders cousins, gathered for breakfast (brunch?) at Black Bear Diner, one of our favorite local hotspots.

Jenna's & Max's Wedding

Our niece Jenna was sealed to Max on Saturday, April 13, in the Draper temple. It was a beautiful spring day with beautiful weather, and the popcorn was definitely popping on the trees.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a family friend of the Woodburys (he was Jenna's grandparents' mission president in San Diego), performed the sealing. He gave some very wise words of counsel along with the ordinance. But he was also not the only General Authority in the room. Kristin Yee, second counselor in the general Relief Society presidency, was also there. (She had previously served as one of Jenna's Young Women leaders.)

So, we basically had all of the famous people there. We also had this whole group of folks:

The sealing was only the beginning of our long day! We then congregated in the cultural hall at Dave's and Jessica's meetinghouse in Woods Cross for a wedding luncheon. We were served a delicious meal, catered by Cafe Zupas.

The day was capped off with a wedding reception at the lovely Eldredge Manor in West Bountiful, where Biz and Jeff's reception was held nearly 16 years ago! Way back then, Jenna was a five-year-old bridesmaid (seen here on the right, with five-year-old Kenna and nine-year-old Madison):

The refreshments at Eldredge consisted of a wonderful waffle and crepe bar. (We were basically spoiled all day long.)

JB worked very hard on the baking the wedding cake, which turned out like this:

Of course, a family wedding wouldn't be complete without our getting to take a picture along with the bride and groom:

The evening concluded with a lot of dancing, after which the bride and groom hustled off on a plane ride to Hawaii.

We are happy for Jenna and are also grateful to have Max as a new member of the family. The future is bright for these two.