Happy Birthday Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, and Dad
Today is the birthday of Harold B. Lee, 11th prophet of the Mormon church. Today is the birthday of Spencer W. Kimball, 12th prophet of Mormon church. Today is the birthday of my father.
My dad always reminded us of who he shared his birthday with. Glory glory halleluliah. My father always secretly (or so he thought) wanted to hold a high position in the Mormon church, thus pretty much assuring he never would.
Growing up, we always had a home, food, clothes, and everything we needed. (Except Easter baskets. See prior post.) Dad was a good provider. But I always wonder at what point he gave up on living this life, and just concentrated on the next life. Was it when he realized he would never be as rich as Bill Gates? Was it because he could never lose the weight he wanted? Did he just give up?
I would think that part of the Mormon concept of this life is to live it, to learn, to grow; not just to let the time pass in anticipation of the glories (sushi) awaiting one in the next life.
Dad couldn’t stand his parents, and yet when they died, he made sure he did their temple work for them. He felt fine about that, and reminded me that he would be in a higher kingdom than them, so he could go “down” to visit them if he felt like it, but they couldn’t go “up” to visit him. So he was okay with that. Wow. What a Christian.
Do I have issues? I think so. And even though he sometimes leaves books out on the table conveniently open to the parts about the eternal sins of homosexuality, he calls me if he or my mom need help tightening a screw, or straightening the Christmas tree, or editing his book on the second coming of Jesus Christ.
So happy birthday dad. I really am grateful for all of the good things you have done for me and my siblings through our adventure on this planet. But I still don’t get you at all.
