Glen R. Nielsen

"Dad, your guiding hand will remain with me forever"

This is my dad Glen Richard Nielsen

My dad was born in 1920 and lived in Logan Utah.  He grew up in a poor Danish family but he often told me he never knew they were poor.   Dad would tell me stories of when he grew up.  They were the best to listen too.  And it was always a plus when dad would get laughing as well and tears would roll down his face.  They were stories about the Macey Boys, Ro and Wooly.  Almey Peterson, Charlie Gunder, Glen Shiftman and old man Shiftman.  Declaring war on little Berlin.  His goat that couldn't be contained and walked along the fence top.  Big hats and dark coats just to name a few.   He would often say he had a wonderful childhood.  

Dad grew up a typical boy and eventually met and married my mom.  He was drafted into the war and I remember him saying, if I'm going to go then I want to be on the front lines.   And so he was.  He was a proud Marine.  4th Marine Division to be exact. 

 

Dad was fiercely patriotic!   He taught me to love this country with all my heart.  He never talked much about the war.  We always knew there were painful memories attached so we only heard a few of his stories.  One that was burned in my mind  was when he landed on one of the islands in the Pacific (Marshall Islands- Tinian, Saipan, Iwo Jima) when they got word that the Japanese were hot on their trail and would be arriving in moments.  They were instructed to dig a hole as fast and as deep as they could and hunker down and wait for the fight.  As he told me this story tears rolled down his eyes as he said I prayed let me see my sweet wife again and my son.  We have a written record of his time in the war.  As well as his own words telling those same stories.  To this day it is hard for me to sing our National Anthem and God Bless America.  Because of the lessons I learned from him.

 This is my dad and I dancing at the Gold n Green Ball my senior year of High School. 

 My dad was a master builder.  He built multi-million dollar homes.  He had a following of loyal customers.  They would build and sell and then build and sell again.  My dad was as honest as the day was long.   Below are some of the houses he worked on.  Ray Rossi built this first house on the top of a hill in Palo Alto and then built houses below his.

The house was built around this window

Jim Cranes House.  Dad worked on this one for years.  It was actually burned down by an arsonist but they rebuilt it again. 

Inside Crane's house. 

He was one of 3 Stone Mason for the Oakland Temple.  He has some amazing stories about his experiences building a House of God.  Much of which included great revelations given to him.

The clamp dad made to carry the sculptured panels

 I know there are things I do and understand that come from my father's genes.  I am pretty much mechanically inclined as well.  We could both take things apart and put them back together with ease. 

My dad in his work shop. 

 My dad loved nature and he and Ellis Crosby purchased 2 horses which multiplied into 4.  He would take us riding.  I loved going with him into the Sierra Mountains.  He would sit on hug rocks for hours supposedly hunting.   He loved to fish and camp.  I do too but I do prefer a bed to the ground now a days.

 
 So you see I know I am a lucky daughter.  I grew up with a wonderful father and mother.  I shall always remember when I broke up with my first boyfriend.  I came in crying and my dad said to me, come and sit on my lap.  Here I was teenager crying in my father's arms but it made all the difference in the world.  I was taught and learned at the knee of a gentle man.  Someone who loved his country and his God. Dad would say to me, "Annette I don't know how or when but I do know it will all be okay." How blessed I am and oh how I miss this dear sweet man.

When do you know you have an addiction?

So Kristen sent me a link to look at something on her Pinterest.  I asked just what this place was.  After she explained it to me I wanted to have a Pinterest page too.  Oh my it is not right to sit in a chair for so long and look at blogs, articles and other stuff for hours.  I think I am addicted to Pinterest.  I get information that someone has    repined something of mine and I go and check their Pinterest to find more cute and use stuff.  The first thing I do pin something on my page.  Then I start to read or go to other places and that leads me to 2 more places and before I know it my tabs on the computer are lined up like airplanes landing in Atlanta Airport.  I have had as many as 15+ open at one time.  I have to get myself under control.  BUT I love that when I find something I like I can pin it on my page and then find it again in a snap.  If you would like to peek at my page here you go http://pinterest.com/aladle/

I have so much to do and I'm not sure when I am ever going to get the time.  I know I would have more time if I quite pining stuff but it is so darn amazing what people have come up with in the world.  There are some very creative people out there and I love finding them and using their ideas.   I have a project right now that Mike is helping me with that will organize my massive ribbon collection.  I'm using rain gutters!  Ya you can see them on my wall under organization.  Mike added his genius idea to the gutters and he is going to mount them on wood and use some over the door hangers. We will hang it on a closet door in my sewing room and I can then shut the door when I don't need them.  So this is all good right?

What Faith Can Do!

Walking on Water

So I have had some things weighing on my mind lately.  Nothing earth shattering but still weighing on my mind.  I love to listen to S. Michael Wilcox as he teaching about gospel stuff.  I learn how he teaches and I feel like a sponge soaking up the knowledge as fast as he can spit it out.  The only problem is ...  remembering it!

Anyhow, I love the Bible story of Peter walking on the water.  It talks to me when I think about it or read it.  I know Jesus and Heavenly Father want us to come to them when they beckon us?  Brother Wilcox has a tape called Walking on Water.  When we are asked by our Heavenly Father to do things it sometimes seems like he is asking us to do things that are too hard to do, He might as well ask me to walk on water.  But as Brother Wilcox points out that if we are asked to do any of those difficult tasks He must know we can do them.  Heavenly Father wouldn't ask me to do this if He didn't think I could.  So many times we hear we will not be given more then we are able to bear and yet we forget just like Peter that Christ is standing next to us supporting us upon our journey.  We can do anything when he is with us.  Just like catching Peter he catches us.  We just need to keep trying.  We didn't come here to fail.

I am convinced that Heavenly Father sees a different me.  He sees me as to who I really am and who I have the capability of becoming.   I know I don't see myself in that same light and yet it would help for me to see myself as Heavenly Father sees me.

Brother Wilcox also touches on how we sometimes wish we could change circumstances in our lives or in the lives of those we love.  He enlightens that to walking on the wrong sea.  "We are treading where we have not been asked to go.  We want to do the impossible as it relates to other people.  To create testimony,  to give life, to restore health, to take away somebody's pain.  To fix a marriage or create one for someone, give children to a childless home.  This usually result in what we want for our children.  Because we so badly want to bring blessings to other people's lives and we can't always do that.  He says.. when those moments come he has to remind himself of the 'silver and gold have I none"...  Acts 3.  "When we desire to give to others what they so desperately need and I can't, doesn't mean I don't have something to give...  such as I have...  give I unto thee.  I can only give what I have.  I don't have power to change lives.  Occasional we demand of life what it really can not give." 

Oh how I understand that.  It is probably the hardest thing about being a parent.  To watch as our children journey through life and navigate their way through things.  I have often wished I was the one who was in that circumstance.  But it is not for me to do and I have to remind myself as Brother Wilcox talked about that I give and do what I can and then I have to stand back and let my children walk.  That is what they are here to do as well.  Everyone on this earth is learning to walk on water as well.  Heeding the Saviors call to come unto Him.  But I have a sure knowledge that he will catch them just like he catches me when I fall short.  And that is comfort to my soul.