One of My Best Decisions

I wrote the following essay a few weeks ago -- as a personal response to all the media attention about Mormonism & Mitt Romney's presidential campaign:

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I was a sophomore engineering student at Stanford University in 1975 when I made a decision that I consider to be one of the best of my entire life. I changed religions. I left my multi-generational family faith of Catholicism and became a Mormon. This was a very difficult time for my parents, grand-parents and siblings. It was a very lonely time for me. But as a young man who was seeking “the truth”, it was the right thing for me to do.

This was not a rash decision. It was predicated by two years of study, prayer and contemplation.

Following my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I married a Mormon woman. Together we have raised a family of four children – whom we love dearly. My three sons have all served two year volunteer missions for our church – in Thailand, India and Chile respectively. All four children are now married. And their weddings took place Mormon temples, the most sacred of all buildings for our faith. We believe that marriages can last eternally, depending on the choices and behaviors of the married couple. And temples are where such marriages are solemnized.

For years my family and I have prayed together, read scriptures together and attended church together. Throughout my career I tried to be home for dinner with my wife and children as often as possible. In addition to a very demanding career, I always volunteered to help with my local church congregation – either as a teacher, a youth leader or in a general leadership role.

My religion has become my way of life – not just an occasional Sunday activity. It influences daily decisions. It impacts my attitudes, thoughts and choices. It drives my actions and reactions. And all for the better. For the past 32 years I have become ever more aware of a refining process taking place within me. I have become more aware of my faults, my pride and my self-deception. And I’m more willing to let go and allow God to help me become someone better. I am more patient, more forgiving, less judgmental and less critical. I consciously strive to live an honest life, seeking for complete integrity while becoming more aware of the needs of those around me.

This Mormon “way of life” is defined as peculiar, strange, mysterious and even cultish by some. While major religions will always face disagreements on theological issues, is not the ultimate measure found in the product of its people?

By and large Mormons are dedicated to living productive lives that strengthen their families, schools, communities and countries. They honor the laws where they live. They join PTA and coach soccer teams. They volunteer to help out with non-profit organizations and they run for local political offices – all with the goal of helping to create and sustain strong communities.

My career might be a surprise to many who are suspect of Mormons and their ability or willingness to integrate into the fabric of American society. I have an engineering degree and an MBA, both from Stanford University. I’ve worked directly for Steve Jobs at Apple Computer and Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer at Microsoft. I retired in 2000 and co-founded Unitus, an award winning international non-profit that accelerates the work of microcredit lending to millions of poor women around the world. I have dined with Bono, delivered a Mac Computer to Mick Jagger, and sat in tiny shacks in the slums of Calcutta. I play golf, fly-fish, raise cattle, use an iPhone and have a blog. I have hundreds of friends and acquaintances – LDS and non-LDS -- around the country and around the world.

My desire is to live a purposeful and purpose filled life. My religion provides the catalytic fuel to do this.

Not too far from where I now live is Independence Hall in Philadelphia. This is the famous structure where the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and United States Constitution were all signed. In a letter to his parents, a young Benjamin Franklin said, “I think vital religion has always suffered when orthodoxy is more regarded than virtue. And the Scripture assures me that at the last day we shall not be examined by what we thought, but what we did ... that we did good to our fellow creatures.” Franklin practiced what he preached. And on July 4, 1788 the 82 year old Franklin was too sick to leave his bed, but the Independence Day parade marched by his house, a few blocks from Independence Hall. For the first time, as per arrangements that Franklin had overseen, "the clergy of different Christian denominations, with the rabbi of the Jews, walked arm in arm." And when he was carried to his grave two years later, his casket was accompanied by all the clergymen of the city, every one of them, of every faith.

This is the America I want to live in. This is the America I want to die in. In 2008, whether it’s Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee or Hillary Clinton – let’s evaluate each on their own merits as the best possible leader for this great democracy. And let’s stop demonizing individuals simply because their particular path to heaven is not on our map.

December Zone Meetings - Lots of Fun!

Last week we held four separate all-day Zone Meetings: Philadelphia North and South Zones; Chestnut and Valley Forge Zones; Wilmington Zone; and Reading Zone. The days began with two hours of training, followed by a Christmas program of music, talks, and activities. Then we had a delicious luncheon capped by Joyce's famous homemade apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. We then spent two hours playing various games in the church gyms and concluded with a gift for all: a custom made Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission (PPM) T-shirt. In between all these activities, I had a personal interview with each missionary to check up on their overall well being and happiness.



There are 13 sets of photos! Sorry, but there is no way currently to print or save these photos from this blog application. If someone knows how to do this, please let me know.

Obligatory Scrabble Photo

To our large and growing, but ever so silent, group of Scrabble fans, here is our obligatory posting of our most recent game. This was a fun one because I scored over 300 points. We keep track of such things. Since 2001 Joyce and I have had only seven games, out of hundreds, where one of us scored over 300 points. To some of our fans this is no big deal. But our tastes are simple, as is our vocabulary -- hence a fleeting moment of transparent elation and bliss.



PS -- What's your favorite Scrabble word?

Christmas Comes Early!

This coming week we'll be meeting with all of our missionaries at "Zone Training Meetings". We'll have 6 of these meetings, Tuesday - Friday. With Christmas just around the corner, we're spicing things up a bit for these meetings with a special homemade dinner of Honeybaked ham / baked potatoes / salad / rolls / and Joyce's famous apple crisp. We'll also play some fun games and deliver gifts (sent by families) to our missionaries. And we have a special gift (a custom designed PPM T-shirt) for each of our missionaries. Joyce and I are already preparing for this four day food and fun fest...boxes of apples and potatoes, tubs of butter and sour cream, etc! Just your normal dinner planning for 140!

Tom Gets Baptized

Tom (not his real name) grew up in a row house in a lower-middle class section of Philadelphia. His father died and his mother moved away so he ended up with the house. He got trained as a plumber and general fix-it man. His white neighborhood started to change - it was sliding downhill economically. Puerto Ricans were moving in. Tom and his friends didn't like this change, so they created a gang bent on terrorizing and physically hurting the Puerto Ricans. During this phase of his life Tom was a heavy cocaine user and covered his body with violent and evil tattoos. His marriage ended in divorce and he turned from drugs to alcohol. He spent time in prison because of his gang violence. He was a bad, messed-up, angry man.

One morning, a couple months ago Tom staggered from his upstairs bedroom down to the main floor. He was very hung over from a night of heavy alcohol consumption. He looked out the window and saw two young men in dark suits across the street. He didn't know who they were or what they were doing, but for some reason he watched them. He noticed that they were crossing the street towards his section of row houses. He opened his door, went outside and said, "I don't know who you are, but I want to talk to you." Where does this urge come from? It comes from the internal light of Christ that is within each of us. We yearn for something better, even (and sometimes especially) when we are hungover from the trials of life.

Our two missionaries began to meet with Tom. He was very receptive. He stopped drinking. He then stopped swearing, substituting "fudge" and "chocolate" for his prior vulgarities. Recently he stopped smoking -- a daily habit since age 14. He began reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible. He turned his life to Christ, letting go of bad habits, bad thinking and bad choices. He began saying personal prayers. He repented of past sins and misdeeds and apologized to many that he had hurt. Tom had embarked on a remarkable transformation. His countenance had literally changed. He became a "new creature".

At age 35, Tom's vision, once clouded by deception and hatred, is now crystal clear and optimistic.

Yesterday Tom was baptized. He witnessed to God and all who were there that he is a changed man and that he desires to be a follower of Christ for the rest of his life. We congratulate this wonderful man for his courage to listen to that inner voice that said, "Go talk to those two young men." We love Tom!