I pledge allegiance to the flag . . of the United States of America. How often have we repeated those words. . Do we ever think about what is actually said?
Sunday in church there were 2 speakers. The first was former Mayor of West Jordan, President Bob Roberts. We were then privileged to hear from Bishop George Masters, both good friends and neighbors.
I assumed that they were going to speak on the traditional Independence Day themes. . . How blessed we are to be a part of this great country. Or how grateful we should be to have the opportunity to practice freedom of religion. . .
Neither spoke on either on of these things. Instead they spoke about community service, and loyalty. They also spoke without many notes, mostly drawing from memory and experience.
Bishop Masters is amazing. He's taught Seminary and Institute for the past 35 years or so. He's old enough to be my father, but so energetic. Recently he and his wife hosted a tour of the Holy Land, sponsored by the church. Wish we could have gone. Bishop Masters always grins, and always wears a bow tie. I could sit and listen to him speak all the day long. It's fascinating, his inspirational story telling. He reaches in and takes hold of your emotions, makes it personal. And he has such a phenomenal knowledge of the scriptures. . He has not only memorized all 4 standard works, he's also memorized all of the footnotes and cross references.
Wow.
Here a few of the thoughts that he shared. . .
We pledge allegiance to the flag. . . How good is our word? Serious food for thought.
Apparently Bishop Master's 3rd great Grandfather was the man in the painting, the ultra-famous revolutionary war painting, with the 3 soldiers marching. . The one in the center with a flag held high, a drummer boy, and a shorter man with playing the fife. We've all seen it a hundred times, but did we ever think about who those people actually were? Brother Master's ancestor was evidently too short to load muskets, so he became the one . . to inspire the troops through music. What an heritage to uphold. Unbelievable. And to think! I thought the painting was just something made up out of somebody's head. . . Again, he made it personal. He usually tears up, after cracking jokes and telling an amazing, unbelievable story. Sunday he was true to form.
President Roberts earned a PHD from the University of Utah. Apparently neither of his parents had graduated from high school, so his family was especially proud. After serving as a church leader, and teacher of high school children for several years, a thought came to him. What have you done for your community? Again, food for thought. Bob was inspired to become involved with the workings of the local government. He volunteered to help out, ended up on the zoning committee, and eventually became Mayor. But simultaneously, has always been so very humble and personable. Considerate and kind. Recently he and his wife Kay spent 3 years in Africa while he was serving as a Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. More recently he took our one year old baby on a tour of their ranchette, a couple of blocks down the street. The big kids got to meet the horses. I noticed earlier this spring that he had painted an American flag on the side of his white storage shed. The side that faces the street.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20060203/ai_n16054126
What wisdom we absorbed from these men! Such humility accompanied each delivery. I hope to someday aspire to their level of understanding. Understanding that they acquired from traditional education, and from the school of hard knocks.
God bless America with more men like these.
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