Nov 25, 1973

What a special day!!! I was able to ordain Eric an Elder. Kirk James, Leland, Bishop Filleny, Bro. Jay Ferell and Don Duff stood in with me. Eric has made such a change in his life in the last 6 months. Leland and Shirli talked in sacrament meeting tonight. Several people told me it was the finest talk they had ever heard. I cannot believe the unbelievably wonderful personalities that surround me in this family. They are dearer to me than life itself. They make life what it is. I pray constantly for the guidance and Spirit of the Lord to guide me in my patriarchal relationship to these magnificent spirits. Here we are living in a world that is “falling apart” with corruption in all walks of life, wars, an energy crisis, etc. and we are basking in a spirit of love and confidence. The Spirit of the Lord is with us and I pray that He will guide us as a family according to His will to do His work. Yesterday 105 brethren from our stake flew down to the Oakland Temple and did 315 Endowments. We had no sleep for 36 hours and fasted before going. I found it very hard to find spirituality under these circumstances. What thrilled me most was that several brethren contributed more fares than one so that other brethren could go with us. It was a good lesson in receiving for some as well as giving for others. I hope that this can be done in our stake 1-2 times a year.

[In between Nov 25 and Nov 30, 1973 Posts – an article taped into the page titled “What it takes to become a great doctor” by Stafford L. Warren, MD. It is and article from November 12, 1973 and was printed in a publication titled “Medical Economics” and begins on p. 251. Kirk’s comments on this article are noted on the page: “this article defines and categorizes Doctors as I have come to recognize them”.]