November 28, 1985 transcribed by Mandi Anderson

Nov. 28, 1985

Today is Thanksgiving.  The Lord has spoken to the people of the Northwest and called then to repentance.  This I know because He informs us in the scriptures that He would speak to the people of the World through calamitous events.  Thus, Mexico has suffered its greatest earthquake of all time.  Columbia recently had a volcano blow, just like our Mt. St. Helens did 5 years ago, and 20,000 people died.  Repeated Hurricanes have decimated the Eastern coast and the states of Florida, North Carolina, & Georgia.

Now, for the past 4 days we have experienced the coldest weather for this time of year on record with snowstorms which have paralyzed the city.

Kirk James & his family were to have spent Thanksgiving with us this year, but couldn’t make it at the last minute.

Insert: letter 

27 Nov 1985

Brother Kirk Anderson,

Just a note to thank you – for the lovely blessing you gave me -  The time you spent preparing for it and for the time afterward in writing it up.  The journal was a very special touch.  Just the previous week I had been thinking how I needed a more permanent book to keep my journal in, than the paper notebook I had been using.  Your timing was perfect I know it wasn’t required of you to do so & I so appreciate your efforts.  I have no doubt that you will be blessed for magnifying your calling.  And I feel I have been truly blessed through my association with you.

Richard & I both express our gratitude for your part in our special day 23 Nov 1985.  We are eternally grateful. Thankyou for being there in spite of the weather.

I especially enjoyed your comment about our marriage – just the week before I said to Richard that on Saturday we will be married for real.  Now we are

You are a special person & we appreciate the special part you’ve played in our lives.  We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Love, Sister Yevonne Cole

December 22, 1974...first page of "Journal No 2".

As I began to keep a journal in October, 1973, I did so with a prayer. As I look back over the past year it is evident that the Lord has blessed us immensely and wrought many miracles in our lives. Keeping a journal helps to be more aware of what is actually taking place in one's life. I truly believe that a journal does the following:

1.) provides a record of one's life and inner feelings while experiencing his mortal existence.

2.) Provides a means to more accurately reflect upon one's progress in life and most importantly--how he stands in living the Gospel

3.) Provides a means by which he can teach--particularly his family for generations to come.

4.) establishes a pattern of reflection and thought that brings one closer to the Lord--why? Because it takes time to sit down, and write and this breaks the habit of living each day the same--it makes one break the pace of the frenzied type of life we now tend to lead.--moderation.

5. it provides a stimulus for more letter writing of great importance in our lives. I am amazed that I have done more letter writing this year than ever before! I have written to many people who are important in my present and past life and I have written letters to all of our eleven missionaries, and weekly wetters to Tom while on his mission.

6.) By recording ones "spirit" and deep sacred innermost thoughts in a journal he is in essence preserving a constant prayer to his Father in Heaven.

Jan 11, 1974

This preceding note from Shirli and Leland to Norma and me [the note reads as follows: “Dear Uncle Kirk & Aunt Norma and family, I wanted to write you a friendly Happy Holiday note and say a few of the thoughts that are on my mind. How do you thank someone for 50 Sunday dinners, 60 loads of wash, 100 listening ears, a couch, four chairs, a beautiful flannel baby quilt, a baby book and an always open door? And heart? I guess you just write Thank you on blue paper for a start… Thank you! Much love, Leland, Shirli & Leland III] is so meaningful and important because we have been privileged to reach our arms and heart to these wonderful relates and become “family”. When such respect and love exists, nothing seems impossible. It truly is that part of the Spirit of Elijah which turns the harts of the Fathers to the children and creates a celestial-like family life here upon this earth -> truly “a bit of heaven on earth”. Last week when we were walking down the street together, Shirli spontaneously stated “I like you” – what a thrill!! I love my family so much – Truly the Lord has opened the gates of heaven and poured out a blessing on me that I would have never thought possible. I know that other members of our family on the other side of the veil are watching over us and guiding us and I feel confident in times of stress.

I love to write in this journal. I can almost see the people of my family who will walk the earth after me and will read these words and know of me. A bond will be created between me and them and in this family which will help to make us a true Zion people. I want more than anything for us to be a great [underlined four times] family in the eyes of the Lord because we desire to do His will and obey His commandments. As a consequence He may then give us great power through the Priesthood to do His work here upon the earth.

I love the scriptures. I have just completed an hour of study in the Doctrine and Covenants. It is apparent to me now that in order to lose ourselves in the scriptures and understand them, we must ponder each passage and pray over each passage or phrase to understand their meaning.

I spent most of the week in Salmon, Idaho working. This began 2 years ago when Dr. Boyd Simmons (also a Stake President’s counselor) asked me to fly to Salmon and do some total hip replacements. Since then I have continued to fly to Salmon to see patients. I have enjoyed it for several reasons – 1. Because my medical skills have more meaning in the small remote area where such medical care is not readily available – as a sideline it is interesting that my presence in the community is a threat to orthopaedists who work in the cities over 150 miles away. Doctors are some of the most defensive, insecure people who declare an imaginary domain and get “all shook up” if it is invaded. 2. Because the people of Salmon are “different”. They are more hardy and heal themselves faster than the “city folk”. The relationship is a more genteel, appreciative one. 3. Because I have been able to stay with the Simmons and have many precious hours of communication. They are striving for the same things we are. They have experienced much sorrow because their decisions in life have taken them on pathways at times that restrict them in their desires to have complete “freedom” to be profitable servants for the Lord. I respect and love them so very much. And 4, lastly, because I love to fly. Flying is very much like surgery and like the pursuit of living. It can be highly successful and rewarding if the pilot is prepared; has an alternate plan if the primary flight plan fails or is threatened; and if the pilot is knowledgeable enough to make intelligent decisions. I have progressively improved myself to become a commercial and instrument rated pilot and am now working toward an ATR (Airline Transport Rating). Getting an instrument rating allows a pilot to penetrate a world where he cannot see and must depend on his instruments (akin to faith). He must gain a superior knowledge to fly in a world of clouds and weather systems that otherwise would be the means of his destruction. So it is with the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we soften our hearts and place ourselves in His hands, but at the same time gain greater knowledge of His world through study and prayer, then we are allowed to see things through our Spirit eyes and we can enter and penetrate a world of new experiences that lift us from just living in a restricted mortal world. Yeserday, when flying home I was able to fly “on top” of clouds which covered most of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and then penetrate a layer of clouds to make an instrument approach to Boeing field which brought me home. Very few people saw the beauty of the setting sun filtering through a spectacular lenticular cloud on top of Mt. Rainier and its brilliance extending through the cloud layers as I descended to earth. How very fortunate I am!!! How grateful I am!!!

I must spend a few hours now paying bills – which I detest, but it is made easier by the rich moments I have spent this morning reading the scriptures and recording my thoughts. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the abundance we have been given and the nature of the stewardship we have been given to manage. We are out of debt so that we can of our own free will contribute to the welfare of others that “we might esteem our brethren as ourselves”. Norma and I have been given a large family to manage and considerable resources. We must organize our time and efforts and activities that we might effectively manage our stewardship effectively. It is in this sense that I don’t mind keeping our affairs in order. However, deep in my heart I long for us to reach a state where we can live the law of consecration – So!!! back to the mundane things of life.

Nov 11, 1973

In the last Ensign (church magazine) the Assistant Church historian wrote about how many Saints have donated journals to the Church Historian’s office and admonished us – as families – to leave a record of our lives – for our families and for the church. This reinforces my feelings when I started this journal.

This past week has been very busy. I am so grateful to see and acknowledged that the Lord has blessed me that I have been given the skill to be a good surgeon. I say this because my surgical skills allow me to complete certain operations in 25% of the time it takes many other surgeons. I know this is because of the deftness of my hands coupled with attributes of self-confidence – the ability to make decisions – and a non-restrictive impulse for creative thinking. This principle is true in all walks of life. I do not take credit for this. It is clear to me that all that I have has been given by the Lord as a gift. My desire is strong to manage my stewardship in a pleasing way before the Lord. This week I took Leland with me to observe my work with patients on the ward and also in surgery. He seemed to be quite impressed by what he saw, and we were very realistic in putting things in perspective. Leland was able to discern immediately the psychological problems of several of the patients – This is something that the orthopaedic surgeons several years his senior cannot do. This is also evidence to me that Leland’s missions has brought a maturity for him and has allowed him to deal with the “issues of life” in such a way that he has matured years beyond the “learned” orthopaedic surgeon. The value of a mission to the young Latter-Day Saint is immeasurable.

Eric and Chris have told me that they will not be able to go to the temple until Nov 1975. The reason is that the St. George Temple will be closed for repair for 18 months. They feel that they must wait to go through the St. George Temple for their endowments. Although I am concerned about their waiting that long and being sealed to their children, I am sure that they are listening to the promptings of the Spirit. There must be a special reason for this direction and something very wonderful must await them at the St. George Temple.

I taught our High Priest class this morning – it truly was a spiritual occasion. I know that they choice brethren with whom I met bring a special spirit and strength to the class so that we can talk about truly meaningful Gospel doctrines. Our class in geneology is a very active enthusiastic group. The Spirit of Elijah is truly growing in our midst.

I am so grateful that the Lord is allowing me to be an instrument that is accomplishing His purposes and that I am learning to be an affective teacher by teaching by the Spirit.

Oct 1973 Intro to Journal 1: Sacred thoughts and Experiences, Special Events in the Life of Kirk J. Anderson 1973 - 1974

I have decided to keep a journal because I believe that my life is important not only to myself but also to others. Perhaps I can stimulate others in my family to do likewise so that the family may be strengthened through deeper communication. Only that material which keynote the central themes of my life and its experiences will be recorded. Certainly it will not always be serious because I enjoy a sense of humor and do not take myself serious enough to think that everything that happens to me is earth-shattering. In fact, I enjoy a good laugh with others when my antics and habits are in review. It would be more than I could ever hope for, if my wonderful and choice family – those now living and those yet to embrace life here upon this earth – would read my thoughts and come to understand me as I desire to understand them. Then a love would develop in all our hearts for our God; for one another; for life; and for the quest for eternal life together. And so whenever a record is being made I pray that the Spirit might be with me that it will be felt by those who read these words in the spirit of truth. Only the decisions that pertain to our relationships with our Father in Heaven and the Savior are important. All other decisions will be of little consequence.