The meaning of happiness

Question: Is it possible for a human to have a fullness of happiness when there are other human beings in the world who are suffering in unimaginable ways?

Answer: "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." (Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1986) You can achieve true happiness in this world, but not when you're acting out the opposite of love; not at the expense of empathy for the real suffering of God's children - no matter what form that suffering takes. It's counter to God's plan. Love, sacrifice, service, faith, empathy for others = charity = the pure love of Christ = true happiness.

Over the past year, I've read a few books on child soldiers in Sierra Leone and Northern Uganda. At first, I was satisfied to have opened my eyes to the tragedy that is a part of so many people's lives there. Then K and I became friends with a couple - Suzy and Shawn - that did more than read about it. They were doing something to make life better for these people. Suzy had already gone to Uganda twice to serve in orphanages and Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, and was making plans to start up a non-profit aimed at sponsoring the education of orphaned children.

After spending an evening editing an executive summary document for her, everything changed for me. That small investment changed something within me, and I knew I could no longer sit on the sidelines doing nothing but read books and feel bad for these people. I knew I had to be a part of it in a significant way. And that's how life changes in an instant...

Now, I'm a member of the board of directors of African Promise Foundation. We buy products from widowed women, often with AIDS (this helps the women feed themselves and their families; right now it's necklaces and bracelets made out of beads crafted from recycled paper) and sell them for a profit back home in the States. We then feed that profit back into the widows' community to sponsor orphans' education and build a healthy, thriving community around them. It's a simple model - one we hope will ultimately be easily replicable in many communities. And one of my favorite parts about it is that the hero of the story is the women who make the necklaces. Through the wealth created by their own handiwork, their children and their communities will have a brighter present and future.

I'm so excited to be a part of this! This is world-changing work... One person, one community at a time. APF started because of a promise Suzy made to a man named Tiger in an IDP camp in Northern Uganda. I can't wait to one day (hopefully soon) go to Uganda, hold the children for myself and make my own promise to them to do what I can to rally people here who are so privileged to ease their suffering.

Bing "Northern Uganda" to learn more.

"Living Proof" ad

Love this new ad from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation...

Fishing for Pink

Ah... What a great way to spend a Saturday morning! Fishing for pink salmon on a beautiful misty morning. I had 5 or 6 on my line, but unfortunately, only brought one in. Here it is - about 3 lbs/20 or so inches. My biggest catch!

Dangers of Social Media

My buddy Greg shared some comments on digital social media that I think are worth reading. For all the benefits of modern digital media -- particularly on the social networking front -- there are tradeoffs as well.

I've read the article he's referring to by Elder Bednar... It's definitely worth considering whether you're letting the digital world detract from the real-life interactions and relationships that strengthen both you and others. I know I've made my own digital media cutbacks in recent months to ensure I'm focusing my attention on the relationships and things that matter most.

Slurping Watermelon

The activity committee for the family reunion worked hard to make sure everyone had plenty to keep them busy and having a good time. Uncle Andrew (the one with the wet face) won this time. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the contest... Lest you wonder, I toned down most of the colors in the pictures, except for the watermelon (and Mel's hair and Andrew's eyes)...

Melanie...

O slurping...

Sweet victory...

Up up and away

On the last day of the family reunion in Ashton, in celebration of Steve's 60th birthday, we inflated 60 helium balloons and let them go outside the cabin. It was beautiful to watch them float away and, in a way, say a happier "goodbye" to Steve. Looking back, it was also a nice last memory with Grandpa Sorensen...

The Cabin

Couple of cabin pics from vacation...

4-Wheelin'

Couple of pics of D 4-wheelin' on Uncle Curtis' quad at the cabin in Ashton... I was on the back. :)

Peaceful Grandpa

Kirsten's brother Jon took this photo of Grandpa Sorensen at the cabin a couple of days before he passed. I edited it a bit... Thanks for the pic, Jon.

Goodbye Grandpa Sorensen...

It's been a tough couple of months... First we lost Steve (Kirsten's dad), then Steve's father and Kirsten's grandpa, Bert Sorensen. I'll always remember him for the constant smile on his face and his example of endless service to others. We got to spend some quality time with him just before he died at the family reunion in Idaho, where he told stories about the family's beginnings and about Steve when he was young. We'll miss him a lot.

-------------------------------

Bert Sorensen
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Bert Ray Sorensen, 81, a longtime Winslow resident, died on Aug. 12, 2009, while traveling in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born in Heber City, Utah, on July 31, 1928, to loving parents Ingbert "Bert" and Mary Ellen Ash Sorensen.

Growing up in Blackfoot, Idaho, Mr. Sorensen loved camping, fishing and scouting, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He was married to Raeola Johnson, the love of his life, in 1947, and the young couple moved to Arizona. He managed a dairy on the PZ Ranch near Winkleman and later worked in Phoenix on a wholesale milk route. In 1961, Mr. Sorensen purchased a small wholesale and retail distributorship and moved his family to Winslow.

The relentless hard work and struggles did not diminish the satisfaction he found in owning and running his own business and providing for his family. Though spare time was precious, Mr. Sorensen managed to carry out many church responsibilities, and was well-known in the community for his generosity and service to others.

After retiring, he and Mrs. Sorensen fulfilled a lifelong dream by serving two missions to the Philippine Islands for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his retirement, he continued to provide volunteer service to AARP, the Winslow Senior Center, Meals on Wheels, the Winslow Historical Society and Old Trails Museum.

He was loved as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.

Mr. Sorensen is survived by his wife of 62 years, Raeola; children Susan and Doran Bryson of Austin, Texas, Mareen Sorensen of Provo, Utah, Andrea and Darwin Rhoton of Eager, Douglas and Dawn Sorensen of Glendale, Gwen and George Higginson of Berrnuda, and Jean and Kimm Zufelt of Winslow; 31 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; sisters Joyce Willyerd, Kathryn Ethington, Anne Reber and Renae Chase; and brothers James Sorensen and Sanford Sorensen.

He was preceded in death by his son, Steven Sorensen.

Ashton Pics

I know I've been completely off the radar lately... It's been crazy since Kirsten's dad died. She went back to Utah and Idaho with the boys for a month to keep her mom company, and then I met up with her for a week and a half in Ashton, Idaho, at the family cabin for a family reunion. Upon my return, I started into a new position at work, so working hard to ramp up.

Below are a few of the pictures I took while looking around for a place to take family photos at the reunion... It's beautiful there; wish we could spend more time at the cabin...

Stopped Counting after 10...

I have to start this post by saying that fly fishing is not about how many fish you catch or how big they were. It's about pitting yourself against nature and enjoying the great outdoors and relaxing to the cast, etc. But, when you're a newbie flyfisher like me, there's something to be said for having a killer evening on the river. That was tonight... I went out in the late afternoon expecting not to catch much, if anything, because they usually don't start rising until around 9:15 or so. But, almost as soon as I cast off my fly, I started ripping them out of the water. Not big, but plenty of them to make up for it! I did grab a couple of 14 inchers, though -- all rainbows...

The bad part of having such a good time fishing, though, is that I spent a couple hours more doing it than I'd planned. I'd hoped to get a long night of sleep in after working for a while, but alas, no such luck. Even now, I still have some work to do before a couple of meetings tomorrow. Ugh...

Finger Fly

This weekend, I went on part of the super activity with our young men to Olympic National Park. I had to take off early to be back to work today and thought I'd take in a little flyfishing on my way out of the park. Unfortunately, I had a little mishap before I got to actually fish. Thought I'd share...

The nice doctor at Clini-Care in Port Angeles got it out for me and taught me how to do it next time. Fun stuff...

Faint Not...

OK, so we've all been there, right? You get on your knees and start praying after a long day only to find yourself opening your eyes two hours later and your knees are sore as anything... I can remember all too well many a night like that on my mission. :) Well, our little Rudiber was the sleeper tonight. I said the family prayer and apparently waxed on a little too long for the little guy...

I better go get him into bed or his knees will be sore... ;)

Steve Sorensen (1949-2009)

We lost my father-in-law on Friday evening after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He had already long outlived the predictions for the disease, but he only ended up with one year after receiving his lung transplant last year. We all expected more... Last Tuesday, K's mom called us all down to Stanford Medical Center, where he was in the ICU. We flew down early Wednesday to be with them; everyone (all 7 siblings and most spouses) were able to be there and with him as he passed. We were able to speak to him and provide support to his dear wife as she made some really tough decisions. In the end, the experience of his passing was deeply moving and sacred to all of us (each in our own way, I'm sure), so I won't go into detail here.

I'm not even going to try to capture all that Steve meant to me in this post. He was another father to me and an unfailing friend. I feel his absence deeply. I had the privilege of helping compile his obituary (largely written by his sweet mother and a long-time friend at work), which ran today in the Deseret News and other papers here and in Arizona and Idaho. I've pasted it below as well.

While I'm deeply saddened by the separation, I know that he's returned home to a better place where he doesn't have to suffer through the malidies of mortality, that we'll be together again as a family in the presence of our Heavenly Father and that he'll be resurrected with a perfect and glorified body when that time comes. Because of this, the "sting of death" is lessoned, replaced by comfort and peace.

Steven Ray Sorensen was born Oct. 18, 1949, in Mesa, AZ, to Bert and Raeola Sorensen. His early years were spent at the P.Z. Ranch near Winkelman, AZ. By age five, his family had located to Phoenix, AZ; and at age 14 to Winslow, AZ, where Steve graduated from Winslow High School in 1967.

Steve began college at Northern Arizona University on a music scholarship. He interrupted his education to serve as an LDS missionary in the Kentucky/ Tennessee mission. After his mission, he continued his education at Ricks College in Rexburg, ID, and later at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where he earned a B.S. in history and a M.S. in library science.

Steve's greatest loves were his family, LDS church history and fishing a dry fly. In 1974, Steve married Mareen Peterson in the LDS temple in Provo. In 1980, he began a distinguished career as an archivist for the church, serving many years as the Director of Church Archives, a stimulating job that took him to many areas of the world. Steve's significant contributions to the preservation of the church's history were acknowledged by many, including the Mormon History Association, which awarded him its highest distinction in 2006. At the time of his death, he was an editor of the Joseph Smith Papers.

Steve's earthly life ended May 29, 2009, at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA, where he had been a lung-transplant recipient following a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He slipped quietly away surrounded by his wife and seven children.

Steve is survived by his wife Mareen; seven children, Dane (Cassandra), Kirsten (Jason) Carson, Andrew (Merilee), Ernest (Melanie), Jon, Annikka (Jason) Fluckiger, Curtis (Emily); 11 grandchildren; five siblings Douglas, Susan Bryson, Andrea Rhoton, Gwen Higginson, Jean Zufelt; and his parents.

Steve's family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses at the Stanford University Medical Center, including the Heart and Lung Transplant team, as well as Dr. Tracy Hill in Provo, UT, who worked tirelessly to allow Steve to spend more precious time with his family and loved ones.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 4, at 11 a.m., at the Sharon East Stake Center at 1060 E. 2400 N., Provo, UT. Public viewings will be held on Wednesday, 6-8 p.m., at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, at 495 S. State, Orem, UT; and preceding the funeral service at 9:45-10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Pineview Cemetery, on Highway 47 in Ashton, ID, on Saturday, June 6, at noon. Condolences at www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, http://www.coalitionforpf.org/cpf_contribute.php.

Father-in-law not doing so hot

Steve's hit what may be his last major bump in the road after his lung transplant last year, and we're heading down to visit him in Stanford/Palo Alto tomorrow morning early. That's where he got his transplant and where he's in ICU.

Prayers are appreciated...