My purpose here is to preserve in digital, printable form a copy of the entries I wrote in my missionary journal. I was called to the Germany Hamburg Mission, entering the MTC (missionary training center in Provo, Utah) November 2, 1978. I made my first entry on October 29th.
29 October, 1978
My first entry in this journal. D&C 11:3
My farewell was a major hilight of this day, but not the only hilight. Bill woke up very sick this morning (a combination of last night's party and some virus). He just didn't feel he could make it down to Stillwater to my farewell. After great and numerous attempts to persuade him to go, he still didn't feel he could make it. For the first time since I can remember, we hugged each other, crying like two little babies, telling each other we loved the other. Nothing I can remember touched me more dearly than those moments. On this occasion, parting truly was the sweetest sorrow I've known...I love my brothers and sisters more than any person I've known. I had prayed for Bill that somhow he would be touched by this occasion. Never before have my prayers been answered so vividly. We hugged each other, crying like two babies and carrying on. We told one another how much we loved each other. Bill finally came down to my farewell...Dad sang "The Lord's Prayer" and "If My People Will Pray"; it was beautiful. [At that time it was customary to allow a departing missionary to speak at and make requests for the Sacrament Meeting program the last Sunday before leaving.] Dee and Gordon Reese, Collette Slattengren, and Grant Vest (branch president) spoke. We took Suzanne Smith out to pizza with us. I really love her (in a friendly way). She'll make a good missionary.
30 October 1978
Up at 2:30 am, I had everyone ready to kill me by 4:00. We all went to Okla. City, arriving about 5:45. Teresa Fowler had finally pecked me, but this morning she really kissed me. I know Tim wouldn't like it, but he's safe. Pres. Hutto set me apart. It was a beautiful experience. I felt the Lord's protection from the moment I went out of there. When I (first) got to Salt Lake City I didn't see anyone there to meet me. I was trying call Aunt Shirley and in walks (cousin) Steve Clark. He looked fantastic! I could see his mission had done wonders for him. Aunt Emma and Uncle Warren were there with Grandma and Grandpa Frazier. Aunt Shirley was there, too, and she looked wonderful. I was so happy to be with them all. We all went to Grandma's (Frazier) and Steve and I went shopping at Mr. Mac's. I bought $500 worth of clothes for $270. It was wonderful. We went by and saw Grandma and Grandpa Kto (they looked so good) the went and saw Gaylene and Les. I felt so good all day long. I started out meeting a prospective missionary at the Denver airport and ended seeing my cousin Gaylene I hadn't seen for years. What a day.
31 October 1978
Up at 4:30 am this morning to go to the Ogden Temple to receive my own Endowments. What a beautiful day. Grandma Frazier, Uncle Warren, Aunt Emma, and Cousin Steve came to go through with me. I was washed and annointed and put on my garments and received my own Endowment. It was a most humbling, spiritual experience. Words cannot express warm feeling of love and warmth felt in the bosom during the ordinance. We picked up Grandma Keddington and went to the Salt Lake Temple. It was the most beautiful and spiritual experience I've had yet. Nothing has brought body and spirit to such heights.
02 November 1978
Wow! Up at 7:am (good night's sleep) and off to the MTC by 9:15 am. First we met (I, alone, without family, that is) with President Pinegar the mission president. After a rousing lecture to the parents we hurried through a hectic registration, were assigned temporary companions and moved into our rooms. We bought our books (after I found my permanent companion) and ate lunch. The food wasn't bad, and my companion is a really great dude. He's from back east and I'm committed to learning to love him. We had a series of meetings concerning our activities in the next several weeks and broke for dinner at 5:00pm. At 6:30pm we met the rest of our district (class) and had our introductory lesson. I'm really excited about this whole business. It looks like hard work, but serving the Lord is well worth it. The key to success is to keep the Lord's Spirit to be with me. I know the Church is His Church, my testimony was strengthened today. It will be hard but I know I will love it because I love our Lord.
03 November 1978
If it hadn't been for the Lord I wouldn't have made it through today. 11 hours in class, 1 hour gym, and 3 hours for meals; Es ist eine lange Tage [it's been a long day- the correct German expression would be 'es war ein langer Tag'] And I know the days will get longer. I felt the Lord's spirit sometimes, and it was great. Some don't believe you can feel the Lord's spirit all the time...and I supposed it is true. But I don't see anything wrong with trying. I know it's the right thing to do. I pray for forgiveness as it is so easy to judge others. I hope I can get the mote out of my eye pretty quick. I love my Vater im Himmel (Father in Heaven) more than ever today. I know this is the work of the Lord and I pray I may be able to continue to love it. I hope I can grow to really love Bruder Meier, my companion. He's a really good sort of guy and has many fine qualities. I know we'll have little problems. I just pray with all my heart we'll be able to iron them out. Well I'm late (10 minutes) hitting the sack so I'll close this entry in the 'Namen Jesu Christi' amen.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Legal, moral, or doable...
I am currently working as a Purser for one of the world's largest airlines, Delta. As Purser I am responsible for conducting the crew briefing where the flight attendants sign up for the positions they will work on the trip. Conducting an effective briefing is a learned skill. There are only twenty minutes to cover a lot of information, and part of that time is given to the captain for introductions and his briefing. Things get real when we get on board the aircraft and begin the boarding process. There is a second flight attendant leader, the service leader, or commonly known as the "B" (Purser is the "A") and they are in charge of directing the service in the main cabin. As Purser, I am responsible for directing the service in DeltaOne, the company's terminology for our First Class cabin. I introduce myself to each of the customers, offer a menu, and tell them I will be back shortly to record their meal choices and whether or not they want to be awakened for the pre-arrival meal. About a year ago I decided to set expectations for myself and our customers at the beginning of every flight. Here's how that generally goes...
I stand up front and ask for everyone's attention. Then I say "My name is Kevin Keddington, and I am your Purser for the flight. My personal goal, as your Purser, is to make this the best flight you have ever had. I realize that is a very high bar, and since I want to retire in a few years still married, not in jail, and not on the front page of USA Today, I have three limits: Legal, Moral, and Doable. If there is anything that is either legal, moral, or doable, please ask, ask me or any of our flight attendants and give us the opportunity to meet or exceed your wants and needs for this flight, because my ONLY limits are legal, moral, and doable. That way, when you walk off the airplane at the end of the flight, you can honestly say to yourself 'that was the best flight I've ever had!' Welcome aboard!"
I have had only positive responses to this approach. There is something about it that relaxes the traveler's mind, that they can count on being taken care of, that we appreciate their being there and value the opportunity to see just how good a service we can put on. I have had a couple of people say, "Wow, I really like that. I think I will use that in my business" to which I often say "as long as you're willing to pay the royalty since I have copyrighted it." Now I haven't actually asked anyone to submit any royalty payment, but I would like it to be known that it was my original idea. After all, can anyone really expect you or me as a service provider to do any more than what is legal, moral, or doable? The implication is that ALMOST nothing is impossible, if you just ask, that we are willing to do whatever it takes to meet a customer's wants and needs, within an enormous framework of possibilities.
I stand up front and ask for everyone's attention. Then I say "My name is Kevin Keddington, and I am your Purser for the flight. My personal goal, as your Purser, is to make this the best flight you have ever had. I realize that is a very high bar, and since I want to retire in a few years still married, not in jail, and not on the front page of USA Today, I have three limits: Legal, Moral, and Doable. If there is anything that is either legal, moral, or doable, please ask, ask me or any of our flight attendants and give us the opportunity to meet or exceed your wants and needs for this flight, because my ONLY limits are legal, moral, and doable. That way, when you walk off the airplane at the end of the flight, you can honestly say to yourself 'that was the best flight I've ever had!' Welcome aboard!"
I have had only positive responses to this approach. There is something about it that relaxes the traveler's mind, that they can count on being taken care of, that we appreciate their being there and value the opportunity to see just how good a service we can put on. I have had a couple of people say, "Wow, I really like that. I think I will use that in my business" to which I often say "as long as you're willing to pay the royalty since I have copyrighted it." Now I haven't actually asked anyone to submit any royalty payment, but I would like it to be known that it was my original idea. After all, can anyone really expect you or me as a service provider to do any more than what is legal, moral, or doable? The implication is that ALMOST nothing is impossible, if you just ask, that we are willing to do whatever it takes to meet a customer's wants and needs, within an enormous framework of possibilities.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Bonneview Dr
Click on the link Bonneview_Dr to go to the site where the 40 year GHM Roylance mission conference is recorded.
Bonneview Dr
Bonneview Dr
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