My Vernal Years

October 17 ,1979

We took the resource kids to the mountain and dug 40 trees, to replant at school. 

There was a PTA meeting at school. Darolyne took Joey to his first cub scout meeting.

October 18

Rain, first in 2 months. I took Randy to Heber to report to the Title 4 advisory committee. It was a good meeting.

We held a party for Vergie and Ray Gee at CharLen Cafe, there were over 40 present and it was a good thing to do. Vergie was our custodian at Naples School.

Jamie got his Punt pass and kick award at the Uintah and Murray game.

October 19

Good day.

October 20

Snow 18 inches in the mountains. I finished my part on the Dinosaur National Monument. 

We had a get together here at our house. Gayle and Richard Hansen, Roy and Margaret Krubsack and Joy and Prent Klag.. good time was had by all.

October 21

Good day. sunny but foggy in Jensen. I went to High Council meeting, taught Gospel Doctrine class went to Jensen for Sacrament meeting. Larry Moon reported his mission. He is Danny Lopez, the boxers' brother. Danny Lopez is the World Welterweight Boxing Champion of the World. Danny was there at the Sacrament Meeting.

Oh by the way I have a wonderful wife. This week we put in new carpeting and entry way tile.

October 21 to November 6

Highlights. i was in the circle when Randy Biggs blessed his baby, Bethanie. We are having Spencer 

Robbins stay at our house because his mother  has a real bad case of Hepatitis

We had halloween at school, things went well.

I had to speak at the Public Meeting on growth in the Uintah Basin. My talk can be found in my Original writings section in my files.

I gave 3, 4 to5 minute speeches to parents on KVEL radio.

The weather has been good. I have most of the wood cut and split.

November 7

We are trying to have our problem of not being able to have children solved again. We are seeing Dr. Wilken and Dr. Bryner.

Continuing copying from my Journal

A note from my memory of the trip to Snowmass, Colorado.

On this trip one day my family took a trip into Aspen which was about 15 miles away. We wondered the town because we didn't have enough money to buy anything. There was a softball game playing in the town park. We sat on the side of the hill to watch the game, after  a few minutes I felt a rather warm feeling on my back I turned around and a big German Shepherd was peeing on my back..We hurried and made an exit and traveled back to Snowmass where I had a rather refreshing shower. We laughed about that for quite a while..The thought comes to mind, when you are thinking how powerful of a person you are try ordering around someone elses' dog.
Also on this trip I got to play the new golf course in Snowmass with my son Jamie. I remember on a long dog leg par 5 I hit a drive and a 5 wood into the green and I think I got an eagle..

August 4 thru August 18, 1979

I spent 4 days in Park City at the Uintah School District Administrators Conference. I really enjoyed it.I was involved as a high councilman in the changing of the Jensen Ward Bishopric. Bishop Stan Allen was replaced by Bishop Lynn Morrill, this was a real inspirational moment for me.
I am back to school it is a real challange to me being a Principal. Superintendent Wayne Reid and Colleen Colton have asked me to join a consulting operation. I am going to have to step out of it because of lack of time.
It has rained for a week solid. It sure is a blessing. Bill and Sandy Gappmayer came to Vernal and stayed 3 days.We played racquetball and went fishing on the Green River. I caught a 3 pound Channel Catfish.

August 18 through September 3, 1979.

Quite a few events have happened in this period of time. School started and was an exceptional opening. At Naples School this year we have 640 students. We had 520 students when I started, so things are booming. I have my nervous stomach aches back, oh the life to be insecure. We have had a great vegetable harvest. It seems the Lord has really blessed us. Today September 3, they changed the Bishopric in our ward. Cal Dee Reynolds is the new Bishop, Mike Sullivan and John Robbins are his counselors. I have been gathering wood from the Uintas and have several cords..We had an 11 year old girl, Kathy Winn, from Naples School get hit by a car. She had a large hematoma , a broken arm and ribs. She was flown by helicopter to a Salt Lake Hospital. She told her  parents to pray for a miracle. When she arrived in Salt Lake City, no hematoma, no broken ribs and no broken arm. truly a miracle from our Father in Heaven.

September 4 through September 15, 1979

Warm, Hot, Dry Weather. We have been blessed with the bounties of the harvest, all kinds of tomatoes, corn, beans, potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beats and a few peas.
School is going pretty good, but we are far behind last years schedule.
In church in our ward, Vernal 8th WardWe got our new Bishopric. I had a good experience in helping Scott Bowles paint his house. Jamie is playing Little League Football. He has won 1 game and lost 1 game
I have been asked to teach a project temple class in our ward and start tomorrow night.

I received a note from my Stake President, Irv Haws. Dear John
Thanks for an extra special Sunday Afternoon. The Seminar was well planned and well presented- thanks to you- Its great to be associated with men that love and care about thier church assignments. You are a good example for all of us- Keep up the fine spirit and good work
Best Regards Bro. Haws

I am going to copy my journals from the Vernal Years which were august of 1971 to June of 1985. I get a Diary or Journal of my life. I had it stored in my house at Orem, Utah when the basement was flooded and damaged my Journals. Hence I will try to copy or recreate them on this blog..

AUGUST 1979 to JULY1983

I am starting with this Journal because it is the first one I picked up when I came down to St.George.

July 16, 1979
I am 34 years old, I weigh 195 pounds.  I have a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mormon Church it is his church on earth. Spencer W. Kimball is the Prophet on earth.
96 degrees small thunderstorms first in 29 days
It has been a month since I close out my second journal. This is my third journal. Every entry this time I want to enter a thought joke or spiritual story or story of the day that is an inspired message. Mark Twain once said,"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." one of my hang ups is that I am a nervous worrier,a nd it is true that the greatest share of all the things I worry about never happen.
This past month I had a great opportunity of spending a week in Provo , we took the kids to the 4th of July parade, President Kimball was in the parade, he had 3 body guards which is an indication of the times, but when he passed by we immediately rose to our feet, what a spiritual presence, such a man, so spiritual so near perfect. It was a great occasion.
Next week we are going to Aspen, Colorado for a workshop.
I have been busy around the house, we fixed our utility room..also built a fence to hide our neighbors pigs.
I am working on a grant to encourage teacher talents.
I helped Prent Klag move in last week. he is a great person..Note I hired him as a teacher at Naples Elementary School to teach 4th grade.  He later hired me to be an adjunct professor at SUU. Prent became the Dean of the College of Education at SUU.

August 3, 1979
Our family has been on a 7 day vacation to Snowmass Villiage, Colorado. I went to an Administrative Workshop. It was really great. We stayed at the Timberline Condominiums.We went to Aspen several times. Then we went to Cedarview, Colorado where our friends Sandy and Bill Gappmayer live. We stayed there for 2 days. We really enjoyed our trip.
After that we worked around the house. Then Darolyne flew to Canada for 8 days and I tended the kids.
I sure love my wife very much and sure missed her she flew on a Boeing 727.
It has been super hot  103 and up to 107 in downtown Salt Lake City.