FIJI

Well, I’m way overdue for this post about our Fiji vacation, but it was kind of difficult to get around to it. It’s a long story; you’ll see what I mean….

Dale and I went with my parents and another couple that they have been best friends with since high school. We were having a lovely time. Fiji is beautiful and the people are so friendly. Dale and I had a great time scuba diving Friday and Saturday while they went sightseeing and shopping. Sunday we went to church and were treated like celebrities. Monday my dad and his friend, Reed, went on a day cruise to an island village and to go snorkeling. Dale and I spent the day with Mom and Pat watching the Olympics, going to lunch, and doing a little window shopping. When we got back to our room there was a note on the door that Mr. Jensen was in the hospital. Pat was very upset, so Dale made the call. After a long conversation, he knelt down next to Pat to break the news that her husband had drowned. He went to the hotel office and spoke to the management, arranged for a taxi to take us up to the hospital, and called the U.S. Consulate. Pat has diabetes and other health concerns and we were worried about her. Dale gave her a blessing before we left for the hour long drive to the hospital. We met Dad at the hospital, Pat had to sign a paper, and then we returned to our hotel. Dad told us about their outing, the accident, doing CPR, the helicopter, the doctors at the hospital. He said, “Pat, he was my best friend.” “He was mine, too,” she replied.

Tuesday Dale and I cancelled our dive plans and Mom and I stayed in our suite with Pat. The hotel manager was very gracious to turn over his office for our use so as not to disturb Pat. Dad had to cancel their Australia travel plans, and Dale spent the day calling back and forth between the Fijian mortician, the Jensen family, and the U.S. Consulate ironing out all the details and red tape involved with an international death. Two of Pat’s sons were arriving Wednesday morning, so Dale and I decided to go diving again. It would give them more privacy and we felt like we needed to “get back on the bike” so to speak after this water-related accident. We had two good dives, and felt calm and confident doing them (see Dale’s related comments below). In the airplane on the way home, I told Dale that I felt totally drained from this trip and needed a vacation to recover!

Be Prepared (Dale's article for the ward newsletter)

I remember as a young man being influenced by a statement that was posted in the locker room. I noticed this before and after each football practice. The statement was “Fail to plan, plan to fail”. That profound statement has been useful to me throughout my life.

Several years ago my wife and I took an interest in scuba diving. We had classroom instruction and numerous hours in the pool and lake. We were ecstatic when after several weeks of study and preparation we passed our exams and became certified.

We recently returned from an exciting dive vacation where some of that preparation was certainly put to the test. We had just finished our dive in a beautiful location and since the current had been quite strong and had required some effort on our part to enjoy the beauty beneath the waves, I was looking forward to getting back into the boat to rest and discuss what we had seen. As we approached the boat, which was tied to a rope that was securely attached to a large rock formation under the water, it became apparent that a substantial wind had come up that was severely tossing the boat around. The combination of wind and current was going to make it quite dangerous to get to the ladder that extended below the water from the back of the boat. I remembered reading horror stories of divers who had been knocked unconscious or had suffered broken arms attempting to get out of the water in such turbulent conditions. Being a gentleman I let my wife go first. I watched as she gave her fins to the divemaster and let go of the line she held that tethered the boat. As our study and instruction had prepared us, she carefully timed her release so that the current carried her over to the ladder which she grabbed and then scrambled up on the deck just before the boat began to pitch back and forth again with the next set of waves. I followed her example and safely exited the water.

Life, just like scuba diving, can be difficult and turbulent at times. Preparation is essential to be successful. We are told that if we are prepared we shall not fear (D&C 38:30).

President Monson said: “Life’s journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say, ‘No,’ the courage to say, ‘Yes,’ Decisions do determine destiny. The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be.”

My prayer is that we will all be spiritually prepared for life’s turbulent times in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

More Thoughts on Being Prepared

The night before we left for our trip, Ryan was over for dinner and asked if I was going to stay up all night getting ready to go. “No,” I replied, “I’m pretty much ready; the wash is all done, the house is all clean. In fact, I’m going to lunch with some friends tomorrow.” He asked why I was always obsessive about doing that before trips. “You never know if you’re going to die on vacation,” I said. “I wouldn’t want to be embarrassed to have people come in and see my house dirty.” Little did I know!

I will always want to leave a clean house when I leave so I can relax on vacation, but after our experience, my perspective has been clarified on the necessary preparation for death. I’ve always known these things, of course, but this really brought it into sharper focus.

First, I need get all my financial ducks in a row and have one folder (and a CD copy) of important papers, copies of birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports, bank account numbers, will/trust, etc. I have a great document list related 72-hour emergency kits, but it applies to death preparation, too. Now I just need to DO IT! I should also de-junk closets and drawers. I’d hate to burden someone else with trying to figure out if what things are important or have sentimental value, when it's probably just junk stashed away to deal with later!

Next, always be kind. I think it would be a great tragedy if my last interaction with someone, especially a family member, was not a loving one. Smile more. Give more complements, more hugs and kisses. No regrets.

However, much, much more important than a clean house is a clean conscience and a pure heart. I’m so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and I hope to better appreciate the ordinance of the sacrament in renewing that cleansing power in my life. We were invited (all six of us) to bear our testimony when we attended church in Fiji. I think it was a tender mercy of the Lord that the day before his death Reed was blessed with the opportunity to bear his testimony and express his love for his wife and tell of his service in the Church.

I reread two lessons on death from the Joseph Smith manual and the Spencer W. Kimball manual, and also found comfort from this quote:

“And may I say for the consolation of those who mourn, and for the comfort and guidance of all of us, that no righteous man is ever taken before his time. In the case of the faithful Saints, they are simply transferred to other fields of labor. The Lord’s work goes on in this life, in the world of spirits, and in the kingdoms of glory where men go after their resurrection.” (President Joseph Fielding Smith at the funeral services for Elder Richard L. Evans on Thursday, November 4, 1971, reported in the Ensign, 1971, December.)

When we came to this earth we had an expected arrival time, but few of us know our departure time. We can only do our best to Be Prepared!