Red Jacket, a walk, balloons, and a 6th grade teacher who left an impression

"Today", my theme from yesterday, by the way, I went out for walk with Zach. We went for 4 miles but it was just a little late to see the balloon festival. We stopped to talk with a neighbor friend who we always find out early on Saturday. They had gone early to the Balloon Festival and I asked if he had taken his camera. He told me that they do each year but then how many pictures of balloons can you really need? Amen I said. Then again yesterday I was ready that Amen means "let it be" so do I mean "yes" just let it be the case that we will have a bunch of balloon pictures? Perhaps I should mean "yes " having an endless number of balloon pictures is indeed a something to ponder as to its worth. Either way I will "let it be".

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I asked Zach to give me his favorite teachers name and it was a 6th grade teacher so I had to push him a little to get to a high school teacher's name.
For High School it was a biology teacher and or maybe a Russian Teacher who by the way he did not take Russian from. So it may be that favorite teachers have more impact than the subjects they taught. I recall a favorite subject. Wrestling. Perhaps it is or was because in some ways it is out of character or then again maybe it is exactly in "character", who knows. Zach takes a lot of time to get a favorite anything to settle in enough for him and then to declare it. 4 miles is enough time to get some stuff declared. The walk was pretty basic. One dead snake. A small one. Some balloons off in the distances going North above the Rio Grande. A visit with a neighbor. All good stuff.

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By the way this picture is of a library in Pocatello Idaho as I remember it in the 1950's. I went to church across the street at the 1st ward. It was on Author and Center Ave. I often went there. Trudy may see this and since she is on a early Pocatello recollection trip lately she may want to see this.

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The good stuff in the Library was missed back then I guess. One book that came to mind today is "The World's Great Speeches"****. I am not sure why I thought of this. I was very impressed with the new councilor, Henry B. Eyring, in the first Presidency that was presented today in Conference. He was also on a 12:30 news conference where he answered questions. His approach is interesting. I suspect he will be one that the world will hear at lot from. I am reminded of a speech in the "Worlds Greet Speeches". A speech by Red Jacket was delivered in 1805 at a council of chiefs of the Six Nations after a white missionary had addressed them. I don't know why I am reminded of this really because in every way I think if it had been Elder Eyring that had approached the Chiefs that they would have also seen those who followed the words that were in tune with his message.

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The speech started out with Red Jacket talking. "Friend and Brother, it was the will of the Great Spirit that we should meet together this day. ...............you say you are sent to instruct us how to worship..........that if we do not take hold of it that we will be unhappy."

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It was the answer that he concluded with that set this speech apart as one worthy to be in a book of Greet Speeches. Lincoln, Kennedy, Jefferson, Churchill, Red Jacket and many others make up what this book presents as the greatest speeches

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The speech concludes, "Brother we are told that you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them . We will wait a little while and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said"

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Great speech. Great thought. As for me conference today, as always, makes me want to be a better person. It makes me want to be good. It helps me. I am indeed thankful for conference. Red Jacket would approve.

*The World's Great Speeches can be found on my Amazon Reviews, see the right side Amazon and click for reveiws.