Interview at the last minute

Yesterday I went up to Jeff's Office, HR Manager @ Prosper, to fax the last of my application for BYU. While I was there I asked him if he had heard anything about the position (Mark Butler's position, Sales Operations Manager, since he stepped down to Team lead, and I reported to Mark in a way since I am working part time selling and part time with Sales Operation). Jeff asked me if I had applied and I told him not yet since it did not close till March 5th. Jeff said that it closed last Friday. Anyway he gave me an internal application to try and apply for it. I went down to fill it out and call Kiera to see if she wanted me to apply for it since we had decided to do Security Sales over the summer. She said to apply and we will just see what happens. So I started to fill out the application and I felt prompted to go up stairs and just talk to Dave Ellis, Chief Revenue Officer, since he is the one that was off the position. I went up there and he was free which does not happen that much. Come to find out that not only did it close on Friday but that he was going to send the name in for approval tomorrow. He said that he went in and asked Jeff if he had done it all right and Jeff said, "well who do you have so far." Dave told him three names, which one of them was my manager in sales, Jason Emitt, Ryan Miller, manager over Small End Sales, and I can't remember the third one. And then Jeff said, "what about Craig?" Dave told Jeff that I had shown interest and then nothing. Jeff told him that he knew for sure that I was interested. Dave said that he wanted to meet with me and so we set up a time for 10:30 am tomorrow. Last night I updated my resume and emailed it to him.

This morning Janice and some of her family and Skyler were flying in to take Ty to the MTC. So I had to help Kiera clean up and I was going to take the kids up to Jessica's when Damion Hunter came to pick me up (Kiera had the whole thing planned and my interview messed everything up, but we were able to figure it out).

The interview went well until the end. I showed him several things that I created in Excel for other companies that I worked for and then Dave said, "How can we get more of your time." That took me back because in my mind I was thinking, well just hire me, but I knew that would not have the best results. I just said, "you create it." Then the last sentence he said was, "I have some decisions to make and I have until Friday to make them. If you do not hear from me by Friday you come up and rattle the cage and I will be Ok with it. Just say that I promised to do something and you are not doing it, so fell free to come up and rattle the cage." So between those two comments I am at a loss. I will let you know what come of it.

Flavor of what Judment day will be like

This morning I received a call to meet with the Stake President after church at 4:20 pm. It is hard to explain how I felt and some of the feeling that were going through my mind all day today. I did not feel worthy to meet with the Stake President and it cut me to the core, I felt as if to flee from this interview simply because of how I felt. I know that the way I felt was ridiculous and incorrect for the Lord will qualify whom ever he calls but still I went through this. I felt that I had a glimpse of what the unprepared would feel as they are preparing to interview or to stand before God and their Christ. It is not a feeling that I would recommend, and it came as a call to be better and draw closer to my Savior. I am committing today to make greater efforts to prepare myself and to bring others to prepare themselves as well.

The interview went good, but it was with the second counselor, the President and first counselor got called away on an emergency. It was an interview to get to know me better and I was not very sociable. I tend to have a hard time being sociable and know that I need to work on it especially after today.

This morning before church I felt impressed to give the Stake President my talk on Journey Toward Righteousness. So I told him about my feelings and gave this talk to the second counselor and he said that he would like to read it but that he will give it to the Stake President first and then ask to read it. I was glad that I did this, because back in Arizona when we attended Power Ranch ward I felt to send a copy to my Stake President and did not and always felt bad about it. So now I have acted and it feels great.

Hinckley is now the olders prophet

Here is an aticle put out by the Deseret Morning News:

Thursday, November 2, 2006
LDS leader ties record for longevity

By Lynn Arave
Deseret Morning News
President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints marks a major milestone today. He has now equaled President David O. McKay in age.

Deseret Morning News graphic President McKay and President Hinckley are now tied as the oldest prophets in the history of the church.

As of today, Nov. 2, 2006, President Hinckley is 96 years old, plus 132 days — the same age that President McKay was when he died on Jan. 18, 1970. President Hinckley is thus poised to become the oldest-ever church president Friday.

Born in Salt Lake City on June 23, 1910, he has served as the 15th president of the church since March 12, 1995, and has been a general authority for more than 48 years.

President Joseph Fielding Smith lived to be 95 and 8 months old, the third-oldest church president. President Ezra Taft Benson was fourth at age 94 and President Wilford Woodruff fifth at age 91.

While President Hinckley is approaching age 97, no other church president has displayed as much vigor and energy as he has.

"I think it is significant for any church to have an extended administration that is not chopped up," said Jan Shipps, professor emeritus of history and religious studies at Indiana University-Purdue University.

She is considered among the foremost non-LDS scholars of LDS history and said she has not only been impressed with President Hinckley's vigor and vitality — despite his advancing age — but also with his openness among church members.

"President Hinckley has been strong and consistent," she said.

President Hinckley's first major health issue in his life came on Jan. 24, 2006, when he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous portion of his intestine.

President Hinckley briefly addressed his longevity in the general conference last month.

"Now, as all of you know, I am somewhat old in years," he said in the Sunday morning session. "I had my 96th birthday last June. I have learned from many sources that there is considerable speculation concerning my health. I wish to put the record straight. If I last a few months longer, I will have served to an older age than any previous president. I do not say this to be boastful but rather grateful."

He also said, "The Lord has permitted me to live; I do not know for how long. But whatever the time, I shall continue to give my best to the task at hand."

President Hinckley's father, Bryant S. Hinckley, lived to age 93 and almost 11 months. He died on June 5, 1961. President Hinckley's mother, Ada Bitner Hinckley, died at age 50 on Nov. 9, 1930.

The average longevity for all 15 LDS Church presidents is 83.4 years. Not counting Joseph Smith, who was martyred at age 38, the remaining 14 presidents have had an average life span of 86.6 years.

President Hinckley currently ranks sixth in his length of tenure as church president, with 11 years and almost eight months of service. Fifth place is held by President Spencer W. Kimball, who was prophet for 11 years and 10 months.

Brigham Young had the longest tenure as church president, with 29 years, followed by President Heber J. Grant with 27 years. President McKay was prophet for 19 years and President Joseph F. Smith for 17 years.

The oldest-ever LDS general authority was Elder Joseph Anderson of the Quorums of the Seventy. He served as a general authority for more than eight years and had an additional 13 years of emeritus status. He died on March 13, 1992, at age 102.

Subtle testimony to my Spanish teacher (Isabella)

I had asked my teacher in email today if I could have an extension on my test due to day and she replied back with the following:

Hi Craig! I am sorry about the death in your family. My condolences to all. May his/her soul rest in peace. Of course, you get an extension for test lesson 10. Just let me know when you are ready. God Blees you and Protect you all, Dr. Pajewski

I then sent her this email:

Thank you very much. It was sad and yet there were miracles at the same time. Isabella was almost 3 years old and her friend (Jose, son of the nanny) who was her age also slipped through the back gate that was left open by one of the families workers. They found them a quarter mile down the canal. Jose was holding with one hand to this pole, there is no way he could of got hold of that pole on his own let alone be able to hold on with one hand in the strong current, someone had to have been there helping him. Then once they got him out he said that "I", that is what he called Isabella, was "in water asleep". How could he of known that she was asleep under the water? They found her at the bottom of the canal. She could not be revived and was rushed to a hospital but did not make it. The boy was rushed to the ICU and was not doing very good. He got pneumonia in his lungs and several other things as well. The Branch President (in the The Church of Latter-day Saints church he is like a pastor or a bishop) came and administered to him (gave him a blessing) and commanded him in the name Jesus Christ to be made whole. Once he finished the blessing Jose opened his eyes and the doctors could not find anything wrong with him at all. So there was tragedy and the work of the Lord mixed all together. We are just thankful for our religion that teaches us that life does not end with death and that through the power and mercy of God we will be able to be with our families after this life. i appreciate you for being understanding.

I wanted to bear my testimony about the Church but in a subtle way. I felt that this was nice and subtle but I tend to think that everything is subtle. Anyway she now knows a little bit of the Church.