Maria Moved two weeks Ago
April 18, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [6]
Luis E-mailed everybody, but I never posted it here on the Website. The one thing he may not have said was that he and Maria did all of the moving alone. There was no one else available to help, except me, and they wouldn’t let me touch a thing, for fear I would fall. They just kept saying, “no, you’re doing fine, right where you are.” They tried to make me think I was “guarding” the two apartments, while they moved stuff out of one, and into the other. What kind of nincompoop did they take me for? But I just let them think it, as they toiled and labored and sweated. I could hardly believe that just the two of them handled that whole affair. Then, Maria took us out to eat at a very good restaurant. I don’t remember the name of it. But, I do remember that I had the best country-fried steak and mashed potatoes I have ever tasted.
The two of them still had energy to spare. Energy begets energy. Luis had to drive two hours to home.
Maria is two minutes away from the beach by car. Ten minutes if one chooses to walk. I love her apartment. It’s old, and that’s the charm. The kitchen is little, and very old-fashioned. Perfect for one little Ree-ree. (sniffle…I think I’d better go to bed)
Maria…
April 17, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [7]
Did you give Mom and Dad that agapanthus I gave you? If not, and your new apartment has more sun on the porch, you can keep it but just put it in a larger pot so it can multiply.
Okay, Family! Let’s Play: WHAT THE HECK IS IT!?!?!?
April 10, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [30]
Any guesses?
(Buddy, you can’t play until at least three others have tried to guess).
2 Page Philosophy
April 9, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [3]
I have refrained from delving too much into philosophy and the secrets of the universe the last couple of years. It just rather depresses me as life is in a predictable cruise and anything outside of the box disrupts my immediate functions:) Work, Provide, Parent, Sleep… I knew there was a reason we should have children at a young age… Just trying to enjoy them with what little energy I have at the end of the day.
I have compressed my Franklian macro view of this life’s philosphy down to 2 pages. It’s the most I can deal with these days. I archive them here lest I forget them:)
Time only goes in a single direction. Obviously…
The gift of time from one person to another is a gift that cannot be exchanged but is a permanent expression of human potential.
The meaning of human existence is based upon time’s irreversible quality.
An individual’s responsibility in life must therefore be understood in terms of temporality and singularity.
Life is temporary, yet each life is unique.
Living TWICE in a sense is great therapy and preparation.
Live as if you were living for the second time and had acted as wrongly the first time as you are about to act now.
As an individual understands the full gravity of time, he or she will recognize the full responsibility for living.
Life, then, is a journey that reflects the experience of time.
To face life only to reach the end of the day, the end of the task, the end of a journey is to live for the goal of dying.
The focus of Life should be on the experience so that each event or task in life can become meaningful.
Regardless of the situation, life has meaning that can never be taken away from the individual.
Only the individual can lose meaning.
When this happens, the individual suffers feelings of meaninglessness that Frankl has identified as “existential vacuum”.
For life to have Meaning, one must look for the experience of transcendence.
The most meaningful experiences in life are those that transcend the individual and offer caring moments with others. These become Joyful experiences.
The human spirit can also be experienced in the form of Suffering. Frankl notes that meaning can be found in suffering by transcending the moment to understand the fullest impact of the experience.
Life can be made meaningful:
(1) by experiencing something — or someone ( what we choose to receive)
(2) by creating a thing or doing a deed (what we choose to give)
(3) by the attitude with which we answer Life’s questions (how we choose to perceive suffering, etc)
In regards to Death, existentialists like Heidegger’ dwell on death as humanity’s final boundary. Clearly death is a reality for all human beings and poses a challenge to humans’ coping skills.
Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, unlike other existential systems, is basically an optimistic, future-oriented system, focusing on human freedom and the multitude of possibilities for human beings to find meaning. Logotherapy emphasizes the transitory nature of life and points to the meaning of the journey, thus avoiding the more negative aspects of existentialism by injecting hope, meaning, and values into the therapeutic dialogue.
Below is a quote from James Ellor:
(http://www.deathreference.com/En-Gh/Frankl-Viktor.html):
As a person faces mortality either in his or her own death or that of a loved one, the first thing he or she experiences is the story of the person. Each person’s story reflects both who she or he is and what she or he has done. A funeral eulogy is a time to tell the “story” of the person. However, the task of grief, according to Frankl, is twofold: The first aspect is to find meaning in the story. What is it about the story of this person that offers meaning to the person articulating the eulogy? Meaning is often found by asking the question, What is it about this story that would be important enough to you to want to share with someone else? Frankl notes, “This leads to the paradox that man’s own past is his true future. The living man has both a future and a past; the dying man has no future in the usual sense, but only a past” (Frankl 1984, p. 127). In the hearts of friends, the stories of the person’s life reflect shared meaning. In this way there is a future, even after the death of the loved one. Paradoxically, the real hurt in grief is the fact that stories have endings. Yet when the story is understood in meanings, there are no ends, only meanings that can be passed on from generation to generation.
The second task of grief is to understand the responsibility that is called for by the loss of a loved one, particularly in incidents such as a car crash where one person lives and the other dies. Frankl suggests that to honor the life of the deceased is to move beyond survivor guilt, which often accompanies this type of situation. Frankl suggests that there should be no such thing as survivor guilt, but only survivor responsibility. Each person has responsibility to transcend the circumstances of the incident and cherish the memory of the deceased.
The work of Frankl offers a way of thinking about life as well as a therapeutic approach to being with persons who are dying and their loved ones. The goal of this process is the search for meaning. In meaning all of the transcendent life forces come together to offer more than mere existence as a human being. [JAMES W. ELLOR]
“Genealogy Trails”
April 6, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [2]
MOTHER:
I happened upon a website (really, a “webring”) of genealogy research information. It apparently started in Illinois and is spreading to other states. It appears to be an “amateur effort” to put “free” genealogy information online.
I noticed that several counties in Alabama including Geneva County are “up for adoption.” Maybe that’s something you could consider. I’m sorry if Geneva County isn’t your expertise; I’m having to remember this off the top of my head.
At any rate, check it out.
Our Former Stake President Just Called To Area Authority Seventy
April 5, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [2]
Just saw on the General Conference broadcast where our just-past Stake President, Michael Pickerd, was called to a position as an Area Authority Seventy.
Spring is coming along….
April 4, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [2]
As you can see spring is on coming along…..the first two shots are of the same spot three weeks apart. Weird watching spring roll in . ..the third is just off my porch. I wish I could put my plants on the ground but the cat chews them 
I still haven’t found a taker for him
Birthplace & Genealogy
April 3, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [9]
This may seem a little self absorbed but, genealogy is genealogy.
The surname Polhemus appears to be a latinized form of a location in southern Germany.
Pohlheim Germany is just north of Frankfurt.
People with this last name and it’s derivatives, Paulhamus, Polhamus, Polhemius, etc appear to have originated from this area well before the 1500s where one faction moved into the Netherlands, the first Polhemus American ancestor Johannas Theodorus Polhemius was eventually called as the Dutch reform Minister of New Amsterdam in 1654.
What was soooo coincidental to me is that I was born within 100 miles (Stuttgart is South of Pohlheim) of the homeland of all the Polhemus families in the world:)
Picture of my view from back deck, I tried to make it smaller but I didn’t know my camera was on 3m
April 1, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [8]
Click and see an awesome view:
My camera was on too high a pixal, but this is the view from the back deck. Its beautiful, I think I zoomed in though when I took it, the land across is not quite so close. This bit of land is actually on an Island after you pass the marina. It is also on a large area of the lake. After I get it fixed up you will now have a child with some land on the lake next to a Marina, so it would be a nice area for a family get together.
DEATHS
March 31, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [6]
Luis’ Nephew, Raphael, died Friday from complications from a fall off of a bicycle. It was unexpected. He was 44 years old.
Luis doesn’t plan to go to Puerto Rico. The funeral is today, so there was no time to make plans, and it would have cost at least $500.00 for a roundtrip plane fare.
Raphael was about four years old when we got married. Luis doesn’t remember if he was married at present, but he once was, and had a daughter that died.
Luis’ family has had a lot of sadness in the past several years. First with Carmen, (his sister’s) sudden death, and then his sister, Judy, became ill with cancer, and died. Luis went to both funerals, and he visited Judy in Gainesville, Florida when she came here for treatment, but it was too late. Then Masin (Luis’ older brother’s daughter) died suddenly of an anuerism (she was only 38) about three years ago. Luis also attended her funeral.
I remember Enid’s age, because she and Brenda were only nine months apart. They were both just little babies when Luis and I made our first trip together to Puerto Rico.
Then we went 10 years later, and the girls wanted to play with each other, but they couldn’t do more than smile, because they couldn’t speak their languages. They just walked around, until they were bored.
Enid was a real knock-down gorgeous fantastic Spanish beauty, and then I knew where Brenda got her good looks. Straight off that island!!
But the family has dealt with a lot of death, and the thing is, they were all too young. Carmen was only 65, Judy was 60, Raphael 44 and Enid 38. Just too, too sad.
We have much to be grateful for in our family, and we need to take advantage of the opportunity that we have on the last week in July. Let’s all get together, and show each other a tremendous amount of love. Because we really don’t know when we might be together again.
Luis got his genealogy together, and I was honored to be the proxy for Carmen, Judy, and Enid in the Temple for all three. At the same time, I’m sure I had some of my family names, or he had others ready for him to take through at the same time.
Exculsively to Bill
March 30, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [7]
Number One: Thanks for all of the great photos of the beginning of the baseball season.
I’m sure we’ll be getting more of these as the season progresses, and a blow by blow description of every play made, or I should say a hit- by- catch report in every game. I will enjoy those, as much as I did Buddy’s great year of football with Adam-Michael. I knew I had all of these kids and grandkids (even borrowed ones..thank you, Nancy) for something.
Number Two: Thank you for your compliments to Jason and his performance. Of course, I don’t have to tell you that seeing it “live” was much better than on video. He is a very talented young man. It would have been so wonderful if only he could have received some kind of “voice training” (my mind fails me as usual. I can’t think what to call it). Anyway, he didn’t. What you hear is raw talent. He and Sister Lee sang in Sacrament last Sunday. Do you remember when Brother Hartman Rector was coming often to our First Birmingham Ward to talk to us, and he always sang the song about the “Rivers Crawl to Find Him” . Anyway, they sang that, and it was absolutely beautiful. Of course, Jason had never heard it before, and it was difficult for him, but Sister Lee grew up with it, and she carried it, and it turned out so well. I heard remarks around me, like, “I have never heard that done so well”. I wanted to tell them that Jason was MY son-in-law, but I had done enough bragging through the years, and I’ve knocked it off, now.
In case you are feeling that your mother is not remembering you and your talents, you have no idea how I swell at what you have accomplished, Bill. I haven’t forgotten how surprised I am at how well you sing, now. Singing with a choir is a good way to develop a voice. And singing with Nancy has helped. I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing you and Nancy sing together, and I want you and she to sing something in the talent show at our reunion.
Number three: MOST IMPORTANT: HAVE YOU RESERVED A MOTEL, NEW LOG CABIN, QUAINT OLD CABIN, OR CHALET for the reunion. Sorry to badger you, but I must. If everyone is to be together in the one place at DeSoto, we have to be quick. See the number Brenda gives under “Reunion Undate” by Brenda. Be sure, as she states to say it is for the Pagan/Polhemus reunion. LET US KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
Number four: I’m pretty sure I sent an invitation to Hillary and Seay, but I didn’t know Leah’s or Julia’s address, and so I didn’t send them one, but will do so, immediately upon receiving addresses. They need to be brought up-to-date on everything. Are you keeping them informed? Should Brenda do it? I know she’s going to have Hillary do her hair soon, and she’ll talk to her. Brenda won’t let anybody but Hillary touch her hair.
Number Five: Brenda is so excited about the possibility of a Band Concert by you and Buddy and Seay. If that happens, your Dad and Sarah Ann will need an invitation for at least that evening for dinner and show. It’s funny how our families criss-cross.
ThomasSMonson.org
March 23, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [1]
Well, another first it seems. President Monson’s now the first LDS Church president to have his own website!
Alabama Heritage
February 7, 2008 | Items of Interest | No Comments
Bill, we received another beautiful “Alabama Heritage” magazine. One of the contents is written by Lynn Barstis Williams and is on “Richard Coe’s Birmingham”. Forgotten moments in Depression-era Birmingham come to life in the works of Richard Coe. Thank you again for these truly beautiful magazines.
Deseret Morning News: 16th president of the LDS Church — President Monson
February 5, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [2]
Article is HERE.
Some pull-quotes:
Asked how he reacted, knowing he would lead the church upon President Hinckley’s death, President Monson said the thing he found most helpful was “going to my knees,” asking God to “go before my face, on my right hand and on my left hand.” He said he asked for God’s “spirit in my heart and angels round about me to bear me up.”
At age 67, President Uchtdorf was one of the younger members of the Quorum of the Twelve and said he is “joyfully overwhelmed” by his new responsibilities. “It’s something which is a great honor. I’m very humbled by the call. I know this call must have come from God, because human beings might have had a difficult time to do the same.”
New LDS First Presidency Announced
February 4, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [6]
Thomas S. Monson is the new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced today at a news conference in the Church Office Building. President Monson, 80, succeeds President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died 27 January.
The new world leader of the Church has called to serve with him in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the 13-million-member faith, President Henry B. Eyring, 74, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 67, second counselor.
Tribute to President Hinckley
February 3, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [2]
I found this on an LDS mailing list:
You may get something out of a little speech I gave a year ago, a sort of personal tribute to the man. You may, if you wish, share it with others.
My Counselor, My Lifeline
Weston First Ward Conference
Weston, Massachusetts
January 14, 2007
By Ronald B. Scott
Way, way back in 1967, a few months after I returned home from serving a two-year mission to New England, I enrolled in a creative writing course at the University of Utah. The set-up for one essay assignment went like this:
· While hiking, you have become stranded on a cliff, a couple of hundred feet below and above safe ground.
· Rescuers have located a rope, but it is just long enough to reach down to you; there is no way to secure it, so you won’t be able to rappel down; the only way to go is up. It will be a tough –footholds and handholds are scarce. Count on lots of falls, short ones if the man belaying –holding the rope –is reliable. He is your lifeline.
· As for your lifeline, your belayer, – the person holding the rope — you have a choice. Choose who you would trust most with your life? Explain your choice providing as much descriptive detail as possible.
Predictably, most of the kids wrote tributes to a mother, a father, a brother, or a favorite uncle. A few pragmatists selected peers who were also skilled mountaineers, or strong linebackers.
My choice was so unusual – he was neither a relative nor fearsomely strong — that the teacher read my essay to the class. Now, 40 years later Bishop Zenger asked me –just last night – to tell you about the man I chose and why I selected him way back when, and to cover the years in between…so I will resort to verbal snapshots:
· Although I had known, been aware of the man for most of my life, I didn’t start paying attention to him until I was a pre-teenager. He was the soft-spoken first counselor, the number two man in the stake presidency for what seemed like an eternity. When I first heard him speak from the podium at stake conference – and every time thereafter — I assumed he was the visiting general authority. He sounded like a general authority. Calm, self-assured, kind.
· He was very, very good counselor which meant he was always very, very good at listening. Later, he briefly, very briefly, served as stake president.
· He was a few years older than my own father. In fact, he’d taught dad in seminary, and later hired him. The man I would designate as my lifeline returned from a long and tough session with his tight-fisted boss. He had been negotiating raises for two chronically underpaid long-term employees. Things had not gone as well as hoped and he was indignant as he quoted Luke off the top of his head: “for the labourer is worthy of his hire…” He was something of a scriptorian.
· My first lasting impression came during a routine family dinner in his home. I was a middle-teen then. His blessing on the food included a brief family prayer. It was like no other prayer I had heard before. Or since, for that matter, except from him. I had the distinct impression that he was having a one-on-one, frank and open exchange with the Lord…Of course I couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but I was pretty certain my lifeline could. It was a truly awesome thing to…to hear…and to feel.
· A year or so later I found myself wrestling with God, like lots of young people do. Old people too. I had read just enough history to be troublesome; absorbed just enough philosophy to have doubts, and knew just enough math to know that some things in life just don’t add up.
· And, so there we sat on the lawn behind his modest white-clapboard cottage in East Millcreek talking about the meaning of life, God, and, especially, the church. Because I was close friends with one of his children we had a few impromptu chats over the years. Assuming, as I did, that my lifeline was on a first name basis with God I wanted him to tell me that God had told him the church was true. Believe me, I would have taken his word for it, no follow-up questions would have been necessary.
· I couldn’t get up the courage to put it to him quite that bluntly, so we waltzed around “testimony” issues and my “doubts” and so on for quite a while until finally he said something like “Well, you’ve told me all about your questions and doubts, how about telling me about what you don’t doubt. There must be a few things about the gospel, the church you believe to be true.” Sure enough there were. I ticked off a few fairly safe ones and a couple of provocative ones for good measure. He looked me square in the eyes and said: “Here’s what you do. Hold on tight to what you know to be true and let it lead you to all the rest.” I’m here today because of what he said way back when. I’m still applying his advice.
· A few years later I was ready to accept a mission call to Japan or Hong Kong or Korea. I was the youngest of my circle of friends, seven or so —and nearly every one of them was called to serve in Asia. Or so it seemed. My lifeline just happened to supervise all the missions in that area of the world. And so, putting one and one together, I assumed that’s where I was headed too. I was floored when my call arrived in the mail and it specified New England. A week or so later, My lifeline called to congratulate me and get my reaction — I’m reasonably certain this memory is paraphrased only a little. “I’m pleased but very surprised,” I confessed. “I expected a call to a mission in Asia.” There was thoughtful silence on the phone line. He broke it with a simple question: “What’s the date on the letter from President McKay.” I gave him the date. “Ah,” he said, audibly relieved. “I was out of town then.” I laughed loudly. “I thought missionary callings were supposed to be inspired.” “Oh they are,” he insisted. “They’re like an inspired game of darts: if you know the young man, it just helps you aim the dart a little better.”
· I served the mission, returned to college, wrote my essay about him, and went off to New York to write for Time. But, good journalists keep track of people and they take copious notes. I kept track of him; I read all his speeches; saved news clips about him. I learned that he had once wanted to be a journalist — that he too had once dreamed of writing for Time Magazine before he was persuaded, right out of college, to join a large international organization based in Salt Lake City, one where he spent his entire 70-something year career.
· He hadn’t laid eyes on me in at least six years, perhaps more, when I ran into him at a press conference in Manhattan. He was now a senior officer and I knew he had personally directed an effort aimed at drawing more African Americans into his organization. I was very proud of him. His plan was working well. So we reporters wanted to know all about it, especially where it might lead the organization. Like the good counselor he had always been would be for many more years to come, he humbly redirected our enthusiastic, flattering questions to his boss.
· He is a serious man, but he does not want for a sense of humor. As I mentioned he knows something about prayers and praying. A friend, a particularly snappy, colorful dresser and now a stake president in New York was asked to give a closing prayer in a business meeting that included my “lifeline.” “That was a particularly fine prayer,” he said. “And the Lord may have taken you more seriously if he wasn’t distracted by your snazzy tie.”
· Over the years since, we caught up many times, directly, indirectly and almost. There wasn’t time to chat, or even shake hands. He is very busy. Very public. Aides surround him wherever he goes. Well- wishers too. They deserve time with him and I don’t intrude. I had my turn up close and personal sitting on the lawn in his backyard 40-plus years ago.
· We nearly collided in the service concourse under a sports arena in Worcester a few years back. He shot me one of those sidelong “I know you from somewhere” looks as he continued on down the hallway and I gave him one my best “you know me but you have places to go, people to greet” smiles. I suspect he would have recognized me straight out if I had not lost so much weight since he last saw me — yeh, right — and if the hairdresser had not messed around with the color of my hair.
He is old now. Really old. In his late 90s. Yet, his mind is very sharp. As he battles cancer, he races on like a man possessed, determined to stand for something right up to the very moment he keels over in his tracks.
He has always stood for something. Stood up for truth, decency and kindness. Stood up for people, the lucky and unlucky, the rich and poor and insisted that they talk to each other.
Like a good boy scout, he has striven to leave the “camp site” in better shape than he found it. He has succeeded. Ever the good counselor he continues to listen well and respond with breathtakingly simple advice.
Such was the case last Spring when he stood before us to give a speech he had once gamely entitled “My Last Will And Testimony.” His voice was ripe with righteous indignation as he opened with these words, which I have condensed a bit:
“When a man grows old he develops a softer touch, a kindlier manner …I have wondered why there is so much hatred in the world. We are involved in terrible wars with lives lost and many crippling wounds. Coming closer to home, there is so much of jealousy, pride, arrogance, and carping criticism…Racial strife still lifts its ugly head. I am advised that even right here among us there is some of this. I cannot understand how it can be.
“I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor be … in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ. How can any man holding the Melchizedek Priesthood arrogantly assume that he is eligible for the priesthood whereas another who lives a righteous life but whose skin is of a different color is ineligible? … Let us all recognize that each of us is a son or daughter of our Father in Heaven, who loves all of His children.”
I stand here today as a witness for my counselor, my lifeline. He is honorable. He is inspired. And, he is awesomely inspiring. He takes people as they are and helps them transform their weak spots into hard ones, and forge their hard ones into steel.
When his day is done, as it soon will be, the record will show that no mortal man – except Joseph Smith and Brigham Young — had a greater influence on the Church of Jesus Christ than the man I described in a college essay 40 years ago when he was a young apostle.
If I were stranded on a granite cliff today, I would want our leader and our prophet Gordon Bitner Hinckley manning the rope. He is my counselor, my lifeline and friend. I bear that simple witness, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Teyla’s cuteness
February 1, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [4]
I play a game that we have named “puppy”. She’s a puppy named “Belly”, and she comes to my house, and I’m the “mommy”. She brings friends….all kinds. Two are invisible puppies named “Jelly” and “Melly”. The other night, she brought a lion, pony, pig, and two puppies. (all small stuffed animals). They have to be, because we play the whole game on my bed. We make it up, as we go along. We finally found a doctors kit, so now I have something to pretend to be “doctor”, as well as “mommy”. Anyway, we set the clock for fifteen minutes only. She has learned to set it, and when the time is up…it’s UP! She knows I won’t play anymore. Anyway, after that particular game on the night I’m pinpointing, when it was over, she pushed all of her little animals over to me, and said, “I’m going to leave them all with you, Nana! I’m so glad you love my AMINALS!”
This morning I went into the livingroom to read my scriptures, and she came in to see what I was doing, and I told her, “I’m reading my scriptures, and Teyla, I found your scriptures that you lost. They’re in the den. Do you want me to get them?”
Silly question.
I gave them to her and she instructed me to go and sit back in my chair, and she sat down on the sofa, and opened her scriptures, and very quietly sat and mumbled and mumbled and turned pages so intently. I finally tiptoed across the room and down the hall to get Carmen to come and see. Carmen got the camera and took a picture.
Teyla cuteness. It keeps us occupied.
President Gordon B. Hinckley Dies at 97
January 27, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [9]
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley has died. He was 97 years old.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, world leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was ordained and set apart as the 15th President of the Church on Sunday, March 12, 1995.
He had earlier served 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the Church, and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 20 years prior to that.
President Hinckley married Marjorie Pay in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937. They have five children. Sister Hinckley passed away 6 April 2004.
The exact cause of President Hinckley’s death was not immediately released, but his health has been declining over the past two years due to a bout with cancer and complications of old age.
SALT LAKE CITY (Fox News Utah) – The president of the LDS Church passed away Sunday evening at the age of 97. Gordon B. Hinckley was the fifteenth president of the church and has been president since 1995. He was the oldest person to preside over the church in its history. We’ll have more tonight on Fox 13 News at Nine.