MY TESTIMONY

Over the years, since joining the Church, I have made remarks to my wife that I have no doubts of anything I’ve learned of the gospel...except for the thought that “I” could ever become a God.

I know ME pretty well and can easily say that, knowing my weaknesses, I certainly wouldn’t ever make me a GOD.

She would always just say, “Don’t you think that Satan is the one putting these thoughts in your head?

Maybe, but they are there.

This has been my thought process for the past 50 years...but it has not made me doubt the Church or our leaders or the scriptures.

We are told that we are taught by line upon line, precept upon precept and since I didn’t seem to be learning, I believe that Father prompted a friend, Fred Hawn, that I work with, (in whom I had never discussed these doubts) suggested that I listen to a talk given to the students at BYU by Brother Tad R. Callister.

His talk explained more fully the admonishment of the Savior that we should, “Become perfect even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.”

Brother Callister, quoting scripture and prophets, helped me understand MY “Identity And My Destiny” and this short life is meant to put us on our path to Godhood.

As we follow the Savior we will become like Him and Father and will eventually fulfill our destiny.

Our purpose on this earthly experience is to learn to perfect the attributes we need and to develop ourselves as we learn to become Gods.

The lessons we must start with, as we learn, are necessary to to prove ourselves worthy of becoming like Father.

At my High School in San Francisco, there was a quote on a mural at one end of the football field that I read often and liked...

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories."

Plato...

Embracing the doctrines and teachings of the Church gives new meaning to Plato’s thoughts.

We are placed in family units to be nurtured and support us as we begin to learn to put others needs above our own selfish inclinations.

We are brought into the church to experience serving others and to continue to prove ourselves as having the capacity of becoming a God.

Joseph Smith said that there never was an offspring that could not become like their parents.

A simple but wonderful truth.

MY BAPTISM

My thoughts of my baptism.


Irene asked me what about any thoughts I might have had when I was baptized

My first thoughts were of the service that we had just gone through,

but as I thought I remembered the events of that day.

It was the ONLY time in my life that I "knowingly" received direct revelation from Father.

For weeks prior to my baptism I had been going to Father in prayer earnestly asking for forgiveness for the things in my life that were contrary to the gospel.

After my baptism, sitting in my chair, I asked again for forgiveness and I received this answer from Him...
“Your sins are forgiven you, ask no more.”

It was not an audible voice but it entered my soul as strongly as if it were 
being a LOUD declaration that those around me could have surely heard.


And I was at peace.

FEELIN' OLD!!

FEELIN' OLD!

On this day, July 8th, 1959, I got on a TWA airplane and flew from
SF to San Diego to start my boot camp in the Navy.
That was so long ago that the plane was propeller driven!!

LOOK OUT MICKEY...HERE WE COME!!

LOOK OUT MICKEY...HERE WE COME!!

Tomorrow morning we head to D'neyland with Vicky & Larry, Sheri & Andrae, Cathy & Curt and most of their children.   Gonna be a fun trip!!

INDEPENDENCE DAY-2011

INDEPENDENCE DAY -2011

It matters not how our ancestors came to live in

this GREAT land.

The fact remains that through the work and

sacrifices of those good people, we have the

"HONOR" of living in the GREATEST Nation

ever established on this Earth.

I honor and respect those who came before

us and wish to pass that gratitude on to my

6 children and soon be 22 grandchildren.

We all need to be thankful to our

Father In Heaven for allowing us the

privilege of living in this GREAT land and

enjoying the FREEDOMS that we live with.

Can I get an "AMEN"???

NEW YEAR-NEW CHALLENGE!

New Year - New Challenge!

It may seem strange to everybody but I'm looking forward to the "Challenges" this year brings.

Diane was referring to this time of year as the time to look within ourselves and see if the path we are on is kinda like a "Racetrack Oval"...or is there movement towards the destination that we really desire for ourselves.

The world that we are living in is changing rapidly and is making Irene and I look at things a bit differently. I'm looking forward this opportunity for the chance to analyze and make some personal course corrections. I'm grateful to Jack and Heather and their family for reaching out to us. The biz'ness that I've been in for all these years has changed and it's time for me to move on...put some money into the printer and develop this new biz'ness...get it rolling and make things happen for Irene and myself.

I am a creature of habit and don't usually like "Change"....but "Change" also brings with it the chance to look at things with "New Eyes".

Father has put us on this Earth to learn and grow...that course doesn't end until my family gathers around me at the end and sings..."Hit The Road Jack"!

LOOK OUT WORLD...JACK AND IRENE AIN'T DONE YET!!!!

70??

70??

Irene will be working on my birthday so the family threw a party for me on Diane's birthday that was really nice.

Good food and a lot of fun just sittin' and talkin...it's really strange to think that time has marched on so quickly and I've reached 70!!!

What a wonderful family that Irene and I have been so blessed to be a part of...thanks to Irene and you kids...and also to my good friends...I'm a happy "OLD Guy"!!

MY BROTHER, HERKIMER!

My Brother, Herkimer!

When my children were younger they asked me about my brothers.

I told them about Bob being 5 years older than I was and about my memories of our lives together. I told them about Ron being 2 years younger and about our relationship.

I then got REAL serious and told them about our other brother, Herkimer...who was a few
years older than me...they were surprised that they knew nothing about him. Getting kinda emotional I told them that, sadly, one day he went out to feed the pigs...tripped and fell in the pig pen and they ate him! I told them not to mention this to their Grandmother cuz it would make her sad.

Well one day when they were alone with their Grandmother they very quietly asked if she would mind telling them about her little boy Herkimer....she said that they needed to tell her more. When Irene and I returned to the house she let me have it about this Herkimer "Bizness"!

I told her that I was just foolin' with them. She told them to NEVER believe anything I tell them....How RUDE! The kids still joke about my brother Herkimer!

IRENE'S "NEW KNEE"! (EDITED (9-9-2010)

Today Irene FINALLY reached the end of her "ROPE" and threw herself at the mercy of the "Medical World" and had her knee replaced.
The Doc said that she had to have been in "Excruciating Pain" and that she will be REALLY happy that she did it!
I wanna thank EVERYONE for their prayers and our "Kids" for the way they support their Mom and Dad!! Your "Da Best'!!

Well today we go for Irene's last check up with Dr. Dungey!

It has been a remarkable journey to observe Irene and her diligence to the regimine given to her by her therapist. She has been a "Trouper" as she has worked hard to be able to walk so well!! AA+ is the grade she gets!! (For Kyla..that's not a "Battery" that is a designation for her grade!!)

SANTA CRUZ LITTLE LEAGUE

Santa Cruz Little League 1953....Had a GREAT time... coach was Carl Sandman....My buddy Curt Sandman is on the top row 3rd from the right...I was on the bottom row 4th from the right.

Good experience!

CHELSEA & RYAN

Had the great pleasure of going to Utah and be with my Grandaughter Chelsea as she and her
new husband Ryan were married Saturday. He is a nice guy and they will do well!
I am proud of them and and am happy they have made this step together.

It was wonderful to spend time with the family...and see the Amdal "Clan" again.

A lot of sweet people reached out to the family and put together a fantastic reception.
Larry and Vicky are blessed to have such good friends.

WHAT CAN 50 YEARS DO TO YOU??

WHAT CAN 50 YEARS DO TO YOU??

SCARY!!

APRIL 22, 2010

April 22, 1910

100 years ago today my father

Robert Joseph Francis,

was born in the old O'Connor

Hospital in San Jose, CA

30 years later I was also born in this same hospital...it was on San Carlos St. & Race St. It was

later torn down and a Sears Store was built there that later became the "Saddle Rack", a

country music night club.

It is AMAZING to think how time goes by so quickly.I am holding up a can of Barq's Root Beer

and drinking a toast to the "OLD MAN"...."Hey Dad...at this stage of my life...it won't be long 'til I can embrace you again....let's sit with Mom and brother Bob and talk of old times!!"

CHEERIOS

Cheerios

I mentioned the following conversation
that I had to my cousin Beverly regarding
her father Bill Grigg...(My Mothers Brother)

She was kind enough to send this copy of
the minutes of a 1940 committee meeting
in regards to General Mills purchasing the
rights and formula of Cheerio Milling Company's breakfast cereal . Uncle Bill wasn't
named in the document but he was the owner of the mill and the creator of the cereal.

At a steel guitar jam session Saturday I was sitting with an old friend that has a business

building steel seats designed for pedal steel guitars....I knew that he also worked selling

something that has him on road at lot.

I asked him what he sells and he said "Thread"....I kinda chuckled...envisioning him flying around the world with a little spool of thread trying to make a living. I could see him saying

"See this thread....it normally sells for $.59 but because I like you, if you act now I can let you have it for $.29!" "If this shade of red works for you".

We laughed about that and said that he was gonna start carrying a spool with him on long

flights sitting with other passengers.

He said that he sells packaging equipment and supplies to companies that bag products like charcoal briquettes....dog food....sugar....flour, etc. He is from Texas and got started in the business traveling through the Midwest many years ago....one of the first places he went to

was a flour mill in N. Kansas somewhere.

I said that's a coincidence my uncle owned a mill in Coffeyville back

in the 20's or so.....he said "Really...so your uncle invented Cheerios."

I was taken back and asked him how he knew that. He said that the

man that owned the big mill, he was setting up with his packaging,

mentioned it to him years before that.

He said that he hadn't thought about that for years and was shocked

to know that I was related to Uncle Bill.

...small world isn't it!

WORLD'S FASTEST MODEL "T" FORD

World's Fastest

Model "T" Ford

I laid out the paint design, masked it off and lettered this

race car for Owner/Driver Joel Young. He set the record

at Bonneville last summer at 166 MPH. The engine is a

highly modified 1927 Model "T" Ford that puts out 188 HP.

It's not often that I get to letter race cars any more so this

was fun to do.

Fast forward to August 21, 2010...just received a phone call from Joel and they managed to break their old record at 201MPH!!

My brother Bob

Bob built and flew R/C planes...they were

exact replicas of existing planes....they were

made of fiberglass and must do whatever

the plane was designed to do. He won many

awards at national events building and flying.

His "Best" effort was a plane designed and flown

by a stunt flyer named Wayne Handley...who

lives close to Santa Cruz so Bob was able to make

a great replica of his plane. Bob also had to learn

and fly Waynes "Routine" exactly the way that

Wayne did when doing his air shows.

Wayne crashed his plane at one of the shows and

nearly died...he ended up a few inches shorter from

the compression of his vertibrae after the crash

and a long recovery. He told his wife that he would

never fly that routine again so she OK'd him getting

back into a plane.

After Bob passed away (6 years ago) Wayne

called Darlene from Australia and asked if her and

the boys would be at the upcoming airshow at Travis

AFB that was being dedicated to Bob...she said that

they were going to the show and he said that he'd see

them there.

The show started with the Air Force "Thunderbirds"

flying in formation...as they approached the crowd

they noticed that Wayne was flying his back-up

stunt plane in the formation...as they got overhead

Wayne flew out of the formation into the "Missing

Man" manuver flying straight up in tribute to Bob.

Reaching the top of his climb everyone was shocked

to see him go into the routine that nearly took his life

as he honored his friend Bob.

I couldn't make it to the show but would dearly have

loved to...funny thing...I can't talk about this without

"Tearing up"...I miss that "Grumpy Ol' guy"!!

(Video of Wayne Handley crashing his "RAVEN" stunt plane.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJoSnfcEU68&feature=related

ME N' MY COUSIN BILLY

Me N' my cousin Billy

in 1953, Santa Cruz.

Billy was visiting

and wanted to put on

my Little League uniform.

3 GENERATIONS

WOW!!

Look at us...then look

at my later pictures

and see what is store

for you Jack!!

ME AND MY BROTHERS!

JACK, RON & BOB!

Vicky posted this picture on the "Family Blog".

I believe this is the only picture around of us together.

It's great to see this photo...wish that I could find Ron again.

CHURCH "BALL" AT IT'S BEST!

Church "Ball" at it's best!

Back in the 70’s I was asked to coach our ward’s Varsity basketball team.
Not being much of a basketball player I felt a little inadequate at the challenge.

I called a practice and 5 guys showed up…one of them was about 5’ 5” and weighed
Somewhere over 200 lbs. but he was even much slower than you’d think he could be.
I asked if anyone had a friend of the appropriate age that was not playing high school basketball but could be helpful. A young man showed up the next week that was deadly shooting from the corners. The starting five were pretty good.

Our first game was a blowout...I pulled guys out one at a time and left the chubby guy in for the whole second half trying to slow the game down but we won 65 to 4. I was getting pretty impressed with this tiny squad…we finished the season with one loss..by one point.

We qualified for a spot in the area championships. Our first game was to be played at 1pm on a Saturday so I told the guys to show up at noon…they did…our little band of players looked kinda silly with the other teams all being 12 man units. Sadly, I was given the wrong time…we were to start at noon…so we lost by a forfeit.

I called the guys around me and was hoping that they would understand…they said that they wouldn’t kill me…and that it was “No big deal” (Right!!) The opposing team’s coach and their captain came over to us and asked if we could play them a scrimmage… they had talked the refs into working the scrimmage.

When they walked away I asked the guys if they were up to it and they said sure lets just have some fun….when the scrimmage was over the other team had only scored 10 points… we hit a little over 50. Both teams were high fiving each other…it was kinda fun to see the sportsmanship. While we were packing up to leave the other team came over to us…. their Captain said that they had just had a meeting and that we showed that they didn’t belong there and they were pulling out of the tournament… the directors said that if they did… we could continue on….what a thrill to watch this kinda sportsmanship from these young men showing true “Christian” love for their brothers.

We took second place losing to the same team that had earlier beaten us…by one point again….made more painful by the other team’s coach being a young man that I had known when I first joined the church. Both of our teams went to the “Regional Championships”. They lost early in the tournament…we were in the Championship game… playing a very good team and were down by 20 points…close to the end of the game our team Captain called time out and the guys said that I needed to stop trying to slow the game down, I was trying to help them not die of exhaustion....they said that they were alright and to please let them RUN.

I told them to go for it…they did. We tied the game with a second to spare…went into overtime and won it by about 10 points. What a fun time I had with those 6 guys that would never give up.