AJ's Small Stack of Plates

"Which Way Do You Face?" - A Jerusalem Wheelchair & The Importance of Following the Living Prophet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 May 2021 03:09:00 +0000

Haven't posted here for a very long while (other than drafts) but feel that I should record a few thoughts after being challenged to record experiences and conversations of note.

Went on a hike Saturday (8 May 2021) and while hiking had a good chat with Aaron D (also my 1st counselor). We were talking about the importance to follow the living prophet - particularly in polarizing, difficult days. Aaron shared his experiences with the importance and benefits of sustaining the line leader. He referenced a talk in General Conference titled "Which Way Do You Face?" He told of an experience he had early in his service as a Bishop where there was a youth activity planned at a stake level that was difficult and not being organized in the way that he would have done it and had some strong feelings that led to a sour attitude. When the time of the activity - which spanned multiple nights - came he was ready to go but didn't have his full heart in it. On the first stage of the hike, a member of the Stake Presidency was struggling and asked for a priesthood blessing. Between this experience and some conversations at the first night's campfire, Aaron saw the bigger vision and his heart was softened to understand the concept of "my ways are higher than your ways" (Isaiah 55:8-9). He's remembered this as a key pillar in his testimony to follow the line leader - the one with the keys - the prophet.

I shared how that the most powerful witness of a prophet came in Jerusalem when I was a student at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. It was less than 2 years following the death of President Howard W. Hunter. President Hunter had spent a significant amount in Jerusalem working among the people and was instrumental in the establishment of the BYU Jerusalem Center - locally known as the Mormon University - and the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden on the Mount of Olives. He was loved and respected by so many. Israeli or Palestinian -- Jew, Muslim, or Christian.

In the building, there is a gathering area that can be used for games and has a basketball hoop. One day I walked by that room and saw some of the kids of the visiting professors playing in the recreation room. They were taking turns pushing each other in a wheelchair going really fast with quick turns where the chair would get on one wheel. I didn't think too much of it.

Behind me I heard a frustrated voice yell, "What are you doing?!" It was a member of the custodial staff at the Center. He was a Palestinian man who had worked there for years. He generally had a quiet but friendly manner. He yelled again.

"Stop!!"

"What are you doing! Stop right now!"

The boys answered that they were just having some fun.

"Do you not know whose wheelchair that is?! That is President Hunter's wheelchair. President Hunter is a Prophet of God. You should treat his wheelchair with respect just as you should treat him with respect. Always remember God's prophet."

For a Muslim man to declare that there was another prophet was astonishing to me. I will never forget the intensity in his face. The connection and love of God that he had felt through President Hunter had never left him. I knew that he knew the importance of living prophet.

Today there are many - even who have membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who seek to set aside the importance of a prophet. They would say that these men don't understand the challenges that the people face today. This attitude often seeks to amend the standards that God has set. "Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments." When we do this we hide from the truth and light that has been given to us. Of this attitude, Nephi wrote "from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Ne. 28)

I am grateful for counsel to remember which way I should face -- especially when it is difficult. I am grateful for counsel to record important memories. I know that Christ stands at the head of His Church. He speaks through prophets today. Russell M. Nelson is the only one to hold all of the priesthood keys. I can find joy - even through tribulation - if I follow his counsel. When I Give Thanks and Let God Prevail as President Nelson admonishes, I come closer to Christ and feel His presence in my life more fully.

Update: I think that one thing about this concept that weighs on me is that I hold keys of presidency with a responsibility to help other people and to direct key aspects of the Kingdom of God in our area. I am a very flawed man and not likely to get it perfect the first time. How can I live my life in a way that others will sustain my decisions that impact them? What obstacles to discipleship of Christ does my personality in the position place in others paths?

Home Sweet Home - St. Louis Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 02:50:00 +0000

It's officially official!! We now have a home. Technically we're sharing it with a bank but ... Now if I only had my family with me too. #itisnotgoodformantobealone

A photo posted by AJ Curtis (@curtis_a_j) on Jun 19, 2015 at 5:01pm PDT

We are happy to be in the Saint Louis area and are blessed to have a home. We are still grieving about leaving behind so many great friends and places in Saudi Arabia but have found peace in this new opportunity. I still need to find ways to process all that we have seen and experienced. So much can't really be said about the past but we will find ways to be more expressive about the future.

Quiet; Saudi Arabia Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 17:26:00 +0000

I've been really silent recently. Probably too much self-editing.

For those that pay attention and might like to spend an hour learning more about Saudi Arabia, here is a 2008 documentary done by the BBC.

The Hope That is In Me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 19:58:00 +0000

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15)

This passage from the Bible has stuck with me for more than 20 years. What is the hope that is in me? It is the seeds of faith that drives me to act. It is my faith in God and my understanding of the purpose of my existence. It is knowledge of a plan -- even the "Great Plan of Happiness" brought about by His Son Jesus Christ. The hope that is in me stems from conviction that God is the Father of my spirit. That He knows me and loves me in the same manner that the father of my body knows me and loves me. He understands me in the same way that I understand and love my children.

This short video is only 4 minutes long. However, it says more than I can explain about this hope that is in me. It is part of my answer to any who might ask about why I am full of hope.

Photos from Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:11:00 +0000

We were in Egypt from 22 October to 29 October during the Hajj holidays here in Saudi Arabia. I'll take some time to talk more about it later but thought to share some of the photos.

You can check at this link for some photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66095210@N07/sets/72157631845049374/detail/

Cockroaches in My Ice Cream?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 03:00:00 +0000

So ... today Zachary turned 13 years old. I am so glad to be his father but humbled and scared at the same time. We are in Egypt (more on that later) on R&R leave. For dinner, Jennifer & I ordered room service for the 4 youngest children, left Dallin in charge (weird, I know), got "dressed up", and took Zach to dinner at the steakhouse downstairs in the hotel.
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Check this out

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 11:37:00 +0000

I've been really quiet in this space. This is in part because there is so much to say ... and so much that cannot be said.

Jennifer is posting a bit about the family as well. Check it out at:

http://aroundtheworldwith5kids.blogspot.com.

Walking the Compound

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:50:00 +0000

We go on a walk of the compound nearly every evening. On this night in September, we decided to bring a camera.

We were walking as the sun set on the horizon. This is the signal for the Maghrib call to prayer. Because of the timing, you can hear various towers in the area beginning the call to prayer. As we finished the walk, it was dark -- too dark to adequately photograph some of the gazelle on the golf course.

Birthday for James

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:35:00 +0000

We were able to be with family on Independence Day in Utah. That seemed as good a time as any to celebrate James' 1st Birthday. We loved his reaction to his first birthday cake. Here's to many, many more.

Celebrating 10 Years of Dallin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:28:00 +0000

As we head off on a big journey, we are happy to celebrate 10 years of Dallin. We are so glad to have him and for the good example that he is to his younger sisters and brother.

Just coming home after his first month in the hospital

We can still hear him squeaking that pacifier

A big grin after getting off of continuous feeds

Helping to plant a tree. Purple valve on the trach tube

Celebrating being able to go to a Phoenix Suns basketball game before moving to Australia. Love the ice cream stains.

Loving the sand on Whitehaven Beach, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Climbing in the old fig tree at New Farm Park in Brisbane

Loving the Thai Pumpkin soup in Dubai

Mecca & on to Taif

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:18:00 +0000

K, H, and I with Mecca in the background

I've done some work that required visits to a University in Mecca (Makkah). Yeah, that one. While not coming into the areas restricted for only Muslims, I did get to see quite a bit.

It was 44*C in Mecca and 25*C in Taif

There are baboons in the hills and hanging out at a place to pull off by the side of the road

Baboon nursing a baby.

Switchbacks on this huge climb

Some people got too close to the baboons and they weren't happy

A Child's Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Our B-Bop

Sweet Rebekah is growing in more ways than one. She's getting tall and communicating better every week. She has developed her own sense of style and likes to experiment with her hair.
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The Mall of the Emirates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 14:06:00 +0000

A high-end area of the mall called "Fashion Dome"

On our last full day in Dubai we went off the resort property to another mall. This one is called The Mall of the Emirates. It's not as big as the Dubai Mall but perhaps more fancy.

That's right a skiing park within the mall.

The thing that this mall is most known for is Ski Dubai. The structure itself is visible for miles away from the mall as it appears like a corkscrew-type shape sticking up from the rest of the mall.

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James Trying to Heal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 13:27:00 +0000

Traveling with an injured baby wasn't the easiest for him or for us. However, we are blessed with a good natured boy that wants to play and get along as much as he can. We all got extensive amounts of sleep on this trip which helped us fulfill the "Rest" part of the Rest and Recreation Leave. Jennifer and I slept in one room on a king-sized bed. James joined us in a crib in our room. Zach, Dallin, Autumn, and Rebekah had an adjoining room with two queen-sized beds. Nap time was a must.

James having a nap with me. Not sure who fell asleep first.

Pretty sure I woke up shortly after Jen took this photo. He can lean pretty hard.

One day at the waterpark, his bandages got wet and needed to be changed. He's quite tough and kept a stiff upper lip when the bandages came off. It was tough because his dead skin came off too. The human body is an amazing thing.

{warning to tender grandparents about photographs and hurt expressions below}
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"The Lost Chambers"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

As part of the Atlantis resort there is also a very large aquarium, it's so big and deep that they send SCUBA divers around in it. To showcase the sea life, they've built a themed area around the Atlantis concept called The Lost Chambers. The whole experience was very fun and it looked different at night than in the day.

Jellyfish illuminated by UV light

The Dubai Mall & Fountains

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:10:00 +0000

The Burj Khalifa -- By most standards, the current tallest building in the world.

On Tuesday, after our fun-filled day at the waterpark, Dad & kids all had tremendous naps while Jennifer had a half-day treatment package at the spa. She enjoyed it and we enjoyed that she enjoyed it. That night, we took a taxi from the Atlantis to go to the Dubai Mall. I don't care to know the specifics but it claims to be the world's biggest mall.
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The "Leap of Faith"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:21:00 +0000

We had fun on the "Leap of Faith" slide. Or, I guess I should say that Zach and I did. Dallin, though he did it twice, still isn't too sure.

A look from above to the 70ft drop

Dubai & Atlantis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Catching up on the blog after vacation and a very hectic week of work

One aspect of the spectacular lobby

We left for Dubai on a 'Rest & Recreation Leave' on 21 May. It was nearly a month after our family arrived in Riyadh but because I'd been there much longer we were in a position where we had to use this leave benefit or lose it. We'll have two of these 1-week leave benefits per year plus a week of 'home leave' to fly to the USA.
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A Big Brother

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:47:00 +0000

Both Jennifer and I are 'oldest' children in more ways than one. So, at times we feel a bit of sympathy for the responsibilities that Zachary shoulders in our family.

A weary James seeking comfort from Zachary after waking

First Trip to the ER

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Getting a little TLC from Mom.

So, I arrived to begin my assignment in Riyadh one-year ago today. In all of that time, I've never had any need for medical services. That all changed tonight. James found his way to our water cooler this evening. It also has a hot water spigot. He used his left hand to hit the lever and had very hot water come out onto his hand.

The result was a second degree burn.
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James in the Cupboard

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:13:00 +0000

So Sunday night, Jennifer and I had sent the older kids to bed after a good evening swim. We were having a planning session at the computer in the office while James crawled around us.
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Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:48:00 +0000

James resting on a pallet of sugar at a market. (We didn't buy any)

Shopping in Riyadh is a bit different than anywhere else we've lived. The stores are not exactly planned with the same precision as in Australia, Europe, or the US. Compounding the effort to shop is the various prayer times throughout the day. At those times, the stores effectively close for everyone to go and pray. Some stores will clear out all of the customers. Others will let you remain in the store to fill your cart though the doors are locked and no staff are available to help. Those moments of shopping during the prayer can actually be appealing if you can plan correctly.

Another thing we have to remember is that any produce has to be bagged, then taken to a counter where it is weighed and tagged with a price label. This doesn't happen at the checkout stand. We can find almost anything we want here to eat. There have been few exceptions like healthy nut butters and coconut milk. Since Jennifer has arrived, she just makes that from the raw ingredient here in the home. I must say that I prefer it to anything we would have gotten in the store. This last batch of cashew butter has been great on apples.

Local produce is quite good if you know what to buy. Local onions (red, white, and yellow), garlic, shallots, tomatoes, carrots, capsicum (bell pepper), spinach, watercress, herbs, and green beans are all grown within a 90-minute drive and without pesticides 'organically'. They will pick them in the morning and then have them at the market that afternoon -- dirt and all. There is something about washing your vegetables free from dirt that makes it more appealing than buying something pre-treated that comes in a sterile plastic bag. Fruits are very seasonal and not necessarily local. Some of the best stuff will come flown in from France or Italy though it's a bit pricy. But hey, we can splurge for some blackberries or raspberries once in while when fuel is ~$0.45/gallon.

The Iqama!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:23:00 +0000

Just one day after submitting the paperwork for the Iqama (residence permit) for Jen and the kids, we received the cards. The card is like a national ID card to show that you are a legal resident. It's hard to believe that after all of my struggles to get my card, that they now have theirs. I'm not complaining. It's a very good thing. We're glad to not have any more troubles in that area.

Now, we'll officially book our next mini-vacation. While this application was in process, the family couldn't leave the country. Tomorrow, the passports will come back with the exit/re-entry visas that we need to travel freely in and out of the country.

Rugrat!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:26:00 +0000

James is on the prowl. If there is anything within his reach, he will explore it and try to put it in his mouth. Recently, he's been 'walking' while holding onto a table or rail. We get nervous about the stairs because though he knows how to go up them, he's not attempted going down. We are exploring options for containment.

Twelve Days in Riyadh

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:33:00 +0000

On the twelfth day in Riyadh, my true love said to me ...

"Did we move to Riyadh or to Seattle?"

Seriously ... The weather here is wacky. It has rained 6 of the 12 days my family has been together here. That's on top of the rainy March and early April. The deserts around Riyadh are truly blooming into the 'Gardens'. That's what Riyadh means - garden. You just don't see it much anymore because of the asphalt jungle and concrete structures. The desert can be a beautiful place.