As a young man, just a boy really, I loved it when Granny would make a batch of homemade bread. The whole house smelled sweet and warm. We were happy children on these days, and thankfully it happened often.
Frequently, we would peer through the oven doors to watch the large mounds of dough begin to rise above the edges of the bread pans and turn a golden-brown color. The aroma was delightful and filled our home with warmth and happiness. Soon we were gathering around the oven as she removed the steaming loaves and in moments lifted them from the pans and laid them sideways on the stove top to cool. Soon each child took a slice of hot, buttered bread into their hands and savored every bite. I remember these days fondly, because the aroma was heavenly and life with my family was good and safe. These pleasant memories continued into adolescence and adulthood. My brother took on the job of making the bread at one point and counted dozens of loaves every week.
I was reminiscing about the good old days down on the farm and recall when he was the bread maker in the early years. Remembering that during a time of great need, he assumed a responsibility that strengthened the family then and continues to do so even today. He was the one that made the batches of bread on the farm in the early days. He learned it from my mother and has no doubt passed this skill on to his children and family today. This was long before the large commercial mixers, and he would tirelessly and endlessly knead the dough by hand until it was ready to rest and be placed in the pans to rise. As I remember it, he accepted the responsibility of making the homemade bread each week that pretty much became our manna then and blessed the family greatly. I remember with such fondness the large, steaming loaves of bread–many of them whole wheat–and the golden Jewish Braids that we all loved. Making bread was just one of many responsibilities he carried, but I marvel how even one memory can be so intense these many years later.
It is amazing how the acute feelings and fond memories of experiences long ago still linger, lift and build us these even decades later. I am so grateful for the experiences I have had and for the people who share them with me. It has been an integral part of my upbringing.
Fishing and hunting excursions together with my brothers and working and playing alongside them many years ago were highlights of my youth, and these memories give me great solace and enjoyment even today. I remember the week my brother and I spent in the trailer at grandpa’s cabin catching and eating fresh whitefish and trout every day, East Canyon fishing trips, and puttering around both the Wasatch and La Sal mountains in his old trucks. I cherish the Boy Scout trips taken with my dad. He was an unlikely Scout leader yet turned out to be one of the best.
Sometimes we worked side-by-side or shared concerns we both had. Many times our experiences overflowed into hours of endless games and side-splitting laughter. Our late-night rituals were epoch; our shared experiences keen even today.
These are among the greatest memories of my lifetime.
Thank you for allowing me to share them with you.
Also around that general time frame there was a tendency in schools to teach that mankind came from apes, otherwise known as the theory of evolution. This was strongly contested by some and generally opposed by the Church and many others. Still, there were good people on both sides of the fence.
Even today, numerous discussions and opinions fill the Internet regarding this subject and statements made by people inside-and-out of the Church regarding the validity or error of this theory. Natural selection and the evolution of plants and animals are used as evidences to perpetuate of this theory, some claiming a connection and others refusing any truth to the matter.
As recently as 2002 in the Ensign, the Church referred to statements made by The First Presidency regarding this subject in the early 1900s and has not veered from this position.
Similarly, today there are numerous discussions regarding the same sex attraction and the gender of man. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued The Proclamation On The Family back in 1995, which has stood as a standard in defense of the family.
It occurs to me that the message regarding both of these issues has been clearly and concisely addressed with sensitivity relative to those involved and the destiny of man.
Living today with my own family is my greatest blessing. And though we face hardships and obstacles regularly and some with great intensity, our faith in Jesus Christ lifts us beyond the challenges of our day and gives us hope for an eloquent future of happiness and joy with our whole families in the presence of God.
We are given the true bread of heaven. “I am the Bread of Life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger. He that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
Therein lies the answers to life’s challenges. We are better apt to handle the difficulties and obstacles of life with greater resolve and efficiency when we address them with faith in God. He won’t necessarily change our circumstances, but he will help us overcome our hardships and be strengthened throughout the process.
Christ is divine, has risen from the dead, and out of his love for us has overcome every barrier to our return to Heavenly Father and realization of the unspeakable joys of eternal life.
The teachings of Jesus Christ are the only way to happiness and peace in this life, for individuals and nations, and to joy in the life to come.
Truly, he is the Way, the Truth, and the Bread of Life.
In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life's challenges is his panacea.
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