Camp Yuba Triathlon 2007
September 8, 2007

I am a triathlete! I say that with a strong sense of accomplishment. I completed my first triathlon in central Utah on September 8, 2007. It was an amazing experience! And, I'm excited for the next triathlon...not sure when that will be but I will be participating.

Through the blog entry I will try my best to provide just the right amount of detail so you're not falling asleep reading details such as, "...and then, I took my left shoe off..." I have created a video of pictures. The song, compliments of Megan, is one that I could play over and over...it gets me pumped.


To begin, let me tell you who was there to cheer me on. Dad and Megan were there to represent family. Sonia, Darla, and Jacques were there to represent my friends and colleagues. Sonia is the one to thank for the marvelous pictures. I cannot tell you how much it meant to have family and friends there to cheer me on. Their smiles, cheers, and just being there at each transition was truly what I needed to get me through to the end.

I had three goals going into this triathlon. In order: 1. Finish; 2. Don't come in last; 3. Finish in 2 hours or less. I met all goals: I finished in 2 hours flat and I didn't come in last.

Camp Yuba 2007 was at Yuba Lake in Levan, UT. Levan is the central most part of Utah. If you spell Levan backwards you get navel...navel being the somewhat center of a human body. Yuba Lake is beautiful and the weather the day of the event could not have been better. It was a bit chilly (48 degrees when I arrived) but as the sun come out it did get a bit warmer. The cooler temp made it nice for the athletes...I was plenty warm after the swim. When I arrived at the transition area the day of the race there were a few bikes already racked...all of them road bikes. Not knowing if I would want to do another triathlon after the first I did not invest in a road bike. I could fit the tires in the wooden bike racks so I fit it in between two of the racks. I also started to wonder if they would allow me to participate with a mountain bike. Soon after more mountain bikes started to show up so my fears were gone...at least about the bike.

15 minutes before the event started there was a pre-race meeting. Bullhorn guy went through each stage in detail and that is when the butterflies really started.

OK, now for the event...5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and their off.

The first event: a 1/2 mile swim. Buoys marked our path which created a triangle. As I walked down the boat ramp to the edge of the water I noticed the nail polish on my toes. For some reason it made me chuckle a bit that I had this bright red/pink nail polish on my toes as I was heading in to swim. The pack started and it was arms, legs, capped heads everywhere. I drank a lot of lake water for the first few minutes. Swimming in an open body of water is definitely different than swimming in a pool. I ended up swimming breast stroke and side stroke. Free style was pretty much out of the question if I wanted to stay afloat. Breast stroke is my strong stroke so I made pretty good time. Plus I used my arms more than my legs with the breast stroke saving leg energy for the bike and run.

Second event: 12.4 mile bike. The transition went well. I wore bike shorts for the swim and decided to just keep my swim top on as well. I am not one to parade around in skin tight clothing but in the heat of the moment/competition I didn't really care. Plus, it saved me some time. Shoes on, helmet on, sunglasses on and I'm ready to go. The bike course was on a paved road and had only 2 short hills. Overall it was not bad. Because this was my first triathlon I was doing my best to pace myself so I would not wear out my legs so much that the run was awful. While on the bike course I was passed by riders and I passed riders but everyone was so friendly. We were all out there for mainly the same reason and doing what we could to encourage each other to pedal faster.

Third event: 3.1 mile run: This was hard. I must admit I walked some of the 3.1 miles. The run course was mostly on dirt trails which I was not used to. I trained on asphalt and treadmills...neither have uneven earth or holes that could twist an ankle. The last half mile was on asphalt so I really made headway from there to the end. I felt like I finished strong and I know I could have worked harder but my goal was to finish and finish I did. As I was nearing the finish line my months of training and the realization of what I was doing flooded over me. I nearly started to cry but took a deep breath instead and picked up my pace. I came around the last bend and on the right was Megan and Darla. Dad was on my left and I just couldn't contain my smile. Sonia was somewhere taking pictures.

Running across that finish line was so exhilarating. I DID IT! It is unlike anything I have ever done in my life.

A special thanks to all of you who put up with my endless chatter about my training and about this triathlon. Thank you for the support and sharing in my excitement. This is not my last triathlon so be prepared to hear more.

Lesson's learned:
1. Train harder
2. wet suit would have been nice
3. Road bike for the next tri
4. Take time to re-fuel between each stage
5. I need to get stronger and lighter (weigh less)
6. 2 towels for transition area

Johns Family Reunion
July 2007

For all of those reading this blog who are not members of my family and who have always wondered (because I know you have) what my entire family looks like, well, today is your lucky day. This picture was taken July 2, 2007 and I love it!

This picture is the original 9 Johns. I have the best looking brothers, sisters, and parents.

All 34 of us gathered in Provo, UT for the 2007 Johns Family Reunion and to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary. It had been six years since we were all together and in that time 11 nieces and nephews were born. There are a total of 19 nieces and nephews...the oldest is 15 and the youngest is about 15 months old. We all had the best time. It was so fun for me, as the organizer, to watch everyone interacting together. My parents were in heaven with all of their children gathered around with their spouses and children.

I have many highlights from the four days we spent together but I think at the top of my list would have to have been Sunday, the very first day we were all together. As one of the gifts for Mom and Dad I has asked all families to be at church Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. As of 7:00 p.m. the night before I knew we would have all but one family there because of a change in their travel schedule. However, as each family filed into the chapel Sunday morning I was almost brought to tears when I saw this family walk in. It was all I could do to not jump over the pews to get to them. They had driven all night! Picture if you will Mom and Dad surrounded by 7 families...we took up 3.5 rows. It was quite the site.

Just to give a brief rundown on the fun we had together:
Sunday: church, dinner and family night at Mom and Dad's. Mamii came for dinner and family night. It was great to see her surrounded by great grand children. Murray gave a lesson on the armor of righteousness; Katelyn played the piano; all of the grandchildren sang, "I am a Child of God" and the adult children and spouses sang "Love at Home".

Monday: family pictures in the morning followed by lunch, home tours, swimming and then a BBQ at a local Provo Park.

Tuesday: Children's Discovery Museum in Salt Lake City, more swimming followed by a special presentation at Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo Canyon. This was another highlight for me. I had prepared (with professional help) a video highlighting Mom and Dad's life. It is 33 minutes of pictures put to music. I had been anticipating this moment, this unveiling for months and it was a hit. There were tears, laughter and just a genuine enjoyment by everyone. In addition to the special presentation we also had a talent show. Monica and Keaton performed some ballroom dances that they have both been learning. They are excellent dancers! Brynn did a somersault; Madeline and Halayna did a cheerleading cheer; we watched a video tape of Anneka's ballet performance and Jana's hip hop performance from a recent dance recital; Clark shared family trivia from a Q&A that he had sent to each of us. It was so fun to all of this talent. Clark also gave a little lesson prior to the unveling of the family movie. Clark taught the importance of accepting everyone regardless of their race, color, language, physical or mental disabilities or struggles in life. He tied this to the family movie: even though we all come from the same family we are all diferent and that is what makes our family (and all families) so wonderful. The entire night was awesome!

Wednesday: 4th of July celebrations. We all did different things throughout the day. Clark and his family left in the morning for the airport, some families went to the parade and to Stadium of Fire. Most families did go swimming in the afternoon to cool off and we enjoyed a BBQ together at Mom and Dad's.

All in all it was a huge success. My work and planning paid off, at least, from my perspective. Each family contributed in some way: Dad made his delicious chili and hosted three families at their home; Murray's Sunday evening lesson; Rick's help with the video equipment; Monica's plans for the talent show; Clark's lesson on accepting everyone; Graydon hosting me at his homoe for a couple of nights; Jana's help with the family pictures; Carrie Anne created and printed the "Reunion Guide"; Megan coordinated the photographer for the family pictures and she is still handling the picture orders. In addition to all of this everyone helped with meal preparation and clean-up.

I get so much from each of my siblings, their spouses and children, and from Mom and Dad that I wanted to give back to them. I wanted our time together to be memorable and I dare say that was achieved. I am so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful, amazing family. I am so proud of my brothers and sisters and what they have achieved so far in their lives. Their families are beautful...their children are tremendous, so talented, good looking, well behaved and kind.

Here are more pictures:

August 18, 2007
No More Victims 5K Run
West Jordan, UT

Now that's dedication! I completed my fourth 5K today...in the sprinkling rain and blowing wind. My sister, MB, ran with me...her first 5K. As we walked from my truck to the registration area I thought, "This is going to be interesting...pouring rain, no sun, and a lot of wind". I really wanted it to be a great experience for MB so she would want to run again and again. By the time the race started the wind had calmed down and the rain was just a light sprinkling. It was actually quite nice...although my sun glasses kept fogging up. I finally gave up on those and moved them to the top of my head.

As for our performance, MB had enough extra kick the last stretch of the race to come in at about 34:45. I was lagging behind and came in at about 35:05. I was hoping for 32:00 but...every race seems to be different or I seem to be different every race. MB is pleased with her time and it now gives her a bench mark to run against and improve on. I just need to get faster. I am training for the triathlon so my focus is not just on running but you would think that with the training I am doing I would be doing better. I'm not complaining just making a point...I am not going to give up!

All proceeds from this run went to the Child Advocacy center in West Jordan...fighting abuse. Members of BACA, Bikers Against Child Abuse, started the race--engines roaring--it was awesome! We also had police escort the entire race because it was not a closed course. I wanted to fake an injury just so the cute blond policeman could rescue me. However, once they had their helmets on I could not tell who was who...not helpful!

This is a post race picture of me and MB. Aren't we cute!?

August 8-10, 2007

St. George, UT

Last week marked our second annual trip to St. George for our office retreat. Let me just say, it was as much fun this year as it was last year. Last year I took it upon myself to plan the trip and I did the same this year with a lot of help from SL. I will not give you all of the details...just highlights. SL and I arrived Monday night in order to get things ready for everyone's arrival on Wednesday. We went food shopping, tested the AC in the house and the temperature of the pool. I made sure the walking/biking trails were suitable for exercise and SL made sure she knew the way to and from the house to the spa so we would not have any lost colleagues.

Wednesday, as guests arrived they were welcomed by a goody box that contained treats, a CD of summer time music, and what SL and I could determine might be an enjoyable magazine for everyone. We headed to The Painted Pony for dinner...I speak on behalf of everyone when I say it was one of the best meals we had ever eaten. Unfortunately we had to rush through the main course in order to make it to the Tuacahn Theater production of Cinderella. I stayed behind with KH to sign the check and get dessert...for everyone. The show was fantastic and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. For those who have never been to Tuacahn it is an amazing outdoor theater set up against the red rocks of southern Utah.

Thursday we all had breakfast together feasting on JG's famous egg dish. Delicious! There were nine of us gathered together and of the nine, six had spa treatments scheduled for the day. That left the other three, me included, to do what we wanted...more pool time and naps. What a great way to spend the day. Once the 6 spa goers returned we began preparations for a BBQ and Karaoke! The food was delicious...it seemed a good number of us provided some favorite dish. The Karaoke was a hoot! I consider myself a semi good singer but you would not have been able to tell if you had listened to me. But, when you look as lovely as I did (no make-up, hair slicked back and hidden under a straw hat...just wait the pictures will tell the story) you tend to feel less inhibited and do crazy things. It really was a lot of fun and we had BC and MB to balance out the off-key singers. They both have excellent voices.

Two of the groups left Thursday night leaving five of us to suffer along without them. Friday came with three of us going to the spa. I had two treatments: Reflexology and a pedicure. The reflexology was incredible. I would take that over a massage any day. The therapist focused on the pressure points of my feet...spending just a little time on my hands. I am generally VERY ticklish on my feet but this did not bother me...no I did not kick the therapist in the face. I wanted to crawl out of there so I wouldn't disturb the good that had been done. After returning home I spent more time at the pool. By Friday night it was just me and DS left in the house.

Saturday I woke up, went riding for an hour, and came back to start the deep cleaning. DS left before noon but I wanted just a bit more time at the pool. Once back inside I showered and then did the final cleaning and packing in order to begin my trek home. By the time I arrived back in Provo I was pooped having trained every morning and enjoying the festivities during the day and into the evening. It was a memorable few days. Below is a picture of the entire group at The Painted Pony.

August 4, 2007
St. Louis, MO

A trip for the books! One like any other as far as work trips go. I flew in to St. Louis the day before the presentation. SRC was scheduled to fly in the day of the presentation. It was just so strange to be on my own for the logistics, etc. I was craving vegetables! Attached to the hotel is a mall and what did I find in the food court, Panda Express! It was delicious! I got up in the morning and headed to the gym...bike first and then run! It felt great!

I met up with ER, the rep from a PR firm for the client and together we covered the logistics of the event: the venue for the general session, the press room, entrance and exit strategy, etc. Once all of this was done I headed back to the hotel to meet SRC. Once back at the venue we headed to the press room and then onto the General Session. SRC spoke for one hour and he was awesome...a home run for this group! It was incredible. Here is the biggest difference between this event and all others, I left before SRC was done. He got through his slides and the videos he wanted to show and then I was off. I had a plane to catch! What I didn't know is that Southwest has its own terminal at the St. Louis airport and with traffic at a minimum on Saturday afternoons I made it to the airport in about 13 minutes. I had plenty of time to change my clothes, get a salad, and find a place to sit on the floor in line "A". The flight home was uneventful...

July 30 - 31, 2007
San Diego, CA

I must say that if given the right opportunity I could live in San Diego. The weather was divine during our two day stay there. Plus, the view from my room was amazing...I looked down at the resort pools and out at the ocean. I saw big aircraft carriers cruising through the water. It was pretty cool!

SRC and I were in San Diego for a 7 Habits Certification event. This is the second event of this sort and it was awesome. The group was smaller...about 155 people but the caliber was excellent. All of these participants were so anxious to hear from SRC and to learn from him. They were also very enthusiastic about becoming certified in 7H. SRC presented for about 4 hours the morning of the first day followed by about 40 minutes of Q&A with the entire group. Once again I learned a lot of new things about SRC. He told storied and related experiences with his research and study that I had not heard before. The afternoon of day 1 and morning of day 2 consisted of visits to each of the break out sessions. SRC answered more questions and had a chance to connect with the participants. It is so inspiring to see the fire in their eyes and the fire that lights up when SRC is talking to them. It is times like these that remind me of why I love my job.

The evening of July 30th SRC was invited to participate in an LDS Young Single Adult Fireside. The event took place in Corona, CA which was about a 90 minute drive. Upon arriving at the event we had maybe two minutes to spare before it was to begin. As I was walking in a kind man asked me if I needed anything as I prepared to go on the stand to set up my AV. It was right then that I was processing in my mind, "I hope I remembered to pack my power cord...YIKES!!!!!" I had left my laptop in my hotel room. Before leaving my hotel room to go to a cocktail party and then the LDS Fireside I mentally checked off what I needed and even thought to "lock" my computer so that anyone coming into the room would not be able to access anything on the internet. Whew! Smart thinking...they couldn't access anything on the internet but they could steal my laptop. Anyway, back to the fireside. I looked up into this man's eyes and said, "I forgot my laptop". There must have been a look of fear and devastation in my eyes because he immediately said, "I live three minutes away I will go and get my laptop" and like a knight in shining armour he was gone. Now, SRC was in the restroom while this exchange was taking place and to this day he still does not know that I forgot my laptop. Once they got through the welcome, song, and introduction I was on the stand plugging in the laptop.

New York, NY
June 26th

What a day! It was an easy morning which was very nice. I was able to get in a three mile run on the treadmill and get some work done to boot. From the hotel SRC, SC and I we taken to The Union League of New York, a very posh looking club. No cell phone use is permitted while in the building and I am sure at one point no women were allowed. We were first led to a lounge that we decided must be the “Presidents Lounge” because of the paintings of past U.S. presidents on the walls. The food was good and the table conversation great!

Time Warner Center was our next stop. SRC and SC were scheduled to do an on-camera, recorded interview with Glenn Beck. This was my first experience with this type of media interview. The men first went to “make-up” and then led to the studio to get their mics on. Shortly after that the taping began. It was so interesting to see this entire process and to watch the interview. Both SRC and SC did a great job and let the sound stage with smile.

We rushed as best we could in New York traffic to the airport. What we thought would take us 30 to 45 minutes took us well over an hour. The poor pilots had been waiting for at least three hours for us…luckily they could wait in the terminal and not have to sit outside in the 90 degree weather. Add in the humidity and it was like being in a boiler room. As the pilots prepared to roll out to the runway word came back that the right engine would not start. Uh oh! One pilot went out to see what he could see. The determined that the starter for the engine had gone bad. While the pilots, the airport, and the charter company were trying to determine what to do it just so happened that one of their planes was in the air or just happened to be landing in New York and would be empty traveling back to where they are based. Amazing! So, here we are on the plane not knowing what our fate was going to be and another plane came to our rescue. The luggage, etc was moved as the other plane was being re-fueled. We finally arrived in Boston 3 ½ hours later than scheduled but we were there with plenty of time for a good nights sleep.

Boston, MA
June 27th

Mark this down as one of the most phenomenal days of my career with SRC. It was amazing! The group consisted of about 140 Mangers and Directors from a well-known food company. The day started with a 90 minute review of an Engagement survey that this company had instituted and completed with their employees. Results were reviewed, questions answered, and comments made. The group took a 30 minute break and then hunkered down for SRC’s presentation. SRC set the tone by showing “Everest” first asking the group to look for signs of leadership, trust, systems, and communication. SRC wanted to get them out of the mindset that they were in from the previous meeting. At the conclusion of Everest SRC asked the participants to break into groups and discuss what they had observed. I love that film. It is such a great illustration of the four things listed above. Plus it is so powerful to see this blind mind reach the summit, Mount Everest with his team. You feel like you can conquer anything.

I won’t go through the entire day but I will tell you that SRC spoke to their hearts, he spoke to their minds, he taught them. It was amazing! The flow, the feeling in the room…it was electric. All systems were in alignment for this to be a great day! At the conclusion of the day as SRC was giving his final comments and he became quite emotional. That does not usually happen. I tell you what, the power in that room was awesome! The group was captivated and gave him an amazing standing ovation. So many people approached both me and SRC with sincere thanks of gratitude. One gal said to me, “That was amazing. He had us laughing, crying, learning. Thank you!” What I have recounted here does not do this day any justice but trust me when I say that it was a most amazing day!

If I can make this about me for two seconds, it is days like this that keep me doing what I am doing. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to do what I do and support SRC in doing what he does. I also know that the prayers being given on our behalf are being answered. I am so appreciative of everyone who supports SRC in his work. Your efforts do not go unnoticed nor do your prayers go unanswered.

The view from my hotel room in Boston was unlike any other…the airport runway! These pictures were taken outside the hotel.

Panama
June 28th and 29th

The two days in Panama were amazing and exhausting! We arrive into Panama City at about 1:00 a.m. and into our hotel rooms by 2:00 a.m. After preparing for the next day I finally got in bed and was asleep by about 3:00 a.m. The alarm was not a welcome sound 3 hours later but duty calls. I was up, dressed, and down to the event venue by 7:00 a.m. The first event was for the public. The topic was leadership. The room was huge and filled with people anxious to hear SRC’s message. I would say there were about 800 people there. It was a good group.

The second event was in the afternoon for all government employees of the Panamanian government. The room was set for 1,400 people and I would say that just about every chair was filled and people were lining the back wall. SRC was fantastic and really hit a home run with this group. The participants sitting within my line of sight were busy taking note, anxiously waiting for the next principle or skill or tool that SRC was teaching.

The third event of the first day was for the community. Again, a fantastic group. The room was set for 1,200 and I would say that 90% of the chairs were filled. The topic was families and, as always, SRC spoke from the heart. He speaks from the hear for every program but when he talks about families there is a tenderness and reverence with which he addresses the topic. The day was over by 9:00 p.m. My plan, once in my room, was to check email, have dinner, and go to bed, wake up and go to the gym to run. I checked the schedule of the gym and it opened at 6:00 a.m. which did not work with my schedule. So, I scratched my initial plan and ran Thursday night. It was a good run…on the treadmill.

The program held on Friday was very interesting. SRC had been invited to participate in a forum called Prosperous Panama. Along with SRC, other thought leaders from Panama were invited to present their thoughts and findings on how to overcome poverty in Panama. I found each panelist to have passion for the topic and they were well prepared and well spoken with their presentations. I learned a lot. Once SRC and the panelists had given their presentations the participants submitted questions and the panelists engaged in Q&A. Poverty is a hot topic in Panama and you could tell that the audience was inspired and energized by what they heard. SRC was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such and event. There were probably close to 1,000 people in attendance.

Here are a couple of pictures: the view from my room, of course.

At the conclusion of the event we changed clothes and were driven to the airport. Dallas, here we come…or so we thought.

Travel

When SRC and I fly on a charter we typically fly with a company called Clay Lacey, based in Los Angeles. My experience with them thus far has been flawless. No problems with the planes, the pilots…sometimes we don’t have food on the plane but a safe arrival to our next destination is more important than food.

This trip presented some interesting challenges for us. As I reported in my New York blog we had engine starter problems as we attempted to fly from New York to Boston. Well, the problem came up again as we prepared to fly from Panama to Dallas. Because of scheduling changes we were departing 1 hour earlier than originally planned. I was excited about this because it meant getting into Dallas earlier which meant a possible run on the treadmill and a long nights sleep.

I could tell after 1-2 minutes of prep for take-off that there was a problem. Andrew got out of his seat and told us that they were experiencing the same problem with the right engine and they needed to take a look at things to determine if it could be fixed quickly. At this point the fun began. SRC was exhausted and short on patience for this sort of thing. I was trying to remain calm and keep a cool head. The pilots were so apologetic but also keeping a cool head. Over the course of two hours attempts were made to fix the problem. At the same time Clay Lacey dispatch was trying to find an alternate way to get us to the airport and I had Darla working on finding a commercial flight for us. I spent most of my time with the pilots or on the phone. I stayed clear of SRC…it made me more anxious to be near him.

Keep in mind that we are in Panama where the humidity makes it feel like you are in a sauna. Luckily there was a breeze and cloud cover but it was still thick and quite warm.

It was determined that we would not be flying on this lear jet. Plans were made for us to fly from Panama to LAX on a commercial flight and then fly onto Dallas on a charter flight. All of this flying were get us into Dallas at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning…two hours before SRC was to be on stage. We arrived into LAX at 12:20 a.m., flew out again at about 1:30 a.m. and arrived into Dallas at about 6:20 a.m. I had slept fitfully a total of about 3 hours between the two flights. I felt not so fresh and cranky. I consciously had to snap myself out of the crankiness and perk up. I was not doing anyone any good by being somber and cranky.

Dallas
June 30, 2007

There was a time while still in Panama that SRC considered not doing this event in Dallas and finding a local FranklinCovey presenter to present. SRC decided to suck it up and do the event. We are both very glad that he did. The group was big…about 800 and all a majority of people were there because SRC was going to be speaking.

Once at the hotel SRC went to his room and I went to the ballroom to take care of the AV. I had 20 minutes to freshen up and put my suit on before needing to be back in the ballroom for SRC’s presentation. I managed to stay awake for the first part of his speech but with difficulty. My mind felt cloudy and sluggish but at the break I found Diet Dr. Pepper, grabbed three cans and proceeded to wake myself up. I am trying to stay away from soda but today was an emergency. I made an exception, if you will. It worked! I made it through the second half without much trouble or wanting to crawl under the table for a nap.

At the conclusion of most events, as SRC is giving his closing comments he will thank me for my help. Before telling you about his closing comments I will first say that when SRC was introduced the participants were told that SRC and I had flown through the night arriving at 6:30 a.m. that morning for the event. So, when SRC was closing he expressed thanks to the participants for being there, the event organizers, the client and me. He said that when we arrived at the hotel he immediately went to his room and I went to the ballroom to set-up the AV. SRC said, I at least had a chance to take a bath, Chelsea didn’t…but she still looks sparkly. He said this after he had thanked me for my help. When he said what he did about not having a chance to shower I said, “Thanks a lot Stephen.” Everyone laughed. It was quite comical.

Now, we are on our way home. I can’t wait to take a shower!

Salt Lake City, UT
June 20, 2007

What a day! Not only did we have two presentations during the day but my mobile phone has never been so busy. Between phone calls and text messages, none of which I was able to answer because of the presentations my phone was almost never at peace. But it was a great day! The first presentation was with the Salt Lake Area CES Seminary and Institute Instructors. What a group of exceptional people. Just looking out over the audience you could sense their strong spirits and knowledge of the gospel. SRC did very well and I could tell he was truly moved by the spirit in what he shared with the group. It was a great way to start the day. There were probably 150-200 people attending so you can imagine the spirit in that room.

From that meeting SRC and I drove to the Salt Palace for the next event. SRC is still on crutches so I was a bit worried about where we would park so that our walk to the room was not too long. We parked in the Radisson Hotel Self-Park lot and entered the Salt Palace. From there it was a short walk to the elevator, up to floors, and another short walk to the room. It was great! SRC gave a fantastic presentation and with each point he tied it back to the topic: Life Life in Crescendo", which is his life's motto. Basically, the greatest work you have yet to do is in front of you. As he says, "you can retire from your profession but never retire from life". This motto is what drives him to do what he does. That and his mission to reach billions of people.

Vancouver, BC
June 21, 2007

At the conclusion of the event at the Salt Palace SRC and I, as quickly as we could, made our way back to the car. We had a flight to catch! As I prepared for this trip I wanted to be as prepared as I could be for the luggage. SRC would have his own roller bag and briefcase. I would have my luggage and lap top bag. So, to prepare for what could happen I decided to pack my stuff in a duffle bag to sling over my shoulder. That way I could put my laptop bag on top of SRC's roller bag, sling the duffle bag over my shoulder and SRC would carry his briefcase. When we walked into the terminal I looked like a pack mule! But it worked!

We arrived in Vancouver safely and met our hosts. What great people. I love Vancouver! I am not sure what it is about that city but it is on my list of places I could live. Plus, all of the people I have met in the past and on this trip are so nice and friendly. We checked into the hotel and went straight to our rooms. I was wiped out from the day so I did not even turn on my computer to check email. That could wait until morning!

I ran three miles on the treadmill! What a great feeling. I don't do much training on a treadmill so it is always interesting to see what my comfortable pace is and how long I can run without stopping. Since my last treadmill run my pace has decreased from a 11:33 minute mile to a 11:06 minute mile. Not bad.

The event of the day was incredible. This particular event was with the Vancouver Board of Trade. SRC and I were invited to attend the General Session of the day which involved calling the meeting to order, reviewing minutes, and announcing the new President of the Board of Trade. It was quite interesting. The group consisted of business professionals, males and females. I was very impressed! SRC gave a fantastic presentation to this group and everyone seemed very engaged and interested. There were, I am sure, 800 people there. The room was packed, and all but 4-5 seats were filled.

Seriously!

I had the pleasure, many years ago, of listening to a gentleman speak to a group of BYU college students. I cannot remember his name but I remember well something he said to us that day, "Never take yourself too seriously". I have a tendency of taking things or myself too seriously. Many would say that I am rather uptight although I have loosened up a bit over the years. Since I started this job with SRC I have really had to learn to not take myself too seriously, especially when traveling. Take this last trip as an example.

In a previous blog entry I talked about my packing. I think ahead about what I want to pack so that when it comes time to actually fill the bag I know what is going to go in it. For this particular trip I did the same thing, thinking ahead of time about what I wanted to pack, what I would be wearing, etc. I also try to think about the weather, event rooms, travel conditions, etc. Knowing I would have presentations prior to flying I chose to not wear a suit to the events in Salt Lake City. The weather was in the upper 90's and with a suit coat I would have quickly expired from the heat. I knew I wanted to wear a suit to the event in Vancouver so I packed a blazer...one that I had not worn in a while and that would go well with the pants I wore the day before. Well, needless to say it was not the most flattering outfit. The black pants were fine but the blazer was a bit big and a bit short. Keep in mind that once you have packed and have left your house you are committed to wearing what you have packed. There is typically no time for clothes shopping while on these trips so I was stuck wearing what I packed. As long as I continued to smile I figured that people would notice my smile instead of what I was wearing.

On the trip home I traveled by myself. I had packed clothes to change into for the flight knowing I would want to be comfortable. The clothes I packed were great! My seat was 1C...first row! Love it! The plane landed, seat belt sign off and we all stood to gather our things. I had successfully shoved my duffle bag, laptop bag, and small messenger bag into the over head bin. As I pulled the duffle bag out a corner caught my earring and pulled it out. The earring proceeded to fall down the front of my shirt. With me facing all of the passengers coming to the front I chose not to put retrieve the earring. I just hoped it would stay where it was...with the help of the strap from my duffle bag. As I was getting off the plane I just had the thought, "it is a good things I can chuckle about this and not take myself too seriously."

Two small examples of not taking yourself too seriously but the lesson is there. I may not, at times, seem like a seasoned traveler or a well dressed professional but I am OK with that. What counts is whether or not I put my right foot forward and represent myself well and the company I work for and the great individual I travel with and support.

Big Island, Hawaii
June 8, 2007

I would consider myself a somewhat seasoned traveler. Compared to others I am but an infant. In any case, I have my packing down to a near science. For short trips I can pack in less than 15 minutes. For longer trips it may take me up to 30 minutes. The trick, for me, is to pack light and to have duplicates of some items...specifically toiletries. My toiletry bag contains duplicates of items I use on a daily basis..except for make-up which one of these days I know I am going to forget. Oh wait, I have already done that once. To replace make-up items in a hotel gift shop is not cheap. Why am I telling you all of this? I packed for this short trip to Hawaii in the same way I would for other short trips, not forgetting a thing. However, upon arrival in Hawaii and as I attempted to take pictures I found that the battery for my digital camera was dead. D E A D, dead! A small thing really but I could have taken some really cool pictures. I have a camera on my cell phone but the pictures aren't the greatest.

We arrived Thursday afternoon and had the pleasure of being met by CD, my main contact for this client event. After being escorted to the hotel and checking in we stood in line for the tram with many other resort quests who also happened to be attending the main event. The tram would take us from the main lobby to the building where our guest rooms were located. The fact that a tram was needed should be an indication of how big this resort is. We boarded the tram and as we sat there I could see a passenger behind SRC but facing me. He slowly recognized SRC and his eyes got very big and his mouth hung open in shock, surprise and joy. He looked at his colleague and back at SRC. It was really neat to see that kind of joy and admiration from, not only this gentleman, but many of the 1600 people attending the event.

I was escorted around the resort property by CD who introduced me to people along the way. It is a huge resort and absolutely beautiful. The organization hosting the event had a huge BBQ for all participants Thursday night and it was amazing to see so many people enjoying themselves. Floating on the pool was a stage supported by two kayaks. On the stage was a band performing native Hawaiian music for the crowd. It was a beautiful setting.

I hate to admit this because the entire trip was awesome but a highlight for me was running in the early morning hours with CD and his friend and colleague, L (I don't know his last name). We started our run at about 5:10 a.m. with the sun just barely coming up. It was already quite warm and humid so the sweat just dripped off of me. Doesn't that paint a lady like picture? We ran three solid miles and, yipee, skippy for me, I ran all three miles without stopping. Granted I was running at sea level so that definitely made a difference but it was awesome. I am sure I left a huge impression on CD and L looking as lovely as I did. L did not even recognize me when I got down to the ballroom for the event. What a hoot!

The format for this event was different than what we are used to. SRC spoke to the group for about 15 minutes. The group of 1600 broke up into about 56 different groups spreading out over 9 breakout rooms. These individual groups had each created skits based on one of the 7 Habits. They tied the habit to their work life, demonstrating how the habit can work effectively and ineffectively in a work scenario. It was very entertaining. SRC was able to visit 4 of the breakout rooms and give a bit of feedback or encouragement based on what he had seen with one of the skits. After about an hour the entire group once again gathered in the main ballroom to watch the top seven skits (one for each habit). SRC was on stage with the CEO and they made comments after each skit. It really was very cool. SRC then closed with about 20 minutes of comments.

We finished our day by attending a BBQ at the beach. By the time we got back to our rooms SRC and I were pooped. I could have gone to the beach or to the pool but it felt so good in my air conditioned room that I just stayed there. I had about 2.5 hours before needing to leave for the airport. I used it wisely: watching Dr. Phil and Ellen (switching between channels), CNN broadcast about Paris Hilton, showering, and packing.

The trip home was, well, interesting to say the least. We flew from Kona to Honolulu where we found out our flight to SLC was delayed by two hours. On any trip this is not a good thing to have happen but it was especially disconcerting because of a commitment SRC had in Provo. I will not bore you with details of our 4+ hour layover or the trip that we spent trying to sleep. I will tell you however that despite the delay, crutches, etc SRC made it to his appointment with 5 minutes to spare. I stayed behind at the airport to get my luggage, which never came. My luggage was delivered the following day...everything intact.

Chicago, IL
May 26-28, 2007

This past weekend I had the opportunity to fly with my aunt to Chicago. It was her first time in Chicago so I was able to play tour guide. We flew in Saturday night and stayed in Winnetka at the home of my great friend, SJM. He was generous enough to open his home to us even though he was not in town.
The heavens were smiling down on us on Sunday. The weather could not have been better: low-mid 70's, a cool breeze and blue skies. I first drove NJM to Highland Park to show her where I used to live and then we made our way to Chicago traveling along Lake Shore drive. It was so beautiful...tree lined streets, everything so green and in bloom. Downtown we walked the Magnificent Mile, shopping here and there, taking pictures, and just enjoying the myriad of things and people to see. The main event of the day was seeing "Wicked". It was spectacular and amazing! I had seen this show once before but for NJM it was a first. She was dazzled by the costumes, set-design, music, shoes...just about everything. It was a fantastic day in Chicago.



Sunday evening NJM went to Naperville to visit some friends and I drove to Aurora to visit my good friend HB. HB was recently married and it was fun to see her new home and to have time to visit with her husband and two step-daughters. It was so fun to get to know them better. L and K are so fun and cute! We feasted on spaghetti and then watched the videos from her wedding. It was great to re-live that event...at least the part that was recorded and that I was there for. The dancing, toasts, bouquet and garter toss...what a hoot! HB and her family surprised me with a birthday cake and singing. It was so fun to celebrate with them. K even made me a birthday card...so thoughtful! I am grateful for a friend like HB.


Monday: Happy Birthday to me! I have a tradition on my birthday. I stay up until midnight on the 27th to welcome the day of my birth and then stay up until midnight on the 28th to say good bye. Silly? Maybe, but it's tradition! This day was out of the ordinary but still great! I went running on the path that I know so well from my time spent in Winnetka and Highland Park. It was wonderful! Talk about memories. After getting cleaned up and going shoe shopping I went to visit with the Walkers in Mundeline. They have three cute, cute children and it was so fun to see them and have a chance to catch up with PW and MW. For the most part the rest of the day was spent traveling. All in all it was a great day and I received many birthday wishes on the phone, in a text message or in person. Another year older!

I absolutely love Illinois! I am already looking forward to my next trip, whenever that is. Given the chance I would move back in a heart beat.

Running With Angels 5K Run

About 6-7 weeks ago one of my colleagues suggested to everyone in the office that we run a 5K race together. The decision was unanimous and we all signed up. Saturday, May 19, 2007 was race day and it was fantastic! It was exhilarating and to tell you the truth I wanted to run again! It sounds strange but once I caught my breath, wiped away the sweat that was dripping into my eyes, had a few orange slices and water I wanted to run again if only to see if I could do better.

The one down side to race day was that my colleague who had inspired all of us to sign up, train and run sprained her ankle two days before the race and was not able to participate with us. Bummer! I felt that I was running for more than just myself, I was running for her as well. My time: 35:45 (unofficially). Now, I have a benchmark...a time to beat. My next race is June 23rd and I am already excited. The four of us run/walking came through the finish line within about 5 minutes (or less) of each other. That was the most fun...to see the others come across the finish line.

I arrived at the race location with two of my colleagues and before we could even park all of us were feeling a bit intimidated. There were runners on the road warming up and they looked fit, trim and experienced...like marathon runners. I tried not to get that into my head and instead remembered what my Dad has said to me as I left that morning, "...You're out there to have fun". It's true...this was supposed to be fun! I knew that I wanted to do well but I also needed to remember that this was my first race (I ran a 5K about 6 years ago but I'm not going to count it). The race started and I could not help myself, I started to run, working to keep my pace where it should be knowing that I had 3.2 miles to go. I walked three times during the 3.2 miles but kept a fast walking pace. Overall I would say I ran just under three miles and walked the rest. My goal for the next race is to run the entire 3.2 miles and to decrease my time.

For me this was a big accomplishment. I started training just over 6 weeks ago and I can tell you that my training paid off. I also know that my training can improve. I am excited to get out there and train harder and more seriously. I am adding in some [bike] riding as well to build my endurance and muscle strength. And I have commitments from two of my colleagues to run the 5K on June 23rd with me. This was not only big for me it was big for them. The feeling we all had on the way home reminded me of a cheer from 8th grade:

"Boy are we enthusiastic! We are feeling G-O-O-D!"

Of course there are arm movements, etc but you can't see that in this blog. Just shout it and emphasize the G-O-O-D!

Here are a couple of pictures from race day. The one on the left is pre-race and the one on the right is post-race.

Customer Service like I've never seen it!
Atlanta, GA

SRC and I traveled to Atlanta Wednesday night for two events on May 10th. We checked into the Buckhead InterContinental Hotel and immediately knew that I was going to enjoy my stay. The room was lovely and clean. The hallway from the elevator to the guest rooms had a nice dryer sheet, laundry room smell which I love. I got into my room and was soon opening the door to SRC with a request to come see his room. I walked in and it is stupendous! There was a small entry way which led to a huge living room area. To the right was a dining room and to the left was the sleeping room, closet and bathroom. The hotel staff had prepared some of SRCs favorite foods, the highlight of which was the strawberry shortcake. On the mantel of the fireplace was a bowl with peanut M&Ms, microwave popcorn and SRCs favorite movie. In the bedroom, on the bedside table was a framed photo of SRC and his wife. Talk about making someone feel at home. I was SO impressed with this type of customer service. Plus it was a huge deposit for SRC to see so many of the things he loves right there in the room. Throughout our overnight stay the service from the hotel staff was impeccable. I highly recommend this InterContinental property.
The first event of the morning was at the Georgia World Congress Center with the Governor of Georgia and the top Agency commissioners and their guests. Looking out over the room, which was packed, I would guess there were 200+ people attending. I was struck by how personable Governor Perdue is and how humble he seems. His main initiative is for Georgia to be the "Best Managed State". SRC had a chance to teach these agency officials and to engage in Q&A with the Governor. It was tremendous to see these two great men answering the questions from the audience. One thing the Governor said that stuck with me is, "Truth builds trust". The question had been asked about the balance between being "nice" and also being good leader who provides feedback, etc. The governor made the point that you can maintain your "niceness" while still being truthful about performance, action, etc. Something else the Governor said that I thought was so insightful is, "Vision without execution is hallucination". Isn't that true and well said?

The second event was with a financial advisory company based out of Atlanta. The group was made up of top performers and the up-and-coming performers...those who are the keys to the company's continued financial success. It was a nice size group with about 300 people attending. SRC had 3.75 hours to teach which was awesome and he did a great job. The chairman of this group was complimentary as well as grateful for the message that SRC shared and the things he taught. As I encountered the event planners and the invited quests I was so impressed with each person and how friendly and helpful they were.

It was definitely a great trip!

Dallas, TX
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Dallas is an amazing city. I have been here just a few times but on this particular trip I was able to see a part of Dallas that I had not seen before...Frisco! The event SRC was participating in was held at the Embassy Suites in Frisco and can I just say, what a facility. I was told that it is only a couple of years old but still in excellent condition. This was the second event for this particular group and what a pleasure it is to work with them. I am so impressed with each person I meet and the AV group is terrific. The audience was tremendous...all business owners. Some who came on their own and others who brought members of their staff. In all I would say that there were about 150 people attending.

The speaker kicking off the event was Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the founder of the famous Cooper Clinic located in Dallas, TX. I was able to listen to his presentation and I have a new resolve to exercise and eat better. He gave three words that will become my mantra as I work to change the physical aspect of my life: EXERCISE, EDUCATE, MOTIVATE. Aren't those words great! let's say it together: Exercise (your body), Educate (your mind), Motivate (your whole self). After he spoke everyone who had eaten a danish or gooey muffin was feeling a bit sheepish. His presentation was excellent.

My aunt has worked at the Cooper Clinic for years and as we flew into Dallas last night I wondered if there would be a chance for me to ask Dr. Cooper if he knows Viki. I did not at the time recall that Viki is Dr. Cooper's right hand woman. As I was setting up my laptop this morning I looked up and Viki walked in. I caught her eye and smiled. There wasn't immediate recognition on her part...the last time she saw me I had just returned from a day of skiing (two years ago) and did not look especially pleasant. In fact I looked down right scary. Before that last encounter it had been at least 8 years since I had seen her and I still had the nineties permed hair...pretty. So, it took her a minute to make the connection between that Chelsea and the suit wearing, direction giving Chelsea. Once she did make the connection it was awesome! I wish we had had an entire afternoon to catch up but as it was we had a minute or two here and there. It turns out Viki is great friends with the hosts of the event so it was great to make that connection. I am just thrilled to have seen Viki and reconnected with her. She is an amazing, beautiful woman whom I have missed seeing in the past few years.

This is a picture of me and Viki. I look like a giant next to her. We both have big cheezers and it looks like I have gum balls stuffed in my cheeks. I don't know what that's all about.
For those who have ever planned a big event whether personal or professional there are stresses and unknowns no matter how much planning or checking and double checking you do. I could, but I won't, give some examples from my own life that would bring this point home. Consider if you will holding a position of company President and this is the second event you are planning and executing. You have a great team that you can count on and who can count on you. Now consider that your wife is nine months pregnant and although her due date is April 18th the doctor has told her she is already dilated and really, at any moment, could go into labor. This is a true story. Luckily DD's wife did not go into labor before or during the event yesterday. Every time his phone would ring or he would exit the venue all who knew the situation looked up in anticipation. All of us were grateful that the baby did not come during the event. I wish them luck with their new little, pink, bundle of joy...when she comes.

March 18-20, 2007
Johannesburg, South Africa

I am behind in posting this portion of my blog. I have been home since Wednesday afternoon and have been spending my time away from the computer...at least trying to.

The Johannesburg events were incredible! SRC and I arrived Saturday night, spent some time with the FC Southern Africa group and then retired to our rooms. I slept in! It felt so good to not have my alarm wake me up. I did some prep work for the programs, had lunch with SRC and did some shopping at a shopping center that is a skywalk away from the hotel. Sunday evening SRC had two community programs. One was for a group of about 30 VIPs and the second was for the entire community. The crowd was huge...about 1,000. It was amazing to look down from where I was sitting to see all of the faces. SRC was in his element sharing insight and principles on the family. It really was a spectacular event.

The Leadership event in Johannesburg was a two-day event with close to 800 people. It too was incredible. There really was a team effort with SRC and Buyani during each day to make sure the participants experienced the full leadership program. In my opinion SRC hit a home run with this group. The participants really involved themselves in what was being taught, the activities, questions, sharing vision statements, etc. From where I was sitting I heard an echo from the audio speakers so it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was being said by the participants because of their accents but SRC, luckily, did not struggle like I did. The main thing SRC wanted to accomplish with this group was for them to experience the paradigm shift and he feels like that was accomplshed. Success!

Prior to lunch on day two SRC met with about 15 students from Life College. SRC is a mentor to the students and supports the mission of Life College. The hour that he spent with these students was enlightening. It was a structured hour with an ice breaker activity, small group activity and then large group activity. The questions that the students asked SRC were well thought out and the answers that SRC gave were perfect. I actually learned something new about SRC that I did not previously know. For the small group activity I was paired with two other students to answer questions about a quote that was given to us. The quote basically said that we become what we believe we will become. When I think of that statement I think of the positive beliefs that we have about ourselves, our lives. One of the two students in my small group said that these beliefs may not always be positive. She shared this, "If I believe I will become an alcoholic like my dad, I will". I would not have thought of it that way but it is very true. At the conclusion of the hour we all stood in a circle and shared something we had learned or something that amazed us. I was impressed by the things that were shared. One of the teachers was in tears as she shared what she had learned. Many of these students come from "the projects", so to speak, or don't have parents and are being raised by an older sibling or come from single parent homes...not the best situations for anyone but they are rising above all of that with the help of Life College and receiving positive affirmations from the great teachers, leaders and mentors. I was touched by this experience.

SRC and I flew home at the end of Day 2. We were traveling a total about about 24 hours, 21 of which were in the air. The first thing I wanted to do when I got home was to take a shower and brush my teeth. That is exactly what I did!

DAILY LOG
March Tour
BE SURE TO READ INDIVIDUAL DAILY ENTRIES FOR MORE DETAILS

I thought it would be fun, in addition to my entries per country/event to add in a daily log. This daily log would track our progress and movements. As I start the trip today it sounds like a fantastic idea. However, as the trip progresses I may find that a daily log is a bit over zealous. For as long as this daily log lasts I hope you enjoy it.

March 8th
11:50 p.m. Depart Salt Lake City

March 9th
6:00 a.m. Arrive JFK International Airport (New York)

I actually slept a good portion of this 4 hour flight. Typically I am al about the in-flight movies, just ask SRC. By the time the plane took off I was pooped and ready for some shut eye. I have a bit of the restless leg syndrome so that does not always allow me a deep slumber on these flights. This flight was no different with the RLS starting in the right leg and moving to the left. Such a great feeling—the constant involuntary twitching.

LONG LAYOVER (almost 4 Hours)
I could use a toothbrush. Of course mine is in my suitcase which is making its way from one plane to the next. My teeth feel like they have a sweater on…not the soft cashmere kind of sweater either. The itchy wool kind that you just want to take off the minute you put it on. Do you know the feeling?

10:20 a.m. Depart JFK for Dubai (11;5 hour flight)

March 10th
7:50 a.m. Arrive Dubai (this has not happened yet but I thought I would throw it in there so you would have an idea of our arrival into the UAE. It is about a 12 hour flight and Dubai is 10 hours ahead of Utah.

7:30 a.m. (actual) Arrival in Dubai. The flight was 11.5 hours. You should have seen the selection of in-flight movies. I was in heaven but practiced some restraint and only watched 2 and half movies. I spent the rest of the time trying to sleep, preparing for the presentations and writing in my journal. The seats…wow…I will post a picture so you can see my very own mini bar. Seriously, these seats were awesome and stretched out flat so you really could sleep.

I took a nap today once I was in the hotel and had had some breakfast. My eyes felt as if they had sand in them so I thought I would nap for about an hour. That turned into nearly three hours, not of deep sleep but enough that I felt refreshed. The show also helped. HEAVEN!

March 11th
5:30 a.m. Time to get up
7:00 a.m. AV Rehearsal: the event was held in a theater that is quite well know in Dubai. Very nice!
8:45 a.m. Program start
4:30 p.m. Program end: the program went well. SRC had to cram so much into the day but he did a fantastic job
5:30 p.m. Back at the hotel: checked email and went to the health club. To get to this health club you walk through the hotel, through the outdoor mall and into the next hotel. This place is huge! The health club was fantastic and very well equipped.

March 12th
4:00 a.m. Wake up!
5:15 a.m. Drive to the Airport to fly to Amman, Jordan
7:00 a.m. At the gate waiting to board
7:05 a.m. Announcement that ALL flight in and out of the Dubai airport have been stopped because of a crash on the runway. PLEASE READ SEPARATE ENTRY ON AMMAN FOR MORE INFORMAITON.
10:20 a.m. Depart Dubai airport in a car—destination Abu Dahbi Airport
2:00 p.m. Depart Abu Dahbi for Amman
3:30 p.m. Arriva Amman, Jordan
4:15 p.m. Arrive InterContinental Hotel
9:00 p.m. Day 1 of event conclusion

March 13th/14th
6:30 a.m. Luggage delivered to my room!
6:50 a.m. Fitness Center
7:25 a.m. Back to my room to get ready for the day
8:30 a.m. AV preparation
9:00 a.m. Event Start (Day 2)
4:45 p.m. Event conclusion
6:00 p.m. Leave for the airport
8:25 p.m. Flight departure from Amman, Jordan
12:45 a.m. Flight arrive into Dubai
1:45 a.m. Arrive at Park Hyatt Hotel
2:45 a.m. In bed!

March 14th
6:30 a.m. Wake up!
8:00 a.m. AV preparation
9:30 a.m. Program start
4:30 p.m. Program conclusion
6:30 p.m. Depart for LDS Fireside
7:30 p.m. Start of fireside (end 9:00 p.m.)
9:30 p.m. Return to the hotel

March 15th
12:45 a.m. Leave hotel for airport
2:35 a.m. Depart Dubai for Mauritius
9:45 a.m. Arrive in Mauritius
11:35 a.m. Arrive at hotel
1:00 p.m. Depart hotel for meeting with the Prime Minister
2:00 p.m. Meeting with the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet
3:45 p.m. Leave meeting for hotel
5:00 p.m. Helicopter ride over Mauritius
6:00 p.m. Time to myself—sleep!

March 16th
5:30 a.m. Wake-up
7:00 a.m. Leave hotel for event venue
7:15 a.m. AV set-up
9:00 a.m. Program Start
5:00 p.m. Program end
5:15 p.m. SRC TV interview
7:30 p.m. Gala Dinner with VIP guests

March 17th
6:30 a.m. Wake-up
9:00 a.m. Leave hotel for LDS Community Event
10:00 a.m. Community Event
12:30 p.m. Back at hotel to pack and prepare to leave for airport
2:30 p.m. Leave for airport
4:30 p.m. Leave Mauritius flying to Johannesburg, South Africa
8:00 p.m. Arrive Johannesburg

March 18th
8:00 a.m. Wake-up (oh the glory of sleeping in)
12:30 p.m. Lunch with SRC
2:30 p.m. Meet with Buyani to go over event details
4:30 p.m. Leave hotel for Johannesburg Community Event
5:00 p.m. VIP session
6:00 p.m. Community event (over 1,000 people)
7:45 p.m. Return to hotel

March 19th
5:30 a.m. Wake-up
7:00 a.m. AV set-up
8:30 a.m. Program Start
4:30 p.m. Program End
5:00 p.m. SRC Photo op
5:20 p.m. SRC TV Interview

March 17th
Mauritius, Day 3

Today, I found time early in the morning to walk on the beach. It was lovely. The sound of the waves, the warm water cascading onto my feet. I even found a beautiful sea shell to take home as a memento. SRC gave a presentation to a group of LDS members and non-members in the morning and then we flew to Johannesburg.

The LDS Community event was great. I would say there were about 100 people there and a good number of them were non-members (maybe ¼). SRC talked to them about families and the restoration. Our host for the public event the day before was also attending and SRC told me after that he had been quite touched by what was shared. SRC also told me that a woman, who is catholic, told him that for the first time she finally understands what the Mormon church is all about. There was an opening and closing hymn and prayer. The songs and prayer were in French/Creol. What a beautiful language and what beautiful people. At the conclusion of the event we made a semi-quick exit so that we could get back to the hotel and get ready for our departure.


March 16th
Mauritius Day 2

Today was fantastic! We traveled just a few minutes from our hotel to the event venue. I thought the hotel we were staying in was beautiful…this one was spectacular. Dark cherry wood, quite contemporary but the most amazing part was the pool area leading right to the beach. You look out over this balcony from the main lobby area and all you see is blue with a few smatterings of green and lovely flowers. The blue is not only the pool but it cascades right down to the ocean. There is a coral reef that protects most of the beach areas and it is so cool to see the waves breaking so far out and then it is calm water up to the sand.

The program went well with 400 people in attendance. This was a quieter group than in Dubai and Jordan but they had great questions. At the close of the day SRC asked the participants to raise their hand if someone in their life communicated their potential so clearly that they began to see it in themselves. A good number raised their hands. SRC then asked for volunteers to share their story. The one that impacted me the most was told by a gentleman that, you could tell, was so nervous to be standing in the sea of people but his story was quite something. Maybe not to you but it was too me. At the age of 20 he started his career at a bank. 18 months after starting his job the CEO called him into his office and told him that he was being promoted to manager. As manager he would lead 12 people. He doubted his ability to do this but the CEO believed in him. This man is now the CEO of a bank! I love stories like this. This man was so impacted by the belief of this CEO who most likely became a mentor to him…his life was changed.

At the conclusion of the event SRC was escorted to a lower level for a TV interview. I was sitting off to the side and wouldn’t you know it I put my head in hand and found my self falling asleep. Not that the interview was boring but I think SRC’s voice is becoming to familiar to me that it is now serving as a way to make me go to sleep. I was awake for most of the interview…don’t tell SRC I fell asleep.

Tonight was a dinner with quite a few Ministers of Mauritius and other distinguished guests. One of the guests works at the US Embassy in Mauritius. I think she is the only other blonde I have seen on the entire island. The people of Mauritius are beautiful…dark skin, shining eyes. Some look very African others look like they are from India. I have been very impressed with the graciousness and hospitality of everyone we have met.

I want to share an interesting experience that I had today. It was a good lesson for me. Throughout the day I was anticipating a phone call that could have potentially been very difficult. It was on my mind quite a bit and I was preparing my speech, so to speak. During the afternoon session of the event SRC was talking about Habits 4, 5, 6; third-alternatives and Indian Talking Stick Communication. As I listened to SRC my mind was flooded with thoughts, phrases and ideas for me to use on this phone call. I came up with my action plan and a good third-alternative that I would present after practicing Habit 5 (seeking first to understand and then to be understood). I felt strongly that once we got to that point we would be able to synergize and come to a win-win. The call was still not easy but it went far better than I thought it would. After listening and repeating to make sure I understood they did the same. At that point I presented my idea of a third-alternative and this individual loved it. Whether or not it will work will been seen but at least we concluded the call feeling better than when we started it.

I feel increasingly blessed to be in the job I am in. I paint a rosy picture most of the time in this blog so that you will keep coming back to read more and so it will be an adventure for you and not a diary of bad things that happen to CDJ. Frankly, this trip has been quite difficult and one that I hope never repeats. I have learned a great many lessons…hard lessons and I have questioned my ability to do this job. However, I am grateful for those who send good thoughts and (for those who pray) prayers my way. I know I am sustained with health and energy because of it. I know that SRC is also sustained because of the good thoughts and prayers.

March 15th
Mauritius – Day 1

I cannot get over the beauty of Mauritius! As we flew over the island in preparation for landing I could not take my eyes off the green hills, mountains, water, etc. Getting off the plane I knew I was in for a hot afternoon. Plus, I had on jeans and my Keen’s. HOT and sticky! The drive to the hotel was interesting. We passed buildings under construction and in some cases the scaffolding was built out of stiff, straight branches from trees. I found that odd and interesting. I am sure there is method behind what seemed to me to be madness.

This hotel is amazing! It is definitely set up for those who will not spend much time in the room…no remote for the TV, etc. The beach is just a short walk from the hotel patio. The color of the water is…well, just look in a box of crayons and you will find the array of sea water colors. Beautiful! I took a quick shower and met SRC back at the lobby. SRC was to meet with the Prime Minister of Mauritius and members of his cabinet. We drove to this beautiful property that is the official home for the Prime Minister. The current PM does not live there but he does use it for occasions like this. The meeting went well. SRC had about an hour and fifteen minutes to speak to this group of about 12 people.

At the conclusion of the meeting we were escorted outside for some refreshments and then whisked away to get back to the hotel. After all, we had an appointment with a helicopter. This was not just any helicopter. It is one of the official Mauritius police helicopters. Our pilots…policeman. What a tour! It was the best way for us to see Mauritius. What a beautiful island. To see the water, the hotels, the villages. I am attaching some of my favorite pictures so you can get a taste, from above, of what Mauritius looks like. The pilots speak very good English but they have thick French accents which made it difficult with some of what they were saying. Mauritius has quite a few volcanoes on the island. One of the pilots explained that these volcanoes were once called “dead volcanoes” but they are now called “sleeping volcanoes” because of recent volcanic activity and craters forming. Nothing to be worried about but it was interesting to hear the differentiation.

Seeing Mauritius will definitely be a highlight of this entire trip. I won’t have much time for play but I do hope to get down to the ocean before we leave on Saturday.



March 14th
Dubai

Today’s program was great! First of all, the flight from Jordan to Dubai was uneventful and uncomfortable. The seats, although first class, were uncomfortable. They reclined but in a very strange way. It was like sitting in a dentists chair…and I hate the dentist. I survived so please stop your worrying. (I am such a hoot!) I think I got about 3 hours of sleep prior to the event. When my alarm went off my first thought was, something is wrong, I am sure this clock is wrong. It was so cruel to make me wake up!

So back to the program. This was with a client and their top clients. I would say there were about 90 people there and I found it interesting to observe them. Some were very engaged, taking notes, asking questions. Others were more interested in what was coming in on their cell phones. Oh well, it is not my job to make them participate. The day was good and as I mentioned above there were quite a few questions from the participants. If I were to sum up their questions I would say they are fighting a new mind set and perhaps even a new tool set. SRC would introduce a new principle and they would have some comment about it. Almost like they wanted to disprove what it was SRC was teaching. It was more than just wanting further understanding. I wanted to stand up and say, “just listen and be open to what he has to say. Don’t argue the point, try to implement it before trying to disprove”. The Project Manager for the client actually stood up at one point and said, “We seem to be going around in circles with this topic (4 quadrants). Let’s move onto another question.” I commend the courage of their questions but it also helps to have an open mind to allow for paradigm shifts. I hope they came away with new ideas: new tools, skills and possibly a new mind set.

After the full-day program, SRC and I participated in a LDS Church event. We were escorted to the event by the Bishop of the ward in Dubai. I am not sure how many people were attending because of the overflow areas that I did not have a chance to see, but if all the chairs were filled there were probably 200 people there. I love to observe SRC at these events. His eyes just shine as he talks about the importance of families, family mission statements, etc. Although he was completely exhausted from the events of the previous two days he drew strength from the attendees and the topic.

Once back at the hotel I did some work, took a shower, and re-packed. I did not want to sleep knowing I would just have to get up an hour later to travel to the airport to fly to Mauritius.