Conclusion

What Do I Value?

     As exemplified by the Savior, I too, desire to increase in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).

Spiritual (In Favor with God)

      I have a deep and abiding faith in my Heavenly Father and in the Savior, Jesus the Christ. I value the teachings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and his successors who I sustain as modern prophets.

      I love the powerful truth that we actually can become as our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are, as taught in Matthew 5:48 and 3 Nephi 27:27.  I believe this to be the most powerful teaching of the gospel.

      I take seriously the covenants I have made in the temple, and feel an obligation to live a life consistent with them. I have full faith that the power to seal families together eternally has been restored.

     I recognize that spirituality in one’s life can be lost. I feel committed to follow the steps to cultivate this dimension of my life consistent with the ten-point plan as I wrote in the book To Grow In Spirit (1983).

Social (In Favor with Man)

      My family comes first in my list of social values.  I love and treasure my wife Barbara.

      I desire to become a better husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather to these most precious human beings in my life.

     I love to share the gospel and have found rich blessings by opening my mouth and sharing what I know to be true. 

      I feel strongly that among the personal characteristics I value and strive to cultivate are:

Honesty—total trustworthiness and integrity.  I desire to have my word be as binding upon me as any legally signed document.

Empathy—being sensitive to others’ feelings and needs.

Generosity—being free with time, resources, and services to bless others.

Love—for everyone regardless of race, faith or economic status.

Morality—in the narrow sense of absolute chastity and faithfulness, as well as more broadly in terms of basic righteousness in dealing with others.

Intellectual (Increase in Wisdom)

      I have cultivated intellectual development throughout my life.  I feel challenged to continue to grow in knowledge and comprehension. I love books and ideas. I recognize the value of forcing myself to think clearly enough on issues to be able to write my ideas sufficiently well to clarify my own thinking, and to be understood by others.

     I have treasured education and the growth that can come from learning as a result of reading, travel, and cultivating new skills. I feel that when one stops striving to learn new ideas and subjects, life stagnates, and one can easily retrogress.

Physical (To Grow in Stature)

     I value my physical body and health. I still consider the human body to be God’s greatest miracle of creation and as mentioned in the scriptures, it is the “temple of the Spirit.”

      I feel motivated to care for my body through effective and adequate nutrition, exercise and rest.  For reasons of faith, as well as practicality, I have always avoided partaking of harmful drugs, stimulants, and other products that tend to enslave the body and/or destroy its capacity to function.

         

Financial/Temporal

     I have always desired to acquire, in honest and appropriate ways, sufficient financial resources to assure the temporal welfare of our family.

      I have never felt the need to accumulate great wealth, but always planned to have sufficient financial resources to be relatively secure and still be able to share with others, in and outside, the family as occasion permits and needs indicate.

      I feel it is important to share with others and will strive to overcome untoward tendencies to be greedy.

     I have always loved cultivating the soil for the production of food—not merely for temporal and/or nutritional benefit, but as a value that I prize.  It brings me closer to my Maker and to what I consider to be the basic purposes of life.

*****

     What a satisfaction it is to have had the privilege of having six remarkable children: Amy, Susan, Stephen, Linda, Douglas and Spencer, each of whom has married very well, the 28 grandchildren and now, as of this date, (January 1, 2020), 63 great-grandchildren!

     I hope that this collection of material may be of value and interest to some of them. Our hope and prayer is that all of them will remain true to their testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and live very happy, successful and fulfilling lives.

Posterity: Joe Junior Christensen and Ida Barbara Kohler Christensen

Elsie Amelia Christensen and Donald Stayner Poulton

Jessica Christensen Poulton Callan and Matthew James Callan

James Poulton Callan                         2006

Christian Poulton Callan                    2008

Preston Matthew Callan                     2010

Benjamin Poulton Callan                   2013

Miles Poulton Callan                         2017

Joseph Christensen Poulton and Lacey Christianna Miles Poulton

Logan Miles Poulton                          2005

Creighton Miles Poulton                    2007

Beckham Miles Poulton                     2009

John Christensen Poulton and Alyson Jeannette Clegg Poulton

Samuel Clegg Poulton                        2007

William Clegg Poulton                       2009

Abigail Anne Poulton                         2010

Barbara Jane Poulton Deeds and John Thomas Deeds

Thomas Noble Deeds                          2007

Hamilton Poulton Deeds                     2009

Addilyn Jane Deeds                            2012

Jefferson John Deeds                          2015

Charlotte Amy Deeds                         2017

Jameson Donald Christensen Poulton and Kami Kolene Maxwell Poulton

Amelia Kristy Poulton                        2018

Christopher Tena Vargas and Abbey Thompson Tena

Susan Kaye Christensen Jones and Jeffrey Maurice Jones

Allison Diane Christensen Jones Malmrose and Dale Christian Malmrose

Maxwell Jones Malmrose                    2006

Tess Adrienne Malmrose                     2007

Goldie June Malmrose                         2012

Taylor Christensen Jones and Melinda Marianne Tessem Jones

Jackson Tessem Jones                          2008

Abigail Ida Jones                                 2010

Lucy Mabel Jones                                2013

Charles Tessem Jones                          2016

Andrew Christensen Jones and Janessa Anne Adams Jones

Samson J. Jones                                   2018 

Oliver Andrew Jones                           2018

Benjamin Christensen Jones and Stephanie Acerson Jones

Stephen Kohler Christensen and Marilyn Farr Christensen

Matthew Farr Christensen

Rebekah Farr Christensen and Benjamin Michael Pace

Samuel Benjamin Christensen Pace     2011

Matthew James Christensen Pace         2013

James Stephen Pace                              2015

Hannah Jeane Christensen Pace           2017

Joseph Michael Christensen Pace        2019

Elizabeth Farr Christensen Barber and Joseph W. Barber

Brigham Christensen Barber                 2008

Emma Jean Christensen Barber            2010

John Christensen Barber                       2012

Abigail Elizabeth Barber                      2014

Grace Christensen Barber                     2016

Sarah Olivia Christensen Barber          2019

Michael Farr Christensen and Erica Claire Sellers Christensen

Ethan Michael Christensen                   2014

Katherine Claire Christensen                2016

Carson Michael Randy Christensen     2019

Morgan Claire Christensen                   2019

David Farr Christensen and Erin Gill Christensen

Nathan Gill Christensen                       2019

Peter Farr Christensen and Nikki Claire Sellers Christensen

Jacob Farr Christensen

Sarah Farr Christensen and Aaron Alan Thompson

Jane Marilyn Thompson                       2017

William Aaron Thompson                    2019

Anna Farr Christensen

Linda Anne Christensen Evans and Peter Frewin Evans

Heather Christensen Evans Hodgkinson and Richard Clark Hodgkinson

Anne Evans Hodgkinson                         2006

Grace Evans Hodgkinson                        2009

Nathan Christensen Evans and Kimalee Clark Evans

Tyler Clark Evans                                    2007

Ella Jane Evans                                        2009

Emma Claire Evans                                 2013

Carter Nathan Evans                                2015

Meredith Christensen Evans Shatzer and Ryan Hamilton Shatzer

William Ryan Shatzer                              2009

Jane Evans Shatzer                                  2011

Benson Joseph Shatzer                            2014

Elizabeth Joy Shatzer                              2018

Morgan Christensen Evans and Megan Watts Evans

Charlie Watts Evans                                 2019

Spencer Christensen Evans and Brookelyn Sage Parker Evans

Sage Ida Evans                                         2019

Douglas Kohler Christensen and Catherine Jorgensen Christensen

Zachary Douglas Christensen and Julie Dawn West Christensen

Eliza (Elle) Grace Christensen                 2010

Quinn Zachary Christensen                      2012

Owen Maddock Christensen                    2018

Abigail Bailey Christensen                      2018

Jordan Spencer Christensen and Alison Kerr Christensen

Olivia Jane Christensen                            2013

James William Christensen                      2015

Beau Jordan Christensen                          2019

Maren Eliza Christensen Roberts and Garrett Neil Roberts

Spencer Kohler Christensen and Sheila Kerr Christensen

Tanner Kerr Christensen and Miranda Elise Cazier Christensen

Emily Kerr Christensen and Joshua Berkeley Ludlow

The Golden Years

     During the last two decades, we have often traveled for assignments, but have had the privilege of living at home and being close to family. One of the real joys of that situation has been my opportunity to help garden a half-acre plot of land belonging to our daughter Linda and her husband Peter that is close to our home. It has always been a very high priority to me to be out in the soil. I load up our mini van with tools and spend many hours a week down there during planting and growing season. We have been very fortunate to be able to flood irrigate the garden with water from the canal that runs directly next to the garden. We have grown peas, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, beans, cantaloupe, and of course my favorite, corn on the cob. I don’t think anyone enjoys a plate of corn on the cob as much as I do. What a blessing to be able to spend my time where I love.

     I was given the assignment for several years to spend a couple of hours a week reading personal journals for the Church at the Church History Library. My main assignment was to go through all of Elder Marion G. Romney’s journals.

     During this time, I had a Friday morning assignment to be a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple. In addition, I was able to perform hundreds of sealings, particularly for those who requested them to be done in Spanish or Portuguese. What an amazing opportunity that was to be a part of so many young people starting their lives together. I have also sealed most of our grandchildren to their spouses, which has been such a special privilege for me.

      During the last several years, Barbara and I have chosen a date and invited any of our children or grandchildren who are available to come to do a sealing session with us and then to grab a bite to eat. The president of the temple has let us use his dining room so that we could eat together and discuss temple questions.

     Sports have always been a love of mine and it was wonderful during these years to play tennis every week with Arnold Wagner, Burton (Buzz) Tingey and Sterling Workman. I have never enjoyed watching professional sports, but college sports have always been of great interest to me, particularly BYU football and basketball. Once Barbara told me: “If Mars were playing Venus, you would be interested!” I responded: “You are right! If Mars were playing Venus, I would be very interested.” We have gone to Provo for many of the BYU football home games over the years and always been invited into the President’s box, which was lovely no matter what the weather the day of the game. I quite enjoyed the food and the football, and Barbara didn’t enjoy either. She was a good sport about going, and usually walked laps or interviewed the college-age servers on their life plans during the game.

     I have always enjoyed playing golf and had a favorite experience on September 7, 2016 at Forest Dale Golf Course when I got a hole-in-one! Arnold Wagner, Dwayne Liddell and Randy Ayre were there with me. We were up on a little bit of a hill and could see the hole clearly and watched the ball slowly roll in and plop down. You are supposed to call the club house if that ever happens and give the details and have the witnesses sign a form. Apparently, the chances for an amateur golfer is one in 2,500 to make a hole-in-one so it was a very lucky day. We have long told our kids that we do not need any gifts of any kind and a few days after that experience our son, Spencer, called from Provo saying that he had a gift he was bringing to us. We reminded him that we didn’t need any gifts to which he responded: “I bet you’ll like this one.” He brought this little trophy for us to place the lucky ball on. What a thing.

     We have always loved being with our family and these decades have given us much chance for that. We are almost always at a child’s home for Sunday dinner and they come visit us in our home.

     We always get together with the whole group on Sunday evening after the conclusion of the last General Conference session at one of the girl’s houses for “Conference Wrap-up.” This gives everyone an opportunity to share what their favorite part of conference was. We felt this was important to help the younger grandchildren listen to conference better, knowing they would be sharing something about it and to impress upon all the family members how important we felt Conference was for all of us. We eat a potluck dinner and always have a wonderful experience together.

     Instead of eating Thanksgiving dinner together on Thursday night we have always chosen to host it on Wednesday evening so that everyone would be available to come and free to go to their in-laws on Thanksgiving Day. What started out as dinner in our basement family room, moved to Linda and Peter’s house for several years until the dinner crowd grew to over 60 people, when we thought it necessary to move to our ward building. We have been using that ever since to host our large crowd. We have always invited friends and family that didn’t have another place to go.  Our circle has grown to include many dear friends over the years. We always have a delightful dinner together and then each person takes a turn standing and saying what he or she is most grateful for that year.

     For my 89th birthday, a handful of the family that were available came up to Amy and Don't cabin for a celebration. Family truly has meant everything to us!

Pictures taken March 5, 2020

Adam-Ondi-Ahman

    

     In September 2006, the First Presidency called us to supervise the work of maintaining and beautifying Adam-ondi-Ahman in Missouri. We were responsible for the supervision of the 12 missionary couples called to serve and work there. The couples normally served for 18 months, with everyone serving over two summers and one winter.  One of our key responsibilities was to identify worthy couples that had the needed expertise to serve there, and then make recommendations to the First Presidency—to whom we reported directly. In our meetings with Presidency, we reported on the progress of the work, upcoming projects, and a review of the budget and future financial needs. Initially, we served with Elders Burke Peterson and Graham W. Doxey, until both passed away. We recommended to the First Presidency that Elder and Sister Sheldon F. Child then serve with us. We alternated visiting Adam-ondi-Ahman every other month. We flew to Kansas City, rented a car and drove the 70 miles to the property.

     We stayed on the property in a three-bedroom trailer that was owned by the Church. We so appreciated the sister missionaries cleaning the trailer and stocking the kitchen with food prior to our visits. The front window provided a beautiful view of the barns and grain silos.  We loved the quiet serenity of this hallowed site. Unlike other church historical sites, Adam-ondi-Ahman offers no formal tours. There were a few informative signs pointing out locations of historical interest. Other than that, members who came were on their own to enjoy the beauty of Adam-ondi-Ahman. When guests of the brethren or others we knew were there, we often gave more personal tours of the land that once was a bustling center of the Church. When we were not there, Brother Austin Bonnett showed special guests around. This fine brother served as Patriarch in his stake. Often people who visited this sacred place commented on the distinct feeling of reverence they experienced. Even those who were not members of the Church felt there was something unique. One day a man delivered a modular home for the property. He looked around and said, “What is going on here? There is something very different about this place.”

     Every other month when we were in Missouri, a highlight for us was having a pot-luck dinner with all the missionary couples upstairs in the main gathering area. Following the dinner, we would both share a gospel message. Each day we enjoyed lunch in one of the couple’s homes. The couples lived in either farm houses that were part of the properties purchased by the Church to restore the land of Adam-ondi-Ahman, or modular housing the Church had provided over the years. We were always touched by the efforts of the missionaries to provide a lovely meal for us. These personal visits gave us the opportunity to get to know them better; learn how they were doing in their missionary service, the well-being of their families back home, etc. How we loved these stalwart couples. Their dedication to their call and their specific skills and expertise were a remarkable blessing to this great work.

     The elders worked on continuous beautification and maintenance projects. They tirelessly painted fences, and every week cut thirty plus acres of grass along the roads.  They graded 7.1 miles of roads, which were intentionally left as gravel roads to retain them much like they were in the days of the early saints.

     The sisters planted lovely flowers each spring to enhance the property. Every weekday, they did family history work and extraction. Every morning, Barbara shared a special spiritual thought and often gave them a handout or small gift. These faithful sisters provided weekly support at the Seventh Day Adventist second-hand store in nearby Jameson, Missouri sorting donated clothing. They regularly helped with community activities and events in order to strengthen relationships with the local residents.

     There were many mature trees on the property. At times, arborists advised that certain trees needed to be removed in order for the remaining frees to thrive. During the time of our service, the Kansas City Temple was planned and constructed. We felt strongly impressed to recommend to the First Presidency that these extracted trees be used to construct the beautiful temple alters and moldings. It is thrilling that wood from the trees of this holy site—many of which existed during the days of the Prophet Joseph, now adorn the Lord’s holy house.

     We had a sweet experience with President Uchtdorf and his family. We learned that the Uchtdorf’s were planning to take their family on a Church history tour prior to their twin grandsons’ departure on the respective missions. Adam-ondi-Ahman was not on their travel agenda. We encouraged them, that if they could work it out, to stop by this most remarkable place. They did and had a marvelous experience. In fact, they said it was the highlight of their trip.

     Another most significant event was hosting President Russell M. Nelson right after he was sustained as the Prophet. He said, he “needed to know more about this place,” so he came with his wife Wendy, Elder M. Russell Ballard, Sheri Dew, and his secretary. We planned to have a luncheon together with the missionaries, but (for security purposes) didn’t tell the missionaries who was coming until shortly before they arrived. What a great surprise for all of them. We had a wonderful time together and he posed for the picture with the missionaries before leaving.

     During our dozen years of service—with over 70 trips to Adam-ondi-Ahman, we were thrilled to have several of our dear family visit us and tour this glorious site. We loved having them come. We are forever grateful to the Lord for the singular privilege to serve at Adam-ondi-Ahman—“days never to be forgotten” indeed. 

Stake Patriarch

     In 2005, I was called as the Salt Lake Valley View Stake Patriarch with Barbara set apart as scribe. I gave 659 blessings in total over the period of time. Barbara was exceptional as scribe and often had them returned typed to the youth within a few hours. She never let them go longer than 24 hours before receiving their blessing. We fasted for every patriarchal blessing and it was truly a choice experience for us. Going through the list of the stake members, we have had the privilege of meeting with and giving blessings to someone related to most of the families in the stake. Our home has become more sacred and special to us because of all those wonderful people who have come for their blessings and the spiritual experiences we have had. I was recently released on February 16, 2020.

San Diego Temple President and Matron

     In mid-August 1999 we had been released from our duties as a General Authority and wife for nine days when we received a call from President Gordon B. Hinckley. We went to meet with him and he extended the call for us to serve as the President and Matron of the San Diego temple. Judge Wallace was currently serving as the President and his wife was very ill. We asked President Hinckley when he would need us there. He replied: “Next week.” We quickly made all of our arrangements at home and traveled south. Our official start and end dates were September 1, 1999 to November 1, 2002.

     The San Diego temple had 100,000 members in the Temple District of which 20,000 were south of the border in Mexico. The temple was situated on what was known as the "Golden Triangle" - one of the two most expensive pieces of real estate in America. When President Kimball saw the projected cost of temple, he was shocked and said: "We have a lot of really beautiful temples in the church, but we need a few jewels."

     When we arrived, I had the option of choosing my own counselors. Brother Bryant Rosseter and Norman Rossell were already serving as the counselors and we asked them to continue on for which they were very willing and seemed pleased to do. We arranged the schedule so that a member of the Presidency was always in the temple. With the rotating shifts it meant every third day we needed to be there about 4:00 in the morning. The counselors and their wives lived 60-70 miles away and it took them one to two hours to drive to the temple. What early mornings and faithful people! Brother Rossell had serious kidney troubles but didn't miss one assigned shift in the three years we served there. We had it arranged that every three weeks we were available to fly to Salt Lake if needed for baptisms, ordinations, etc.

     Nilda and Lloyd Castleton coordinated all the Spanish speakers coming from Mexico by bus with the sessions of the temple. It was tender to hear of the Mexican sisters coming to count their pennies at the Distribution Center to buy an extra pair or two of garments.

     Barbara’s many assignments included training the sister ordinance workers. With the temple district being quite large, every ordinance worker had only one shift a week and we had a total of 3,200 of them. Barbara also helped the many brides get ready and upon encountering an immodest bride would often say: “Oh here, let me help you with that,” and tuck in fabric wherever needed.

     We would ask the Stake President's for names for 30 or 40 couples per stake to be recommended as ordinance workers. We would ask them to come to a special meeting and while there would tell them that they had been recommended and asked if they would accept the call. Those that were willing would fill out the necessary paperwork and be set apart. Barbara and the assistants to the Matron would take the paperwork that night and snap polaroid pictures of the workers. We were blessed to never be short of ordinance workers while there.

     One day a Russian man not of our faith asked if he could go through the temple and was told that he could if he obtained a recommend. He decided that he would be going in anyway and walked straight past the recommend desk and into the temple. He was by the bottom of the staircase when our security man, who was a Jiu Jitsu professional, grabbed him by the arm and had him out immediately. Many not of our faith loved to come onto the grounds and we even had several take their wedding photos there.

     We greatly enjoyed our time in San Diego. Many of our children and grandchildren came and visited while we were there. We lived just a short walk from the temple and could walk on the beach several times a week. Just adjacent to our gated community was a park where we could walk every day for exercise. We also enjoyed Old Town and visiting the Mormon Battalion.

Barbara Kohler

     Through all of these life adventures, I have been most grateful to have Barbara at my side. I have come to the conclusion that the best way to evaluate anyone from a Gospel standpoint, since our hope is someday to improve and be on the path to perfection, eventually, to become more like the Savior, would be to develop as he did.  We read in Luke 2:52, that Jesus grew in “wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”  Consequently, we need to develop in the areas of intellectuality, physically, socially and spiritually. Throughout our lives together she has exhibited these qualities in amazing ways.

Intellectually

     Barbara is intellectually very bright.  She was a distinguished graduate from BYU.  She had majored in secretarial skills, e.g. shorthand, type, and business English.  She minored in accounting and German (so she could understand more of what her Swiss-German uncles and father were saying when they conversed.)

     She obtained a secondary teaching certificate and was hired to teach her major specialties at Boxelder High School in Brigham City, Utah.  [Actually, she had made such an impression on the faculty during her undergraduate work that, just before returning from her mission, she was invited to become a faculty member in the School of Business at BYU to teach her major skills!]

     Musically, she is accomplished.  She played the violin in the BYU Symphony Orchestra and was blessed with a remarkable mezzo-soprano singing voice.  Although never having studied Spanish before her mission, she was a quick learner and developed speaking the language with skill and a very excellent accent. She was, and is, a gifted speaker who threads solid content laced with good humor.

     I observed that she was a prodigious worker who tackled any assignment with dedication and enthusiasm.  She was always busy, crocheting, sewing, typing, or whatever.  [Obviously, her mother had seen to it that she had learned excellent home-making skills of cooking, cleaning, patching, laundry and all that goes into being a home maker.]

Physically

     I learned that she was blessed with a healthy body.  As a young girl in the 4-H clubs in Wasatch County, she had won the prize as being judged as the healthiest young girl—two years in a row.  (She had her first cavity filled by the dentist after giving birth to six children!)

Socially

     I have never known anyone who could make friends more effectively than Barbara.  She was always interested in others and they recognized it.  She was an excellent conversationalist and she always wanted to know more about anyone she met.  Later, I recognized that she would be among the first to recognize new move-ins in the ward and would see that she met them and quickly thereafter, they would receive a welcoming fresh-baked loaf of bread, or whatever. No one was ever left out from receiving an invitation to whatever activity or party in which our children were involved. She was, and is, a consummate affectionate “people person.”

Spiritually

     Barbara was blessed with a solid testimony of the Gospel, a remarkable gift of faith and solid commitment to do what is right.  She studied the scriptures, Gospel doctrine, kept up on General Conference messages.  She still reads the entire monthly Improvement Era or Ensign.  She was curious and always wanted to know the “why” of doctrinal issues.  She received her Temple endowment blessings as a single university graduate as soon as it seemed appropriate and at least a year before receiving her mission call.