MUSS!

 Oh hi Bakey,

I sure hope you had a decent birthday, or at least a productive one. Yesterday was a fun day for us. Mom made us breakfast, with bacon. The game was early so we left at about 9:30. There were a lot more people up there than I would have thought for a game against SUU. We were excited to see our MUSS seats when we got up there. We were on about the 15 yard line on row 44. Luckily we had the three seats on the end. The weather was super perfect. It had been so hot for the last several weeks, but it was in the 70s when we got there and stayed in the low 80s the whole game. In the Muss, everyone stands the whole game, and seat assignments are more like seat suggestions. The were a few old timers like me up there, but really mostly just really young students. SUU came out pretty chippy, tried a trick play on kickoff with an onside kick that failed. The team all looked about Britain Covey’s size. But none of them were very covey like. I was getting pretty annoyed because it took the Utes the whole first quarter to get their rhythm down. But once they did there was no competition. The second string was in for the third quarter and the third string was in for the fourth quarter. Everyone seemed to score. I’m guessing at some point SUU also put in their subs, because it looked like all they wanted to do was get rid of the ball. The Utes are favored by three scores over SDSU next week and I hope they cover.

After the game we met mom at Hires. We missed you on your birthday. There was no lady that sounded like MMMHEEEEEHHH. So we missed out. We did some errands on the way home. I did a little work on the living room after we got home, then I went to go wash the 4Runner.

I cut way back on our cable, I need to add some sports channels before the next away game. I was trying to stay up and follow the byu game against Baylor. Neither team could do much in the first half, I went to sleep by the third quarter. Apparently, it went into two overtimes. I was disappointed to wake up to the news that byu won.

Here’s a list of disgusting stupid things that happened this morning:

1. I pulled a two pound wad of hair and slime out of the shower drain 
2. I had to go to two sacrament meetings for like the 50th Sunday in a row 
3. BYU leap frogged Utah in the polls 

Now usually teams that play teams like SUU do go down in the polls, but for byu to climb ten spots for barely beating Baylor is crazy if you ask me. In other football news, Weber State beat Utah state 35-7 in Logan. USC beat Stanford, Nebraska fired their coach after the second game, Texas almost beat Alabama, causing them to fall from the number 1 to number 3. BYU is 8th and the Utes are 14th. Oh, and Devin Lloyd had 11 tackles and Britain Covey mad the roster and is their kickoff returner. He had three returns for 11 yards.

Tonight we went to the Berg’s for uncle Justin’s birthday. It was fun to be there and everyone asked about you and wishes you a happy birthday. Aunt patti always asks for letters. Aunt Selena has a count down calendar up for Spencer that’s up in the high six-hundreds. I’m not sure that would work for me.

We’re watching She-Hulk right now. It fun but not great. We watched the Rings of Power on Friday. I really wished I liked it more, it presents cool background for the LOTR, but it’s pretty boring.

Today in church brother Corbett gave this really great talk about supporting church leaders and saying yes to callings. He told this story about when his grandpa was a branch President in Zimbabwe, how he asked his branch to donate to the building of a chapel and how the had to sell so many cakes to raise enough money. Then after years of saving and selling cakes and building the chapel, he felt like they had to by the lot of land next to the church too. When his congregation asked why he said he didn’t know why. So they needed to find the faith to make many more cakes and raise a lot more money for a long time. This was in 1968. In 2020 the Zimbabwean temple was dedicated on that spot. He used it to illustrate the point that we should follow and support our leaders, even if we’re not sure why. It was a really powerful talk and I think our ward needs to hear that message often.

I’ve been thinking about the advice I gave you last week regarding your letters to President. I think It’s good council but it’s been on my mind all week. Today I heard something, I can’t remember where, but the point was this. Come up with an outline or structure for your letters, that way you can be direct and deliberate with what you want to say. This is something I try to do with my boss. Here’s a sample outline of what I try to go over in our 1-on-1s, those are kind of our version of interviews for you.

1. Wins: in other words, what was accomplished this week. I try to list three, or if it’s one big thing, I let him know what the team did to get it done. This is what he wants to hear. Listing it first makes the rest go better.
2. Challenges: in other words, problems. I try to state those in the most positive ways, but I’m honest about them. Keep it to one or two, this will help you focus.The following step is vital for this step though.
3. Solutions: in other word’s, what is your plan to overcome the challenges above. Keep these solutions as simple and direct and positive as possible, but be realistic.
4. Summary: this is where you briefly summarize the week but turn it towards you looking forward to the things coming in the next week. That can be anything but mostly focused on the work.

This is not to say to not be yourself, it’s not sucking up or running for AP. it’s communicating your performance professionally to your boss. It’s looking at your week like a professional and doing everything you can to do your job. Both you and he will see progress when you list your challenges and execute your solutions. Some won’t work, some might be naive, but in general that’s how you improve. Your mission President loves you, he is called to look after your best interests. But you are there to serve, and to serve the best way you can. I know that’s your strongest desire, and I also know that you are capable.

I love you Jacob, I really miss you this time of year. But I love seeing you grow, I love seeing righteous desires grow in you. You may never be as perfect as you want to be, but you are so much better than you fear you are. 

Love,

Pops