Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kole Sappington

Kole Sappington, 18-year-old middle son of David and Jan'L Jones Sappington's three handsome young men, had fully expected to don his black, gold and white school colors to participate in graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 23, 2020.  However, the Class of 2020 did not get to walk the stage at Prairie View High School - or at any other school around the world - due to government-mandated lockdowns associated with the fear of spreading the novel coronavirus which has now killed nearly 50,000 people in the U. S. and more than 203,000 in the world.

Still, Kole has many fun and happy memories of his time as a Colorado Thunderhawk.  As a freshman he enjoyed being in his school's marching band where he played bass guitar alongside his big brother, Kaler who played trumpet.  In his sophomore year, he earned a spot on the swim team where he participated in numerous events in the pool.  As a junior, he remembers the fun of attending what he and his friends refer to as "Mormon prom," a spring formal event put on by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his part of Colorado.  His favorite memory of his senior year was the selection of his marching band - where he played vibraphone - to go to state competition, for the first time in the school's history - but of course, the coronavirus reared its ugly head and "we didn't get to go!"

Currently on the "hobo plan" taking a semester off, Kole's future plans - if this unprecedented health crisis can be brought under control - include attending either BYU-Idaho or Dixie State University to study towards an engineering degree ... and perhaps serving a mission for his church.

Kole is another handsome and amazing young Sappington family member of whom we are very proud.  Congratulations for your success, Kole, and we look forward to being a witness to your next chapters.

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kaler Sappington

Kaler Sappington, 21-year-old oldest son of David and Jan'L Jones Sappington's three boys, didn't plan to walk on May 13 anyway, but feels bad for those who had hoped to accept their diploma from Front Range Community College in Denver in person.  His Associate of Science degree will be in the mail soon, but he's already planning - and has been accepted - to attend BYU-Idaho, if the coronavirus - its name derived from the Spanish corona meaning "crown" or "wreath" will allow - where he hopes to study computer programming.  He is also considering a service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the future.

Kaler's favorite things during his first two college years have been spending time in the school's game room hanging out with friends; participating in the activities of the Tabletop Gaming Club; being elected Vice-president of FRCC's Tech Club; and finishing his last semester's classwork online due to COVID-19 which he calls, "not nearly as much fun as being in the same room together with my friends."

Kaler and his younger brother Kole, will be among almost 20,000 campus-enrolled students, with another nearly 5,000 campus-based students taking online courses or serving internships away from campus compared to a student population of about 2,500 when his grandparents were newlyweds and students there.  

We are so proud of Kaler for all his hard work and determination to succeed and can't wait to see where his life's journey takes him!

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine on earth and through eternity!


PS: Kaler was surprised to hear Grandpa Ed and Grandma Linda Henion Sappington both attended Ricks College - forerunner of BYU-I - founded in Rexburg, ID in 1888.  Ed, who graduated from Ricks in 1964 went to school full time and worked at Keith's, the Men's Store and Linda went to school and worked two jobs.  In the morning (at 6 a.m) she walked three blocks from their downtown apartment, to open the switchboard (google it) at then-Ricks College and closed it at 8 p.m. everyday.  During the day she went to class and worked at Porter Printing, the first company to offer temple-designed wedding invitations.  The company - now called ArtCo - is still alive and well in Rexburg.

Stacy makes the (IHC) news!

You're sure to enjoy this lovely story from the Intermountain Health Care News about our own Stacy Sappington Welch:

From: Katie Erbe at Katie.Erbe@imail.org;
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2020 11:19 AM
To: DX Team Leads at DXTeamLeads@imail.org
Subject: May 15th - huddle 'Recognition Highlights' - We Invite you to Share with Your Teams!

In follow up to huddle this morning, below are the ‘Recognition Highlights’ to share with your teams! Inspiring and heartwarming recognitions captured today! A BIG thank you to everyone who shared! 😊

 *   “See Mom. . . They Really Are Heroes” – Amber Gubler, PCT; Mark Dewey, RN; Jordan Bozarth, RN, Peggy Wardle, Tele Tech;  and Stacy Welch, Tele Tech - On Wednesday evening, a patient was admitted to our hospital on W2.  The next morning, Amber Gubler the patients PCT, learned the patient's son was having his 12th birthday.  The patient related to Amber how difficult it was to be in the hospital instead of home with her son and her family on his 12th birthday.  Amber offered an idea, recommending “you do have a nice view outside the window.  Maybe we can put up a sign in the window and have your family drive by, or ... we could take you outside for a walk and if it just so happens your family is outside ... you could say happy birthday to your son in person.” Amber discussed her idea with the nurses Mark Dewey and Jordan Bozarth who contacted the physician and requested an order for some sunshine therapy.  With the plan in place a phone call was made to the patient's family with instructions on where and when to meet outside on the walkway.  When her son saw his mom, he ran to her for a big hug and started to cry.  He was elated to see his mom on his 12th birthday!

That's not the end of the story ... Amber still felt she needed more and made arrangements with two of our Tele Techs, Peggy Wardle and Stacy Welch to create a sign to be put in the window while the patient was outside with her family.  As the sunshine therapy visit was coming to a close, Amber told the patient's son, “It’s too bad your mom can’t be home with you so we all want to wish you a happy birthday and hope you have a great day.”  Amber directed him to look up from the sidewalk towards the outside window of his mom's room where he saw the sign Stacy and Peggy had created and taped to the window ... 20 sheets of paper with the letters HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRESTON! He turned towards his mom and said, “See mom, they really are heroes!”

What an inspiring story of creative compassion from these fantastic caregivers.  This simple act of human kindness will have a lasting effect on the patient, her son and their family members.  Thank you Amber, Mark, Jordan, Peggy and Stacy for making such a memorable experience!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Stephanie Shipley Lovell and Simeon Richard Lovell

On April 23, 2020 Stephanie Shipley Lovell thought she would have been taking part in her long-awaited graduation day, except social distancing due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic made this event an impossibility.  Still, this amazing young woman - although she won't get to "walk the walk" as a member of BYU's Class of 2020 - has earned both a bachelor and master degree from the Marriott School of Accountancy while working nearly full-time in the accounting department at DOMO, the international cloud software company based in American Fork, Utah.  

Her favorite memories of college life, including a year at Dixie State University and another at Utah Valley University before she donned BYU Cougar's blue and white, are of everyday random moments walking around campus (especially on sunny spring days); working and laughing together with fellow students on group projects; and listening to nuggets of memorable advice from wise and caring professors.

The immediate future for our beautiful Stephanie includes studying and testing for her CPA certification, continuing her work with DOMO and on or about September 26, delivering a healthy baby girl.

On May 1, Simeon Richard Lovell was scheduled to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Informational Technology from Utah Valley University. But there will be no formal graduation ceremony.  Instead, May 1, 2020 will likely be remembered as the day the United States began a slow but steady return to some semblance of normalcy after months of sheltering-in-place against the coronavirus. This novel virus, 1000x's smaller than a grain of sand brought the world to a screeching halt including plans for large gatherings of any kind, such as weddings, funerals, church and graduations. 

Simeon's takeaways from his years at Dixie State and Utah Valley Universities include "finishing school only to realize I have more to do;" enjoying great learning experiences with good professors (especially those at DSU who, he says, pushed him reach his goals); having the "backing of my family who continually reminded me, 'you've got this, Sim'."  

He also remembers several life-changing special events ... most importantly, marrying Stephanie Shipley in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple and becoming a naturalized U. S. citizen with Selwin, his identical twin brother!

What's in Sim's future?  He'll be continuing his education to earn a Master in Business from BYU and completing his IT certification.  He also looks forward with eager anticipation to becoming a father ... and perhaps starting a business with Selwin!

Congratulations to Stephanie and Simeon for their hard work, accomplishments and the next phase in their lives.  We're proud of you both!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kendi Hansen Dunkley

On May 1, 2020 Kendi Hansen Dunkley, Stacy's 23-year-old middle daughter, was to graduate from Dixie State University with an Associate of Science degree, except for the invasion of a highly-contagious virus with no known cure. 

Glad to be done with school, she would still enjoy donning her Trailblazer red for a graduation ceremony now tentatively planned for December 11 ... unless, of course, COVID-19 comes roaring back in the fall!!!

The high points in Kendi's time at Dixie State University include her 2019 summer wedding to Taylor Dunkley; being hired as a technician at Richens Eye Center in downtown St. George; working in the Emergency Room at Dixie Regional Medical Center for a year and a half; and traveling to Costa Rica for the destination wedding of her close friend JaiCee Porter-Lundeen.

Our beautiful Kendi (like Wendy but with a K and an i, she tells people) does not plan to go on to school because she has a good job and a happy marriage, but admits she's open to the idea down the road, in the same way she is open to the idea of babies in her future (but there's no time frame for motherhood either).  For now, she hopes her future is all about working at Richens Eye Center.

We are proud of our delightful young graduate - who has never taken a bad picture in her life - and who is a great blessing to us  and our family.  We look forward to cheering her on as we watch her life continue to unfold.

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Taisley Welch

Taisley Welch, second-to-the-youngest of Rick and Stacy Sappington Welch's 6 daughters, was set to finish her education as a Dixie High School Flyer on May 20, 2020. But like millions of other high school students, she will not cross the stage to receive her diploma due to the deadly coronavirus which has now killed more than 50,000 in the United States and at least 205,000 people to date around the world.

Taisley's describes her high school days as a combination of interesting, exciting, happy and sad.  Among her favorite memories and most memorable moments, she lists being selected to serve on her school's Hope Squad, a school-based peer-to-peer, suicide prevention program through which she provided many acts of service making her classmates feel valued.  Hope Squad members are students nominated as trustworthy classmates who are then trained to identify at-risk students, provide friendship and seek help from an adult.  

Taisley also "mostly" enjoyed being selected for her high school Cheer Squad on her first tryout.  She cheered for only one year because, while she loved cheering for Flyers football and basketball games (she still does), she quickly grew weary of her squad mates' behind-the-scenes drama.

It was during her junior year, a friend and classmate committed suicide.  "She had a difficult life - bounced around the county by feuding family members. I don't think she really intended to go through with it," says Taisley, "but it was painful to all of us who knew her.  We wish we could have done more."

Our beautiful granddaughter also regrets missing many high school activities because of a longtime relationship with a young man with whom she eventually broke up.  "He is a very nice guy but we are just so different.  I love high school games, dances and other events ... he doesn't," she remembers.

Finally, how can she - and every other graduate in the Class of 2020 - forget the year of the coronavirus, social distancing from family and classmates, missing all the fun of proms, senior sneak days, the excitement of graduation and everything else, all which was replaced by online classwork and cancellation of everything important?

Still, she has a bright future ahead.  In the fall, she will trade her blue and white Flyer uniform to become a red and white Trailblazer at Dixie State University which she will attend on a partial scholarship.  After completing her Associate degree, she plans to attend Southern Utah University to earn a Bachelor degree, although she is not certain yet what she plans to study.

Love this girl ... another wonderful family member who is making us proud with her good decisions and hard work!

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine, then into always and forever!

FAMILY STORY: Mom's Priesthood Calling

I served as the public relations specialist in the St. George East LDS Stake at the time when we lived in our Morningside neighborhood and for a short while after we moved to Bloomington.  I loved the opportunity to work with President Tad Derrick helping him get information out to the members of the stake and the community about what was happening under his stewardship.  

After about six months, President Derrick called to say he was going to need to release me because he had just been informed mine was a priesthood calling. During Stake Conference a couple of weeks later, this amazing Church leader called me to the stand (which is not the way a release generally happens), asked for a vote of thanks for my work as the Stake PR specialist … then immediately called for a sustaining vote for my call to be the Assistant Stake PR specialist to some quiet laughter in the congregation! I served another couple of years in this calling – until the organization of the Bloomington Stake – and he never did call a priesthood leader to my original assignment.

And, while I stood next to him, he told the large congregation, "if the Lord ever sees fit to give the priesthood to women, I would be the first to sustain Sister Sappington!"

PS:  Several years later, as a long time member of the Bloomington 7th Ward, we were all eagerly awaiting the announcement of a new bishop.  Bishop Mike Bair had served five years and 53 days when it was announced he would be released at our upcoming ward conference.  As is always the case, ward members were speculating as to who our new priesthood leader might be.  The subject came up at dinner at Olive Garden with friends Frank Knowles and Bruce Christensen.  Brother Knowles said he knew who it would be and the candidate of his choice was sitting at our table.  Br. Christensen said, "Ed?"  "Nope," replied Brother Knowles.  "I think it's going to be Sister Sappington!"

FAMILY STORY: Missing my Nana today

It was 20 years ago today when, on April 5, 2000, Verda Carol Godwin Bradford left this world wanting to “make it home in time for His birthday party” she told me the day before her passing.

My maternal grandmother – known to all of her family as Nana - was singularly the most significant influence in my life. She was my mother, teacher, friend and confidante especially through my teenage years when she lived next door to our family in Huntington Park, CA. She loved to cook – especially the best lemon meringue pies, refrigerator cookies, apple crisp and chicken and dumplings which I have never been able to duplicate - but didn’t leave any recipes behind. She loved to travel but didn’t learn to drive until she was in her 50’s. She was a savvy and successful businesswoman in the 1950-60’s when the world was still trying to define women in the workplace.

She loved teenagers and her calling to teach them in Sunday School where she was always prepared with wonderful lessons and her love and constant reaching out brought many inactive teens back to church. She had a wonderful sense of humor despite difficult personal and family heartaches. One of her closest friends was Nellie Hunter, mother of LDS Church President Howard Hunter. Whenever they were together, there would always be gales of laughter. Their bishop once told them he was going to have to separate them if they couldn’t behave.

She loved every member of her family unconditionally and with all her heart and soul. Born to pioneer parents, she had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and treasured her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints always seeking ways to “lengthen her stride.”

She wrote poetic gems for every occasion and for every family member or friend. When inspiration hit her, she would pen her simple masterpieces on the backs of envelopes or napkins until she could get them typed up.

She also loved General Conference … and immediately after the final “amen” my phone would ring. For the next hour or so, Nana and I would catch up while also sharing our favorite talks and experiences.

Twenty years have passed since my last conversation with my Nana … and I still miss her, especially at the close of conference weekend.

Nope, it's Cancelled ... not Coronavirus

If there is one word which best describes what has happened worldwide in the first 90 days of 2020 ... it is "cancelled!"

Since December 31, 2019, when Wuhan, China announced they had a crisis on their hands in the form of a virus they called COVID-19 the world has been struggling to cope with a pandemic like never before. Nationwide, schools, restaurants, gyms and bars are closed … non-essential employees are encouraged (ordered) to work from home … curtains are down on Broadway’s Great White Way … major sporting events, including the 2020 Summer Olympics are postponed … production of movies and TV shows has stopped until further notice … the stock market has tanked … guards are stationed at the front door of businesses to prevent more than a few customers at a time from entering … weddings and funerals (Jay Ence and Elsie Barney) are limited to no more than 5 ... and all of us are asked to avoid shaking hands and hugging and encouraged by government leaders and healthcare professionals to practice “social distancing” which means staying at least 6 feet apart in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Churchwide, all of our 168 temples are closed all around the world and we are attending church at home, thanks to the vision of President Russell M. Nelson who, in April 2018, introduced the “family-centered, church-supported” Come Follow Me Sunday School program for living, learning and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And on the weekend of April 4-5, 2020, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision at the 190th Annual General Conference, which for the first time in church history, will be presented without an audience in the 21,000 seat Conference Center. But President Nelson gave us a hint of things to come when he said in his closing remarks in October 2019, “General conference next April will be different from any previous conference” after he had aleady encouraged us to "Wait till next year, and then the next year. Eat your vitamin pills. Get some rest. It's going to be exciting."

Travel-wise, borders between countries are closed, leaving vacationing tourists self-isolating in hotels far from home and on cruise ships for at least two weeks. Planes are flying virtually empty and hospitals in nearly every country are running out of common medical supplies, such as ventilators and face masks while thousands around the world are being hospitalized ... or buried.

In Rotary, the Pan America Rotaract Conference in Puerto Penasco, MX was cancelled in the first week of March, along with several Global Grant projects around the world. Last week, the cancellation of the RI Convention in Honolulu was announced, and District Conference in Park City became a casualty of the coronavirus. All 36,000 clubs have decided not to meet until there is an end to this difficult situation even as I am preparing to be Rotary District 5420's first ever "virtual" District Governor.

In the marketplace, Walmart and CostCo seem to have been the only winners in this healthcare war, but both are struggling to stay ahead of empty shelves and mobs of people fighting over a single role of toilet paper, bottled water and fresh vegetables while looking for nearly 50,000 employees.

Family-wise, we started the year with plans to attend high school or college graduations for 7 family members (Kendi, Kaler, Taisley, Erin, Kole, Stephanie and Simeon). Today it appears these important milestones have been cancelled for all seven of our kids and grands.

And just when we were certain things couldn't get any worse, on March 18, 2020 there was a magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered in Magna where our granddaughter Whitney lives. And, two weeks later on March 31, there was a 6.5 quake a few miles outside of Boise, ID which Kaytee and her family felt in Anaconda, MT. A 5.7 isn't a serious trembler, though there was some damage, but coupled with the possibility of harm to our precious family members, its a good reminder of how fragile we all are.

Through it all, we have stayed calm because we have been obedient in heeding the counsel of church leaders who have encouraged us to prepare, because “If ye are prepared, ye have no need to fear.”

I am so grateful to know we have a living prophet on the earth and a Heavenly Father who loves us.

I'll Always Have Denver

We completed our trip home to St. George – by car and loaded to the rooftop – but for most of the trip and for several days afterwards,  my thoughts remained in Denver.  I am even still a little emotional about the amazing success of High Country PETS (Rotary Presidents-elect Training Seminar).  

When I think back to last year and the pushback I got from district leaders about my idea of taking our PEs/Presidents-elect Nominees and Assistant Governors to Denver for some excellent training on how to lead their clubs, I realize what happened this weekend was nothing short of a MIRACLE!!! (one district leader even asked, “why would you want to start your District Governor year with a certain failure? We can’t even get our incoming officers to Salt Lake for PETS”).

When district leaders began discussing PETS in Denver, I was the only one who had – until this weekend - had the HCP experience.  Then and now, only a few of our clubs or our district had a budget for an additional and unexpected $1000+ expense for each of their presidents, so there was a “financial issue”… and many of our club leaders didn’t know Linda Sappington enough – or at all - to trust me on this huge change to the way we have done things for decades (though many have said the level of training club leaders had in the past has fallen short for years).  

Still, they came (though one admitted he had come to Denver “under duress”) to join the more than 450 club leaders from Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and Idaho.  The feedback I have received so far has been absolutely and completely positive as demonstrated by these great reviews:

                      ·      “Why haven’t we done this before?” 

·      “I really enjoyed PETS. After attending last year in SLC and again in Denver I’d describe the difference between the two in one word … ‘Energy’.”

·      “HCP was elevated training” 

·      “I enjoyed this wonderful training … and I am excited to pump new life into our club!”

·      “I feel energized and better prepared to take on my year as president.”

·      “Why has it taken us so long to realize how much we needed this?”  

·      “I had a great time and learned much about Rotary.”

·      “Was a wonderful weekend, thank you all.”

·      “THANK YOU ALL for an amazing experience. This PETS was 100X better than anything our standalone PETS has ever delivered. Our PEs, PENs and AGs were energized, inspired, informed, connected – a bit overwhelmed – but in a good way. They are excited to start their leadership role and move their clubs in new and meaningful directions for service and fellowship.”

No matter what the rest of my DG year looks like, I’ll always have Denver!!!