RLF Session 3 Great Experience for Kirk
I just finished up my 3rd of 6 Regional Leadership Forum sessions. What a GREAT experience. I read 5 more books, totalling 15 since the first of January. They were 1) First Break all the Rules, 2) The Zen of Listening, 3) The Prince (by Machiavelli), 4) Brain Rules, and 5) The Pearl (by John Steinbeck). Discussing them with the group was wonderful and very insightful. I also heard presentations from 2 prominant CIOs, participated in many leadership activities, and continued to build relationships with the participants from all over the midwest.
On Monday night (27th) for our group activity, we were blessed to hear from one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. The story is absolutely humbling what they went through. If you are not familar with who they are, check it out: Lost Boys of Sudan History. To think that any boys this age with no parents could survive what they did is amazing!
It’s hard to believe that we are already half-way done with the program. Only 3 more sessions to go and then SIMposium in Seattle in November.
Brittany shocked us all and made us proud today at her track meet as she secured a commanding win in her heat of the 200 meters! She came around the turn strong and never looked back! Her time of 33.59 was the 2nd fastest girls 7th grade time in the entire meet! Congratulations to Brittany! She also ran the 400 meters and had a personal best as well. She also tried out the triple jump and didn’t like that too much! Looks like Brittany found her event! She’ll probably be named to the 4 x 200 meter relay team for the next meet. We’ll wait and see!
Brittany had her first Still Middle School track meet this week and did very well. She competed in 3 events: 1) Shot Put, 2) 1600 meters, and 3) 4o0 meters. 
Today, the last day of our 4-day spring break, 1500 mile road trip (Sunday – Wednesday), we visited the Kirtland Temple on our way home. The Community of Christ has done a nice job keeping the temple maintained. They have added a new visitor center addition since we were last there: a theater where, after the movie is over, the curtains open up to a full wall of glass looking out onto the temple. They now charge $2 per person “maintenance fee” to tour inside the temple which is a little weird, but we paid and went on the tour. The kids’ knowledge of the events of the times stunned the tour guide! 🙂
There have been a LOT of updates done to the sites since we were there last, especially around the sacred grove site. The old log cabin has been rebuilt, there is a new visitor center, the road has been moved to eliminate traffic between sites, and the frame home has been restored to period time.
Church sites in Kirtland, OH and Palmyra, NY! Yesterday we drove the 6 1/2 hours to Kirtland, visited the John Johnson Farm (in Hiram, OH), and today enjoyed the sites in Kirtland. 
My newly designed web site is now up and running and available for you to take a look at! All you have to do is use the same old URL and you will be redirected: 
Like other faiths, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometimes finds itself on the receiving end of attention from Hollywood or Broadway, television series or books, and the news media. Sometimes depictions of the Church and its people are quite accurate. Sometimes the images are false or play to stereotypes. Occasionally, they are in appallingly bad taste. We as a family are saddened by the lack of sensitivity and bad taste HBO is showing in their series “Big Love” and how they depict sacred temple ceremonies. What can we say to this? “It’s HBO friends, look no further.” Visit the Church’s web site to read the official statement: 