Our family mission started in 1984, when our son was born with multiple challenges, both physical and developmental for life...which brought us to great spiritual adventures.

When Jonathan was born, we had no idea what we would do to pay for his medical, and no warning, other than a dream of my wife's brother, John Koehler, who died in a rollover a few months before the birth event.  We learned from the whisperings of the Spirit, and our son became our Liahona for fourteen years.  The Spirit brought people into our lives, who made suggestions and helped us help Jonathan to progress.

We are reminded of these lessons, as we reach out to other families with disabling challenges; including those with limited english.  We are encouraging all those who have skills to teach what they know, and the LORD will teach them new skills. 

I became involved in computer-based literacy in 1992, after walking away from a secure job with the Department of Corrections...burned out and scared of the future.  I connected with a group in Bakersfield that was teaching English to migrants; some of the language coaches could hardly be called skilled in the language they were teaching...the state leaders had eliminated funding for language literacy, so the people were left to continue teaching without pay or organization.  One of the men who volunteered to teach English was living in someone else's garage, with his two sons.  We started a computer literacy project that year, called NeighborHoodTEACH!, with help and support from local computer stores.

In 1993, I went back to the job at the prison, and found out they would train me for a civilian post; which put me in the medical department, and allowed me to continue to study the textbooks, which the doctors used for medical consults.  I found a way to help Jonathan to avoid ear infections, by taking him off of dairy products. There was a project started in the community, to bring horseback riding to our special kids, through Special Olympics Equestrian programs.  We became immersed in this program, and invited anyone with horses or trailers to volunteer time or equipment to the program.  Jonathan loved the horses, and showed no fear when riding them...within six months he was standing and walking on his own.  The experts said he would never roll over by himself.  We believe that horse therapy teaches skills in a natural way, which will help the young or old to recover from brain damage, strokes or dementia.  We are researching and posting this information on Change.org  ;  search on "therapy".

We started a volunteer outreach for a mentoring/apprenticeship program in 1995, called Creative ApprenticeShips/Aprendizajes...to help students learn new skills by volunteering in the area where they can use their God-given talents to help or serve others.  Every job or business we have been led to since that time has been found by first volunteering those talents in the communities where we live.

I was starting to feel trapped by my lack of progress at work, and after prayerful decision, we decided to resign and go to college.  It was after some time in various college courses, that we realized that I was lacking the ability to concentrate, and started trying to use therapy and medication prescribed by professionals in mental health, to control my manic thoughts and behaviour.  I also realized that I was not able to write ideas or plan projects in an organized manner.  My writing disability was passed on to my second son,  who was growing up without his father's attention, because of my preoccupation with the problems in the world, and because Joseph was so much disposed to do things by himself, and would stay busy on his own.  The teachers told us that he was having trouble with numbers and writing assignments.  They said he had dysgraphia, or dyslexic writing habits.

My wife was shown in a dream that she would be given a choice; to throw a lifeline to our children, or to me.  She could not save me and lose them...I was left to sink or swim; as she struggled to keep a roof over our head.  I eventually found work and training in the energy companies around the region; first with wind power companies, and then with drilling for oil and gas.  The experience led to other paths of research and discovery, which has developed into a more stable and productive outreach for energy education.  Rather than trying to find a job with benefits, I have learned how to work for different companies as a contract consultant; my second son has learned how to find work and training in his chosen field, and my wife and daughter are also pursuing their mutual love for theaters and drama, without waiting for someone to pay them to do what they love. 

Last year, we learned about the YouTube testimonies project, called 300 Testimonies...we started a discussion called 300 Temples, also on YouTube.  Now that Elder M. Russell Ballard has repeated the Internet Testimony Challenge, at two of the BYU campuses, we hope that the youth leaders will reach out to those who are unable to serve full time missions, and help them to publish their testimonies on video and audio forums. 

We can Flood The Earth With the Songs of Redemption, and we want it to spread to the youth in every NaSION, kindred, tongue and people, to bless every family on this earth, on both sides of the veil!

Tags: Energy Education Mission Restore Property Creation Power Harness Faith

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