We blessed my son today at church. My youngest daughter didn't sleep very well last night, and I had a 7:00 a.m. meeting, and the furnace wasn't working, so I ended up waking up at 5:45 a.m. to build a fire and return blood circulation to my frozen limbs. I also got a chance to do some scripture studying, so I was able to start the day on a spiritual note. I wasn't able to go to my meeting because my youngest daughter was needy (she had an earache), so I watched Spongebob with her until it was time to get ready for church.
We managed to arrive at church on time (no small miracle with 3 kids) and my son was the only baby blessed. I do not remember the entire blessing, but here are a few things I blessed him with: a mild temper, that he may be a peacemaker in his home; an appreciation for the beauty the earth has to provide, and an understanding that these things testify of God; spiritual sensitivity that he may be able to discern right from wrong and truth from error; and a quick mind that he may be able to learn the gospel. I also said that we were glad he had chosen to be born into our family. After the blessing, I taught primary and then went to teach elder's quorum. I shared the “Washington's Glasses” story (the lesson was on service) and then I shared a story about Olympic volunteering that, I just noticed, I have neglected to put in my journal. It was, in fact, my best Olympic experience. Ironically it was also the worst hockey I saw, but there was a passion at the game that can only be duplicated at the Olympics. It was a women's game, and the match-up was Kazakhstan vs. China, and the winner of the game would leave the Olympics in the coveted 7th place position (there were only 8 teams). China scored early in the game and the goal remained unanswered until 18 minutes into the third period, when Kazakhstan tied the game. I was on the Kazakhstan side, and when they scored the goalie dove onto the ice in excitement. This was the first hint I had of the passion involved in the game, and I saw how badly Kazakhstan wanted to win and avoid the last-place label. The game went into overtime and after a few minutes of play, China scored a goal and won. I reluctantly pressed the button to light the goal indicator, as I had hoped to see Kazakhstan victorious. Later I found out the Kazakhstan team's circumstances and regretted their overtime loss even more.
Team Kazakhstan was one of the few unsponsored teams in the Olympics. They come from a poverty-stricken country struggling to create a post-U.S.S.R. capitalist/democratic government. The team wanted to purchase souvenirs, so their bus driver drove them to the mall. They soon returned, saying the prices were too high. The bus driver drove them to Wal-mart, but again they returned and said the prices were too high. So the bus driver drove them to All-a-dollar, where they purchased “little cheap things.” A woman named Shannon heard of the team's trying circumstances and decided to try to help them. She explained the situation to her neighbor, who immediately donated $100 to the cause. She solicited donations from other sources. Many contributed cash; BYU contributed sweatshirts, another store contributed polo shirts. Shannon made a card for each of the players and included their portion of the money and a note in Russian thanking them for their courage in coming to the Olympic games. When a Kazakhstan player received her card, she read the note and burst into tears. The others did the same, and the bus was described as a “blubbering mess.”
I saw other hockey games during the remainder of the Olympics; I saw Russia win the bronze medal. But nothing compared to the passion and spirit of the Kazakhstan team. This is what the Olympics is all about.
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