When we knew we were leaving Minnesota for Chicago I had thought , perhaps I'd be asked to speak and offer some thoughts and say my good byes. I wasn't. At the end of priesthood I was a footnote and said a quick goodbye. The following are the reflections I had prepared and did not give but still hold close to the heart.
What do I take with me
1) Legacy of mighty men of minnesota - These are the men who influenced me in my formative years : paul wilson, everret manwaring, alan anderson, brent adair, I dare to be great because of them
2) friendship
Long time - people of my age and people older who I have done my entire life and will know forever more
Mid years - friends when I returned from school and then when I married these became OUR Friends
New - there are so many good people in Minnesota so its not surprising that I make good friends almost daily if not weekly of the new people I meet and greet
Served by - you learn to love them
Served with - you learn to love with them
3) testimony
From warren biorn and roy patton who always competed for the longest testimony being born - we did in fact time them
To sandra jere evan christina the most constant and reliable - a hole was made when they in turned moved on; they defined their time periods
To the hundreds if not thousands I have heard in this chapel and carry with me
What I leave is just as precious to me as what I take
1 I leave my gratitude
For those who have shaped me and for those who have shaped my family
For those who have served us thru babies' births, thru multiple open heart surgeries, thru mayo, thru unemployment, thru bounteous times, thru baptism, ordinations, marriages
2 I leave my love
With part of my heart, i leave it as a gift to dear friends and fellow saints
3 I leave my testimony of things I know
God lives
He loves us and wants us to be happy
He hears and answers prayers
He has given us the holy ghost to reveal to us
He has given us his Son to redeem us
I leave these things with and with them the threat of return some day
Tim
