An inspiring week!

Next to the Orpheus Theater in San Francisco is a wonderful sculpture garden with works of Lawrence Argent (2017). The beautiful huge centerpiece is inspired (as are the small sculptures) by Greek Venus de Milo, depicting the goddess of love and beauty. We need to see both in each other right now, and to recognize that there is much more that should unite than divide us as God's children wherever we may be, whatever our circumstances. We have enjoyed some poignant and moving events in the past few days and weeks.

Hamilton is a fabulous show. The prices have dropped so Sara, Sue and I finally got to see the story of one of America's greatest founding fathers. I'm now listening to Chernow's (long) book on which this rap/hip-hop show is based, to get all the background about Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) and his tremendous role in American history, that is amazingly and succinctly summarized in the Broadway show. In light of Martin Luther King's birthday this month, I have been especially struck by his brilliance and energy, by his federalist and abolitionist views that we needed a government for, by, and of all our people. 
We were surprised to meet Peter and Leanne Giles there, too!

I don't spend ALL my time watching and promoting shows, but there are some great ones that can inspire us to do good, to be grateful, to enjoy life, come what may. The Pianist of Willesden Lane, a one woman show. 
"Holding fast to the dreams of concert success, a young Jewish pianist escapes Vienna via Kindertransport, arriving in England at the outset of WWII. In a stunning performance, concert pianist Mona Golabek recounts her mother's poignant saga of hope and resilience (also told in her book, which I'm reading), underscored with extraordinary music from Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and more. It celebrates the power of music to transcend even the darkest times."

 Not all WWII stories end as well as that of Lisa Jura and other children saved by Kindertransport. It is painful and sobering to remember all those not saved when concentration camps were liberated.

The Liberation of Auschwitz: January 27, 1945

On January 27, 1945, 75-years ago this month, the Soviet Army pried open the gates of Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland and liberated some 7,000 emaciated prisoners. About 58,000 others had been hurriedly marched westward before the Soviet Army approached. Auschwitz, the German word for the Polish town of Oswiecim, was the site of the largest Nazi concentration camp during WWII. It consisted of a concentration camp, a labor camp, and large gas chambers and crematoria. More than 1.3 million people were sent to Auschwitz between 1940-1945. Some 1.1 million of them were killed. Nine in 10 were Jews.
I watched a local production of "Oslo," another powerful play.
JT Rogers’s play, is the story of a peace process; it is almost wall to wall men in suits. But the events it elucidates are riveting. Improbably, the secret talks that led to the 1993 Oslo accords, the first agreement ever struck between the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the state of Israel, were organised not through official channels but by a Norwegian academic and his diplomat wife. The negotiators were served waffles. The US was not told of the encounters. Yet later that year Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin were shaking hands on the lawn of the White House. There were sobs of joyful surprise from witnesses as agreement was reached. The sobs provoked by watching this now are bitter: by the end of the decade the accord was in tatters.

Martin Luther King

Sunday afternoon, community and religious leaders gathered for the annual commemoration of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King's birthday, held  at the First Methodist Church in Palo Alto. The guest speaker was Rev. Amos Brown, President of San Francisco Branch of NAACP, whose congregation has sponsored more African refugees than any organization and 80 children from Tanzania to receive heart transplants. He has met with Nelson Mandela and about every black leader. He admonished the world to lift each other's spirits, not demand a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye (or the whole world will be eyeless and toothless). We must know history, that the older wounded generation may heal, that the younger generation can learn. Only love can drive out hate, which is like a forest fire, quickly out of control. Only love and compassion will bring all peoples together. The black youth speakers and young and older singers were powerful. There is great hope for the young generation. We concluded with the very moving civil rights theme song, which I sang at a national YM/YWCA convention in Illinois in 1962"We shall overcome" as all joined hands around the church.

The following (from CNN)

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was barreling toward the climax of his greatest speech (at the 1963 March on Washington) when he made a split-second decision that would seal his place in history. Most people recall what the cameras caught: King declaring "I have a dream!" before 250,000 jubilant supporters at the March on Washington during a muggy, sun-splashed summer day. But there was one crucial exchange that the cameras didn't catch. King had planned to cap his speech by exhorting people "to go back to our communities as members of the international association for the advancement of creative dissatisfaction." Yet he hesitated when he got to that line in the speech because it just didn't feel right. And then he heard a voice from behind him. It was the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who was sitting nearby."Tell them about the dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream," she shouted.

The Rev. Martin Luther KIng Jr. waves to supporters during the 1963 March on Washington.We know what happened next. King launched into his classic, "I have a Dream" closing. 

That ad-libbed moment is often cited by historians as an example of King's improvisatory genius as an orator. But it also reveals something else about King's genius: His ability to listen.

I love these powerful quotes at the National Museum of African American History. My grand-daughter and her family have the opportunity to visit some wonderful places in their few months in Washington DC. I hope to visit them while they are there. Her mom is supervising BYU interns in DC this semester.



Elder Gary E. Stevenson joined the Salt Lake City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Monday to celebrate the work of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
In his keynote luncheon address at the Little America Hotel, Apostle Stevenson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints asked “that we fulfill the invitation of the Savior to love one another, for love is of God. ... May we all strive to be our brother’s keeper, to foster civility and to emulate Christlike love.”

“We are all part of the same divine family,” Elder Stevenson said. “Our well-being is tied to our neighbor’s well-being.”

May we all strive to be our brother’s keeper, to foster civility and to emulate Christlike love. —Elder Stevenson

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Elder Stevenson concluded his remarks by reading a Book of Mormon verse that fixes on the fundamental equality of all men and women in the eyes of God: “He inviteth … all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; … and all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33).

Our Saturday and Sunday semi-annual stake (several LDS congregations) conference emphasized service. Liz Brimhall, who directed the above community choir, as director of community service for the stake, counseled us to reach out, press forward with love, build long-term and meaningful relationships with a couple organizations; we don't need to add extra activities, just incorporate more service into them. Russ Hancock said accepting and doing hard things for the Lord and for others will often be the source of our greatest blessings. Our wonderful Stake President Dow Wilson (who with his 2 counselors are nearing the conclusion of their 9-year term of service), said that our daily opportunities to interact with others has sacred potential. Sometimes the vertical relationship with God precedes the horizontal relationship with others. Sometimes the horizontal comes first. Our horizontal relationships are better if our life is in order with God. He will save us, bring us comfort and good cheer if we hang in there! Elders Cook and Richards have been serving in our ward/ local congregation, as well as Sister Cariazo and Folkman. We love them and take turns feeding them dinner. These super intelligent elders are also good musicians! How nice to bring talent as well as faith, dedication and hard work to the missionary effort.

Palo Alto friends Ken and Sue Allen are about to embark on a 2-year mission in the mission office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Durban, South Africa. The new Durban Temple will be dedicated just after they arrive, on February 16, 2020. 

How grateful I am for our forefathers who established at great cost, an amazing country  based on wise principles, with a system of government, with checks and balances, with the possibility of changes as we adapt to new circumstances,. It is now our responsibility to put these principles into practice, as the world continues to change so rapidly. I'm grateful for the Hamiltons and Washingtons, the Lincolns, the Martin Luther Kings, the writers, artists, sculptors, the leaders today, the ordinary citizens like us. May we listen to the spirit of God, who created us all, who loves us all and is no respecter of persons.