Tuesday, February 10, 2009

BYU's Park on the Hill

Academically BYU was a terrible shock to my system. I had managed to get through high school with out doing scarecly any homework so when I started my classes at the Y I had very bad (non-existent) study habits. I did more homework in my first week at BYU than I had done in all of my twelve years of school. I was getting bad grades and was in danger of failing and to top it all off I was getting homesick. Sure, I had been gone over night before but I'd never been away from home for any length of time. Even with all of the attention from the girls and my room mates I was sinking into a real depression. In 1976 long distance charges were very expensive so calling home was not possible and I didn't know what to do. Finally I remembered the teachings of my parents and I knew that I had a Father in Heaven who loved me and I could talk to him. Our house was half way up the hill on the south side of campus. Most of this hill has been made into a beautiful park with a path going through it and in a few places they have stairs. The park also has many tree's. I went into the park and I found my own sacred grove. I made sure I was alone and I poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father. The experience I had was a turning point in my life and is very sacred to me. I don't want to go into details in a public forum like this but suffice it to say that when I left my personal sacred grove I was a new man. Everything became easier after that and I don't think the work got easier but rather I was more focused, more energized and more capable. That day was a turning point in my life.
--------------------trivia--------------------
average life expectancy for divorced men 67
average life expectancy for divorced women 72
average life expectancy for married men 76
average life expectancy for married women 82
---------------------------------------------

5 comments:

Brandon J. Leavitt said...

You know I proposed to Serene on that hill.

Lisa said...

I love that story! It's one you will have to give more details about to the kids sometime.

Fred ... said...

I remember you proposed on that hill, didn't you tell me it is now called rape hill?

Lynn said...

What a beautiful Story Fred. I hope you write it down in more detail for your posterity.

And WHAT??? to your comment. How sad!

KarinC said...

Thank you for sharing your story of the power of prayer. I remember Dallin H. Oaks telling us as freshman to study five hours a day and promised us if we did that it would become easier to study and prepare for each class. Easier said then done.
Cahoons in NY