Kenneth Brian Twining- a legacy of faith
Never served as a bishop, but labored in the bishoprich
Never ordained as a high priest, yet honored his priesthood
Never served a mission, but was a missionary
Not originally married in the temple, but sealed to his entire family
Never served as a temple worker, but worked in the temple
Did not have ancestors who walked across the plains, yet he was a pioneer
He did not read the scriptures on a daily basis, but he lived them everyday of his life.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Corinthians 13:1-7
My father and his family went to the World's fair in New York City. Wanting to beat the crowds, they showed up early, and it was raining. Raining and raining. The only booth that was open for people to get out of the rain was a booth sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The family of four toured the pavilion and my Dad's father signed the guest book.
Eventually the entire family was baptized. He attended church, and eventually helped his sweetheart join the church after they got married. A few years and children later they all made the trip to the temple to be sealed together.
My childhood is full of memories going to primary, having family home evening, and even family scripture study. My dad would read the verses we would study ahead of time and make charts of difficult words in the passages. Then when we studied, he would talk about the words and what they meant.
When I turned 12 and received the priesthood I became my dad's home teaching companion. Eagerly, we went month after month to visit our families. Some of the families did not regularly come to church, but that did not stop us from visiting, nor giving service to them. My dad helped me develop a deep abiding testimony of the importance of home teaching.
Continuing in my progress of my faith, on one occasion I sought to go on a fundraising walk with some friends. Honestly I had not taken the time to fundraise much money, but wanted to pay the minimum fundraising fee and hang out with some friends from school. My father was not impressed with my desire to go to this activity on a Sunday. At the time I wanted the Bishop to grant me an award that I was not truly old enough to receive. My dad, serving as the ward clerk in the Bishoprich had convinced them to grant me the award, but they decided to give it to me on the very Sunday I planned to skip church and attend this fundraiser. The decision was made that if I showed up, I would get the award, if not, I would have to wait until later. Guilt drove me to not go on the walk and instead to church. My father, surprised yet happy to see me, helped ensure I received the award and later recounted to me the decision made earlier in Bishoprich meeting. I gained a lot more than just a simple award that day.
A few years later, when I was ready to go on my mission, my dad decided to trade his life of a steady paycheck and 9-5 job to go back into business for himself again. The problem he ran into was start up capital, he didn't have much to get another work truck for himself. I told him I had money I had saved up for my mission that he could use for the business to get it started, as long as he paid the monthly amount required for my mission. He did not touch a single cent of my money. I came home and it was all there- he paid every single month out of his own pocket, and testified to me he never experienced so much success with his business as he did when he supported a missionary. He not only supported me on my mission, but my brother, two of my cousins, and several who have served from Salisbury.
I could go on for hours with stories of faith and service that my dad left as an example to me, my siblings, and all around him. Yet time permits only one more. A couple of years ago, a part my dad had ordered to help him work on a chapel here on the Eastern Shore got sent instead to the Washington DC temple. In the process of obtaining the part, my father talked to the head engineer at the temple, who upon finding out my father's occupation, invited him to do some work at the temple. The crew maintaining the temple just happened to be in need of the services of a new electrician. My dad always told me there is no such thing as a coindence, but it is all part of Heavenly Father's plan and the workings of his spirit. He loved working in the temple and grew significantly spiritually through that and his calling of ward mission leader- a calling he was nervous to accept. Throughout his life, my father actively lived and participated in his faith, but he grew in leaps and bounds these last few years, which I believe was Heavenly Father's way of preparing him for the mission he is accomplishing right now.
I love my father. I miss him terribly. Like so many his time here on the Earth was too short. Yet I know His spirit lives on and will one day reunite with his body. I know we will live together as an eternal family forever. Thank you dad, for this legacy of faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment