Month: July 2026

Pontefract – Week 15

Sorry for no week 14. I accidentally sent it without writing. 

Has zone conference this week. I played the flute for a musical number. Come come ye Saints. I flubbed a note. Embarrassing, but such is life. 

Have been averaging 22,000 steps a day for the past two weeks. Roughly 10 miles a day. Had some good lessons, spoke with some crackheads. Did alot of service this week too. Stained a deck, peeled wallpaper from a room. Had some goated meal appointments with the members as well.

Shoutouts:

Ruth and Jose Chiza – made us BBQ on Sunday. Pork belly, burgers, sausages, prawns, chicken legs. They are amazing people

Sam and Jeradine Frost, made cookies and a good meal after our service at their place

Mike Peel- for picking up one of our friends for church. 

Pontefract Sisters – for learning a musical number in 2 days for zone conference

Heron foods – cheap drinks 😉

Oh yea zone conference was great, talked about member relations and PMG.

I have still been working my way through Doctrine and Covenants, not done yet. But there are some banger chapters I have gone through. 

Doctrine and Covenants 88

Amazing chapter. Lots of doctrine within

Verse 40:  “For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.”

This one is cool because it also tells why many Latter-Day Saints are encouraged to pursue education and learning. Because the secrets of the universe and Gods. And he has laid them out for us to uncover, and discover the wonder of his creation. 

I love you all! And remember to pray! God hears and sees every one of you.

Elder Berky

Happy Independence Day!

On the 3rd, me, dad, Grandma and Ammon went to see “Young Washington” – an Angel studios movie released in the theatres. It was a little slow at the beginning, but a lot of that was part of the character development. About halfway through the pace picked up. Good movie and historically accurate as well. He was definitely divinely appointed to be the Father of our Country. 

Afterwards we did fireworks in our front driveway. We got the standard box from Macey’s and then some big ariels from one of the fireworks tents. (Despite a statewide ban because of the fires, cities were given the autonomy to state where people could launch fireworks.) Since we are in the middle of the city we were safe to launch. 

Or so we thought. 

All was going well. 

Some of the Beebe boys came over to watch. For the grand finale we set up 2 large fountains and 2 ariels. We had Ammon and the Beebe boys light all 4 of them all at the same time. However, when they were set up, one of the ariels was not set up properly. It was assumed because for all the other fireworks the fuse HAS been at the top, that the fuse is always at the top. For ariels, it is not. 

The ensuing chaos for the next 30 seconds was one of the most exciting evenings Grandma has had in a long time. Complete with a leg contusion for her. Ammon got hit as well. (CTR rub immediately applied.) Video from the security camera I put on the Google folder “Sam Share”. It also has sound. You can see jump when it hits him. The little girls on the video are our neighbors.  

Ammon: Gee, grandma, sorry I shot you. (he didn’t really say that- I just thought it was funny and a reference to an 80s movie, “Gee Ricky, I’m sorry I blew up your mom”)

On Saturday, today, the 4th, me, dad and Ammon (and Lucas) went to Colonial Days at the Orem SCERA park. Listened to a couple of presenters. Ammon loved the apple cider demo the best. Went to the food trucks, came home, took a nap. Jacob didn’t go with us as he had work from 10-5. He had a slow but steady flow of customers. First day back after the surgery. His cheeks are still pretty swollen. Tonight it’ll just be me and dad, Jacob and Ammon. Where is everybody? It’s so weird.

  1. James has a 4 day weekend, but they are DOING NOTHING for the 250th! Nothing. Pitiful. I told him when he gets back we’ll do a laser show and do a celebration with him so he feels like he was part of the 250th celebration. He has 3 guys from his BCT platoon who are in his AIT platoon. He’s grateful he is in one of the better behaved platoons.
  2. Anthony, Gracey and Charlotte are in Arizona with her family. 
  3. Ben & Alexandria are in Washington state for a mini family reunion for her sister’s baby blessing this weekend.
  4. You are in the land of our forefathers. 

Tonight we’ll stay home and watch some coverage of what’s happening at the Capitol. There’s supposed to be 800,000 fireworks being launched. When I was a kid our family tradition was to watch on PBS “A Capitol Fourth”; The National Symphony Orchestra performed, then patriotic speakers, and fireworks.

We’ll also have a BBQ and watch an American movie. Ammon wants to watch The Great Escape. I need to get Jacob to give input so he’ll actually stay and watch with us. 

Sunday afternoon, dad and I are driving to Prescott AZ for a week-long personal development course called “PSI seminars – Leadership Course”. We’ll have limited cell service and they said to just plan for no phones for the week. Though dad will need to check in on Monday night or Tuesday morning regarding some of the business offers. 

I love you and Jesus loves you!

Read 1 Nephi 13-15. 

Mom

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