Three takeaways

Tad Talk

Here are three takeaways from my reporting trip to cover stories surrounding President Russell M. Nelson’s second Latin American visit.

1. You may remember that Elder Gerrit W. Gong called President Nelson “a natural diplomat” when he accompanied him on his South Pacific travels in the spring.

That’s a long-term hallmark of his ministry. He was dispatched as a young apostle to Eastern Europe in the 1980s to work with Communist governments, paving the way for church recognition in several places.

President Nelson, as I wrote before he departed in August on his latest trip, has used each stop since becoming the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to meet with important national, regional or local leaders. This time he met with the presidents of Colombia (Iván Duque) and Ecuador (Lenín Moreno), as well as other dignitaries and leaders in Guatemala, Argentina and Brazil.

During one media availability immediately after he and President Nelson met with Duque, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles made an interesting observation about not only President Nelson but the dignitaries he meets.

“There was wonderful conversation between President Nelson and President Duque,” Elder Cook began, speaking on the third day of a nine-day trip. “It’s wonderful to be with President Nelson when he’s involved with this. I’ve watched him now for two nights with religious leaders and now this head of state, and all of them do their homework, so they know that he’s capable and has a great intellect and has accomplished great things. Then they get with him, and they’re surprised that he’s very kind, he’s humble, and he’s personal and he’s interested in them. The conversation becomes very wonderful. It was the last two nights with leaders of other faiths, and it was today with the leader of the nation.”

2. The church’s humanitarian arm, Latter-day Saint Charities, is operating in some of the world’s remotest places.

Photographer Ravell Call and I visited some of the Wayuu people in northern Colombia for an upcoming story. The clan we visited does not normally allow visitors. Our translator, Jorge Trujillo, told us that Colombians have heard about the Wayuu but few have visited or seen any images or video.

“It’s like going to Atlantis,” he told me in ongoing wonder the morning after our visit. “I’ve been to Atlantis.”

What I’m Reading ...

Since I began my journalism career as a high school student covering high school football and since covering BYU football for a decade after that, I find myself deeply interested in the research on football and concussions. I click on every headline I see on the issue. The new data in this story is as alarming as most everything else that has come out in recent years.

Ever picked up a tennis racket and hit a tennis ball? This is a fascinating interactive look at how tennis grips have changed over the years. If you don’t care for tennis but like illustrated storytelling online, you’ll still find this interesting.

It isn’t a political statement that the United States needs immigration reform. The right and the left agree on that, though they disagree on what it should look like. This house editorial from the Deseret News editorial board provided helpful facts. It states, “When confronting immigration reform, Americans must be careful not to let anecdotal information get in the way.”

When one of our sons wanted to try out for the high school freshman basketball team, I decided to drop in on the start of the tryout. I had been covering high school sports in the area for a while, so the head coach and I were acquainted, professionally. He approached me and asked which player was my son. When I showed him, he expressed disdain for what my son was wearing and questioned his commitment based on that and his lack of experience with a competitive (read pay-to-play) team. I was stunned. School sports had changed radically in the fewer than 20 years I had been out of high school. I wish all our children could still play multiple sports based on the season and what they love instead of bingeing on one if they want to play in high school.

Your Weekly TadPoll

I want to hear from you! Each week I’ll ask a question. Simply reply to this email to share your thoughts. Provide your name and hometown, and I’ll include some of the most thoughtful answers in next week’s newsletter.

Question: President Nelson’s birthday celebration is Friday. His 95th birthday is on Monday. What has been the most meaningful part of his 20-month ministry in your life?

Last Week’s Responses:
Question: How has observing real poverty affected you, and what have you seen the church or another organization do that truly made a lasting difference for people in those conditions?

“I run a small NGO helping people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. I founded Saving African Families Enterprise (SAFE) 18 years ago when AIDS was decimating the African continent. ... Zimbabwe is somewhat unique in that it’s a country with so many challenges that education isn’t a sure way to lift oneself out of poverty. Those graduating from university find there are no jobs. So, while I’m a fan of the church’s perpetual education fund, it doesn’t work in Zimbabwe. I have also been a facilitator in the church’s self-reliance program. It is certainly well-intentioned but needs refining. ... But here again, teaching self-reliance is just not enough in Zimbabwe. I’m just now returning from a trip to Kalkota, India, where I visited where Mother Teresa lived, worked and died. Someone once asked her why she didn’t teach people how to fish instead of giving them fish (echoing the Lao Ze teaching). She replied that her mission was to aid those who could not fish. Sometimes we just need to give fish away.”
—Cole from Park City, Utah

“Through years of economic and health challenges/disasters friends of ours finally became homeless. First we shared our home, then an automobile and lastly a job with enough monthly income for them to manage until a full-time job came along. The church was always supportive with Bishop’s Storehouse commodities, but when the time came for needed housing, the ward stepped up to the plate and found an apartment that would be affordable on the new salary. The Seattle, Washington, cost of living is barely affordable for most middle income families today. I am certain the church helps many of the poverty line members, but housing is even more difficult to find here.”
—Lorraine from Seattle, Washington

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