My Portfolio

  Technical Sgt. Raymond R. (Rudy) Carriker In Caney’s Washington Grade School we fourth graders, destined to become the first generation of Americans to pass from childhood to adolescence in a world totally committed to war, found our school days changed within the time of a few heartbeats.  We began bringing...

Becoming a court reporter would have never entered my mind as a 20-year-old.  At that time in my life I was playing piano up a storm and intent on graduation from college as a music major.  Fast forwarding 32 years in a chance perusal of the employment section of our Columbus,...

So many teachers have affected my life and directed me toward my destiny.  Who was my favorite teacher--the one that impacted my life the most then, as well as now?  Could it have been my second grade teacher, Mrs. Pulsipher, who used apricot pits as manipulatives to help me learn to...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” (Proverbs 29:25). Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt...

      The War was Everywhere Affecting Everything Don Carriker - 1944  12 years old At first "The War" seemed to be a fine thing.  There was an excitement and sense of purpose in the air.  Even a kid could feel prosperity blooming.   We moved from our primitive bungalow, with...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE “And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who...

I liked school and adjusted easily.  It was a no-nonsense “Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic” curriculum.   Reading came easy to me and writing was no particular problem. I don’t remember my first attempts at arithmetic but it was probably a miserable experience.  Dealing with numbers was my Waterloo from First Grade all...

When we first moved to Caney our house was a block north of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks.  Just south of the tracks there were two grocery stores.   Ferguson’s, on the east side of Wood Street, also sold gasoline and motor oil, and served as the office for what was then...

The school term had started before we moved to Caney.   I went into Miss Toner’s third grade classroom and endured the misery of being “the new kid” for whatever time it took my classmates to divide into their “He’s okay, he’s a loser”, groups.  Then life went on.  I made friends...

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “ Whatsoever thing ye shall ask...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “For behold, again I say unto...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “by the power of the Holy...

“If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness . … if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” Ether 12:27.   Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “ Faith is a gift of...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “To any who from anguish of...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} " There is a law, irrevocably...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “If we would escape those deadly...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “And said, Verily I say unto...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:0in; mso-para-margin-left:.25in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:-.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} “God gave us the gift of...