I am John W. Redelfs of Kimball Ward in the Boise Idaho Central stake. I am currently serving as the ward Sunday School President.
I am a convert to the Church from a Baptist background. I joined the Church in 1963 when I was a senior in high school in El Paso, Texas. I served in the US Marine Corp, and attended BYU but never finished my degree. I worked for years as a salesman, security officer, locksmith, logger, house husband and home schooler.
In 1978 I married Esperanza Merino, an Hispanic immigrant from El Salvador, in the Los Angeles temple. We raised two daughters and a son who are now grown and have left home. We have four grandchildren. Both my wife and I are now retired. In my wife’s case it was after a long career as an L.C.S.W. social worker for the federal government.
I have run email discussion lists for my Mormon brothers and sisters since late 1993. It has been my main interest after my family since I discovered the Internet in 1992. My Zion list split off from Mormon-L when it was still on the BYU servers. We left Mormon-L because we were offended by the “spirit of criticism” towards the Brethren, and the Zion list has always been “for those who find joy in following the prophets.” Running these lists has been a great joy and my main hobby. And today I am finding the same joy in blogging.
I am interested in Church history only as it relates to the development of our doctrine because of continuing revelation. I consider the study of Church history for the purpose of shining a light on the flaws and mistakes of the prophets to be an abuse of history and dishonest. Because the Church is true, history researched and written for the purpose of casting doubt on our church and its leaders, working to undermine the testimonies of the saints, and to undermine the confidence they have in their prophet-leaders is a grave sin in the eyes of God. I believe that those who do this and fail to repent will live to regret their misbehavior.
I met John in Yosemite in 1973, while we were working as security for the park. We were roomates and he was quite the ping pong player. I’d just finished two years of college and took a break after having spent some years as a paratrooper in the US Army.
Although I had a Christian upbringing, Serbian Orthodox, I never really knew any Latter-Day Saints, John was the first person of that faith. Well within some months I was baptized by Mr. Redelfs, later I married and had five children. Then about 15 years ago I resigned from the LDS church. We’ve stayed in touch and I really love John for his dedication and intelligence.
I called last summer and told him that I am again attending church and have visited with the Bishop expressing a desire to repent of my sins and regain membership in the Church. It’s a process not an event. Hopefully within due time I can call him Brother Redelfs again!
I was just up in Caldwell. I have family there. Zane and Melanie Jones. I don’t know what ward they’re in though.
i want to meet you someday!
No way! You have a website again! I’ve loved ZionsBest for years, but I didn’t know you had an active website until I came across this today. Good to know!