HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARY B. JONES OF NEPHI, UTAH

 Yup, Gary has another birthday today. Seems like only yesterday, when you decided to keep Nephi as your home town, but wandered off throughout the world to see what existed on Gods green earth. You did well in High School; won about any Public Speaking contests in FFA; exemplary instructor at Camp Maple Dell Boy Scout Camp, and a shining light with your Eagle Scout Award along with Duty to God Award; continued to Serve God and Country on your LDS Mission to Australia and returning with honor, and a Era Vet in a foreign swamp called Viet Nam, and accelerated to the top in the US Army becoming a Ranger, and nobody grew up to be more mentally and physically equipped to jump out of a perfectly good plane; hide from human and animal to observe all, and teach others the keenness of what you taught yourself to live off the land. Then off to Alaska, the last Frontier which beckoned you to touch and experience, then join the National Guard and activated for the new war in the Middle East, which was a breeze to conquer like you could do most things you endeavored to do, including two Universities. The whole world was yours to explore, and then on to become and know. You were an expert in leading people from the lower 48 on how to fish and hunt and even obtained so many fish and animals, you sent loads back to your home town to help feed those in need of the good food our Heavenly Father provided for that sole purpose. Then at the age you could bask in the sunrise of the morning and the Northern Lights at night, you became a Musher in several Iditarod Races, as you loved the dogs who were more humans than people. You treated them right and they bestowed their love for you. You paid the airfare for many a niece and nephew to fly to the Last Frontier and let them taste of the Awe and Beauty of the Tundra. Having never married or having kids, your didn't stop for breakfast, brunch, lunch or chicken dinner,  but wrote and published inspirational books, of which many were sold in your home town of Nephi and placed in their library there. You then joined your siblings in the Over The Hill age, and found no time to sit in your TV Chair and watch reruns of the Lawrence Welk show, but  two young abandoned kids and took on the same role as your two perfect parents-Alma and LaVon Harris Jones and became their Guardian, and even helped Gary Jr. to learn the patient and grueling Musher of dogs. When you taught me that, I was wore out after a mile, but you endured and loved going the thousand mile distance. When it is time to heed the call that we all must follow, your gloves of life on earth will be laid to rest with the rest of your Forefathers at Vine Bluff and your Father of Fathers will welcome you to our Everlasting Home and all of Gods Creatures will await your arrival.....but not today....I need my Nap!