Canada Vacation - The Closest I've Come to Being Killed...

My family and I spent the past week in Waterton, Canada. Waterton sits on the USA, Canada border and is part of Glacier National Park. We had a wonderful time, but had our fair share of adventures. The one I'll share on this blog post was the closest I have come to losing my life, and I've had several close calls.

My Aunt Bev sent an email to her family after the event and she asked me to add my own words to it. I think her email did a good job of capturing both the onlooker perspective and my perspective of the event.

(Paddling to the end of Cameron Lake.
The glacier cave is barely visible on the far end of the lake in the two white dots.)

Excerpt from Bev's email:

We packed a picnic and went to Cameron Lake. Nellie and Garth came too. Jason brought up his kayaks and had fun with Tyler and Kallie. Even Jean took a turn. Then, he went for a journey on his own.

And, this is when the major miracle and blessing of the day took place. He was at the end of Cameron Lake by the glacier ice cave, the visible entrance of which was roughly 15 feet above the water line and more than 30 feet across. He was taking pictures, and considering going through the cave to see the lake on the other end of the tunnel when he heard something like dynamite or a loud artillery shell exploding in the ice. It was part of glacier which made up the ice cave, the size of a train car, likely bigger, and it was beginning to break off. He had time to back stroke twice before the glacier smashed into the water. He knew he was facing death.

(Above: Approaching the glacier ice cave. Notice the large rock 10 feet to the right of the cave edge.
Below: This is on a wide angle, next to the entrance, right before the ice fell. The lip of the entrance was roughly 15 feet above me.)

The following is an account in his own words...

"I watched as the main piece of the glacier crashed into the water less than 3 feet in front of my boat. My boat was thrown sideways by the water that was displaced and a huge wave crashed into the side of the boat while huge chunks of ice smashed into the water and sides of the boat. I was rolled 3/4ths of the way over and my body was protected by the bottom left underside of the fiberglass Dagger RPM whitewater kayak and likely more than one guardian angel. I was able to quickly roll back up and catch a four to five foot wave of water that surfed me away from the rush of ice chunks and snow that followed behind the crest of the wave. Had I not caught this wave, I likely would have been smashed by hundreds of chunks of rock hard ice that soon covered a 40 x 40 yard area.

When the waves and ice settled and I was able to survey the damage, it revealed a gap in the snow larger than a large box car, at least 15 feet high, 15 feet wide and 50 or more feet across. As the waves settled, two deer walked tentatively across the remaining archway and paused to look at me, I'm sure to shake their head and smile.

The only damage was I was completely soaked and my sunglasses came off when i had rolled in the water. Amazingly, I didn't have a scratch or bruise on my body.

(Above: Paddling back towards the glacier after the ice fell.
Below: Notice the dirt that is now visible, as well as the rock on the far right.)

A canoe and 2-man kayak quickly pulled up to see the damage and asked if I was ok. They said they had seen the entire thing and thought i had been crushed by the ice fall. They said that i completely disappeared and was engulfed by the water, ice and mist spray that followed. They were relieved when they saw I was safe and had reappeared from the water. They were thinking they were going to be part of search and recovery, not a search and rescue. They commented that they thought that at least it would have been quick and I wouldn't have felt much pain from several tons of ice crushing my body.

I paddled back towards the ice cave to see the amount of ice in the water. It covered so large an area, you couldn't get within 40yards of the cave entrance where I had been before, because of the ice in the water. Most of the chunks of ice near the edge were slightly larger than a basketball and were harder than rock. The size of the ice chunks grew larger, the closer it was to the entrance. The ice was so thick that there was no possible way to pass through the ice in the water. The ice was so compact and heavy that I could not lift a basketball sized ice chunk out of the water.

(Above: Notice the massive size of the fall vs. my arms.
Below: This is the zoomed out shot they took with my camera to show the entire hillside.)

I had the people in the boats take several photos of me near the edge of the fallen ice to better understand the size of the ice fall. Without a person in the photo you really can't appreciate the massive size of the glacier that fell."

When Jason got back to shore, Jean asked if he had fun. Jason said, "No! I almost died!" He then gave Stacy a BIG hug, which was touching. This morning he said, "I would have rather fought a bear. I would have had a better chance.". It was a humbling experience for him, which he has relived over and over. Art says that all the times he rowed for Aunt Lou, she never let him take her close to the glaciers.

(Final Photo - The glacier cave was just around the corner from the glacier on the right.
Notice the beautiful waterfall and green vegetation.)

Fun Experience with "Favorite LDS Piano Solos Book 3"

Here's another fun email I received from a piano teacher who was playing out my new book, Favorite LDS Piano Solos III.

Jason,
I am a piano teacher and have lots of LDS piano students. I have 32 students living in several different wards and stakes. I use your hymn arrangements for my students to perform in their sacrament meetings. I just have to keep track of who is in what ward, and which hymns have already been done in each ward. I love that your hymns are beautifully simple and not over done. I have a student that is doing Green Hill and My Redeemer lives, back to back, for Easter. Keep up the good work! We love you, Carrie Allen

True Story:

So I get asked to perform and accompany choirs or play at baptisms. I was playing for a private baptism for a little boy, Tanner. After he was baptized and we were waiting for him to get dressed, I played Kolob, I Know That My Redeemer Lives and Be Still My Soul. He came in, was confirmed, closing song and prayer..........As soon as the Amen was said, 30 people came up to the piano to ask me what song was that???? (Kolob) Where did I get the beautiful arrangements, etc? I had to remind everyone that maybe they should go congratulate Carter on his baptism and not to be distracted by the beautiful music.

New Song Arrangement - Be Thou My Vision / Take Time to Be Holy

This was a fun email I received in response to my new arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision/Take Time to Be Holy". It's these kind of emails that keep me writing and sharing my music.

I now have a piano solo arrangement of this song, as well as a flute/piano duet for the song. We've also finished full string orchestra to accompany the piano on the song. There will still be a few changes on that version, but it will be available soon.

Email Received: 4/10/2011

"I am overwhelmed! This is so beautiful, and the melodic changes in the 4 “verse” are stunning. I wondered how it would translate into piano from the flute part, and it is truly breathtaking. I had no idea that you would pick this up and run with it as you did. I can tell you have enjoyed this melody as much I do. I hope your family is also enjoying it. It should be shared.

May I make a confession? I just couldn’t help myself (which may give you an indication of how well this will sell). I got 15 pieces of music on Wednesday night at midnight for a violinist and Thursday night I got another 13 pieces for a flautist, both of whom were to play Saturday for 1 hour each at the Temple open house. It wasn’t easy music, I had very little time to rehearse, and am only able to practice after 7:00p because of my business. I went to a member’s house to practice on a “real” piano (don’t ask), and as part of my “gift” to them for having to endure 2.25 hours of unrecognizable accompaniment music, I gave them a peaceful departure and played 15 minutes of some of the music I will perform on the 23^rd in my solo time slot. As part of that gift I included what I knew to be her absolute favorite hymn, Be Thou My Vision (your version), as the closing number. When I finished, the house was quiet and peaceful, just as I hoped it would be. That was this past Friday. Yesterday I ran into her at the open house (she was an usher) and she told me when she heard that song she told her husband to let her listen and enjoy. She could feel the spirit wash over her as she listened to your beautiful music. Here is the confession…I felt “compelled” (moved by the spirit is more like it) to play it for the open house. It was our stake’s “day” to run the open house, and knowing it was a favorite to those who surrounded me, the flautist joined in and we played a stunning duet that nearly quieted an otherwise noisy tent full of visitors that was 85 degrees. It was the piece that hushed the soul, brought the spirit to us all, and stopped a crowd in their tracks. One woman ran over to see what it was, and I told her it wasn’t published yet, to which she replied, “That’s a shame. That’s the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.”

I hope you’re not mad at me for taking the opportunity to share so much of what I felt in my heart with the members of our Stake and the community who came to see the Atlanta Temple. You are a remarkable artist with a talent to give life to music; a life that allows the spirit to touch the souls of those who are blessed to be within the range of such melodic notes. This is Elder Giddens favorite piece of music and I will be playing it for him on Easter Sunday. THANK YOU! You will never know how much this means to any of us who are blessed enough to play or hear it."

Linda P - Georgia

Great Note

I received this really nice note the other day that I thought was worth sharing. It made my day...

"I am sitting here listening to your CD - Simple Gifts. In your note you said that it makes you feel calm and peaceful, and that is exactly how I am feeling right now. I put it on this morning as I was trying to get my house cleaned and doing some laundry. The morning has gone so much better than usual. It is amazing how, by just having it play in the background it can invite the Spirit and make me feel so good. Thank you so much!"

Kathy N

Nauvoo, Illinois

Preparing to Become an Instrument in the Lord’s Hands

At a stake conference, a returned missionary spoke on the subject of preparing for missionary service. He used the analogy of a father saying to his son, “I will be happy when you play in your first basketball game so you can learn to dribble and shoot the basketball.” The young man compared that example to a father saying to his son, “I will be happy when you go on your mission so you can learn to be a good person and learn and teach the gospel.”[1]

In 2006, Brother Daryl Garn of the seventy told the following story in General Conference.

When Bro Garn was a young boy, his greatest desire was to play basketball. Fortunately, he had a father who was anxious to see that his son’s desire was met. His Dad would practice the basics of passing and dribbling the basketball hour after hour in their small kitchen. He would listen to college basketball games on the radio and dream of playing college ball someday. Serving a mission was far from his mind at that time; he spent very little effort in missionary preparation. In an attempt to ensure some balance in his life, his dad—who had not held a Church calling in many years—accepted the call to serve as his Scoutmaster. Due to his father’s diligence, Brother Garn and some of his friends became Eagle Scouts. Brother Garn mentions that he now realizes that Scouting is great preparation for a mission.

His boyhood dream came true when he made the basketball team at Utah State University. During his second year at Utah State, a returned missionary befriended him. Because of this friend’s example Bro Garn began looking at his friends at school, including those on the basketball team, and realized that the people he most wanted to be like, were those who had served missions. With the kind and loving mentoring of his good friend—and, as a result of his mother’s prayers and good example—Brother Garn’s desires changed. After his 2nd year at Utah State, he was called to serve in the Western Canadian Mission.

Three months into his mission, a new missionary from Idaho was assigned to be his companion. They had been together only a few days when he realized something very significant: his new companion knew the gospel, while Elder Garn only knew the discussions. He wished that he had prepared to be a missionary as hard as he had prepared to be a basketball player… His companion had prepared for his mission throughout his life and was immediately a valuable member of the team. How important it is for fathers and sons to work together on “the basics” in preparing for a mission.

I believe it is appropriate to compare the game of basketball or other sports to missionary work. The game of basketball or any other sport includes not only the time you compete in games with another team on the court, but also the hours of practice and training. Saving souls is not limited to the two years that you serve a mission but, rather, requires (1) years of righteous living and (2) preparation in order to meet the standard for full-time missionary service.

Elder Sanford – The Secret Weapon

Just over 10 years ago, I served in the jungles of Northern Argentina. Elder Sanford was my first junior companion. When he came to me he was struggling with the language and struggled in social situations. He was very tall and skinny with large glasses. He had been in a very difficult companionship prior to coming to my area. For the first week we were together, he would respond to any conversation I tried to make with him with a shrug of the shoulders, and if I was lucky I could get a 1-2 word response to a question. He had given up. He was seriously considering going home. He wouldn’t participate in discussions with others and would sit quietly while I talked with people in the town where we served.

Over the next few weeks he began to open up and talk more. As weeks passed, he gained confidence and began to actively participate in discussions with investigators. I soon learned he had taken missionary preparation very seriously. Maybe too seriously…

One year prior to leaving for his mission, he moved his bedroom out to the shed in his parent’s back yard to have the opportunity to study the scriptures, Ensigns and anything he could get his hands on about the church for hours each day without interruptions. While he may have lacked some social skills, he was a wealth of knowledge, and he KNEW the gospel.

When in a teaching situation he was able to draw on his knowledge and examples to touch others. He could always find answers to questions posed by investigators in the scriptures. He was the secret weapon every missionary wants to have as a companion. By the end of his mission, this Elder who was on the brink of giving up and going home, had become a district leader and an extremely effective and successful missionary.

Music Insturments – Becoming an Instrument in Lord's Hands

I've found the word instrument in the scriptures in 121 locations.

I was able to find 31 references to “instruments” and “hands” together, most of which refer to being an “instrument in His hands” or "an instrument in the Lord’s hands."

One dictionary definition defines an instrument as “a means by which something of value is transferred, held or accomplished.”

Some synonyms or words used to describe the word instrument are: a tool, utensil, device, or musical instrument.

Over the years, I’ve learned to love music. Learning to play a musical instrument can be applied to the gospel, a mission or even our own lives.

When someone has worked, practiced and invested hours of time into learning to play a musical instrument, they can do great things with the instrument. However, as the bishop knows, if a guitar string is out of tune or broken, it doesn’t matter how great the guitar player is, the music won’t come out right. It’s the same with a piano. If Beethoven were to perform on an out of tune piano, it wouldn’t be “great”. It could be downright bad. The musician can only do so much without a good, in tune instrument.

No amount of practice or preparation will make up for an out of tune instrument.

A few of my favorite scriptures about instruments are:

Mosiah 23:10 (Alma driven into wilderness by the people of King Noah)
"Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth."

Alma 17:11 (Sons of Mosiah as they were leaving on their missions)
"And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls."

Alma 2:30 (Alma – The son of Alma)
"And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people."

When the scriptures make reference to being an “instrument in the Lord’s hands”, I want you to think of your favorite musical instrument. Christ is the “Master Musician”, the “Virtuoso”, or "Greatest Piano Player”. We’re his musical instruments. We’re His piano or His guitar. If we’re in tune, prepared and willing to allow the Lord to guide us, he can do great things with us.

If our instrument has strings that aren’t in tune, there are limits to what he can do with us as an “instrument in his hands.”

Whether you are preparing for a mission or just trying to be a little better each day, I encourage you to make sure your own spiritual instrument is well tuned. We never know when the Lord will need to use us. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands.

Letter from Jared Hancock Prior to Leaving on my Mission

My friend, Jared Hancock, wrote a letter to me before I left for the MTC that had a profound impact on the way I approached my mission. He compared a mission to being a soldier in the military. He went on to explain that our work as soldier’s in God’s army was the most important battle ever to be fought and for two years, we’re given the opportunity as missionaries to serve and be on the front line.

For those of you reading this…. don’t miss your opportunity to serve on the front line.

It’s not easy. At times I’m sure it’s a lot like serving in the army. There are a lot of rules. You have to work hard. Sometimes you’ll be hungry and thirsty. Sometimes your body will hurt and you’ll feel so tired you’ll want to sleep for a week. You might spend Christmas Eve sleeping on a bench in the chapel. You may even spend a few nights in Northern Argentina sleeping on a hard, freezing cold cement floor with your scriptures as your pillow, while large bugs crawling around you.

But I can tell you from personal experience it’s worth it.

Don’t miss your opportunity to serve on the front line… and once you are on your mission, don’t waste time. Work hard, and squeeze the most out of each minute, of each day… because before you know it, your mission will be over. Make sure you have no regrets when you come home, and remember it’s the Lord’s time, not “your” time.

And once you return from your church mission, live life with the same urgency and hard work, and squeeze the most out of each minute, of each day, because before we know it, our mission here in life will also, be over.

Prepare now so that when the time comes that the Lord needs a well tuned instrument, you KNOW the gospel, and can BE, the “secret weapon” every mission companion, every spouse, or every family needs to win.

Make sure your own personal, spiritual instrument is well tuned and the Lord will be able to, and will do great things with you.


[1] Daryl H. Garn, “Preparing for Missionary Service,” Ensign, May 2003, 46

Recording Studio - Night #1

I spent the evening in Sandy at the recording studio. I arrived just after 7:00 PM at Big Idea Studios. By 7:30 everything was ready to go and we began recording. I was able to lay down a record 9 tracks in 3 hours. When we wrapped up there was a total of 2 hours of actual recording.

I wish I could say that all of the songs were perfect when I played them, but there were small mistakes that we will clean up at the next session. Luckily technology makes it pretty easy to fix a mistake. It certainly makes you appreciate the recordings that were done 20+ years ago before everything went digital!

Copying Beethoven and our Soundtrack

Several months ago I had the opportunity to see a movie called Copying Beethoven. It tells the story of Beethoven and his female assistant/music copyist that worked with him during the latter part of his life. It was very interesting to see how he was portrayed in the film, especially as he lost his hearing.

There were several parts of the movie that had a profound impact on me and made me think of music in a new way.

In one scene as he was talking to his assistant, he tells her that as he lost his hearing he was able to hear the music around him with more clarity. It alluded to the fact that the music is always there, but most people never take time to listen and hear the music that surrounds us. He went on to say that God is whispering in his ear and playing the music that he writes.

What a profound statement! I’ve always felt like the music we write comes from a divine source, and at moments I’ve had the opportunity to have a magical moment when the entire song just “comes together” with practically no effort because I’ve been able to hear with amazing clarity the song the way it should be written.

I firmly believe that each one of us has a divine music soundtrack to our life that most of the time we are not able to hear. Some of us our fortunate enough to hear and capture that soundtrack at times throughout our lives. If you haven’t experienced it yet, I hope you have the opportunity at some time in your life.

Some may call this a 6th sense. Others may call it God whispering to us. Yet others may call it the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. No matter what you call it, from experience, I can tell it is very real. If we can learn to relax, focus and listen, you can hear promptings, whisperings and sometimes even music.

Whether you hear your soundtrack, or just receive promptings of what to do, the key is to listen… and listen often.

I am certain this world would be a much better place if we could all learn to and remember to listen frequently to these promptings that can guide and give us direction in our lives!