It is very difficult to write about Mitch because I don't know where to begin. Mitch, Elizabeth, Max, Morgan, and Makenna have been our family in Arizona for the past decade, and we feel the loss of each of them now that they have returned to family in Utah. Mitch brought great joy into our world as he was always finding ways to "have fun." Nothing was too hard, or too extreme to try. When Morgan was about 2 months old, our families hiked a few miles down the Grand Canyon and back. We've been camping, dirt biking, hiking, swimming, shooting, and even played tennis together as families for Family Home Evening. We celebrated each and every birthday together as "family."
Mitch and Elizabeth convinced Kevin and I that we should buy a boat together with them. We knew nothing about boats, but he convinced us it would be "fun." We believed him, and have never regretted that decision. We have many many great memories of boating (I loved seeing the babies asleep in their infant carriers tucked under the dashboard). He made us all feel like champions when we tried new tricks, even though our attempts were often very lame. He said, "You can tell how much fun you've had by how much water is inside the boat." He was willing to do more than his share of the work, and yet made us feel like he was grateful to us. Typical Mitch.
I have always appreciated how much love Mitch showed to my children. They all love him like a big brother, or a second dad. Soon after we first met them, they stayed with our children while Kevin and I went out of town. When we returned, the kids were so excited to make Mitch's "cave man porridge" for us. It was macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it. Mitch and Elizabeth made it so much fun to have us gone, the kids wanted to know if they could "babysit" again some time.
I also appreciate the great example he set for my entire family in helping out with work around the house (without complaining). Whenever we had them over for dinner, Mitch always asked what he could do to help, and was often one of the last ones working in the kitchen doing dishes. That really meant a lot to me.
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
I've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
I've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
I've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
I've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
It is very difficult to write about Mitch because I don't know where to begin. Mitch, Elizabeth, Max, Morgan, and Makenna have been our family in Arizona for the past decade, and we feel the loss of each of them now that they have returned to family in Utah. Mitch brought great joy into our world as he was always finding ways to "have fun." Nothing was too hard, or too extreme to try. When Morgan was about 2 months old, our families hiked a few miles down the Grand Canyon and back. We've been camping, dirt biking, hiking, swimming, shooting, and even played tennis together as families for Family Home Evening. We celebrated each and every birthday together as "family."
ReplyDeleteMitch and Elizabeth convinced Kevin and I that we should buy a boat together with them. We knew nothing about boats, but he convinced us it would be "fun." We believed him, and have never regretted that decision. We have many many great memories of boating (I loved seeing the babies asleep in their infant carriers tucked under the dashboard). He made us all feel like champions when we tried new tricks, even though our attempts were often very lame. He said, "You can tell how much fun you've had by how much water is inside the boat." He was willing to do more than his share of the work, and yet made us feel like he was grateful to us. Typical Mitch.
I have always appreciated how much love Mitch showed to my children. They all love him like a big brother, or a second dad. Soon after we first met them, they stayed with our children while Kevin and I went out of town. When we returned, the kids were so excited to make Mitch's "cave man porridge" for us. It was macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it. Mitch and Elizabeth made it so much fun to have us gone, the kids wanted to know if they could "babysit" again some time.
I also appreciate the great example he set for my entire family in helping out with work around the house (without complaining). Whenever we had them over for dinner, Mitch always asked what he could do to help, and was often one of the last ones working in the kitchen doing dishes. That really meant a lot to me.
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
Stacie Lythgoe
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
Stacie Lythgoe
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
Stacie Lythgoe
One thing I'll never forget about Mitch is how genuine he was when he spoke to children and teenagers. He gave them the same full attention that he gave to adults. He looked them in the eye and was fully engaged in the conversation. I've rarely seen that from any other adult. He was sincerely interested in what they had to say. He was able to offer advice or give them gentle warnings without being preachy. I'm sure Elizabeth was frustrated many times when he would bring my kids home from babysitting at their house, only to spend an hour with them chatting in the car. This was his true gift. He made everyone feel like they mattered to him, and that they were special and important.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about how he developed that gift, and wonder if perhaps he initially just "acted" interested and caring, then over time it wasn't just "acting" any more. He learned to genuinely love people. He always kept the focus on them, and not on himself. I believe that through his experiences as a Bishop in our church, Mitch learned to love people as Christ does, and ALWAYS gave them the benefit of the doubt. He believed everyone was GOOD. I've heard many many people talk about working through issues with Bishop Menlove, and they always comment on how he helped them believe that Christ loves them and will never give up on them.
Mitch taught me that everyone has something good to offer. We had a fairly new member move into our ward that seemed to struggle to find her place there. He called her to be the ward choir director, and was so dedicated to helping her have "success" in her calling, that he changed the time for his ward council meeting each Sunday, and asked every member of that council to attend choir practice on Sunday mornings, so she would have people their to lead. He attended also. Now that's a dedicated Bishop, and typical of how Mitch wanted so much for people to feel good and be successful in their callings.
Mitch was an fabulous teacher. When I worked with him when he was a bishop, I was so amazed at his ability to teach and inspire in his meetings. He taught a leadership principle at the beginning of every ward council, and motivated us to just be good people. He made it seem so simple to reach out to others and help them, forgive them, and love them.
There's no way I can put into words all the ways Mitch has influenced my life for good. He and Elizabeth have brought so much joy and love into our family, and I will be eternally grateful for them.
Stacie Lythgoe