Mad Props to Aubrey and Curtis

On April 25th Wendy and I became the proud parents of college graduates. Our daughter Aubrey, and son-in-law, Curtis, both graduated from BYU. Aubrey earned her degree in Communication Disorders with an emphasis on speech pathology. Curtis earned his degree in English. This August they will be moving to Logan, UT where Curtis will pursue his Masters’ Degree in English.

The graduation ceremony was marked by inspiring speeches and a few tears being shed by both students and parents. A surprise visitor, who wasn’t on the program, sat on the stage. As the students received their diplomas they received a handshake from the head of their department, and then Elder L. Tom Perry. One student, in the several hundred present, when she got to Elder Perry stopped and they embraced each other three times. It became apparent that she was the reason for his presence. We were blessed to hear him speak a few words at the end of the commencement.



After the commencement exercise, we drove to Curtis’ parents’ home in Orem for refreshments. Richard and Janet were gracious hosts and put out a really good spread. I’m particularly fond of the Jalapeno and Artichoke dip. I would’ve been content to eat it plain, but it did compliment the crackers very well.


Richard and Janet Henrie - Curtis' parents.

Also in attendance at the commencement ceremony was Aubrey’s father, and my parents.


My parents with the graduates.

Aubrey and Curtis, you look so beautiful together. I can’t begin to describe how pleased we, your parents are with the decisions you have made in your life to pursue your educations and to remain close to the Lord. May He always smile down on you and guide your footsteps through life.

Great are the words of Isaiah 3 Nephi 23: 1-5

1 AND now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.
2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.
3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.
4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles.
5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 23:1 - 5)

Jesus stresses to the people the importance of the words of Isaiah. He commands that we search them diligently. Isaiah is quoted frequently in the New Testament as well as the Book of Mormon, and obviously it is written in the Old Testament.

This should not be taken lightly. Many, including myself at times, finds Isaiah’s words to be cryptic and difficult to follow. Accordingly, there can be a tendency to skip over it for the easier to understand scriptures.

The scriptures teach, Where much is given, much is required, see D&C 82:3. I would suggest that the opposite is also true, i.e. Where much is required much is given. It takes very thoughtful study and the Spirit to understand the words of Isaiah. But, if we pay the price to diligently study his words, as we’re commanded to do, we will obviously reap great benefits. There are study guides and books (like the picture above) available to glean gospel truths from his words.

Love and Mercy: 3 Nephi 22:4-10

4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
5 For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel—the God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.
9 For this, the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 22:4 - 10)

The House of Israel will not be put to shame in the last days, and she will no longer remember the reproach of her youth or widowhood. This is talking about how the children of Israel turned away from the Lord, and were subsequently brought into bondage by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. The reproach of her widowhood is in reference to how the Jews did not accept the Savior when he lived among them. Jesus Christ is their maker, their husband, the Holy One of Israel.

He will remember the covenant that He made with Abraham, and though the Israelites rejected their God, and by doing so, put themselves into bondage, still He will be merciful to them and fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant. He will redeem His chosen people with everlasting kindness and mercy.

Six word memoir meme

I was tagged by Tristi to do this meme (which was started by Bookbaby) the other day. How do I some up my life in six words? It took some serious thought, and what I came up with might be more of a personal mantra than a memoir, but I’m choosing to not distinguish between the two.

Here are the rules:

1. Write your own six-word memior.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
3. Link it to the person who tagged you and to the place of origin.
4. Tag five more bloggers, with links.
5. Leave them a comment and invite them to play.

My memoir/mantra is:

“When you fall, get back up.”

This phrase has multiple applications for me. I’m sure that most are not as clumsy and accident prone as I am. The phrase accurately describes my tendencies to injure myself. If you were reading my blog earlier this month, then you’re aware that I recently broke both of my elbows. Most people would be satisfied with breaking just one limb; I’m not one of them.

In addition to the elbows, I tore the ACL in my left knee. I’ve torn the meniscus in my right knee, and then re-injured that when I broke the elbows. That takes care of all four major limbs, but I’m not done yet. I suffered three compression fractures in my back several years ago, and when they performed the x-ray on my back, they noticed that it was the second time I had broken it. Looking back over my life, the first time I broke it, must’ve been when I raced my daughter down a hill on rollerblades, a colossally bad idea on my part.

So now I’ve accounted for all four limbs and the main body part that holds them together, but I still have more. I broke my left hand pole vaulting in high school, but with the possible exception of breaking my elbows, the most dramatic injury I’ve suffered is when I took the nose of my surfboard in my right eye. I probably missed being killed on that one by about ¼ inch. You can read about that incident, The Saviors Love and the Sissy-Stick, here.

By the time that this life is over I will definitely have gotten my money’s worth out of this body, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was looking forward to the resurrection and getting rid of my aches and pains.

Dual application for my memoir/mantra can be found in my spiritual life as well. Like everyone else currently living in mortality, I haven’t reached a state of perfection. I like to focus on the getting back up part after falling short of perfection.

I am now supposed to tag five others. The last time I received a blogging award with the same instructions most that I past it onto did not comply with the instructions. So, I’m going to cheat a little myself and pass it onto one person, and hope that my niece, Christina will pass it on.

It's True Isn't It?

I started blogging last December. I have thoroughly enjoyed jotting down my various opinions on different subjects and I have also enjoyed reading the musings of others. I frequently find myself reading LDS based blogs. I have been enlightened by much of what I have read. There is one subject/point that still confuses me; it would be the postings where people adopt an “I like the LDS church but…” attitude.

Don’t get me wrong; there are several issues that I don’t understand. There are doctrines I don’t fully understand and there are also historical issues that some day I hope to understand the why of.

In the final analysis all that should really matter is: Is it true? If it is, then the rest of the peripheral issues will take care of themselves. I’m certainly glad that when Nephi was commanded to smite Laban, that he didn’t balk. He expressed minor concern about it, but then did what seemed very contrary to what he had been taught his entire life. Likewise, when Abraham was commanded to kill his son, I’m grateful that he didn’t ask for an alternative option…”Um, Lord would it be ok if I offered up my nephew, Lot’s, wife instead? I never really liked her much anyway.”

In Isaiah 55:8 it states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” It appears as though I don’t need to know exactly what the Lord is thinking; I just need to make sure that I’m on the same side with Him.

I am reminded of a April 2007 General Conference talk by Neil L. Andersen, “It’s True, Isn’t It? Then What Else Matters? It reads in part:

“I take as my subject today something President Hinckley said in general conference in April of 1973.

I had just returned home from my mission. So much seemed ahead of me. Would I be able to consistently make the right choices throughout my life?

Then-Elder Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of meeting a young naval officer from Asia. The officer had not been a Christian, but during training in the United States, he had learned about the Church and was baptized. He was now preparing to return to his native land.

President Hinckley asked the officer: “Your people are not Christians. What will happen when you return home a Christian, and, more particularly, a Mormon Christian?”

The officer’s face clouded, and he replied: “My family will be disappointed. … As for my future and my career, all opportunity may be foreclosed against me.”

President Hinckley asked, “Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?”

With his dark eyes moistened by tears, he answered with a question: “It’s true, isn’t it?”

President Hinckley responded, “Yes, it is true.”

To which the officer replied, “Then what else matters?”

Through the years, I have reflected on these words: “It’s true, isn’t it? Then what else matters?” These questions have helped me put difficult issues in proper perspective.

The cause in which we are laboring is true. We respect the beliefs of our friends and neighbors. We are all sons and daughters of God. We can learn much from other men and women of faith and goodness, as President Faust taught us so well.

Yet we know that Jesus is the Christ. He is resurrected. In our day, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the priesthood of God has been restored. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Book of Mormon is what we claim it to be. The promises of the temple are certain. The Lord Himself has declared the unique and singular mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be “a light to the world” and “a messenger … to prepare the way before [Him]” even as “the gospel roll[s] forth unto the ends of the earth.”

It’s true, isn’t it? Then what else matters?”


I have listened to the words of the prophets, both those in prior dispensations and those living today. I have read the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I know for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God on earth today. Yes, I still have questions, and I look forward to the day that I will get answers to them. In the meantime, I choose to remain faithful to the religion I believe.

Polygamy and the LDS Church today

From today's Deseret News

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Shortly after the raid began on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch, a group of Mormon missionaries sat down to eat at a restaurant here.
A man shouted out "compound!"

"There was this guy. He held up a knife and yelled at us," said Elder Tyler Duffy from Orem.

Some of the fallout from the raid on the YFZ Ranch is being felt by members and missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the FLDS Church is not connected in any way to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some Mormon faithful have said they feel they are being found guilty by association.

"There are some people here that believe anything bad about Mormons and that's what they're going to do," said Charles L. Webb, who serves as president of the Abilene, Texas, stake.

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles had this to say about the LDS church and polygamy:

The Gathering of Israel - 3 Nephi 21: 1-7

1 AND verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion;
2 And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them;
3 Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you;
4 For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel;
5 Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity;
6 For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;
7 And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 21:1 - 7)

The Lord will provide a sign as to when He is about to gather in the House of Israel from its long dispersion.

The words of the Lord to the people on the American Continent will be made known to the Gentiles, via the Book of Mormon. The Gentiles will believe the words of the Lord, and will publish them and bring them to the remnant of the seed of Lehi. They will receive the words of their ancestors from the Gentiles so that Gentiles may also lay claim to the blessings of salvation that come from the Savior.

The Gentiles will live as a free people on this land; free from the tyranny of despots and unrighteous kings. They will be free to believe as they see fit.
This gift, the ability to worship as I choose seems to be a rare thing throughout the history of the earth. Even today it is rare. China recognizes no religion, because they want their people to believe in the power of the state. There are other places where the belief system is dictated to the people. They can choose to believe what those in authority tell them to believe, or be persecuted and sometimes killed.

In my own country, religious intolerance rears its ugly head from time to time. Currently in the state of Texas, the government has abducted 416 children. Do I personally agree with the teachings of the FLDS? No. To paraphrase Jacob 2, their practices are an abomination before the Lord. However, to snatch an entire community of children from their parents based on an unsubstantiated phone call and a follicle of hair in a bed, seems rather heavy handed, and begs the question, if the state can do it to them, then why not to me, or to you, whatever your belief system is. But I digress.

The Lord will bring his words to the House of Israel via the Gentiles. If the Gentiles accept the words of the Lord they will be numbered with the House of Israel, hence we see that salvation is available to all that will accept it.
As the Book of Mormon and its teachings cover the face of the earth, the Lord is fulfilling the covenant that he made to Abraham.

Colin's e-mail 4-18-08

Belem Brazil is right off of the Amazon...the river, not the dot com company.

Hello,
Believe it or not, I changed areas already. Kinda. It was a prety interesting week this week with the transfers. Here in the staff, things get pretty hectic the week before and week of a transfer. We got a bunch of new elders and sisters this week so a bunch of new areas were opened. President Hoggan decided that he would put an extra companionship in every ward in the mission that was just about ready to split including ours, here in Telegrafo. There is now a companionship of an american and his new greenie american comp who will be staying in our house and working full time in our area. President also decided to split our area in half so that all 8 elders wouldnt be in the same place. 4 elders stayed in the half with all our investigators and 4 will be going to open the other half of the area where elders havent been working. I am one of those 4. I thought I wouldnt have to open another area on my mission seeing as I already held the current record of 4 times opening and area. This makes 5. It will be little challenging because we have to start over fresh with no investigators or anything but it should be great. Me and elder Hinsdale found 2 married families last night that are showing some great interest. It was a spiritual lesson and they accepted all the invitations. We are already off to a good start I guess. I will be staying in the same house with the same comp and everything but now we will be working a little further away and I pretty much have only 3 comps instead of 5.

The transfer was great. It made things so rushed around the office trying to get everthing ready but everything went well. I got to see a ton of my friends and elders from my group at the MTC so It was really fun. I was still just as nervous anouncing the transfers as the first time but I still got some laughs and cheers out of everyone so its all good.

Yesterday I participated in the mission Council again with all the zone leaders in the mission. It was really spiritual and the assistants and president hoggan gave great talks. It was pretty nerve racking having to do my little part of telling them all what they can be doing better to make my job easier but it went well.
Well, thats all I can think of that was exciting this week so I better get going. I love you. I cant wait for our phone call in a few weeks. Tchau!

Elder Childs

Sandy, UT home for sale

We own a house in Sandy, UT that we have decided to sell. The house is freshly remodeled. The house is located in the High Point subdivision at 1171 Lodgepole Dr. Sandy, UT.

The countertops, tile, dishwasher, and microwave are all new. Bob Malloy, who can be reached at facelifthomeremodeling@hotmail.com did an excellent job fixing up the house and installing all of the upgrades. The realtor is Jim Carlson. He can be reached at (801) 560-0147 or jcarlson@rexut.com

The house is a lovely 2 story split level home in the High Point Subdivision. Home sits at end of quiet side lane and is a very private location. There are three large bedrooms upstairs including a master bedroom with master bath. The main level is very open with a large kitchen, dining nook in a bay, and large front living room. The family room is very large and has a gas burning fireplace. Off the back of the home is a large custom deck that has been built around a large shade tree.

If you, or anyone you know, is looking for a immaculate 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home on a private cul-de-sac should give Jim a call and set up a time to go look at the house.

Other particulars include:

Lot size: 10,454 sq ft. or a full quarter acre.
2,236 sq ft house

The neighborhood has a great central location just off of 1300 East in northern Sandy. There is easy access to the major freeways and loads of great stores near by. Four major ski resorts are a mere 30 minutes away, and Park City is only 40 minutes away. In and out access to the main 1-15 corridor is easy and near by.

Neighborhood: High Point
School District: Jordan School District
Elementary School: East Sandy
Middle School: Union
High School: Hillcrest



New kitchen countertops and dishwasher



Kitchen picture #2


Main Living Room w/fireplace


Fireplace and bookshelf


Brand new tile in hallway


Master Bathroom


Back Patio


Front Bedroom with bench seat windows


Front Room with bench window seats


Stairs leading up to Master Bedroom and two other bedrooms

Colby's Eagle Scout Project

On Saturday, April 12, 2008 Colby Olsen, from troop 888, San Tan District, Grand Canyon council led a team of 24 people in a community service project. The endeavor was Colby’s Eagle Scout Project.




At the ripe old age of 13, Colby completed his Eagle Scout Project. He needs to pass off two more merit badges, which are mostly completed, and pass his board of review to attain his Eagle Scout rank.

The service project consisted of painting street numbers on the sidewalk of a local neighborhood. The crew started bright and early. We gathered at the chapel at 8:00 a.m. After eating a brief repast of doughnuts, muffins, and juice, Colby demonstrated the correct procedure to paint the street numbers on the sidewalk. Eight different groups were given their assignments and we headed to the neighborhood.

Twice the group that Colby and I worked in was offered money from the residents of the homes, where we painted their sidewalks. Both times we simply explained that it was an Eagle Scout project and we were just content to help the community. The residents smiled and expressed their gratitude for the service provided.

We painted approximately 188 street addresses in about two hours. The only real challenge we encountered was the occasional stiff breeze which made spray painting a challenge.

Many thanks to Matt McOmber, Dan Tate, Rhys Childs, Jess Robinson, Kyle Robinson, Morris Jacoby, Jared Jacoby, Allen Walker, Tim Frye, Dan Olsen, Chrissy Mooney, Wendy Olsen, Colby Olsen, Jacob Larson, Brianna Larson, Alex Sandoval, Orlando Jerez, Gabriel Jerez, Chase Tarwater, Nya Orduno, Marisol De la Cruz, Collin Campbell, Austen Haymond, Neil Tarwater, and Kim Tarwater.

Congratulations to Colby Olsen for his dedication and determination to earn his Eagle Scout award.


Rhys Childs and Dan Tate


Chase Tarwater, Jared Jacoby, and Chrissy Mooney


Brianna Larson, Marisol De la Cruz, and Nya Orduno


The finished product.

Speaking by the Spirit 3 Nephi 19:24-26

24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.
25 And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.
26 And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 19:24 - 26)

The disciples continue to pray to Jesus. What they should pray for was being given to them by the Holy Spirit. When we are in tune with the Spirit, he will lead and guide us to truth and inspiration. I received a blessing last night from a good friend. He is a seminary teacher and a member of the bishopric in my ward. I have always been impressed with his desire to serve, and to watch as he is continually trying to do more.

Some of the medication that I’m on, since breaking my elbows, has a side affect of causing anxiety attacks, and I have had trouble sleeping lately. That is why I asked for a blessing. When I called him to ask for a blessing he said that he would be over in about twenty minutes. Since he lives only about three minutes away from me, I knew that he wanted a little time to prepare to give the blessing. In my minds eye, I saw him offering a prayer that he would pronounce the blessing that was needed.

I decided that I should follow suit and retired to my room to offer a short prayer. I prayed for him. When he arrived at my house he was wearing a white shirt and tie; it was obvious that he felt the need to look like he represented the Lord. As he placed his hands on my head and pronounced the blessing, I heard him say things that he would not have known about me. He spoke of things that were currently going on in my life, and issues that I had been struggling with, but that I hadn’t divulged to him.

It is always humbling to know when you are listening to the voice of the Spirit as it shares truth and light through worthy servants.

Coincidentally, (or not so coincidentally as the case may be) I slept better that night than I had in weeks.

Skye, thank you for being who you are. You and your family are a blessing to me and mine, and I know that you are a blessing to countless others.

Colin's E-mail 4-4-08

How is everyone?
This week was awesome! We had a great baptism on Saturday... that lady who's daughter was baptized last week. Her boss is a member of our ward and helped a ton in her conversion and helped make the baptism really spiritual.

Sunday was incredible. Me and Elder Stephens, the AP, worked together the whole day and things went really well. We were contacting some referrals we had gotten from the church website when we knocked on a man's door. He had called to receive a Book of Mormon and was really excited to let us in. It was probably the most amazing, spiritual lesson I have ever taught. I wish I could describe it. We got to the part where we explain how the true church of Jesus Christ was lost when he broke in and started to teach the lesson for us. He said that he read how the Christians in that time period were really persecuted and many were killed including the apostles and that he believed that many of the pure truths that Jesus taught were lost, including his true church. We were shocked when he said that but so excited. I told him "Thats why we are here! His true church was lost but has been restored to the earth again. We as representatives of Jesus Christ testify that His true church with apostles and prophets and ALL the truths is on the earth again."

With tears in his eyes he told us that he has been searching for this church for years and finally found it. He told us that he was born and raised Catholic but noticed so many errors in the doctrine but was never able to find the truth. He said "My heart is pounding... I feel so good right now. I feel like a little child that just got a huge present!" He accepted a baptismal date on the spot for the 19th. We explained that church was going to be a little further away than usual because of the general conference and he replied "It doesnt matter where it is... I'm going". Elder Stephens and I walked away from that lesson totaly stunned. It was great.

I love it so much in this area. I have never seen so many miracles happen in my mission. This week we won't have a baptism but the next week a woman named Naira will be baptized. I don't remember if I told you her story but she was a miracle too. Elder Hinsdale, the financial secretary, and I were walking down the street when a member called us over and invited us to eat some cake. We were in a hurry as it was but couldn't turn it down. After eating and talking for a bit we got back on our way and almost immediately a woman stopped us in the street. She started right away saying, "I visited your church in Tapana (an area far away from ours) and they told me there is a church closer to my home and that missionaries would come by to talk to me. Why havent you come to my home yet?" We explained that nobody had told us and that we would visit her right away. We did. She went to church this week and loved it. She eats up everything we have to say and out of nowhere, told us the other day "I have no doubt that I will be baptized in your church" Next week she will.

Well, things are going great. I love you all tons. Have a great week!

Elder Childs

X-Ray's of my left elbow

Warning: towards the end of this post I will include X-Rays of my reconstructed left elbow. If you are squeamish you might not want to scroll down.

As I mentioned in previous posts about my injuries, I have felt very blessed and have felt the hand and presence of a loving Father in Heaven watching over me during my struggles with this injury. On the topic of divine providence, let me tell you just a bit about my orthopedist. His name is Dr. Matthew Hansen, and this is what he looks like.


He saw me Monday, March 17th, 2008, and immediately had me admitted to Mercy Gilbert Hospital. He reconstructed my elbow the next day. Most orthopedists specialize in knees and hips. That is an orthopedist's bread and butter. I just happened to stumble into an orthopedist that specializes in elbows and shoulders. I asked my hospital doctor about Dr. Hansen. He told me how recently a man injured his elbow in Los Angeles. The doctors in Los Angeles determined that his elbow was very messed up. So much so, that there was no one there qualified to fix it. This gentleman was sent to my orthopedist as one of the few people qualified to do this kind of elbow surgery.

Dr. Hansen just recently moved here. If this injury had occured a month earlier, I'm not sure who would've performed the reconstruction, but I'm grateful that it was Dr. Hansen.

Dr. Hansen works for the Core Institute. From their website I was able to see his bio. It reads as follows:

"Dr. Matthew Hansen is a Board Eligible specialist in Orthopedic Sports Medicine and shoulder and elbow reconstruction. Dr. Hansen recently completed fellowship training at the distinguished Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, California. He was privileged to be mentored by renowned surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe, team surgeon for the LA Dodgers, who invented Tommy John surgery of the elbow (ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction).

During his fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, Dr. Hansen worked in conjunction with team surgeons providing care for the LA Dodgers, the LA Lakers, and the LA Angels of Anaheim. He also worked with the LA Kings, the LA Sparks, the LA Galaxy, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and USC football.

He is dedicated to providing the highest quality care to athletes of all ages and all levels, from recreational to professional.

Dr. Hansen specializes in: Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, advanced shoulder and elbow surgery, including arthroscopic rotator cuff and labrum repair, shoulder replacement, elbow arthroscopy, elbow replacement, elbow ligament reconstruction, knee ligament reconstruction (ACL and PCL), and cartilage restoration.

Dr. Hansen’s educational achievements include graduating with distinction from Cornell University and receiving his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine. He was selected for the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery Orthopaedic Surgery Residency in New York City and internship at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.

He is a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and a candidate member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). He is also an active member of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS).

Dr. Hansen is active in academic medicine and research. He has authored and co-authored several orthopedic articles and publications. He is performing cutting-edge research in shoulder and elbow biomechanics and athletic performance at the SHRI-CORE Orthopedic Research Labs at The CORE Institute.

Dr. Hansen was honored as a 1992-93 NJCAA Academic All-American in basketball. He continues to enjoy sports and outdoor recreation with his family."

Dr. Hansen's physician assistant was Mike Chieco.


His bio reads as follows:

"The CORE Institute® is proud to have Michael Chieco, PA-C as part of our distinguished clinical faculty. Michael is a physician assistant who is certified in orthopedic surgery, internal and pulmonary medicine, as well as rehabilitation medicine. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to The CORE Institute®.

Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree at the College of Staten Island-City University of New York. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree, Michael went on to study at Sisters of Charity Health Care System in Staten Island, New York.

Michael achieved the Dean’s List status and held this throughout the Baccalaureate Program at the College of Staten Island. Additionally, he was awarded the Presidential Scholarship as well as the Charles Bavetta Scholarship. His dedication to his studies was shown throughout his college career.

Michael has been in the Valley of the Sun since September of 2006. He enjoys playing golf among many other sports."

Yeah, I've got to say, I think that I was in pretty good hands.

I was in the hospital for seven days. Dr. Hansen visited me every single day. Not only is he a brilliant surgeon, but he is genuinely concerned about the patients under his care. Before discharging me from the hospital, he made sure that I was set up for in-home physical therapy. I'm forty three, which means I should have about half of my life left, and he wants to make sure that I can still use my left arm.

As mentioned above, here comes the pictures of my reconstructed elbow. Thank you Dr. Hansen for having put me back together so well.