Ancestral History

Bryan Dwaine Crawford

Life Story

Written by Jadi

            While taking a family history class at Brigham Young University—Idaho, I felt impressed to write a personal history of my dad. He has never kept a journal, except for on his mission, and I don’t want his story to be lost. I love him very much and look up to him. I want my children and future generations to know what he did in his lifetime and the person he became.

           Bryan Dwaine Crawford was born on June 5, 1962 in Alamosa, Alamosa, Colorado to Richard Dwaine “Snookie” (born January 14, 1929) and Loraine [Nielson] Crawford (born August 22, 1936). He was the middle of five children. The oldest was Tanya who was born April 23, 1960, and died the same day. Bart was born July 18, 1961. Lori Ann was born April 9, 1965. Neil Richard was born May 13, 1970, and died two days later. Snookie and Loraine never talked much about Tanya or Neil.

            Bryan grew up in a house on 30 W Main St. La Jara, Colorado. They had five acres of land where they kept their horses, chickens and rabbits. He knew both set of grandparents while growing up. Richard George “Dick” and Emma [Casaus] Crawford lived in La Jara as well, and Leonard Andrew and Bertha Alice [Smith] Nielson lived in Romeo, Colorado, just seven miles away.

            Some of Bryan’s earliest memories include hunting, fishing, and riding horses in the mountains with his parents and Bart and Lori, which turned into his lifelong hobbies. Snookie and Loraine would go deer and elk hunting and every fall. Bart, Bryan and Lori would spend most of that time at grandma and grandpa Nielson’s, until they were old enough to go hunting too, and were taught how to bake bread, quilt and those types of things. He also has memories of going arrowhead hunting with grandma and grandpa Crawford in Tres Piedras, New Mexico, and other surrounding areas.
            Bryan only recalls ever going on about three family vacations while he was young. They went to Yellowstone National Park, Carlsbad Caverns, and Alaska. It took a whole week to drive to Alaska, they spent a week there, and it took a week to return back home. While there, they stayed with Bob and Nanalee Shawcroft (Loraine’s sister and brother-in-law). They spent time fishing and visited Mount McKinley National Park. On the way home, they took a ferry from Juneau, Alaska to Seattle, Washington.

            One of Bryan’s greatest passions is horses. He was always very good at handling the horses, and a very good rider. He participated in horse 4-H starting at age seven. Most of the time growing up, he was riding his appaloosa, Rusty. Other horses they had were Junior, his dad’s horse, Bimbo, a colt they raised and trained, and Lori’s Shady Lady. Bryan enjoyed all of the events in 4-H, like barrels, poles, and gymkhana. It didn’t take long for him to be placing and winning trophies, medals, and belt buckles—he has 20 or 25 belt buckles. He participated in county, tri-county fairs, and even once went to state and placed. When you spend every day on a horse, you learn and it becomes natural.

            Along with horses, they raised rabbits. They had a dog named Scout, who Bryan said was the “ugliest little dog you’d ever seen, but he was around for the whole time we were growing up”. When they started school, Scout would miss them, and even go back and forth between La Jara and Romeo. Snookie was a mechanic and had his garage there in La Jara. They were a poor family and had to live off of only $300/month even all the way through Bryan’s high school years. They lived off of the deer and elk they hunted, the rabbits they raised, and the food Loraine would spend weeks canning. They each had a couple pairs of pants, and a couple shirts, all of which Loraine sewed, as well as their coats. Loraine would wash them about every other day so they would have clean clothes to wear to school. Loraine was a very talented seamstress, and sewed for people for many years. She would make dresses and sell them for $5.00.

            Bryan remembers that his mom and dad were there a good part of the time. Loraine would sew for people and even worked at Max Gumper’s clothing store for a few years, but was home with Bart, Bryan and Lori. Snookie worked hard during the week, but came home most evenings. He did, however, work some nights as well, and went fishing and spent quite a bit of time with his friends on the weekends. Bryan recalls that Snookie and Loraine argued and fought pretty regularly, but most of the time not in front of the kids. Snookie was an intelligent and honest man, but he had little patience and no temper. He was pretty hard to get along with sometimes, but the family has stayed together.

            In a normal day, Bryan would go to school and come home and do chores like mowing the lawn, taking care of the animals, and breaking and training horses until it was time for bed. He even helped break horses for other people by the time he was in 6^th grade and did all the way through high school. He would sweep floors at Snookie’s garage every Saturday since he could remember through high school for $.50-$1.00 a day. On Wednesday nights after school he would attend primary, with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On a normal weekend, Bryan went with his family hunting or fishing, even ice fishing during the winter.

            Church was not a big part Bryan’s life growing up. Snookie was not a member of the LDS church, but Loraine grew up in the church. She had Bart, Bryan and Lori attend primary on Wednesday afternoons, but they did not go to church on Sunday more than twice a year. However, Loraine wanted them to graduate from primary, which they did. They would occasionally go to church with grandma and grandpa Nielson if they stayed with them while Snookie and Loraine were hunting. Though not active, Bryan got baptized six months after his eighth birthday on the same day as Bart, who was nine years old, December 5, 1970 by their grandfather Nielsen.

            Bryan always had a job of some kind, which was always manual labor. Along with sweeping floors at Snookie’s garage and breaking horses, he went and helped people on their farms, hauled hay and fixed fences. He worked for local ranchers branding their cattle and taking them up to the mountains. In junior high and high school he helped set trap lines around the Rio Grande, Megote Peaks, and lower La Jara for coyote, bobcat, and muskrat. For a couple summers in college he worked for the forest service and helped build the Green Lake and Rubilee trails in the San Juan Mountains. He also did some surveying for logging roads in the area.

            Bryan was always blessed with good health while growing up. He had never broken a bone while growing up…at least one that got treated. He did, however, have to get stitches a few times. One time was from hitting his knee on a barrel while practicing barrel racing. He never got seriously hurt, but one time he was throwing tree branches up in the air and one came down and hit him on the head. Loraine took him to Snookie’s garage and Snookie took a pair of pliers and pulled out the splinters. “Knowing him, he probably did not even wipe off the grease from his hands.” Bryan was tough and knew better than to complain about being hurt.

            Holidays and birthdays were always remembered and celebrated in Bryan’s family. Loraine would always make fancy birthday cakes, sometimes shaped as different animals. There were always presents, but always within what they could afford. At Christmastime, they would always go find and cut down their own tree around Fox Creek. For a few years, they cut down 10-12 trees and sold them for $5.00 at Snookie’s garage. They would spend Christmas Eve at grandma and grandpa Nielson’s house, and Christmas dinner at grandma and grandpa Crawford’s house. Christmases were simple, but Bryan does remember getting horse tack and a bb gun.

            Bryan stayed out of trouble growing up, and maybe part of it was because you did not dare get in trouble with Snookie. They would be spanked with a belt for anything close to doing something wrong. Bryan quickly learned that you do not talk back to mom, you help with the dishes, you pick up toys, and you do chores on time. You do not get in trouble, even at school. Two things Bryan remembers doing was swear once in front of grandma Crawford, and on another occasion he did not put saddles and tack away in the right place. Needless to say, Bryan was a pretty good boy.

            Bryan always did very well in school, from elementary school all the way through graduate school. Snookie and Loraine expected A’s, so that is what he got. He attended La Jara Elementary School, Capuline Middle School, and graduated third in his class from Centaury High School. He had a grade point average of 3.83-3.85 from high school through graduate school. Since Bryan was a young boy, he always wanted to grow up and be a veterinarian. Even though Bryan did well in school, he hated everything about it. On occasions he was bullied, and did not seem to have many friends. However, he did have some close friends, who were very good and they still continue to be friends today. His friends include Marvin Hawkins, Scott Harmsen, and Tom Culler. Marvin Hawkins and Bryan were friends all the way through graduate school.

            Bryan was strong and athletic. While in high school, he was on the varsity wrestling team from his sophomore year to his senior year, and had more wins than loses. He even beat the state 3^rd-6^th place guys during the regular season; however he never went to state because the 1^st and 2^nd placers happened to be in his same district.

            After high school, Bryan moved to Alamosa and attended Adams State majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. It was during this time that he became active in the church. His roommates, Scott Harmsen, Marvin Hawkins, and Kyle Larsen, who were returned missionaries, had a hand in helping him become active. It was also around this time that he received his patriarchal blessing. Bryan got a testimony and knew that serving a mission would be the right thing for him to do. Snookie did not have much to say about it, but Loraine was very supportive. With scholarships paying for school, Bryan worked hard by training horses to save up money so he could pay for his mission, which he did.

            Bryan Dwaine Crawford was ordained an elder by his grandfather, Leonard Andrew Nielson February 28, 1982.

            Leonard Andrew Nielson was ordained a seventy by apostle Melvin J. Ballard September 23, 1928.

            Melvin J. Ballard was ordained an apostle by Heber J. Grant January 7, 1919.

            Heber J. Grant was ordained an apostle by George Q. Cannon October 16, 1882.

            George Q. Cannon was ordained an apostle by Brigham Young August 26, 1860.

            Brigham Young was ordained an apostle by the three witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris February 14, 1835.

            The three witnesses were blessed by the First Presidency—Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams

            The First Presidency were blessed by Peter, James and John 1829.

            Peter, James and John were ordained apostles by the Lord, Jesus Christ.

With only a year left before graduation, Bryan made the decision to serve a mission and was called to the Ventura, California mission. He left June 1983. Bryan had a lot of experiences on his mission, mostly good experiences. For nine months of his eighteen-month mission, he served in the mission office with his mission president, President Lyle Cooper, who Bryan grew very close to and learned very much from. During the time when he served in the mission office, he also had the opportunity to proselyte in the evenings and on the weekends. Bryan had good companions, as well as companions who did not have much ambition. His trainer, unfortunately, was one without much ambition, which made for a rough start. However, this situation provided Bryan with lots of time to study. Elder Law was Bryan’s companion for about six months and later was his best man at his wedding. Elder Christensen was Bryan’s last companion, and they worked well together and had baptisms every couple weeks. During Bryan’s mission, he had experiences from riding bikes almost everywhere they went, to running into opposition from anti-Mormon leaders, to tracking and knocking on doors, to having spiritual experiences working with converts. One thing that was disappointing is that he did not have the opportunity to teach as much as he wished.

Some mission thoughts in Bryan’s words (written February 2012)…

“There is probably not a single story on my mission that I hold above all the rest. There were so many events, people, and so much learning that it would be hard to choose just one. What I can say is that I love what my mission did for me to solidify my knowledge of the Gospel and my Testimony of all that the gospel means. Without my mission I’m sure that I would have never made it in life to meet life’s challenges and to keep on the path back to return and live in the kingdom of god with an eternal family.

I was blessed with a great mission president and his dear wife. President and Sister Lyle Cooper shaped us as missionaries, taught us the gospel, taught us what love and service was like. Serving for 9 months (half my mission), in the mission office working closely with them was a great learning experience that has shaped much of my life. For this I will be and am eternally grateful, although at the time I’m not sure I knew it. Truly some of the first real workings of the spirit in my life occurred here where I was allowed and asked to assist in the operation of the mission. Working with wards and stakes while traveling with the President shaped my future, providing knowledge of how the church should be administered. I remember many trips to zone conferences, missionary training with ward and stake leaders, and etc., that have paralleled my time in callings as clerk, secretary and high council and now as bishop.

On my mission I met many many people and saw changes in their lives. I remember the excitement and the great feelings of joy as the gospel was accepted and as Baptisms came and lives changed. I remember the deep sorrows and heartfelt pain as many started down the path towards baptism and then turned back towards the path of the world. I still feel the pain for these people and I hope that they later found the gospel.

I remember Darcy Fuller who was an unbaptized youth, whose parents were inactive and they just simply did not accept the fact that members of the church would allow them to come back due to their transgressions. I am grateful for the Bishop in the ward who was willing to meet with them and work with them to help them feel comfortable enough that they could come back to church and that we were able to work with this family to get Darcy baptized.

I remember the thousands of doors that we knocked on and the two baptisms that resulted as a direct result of being let to those who would listen. I still remember the days of joy when we could get in a door and the feeling of a spiritual high when Judith Duke, and Mildred Larson accepted Baptism.  They were and are special sisters in my life.

I remember members who helped us and blessed us as missionaries and I know sometimes it was not easy for them.

I remember meeting with people in the biker gangs and walking in neighborhoods that were in fact very unsafe and never feeling the feelings of fear that would accompany me now in the same situations.

I remember meeting with people who had Satan in control of their lives, of seeing and feeling of his spirit and how sad, terrible, and horrible it was. I still remember the look in a certain man’s eyes when the adversary was present. I am grateful to God for his protection and to allow me to know how to recognize this look for who and what it is. For it has help many times since to help in situations of need.”

            President Cooper encouraged the missionaries to learn poems. One of Bryan’s favorite poems is…

The Man in the Glass

Dale Wimbrow

1895-1954

When you get what you want in the your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day,

Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife,

Whose judgment upon you must pass;

The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the one starring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.

For he’s with you clear up to the end,

And you’ve passed the most dangerous, difficult test

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,

And think you’re a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum

If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears

If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

            Bryan returned home from his mission in December 1984. Snookie went to church to hear him speak, which is one of the few times in his life that he ever went to church. Another time is when, a few months later on April 5, 1985, grandpa Nielsen passed away and Bryan spoke at his funeral.

            Bryan went back to school in January 1985 to finish up his last year at Adam State. It was a few months later, on March 2, when he went on his first date with his future wife, Dana Christensen. They went to a movie (Phar Lap) in Alamosa, and went back to her place for hot chocolate. They had already known each other, partly because they only lived 1 ½ miles away from each other while growing up. They went to the same grade school, although they were in different grades. Bryan said “I love you” to Dana just weeks later on April 27, and left for summer school at Brigham Young University the next day. (He had to take classes for graduation that were not offered at Adam State.) They did not call each other, and he wrote only one letter during that time. Dana did go to Utah to visit for a couple days. Bryan did not date much while he was there…he went on one date, and it did not go too well. After Bryan returned home, he and Dana continued to date by going to dances, having dinners, and going to the mountains, usually Fox Creek.

            In October that year they went to a mission reunion in Utah together. They went to the Provo Temple, and general conference while they were there. Bryan was going to propose while at the Provo Temple grounds, but did not go through with it, most likely from nerves. On October 27, a Sunday morning, they were watching a western at Bryan’s house and he figured he should either propose or break it off. While he had the courage, he paused the western and said, “I think we should get married, what do you think?” The second question was which temple she wanted to be married in. She, of course, said yes. Later that night they went and told Dana’s parents, Frank and Luella Christensen. Snookie and Loraine were hunting at the time, so they had to wait to tell them about their engagement.

            Bryan graduated that December from Adam State near the top of his class with a 3.83 grade point average. He later heard he had a plaque hanging at the college, but he never saw it and didn’t know what it was for.

            Bryan and Dana were married January 10, 1986 in the Jordan River Temple. President Lyle Cooper and Frank Christensen were the witnesses. It was a cold foggy wintry day, but a very happy and special day for them. They were married in the morning, had lunch at Sizzler, and they headed off on their honeymoon. That night they stayed at Comfort Inn in St. George, Utah, and then to Los Angeles, California. While in California, they went to Ventura, Disney Land, and Knott’s Berry Farm. They went through the Los Angeles Temple, and walked on the beach that Sunday morning.

            After Bryan and Dana were married, they lived in La Jara, Colorado while he worked at Haney’s Napa auto parts in Alamosa. A few months later they found out they were expecting a baby. As this was an exciting time, it was also a time of worry because they didn’t know how they were going to take care of a baby when they could hardly take care of themselves from lack of money. Dana was in hard labor for thirty-six hours, which made Bryan nervous and sad she was in so much pain. Shiloh Clint Crawford was born November 11, 1986. He enjoyed looking at Shiloh and wondered what he was thinking about as a newborn. Bryan gave Shiloh a name and blessing, and in the blessing talked about Shiloh’s name. He said to understand that it is another name for the Savior, and to adhere to his name. He loved being a new father, except for when he got thrown up all over in his black suit in the church hallway. However, a perk was that when he tickled Shiloh’s lips during a long church meeting, it made him cry so he could take him out and walk around.

            Bryan started graduate school the next year at the University of Utah majoring in medical informatics. Graduate school was a hard time in Bryan’s and Dana’s lives. Bryan spent “lots and lots of hours doing lots and lots of homework”. Lori was there at the same time, and she would come over and help Bryan with a single math problem that took all weekend. Bryan, Dana and Shiloh were living on about $600/month, and often fought a lot, mostly because of money. They seemed to have a hard time forgiving each other for things during this hard time. About once a month they would treat themselves to McDonald’s, and about every other month they would go to JB’s restaurant, and this was it as far as eating out. There were some nights when Bryan and Dana would go to bed hungry, but they always made sure Shiloh had food.

            One miracle the Lord blessed them with happened while they were in Colorado between semesters. They were driving from Saddle Creek on a dirt mountain road, and found a box of frozen breaded chicken and breaded cauliflower. They came up on another, and then another. Clear from Saddle Creek all the way to the highway, about every 100 yards, there was a box of frozen chicken and cauliflower that they picked up. Call it “manna from Heaven”, or a delivery truck’s mishap, but Bryan and Dana really needed this food, and while eating it sparingly, it lasted them a year.

            One of the biggest challenges during graduate school was when Dana’s mother, Luella, was suffering more and more from the diabetes she acquired when she was only twelve years old. She passed away July 24, 1988, which was very painful and left a big hole in their lives. Bryan struggled to cope with comforting Dana as he was occupied with finishing up school.

            Another struggle during graduate school was fitting in with the church. They did not like their student ward, one reason being they were being pushed to go onto welfare too hard when they did not feel it was right. They moved to a family ward, which didn’t suit them very well either. They were not given much attention as students, and were not even given callings. One thing Bryan did do was build a manger for a Christmas program. The struggles with fitting in with the church left Bryan basically inactive from the church.

            Towards the end of graduate school, they were expecting their second child, Jadi Luella Crawford, who was born June 22, 1989. They moved just eight days later to La Jara.

            After graduate school, Bryan worked for QualMed Plans for Health which was based in Alamosa, and later in Monte Vista. He worked in many different positions throughout the 9 ½ years he worked there, including project specialist, local area network administrator, network manager, and director of network operations.

            During this time they had another daughter, Hillary Dell Crawford, born March 1, 1991.

            Bryan was more active in the church, as he had a calling as executive secretary for the bishop. However, Bart’s divorce around this time served as a wedge that diminished Bryan’s need for the church. Bryan never lost his testimony of the Savior, but when issues resulting in the divorce were not dealt with correctly by the church, he decided it just wasn’t for him.

During this time QualMed moved to Pueblo, Colorado, resulting in Bryan and Dana moving to Colorado City, Colorado in August 1992. He didn’t feel too welcomed by the ward, the Rye Ward, and didn’t have callings. Work just seemed to come first, and he would work late, and even some Sundays. He eventually got called into young mens to work with the teachers. This was a hard calling for him because many of the young men were ill-behaved and didn’t seem to care. However, Dana kept going to church and always brought the kids, and she wouldn’t have any other way than for him to keep going as well. This was a time when Bryan really tried to figure out who he was.

One of Bryan’s most memorable experiences happened Memorial Day weekend 1993, where he learned miracles do happen. Shiloh, who was six years old, Bryan, Bart and Christi, and Loraine were riding horses in the mountains in the San Luis Valley. As they were returning to the truck and trailer, they had to cross a creek on a small bridge. This time of year the creek was flooding, and at the time was about five feet deep, so it was more like a rushing river. After they got on the bridge, one of the horses spooked, causing the horse Bryan and Shiloh were on to fall off the bridge into the flooding creek. Bryan had just put Shiloh in the saddle and he was on the back, which contributed to the miracle. The horse fell backwards and landed on its back, and Bryan was pinned under the horse underwater. Had Shiloh been on the back he surely would have been crushed. Another contribution to the miracle was that the water was so deep that it acted as a cushion for the horse so the pressure wasn’t so bad on Bryan. Of course, Bryan was kicked and stepped on several times before the horse could get up. Shiloh was thrown away from the horse and landed in the strong current of water. He was washed downstream for about one hundred yards. He had a coat on that was unzipped, and it is possible that air got trapped under it and acted as a life jacket for him—yet another contribution to the miracle. While Shiloh was in the water he said a prayer in his heart and asked Heavenly Father to save him. After that he heard a little voice that said, “I’ll save you, I’m right by your side.” He knew that he had to have faith and be brave. He saw some tree branches in the water and got hold of them. There was a log in the middle of the creek that was sticking up only about four to six inches out of the water. He was able to pull himself out of the current and up onto that log, with what had to have been divine help. Bryan experienced what is probably every parent’s nightmare. Realizing that he was hurt after he got out of the water, he uttered a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to take away the pain and to help him move so he could find Shiloh. Not seeing Shiloh, he ran past him and ran for about two miles along the bank, until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion, despair, and physical pain. He felt that there was no way Shiloh could have been alive. Loraine, of course, had been searching too, and suddenly heard someone crying. She looked up and saw Shiloh on the log and said she had never been so glad to hear a child cry. Bart was able to get to Shiloh and put him on his back and carry him to safety. Shiloh has seemed to have a testimony and an understanding of the Gospel since he was a baby. There doesn’t seem to be a doubt in his mind that Heavenly Father is just waiting to bless and help him. It was his idea that Bart give his daddy a Priesthood blessing, which he did. Shiloh later said that he forgot to say something in the prayer he said while he was in the water. He said, “When I got up on the log I said another prayer, this time out loud, and asked Heavenly Father to save Daddy.”

Bryan later shared his feelings and said that when he was under the water he has never felt such peace anywhere in his life. He doesn’t remember being stepped on or hurt, but remembers the complete silence, thousands of bubbles and the warmth of the water, when in reality, it was ice cold. He said it felt like Heavenly Father was right by his side. Bryan had no broken bones or internal injuries, but was only bruised and stiff and sore for a few weeks after. Shiloh was scared and cold, but escaped without even a scratch. Miracles have not ceased, and that we have a Heavenly Father who knows us, loves, us, and takes care of us. Our family acknowledges this incident as a true miracle, and will be eternally grateful to our Heavenly Father for His loving care.

Later, Bryan was called into the bishopric of the Rye Ward by Bishop Tony Marostica. He was set apart as the 2^nd counselor, and they realized he had not been ordained a high priest yet. President Cranmer realized this and showed up at Bryan’s house late at night and said he was going to ordain him a high priest. Bryan, dressed in his robe for the night, got a chair and sat and was ordained a high priest, and set apart a second time as 2^nd counselor in the bishopric.

 Bryan Dwaine Crawford was ordained a high priest by Joseph Walter Cranmer.

Joseph Walter Cranmer was ordained a high priest by Lawrence Edwin Austin March 4, 1974.

Lawrence Edwin Austin was ordained a high priest by Gordon B. Hinckley September 15, 1968.

Gordon B. Hinckley was ordained an apostle by David O. McKay October 5, 1961.

David O. McKay was ordained an apostle by Joseph F. Smith April 9, 1906.

Joseph F. Smith was ordained an apostle by Brigham Young July 1, 1866.

Brigham Young was ordained an apostle by the three witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris February 14, 1835.

            The three witnesses were blessed by the First Presidency—Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams

            The First Presidency were blessed by Peter, James and John 1829.

Peter, James and John were ordained apostles by the Lord, Jesus Christ.

            Less than a year later, he was called as a counselor in the bishopric under Bishop Kent Shifflet, and served for 2-3 years. He was released and called into the stake young mens presidency, which made him feel bad because he was not as busy or involved with the church anymore. Later he served as a ward clerk, stake clerk for a couple of years, and stake executive secretary for President Kenneth Barnhurst. Around this time Bryan and his family moved to Rye, Colorado, which is only 5 minutes from Colorado City.

            Bryan got laid off from QualMed in September 1998, and didn’t have a job until January 1999 when he worked as senior technical consultant for Outlook Associates until June that same year. He then worked for CardioContinuum as director of information technology service. With this job, he traveled all over the country and spent days at a time away from home.

            Bryan then got a job with Pueblo Community College director of computer services. He spent four years in Denver and chief director of technology. During these four years he spent the week in Denver and came home on the weekends.

            Besides work and church, Bryan attended his children’s school and sports events with Dana as often as he could while they were growing up. He worked hard around the house and property. He bred his stallion, Tivio, with different mares and raised and trained several horses. Hunting on the horses for deer and elk every fall is the time of year he probably looked forward to the most. He has had many successful hunts, with mounted antlers and a freezer full of meat to show for it. The mountains, for Bryan, are a spiritual place. It is a place where one can enjoy Heavenly Father’s creations and the majesty of the animals. It is far away from the turmoil of the world, where one can think and feel closer to Heavenly Father. Bryan tells of one frightful, but miraculous experience in his words (February 2012)…

“Seven years ago while up hunting I did have a great experience. It was a cold and rainy day. Dawn broke with drizzle and low hanging clouds. I was alone with two 4 year old colts and hunting by myself. As I awoke and walked to the edge of the Rincon canyon I decided to hike to the bottom down the cliffs through the clouds to see what I might find. Two hours later I spotted several cows and a young bull or two on the far rim. I took off after them. As I was crossing the head of the canyon I looked back the way that I had come and directly behind me a single solitary bull with a huge rack was working down the hill. I took off running for the half mile or so to get him front of me and for once everything worked right, the wind and rain was coming to me and he continue to feed and travel my way. At 20 yards I released the arrow with a perfect hit through both lungs. He only went about 40 yards to where he died.

Here I was several miles from camp with a huge six point bull (later scored at 390). It took me an hour to clean him out and then another hour to get myself hiked back to camp. By 1:00 I had the horses saddled and 30 minutes later I had them tied back at the elk. All the time torrential rain fell, the mountains were literally running water everywhere and the weather had turned cold. It took me close to 2.5 hours to skin, quarter, and pack the bull on the two horses. By the time I started up the hill it was 4:00 and still raining hard. The trail was a river of water and mud, the side hills were cascading water, and the young horses were having a tough time. As I led the horses and approached the top of the mountain on the steep switchbacks the back horse’s pack slipped. She being young and inexperienced she did not know how to counter the weight. As I got to her and started to adjust the pack she lost her balance, slipped and went down. This in turn put an enormous pressure on the front horse who was carrying over half of the elk. Before it was all said and done both horses were down. I cut the packs off the back horse and proceeded to try and free the front horse. During the process I became tangled in ropes was kicked and went down the mountain. I remember fully wondering if I would die on the spot and audibly asking the God to help so great was the pain. As I recovered myself, struggled back up the mounting to the horse who was down and strangling from the halter and the weight of the pack, I cut the pack from her back, cut the halter ropes and watched her roll a hundred yards down the mountain. By this time the pain was intense in my side, back and arm. Some thirty minutes later I had gathered up both horses, was able to mount the one horse and started my way back to camp. I left my packs, meat, and archery equipment scattered up and down the mountain. What a mess. It took a good 30 to 45 minutes to get back to camp. Water was to the horses knees where there was usually dry ground. I dismounted at camp and then the pain really began. I found that I could not easily remount. I knew I needed help. Because of the pain. I slowly walked a half mile where I could get cell coverage. I them began calling every number I could remember to try and get some help. To my dismay no one answered. I thought to call my grandmother and to my relief my dad was there (spiritual intervention to say the least).  I told him my situation, having trouble breathing, my left arm would not work, of the pain and dizziness and asked that he find Bart for he was the only one who know where I was at.

He was able to find him by cell, he and his wife were in Espanola NM, just sitting down to eat. As Bart tells it they got up and left the restaurant without eating and headed for home. He must have broke every speed record for he was several hours away. He then needed to catch, load, drive to the trail head and pack in 12 miles to where I was camped. All of this in driving rain and sleet with roads and trails all but impassable. Even Bart had never seen fog so thick, trails and roads so wet and muddy and weather so miserable.

As I laid there in the tent with water leaking and the tent floor a lake with 2 air mattresses and two sleeping bags to keep me out of the water I truly did not know if I would be alive, if Bart would ever come, or if Dad had even been able to find him. As I would lay there listing to the terrible storm, the horses still saddled because I could not take care of them I had time for pause and reflection. It truly was a turning point in my life to know that God did care. I knew that all would be well and I focused on this thought. At 2:30 in the morning as I heard Bart’s horses coming into camp, and heard his voice it  was and answer to prayer to know that my prayers had been heard. How he made it to camp was a miracle and was a trip that he will never forget. As he laid in the tent in his rain suit and made sure I was still breathing the silent words and comfort cannot be explained. As the day broke with blue sky and the rain finally stopped it was evident that miracles had occurred. We slowly gathered the horsed made our way back to the elk and Bart with limited help from me loaded the elk, my scattered pack and etc. we started down the mountain. Thought the way out of the mountain was long, hard, and painful, I felt grateful then and still do for a loving heavenly father, a brother that cared enough to risk his life to help me, and for horses that were not the worse for wear for they had likewise been protected from harm.

This experience changed me permanently and deepened my testimony.”

            In the coming years, a lot of events started to happen in Bryan’s life that changed him as a person, and strengthened his testimony. While working in Denver, he was faced the decision to move the family to Denver, or stay in Rye and work in Pueblo at Pueblo Community College…with a 40% cut in salary. Denver did not feel right, and after praying about it, knew he was supposed to stay in Rye. It was not hard to leave the situation in Denver, because the people he worked with were dishonest, but it was a little harder to take the 40% cut in salary. Because he knew he was supposed to stay, he came to learn “you can chase money, or you can chase what is important.”

            With Bryan working in Denver, he did not have a calling, but when he made the decision to stay in Rye, he was called onto the high council under President George Garcia. While on the high council, Zane Chartrand, who was also in the Rye Ward, had responsibilities over facilities, which included the idea of a camp area on the Greenhorn Mountain in Rye, which he was to start planning and building. Zane had the construction skill, which is what partly allowed him to be over the project. Bryan also has several skills required to clear land and build a camp, so he started being more and more involved. Every Saturday for three years Bryan worked at Camp Joseph clearing trees, building a road, planning facilities, and several other tasks. There were only 4-5 Saturdays a year he didn’t put in a full day’s work, and even took vacation time from work to serve at Camp Joseph. During this time, Zane got released from the high council and it was then Bryan’s responsibility to be over facilities, including Camp Joseph. There are several people, including family, who saw a big change in Bryan. He was so willing to serve and do everything he could to fulfill his responsibilities. Bryan has said that service and serving for the right purpose changes people, and brings about miracles. Camp Joseph has a special spirit about it, and one big reason is that it has been built up by service, not only by Bryan and Zane, but also by eagle scouts who completed their Eagle Scout projects there. At the dedication of Camp Joseph, Elder Hilliard told Bryan that this was his second mission.

            During this time, in March 2009, Dana saw a lump on her chest. The fear of it being cancer came, and a month later on April 8, 2009, their fears were confirmed when they were told that she did have breast cancer. This was an extremely difficult time in their lives. When asked about it, Bryan said he was scared and didn’t know if she was going to die or not. He didn’t know what would happen if she was gone. There were lots of feelings of anguish as they tried to understand why this was happening. He questioned whether he had lived his life good enough to be with her forever. It was hard because all within the same month, Hillary left for college, joining Shiloh and Jadi at BYU-Idaho, leaving them with an empty house. Bryan believes it was during this time that they received blessings, miracles and spiritual strengthening. He believes that he was strengthened and had his testimony deepened almost more than anyone else. It changed his life. This was time when he reflected and thought about what life was all about. He learned to be grateful for what you have. Throughout their marriage, they argued on and off, but this time in their lives brought a great spiritual change. Since then, their arguments have been few and far between. They have learned to be more selfless and how to understand each other. Bryan commented, “You have to forget about yourself and serve, and it makes you figure out what is most important in life.”

            It is amazing to see where the path Bryan has taken has led him in his life, and how the Lord has worked with him and preserved him for the special things he will yet do. In June 2011, Bryan said that he started having gentle promptings by the Spirit. He would do things, and would feel prompted to ask himself if the future bishop would do that. It wasn’t constant, but it was there for the following months. He started feeling like he should do better, and study and prepare. On November 26, 2011, Bryan had a dream—one of the very few dreams he can remember. President George Garcia was walking with him in a church or stake center hallway. As they were talking President Garcia told him that he had got his life in order, and that he was being called as bishop. The next morning, President Garcia was at the Rye ward, and asked to talk to Bryan. It was then, the day after the dream, that Bryan was called to be bishop. Having the dream made it more real, and had prepared him. President Garcia said that he had watched him grow over the previous years, and that he was now ready. He was even having a hard time wanting to release Bryan from the high council. Bryan was sustained and set apart as bishop of the Rye ward on December 4, 2011.

            When asked what his favorite part of being a bishop was so far, he talked about the quickening of the spirit you have with the mantle of a bishop. He said he has never felt anything like it before. The spirit is there, and helps you think of things you studied years ago, and brings it to your memory. Your mind is clear and quick, and you know just what to say. The Lord fills in after you do your best, and He does fill it in.

My Testimony

Bryan Crawford

02-21-2012

“My testimony to each of you who read this, is a testimony of how I feel and what I know to be true. First of all; I know that God Lives and that his love is real and perfect. Throughout my life I know that he has been there in the back ground and in the foreground to help and inspire and to bless whenever the blessings were needed and more importantly, when I did not know or acknowledge that they were needed. I know that the Savior lives that his love is likewise perfect and that he paid a severe price for each of us. The concept of being a Savior and the process and need for an atonement for all that we have done is real, I feel is deeply and as life goes on and time progresses I can see and I know of many many times in my life where this has been applied. I have been blessed with a strong mind and a strong personality that many times has required the intervention of our Father and I know that Christ has been there to mediate and atone many times on my behalf. In this he has had to take care of those areas and times where I have fallen in error. I am eternally grateful for this, and I do not have the words to express have great this is.

I know that service to others is a very big part of the pathway back to heaven. For through service we get windows into what the life of the Savior is like. It is true that when we are serving others we are serving Him who made us and we are receptive to the Holy Ghost to inspire, help, and uplift us to the best of our spiritual and physical potential. I know that the family unit is an inspired plan to help us to understand all the concepts of being children of our Father in Heaven and through learning how to be good children, parents and family members we can learn how to be closer and more like our Father in Heaven in the true nature of eternal progression.

The scriptures are real and contain eternal truth and knowledge. They can speak to us if we let them. The answers to life’s questions are there and through them and by them we can find the path back to our Father and Heaven. For this is the question that we need to have and solve in each of our hearts. Once we know of Him who made us, he has provided the answers to how we need to shape our lives so that we can return to live with Him again and forever. The scriptures teach us to love, obey, learn, prepare, to have charity, to serve our brothers and sisters, and if we will let them; they will provide examples on how we can face and get out of any situation in life that we find ourselves in. This will be done in a manner that will draw us closer to deity rather than away from truth. We have to be willing to learn from the mistakes of others. The Book of Mormon is True and was written for us by prophets of God. It is most sacred for the Lord truly prepared it to be given to us to help us return to him. Only a loving father with complete knowledge of everything could have or would have prepared a document full of his most precious teachings to prepare future generations for that which they need to progress and be saved.

What a great spirit, soul and brother was our brother the prophet Joseph Smith. I know he saw God the Father and his Son, Jesus the Christ. He was prepared and he fulfilled the role of a prophet, the first prophet of this dispensation, to bring forth the Book of Mormon and to work with deity to bring forth and restore the gospel in its perfected state in a manner after which the Savior would have his gospel and church set up. Through eternal progression we do have a living prophet today along with apostles and men called of God today on the earth. They lead us and guide us in righteousness. Through the holy priesthood the authority and with proper use of this authority we have the power to act in the name of God to help each other and ourselves.

I love each of you as family members and hope and pray that my testimony will have meaning to let you know that I know that our Father in Heaven, his Son, and the Holy Ghost are alive and real and that they are there for us.”