Larry King and Seagulls

When I started typing this, we were patiently awaiting a phone call from the Utah Valley Region Medical Center’s Tumor Board. We just received a call from them. They met today but did not discuss Dave’s case. Evidently his surgeon thought the oncologist would be taking the records to the board, and the oncologist thought the surgeon was taking care of that. It fell through the cracks. Since the Huntsman Board already looked through his case, we aren’t as concerned as we may have been otherwise. At any rate, we don’t have any more news than that. So,I thought I would share some of the positive experiences that our family has had during this trial.

Dave is long-time friends with Shawn Engemann King. Shawn is married to Larry King. Shawn’s dad called her and talked to her about Dave’s illness. Shawn was so upset, as are many of our family and friends, and she called Dave. Shawn and Larry were at Wrigley Field in Chicago for the Dodger’s/Cub’s game. Shawn called right before Larry was to sing during the seventh inning stretch. She told Dave that they were praying for him and that Larry was going to dedicate the song (for the seventh inning stretch) to Dave. As Larry got to the end of his song and was about to dedicate the song to Dave, the cameras switched to center field where a flock of seagulls had landed right in the middle of the game. They landed for just a moment and then took off in one entire flock. Dave and his oldest son Matt were watching this game. Just as the seagulls flew in, Matt said, “That’s the sign of a Utah miracle.”

For those of you who may not know, the pioneers who crossed the plains and settled in Utah experienced miracle with seagulls. This is the story according to http://www.lds-mormon.com/seagulls.shtml.
“The seagull is Utah's state bird. This is because of a miracle that occurred in 1848. That spring the crops were invaded by crickets.
After numerous prayers and pleadings to God, the sky was darkened by thousands of seagulls. They came, they ate the crickets, they vomited them up, then they gobbled up more, and the crops were saved. The birds' intention was to kill crickets rather than to feed them selves.
The Seagull Monument in Salt Lake City is an ever lasing reminder of these days of darkness and light.”
Dave notes that, “The interesting thing about this is that there is no food for the seagulls in the middle of the field. They didn’t land to eat, they just landed and then rose up in the sky.”
Our family looks at this as a reminder that God can perform great miracles. But we must remember the scripture in Ether 12:12. “For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.”
Thank you for your faith and prayers. It has helped us to continue to have faith.