My Friend and Brother Curt Kindred
February 13, 2021
To Curt's Children:
I would like to share just a few observations and experiences I had with Curt. We met many years before we started the Franchise Development Group. He was a loan officer for Zions Bank, and I was an attorney with some expertise in Truth in Lending Laws. Curt and I worked together on some of the bank’s Truth in Lending Disclosure Forms. We decided that we should do some seminars on Truth and Lending, so we did a few of them, had a great response and made a little money together. It was my first experience seeing Curt teaching others. I was so impressed, and came to see his teaching skills many times later.
While we enjoyed the work
that we did together, of which Curt was the key, we enjoyed the
endless discussions we had together about life experiences and more importantly
about the word of God. I began to teach
Curt, or rather, unteach him. By that I
mean he was very much steeped in the traditions that have crept into Mormon
Culture. But as we began to talk and
discuss, he was the first to acknowledge that while he had read the Book of
Mormon more than 30 times, he missed most of the important teachings that are
revealed there. I had been there before
him, so I understood how hard it was for him to see beyond the traditional
gospel. It can only be done by searching
the words of God, not by just reading them. He was so receptive, like a sponge, but even then the traditions
would sometimes be a hurdle for him. But
he was so persistent and soon came to see the word of God and the sole source
of truth and light in his life.
He was teaching the High
Priests in his ward at the time, and later the Gospel Doctrine class, and he
would come to me with his lessons and ask for insights in teaching them. He was so effective at taking what he was
learning and teaching it to others. His
gift of teaching, when coupled with the word of God, was a blessing to those
that he taught. And also a blessing to
me.
I loved to hear him tell me
about his experiences with Larry Miller, and he shared them with me willingly,
and I didn’t mind that he told me about them over and over again as if it was
the first time he was telling me because he was so animated.
One of our favorite things
each morning was to go to the Maverick to get a drink, and we would take turns
buying. I remember one time it was his
turn and he got to the register with a long line behind him, and he could not
get his wallet out of his pocket. I mean
it was stuck and the line kept getting longer.
The look on his face with everyone watching him was priceless. I was
laughing so hard.
I will miss Curt. He was a devoted friend and brother. When we moved to Arizona we stayed in touch
and would go to lunch when I came to Utah to visit. I will miss our lunches, our visits and our
opportunities to learn together, and I will miss his generosity and kindness. I am grateful that he shared many of his joys
and challenges with me.
One thing that Curt taught me
changed the way I see the word of God.
He came to me one morning after he had read D&C 18. He asked to see my scriptures and he read
D&C 18:34-36 to me. It was such a
profound learning experience because while I had searched His words, the truth
of His words as found in this passage had not yet been revealed to me. It changed when Curt read this to me:
These words are not of men
nor man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;
for it is my voice which speak them unto you; for they are given by my
Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it
were by my power you could not have them; wherefore you can testify that you
have heard my voice, and shall know my words.
I know he would want you all
to know that he had heard God's voice in His words. I am so grateful that Curt taught me this.
I am sorry for your
loss. Curt was a terrific dad and loved
each of you so much. He spoke of each of
you often and shared so much of his love for you with me. I am grateful, however, that he and Pat can
be reunited and begin another journey together.
Clark Burt
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