The Belnap Times

Ice Skating in Central Park

2011-12-05T09:34:00.001-05:00

Christmas Tree Hunting

2011-12-03T09:26:00.002-05:00

Presidential Hopeful of Mali Fundraiser

2011-10-29T23:18:00.002-04:00

30 Rockefeller Center

2011-10-18T17:10:00.001-04:00

Brent's company arranged for new head shots for the New York office. Here's Brent in front of the Prometheus statue.

Lunch With the Christoffersons

2011-10-02T23:22:00.001-04:00

David and Brent enjoyed lunch with dear friends Todd and Rainey between sessions of General Conference.

KSL's Mormon Times: "Remembering September 11th"

2011-09-11T18:27:00.004-04:00

Brent was interviewed via Skype from his New York office at 30 Rockefeller Plaza by KSL Channel 5 (Salt Lake City) news reporter Kathy Aiken for the program "Mormon Times." The program aired on Sunday morning, September 11, 2011--the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. Follow the link below to watch the entire program. (Brent appears in "segment 1.")

Mormon Times: Remembering September 11th"

"Utahn in N.Y. knows to be prepared"

2011-09-05T18:12:00.001-04:00

Brent was interviewed by Deseret News reporter Doug Robinson for an article that ran on Monday, September 5, 2011, in advance of the nation's 10th anniversary observance of 9/11. The article recapped some of Brent's experiences as president of the New York New York Stake. Here's a link to the article:

Deseret News: "Utahn in N.Y. knows to be prepared"

Hurricane Irene and Mormon Helping Hands

2011-09-04T19:58:00.001-04:00

Brent and Elder Olson had the wonderful (if also sad) opportunity to assist victims of Hurricane Irene in the town of Lincoln Park, New Jersey in the Caldwell NJ Stake whose homes were badly flooded. The day began with early (and abbreviated) sacrament services at the Englewood Ward.

Some of Brent's photos of the day's activities were used in the Church's update report (all but one of the photos):

LDS Newsroom: "Hurricane Irene Cleanup Update"

LDS Living Article: "Remembering 9/11"

2011-09-01T18:01:00.002-04:00

Brent's experiences on 9/11 as president of the New York New York Stake were featured in the September 2011 issue of LDS Living magazine. Here is the link to the article:

LDS Living: "Remembering 9/11"

Belnap Belles Bounce Back with a Bang!

2011-08-12T22:45:00.001-04:00

The Belnap Belles "bounced back" to Lagoon for this photo. Oh shoot!

Belnap Boys Shoot It Out at Lagoon

2011-08-06T22:36:00.002-04:00

The Belnap Boys did it again--they got "shot" at Pioneer Village at Lagoon in Farmington, Utah.

Hiking the Narrows at Zions National Park

2011-07-27T20:13:00.002-04:00

Brent, Christopher, and Spencer hiked the Narrows at Zions National Park--a 16-mile hike through the heart of some of the most spectacular and rugged scenery anywhere--in 11 hours. The grueling hike took its toll on the team, in no small part due to a bout of illness that was passing through the family. Everyone was glad to have survived the trek and to be alive!

Indian Trail

2011-07-25T20:20:00.002-04:00

For Pioneer Day (observed on Monday, July 25, rather than on Sunday the 24th), Brent led four of the children--David, Caroline, Christopher, and Spencer--on a 4.3 hike above Ogden Canyon. Spectacular views of the canyon and across the Great Salt Lake to Nevada.

Rebecca's Baptism

2011-07-23T19:07:00.001-04:00

Rebecca Joy Belnap was baptized by her father, Brent, on Saturday, July 23, in the Ogden Forest Green Ward while the family was in Utah on vacation. She was so happy and touched to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dinner Club at Central Park

2011-06-25T22:56:00.002-04:00

For the final Dinner Club event of the 2010-2011 season, Lorinda (and Brent) hosted an evening picnic in Central Park. Great friends. Great food. Great fun.

Manhattan Temple Dinner at Sylvia's in Harlem

2011-06-20T22:49:00.002-04:00

Brent and Lorinda enjoyed a wonderful evening at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem with Pres. and Sister Garff and other Manhattan Temple ordinance workers. At the end of the evening, Brent ran into long-time friend Van Woods (and son of THE Sylvia). A wonderful time!

Manhattan Temple Fireside

2011-06-13T23:38:00.002-04:00

Brent with friends Blair and Sue Garff, President and Matron of the Manhattan New York Temple, on the seventh anniversary of the Temple's dedication.

Governor's Island Picnic

2011-06-11T23:43:00.002-04:00

The family enjoyed the day on Governor's Island as part of the Church's annual United Nations ambassadors' picnic.

Last Baseball Game of the Season

2011-06-04T18:46:00.003-04:00

David and Christopher played double headers on the last day of the 2011 season. Both games were played in Central Park. Their team, the Mets (yes, that was really their name), won one and lost one. Overall, they had a great season.

Blanchards' Farewell

2011-05-30T20:39:00.001-04:00

Sidewalk Bake Sale

2011-05-28T20:19:00.001-04:00

Spencer and Rebecca earned over $50 on their first sidewalk bake sale. Goodies included sugar cookies, caramel popcorn, Bundt cake slices, and chocolate chip cookies.

Spencer's Band Concert

2011-05-26T20:15:00.002-04:00

Spencer had his first band concert at Wagner Middle School. He plays the trombone and did an outstanding job!

David Plays at Stake Street Fair

2011-05-14T20:26:00.002-04:00

The Mormon Women Project: "Six In The City"

2011-05-11T17:06:00.000-04:00

Lorinda is featured in "The Mormon Women Project" for May 11, 2011. To read her story, click here:

Mormon Women Project: "Six In The City"

David Earns His Eagle Scout Award

2011-04-30T21:59:00.004-04:00

After earning the Personal Fitness merit badge at least 4(!) times (due to poor record-keeping), attending two Jamborees, completing a winter coat drive, and earning enough merit badges for two palms, David finally received his Eagle Scout award. He joins his father and one of his grandfathers in attaining this special rank earned by fewer than one percent of all Boy Scouts. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers." Congratulations, David! (And thanks to the many, many Primary, Young Men, Cub, and Boy Scout leaders over the years who helped along the way!)

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T21:50:00.002-04:00

Special Easter guests for 2011 included Yeah Samake, who is planning to run for the presidency of the nation of Mali, and Rob Walton, along Dave and Shelley Western and their son Emmet.

Amagansett 2011

2011-04-20T21:52:00.002-04:00

Confucian Temple Poem for "Bai Yao Ming"

2011-03-25T13:07:00.018-04:00

While in China on business, Brent stopped at the Confucian Temple in Nanjing where a Chinese "fortune poem" was composed for him, using his Chinese name of Bái Yào Míng (which roughly translates "White Dazzling Bright"; surnames in Chinese come first) as the opening line:

白耀明

(This name was bestowed on Brent by his first Chinese-language teacher, Debra Chou Robins, in 1986 while studying Mandarin at BYU.)

Commencing in the upper right hand corner, Brent's Chinese name appears horizontally. Like an acrostic, the poem continues vertically (from right to left, top to bottom) in 20 characters comprised of four stanzas of five characters each, with each line highlighting a trait or wish, beginning with each of his name's characters. The "last" character at the top (upper left corner) after Brent's name is the well-known good luck symbol of "fu," meaning "happiness."

A family friend, Chin-Li, has kindly provided a transliteration and translation of this 四句詩 (si ju shi = four-character poem), which is an example of a 箝字詩 (chien zi shi = condensed word poem), as follows (altered to read from left to right):

白龍傲大子 (Bai long ao da zi)
耀德展仁篇 (Yao de zhan ren pian)
明心似月亮 (Ming xin si yue liang)
福伴業興綿 (Fu ban ye xing mian)

This pure great dragon son
Spreads a page of his life with his dazzling virtue and goodness;
With a clear mind as bright or pure as the moon,
Good fortune and happiness will accompany prosperity forever.

There was another 白耀明 (Bai Yao Ming; same characters), who lived from 1893 to 1965. He was 回族 (Huí zú = of the minority Hui or Muslim ethnic group) in 雲南 (Yunnan Province). Educated in the law, he worked for many years for the Chinese government. He had a very good reputation and made great achievements in education and in the tea industry for the Hui minority people. He passed away in Thailand. (The famous Chinese basketball player, Yao Ming (姚明), uses a different yet similar-sounding character for his surname of Yao.)

Cool.

"I'm a Young Woman, and I Believe!"

2011-03-23T17:23:00.008-04:00

Caroline, along with several other Young Women from the stake, appeared (very briefly) in the video presentation, "I'm a Young Woman, and I Believe!" during the annual General Young Women meeting on March 23, 2011. The footage of Caroline was captured a year earlier near the front of the East 87th Street meetinghouse late one evening following a ward Young Women's event. Lovely!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1dqmBc-U74

Spencer the Handsome

2011-03-22T15:16:00.002-04:00

London Photo Safari

2011-03-15T17:06:00.002-04:00

Brent had a great time with friends on a late night "photo safari" while in London on business. Here's Brent at Trafalgar Square.

Bronx Science "Usual Suspects"

2011-03-15T11:16:00.003-04:00

David on Bronx Science ultimate frisbee team.

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-24T01:49:00.004-05:00

Grandpa Belnap's Missionary Apartment

2010-12-11T20:56:00.004-05:00

Brent was able to locate the exact apartment building in Mannheim, Germany where his grandfather, Arias G. Belnap, was living as a Mormon missionary in 1914 when World War I broke out. Brent was deeply moved as he pulled up on his computer images of missionary photos of his grandfather and a letter written in Mannheim over several days as the war broke out. Amazingly, although the city of Mannheim was heavily destroyed during the Second World War, his grandfather's pre-WWI apartment building remains intact.

Special Family Reunion in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire

2010-12-05T12:20:00.004-05:00

Brent attended an evensong service at Great St. Mary's Church in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England with distant relatives, the Dixons. The service was one of several highlights of a weekend spent with the Dixons. At Sawbridgeworth, Brent saw the baptismal font where Abraham Belknap, his 9th great grandfather and first (and only known) Belknap/Belnap to have emigrated to America, was christened in 1589.

Pictured above (left to right): Brent, Nicholas Dixon, Graham Dixon, Reverend Robert F. Sibson, Helen Dixon.

Straight No Chaser Concert

2010-11-30T01:39:00.001-05:00

For Brent's birthday, Lorinda purchased tickets for the two of them to see "Straight No Chaser" perform live at the Beacon Theater on the Upper West Side. Very entertaining!

Manhattan Rooftop Photo Shoot

2010-11-19T01:37:00.004-05:00

Thanks to friend and photographer Matt Day (and a spectacular Manhattan rooftop setting) for making Brent look better than usual!

Dinner Club Masquerade at the Smiths

2010-10-29T01:19:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful evening with Dinner Club friends at the home of Liz and Evan in New Rochelle. Exquisite food, exceptional company, extreme fun!

"Who Ya Gonna Call?": Halloween at Bronx Science

2010-10-28T01:00:00.001-04:00

New Oil Portrait of Lorinda

2010-10-23T22:20:00.014-04:00

At long last, the oil portrait we commissioned of Lorinda has been delivered!

The painting, by artist Greg Mortenson and which measures 24"x34", shows Lorinda holding one of our "darker haired" children (actually, the Taber-Kewene's baby), while wearing her favorite blouse-and-skirt outfit from her mission to Germany, her wedding ring, pearl earrings she was wearing on her wedding day, a pearl necklace given to Lorinda by family friend Janae Powell, a blanket borrowed from the Blanchards, while seated in one of the 14th Street "convent" chairs that David refinished.

We love it! One "weird" thing, though: Lorinda's eyes follow you wherever you are. Yep, kids, mom is constantly watching you!

Visit From Blackburn Cousins

2010-10-10T01:45:00.003-04:00

UN Ambassador Event at Governor's Island

2010-10-09T10:53:00.004-04:00

U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Paul A. Yost, Jr. and wife Jan with Alexandru Cujba, U.N. Ambassador from Moldova and family member at Public Affairs event held on Governor's Island. Great day!

Martha McBride Knight Smith Kimball Quilt Donation

2010-10-01T00:55:00.002-04:00

Pensivity: A Boy and His Toys

2010-09-30T23:33:00.001-04:00

Photo of Nathan taken in September 2010 by family friend Kai Pearson.

Special Tour With the Dixons

2010-08-15T21:22:00.003-04:00

On the Sunday following the Belnap Family Reunion, Brent took the Dixons to Salt Lake City, where Graham and family were welcomed prior to the weekly Tabernacle Choir broadcast from the Conference Center. After the program, the Dixons met with Elder Ben Banks, Kerry Belnap, President of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Mac Christensen, and Mormon Tabernacle Choir Director Mack Wilberg (whose compositions are invariably Brent's personal favorites). Graham was "permitted" to play the grand organ.

Pictured: Mack Wilberg, Lorinda, Brent inside the Conference Center.

Canyonlands, Utah

2010-08-11T11:10:00.002-04:00

Family sunset shots on our way from Canyonlands National Park.

Jambo Brothers

2010-08-01T19:38:00.003-04:00

David and Christopher attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia. This was David's second Jamboree experience and Christopher's first. They had a blast!

High School Reunion

2010-07-31T19:45:00.004-04:00

Brent and Lorinda had a great time attending Brent's Ogden High School reunion over two days. Activities included a Friday dinner, morning hike up Waterfall Canyon, and Saturday evening program at the high school. More images on Picasa can be found here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/brent.j.belnap/OgdenHighSchoolReunionFridayDinner#

http://picasaweb.google.com/brent.j.belnap/OgdenHighSchoolReunionWaterfallCanyonHike#

http://picasaweb.google.com/brent.j.belnap/OgdenHighSchoolReunionOHSCommons#

The Pines Visit Us in the Big Apple!

2010-07-04T01:11:00.003-04:00

Christopher's Piano Recital

2010-06-18T19:32:00.005-04:00

Christopher's piano recital was again held at Church of the Heavenly Rest (a/k/a "Church of the Heavenly Dressed") on Fifth Avenue. His teacher, Rachel Blanchard, does a wonderful job instilling the joy of piano playing in her students.

Belnap Surname in Turkish Calligraphy

2010-05-31T00:09:00.007-04:00

Christopher and Brent had a blast in Istanbul watching as a gifted calligrapher wrote their names in flowing Turkish calligraphy. Here's a sample:

What a Blast!

2010-05-30T00:08:00.003-04:00

Photo of Brent and son Christopher shortly before taking off in a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia, Turkey. An adventure of a lifetime!

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T19:27:00.004-04:00

Brent was able to spend Mother's Day in Utah. This was the first time in many years that he was present in person to honor his mother. Happy Mother's Day!

Danielle and David's Wedding

2010-05-08T19:21:00.001-04:00

While out West attending President's Advancement Council meetings at BYU-I, Brent was privileged to witness the Draper Temple sealing of two dear friends, Danielle Walton and David Doty. Beautiful day!

"Lorinda as New York Mother of the Year? Well, of course!"

2010-04-30T11:08:00.002-04:00

Lorinda was honored as New York State's "Mother of the Year" at the American Mothers National Convention, held April 30-May 1, 2010 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Here's her "official" bio:

"NEW YORK Lorinda Goff Belnap was born the fifth of six children to Doug and Margene Goff, in Montclair, New Jersey. In 1969 the family moved to Ogden, Utah up the street from the boy who would eventually become her husband. She graduated from Ogden High School with honors and received a Presidential Scholarship to Weber State College. In 1986, Lorinda interrupted her studies to serve as a representative for her church in Southern Germany. Upon returning, she was accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Utah and graduated in May, 1991. That September, she married Brent Belnap in Salt Lake City, Utah and joined him in New York City where he worked. Shortly after arriving in New York Lorinda began working as a Physical Therapist in neurological rehabilitation. With the birth of their first child, David, her focus shifted from physical therapy to full-time motherhood. Caroline joined the family (almost in a cab), followed by Christopher, Spencer, Rebecca and their caboose, 'King' Nathan in 2007. From 2005-2009 she taught a small group of children in a pre-school setting in their home."

For more info, see: http://www.americanmothers.org/2010-state-young-mothers

LDS Institute Comparative Religions Course

2010-04-29T14:10:00.005-04:00

Thursday, April 29, 2010, was Brent's last day teaching Institute for the Winter semester. The comparative religions course, entitled "The Gospel and World Religions: Finding Common Ground," ran for 16 weeks and focused on Islam, Judaism, and "traditional" Christianity.

Optional "enrichment" activities included a tour to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, a Shabbat service at Central (Reform) Synagogue, a Good Friday service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and a Passover Seder/Last Supper reenactment at the Church's Lincoln Square building, plus movies, treats, the option to participate in the non-LDS tradition of Lent, and an invitation to read a sacred text of another major world religious faith.

Brent thoroughly enjoyed preparing for and teaching this relatively rigorous (by Institute standards) course, which perhaps showed: weekly attendance averaged over 81, with the high being 108. He appreciated being able to use images from his own personal photo collection: the two images shown above were taken in 2008 and 2005, respectively, and show a mosaic of Jesus Christ inside the apse of Rome's St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica and Buddhist Temple figures at dusk near Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) in Bangkok.

Links to course materials may be found on Brent's personal home page.

Easter Dinner 2010

2010-04-04T19:10:00.003-04:00

Brent conducted a Last Supper Reenactment/Passover Seder in connection with his Insitute class this year on World Religions, so no special guests this year for Easter Sunday. Just us.

Nathan Commences Singing Career

2010-03-29T23:34:00.002-04:00

Joy School Graduation

2010-03-23T01:31:00.001-04:00

Kids Hang Out With Dan Aykroyd

2010-03-20T13:39:00.007-04:00

David, Christopher, Spencer, and Brent attended the Explorers Club annual awards and fundraising banquet inside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, representing the Boy Scouts of America. The kids (in their uniforms; dad was obligated to wear a tux) participated in the awards ceremony and got to meet many interesting people, including the master of ceremonies, Dan Aykroyd. Favorite food of the night: electric eel (which actually left a tingly sensation on the tongue). Here are the boys with the original cast member of "Saturday Night Live" himself:

They Grow Up Too Darn Fast . . .

2010-02-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

David (a/k/a Goliath) and Nathan

2010-01-31T10:42:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-12-24T18:55:00.013-05:00

Spent Christmas Eve with the missionaries (Elder Morris, Elder Bell, Elder Kerby) and family friend Donetta Allen.

Brent and Caroline also had a blast baking for the Holidays: Hershey's Kiss-Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies, BYU Mint Brownies, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate/Coconut Bundt Cake, Swedish Thumbprint Cookies, Pumpkin, Pie, Russian Tea Cakes, etc., etc. And, of course, David's Lemon Squares.

"What Child Is This?"

2009-12-20T15:50:00.003-05:00

A small men's singing ensemble sang a novel arrangement of "What Child Is This?" for the ward Christmas program. Brent was tickled to sing with "Highbench" performers David Western and Chris Muir (on guitar) along with Norris Chappell (lead vocalist) and Kevin Jackson (who, with Brent, were "backup"). The musical number seems to have been well-received.

David and Christopher On The News Again

2009-12-17T12:55:00.002-05:00

Christopher's day-before interview appeared on local news again. The online story, below, quotes David:

Doomsday budget resurrects congesting pricing idea
(Thursday, December 17,2009)

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The MTA's Doomsday budget is a grim reality this morning. And that could trigger the return of another controversial transit plan -- congestion pricing for drivers in Manhattan.

There's talk in Albany and City Hall of a bailout for the MTA but there's no money for it.

That's opening the way for a new push to impose congestion pricing.

"There is a frustration that people have that we are paying more and more and getting less and less," said one disgruntled straphanger.

The service slashing approved by the MTA Wednesday included the elimination of the W and Z trains, cuts to 21 bus routes, some to be eliminated all together, severe limits on access a ride passes for senior citizens, and the phase out of student bus passes.

That will force children to pay for their own transportation to school, for some, a thousand dollars a year or more.
"Honestly I couldn't get to school and I also feel a bit angry. There's a few other ways the MTA can tackle this," said student David Belnap.

"The state and city should be funding school transit passes, those obviously cannot go away. It's not a burden that the MTA should be shouldering," explained Neysa Pranger of the Regional Plan Association.

Wednesday the Governor said he would find a way to fund student bus passes, but that doesn't fix the larger problem of funding the MTA.

One idea that is resurfacing is congestion pricing, the concept of making anyone who wants to drive in most of Manhattan, pay big money for the privilege, which would raise more than half a billion dollars a year, much of it for the MTA.

"It's happening other places around the world. People are embracing the technology, it's something that's going to come to New York and we should think about doing it sooner rather than later," said Pranger.

David and Christopher Interviewed About MTA Student Rate Increase

2009-12-16T12:21:00.003-05:00

Both David and Christopher were interviewed for a news story that appeared on WABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News. The online story text is reproduced below (which doesn't include Christopher's video comments):

MTA approves 'Doomsday' budget plan
(Jim Dolan, Wednesday, December 16,2009)

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The cuts to the MTA budget are not surgical, they are thermonuclear.

"There is a frustration that people have that we are paying more and more and getting less and less," said one disgruntled straphanger.

The service slashing approved by the MTA Wednesday included the elimination of the W and Z trains, cuts to 21 bus routes, some to be eliminated all together, severe limits on access a ride passes for senior citizens, and the phase out of student bus passes.

That will force children to pay for their own transportation to school, for some, a thousand dollars a year or more.
"Honestly I couldn't get to school and I also feel a bit angry. There's a few other ways the MTA can tackle this," said student David Belnap. "The state and city should be funding school transit passes, those obviously cannot go away. It's not a burden that the MTA should be shouldering," explained Neysa Pranger of the Regional Plan Association.

Wednesday the Governor said he would find a way to fund student bus passes, but that doesn't fix the larger problem of funding the MTA. One idea that is resurfacing is congestion pricing, the concept of making anyone who wants to drive in most of Manhattan, pay big money for the privilege, which would raise more than half a billion dollars a year, much of it for the MTA. "It's happening other places around the world. People are embracing the technology, it's something that's going to come to New York and we should think about doing it sooner rather than later," said Pranger.

WABC TV Channel 7: MTA and Students

Stake Christmas Concert Performance

2009-12-05T10:24:00.009-05:00

OK, so it's been a couple of years since he sang in public, but Brent had a grand time performing Franz Biebl's "Ave Maria" at the New York New York Stake Christmas concert. Shown above (left to right): Jared Wyatt, Manahi Taber-Kewene, Norris Chappell, Matt Burton, David Western, Chris Muir, Brent Belnap, Kevin Jackson, Matt Rich.

Click here to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKVJlHIbLwk

Mount Vernon, Virginia

2009-11-29T18:16:00.006-05:00

On Saturday we went to Mount Vernon. Here's the family (Brent, of course, is behind the camera).

Thanksgiving Trip to D.C.

2009-11-28T00:45:00.006-05:00

Had a wonderful time with the family in Washington, D.C. over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Saw many of the sites---the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Museums, etc. Even ran into Fed Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke inside the National Arboretum!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-26T18:23:00.004-05:00

Spent Thanksgiving with family and two friends, Lauren Vorhaus and Jeff Johnson. And Brent baked some more mean pecan pies!

Annual Fall Apple Picking

2009-10-17T23:28:00.002-04:00

Dinner at Big Daddy's With Keith Thompson

2009-10-10T22:42:00.001-04:00

NYLDSPA Annual Banquet

2009-10-09T22:54:00.001-04:00

Brent participated again in the New York LDS Professional Association's annual banquet, which this year was held on Friday, October 9, 2009, at the downtown Manhattan Marriott and honored Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Brent was honored to offer the evening's invocation. The Church News covered the event:

Church News: Professional group honors Elder Scott, October 24, 2009

JRCLS Leadership Conference 2009

2009-10-02T22:41:00.002-04:00

Brent completed his two-year term as International Chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and is now "Immediate Past Chair."

YSA Conference

2009-09-11T11:07:00.005-04:00

Brent was invited to be the opening speaker for the New York City Young Single Adult/Institute Conference on the events of 9/11 and its impact on members of the Church. The conference featured Elder Matthew Eyring and his wife Amy. Below is a description of the conference that appeared in Mormon Times:

Young single adults serve together at New York City conference
(by Jon Fowler)

Hundreds of young single adults traveled from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to Manhattan for the NYC Regional YSA/Institute Conference.

The theme for the event, held Sept. 11-13, was "Taking the Shield" and focused on using faith to quench "today's fiery darts."

The conference began with a meeting in memory of 9/11. Former New York City Stake President Brent J. Belnap then spoke about meeting with President Gordon B. Hinckley about the Manhattan Temple soon after 9/11.

"In times of trouble, brothers and sisters, our prophet looked to the temple," Belnap said. "I think that should be a lesson to us."

Elder Matthew Eyring of the Seventy and his wife spoke about living in the world today.

"Fear is a fiery dart Satan uses in our day," Sister Amy Eyring said. "Faith requires action but fear inhibits and discourages action. Let us choose to live our lives by faith, not fear, no matter the trials and tribulation we will have, by the Atonement of Christ."

Elder Eyring urged the young single adults to serve others.

"You may feel there will be time for important things later, but there is danger in delay," Elder Eyring said. "There is never any better time than today.

"Your decisions to serve unselfishly every day will save and bless thousands."

That next morning, more than 100 participants gathered in McCarren Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Wearing "Mormon Helping Hands" vests, they raked leaves, pulled weeds, gathered fallen tree branches and repaired dog run areas by piling up fresh mulch. A local reporter questioned yellow-vested YSA about the importance of service in their lives and being a young, religious adult.

Many residents also thanked the volunteers for their service.

That afternoon, Elder and Sister Eyring again addressed the conference. Sister Eyring challenged the YSA to ask themselves, "What condition is my shield of faith in?"

"We need to examine each element of our lives and focus on strengthening those areas that are weak," Elder Eyring said.

"I know that the Lord will bless you because of your faithfulness. I want you to know that Jesus Christ lives and he is the Savior of this world, and that even among all the hustle and bustle of the millions here, and billions in the world, I bear you my witness that he knows who you are, and he loves you."

Conference workshops addressed modern-day "fiery darts" such as workaholism, anger, profanity, loneliness, attacks on the family, dishonesty, pornography and doubt. The workshops were followed by a dinner and dance. The following day, sacrament and testimony meetings were held.

Mormon Times, 15 Sep 2009

Deseret News Announcement

The Committee @ Jackson

2009-09-04T00:27:00.002-04:00

David's High Adventure

2009-08-15T21:55:00.001-04:00

David went on a high adventure Scouting trip with the Westchester Stake. Climbed Angel's Landing, crawled through the Subway, ascended Observation Point, and walked through part of the Narrows.

Sky Coaster at Lagoon

2009-07-25T23:20:00.002-04:00

The kids decided to ride the "Sky Coaster" at Lagoon (one of Brent's favorite rides).

Bryce Canyon

2009-07-23T02:35:00.007-04:00

We brought our own splash of contrast to Bryce Canyon's spectacular geologic formations.

"I'll Take The High Road"--Atop Utah's Skyline Drive

2009-07-22T02:21:00.006-04:00

After a snowball fight (in July, no less!) and admiring alpine wildflowers at 9,000 feet, the kids pause just long enough for a photo op.

Lizard Chasing at Goblin Valley

2009-07-22T00:37:00.003-04:00

Summer 2009 Portraits of the Children

2009-07-21T00:28:00.024-04:00

Kids---they grow up so fast! Here are pictures of the children that were taken in July 2009.

Front row: Caroline (15), Rebecca (6), Nathan (2)

Back row: Christopher (12), David (16), Spencer (10)

Nathan's Second Birthday With the McFarlands

2009-05-31T23:39:00.002-04:00

Nathan celebrated his second birthday with family friends Art and Kay McFarland and their sons Jeffrey and Joseph.

2009 JRCLS Annual Fireside Satellite Broadcast

2009-03-13T15:56:00.002-04:00

Brent conducted the J. Reuben Clark Law Society's annual fireside featuring Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The satellite broadcast originated from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. A link to the broadcast (in Spanish) is available here:

http://www.jrcls.org/firesides/2009/video/

Amazing Family Reunion: Graham Dixon Drops By!

2009-02-26T10:50:00.003-05:00

Distant Belnap-Belknap relative Graham Dixon, from England no less(!), visited us at our home while in the US on business for the BBC. He'd found Brent's family history materials on the Belnap-Belknap family online, and the rest is, shall we say, history.

This special visit could be the first time in around 400 years that these two branches of the Belnap-Belknap family (one branch, through Abraham Belknap f/k/a Beltoft, came to Massachusetts in the 1630s, while the other branch remained in England where the surname eventually died out in the early 1900s) have reunited.

Brent and Graham figure that they're likely 11th cousins, give or take a few "somethings removed" here and there.

We're looking forward to the Dixons' presence at the next Belnap Family Reunion in Utah in 2010! Brilliant!

JRCLS Annual Conference at Harvard Law School

2009-02-14T00:31:00.004-05:00

Brent and Lorinda enjoyed the annual J. Reuben Clark Law Society attorney-law student conference, which was held this year on February 12-14 at Harvard Law School. This is the last annual conference where Brent will serve as international chair of the law society. They enjoyed the ride from New York City and back with Clifford and Margo Blair. Brent and Lorinda stayed in the Cambridge home of family friend Jason Blosil. Images shown include Glenn Openshaw and Keith Thompson.

Rebecca

2009-01-19T23:50:00.001-05:00

Photos by Matt Day of Rebecca.

Nathan

2009-01-19T23:45:00.002-05:00

Photos by Matt Day of Nathan.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T21:24:00.001-05:00

Baby New Year (a/k/a Nathan) welcomes in 2009! Happy New Year!

Nathan Trying Hard Not to Fall Asleep

2008-12-28T21:08:00.005-05:00

This is too funny! Nathan was caught on Caroline's camera trying very hard not to fall asleep--while sitting upright! This is one very tired, yet persistent, little boy. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThRS2HFx610

Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-24T02:03:00.001-05:00

For Christmas Eve 2008, we enjoyed the perfect celebration in honor of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We were privileged to be joined by Elder Ang and Elder Raymond.

West Side Spirit Article

2008-12-18T19:35:00.003-05:00

Brent's interview in the West Side Spirit in an article entitled "LDS Meets UWS" can be found here:

http://westsidespirit.com/2008/12/18/lds-meets-uws/

Post-Thanksgiving 2008 Trip to Massachusetts

2008-11-29T22:25:00.013-05:00

Our annual post-Thanksgiving excursion out of Manhattan took us to Salem and Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Nothing like watching waves crash on a rocky coastline and smelling crisp salt-laden air . . .

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T21:56:00.001-05:00

Another year of too much food, good company, and tasty leftovers . . .

That man standing to Lorinda's right is not Brent; it's our family friend Karlos, who whipped up an awesome red, white and blue cheesecake for dessert, which went well with David's homemade apple crisp and Christopher's homemade pumpkin pie.

Our Thanksgiving table before everyone loaded up on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc.

JRCLS Leadership Conference 2008

2008-10-03T22:39:00.000-04:00

Brent completed the first year of his two-year term as International Chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society in October.

"A Lost Art"

2008-09-11T00:07:00.005-04:00

Family friend and artist Cory Bjarnson painted Christopher's portrait for submission in an art competition at the National Portrait Gallery. The 24"x36" oil-on-linen piece, entitled "A Lost Art," depicts a young boy (Christopher), his back turned to modern distractions symbolized by a violent game on a computer screen, reading Lust for Life, Irving Stone's biography of Vincent Van Gogh. Christopher certainly has a lust for life and for learning!

New York Times: Mormons in South Bronx

2008-07-06T15:24:00.003-04:00

South Bronx: In a Silent World, Seeking New Souls
(by Katherine Bindley; published New York Times: July 6, 2008)

“EXCUSE me, sir,” a sandy-haired 20-year-old named Jeffrey Westra asked a man leaning against a car outside a bodega one recent muggy afternoon in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. “Do you know anyone that’s deaf?”

The man shook his head. And so Mr. Westra, who was dressed this day in somber charcoal-gray pants, a crisp white shirt and a navy tie, continued down the street. With him was his missionary companion, Jacob Frost, a 19-year-old Ohioan who is hearing-impaired and holds doors open for strangers, even the doors of city buses.

When Mormon men are 19 to 25, they apply for two years of full-time mission work. They receive a letter informing them where they will live and in which language they will minister. Chinese, Russian and Spanish are possibilities, as is American Sign Language.

Mr. Westra had never been east of Minnesota when he moved last summer from Lehi, Utah, to the South Bronx and began missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, assigned to serve the neighborhood’s hearing-impaired.

Before arriving in the city, he studied sign language for two months, 14 hours a day, at a training facility in Utah. In August, he moved to an apartment off the Grand Concourse on 167th Street that had three sets of bunk beds, one bathroom and five missionary roommates.

The church’s efforts to minister to the deaf in New York began in 1991. By 1998, the church had formed a deaf congregation, which today has some 250 members, about 100 of whom live in the Bronx, according to Brent Belnap, who until recently oversaw 14 congregations in the city, including the one for the deaf.

From noon until 9 p.m. six days a week, Mr. Westra and his counterparts spend their time visiting current church members, recruiting potential members and reaching out to those who have strayed. The other day, Mr. Westra and Mr. Frost stopped by the dimly lighted apartment of Michael Powell, a member who hadn’t been to church in two months.

“How are you feeling?” Mr. Westra signed. Mr. Powell, a 28-year-old custodian at a McDonald’s near Yankee Stadium, signed back that he had been tired out by work and getting headaches.

Mr. Westra and Mr. Frost spent a half-hour with Mr. Powell, signing and reading Scripture. Before they left, they asked him if he knew any other deaf people nearby. “All around the area, there are many,” Mr. Powell signed back. “You just have to look for them.”

The missionaries are always looking. They saw a man signing in the library one day and got his address. They stop by apartment buildings and public housing projects if they hear that someone who is deaf lives there. When no one is home, they slip notes under doors. Someone once threw eggs out a window at Mr. Westra. He took it in stride and crossed the street.

Photo caption: "Jeffrey Westra, left, and Jacob Frost, Mormons on an unusual mission."

New York Times: In a Silent World, Seeking New Souls

President Uchtdorf Visits NYC

2008-06-26T12:08:00.002-04:00

Day filled with sightseeing, shopping, food, etc. On the way back to the hotel, a kind woman took our photo on the subway (from left to right): Brent J. Belnap, Lorinda Belnap, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, grandsons Patrick and Daniel.

Memorial Day 2008: Brooklyn Bridge

2008-05-26T23:52:00.001-04:00

JRCLS Annual Fireside with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

2008-02-15T16:29:00.003-05:00

Brent's first fireside as new international chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, broadcast live from the campus of ASU in Tempe, Arizona. Special guests for the 3-day conference included former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Judge Sandra Rogers Brown, Elder Lance B. Wickman, and friend Sheri Dew, who gave a wonderful fireside presentation.