Tyndale: William Tyndale has been one of my heroes since I first learned about him in a World History class at BYU. Born around 1490, he became a devoted student of the Bible, and the "pervasive ignorance of the scriptures that he observed in both priests and lay people troubled him deeply." Fluent in eight languages, he undertook the translation of the Bible into English from the original Greek and Hebrew text, hoping that all would be able to read directly from it. Church leadership at the time was very much against what he was doing. In an exchange with one clergyman, he exclaimed, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost!" (1) He performed this work at great personal sacrifice, heavily persecuted and eventually martyred. It's estimated that the King James Version of the Bible retains roughly 80% of Tyndale's translation, and his work has been the foundation of almost all English forms of the Bible. I am so grateful to him and to many others who understood the importance of everyone being able to read directly from scripture, and who sacrificed so much for it to be so. Not only so that I and my family and friends can do so, but because in the early 1800s, it also allowed a 14 year old farm boy in upstate New York to be able to do so. . .
Coincidentally, this year is the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible, and we have been noticing William Tyndale's name being mentioned even more often, even after we'd already decided on it. (He was even in the centerfold of this month's Ensign. (click here for the web version)
We considered spelling our Tyndale's name more like it sounds (rhymes with 'kindle'), but ultimately, we decided to keep the most commonly accepted spelling.
(1) As quoted from Boyd K. Packer in May 2011 Ensign, from David Daniell, introduction to Tyndale's New Testament (1989), viii.
William Tyndale is featured in this window in the Emmanuel College chapel, Cambridge. Photo by Kenneth Mays, Ensign, August 2011.
Conrad: When I was in grade school, I read and loved a book called Konrad. Ever since then, I thought I might name a son that. Then I found out that two of my sisters had the same plan, and that my grandfather's middle name was Conrad! Somehow, my sisters (who had all their kids before I'd started) let me win. I love the name even more knowing it was Grampa's middle name. He was always a man I loved and respected and was comfortable around; one who was kind and who always encouraged me towards worthy endeavors and good works, both by word and example.
And somehow, it turned out that Sam really liked both of these names (and who they honor) too!
