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I regret to report that my campaign sign apparently fell into the hands of miscreants last night.
So, do you think this is most likely a) random teenager mischief or b) the work of someone seeking red (Republican) victory by targeting innocent lawn signs?
About the General Conference of the LDS (Mormon) Church Gordon B. Hinckley once said:
“I invite you to listen, listen if you will by the power of the Spirit, to the speakers who will address you today and tomorrow as well as this evening. If you will do so, I do not hesitate to promise that you will be uplifted, your resolution to do what is right will be stronger, you will find solutions to your problems and your needs, and you will be led to thank the Lord for what you have heard”
I like to think that this is true of every General Conference. I am excited because Conference begins tomorrow. I saw a pre-conference checklist in the New Era targeted at teens, but it was sure a good reminder to me. The checklist included:
• I have thought and prayed about questions I have, and I will listen for answers during conference.
• I have prayed for the general conference speakers.
[Have you ever noticed how, in almost every address he gives, President Monson asks us to pray for him?]
• I will get a good night’s sleep so I can stay awake and attentive during conference.
[This is so obvious and yet so often neglected by me].
I also liked the second part of the article. One question asks the teens what specific counsel was directed towards teenagers. After Conference, I hope to sum up in writing what specific counsel was given to wives, mothers and parents. Another question on the worksheet asks what answers one received after listening and pondering during General Conference. If I am going to think and pray about questions, shouldn’t I be brave and curious enough to devote a little time to thinking about what answers I received? And what about making some sort of action plan for change? A third question asks about whether there was a theme for General Conference. In the past, I have been amazed to see how often a theme does seem to emerge, even when the speakers haven’t coordinated their talks beforehand. (Do you remember the conference of lifting up the hands that hang down and strengthening the feeble knees? )
I like the approach of the New Era’s worksheet. I think writing down answers to these questions, being explicit about what I learned and felt during General Conference, will help it have an even greater impact for me. Now I just have to figure out how to occupy a 3 yr old and 6 yr old during all those hours so that I can listen . . .
So, at the beginning of the week I posted about blogging and Julie Beck’s remarks and wondered whether I was spending my time on what is less important at the expense of what is more important. Since then, after being an infrequent blogger for months, I have posted several things in a row. Worst, most of the things I have posted are the review-type posts that do not represent deep or sophisticated thinking nor are they a careful chronicle of my children’s lives. What gives? Was I at all serious about my blogging worries? Or was it just something to say? It wasn’t just something to say. I do worry about it because I know that I am a person who can easily waste time–lots of time on the internet. On the other hand, the fact that I could waste lots of time on the internet doesn’t mean that if I am using the internet, I am wasting time.
Part of what triggered the post was that after a particularly busy period, I had tons of pent-up blogging desire (ridiculous-sounding, but true). Also, because I was lucky enough to get a smartphone for my birthday (and recently figured out a few things about how to use it), it is now much, much easier for me to blog. Anyway, writing about blogging earlier this week reminded me that I actually do think it is valuable and helped me remember some of the reasons why. Also, while I do think my reviews are a less valuable part of my blogging, they do still represent me and what I care about and what I am spending time thinking about right now (for better or for worse). And, as I said before, I just enjoy writing reviews.