Another General Conference

It was another General Conference weekend, but instead of staying home yesterday and watching it on television, we had to go to the church building to see it. It was the semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was so bummed that the usually cable channel did not show it, but instead had people praying for the Pope, something that could be seen on regular broadcast channels as the news people and other concerned people, waited for the word that the Pope had died. What a circus! I guess we are hearing about history, but geez! I was bummed that I did not see the opening of conference, either yesterday or today. We waited until 12 to see if it would be on today, and when it wasn't on channel 20, we got ready to go to the building. Blaaahhhh! I hate sitting in the chapel, when I could be sitting on my sofa, getting up to do stuff, like eat or whatever, in the comfort of my own home. So Darren and Caitlin went outside to wait for me in the car. I told them I would be another 10 minutes, but still, out they go. Now as I am getting ready, I think, maybe they will show the conference on another channel. So I check before I go out to the car, flipping through the channels, when, wallah! There is conference on channel 10. I go out and wave to them, telling them to come back in.

Darren is glad, but wanted to know what made me think to look at other channels. I just had a feeling. But then, during the afternoon session, which is between 4 and 6 PM, the satellite feed at the cable company when out and Darren and Caitlin went to the church building. I had laid down for a nap, thinking I would see the rest of it on video tape, as I was recording it. Oh, well. We will receive a church magazine in May that will have all the words of the talks that were given (all 8 hours of them, plus some priesthood that the men go to on Saturday night.) I'll catch up then. Most of the messages were anti porn or pro missionary, that is, don't watch porn and get ready to volunteer for a mission is you are a guy aged 19, or a retired couple. We plan on going on a mission at retirement. That is about 12 years away, and Caitlin, aged 15 now, will probably have a famly by then. She will be 27. Wow!

We are the Ward Missionaries. That is our calling. Thank goodness we don't have to knock on doors, though. I wouldn't like that much, or maybe I would just get used to the rejection. I hate it, though, when Jehovah Witnesses come to the door. I can never make any sense out of what they are trying to preach.

Anyway, we are working with the missionaries who come from out west, one from Utah, and the other from another western state (Idaho? Washington?) They are both really short, and look like they are 12 years old. Really. The one who is the senior partner (has been out on his mission the longest) is a little nutty. He likes to draw attention to himself in oddball ways. For instance, he has been caught speeding twice now. I think they, meaning the church, will take away his driving privileges soon if he doesn't slow down. He says it gives him an opportunity to teach the police about the gospel. Riiiiigggghhhhtttt!

He also asked a member of the ward to cook guinea pig for him because her son, who is serving a mission in Peru, had it served to him. It is a delicacy there, but it is a PET here, for pete's sake. I serve these 2 boys breakfast when we have Saturday morning meetings, so I promised to make them some scrapple, hominy, and waffles one morning. This kid was so excited about eating scrapple. Now he can go home and tell them he ate a Maryland delicacy. Yay for him!