First Prom

“They grow up so fast.”  This wasn’t said by either Jennifer or me; it was Isaac. ☺  He was being funny about it, but I will admit there was some definite truth to the cliché.  If you noticed the picture from yesterday's post, you notice neither Jennifer or I were in it.  The reason for our absence from the picture was because of the second half of our busy day yesterday.  With Nick and Annette fully endowed and sealed for time and all eternity, Jennifer and I politely took our leave of the group (we spent time with them later in the afternoon and early evening) and left to get the Ben part of our day handled.  You see, he was going to attend his first school prom.

We were on a strict time schedule.  Ben needed to be at the school by 3 p.m. and Jennifer wanted to get him a corsage to give to his date, Alana Shutter (I have mentioned her previously here and here).  With all the road work in the Cajon Pass right now, being on a time schedule can be a bit problematical.  A couple of times traffic slowed and I began to worry that we wouldn’t have time to buy the corsage.  Thankfully, the slow traffic moments weren’t enough to sabotage the plan.  We made it to the flower shop and the staff was able to put Jennifer’s mental picture together within 5 minutes. 

Jennifer called ahead to find out if Ben was ready: he was (climbing the wall ready; let’s get out the door right now ready ☺).  We had bought a suit for him last week (dual purpose—prom and other special things in the next few months and eventually mission).  Ben was dressed in his suit and looked very good.  Jennifer and he left for school almost immediately after we arrived.  The moment they closed the door behind them, Isaac made his comment to me and I laughed.  Jennifer told me later that they were still 4 or 5 miles from the school when Jennifer’s cell phone rang: it was Alana wondering where they were.  I guess Ben wasn’t the only one excited about the prom trip. ☺ 

Before the prom goers were loaded onto the bus and driven to Marina Del Rey to the yacht where the dance would be held, time was allowed for parents  to take pictures.  Jennifer was able to take some great pictures of Ben and Alana (as you’ve noticed, I’ve added my favorites to this post).  I guess Alana’s dad took even more pictures then Jennifer.  She told me that he was so excited that he got out of his car and forgot to turn off the engine and take the keys from the ignition. ☺  Thankfully, no one took advantage of this.  Ben said the weather was a bit cold and windy when the boat left shore, but they enjoyed the dance and had a great time.  Also, they ended up coming home earlier than expected, so that was good as well.  Yes, in some ways, Ben has seemed to have grown up so fast, but the journey has been a great one. 

The Full Package

This morning I arrived at the Redlands Temple to participate in an endowment session a little more special than usual.  After showing my recommend at  the front desk and changing into white clothing, I entered the ordinance room to find it almost completely full (luckily, there was a seat for me).  Six people in attendance at this session were there to receive what I have affectionately called “the full  package” for themselves.  Of these six, however, I was there for two in particular: Nick and Annette Martinez. 

What a beautiful experience to be in the temple and participate with them in the endowment session.  As they experienced the ordinance for themselves, I was able to take a family member through.  While I was not going through the session for myself, as they were, we were all able to learn something new.  This is one of the wonderful blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ: that we are able to learn at our own pace.  I am not judged on what President Monson knows and the most recently baptized member is not judged on what I know.  In the end, like the parable of the laborers in the vineyard teaches (see Matthew 20:1-15), we all receive the same payment no matter the hour of our hire. 

As I contemplate the experience I had this morning, I can’t help but think of the 4th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “For behold the field  is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” (verse 4).  This is a portion of the section known to the Elders and Sisters in the  mission field as "the missionary section."  The Lord declares that He has prepared the people of the earth to receive the gospel and now is time for the missionaries to reap the bounty and lay up sheaves “in store” by going out and working with their “might” to find those people who have been prepared to hear the gospel message.  I don’t know if it is still thought of in this way now, but during my missionary days, the end goal was baptism. 

Baptism, however, is not the final goal.  A person being baptized is the result of exercising faith in Christ and repenting, but the ordinance cannot be considered the final destination of our spiritual journey here in mortality.  On this subject, Nephi taught that “the gate by which [we] should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:17, emphasis added).  How can baptism be considered an end when Nephi describes it as the gate?  Baptism  is the end of the journey to Christ and His gospel and His Church, but it is the gateway for those so cleansed to step onto the “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:18). 

Now that the sheaves have been have been harvested through baptism, an additional step needs to be taken to help the newly converted person stay on the path.  The verse that I quoted from Section 4 of the Doctrine in Covenants mentions that the sheaves should be laid “up in store,” but what does that mean?  Speaking of the baptized Lamanites, Ammon declared: “Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted” (Alma 26:5, emphasis added). 

Elder David A. Bednar taught, “The sheaves in this analogy represent newly baptized members of the Church. The garners are the holy temples. Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained: ‘Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy temple.’  This instruction clarifies and emphasizes the importance of sacred temple ordinances and covenants—that the sheaves may not be wasted” (Ensign, May 2009, 97, emphasis added). 

This is one of the reasons why Bishop Allen charged me with putting together a quarterly trip to the temple for the newly baptized members right after  I was set apart to the calling of ward mission leader (and why when I wondered if a trip during the 4th quarter was doable because of the holidays, he insisted I still schedule it ☺).  When I served in this same calling in our ward in Colton, Bishop Edstrom and I also tried to make a similar trip and I knew how important it is for those coming into the gospel through baptism to serve in the temple.  Being able to truly attend the temple, to not just walk the grounds but go inside and participate in the vicarious ordinances of baptism and confirmation, allows the patron to feel of the wonderful spirit that resides within the building.  I cannot stress how important active participation is.  From the day Nick and Annette attended a trip to the temple, they felt the special spirit of the House of the Lord and wanted that spirit to be a part of their lives.  Now that they have “received all the blessings the Church  has to offer” (Pres. Monson, Ensign, May 2011, 93), they will be able to walk the strait and narrow path with those additional covenants and blessings to accompany and protect them. 

This doesn’t mean that the Martinez’s (or any of us so endowed and sealed) can coast from now until the end.  The word endure suggests remaining firm and steadfast, not lazy or complacent, no matter what comes our way along the path.  Heavenly Father gives us the opportunity to return to Him.  If we remain obedient to the commandments He has given us, walk by faith, hold on to the rod with both hands, stay on the path and remain focused on the Savior, we “shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).  I am grateful I’ve been able to walk the path toward the garner (the holy temple) with Nick and Annette and I look forward to continuing along the path with my friends as I and my family travel the strait and narrow path back to Father in Heaven. 

I Hope They Call Me on a Third Mission

My parents have received their third mission call.  After two stints in France, they felt they had another mission in them so they prepared themselves and submitted their papers (we still call it that, but everything is done electronically nowadays J).  As with their previous two submittals, they decided to not request a specific area (senior missionaries can do that if they choose).  The big envelope from Salt Lake City was waiting for them when they returned from a trip to Texas to visit my sister Jaime’s family.  With the anticipated third letter now open and read, we now know that for this mission they are on their way to … France.  Yep; three missions, three trips to France. J

It’s a bit anti-climactic in a way, I suppose, but there is also a logical kind of symmetry to it.  Obviously, the Lord feels they have more to accomplish with the French people.  Besides Mom needs to be able to come out of this with a working knowledge of the language after a third go at it. J  As I consider their first two stints, I am reminded that during their first mission, Mom and Dad became a great strength to the branch in Angouleme—with Dad being called as the branch president for about a year.  In their second mission, they were a big support to the young adults in Lille and then had the opportunity to transfer to the mission office in Paris to tackle the assignment of preparing the mission for the influx of missionaries after the age requirements were lowered.  They scoured the areas finding apartments, renovating apartments, and furnishing apartments.

While I don’t know what is fully in store for my parents this time as they serve in an entirely new area of France, I can’t help but wonder about the Paris France Temple presently being built.  With the target for completion set at a time when they will still be in the country, I can see how they could have an impact of helping the Church members and those not of our faith to prepare for the great blessing the temple will be to that country and its citizens.  Whatever is in store for them, I know (because of the way they have fulfilled their previous missions), that my parents will do whatever the Lord asks of them.  I am so grateful for my parents.  I love them and am thankful for their example. J

Sustaining a New Bishop

We sustained a new bishop in our ward today.  Bishop Allen and his family are moving (actually have moved for the most part), so he was released today and Bishop Galindo was sustained.  There was an audible gasp from some in the chapel when Brother Galindo’s name was called by President Skinner, but I will admit to being 98% certain that his name would be the one called.  When Bishop Allen pulled him out of Gospel Principles class last week (he attends—well, has been attending—quite often to support us and to be there for the new converts and investigators) and we didn’t see him for the rest of the block, I had an inkling.  My suspicion became stronger when I learned later that day that 1) Sister Galindo was pulled from primary and also didn’t return, and 2) President Skinner was seen in the building. J

It’s always interesting when a new bishop is called.  This is the third change we’ve seen in our ward since moving into this area.  Each time I’ve watched these good brethren grow into their calling and become living examples of this quotation from President Thomas S. Monson: “President Harold B. Lee was talking to me one day concerning those who feel inadequate and are worried when they receive an assignment in the Church. He counseled, ‘Remember, whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies’” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 50).  Bishop Galindo said he received this same thought while in the temple earlier this week contemplating the call that had been extended to him.  I am certain that as he puts forth his best effort, the Lord will magnify those efforts in ways he could scarcely have expected.  I’ve seen that happen with the previous bishops; I have seen that with my own callings.

Bishop Galindo is a convert of five years—it took him 10 years and multiple sets of missionaries before he was ready to commit to becoming a member to the Church.  As was expressed today (I had heard the story before, but it was nice to be reminded), what finally clicked was when an Elder told him that he could be sealed to his wife in the temple for eternity.  I’m not sure if none of the previous Elders had ever mentioned this before, but this was the first missionary to say it in a way that sunk deep.  Not long afterward, Brother Galindo wanted to know what he needed to do to be baptized.  Jennifer and I hosted him and his wife, with several others, when it was time for them to receive the Temple Preparation lessons.  We were asked by them to be their escorts when they attended their initial endowment session and were present for their sealing.  In fact, I was just in my bedroom and saw a picture of Jennifer and me on our dresser and realized that it was taken after he and Sister Galindo were sealed in the Redlands Temple. J  Honestly, when his name was formally announced and I (along with the rest of the congregation), was asked to sustain him in this calling, I gladly raised my arm to the square because I was blessed at that moment to know that his call came from God.  At that moment I also knew I was willing to do whatever I could to help him fulfill his new assignment.

That’s the thing about sustaining.  It is a unique aspect of the Latter-day Saints.  We have an opportunity each time a formal calling is issued in the ward, stake or general offices of the Church to raise our arm to the square and sustain the actions being taken.  After we are asked “all in favor,” the question is then submitted, “Those opposed, if any, may manifest it.”  During the recent general conference, for the first time in over 30 years, a small group of vocal people expressed opposition during the sustaining of the general authorities.  Based on the fact that the question is asked, the possibility of someone expressing opposition is present.  However, I wonder if an understanding of the opposition “vote” is truly had among us. 

The Church handbook of instructions is very clear on the matter of a dissenting vote during the sustaining process.  It states: “If a member in good standing gives a dissenting vote when someone is presented to be sustained, the presiding officer or another assigned priesthood officer confers with the dissenting member in private after the meeting. The officer determines whether the dissenting vote was based on knowledge that the person who was presented is guilty of conduct that should disqualify him or her from serving in the position” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 19.3, emphasis added).  I highlighted the two important points in that instruction.  First, the dissenting member needs to be “in good standing,” and second, the dissenting vote should be based on knowledge by the dissenter that the called man or woman “is guilty of conduct that should disqualify him or her from serving in the position.”

When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints vote to sustain a calling, we are not casting a ballot as though our vote is part of the person’s election to that calling.  Instead, we are agreeing with the action being taken and “voting” to support, uplift and sustain the person who has already been called “by prophesy” (Articles of Faith 1:5) and has accepted the offered assignment.  In the case of Bishop Galindo, President Skinner did not stand before our ward congregation and say, “Your ward needs a new bishop and we have identified the following three brethren: Brother Doe, Brother Roe and Brother Galindo.  I will now conduct the voting on which one of these brethren you feel would be qualified to lead the ward.”  Instead he said something like this: “We have submitted a name to the First Presidency and have been authorized to call Brother Galindo as the new bishop of the ward. All in favor of this action; are there any opposed.”

If we truly consider the process, President Skinner and his counsellors had already prayed and received an answer from the Lord regarding who should now lead our ward.  They submitted their recommendation to the First Presidency and received an endorsement of the Lord’s choice.  The call had been extended to and accepted by Brother Galindo.  Today, we were asked to offer our own endorsement of this action.  In essence, we were asked to exercise our moral agency in an acceptance of the Lord’s choice of bishop.  Our vote didn’t count for anything but our humble acceptance of the Lord’s revelation to His local servants and our pledge to uphold and support this good brother as he shoulders this particular mantel.

From what I understand of those people who announced their dissension during conference, their basic opposition appears to arise from some dissatisfaction with something the Church is doing or not doing and they are “voting” in opposition because of it.  If this is the case, then what they are failing to understand is that the Church isn’t a democracy.  Just because some teaching or position or doctrine isn’t liked, we don’t yell “opposed” during the sustaining process and then act as though our dissenting vote is a ballot cast in opposition to Church leadership.  If we have knowledge about some act that would disqualify a person from service, then we should raise our arm in dissent.  Honestly, if we have knowledge of something of this magnitude, we should have gone to the person first and then to the leadership if the person refuses to properly handle the situation.  Somehow, I have great difficulty believing this was the case in the dissension of those who voted in opposition during conference.  Unfortunately, I have a nagging feeling that what happened a few weeks ago won’t be a one-time event.  Now that it’s been done, I suspect it might be tried again.

Regardless, it is up to all of us as members to constantly keep close watch over our testimonies of those called to leadership positions.  As I indicated earlier, intellectually I had settled in my mind the likelihood of Bishop Galindo’s call, but when his name was formally announced I felt a spiritual confirmation to accompany the intellectual one.  That is my testimony of his call.  None of the brothers and sisters in the general quorums and auxiliaries campaigned for the offices they hold.  Instead, when the Lord called, they, like Samuel of old, replied, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10).  Neither did Bishop Galindo campaign for the calling that is now his.  In the days before the call came, he was curiously wondering like all the rest of us who would be called to the position.  I doubt he considered himself at all.  Now that he has been called and I have sustained him, it is up to me to be true to my “vote” and do all that I can, like Aaron and Hur with Moses, to “[stay] up his hands” and keep them “steady until the going down of the sun” (Exodus 17:12).

The Life of Christ (Lesson 11)

There are several paths I could walk with this topic.  The chapter in the Gospel Principles manual is 8 pages long and has 7 different topic headlines.  After spending some time this morning asking the class about their impressions of General conference last week, the remainder of our class time focused just on the predictions of Christ’s birth before He came to earth.  I’ll begin there myself and see where it leads. J

The prophet Isaiah had much to say about the Savior’s meridian advent.  Of His birth, Isaiah prophesied: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (7:14).  During a time when the Israelites had “forsaken the Lord, [and] … provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger” (1:4), they needed to know who to look for to overcome their iniquities.  Isaiah also foretold that the Messiah would “grow up … as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground” and would be “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (53:2-3).  He warned the Israelites that the Messiah was not to be some grand and glorious personage when He came.  Instead, He would have “no form nor comeliness; and … there [would be] no beauty that we should desire him” (53:2).  He would be one of them—only not one of them.

The people in the “old” world weren’t the only ones given signs of the Messiah (even though He would not visit them until after His mortal ministry had concluded).  King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon testified, Jesus would “suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death” (Mosiah 3:7).  He would also “go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases” (3:5).  Those preparing for the Savior’s advent needed the reassurance that Father in Heaven had not abandoned them or left them to the devices of the adversary.  They needed to understand that through the Savior, they could “wash [and be made] … clean” if they would “cease to do evil” (Isaiah 1:16).  If they would have faith in Christ as though He had come and completed the Atonement, their scarlet sins would become “as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

To me, that is the key to the prophesies concerning Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Those who lived in the time before His coming had to exercise faith in Christ for what He would do, while we in these latter-days need to have faith in Christ for what He has done.  In either case, part of the test is to cling to our faith when the conventional wisdom of the world says: “Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see … it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers” (Alma 30:15-16).  On the other hand, we need to also keep from “looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14).  This is what caused people to miss Jesus when He was among them.  For us in the latter-days, I believe “looking beyond the mark” would lead us to set ourselves up as the guiding light (instead of being guided by the Light) and to shun the prophets because they don’t follow our personal agendas.

Another way in which Isaiah prepared the people for the coming of Jesus was by helping them understand the names by which He would be called: “and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (9:6).  These names not only identify who He is, but also reveal His characteristics.  President Ezra Taft Benson declared that Jesus “is given over one hundred different names in the Book of Mormon” (Ensign, Nov. 1987, 83).  I will touch on two that help me enhance my understanding of His personality and characterize not only His life during His sojourn on earth, but who He is and continues to be in my life.

First, Jesus Christ is our Comforter.  Usually we associate this title with the Holy Ghost.  Don’t worry, the Holy Ghost hasn’t lost this important role, but Jesus told His Jerusalem Apostles something very important about Himself as He lead them toward the Garden of Gethsemane on that critical atoning night: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16, emphasis added).  The emphasized word is the key. Jesus would pray for another Comforter to be given to the Apostles.  If the Holy Ghost is a second comforter, Jesus is the first.

We live in a time when Satan “rage[s] in the hearts of the children of men, … stir[s] them up to anger against that which is good” and causes “the whole earth [to] be in commotion (2 Nephi 28:20; D&C 45:26).  To liken the scriptures to our day, we could equate a scriptural moment Elder David A. Bednar reminded us of when “Alma’s people were frightened by an advancing Lamanite army.

‘But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but … should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them.  Therefore they hushed their fears’ (Mosiah 23:27-28).

“Notice Alma did not hush the people’s fears,” Elder Bednar continued. “Rather, Alma counseled the believers to remember the Lord and the deliverance only He could bestow (see 2 Nephi 2:8). And knowledge of the Savior’s protecting watchcare enabled the people to hush their own fears” ("Therefore They Hushed Their Fears," April 2015 Conference ).

Based on the earlier discussion, this episode shows the strength of the faith of Alma and his followers in the Savior’s role in their lives.  The Savior is our Comforter in troubled times whether those times are collective or personal.  Even though we may feel worried, distressed, or bleak, we can be assured that our Elder Brother will support us through our trials.  As I have stated in an earlier post, He will not carry us through our trials—to do so would deprive us of the opportunity to learn and stretch and grow—but He “will go before [our] face” and “will be on [our] right hand and on [our] left” (D&C 84:88).  If we put our trust in Jesus and seek to rely upon “the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8), He will grant us the comfort and peace “which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

The greatest way Jesus blesses us with such comfort is through the incomparable gift of redemption.  Someone who redeems another recovers them from captivity by ransom (see merriam-webster/redeem: 2a).  This is what Jesus did for us through His atoning sacrifice; He became our Redeemer.  He declared to His meridian disciples that He came “not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Significant in Heavenly Father’s perfect plan was the necessity of a fall.  Adam and Eve were the first to experience this.  Their fall placed the earth in a state where they could fulfill the first commandment to “multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28).  As father Lehi taught his son Jacob, “if Adam [and Eve] had not transgressed [they] would not have fallen … And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin” (2 Nephi 2:22-23).

Just as Adam and Eve’s transgression, and subsequent fall, cut them off from the presence of Heavenly Father, our sins also cause us to spiritually fall from Father’s presence.  Since “no unclean thing can dwell with God” (1 Nephi 10:21), if there was no way to overcome the stain of our sins, life would be bleak indeed.  However the great perspective of the gospel message teaches us that we need not remain in captivity to our sins.  It is possible, as Isaiah declared, to wash scarlet sins “as white as snow” (1:18).  Just as in our premortal life, we may overcome our personal, spiritual falls “by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11).

We can trust that through the Atonement Jesus “hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows … was wounded for our transgressions, … bruised for our iniquities … and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).  Elder Bednar testified: “The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity” (“Therefore They Hushed Their Fears”).  Truly, Jesus is our “Redeemer of Israel, … Our King, our Deliv'rer, our all” ("Redeemer of Israel," Hymns, 6).

I am thankful for the Savior’s perfect life.  Without it, my opportunity to return to Father’s presence would be forever lost.  I am grateful for the gospel message that He taught, the compassion that He showed, and the sacrifice that He made.  I stand all amazed at His love.  I hope that I can live my life in a way that would be pleasing to Him and to Father, that through my Elder Brother’s sacrifice, I may one day stand with confidence in the presence of God knowing that my Savior’s grace has helped me to achieve the blessings I seek.

Alice in Wonderland

Ben participated in his second play today.  I mentioned in my post  for the Arsenic and Old Lace production that he had said the class would next tackle comedy sketches like Saturday Night Live or Studio C.  Turns out that what his drama teacher decided on instead was a modern version of Alice in Wonderland.  I say “modern” in the sense that the dialogue had references to modern day things.  In the beginning of the play, Alice is on a cellphone talking to a friend when the White Rabbit appears.  There was a reference to the movie The Matrix and references of Alice “Googling” things.  I guess this was to bring the dialogue a bit more into the 21st century.  The references weren’t overwhelming and the dialogue did seem more modern in other ways.  I was fine with that change.

The way this particular play was presented was different.  Instead of having the actors on a stage as before, the gymnasium was set up in a maze-like fashion that allowed the audience to move from scene to scene with Alice.  One of the reasons this was done was to give more people the opportunity to act.  Ben was the Mad Hatter in the tea party scene, but Ryan Thomas was the Mad Hatter in the trial scene at the end of the play.  There were 3 Alices, 2 White Rabbits, and several other characters that were played by at least two different people.  It was a clever way to try and involve everyone in the class, but leading up to the actual performance, Ben was a bit skeptical as to whether the concept would work or not (Jennifer, our resident thespian, also wondered how the group would be able to pull it off without any major problems).  For the most part, I think the production turned out pretty good and both Ben and Jen were pleasantly surprised at how the idea worked for the most part,

The two constructive criticisms I have are 1) the one drawback to having the scenes wind around fairly close together was that the dialogue from one scene sometimes became distracting to other scenes.  Ours was the second group of the night to go through Wonderland.  At one point, while with Humpty-Dumpty, I could hear the Mad Tea Party lines wafting over the partition which made it a bit difficult to hear our scene.  I don’t know how that could be remedied other than to spread the maze out a little bit more to keep the scenes for overlapping, but that would have meant more paper and materials used for the partitions.  This also leads me to criticism 2) some of the actors didn’t project very well.  I guess if they had all been projecting well, then the cacophony of voices would have been more difficult to cut through, but, there were lines that I completely missed because of actors using their inside voices when they should have been talking at least a little louder. J  During our time spent with the flowers, for instance, the only lines of dialogue I heard were Alice’s.  I could hardly hear the young ladies playing the flowers and I was straining to listen.  The other problem was with people who were wearing head gear.  I had a hard time hearing the Door Mouse because of the mouse head he was wearing.

Other than these details, however, I had an enjoyable time.  Our Alice was Alana Shutter.  She played Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace.  From what I understand, her being our Alice was planned.  Since the first play, she and Ben have become … friends.  I’m trying to do a typing tap dance here because I want to convey what has happened, but keep it in the realm that Ben has expressed to me.  What I mean by friends is that they both plan to go on missions and do not want to have a romance holding them back.  As such, they are refraining from calling themselves boyfriend and girlfriend, but they do have a … fondness for each other (hmm, I think I’m doing okay so far J).  They will be going to the prom together in a few weeks (she asked him, but he had been planning to ask her—go figure).  Anyway, she was our Alice and she did a very good job with her lines and her character.  Afterward she introduced herself to me because she didn’t think we’d been formally introduced to each other.  This caught me completely off-guard and, I will admit, flustered me to the point of talking nonsense (I suppose, in my defense, I could claim I was channeling Lewis Carroll ... probably not J).  When she thrust out her hand and said, “Hi, I’m Alana,” all I could stammer was, “I’m Chris … Brother Metcalfe … his dad [pointing in the direction of Ben].”  Yep, that’s me; articulate and sophisticated to the last.  Yeesh!  Oh, well, such is life. ☺

As I mentioned above, Ben was the Mad Hatter for the mad tea party scene.  The drama class had been putting on this play throughout the day for the high school students (Ben said they ran through it about 10 times during the school day).  As the afternoon progressed, he and the guy who played the March Hare started coming up with different actions to do during the scene in order to keep it fresh.  For us, they decided to switch hats with each other constantly throughout the scene (there were three available).  It was quite clever and they did it with such ease that I thought it was something they had been doing throughout their practices and performances until Ben told me otherwise afterword.  Ben did a very good job of conveying the Hatter’s … eccentricities, shall I say?  At one point, he stood up on a chair to say some of his lines (he swayed a bit at first and I couldn’t tell if that was part of the act or if he was trying to catch his balance—luckily I didn’t have to intervene J).  After watching him in both of these productions, I think Ben has a talent for acting—I guess it comes naturally with a mother who has a theater degree and a dad who acted in a few high school musicals.  However, I’m grateful that he considers it a hobby rather than a desired profession. J

We didn’t have our video camera with us and the lights were kept low in the gym, so I’m not sure if I would have been able to get any good shots during the performance.  I had to leave right after the play was completed to attend the weekly meeting with the missionaries, but as you can see, Jennifer was able to get some pictures of the cast when the final performance was completed.  It’s been fun watching Ben participate in these productions.  This was another reminder to me of how far he has come over the course of the school year.

April Conference Thoughts

What an amazing conference!  Last week, I stated in testimony meeting and my blog post that having conference during Easter weekend was a cool thing, but wow.  There were a bunch of talks that really stood out to me this time around.  It’s not that I’m not touched in some way by all of the talks I hear, but, usually there are three or four that stand out a little bit more than the others.  Since taking on this blogging endeavor, I’ve mentioned my conference thoughts  here and here.  But this time, what a feast!  I don’t know if I was more in tune with the Spirit or that these talks were what I spiritually needed to hear at this point in my life (probably both).  I liked my format from October, but I’ll try (key word) to be briefer to keep from turning this into a 3000 word post. J

“We’ll Ascend Together” – Linda K. Burton:  I was quite touched by her tribute to “husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and uncles who know who they are and who are doing their best to fulfill their God-given roles as described in the family proclamation, including righteously presiding and providing for and protecting their families.”  I needed to hear what she had to say.  I’ve struggled at times over the last nine months to a year as we’ve dealt with Ben’s situation and the trials that have come with it.  I’ve tried to do my best, but sometimes it’s felt like I’ve been running in quicksand.  Jennifer has been a huge support and has been an example of “the proverb ‘Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together.’”  (full talk here)

“The Parable of the Sower” – Elder Dallin H. Oaks:  Elder Oaks expansion upon the parable of the sower was wonderful.  Two main points: 1) while new converts to the Church may be described as the seeds falling in stony ground if they are rooted to the missionaries who taught them or to the various programs of the Church, this ground can also describe “long-term members” if they do not have a “firm and lasting conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Also, if “we are not rooted in the teachings of the gospel and regular in its practices, any one of us can develop a stony heart, which is stony ground for spiritual seeds”; and 2) in order to be the ground that yields a good harvest, it is “up to us to set the priorities and to do the things that make our soil good and our harvest plentiful. We must seek to be firmly rooted and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  What I get from this is we get we focus on consistently.  If we are striving to keep our focus on the Savior, we will to the things necessary to keep our spiritual soil fertile.  If our focus is somewhere else, we are in danger of becoming the type of ground from which the Lord cannot yield a spiritual harvest.  (full talk here)

“Choose to Believe” – Elder L. Whitney Clayton:  Using the true story of Sailor Gutzler, a 7-year-old girl who was the only survivor of a private airplane crash and who walked to safety, picking her way through blackberry briars, creeks and ditches in the dark, by following a light from a house located about a mile away as a backdrop, Elder Clayton taught us that as we “traverse our own spiritual wilderness and undertake our own rugged emotional journeys …  there will always be a spiritual light that beckons to us, giving us the hope of rescue and relief. That light shines from the Savior of all mankind, who is the Light of the World.”  When we “choose to open our hearts to the divine reality of the Savior”, putting belief into action, and never giving up, we will find “that believing in Him and in His redemptive power is the true path to ‘peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.’”  Quite a powerful message.  (full talk here)

“The Music of the Gospel” – Elder Wilford W. Andersen:  With his use of the music metaphor, I had to wonder if Elder Andersen was a former music teacher (his bio indicates not).  Regardless, his talk about the importance of not only teaching our children the “dance” of the gospel, but, more importantly, teaching them how to “hear the music” was very good if for nothing else but a reminder that "it takes diligent practice to perform beautiful music."  We can't forget that in order to play beautiful music, we need to consistently practice.  This is true with the gospel and definitely true with our families.  (full talk here)

“Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying” – Elder Dale G. Renlund:  I liked the way Elder Renlund used the quote from Nelson Mandela: “I’m no saint—that is, unless you think a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying” to frame his talk.  His message was very good, but sometimes I think people laugh in the strangest places.  As Elder Renlund came to the end, he commented: “If we don’t try, we’re just latter-day sinners; if we don’t persevere, we’re latter-day quitters; and if we don’t allow others to try, we’re just latter-day hypocrites.”  For some reason, there was laughter from the audience with the first two statements, but, thankfully, the last one elicited none. (full talk here)

“The Lord Is My Light” – Elder Quentin L. Cook:  The final address of the Saturday afternoon session.  It was quite timely based on the vocal opposition expressed during the sustaining of the general officers of the Church (I’m not going to say much about that—maybe some other time).  Sometimes the voices of the few who oppose seem louder than those who sustain and keep trying.  Elder Cook addressed that when he stated: “Some have asserted that more members are leaving the Church today and that there is more doubt and unbelief than in the past. This is simply not true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never been stronger. The number of members removing their names from the records of the Church has always been very small and is significantly less in recent years than in the past. The increase in demonstrably measurable areas, such as endowed members with a current temple recommend, adult full-tithe payers, and those serving missions, has been dramatic.”  This comment reminded me of what Elder Golden said back in November and served as an interesting juxtaposition from what had happened earlier in the meeting.  It was a message to me that the Lord knows how to inspire His servants to say what is necessary minutes, days, weeks, months or even years before the thing happens.  (full talk here)

“Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet” – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:  Wow!  To take the story from the letter written to him and weave it into a discussion of the Fall and the Atonement was amazing to listen to.  We are not “just hanging in a cold canyon somewhere in an indifferent universe”.  Because of the fulfillment of the Atonement, Jesus “unconditionally grant[ed] resurrection to every person … [and] provide[d] forgiveness for the personal sins of all”.  Our Elder Brother’s sacrifice—His ultimate service to us—“constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of this world.”  What an amazing gift He has given us!  (full talk here)

“The Gift of Grace” – President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:  On the heels of Elder Holland’s talk came this gem from President Uchtdorf.  I hope the principle of grace is understood more by Latter-day Saints now than it used to be, but sometimes I wonder.  One day I’ll approach this topic more fully, but I am so grateful for an inspired institute teacher at Cal State Fullerton (Brother Green) who first truly opened my spirit to the concept of grace.  Sometimes I think we as members get so caught up in the idea of being “saved by grace after all we can do” that we forget that all we can do is really very little in the economy of God.  As President Uchtdorf declared: “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God. Thinking that we can trade our good works for salvation is like buying a plane ticket and then supposing we own the airline.” (full talk here)

Random Thoughts: In the six months that has passed since I last saw President Monson, he has aged.  He looked better and sounded stronger Sunday morning, but seeing him like that was a bit surprising to me.  Speaking of this, I have feelings of melancholy as I watch these good brethren age.  They are definitely sustained by our faith and prayers and the Lord’s blessings, but they truly are “wear[ing] out [their] lives” in the service of God (D&C 123:13).  I’m beginning to think that only the release of death would stop President Packer from delivering an address at conference.  I mean that in a good way.  I had to really pay attention to him to hear what he was saying, but you can’t beat the winning combination of “a cookie and a kiss.” J  Wonderful as always.  I love the two day spiritual feast and look forward to reading these addresses again to glean more from them.