Conference

The day after conference is different.  For two days we have been spiritually fed in front of our television in our own home.  But we must get back to our routine. 

We missed Saturday morning as we were flying home after having checked in too late at the airport for them to adequately move our luggage.  But we did view all of the conference sessions after that.  I watched the Priesthood session of conference on the computer, as BYUtv didn't seem to be carrying it.  I am not sure what was going on at the Stake House. 

So Tucson will be getting a temple.  That is wonderful.  And missionaries can leave at the discretion of a bishop when they reach the age of 18 if they have a high school degree or the equivalent.  That will certainly change the numbers down the line of time in many ways.  I see it changing how many women go on a mission.  It will change the way colleges recruit for athletics.  It hopefully will help our young people do their higher ed in a single block of time and then get on with their family making.  Will it help them to get out of the habit of hanging out?  We'll see.  There will be many changes for our young people I can't even begin to think about. 

I was watching "The District" on BYUtv between sessions yesterday.  They were covering a young Elder Christensen.  I recognized him immediately as our friends grandson.  I taught his mother at Brighton High School and became acquainted with Reed and Kathleen Thacker as they would diligently come to Parent Teacher conferences.  It was fun to hear the story of Elder Christensen as he faced the challenge of serving a mission or pursuing a Rock Band lifestyle.  And they interviewed his parents who are in Florida.  Kathleen tells me it is a series and will keep going on Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m.  I will try hard to remember to turn the TV on at 4:30 p.m. Alaska time.  (Whoops!  We missed the first one.  We were teaching a Temple Preparation lesson to a young man who will be traveling to San Diego to go to the Temple for the first time this month.)

Diane taught the Temple Preparation lesson this afternoon.  She did a great job of preparing Landon for the sacred things of the Temple.

Conference lifted me up as it always does.  But I especially love to hear from the members of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency.  These special witnesses of the divinity of the Savior ring my Spiritual Bell loudly.  I am in awe at the wisdom they each possess and the way they so eloquently teach us.