What If You Really Just Suck at the Assigned Topic?

Many of you know that speaking in Sacrament Meeting is my all-time favorite thing to do. Honestly, it's the most fun thing we get to do in our church. I'd speak every week if they'd let me, and I'm not even kidding. So this past Sunday, when a bishopric member pulled me aside and asked me if I'd speak the last Sunday of this month, I was understandably delighted. That is, until he told me the topic.

What do you do if you really just suck at the assigned topic?

Because that's the case here.

When I came home, I told my family that I get to speak later this month, and they were super happy because they know how much I love to speak, and they like me to be happy. Then I asked them to guess the topic. I told them it's something I'm really, really bad at. Then they started listing things, so I guess I must suck at lots of Gospel topics, but eventually they guessed right:

Fasting.

Yeah, I really struggle with this one. I think it's partly cultural. As adults converts, Gerald and I did not grow up fasting. It was a foreign concept to us, and now, all these years later, it sort of still is. Perhaps it's just that I really like food a lot, and I don't like to be hungry? But for whatever reason, I've never fully embraced this principle or incorporated into my life, at least not regularly.

And now I have to speak about it in Sacrament Meeting.

Okay, nothing, absolutely nothing, would take away from my joy in getting to speak. I'm thrilled. But I needed to figure out a way to proceed. I want to teach the principle, but I don't want to be a hypocrite. So I asked for help from people I trust: first, an LDS Facebook group I belong to; and second, my family. One person from the FB group had this suggestion: "You should fast until you gain a testimony of fasting. That way, you'll either be ready to give the talk, or you won't have to." Ha!

Then my son and recently returned missionary, Eli, has this to say: "Hahaha, that's hilarious. So what are you going to do? Say 'I don't fast, but it's a good idea. Amen.'"

Ah, no. I think maybe I WON'T use either of those two suggestions. Instead, I was reminded of a conversation I once had with a friend and member of our Stake Presidency in Washington. For some reason, we were discussing this exact issue: how to teach a principle when you know you don't live it very well yourself. His opinion was that it doesn't matter. In our church, we teach principles; we teach the ideal. We know full well that none of us is perfect and that none of us lives all Gospel principles perfectly all the time. If that were true, we probably wouldn't need to be here, yet here we are! Here we are on this beautiful earth, blessed with families, friends, Gospel principles to guide us, and most importantly, a Savior to rescue us when we need rescuing. We are here to grow, to learn, to practice living the Gospel, and to improve ourselves day by day. And knowing we all fall short here, there, and everywhere, we still teach true principles. We still teach the ideal.

That is what I will seek to do in this talk. Those of you in the Union Park 6th Ward can see how that all goes a week from Sunday. The rest of you....wish me luck.

Dropped Out of School, or Kicked Out of the House

Kids are funny. There's no doubt about about that. And we moms tend to think our own kids are the funniest. But mine actually are.

So today I'd like to focus on my youngest two.

First Eli. As some background, let's just say that Eli doesn't really love to do schoolwork. That is not to say that he doesn't like school. He likes lots of things about school, most especially the social aspects. Let's be honest; Eli is a Webster through and through. But when it comes to doing homework, you know, the assignments given by teachers at school, he is not all that impressed. So every week or so, usually on Tuesday because he has only one class on Tuesday, I receive a call. I see "Eli Webster" on my Caller ID, and I get super excited because I just love to hear from Eli. Then comes his sweet voice, usually telling me that he does not want to do his homework and that instead, he thinks he will just drop out. (I'd like to point out that in the end, Eli always does his homework, and currently, over half way into the semester, he is earning an A in every class).

However.

He doesn't like to do homework or write papers or read stuff or study for tests. Not one of those things does he like to do. So our last Tuesday's conversation was even more hilarious than usual:

Me: Hi Eli!

Eli: Sup, Mom?

Me: Not much. How are you?

Eli: I don't want to do my homework.

Me: Well, you have to, Eli.

Eli: But I really don't want to read all this stuff or write this essay.

Me: I know you don't want to do those things, but you have to.

Eli: I think I will just drop out instead.

Me: Eli, you are not dropping out of your classes.

Gerald (overhearing my end of the conversation): What classes does he want to drop out of?

Me: I think he wants to drop out of all of them.

Eli: No, I'm gonna stay in my College Success class.


And then there is Seth.

As some background, most of you know that Shulamith and her husband and two babies live downstairs in an apartment under our house. It's the best thing ever! And I mean ever! Her son, Swen is 2 1/2. I don't know how familiar you are with 2 1/2-year-olds, but they are extremely productive. And determined. And relentless. And skilled! Swen is particularly so. He has an agenda, a very serious one. It includes such things as taking all the silverware out of the drawer and scattering it all over the kitchen and dining room. It includes finding both the garbage and recycling containers, and insisting that we take out the semi-full bags and replace them with fresh bags, so he can "play garbage," which means to gather every single item he can find in the house and put it into one of the two garbage cans. It includes taking all his toys (and some non-toys) and throwing them, one by one, over the railing and onto the furniture in the living room below. It includes removing all the plastic bags from their package and spreading them all over the floor. And that is only a partial list of Swen's important work.

And he is so very good at it. I'm pretty sure no toddler in the history of toddler-hood can trash a house any more quickly or efficiently. In fact, the last toddler I remember who could achieve this level of job performance was a little boy named Seth. That's right, my own child, who is now 14. Problem is, Seth has no memory of doing this very important work. None at all. So the other night, after Swen had ransacked the house, and I was begging Seth to help me clean it all up, he and I had this conversation:

Seth: I don't think you should let Swen live here anymore.

Me: What? Swen can live here as long as he wants to. What are you talking about?

Seth: No, you really need to kick him out. Shulamith and Matt and Kennedy can still live here, but Swen needs to go.

Me: Where you would suggest he go?

Seth: He could go to a foster home! We could all still visit him every day, so we wouldn't miss him, but he could destroy someone else's house.

"From the Heart" Touched My Heart

I know I have zero objectivity when it comes to my children. And I know you know that too. So I won't blame you if you don't believe me when I tell you that the fireside I attended Sunday evening, a choir performance by "From the Heart," a community choir in Rexburg, was BEYOND amazing.

But it was.

So I'm going to tell you, even if you don't believe me.

Saturday morning, we drove through McDonald's, and with yummy (Read: fattening) sausage biscuit sandwiches and large Diet Cokes in hand, Gerald, Seth, and I were on the road to Rexburg. It would be a quick trip. "From the Heart" presents firesides every Sunday evening on the BYU-Idaho campus. I teach English every Monday morning on the LDS Business College campus. In order to attend both things, I would need to drive between Rexburg and Salt Lake City very late Sunday night. Lucky for me, Gerald volunteered to drive instead. I am grateful.

We arrived in Rexburg around 1:00 Saturday afternoon and immediately picked up Eli at his apartment near campus. Following lunch at the Pie Cafe, we spent the afternoon visiting Lindsey and her family. Eli's choice to attend BYU-I has many merits: gospel-centered education, smallish classes, low cost, to name just a few. But selfishly, for me, trumping all those things is the fact that Lindsey lives in Rexburg.

After dinner, we dropped Eli and Seth back at Eli's apartment. Yes, Seth got to stay overnight with Eli and live the college life for one day. Eli's roommates even let Seth show them magic tricks. How cool is that? Gerald and I stayed with Lindsey and David, where we all stayed up way too late visiting, but it was worth every lost second of sleep just to have that time with them. Kids are growing way too fast just as all kids do, and Baby Olivia doesn't know me at all (sigh).

Sunday, we attended church in their ward, while Seth went to the singles' ward with Eli and watched him teach Gospel Doctrine. Delicious chili and corn bread (Lindsey is a crazy good cook) with the Mechams, and finally, it was time for the principal purpose for our trip, the "From the Heart" choir fireside.

We entered the Gordon B. Hinckley building to find 40 or so choir members scurrying to prepare for their performance. For the next 75 minutes, we were mesmerized, totally captivated by a combination of gorgeous voices and the spirit that shone forth from radiant faces. Through song and word, they taught of Jesus, of his love, of his grace, and of his atoning sacrifice. Some of their songs were standards, including "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," "Amazing Grace," and "Beautiful Savior." Others I didn't know, but now I want to know them. My little Eli sang the sweetest solo at the very end. You don't even know how proud I was.

We took a quick photo (above), hugged goodbye, and left. Gerald brought us safely home while Seth and I slept in the car.

If you get a chance to experience this choir, you should take it. If you are in Rexburg on any Sunday evening, you should go. If you are in Billings, Montana when they tour there the second weekend in December, you should go.

I know I have zero objectivity when it comes to my children. And I know you know that too. So I won't blame you if you don't believe me when I tell you that the fireside I attended Sunday evening, a choir performance by "From the Heart," a community choir in Rexburg, was BEYOND amazing.

But it was.

So I'm going to tell you, even if you don't believe me.