Adult Session
Last night I enjoyed not one, not two, but three references to Heavenly Mother. Granted, one was in song, but the Temple President explicitly talked about Her twice. Score.

Sunday Session
A local branch of the Genesis Group was organized. I am an enthusiastic supporter–it will be interesting to see who else will be.

The closing song was sung by a Priesthood Choir IN LATIN. The Stake President (who had orchestrated it) earnestly apologized when he announced it, noting that it was most unusual, and said “I’m really sorry if it rocks your world.”

More of it, I say.

On the whole, I’d say it is a step forward. Maybe not a very important step, but it is a step.

It is New Beginnings season and since I have a Stake Calling, I get invited to attend 9 of them. Lucky me. This year, most New Beginnings programs have included (whether featured or mentioned) an introduction to the “new” Personal Progress program. They are not talking about the previously mentioned website. They are talking about the new book, journal, theme cards, pendants and rubies, posters, stickers (yes, stickers), and ribbons. Whew. It’s a lot of stuff.

While the program itself has not changed enormously (aside from turning very very pink), all of a sudden I am having flashbacks to my mom’s panicked Tuesday afternoon trips to the Scout Store to get the right badges and pins to present to the Cubs at the quickly-approaching Pack Meeting. Why do we need all this stuff to make goals and learning worthwhile?

For a while there, I had been tricked into thinking that the Young Men were coming our way: that Duty to God was finally a parallel program for Personal Progress. That Young Men, their leaders, and their parents might come to value that program more than the Scout program which, let’s face it, isn’t a Church program. Scouts is fine for those interested in scouting and seems like a better use of an adolescent’s time than video games, but it isn’t a religious program. I was excited that our youth were actually spending their time assisted by goal-setting programs that, while they may help kids develop life skills and testimonies, at least lent a structure to the youth program that was based in religious growth and understanding.

But, quite frankly, the addition of all this stuff makes the Personal Progress program look a lot more like a scouting program with all the extrinsic markers of experiences: done, values: developed, and progress: made. It feels very check-listy. It seems so juvenile.

Two steps back. At least.

Oh goodness: no honor bee in my future, I guess. As you can see, I am in a little bit of a Personal Progress funk: can you talk me out of it?

According to the Salt Lake Tribune the Ogden temple is getting a major makeover.

So here are some questions for you Mormon Mentality readers:

How lonely will the Provo temple feel after this?

Nothing against the new temples that have been built recently, but do all the Utah temples really need to look the same?

Finally, if it is going to cost the same as it would to tear it down and build a new one, is there a reason why that isn’t happening? The article indicates that the original building was something of an experiment in terms of lower quality construction. My understanding is that we’ve given up on that experiment. Why not just build a completely new building?

Eventually I started making noises and getting semi-belligerent. Another cashier showed up, finally, and charged me $40 for my three lunch items. I mentally calculated, however, that they could not cost me more than $15. Trying to be considerate to the people waiting behind me, pushed already to their absolute limit, I paid, and then examined my receipt. None of my lunch items were itemized: there was only a bill for $40!!

I then put my tray away and spoke to a manager, who advised me to write a letter of complaint. I was in the process of composing my thoughts when I awoke, and was left to ponder the meaning of it all.

I told my wife of my dream. She started groaning when I was still waiting in the cafetria line, and the groaning continued straight through to the letter of complaint. Her interpretation was immediate and decisive: she was appalled by the utter banality of my dream. It was, she said, the latest of a series of dreams that did not speak well for my character, where I am faced with trivial challenges, and overcome them in utterly predictable ways. My dreams, she said, suggested a squalid inner life, filled with ordinary preoccupations of the most inane and petty nature.

I’m wondering if there is not a Mormon perspective here that I am missing, and perhaps also my wife. Can anyone help me here? I stand accused …

I’m doing the book club again next month. This year, we’re reading Kathy Soper’s “The Year My Son and I Were Born.” It’s out in paperback!! I picked this book not because of the theme of raising a child with Down’s Syndrome, but because of the honest way Kathy approaches the subject. I was talking to a friend about it just this morning and she was thrilled when I told her that. She said books like that make her feel more human and normal. Yup. That it does.

I’ve read some really good books this year and I’m listing a few for those looking for good books to read or to share with your book club.

1. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett I think this is just a fantastic look into the hearts and minds of the black maids in the south in the 60’s. The writer, a southern white woman, captures their voice perfectly and I just delighted in her accomplishment. Great book.

2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski I can’t say I enjoyed this book. It was painful and I hated the ending. But it haunts me. I’ve read the reviews comparing the story to Hamlet and I guess those comparisons are apt. But there’s something lyrical in the writing that will capture you. Not a pleasant book. But worthy.

3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon The funniest book I’ve ever read

4. The Host, by Stephanie Meyer Better than Twilight in plot and writing

5. John Adams, by David McCullough I haven’t read this. But I feel guilty about it.

And there’s a new book out, called Devotion, by Dani Shapiro. I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard enough about it to believe it’s worth my time. It’s on my list. I think this would be a good exploration of spirituality for Mormon readers. If your bishop will let you.

Lastly, I loved “Eat, Pray, Love.” For one thing, I love to read about food. But I learned stuff from this book. About spirituality and learning to love and forgive yourself. I’ve read a lot of criticism of Elizabeth Gilbert and I think her husband is writing a counter-punch to her book, I guess she cheated on him. But this is a book I bought, and read twice. I might read it again.

I have been reading newspapers since I was about 10 years old. A story like the this one would rarely even be covered in my experience. It takes a sensational murder or other really heinous crime to make the news.

If it was covered in an article the religious affiliation of the alleged suspect would never be mentioned.

Why is the Salt Lake Tribune so biased?

I watched Fox religiously during that period because they echoed my chagrin with the process and what I believe was a completely undignified and unpatriotic response to the election results. (I also came to believe that Florida is basically crazy, across the board). If the election had gone the other way and Bush had behaved like Gore, I’d have reached the same conclusion. (I think Nixon did some great things in his career and conceding to Kennedy was one of them).

But then I got sick of the strident and harsh tone of the Fox News guys and I started clicking back and forth, trying to get a balanced picture of what’s going on our country (fair and balanced, they are so NOT—but nobody else is, either).

I’m back with Fox these days. Here’s why: someone known to me, who’s married, but didn’t work last year is getting back $10,000 in taxes!!!! While Bill and I are going to have to pay about $2000. Oh, wait, did I say getting BACK? That’s not quite correct. They’re not getting back anything. They’re getting a huge BONUS from the government for having kids and not working!!! Their spouse worked and payed some taxes, but nowhere near $10,000.

So I’m mad. And I’m mad at the president, the congress, the supreme court, the Peace Corps, the State Dept., my local dogcatcher & mayor.

And I am having a tea party and I am back watching Fox.

Fast forward 10-15 years.

Fry sauce is all the rage in my house. We have a 7 year old who has crafted his own special way of making it. Whenever we need some he grabs the ingredients and big spoon and makes the sauce. His secret ingredient is a dash of honey BBQ sauce.

Fry sauce is good with my kids on:

Ribs
Hot Dogs
Burgers
Eggs
Hashbrowns
Sausage
Fries
Tots
Chips
Pretzels
goldfish
Ritz excetera

So who invented Fry Sauce? Why is it such a Mormon thing? Can you find it outside of LDS areas?

Ignore the gender thing: what attributes and abilities could your Relief Society President bring to the office of Bishop that might work really well? Do you suppose it could be disastrous?

When I think of my current Bishop and Relief Society President, I think they could both be pretty good Bishops. They are both, by and large, fantastic people with many many characteristics that are well-suited to the duties of a Bishop. I personally think they have a few flaws, maybe a blind-spot here and there, but that just makes them human, doesn’t it?

In my Church experience, I have had a few clunkers of Bishops and that probably holds true for Relief Society Presidents, too, although as a child, I was not always aware of who held that position, so I have opinions of fewer of them. I have had some exemplary Relief Society Presidents, though, who I was sorry did not have more influence over the tone or direction of the ward.

Anyway, I wondered if my experience has been typical. Would your Relief Society President make an adequate Bishop?

I personally think that P Diddy is an uncouth yahoo and his kid in in process to be the same but I offer up this extreme example to illustrate the point that the birthday culture has gotten out of hand.

Many many times my kids have attended birthday parties that must have cost in excess of $500. Parties with clowns, bouncy houses, face painters etc.

You do not have to fall into the material trap of expensive parties. My oldest recently turned 10 and we had a birthday party for less then $50. We had an archery contest, played Madden 2010, had a basketball game, ate burgers, and watched a movie.

Afterwards several parents told me that their kid had reported that the party was as good as any they had been to.

What has your experience been with elaborate and over the top birthday parties?