Jack on the Law

We had Stake Conference today and I have a few thoughts to share about that.  First, a Jack story.  Before that, a realization - I need a little note book that I can carry around with me so I can record specifics.  When I record one of the kids testimonies in here it is because I quickly record it on paper.  That makes it easy to remember the details.  Without those quick notes I sometimes have difficulty in remembering lots of the little details in our experiences.  Last night for instance, Jack started singing a song about steam engines.  It was actually quite good.  I was wondering if he picked it up on one of his Railroad DVDs but no, it was an original song.  I am sorry that I cannot remember it.  Perhaps a sign of age.

Anyhow, a story I do remember:  We were unloading chairs back at our chapel after Stake Conference today and following that we headed home.  Layne Papenfus was in the car with us and he was conversing with Jack.  Jack had said something about liking to relax his head in the car and look out the window.  Layne said he liked to do the same and asked what Jack liked to look for when he did that.  Natty chimed in with something about looking for turtles and then Jack decided to give him the low down on the law.  "Police pull over speeding cars" said Jack.  I asked what else the police did.  Andy spoke up saying: 'cops catch the bad guys' to which Jack says 'ooohhh, good call Andy'.  It was a pretty funny moment.  The kids then went on to inform Layne and I that there are two things that happen when a cop catches a bad guy - they either go to jail or they get killed.  I had no idea the police were so harsh.  Anyway, they shared a few more details on the topic of jail or death.  I told Layne that I'm sure he had no idea when he climbed in our car that his understanding of law enforcement was going to increase so dramatically.   It was a fun ride home, educational anyway.   I encouraged Layne not to get pulled over until he was quite old and ready to die.

I was able to attend the Priesthood Leadership meeting this morning as part of Stake Conference.  It was a great meeting.  President Fawson spoke as did a high priest regarding faith and conversion and home teaching.  The Stake Presidency then spoke also sharing very powerful messages along the same lines of conversion and doing.  President Schmutz issued a challenge that we as priesthood leaders visit the homes of all the members before the end of the year.  President Schmutz also shared a fencing analogy and discussed the need to have it tight and straight.  Sometimes when he was putting up fences and driving in the steel posts he would hit rock.  They did not have the luxury of moving the location of the post and so they would either drive it until the broke through it or they would have to dig out the rock.  Anyhow, in the end if you were to look at the fence down the line it would be perfectly straight so that it appeared to only be one post.

The General or Sunday session of Stake Conference was a broadcast.  Elder Russel M. Nelson presided and Elder Callister of the 70 conducted the meeting.  All of the talks were great.  Elder Callister spoke about marriage and in doing so addressed a few things concerning divorce.  I thought they were spot on.  He said that the challenges that exist in marriages of those who get divorced are very similar to the challenges being faced by most couples.  There are couples that are committed regardless of the challenges that they face and then there are those who are not.  I heard this or something along this line from Sister Friddle back in the day,   Actually, now that I think of it, this may have been by a different author in something Sister Friddle had us look at.  Anyhow, many of the challenges that exist don't simply go away by changing your spouse.  There are still things that you are going to have to learn personally, things that you need to overcome regardless of who you are married to.  Gosh, this can get interpreted incorrectly if I am not careful.  In some situations there are spouses who simply will not commit to the marriage.  They will not commit to do what needs to be done to overcome the challenges of married life. There are spouses who are not faithful.  These things do not exist in every marriage relationship.  Normal challenges will exist but that is part of the journey of becoming one.  I don't know, it is late and I am starting to ramble.  I guess all I want to say is I appreciated Elder Callisters comments and council.  I experienced the heartache that comes when your spouse is not committed to the relationship and is unwilling to do whatever it takes to make it work. It is not pleasant and certainly not easy.

I am going to stop there.  I have more thoughts on the matter but my brain function has stalled for the evening.  I am bobbing my head occasionally and heavy eyed.  If I am not careful I could do something foolish and then find the cops at my door ready to arrest me or shoot me down to nothing.  We can't have that and so, I close.