Screen Time

 I have not left this flat today.  That came as a realization as I sat down at this computer.  It has been a nice day, and the weather outside our windows has been pleasant.  We've had the windows open and it has also been quiet out there.  Very few comings and goings.

We joined Oxford Second Ward for their sacrament meeting (the talks portion) in the morning.  The speaker (an Englishman) began his talk - with of all things - a funny little joke about The Lone Ranger and Tonto.  The point of his talk was "Right in Front of You."  He told of being raised in the church but not realizing much of anything about it until one day he had a very powerful experience with a spiritual experience.  He is about 48 or 49 now, and that experience from 30 years ago, still shapes his life.

We tuned into Oxford First Ward Sunday School.  We listened to an Oxford professor teach about Alma.  He has written a book about Alma 30 - 35, and it will not come out until December, but I very much want to read it.  

We had our own sacrament here together.  SK always reverently prepares the bread and water.  We listen to sacrament hymns and then he kneels and blesses it.  He always gets a little broken up when he does that.  He solemnly passes it to me and then he partakes.  It is a sweet experience.

We had a zoom call with two other senior couples in the England London Mission who are serving as YSA missionaries.  One of the couples is serving in "The Other Place" also known as Cambridge

Later, we listened to our home ward in Gilbert.  The main speaker was our son Derek.  He told of driving to an ASU game with his dad, and shared some of the advice SK has given him over the years.  It was an excellent talk....and SK got broken up!

To round out the day, we watched the "Why I Believe" fireside.  It is put together by our mission, and is always on the first Sunday evening of the month. This month all of the speakers were children or teens, and they shared some amazing testimonies.

My father would not approve of all of that screen time....and frankly, after a day of being onscreen so much, I would agree with him.  While it is all really excellent as far as content, there is something about staring at the screen all day that gets old.

Which is why I hope we can find a meaningful way to help our young adults and young missionaries with socializing in person - instead of onscreen.  They are online all day long listening to lectures and working on research and homework.  

There may not be anything we can do before the end of the year, but staying within the government edicts, we hope to find something for them to do besides looking at the screen.



Comments

melissa said…
Lots of GOOD screen time!!
November 1, 2020 at 10:03 PM
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