Adventures in Sunday School: My Answer FWIW

I gave my answer in four parts; and with the ensuing discussion we had a very different lesson than I originally planned, but very productive all the same. I like to think the kids came away with something to think about which is really my goal with the class, to get them to contemplate their testimonies on a deeper level so that when the challenges come to them in the future they can better withstand the storm.

Part 1: Why is it there?
They are trying to make the point that spirits can be foreordained to great things, and that we as potential parents should keep that in mind when we chose to have or not have kids. That is to say your future child could literally be a prophet one day and if you chose not to have said child think of the possible loss.

To put that in perspective it was not all that long ago in the church where the unofficial prevailing belief that it was a sin not to have as many children as possible. If you where to do a quick Google search on Mormons and Birth Control you would easily find some quite harsh quotes to that effect.

(I didn’t share this in class but here is an example)

Joseph Fielding Smith

Those who attempt to pervert the ways of the Lord, and to prevent their offspring from coming into the world...are guilty of one of the most heinous crimes in the category. There is no promise of eternal salvation and exaltation for such as they...

Part 2: What I believe to be the understanding today
How many children you have comes down to three people, regardless of what anyone else thinks. You, your spouse, and the Lord. If all three of you are in agreement about your decision then nothing else matters.

(Again here is a quote I have looked up since then class expressing that opinion)

Church Handbook of Instructions
January 1999

It is the privilege of married couples who are able to bear children to provide mortal bodies for the spirit children of God, whom they are then responsible to nurture and rear. The decision as to how many chldren to have and when to have them is extremely intimate and private and should be left between the couple and the Lord. Church members should not judge one another in this matter.

Part 3: Where I share a personal example.
My first three kids were boys all approximately three years apart. We got surprised by number four 16 months later but she was our beautiful little girl. Lisa and I both came to the conclusion that we were done, complete now that we had a daughter. So it was all well and good between us but we forgot to include the third partner in the decision. So over the next few months started getting strong impressions that we were supposed to have one more. I just dismissed it as buyer’s remorse and I would get over it soon enough. Then I started getting even stronger impressions that we would have one more and it would be a boy. Still I wasn’t convinced and just kept it to myself. Then one day I was reading a book and as clear as day I knew I was supposed to have one more child, that it would be a boy, and his name would be Joseph Talmage.

I finally decided that I had to go revisit the decision we were done having kids with Lisa, which wasn’t easy due to us having four kids including two under two (and both in diapers). But as soon as I said I think we are supposed to have another baby and it would be a boy Lisa immediately said she had been getting the same feelings as well. Then I shared that his name had been given to me and even though she hadn’t had that feeling yet, as soon as I said Joseph Talmage she knew that would be his name (i.e. the spirit confirmed it for her strongly). So 18 months after our daughter we had baby number five, another boy who we now call JT. And then we all felt we had reached the number of kids we were supposed to have.

Though I did share that if he had been a girl we were going to call him Josephina and be done with it :-)

Part 4: The follow up
I made it clear that the topic of birth control was one that a lot of people had very strong feelings about and that my understanding may not be the correct one, or one that their parents might disagree with it. I highly encouraged them to talk with their parents to see what they thought about the topic before reaching any conclusion for their own life. Following class I made sure to visit with each of the parents in the foyer and shared parts one, two, and four with them and that I asked their kids to discuss it with them.

I have since heard from several of the parents that they have had some really good talks with their kids about the subject. I think it overall I would call this a teaching success.

The Devil of Nanking – Book #10

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| Title |The Devil of Nanking |
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| Author |Mo Hayder |
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| Genre |Adult Mystery (partly Historical) |
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| Pages |359 |
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| Publisher |Grove Press |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2004 |
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Synopsis (from web-site)
British student, 'Grey', is obsessed with a past she cannot understand. She comes to Tokyo following rumours of a rare piece of film footage shot during the notorious Nanking Massacre in 1937. The film, if it exists, has been lost for decades. Only one man can help: Shi Chongming, now a visiting professor at the prestigious university of Tokyo , is a survivor of the massacre and holds the key to Grey's search. But will he help her? Increasingly desperate in an alien city where she knows no one, Grey accepts a job as a hostess in an upmarket nightspot catering for Japanese businessmen and wealthy gangsters. One gangster dominates. An old man in a wheelchair guarded by a terrifying entourage, he is rumoured to rely on a powerful elixir for his continued health. It is an elixir that others want for themselves – at any price.

Why I read It
This also turned up on a lot of “the best of” mysteries of the last decade lists. Given mystery is my favorite genre I have been trying to make sure I didn’t miss out on any of the good stuff. For the most part I had the top ten covered already except for this and Kate Atkinson below.

What I Thought About It
Really, really liked this. Had a lot of my favorite things covered like a historical aspect to the story, based in Japan (love Japanese mysteries), English writer, and a solid story to boot. This book explores the idea that people will do some truly evil things and feel perfectly okay justifying it in some belief system. Now we as the average Joe may not be some nasty in our lives, but I see more moderate approaches to this cruelty all the time. Read it in one day it was that good.

Mormon Mentions
None

Author Biography

Hayder left school at fifteen, and has worked as a barmaid, security guard, film-maker, hostess in a Tokyo club, educational administrator and a teacher of English as a foreign language. Hayder has an MA in film from The American University in Washington DC, and an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University - where she now teaches.

Her debut novel, Birdman, was published in 2000 to wide acclaim. Although some reviewers found the novel (which concerns a serial killer with a particularly vicious modus-operandi) too violent and disturbing, the book became an international bestseller. Birdman introduced readers to DI Jack Caffery, a character who also featured in Hayder's second novel, The Treatment. The Treatment tackled themes of paedophilia. DI Caffery has returned in Hayder's most recent novels, Ritual and Skin, which she has called the Walking Man series.

Mo Hayder lives just outside Bath, England with her partner, Bob Randell (retired police sgt of Avon & Somerset Police Underwater Search Unit), and her daughter.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Books #5-9

|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Title | The Lightning Thief (2005) |
| | The Sea of Monsters (2006) |
| | The Titan’s Curse (2007) |
| | The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008) |
| | The Last Olympian (2009) |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author | Rick Riordan |
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| Genre | Juvenile Fiction |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages | 377, 279, 312, 361, 381 respectively |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher | Hyperion |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright | See above |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|



Synopsis (from web-site)
Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a series of adventure and fantasy books authored by Rick Riordan. Set in the United States, the books are predominantly based on Greek mythology. The series consists of five books, as well as spin-off titles such as The Demigod Files and Demigods and Monsters. The Lightning Thief, the first book, is the basis of a film called Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, which is scheduled for release in the United States on February 12, 2010.

The protagonist is Percy Jackson, who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes. He learns that the legendary beings of Greek mythology still exist and have always existed, including monsters, cyclopes, empousai, Titans, and also the Olympians (Greek gods) themselves who dwell in Olympus which is now situated at the mythical 600th floor of the Empire State Building. He is frequently attacked by monsters because he is a child of one of the "Big Three" (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades). Percy meets many other young demigods, both friendly and hostile, who are also in the process of discovering their heritage and powers.

Why I read It
I saw the trailer for the new movie coming out and thought it looked interesting.


What I Thought About It
Great, fun read that the whole family has enjoyed. It is kind of a Harry Potter lite story but provides a decent beginners guide to who is who with the Olympic Gods. I can easily see this being a stepping stone to the classics for some kids (like the Iliad or the Odyssey) which is great. I imagine once the movies start coming these books will become even more popular. The best part is the ongoing story is complete in the 5 books available, so you can get the whole series at once and not have to wait around for years (aka Harry Potter). As I have inferred above, there are a lot of direct parallels to the Harry Potter series, but that is okay. They do tell their own story and actually seem educational at the end of the day.

Mormon Mentions
None

Author Biography

Riordan was born in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin where he double-majored in English and history. For fifteen years, he taught in public and private schools in California and in San Antonio. He was awarded Saint Mary’s Hall's first Master Teacher Award in 2002.

Riordan is the multi-award-winning author of the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults; his The Maze of Bones reached number one on the New York Times Best Seller list on September 28, 2008. His Percy Jackson and the Olympians series features a twelve-year-old boy who discovers he is the modern-day son of an ancient Greek god. Film rights have been purchased by Twentieth Century Fox and a feature film is in development. The film is set to be released on February 12, 2010. Riordan lives in San Antonio with his wife and their two sons. Recently, Riordan has stated that he is working on a new series based upon the Egyptian pantheon, which then turned out to be The Kane Chronicles, with the first book, The Red Pyramid, to be released May 4, 2010.

Super Bowl Commercials

My two favorites:



and this one:



How old is Abe Vigoda?? He was ancient when Barney Miller was running.

(only 89 I guess)

But my favorite one liner is the "Milk-a-what" from this Etrade add.

A little bit behind

So I got a cold.

A regular everyday sinus cold.

But just when I was getting over it I came home for lunch.

Within the next 30 minutes I became very, very sick.

By the time I got to the ER that night I had a temperature of 105°F, which is very hot for an adult.

Uncontrollable shaking.

I have been sick for almost three weeks, but now I feel better.

The residual cold sores are almost gone - I had three.

But now I am behind at work; a vicious cycle.

Anyways I have read over a dozen books so far this year and I will slowly catch up on that.

And maybe blog a little too.

Thank you for your patience, all two of you :-)

Case Histories – Book #4

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| Title | Case Histories |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author | Kate Atkinson |
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| Genre | Adult Mystery |
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| Pages | 310 |
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| Publisher | Little Brown & Company |
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| Copyright | 2004 |
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Synopsis (from web-site)
Investigating other people's tragedies and cock-ups and misfortunes was all he knew. He was used to being a voyeur, the outsider looking in, and nothing, but nothing, that anyone did surprised him any more. Yet despite everything he'd seen and done, inside Jackson there remained a belief — a small, battered and bruised belief — that his job was to help people be good rather than punish them for being bad.

Cambridge is sweltering, during an unusually hot summer. To Jackson Brodie, former police inspector turned private investigator, the world consists of one accounting sheet — Lost on the left, Found on the right — and the two never seem to balance.

Jackson has never felt at home in Cambridge, and has a failed marriage to prove it. Surrounded by death, intrigue and misfortune, his own life haunted by a family tragedy, he attempts to unravel three disparate case histories and begins to realise that in spite of apparent diversity, everything is connected...


Why I read It
This book is consistently rated as one of the top ten books of the first decade (this century). Consequently it has been on my “to read” list for quite a while and I happen to see it on the shelf at the library.

What I Thought About It
It started off slow, and it seemed to be three independent short stories told one chapter at a time. So much so that I looked through it to see if I could just read the stories one by one by jumping around. After settling my confusion I stuck with it due to all the phenomenal reviews and found the pace and the intertwining of the stories began to happen gradually until the speed and suspense built up to a very satisfying conclusion. This was not necessarily the style of mystery I go for, but I can state all the praise was well deserved.

Mormon Mentions
None

Author Biography

Kate Atkinson was born in York and now lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award.

She is the author of a collection of short stories, Not the End of the World, and of the critically acclaimed novels Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Case Histories, and One Good Turn.

Case Histories introduced her readers to Jackson Brodie, former police inspector turned private investigator, and won the Saltire Book of the Year Award and the Prix Westminster. Her latest novel, the Richard & Judy Book Club and Galaxy British Book Awards 2009 shortlisted When Will There Be Good News?, also features Jackson Brodie and is out now in paperback

Pirate Latitudes – Book #3

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| Title | Pirate Latitudes |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
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| Genre | Adult Fiction |
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| Pages | 312 |
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| Publisher | HarperCollins |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright | 2009 |
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Synopsis (from web-site)
From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal.

The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, its capital, is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses.

In this steamy climate there's a living to be made, a living that can end swiftly by disease—or by dagger. For Captain Charles Hunter, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking, and the law of the land rests with those ruthless enough to make it.

Word in port is that the galleon El Trinidad, fresh from New Spain, is awaiting repairs in a nearby harbor. Heavily fortified, the impregnable harbor is guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself. With backing from a powerful ally, Hunter assembles a crew of ruffians to infiltrate the enemy outpost and commandeer El Trinidad, along with its fortune in Spanish gold. The raid is as perilous as the bloodiest tales of island legend, and Hunter will lose more than one man before he even sets foot on foreign shores, where dense jungle and the firepower of Spanish infantry stand between him and the treasure. . . .

Why I read It
Michael Crichton’s last book!

What I Thought About It
I really enjoy Crichton’s books, and when he is on there are few better. When he is off it is not because of quality, it is because it seems like he never fully threshed out the whole story. Unfortunately this book has that feel, but I think that was due to circumstances beyond his control. The story was solid and entertaining, very Pirates of the Caribbean feel to it, it just would have been nice if it had been several hundred pages longer.

Mormon Mentions
None

Author Biography

Michael Crichton was a writer and filmmaker, best known as the author of Jurassic Park and the creator of ER. His most recent novel, Pirate Latitudes, published posthumously in November 2009, is a suspenseful adventure story set in the 17th century.
Crichton graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College, received his MD from Harvard Medical School, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, researching public policy with Jacob Bronowski. He taught courses in anthropology at Cambridge University and writing at MIT. Crichton's 2004 bestseller, State of Fear, acknowledged the world was growing warmer, but challenged extreme anthropogenic warming scenarios. He predicted future warming at 0.8 degrees C. (His conclusions have been widely misstated.)