Another flashback

I've got to get my act together and do something current. In the meantime...


On this day the day of our Lord (being a Sunday), I was about trying to improve the righteousness of my Sabbath Day observance. In doing so I happily resolved to accept the invitation of the Elders to a teaching appointment that subsequently fell through. Left with an hour – a completely arbitrary amount of time, but agreed upon by all parties, at least implicitly – we resorted to the bane and blessing of all those who call themselves missionaries of the Lord. It was time to tract. I was with Elder Jones, we met many fine people. Matt was the stand out and he quite happily accepted a pamphlet which was rather nice of him. He seemed to posses a keen mind, and may have been the type who was always asking questions in the hope of proving his supreme intelligence by the impossibility of their being answered. In spite of this we all got along swimmingly. Now amidst our efforts, which were rewarded with no major manifestation of success to speak of, we still however managed to achieve something of merit. Resigned to the fact that we might as well converse rather than be swallowed up by the awkwardness and oblivion that the alternative, silence offered, we began to speak at length. Never being one for idle chatter I made a point to plunge us head first with milstone attached into the ocean of the deep and meaningfuls. As I have already hinted this strategy did not go unrewarded. We found our way eventually to the topic of balance (contrary to what certain motivational speakers may have you believe this is the true "secret" to the universe: to do what is needed, when it is needed, but I digress). He shared with me this wonderful advice from his mission president. A much younger and not yet President (of the Auckland mission), but 'merely' Brother Cook was faced with the considerable task of raising a family of two children, working two Jobs, studying, being a husband and also a full time member of the church. He and his wife decided to plan to do all the gospel things first, the prayers, the study the service and then plan everything else around those important activities. Simple, pure, brilliant.