Turn Left

Monday, April 27, 2009 Posted In , , , Edit This 16 Comments »
MM and I take the opportunity to teach the children good solid principals whenever we can. We try to instill values like honesty, integrity and changing the toilet roll when it's empty, at least once a week.

Sometimes it works and we are rewarded with the dawning of comprehension on the child's face. But other times, it seems that we are talking to an alien who just transferred into the child's body and who hasn't yet learned to converse in our strange garbled language. "Uh, wha..? Ahhh.... huh?"

Recently, we tried to create a reverent and thought-provoking atmosphere when we played the Church conference talks in the car. It seemed to work well and the children were quietly listening until the GPS got involved. Imagine if you will, a scene of attentiveness to thoughtful words of wisdom... "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and... DRIVE SIX POINT FIVE MILES THEN TAKE EXIT THIRTY FOUR ON RIGHT."
Even President Monson was interfered with... "We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will... TURN LEFT AT WATSON STREET."

We were literally choking with laughter. At the end of the talks, I tried to redeem the situation by asking the
kids what was the most meaningful thing they learned. They assured me that they realized that at some time in their lives, they will, with earnest endeavour, make the life-affirming decision... to turn left.
At Watson Street.



16 brilliant observations:

Camille said...

One of lifes greatest lessons, turning left on Watson St. Isn't that what it's all about?

Momza said...

Hilarious! I love it!
Thanks for sharing!

Barbaloot said...

Hey-what a great way to make conference talks more interesting!

Not that I don't find them all fascinating....I'm just saying...

Kristina P. said...

I feel like there's some sort of life lesson metaphor in all of this.

Anonymous said...

That is Funny!!!

Unknown said...

Between my native absence of any sense of direction and my tendency to blurt out biblical references in times of great duress, like being lost because of the aforementioned direction issues, I'm pretty sure it will take both the conference talks AND the GPS just to get me to the pearly gates.

So RMax, you just significantly improved my chances of making it to the big CK! Thanks!

Reyjr said...

hahaha! ... hence the reason I followed your blog! :D

but really, i was looking for your post about the Honest Scrap Award that I was trying to trace back to its creator. :p

But I enjoyed your posts so much so I just followed. :D

honeypiehorse said...

Wow. You really walk the walk. I wish we could show your GPS to the early Christians. Thanks for your comment, the mind map is peppy but doesn't mention how bottled water produces lots of emmissions or Terra Pass. With Terra Pass you can offset your flights for like $17 or something, which buys that many offset credits of renewable energy to take the same amount of carbon out of the air as your flight puts in. If you buy tickets online you can usually buy offsets at the same time. Not quite the same as solar powered planes but we're getting there. So. . . are you coming to MUNICH???

Karen M. Peterson said...

Oh my gosh, I have tears from laughing so hard. That is hilarious!

And a very valuable lesson about listening to that little voice that tells you where to go...

CB said...

OK that was HILARIOUS! I love it when those random funny moments happen that will forever be a great family memory.
You discribed it so well I feel like I was there and I am still laughing!!
Love it!

Loralee and the gang... said...

I think that's great! Just as they are dozing off "turn west on Hwy 95"! Then they are on the edge of their seats listening to the talks, and how silly the next direction will make it sound.
But ya know what? I betcha they will remember those talks a lot better than they would've, don't you think?
:~D

Cheryl said...

Maybe I will send the girls home with you after EFY afterall, just for the fun time they can have with you guys driving 10 hours!! (I'd like to tag along too.)

Lissaloo said...

That is too funny! :)

rychelle said...

both are great sources of direction, right?

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

So funny! I'm laughing so hard that I finally had to tell the bishop what I was laughing at! Then he started laughing. Oh, mercy, you need to post more often!

verification word made me laugh...straball

J. Baxter said...

Turning left will never be meaningless again, and I repent for my former careless attitude.

And all the times I accidentally went right when someone said left. After reading this, I'm sure that must be a sin of great magnitude.