Writing Home

From time to time, I receive emails from family of missionaries asking me if they can include my missionary strips in the emails they send to their sons or daughters engaged in the work. I'm happy to oblige since I can't think of a better use of the strips.

That being said, I doubt anyone is going to want to send today's strip to their missionary--you wouldn't want to give them any ideas.

(This week's strip featured at deseretnews.com is the very last. Elder Van Dyke presents his homecoming talk.)

By Their Bricks Ye Shall Know Them

This one is dedicated to my children, who have been asking for a Lego-themed gag long before the Lego Movie premiered.

(Incidentally, I discovered that--for me, anyway--drawing more than one of those minifigures with exactly the same dimensions is pretty much impossible.)

Laundry Instructions

(Elder Van Dyke struggles to adjust to post-mission life in today's strip featured at deseretnews.com.)

Tarzan the Ape Man

This little gag might be a little more juvenile than most of my gags, but that's okay. Because this gag is featured in the Friend this month.

Dirty Socks

Confession time: as a missionary, I went over a year without washing my washcloth I used in the shower. It sends shivers down my spine just thinking of it now, but back then I figured it was coming into contact with soap every day so it was pretty much impossible for it to every get dirty. It was only after I began to notice that it was always slimy that I started throwing it into the wash.

(Elder Van Dyke meets his family at the airport at the conclusion of his mission at deseretnews.com.)

When Daddy Comes Home

Sometimes it's Mom who's so glad when Daddy comes home.

Dirty Laundry

As a missionary, I never bothered separating my darks from my whites (mostly because about the only darks I ever washed were socks). Couple that with the fact that I wore the same half dozen shirts for two years straight and it was no surprise that all my white shirts came home a certain shade of gray.

(Hey, you'll want to read Elder Ryan's exit interview over at deseretnews.com.)

Wrong Coat

I'm intrigued by the number of times clothing is deliberately rent in the scriptures. It happens all the time in the Old Testament and Captain Moroni made it quite popular with the Nephites for a time.

Typically, it's done as a sign of great anger, grief, or despair; but it strikes me as a silly practice. I mean, if you're angry, grieving, or despairing to begin with; just think how much more you'll be once you realize you've torn your best clothing.

Presents

After the age of ten or so, when it's socially frowned upon to play with action figures and dolls, birthday presents lose some of their fun. This is especially true as a missionary, when you're even more restricted in the types of gifts you can receive.

(Here's another strip via deseretnews.com.)