Homecoming Address

For the first month or so of my mission, I would find myself regularly thinking about my homecoming address. I was arranging and rearranging every experience I had into what would be an epic report.

And then, I forgot all about it and lost myself in the work. And, as a result, I was scrambling to put together a coherent message two years later.

Zombie Dinner Appointment

Any time I run a zombie gag, I feel it necessary to recognize Kevin Beckstrom--the unofficial king of LDS-themed zombie cartoons (why, I believe he even published one today).

Utah Accent

As experienced missionaries, my buddies and I would sometimes speak to each other in Slovene with exaggerated American accents. I sometimes wonder if our exaggerations weren't far off from how we sounded to the natives as we attempted to communicate in their language.

Fear the Reaper

For Elders Hammer and King, the missionaries serving in the Transylvania Central Mission, disturbing contacts are part of the job. Still, I imagine this particular door will remain with them for a long time.

Street Contacting for the First Time

It can be hard for a new missionary learning the language to follow what is going on around him. Here's a reminder to look for subtle non-verbal cues in an effort to ascertain meaning. For example: if a potential investigator is speaking in such a manner that spittle is flying from his mouth, chances are you are not returning for another lesson.

Helping Hands Minions

With recent highly publicized natural disasters striking a number of areas throughout the United States and Mexico, the Mormon Helping Hands program has been extremely active in the past couple of months. Helping Hands is a wonderful way for Latter-day Saints to assist those in need while providing the Church with a more positive reputation among those receiving aid.

Unfortunately, with their standard uniform of a bright yellow t-shirt and blue jeans, Helping Hands volunteers look awfully like the Minions from Despicable Me (especially when one's jeans are replaced with overalls) as faithful reader Emily P. observed.

Meeting the Trainer

The table setting has been done. Now we're about ready for Elder Van Dyke to start doing missionary work!

Standard Works

Between these and the collection of scriptures, the Church has a whole bunch of standard works.

Classic Music

This was pretty much the music policy in my mission (minus the Beatles and Led Zeppelin). My mission president served in Austria--the home to Mozart and Beethoven--so he wouldn't settle for anything but the best.

Although, I did get him to bend his policy a little when I asked for and received permission to listen to Bing Crosby at Christmastime.