6.14.16 Preparing a talk

I was reading Greg the blog posts as we drove home from a wedding Saturday and his only comment was "You do put a positive spin on things..."

So for another real not so "spun" post here goes. We got caught unaware that Anna had a youth talk on Sunday. This happened with Harold last week, and all too often with the kids in primary. So we decided that we would have the kids prepare a talk to tuck in their scriptures to be prepared. This went along with an experience Greg had on his mission of his mission president requiring the elders to prepare a talk just in case every month. It is a good idea to be prepared and learn to prepare talks.

However, as life ALWAYS does on the farm it was not pretty and quick. What really happened was this.

The girls got their talks done before dinner. That wasn’t hard because dinner did not happen until 8:30. We NEVER sit down as a complete family to say prayer on the food, no matter how long I wait. There are always lingering chores and catastrophes to be addressed. Tonight with a “I’ll be home quickly”- dinner was almost done at this point- we said goodbye to the boys and dad. Well 2.5 hours later they meandered back home.

Addie spoke on prayer

Come to find out they had found a smoldering manure fire that was close to the barn and had to spend time digging a huge hole of manure then filling the hole with water to hopefully quench the smolder. This problem was started by a not understanding curious 10 year old at our house!!! GRRR!!! Of course no mention was made by the 10 year old yesterday that he had been playing/burning weeds with matches. Then having to get the perpetually cold animal fence hot, and the other sundry chores it took forever. Little kids were starving, mom was boiling mad, and it was the usual frustrating Sunday dinner. 

MArk spoke on hens gathering their chickens

From there we heard the prepared talks. The non-writers meaning hate-physically-forming-letters on paper boys were the usual challenge. Those boys have great ideas and content it just takes hours on end of pencil dragging and corralling the wandering  thoughts scribbled on paper to get a coherent story. Stress really irritates my hip thing. I find when I get really worked up it flares up too. This did not help.  But after repeated elongated attempts they managed cohesive, spiritual and doctrinally sound talks and all in all the event was worthwhile. It’s now past 11 and we are striving for bed. I can’t say I want to snuggle with them tonight, I mostly want it quiet and to have some peace from the crying of the last hour. 

Aliza spoke on going to the temple.

Harold spoke on prayer and the ability to make your life better. Anna spoke on the power of priesthood blessings.

John spoke on the symbolism of dragons in the scriptures.

So preparing talks was a good idea, an intense struggle, and a mission accomplished, and that’s the real way it happened. Until next time.