Odd mind wanderings

So, last night I was talking to Alisa, and I don't know how it came up, but I was thinking, they just don't advertise coffee like they used to. I remember back in the day coffee commercials were all over the place. Folger's crystals, Juan Valdez, Sanka, whatever that international thingy was were you drank it while you remembered that wonderful holiday in Paris, the one were some older son who had been gone for a long time came home on Christmas morning as a surprise, I mean they were everywhere.

I don't see coffee commercials anymore. Is it just me? Do I not watch enough T.V.? This seems odd to me. It can't be that they don't need to advertise, there are still plenty of different companies vying for that lucrative home brewed coffee dollar I would think. But I just don't see them anymore.

Weird.

Not sure exactly why this is hard to understand.

There are many things the church doesn't have a specific stance on. There are some things that the church has suggested stances on. And there are many things that the church has a specific stance on.

Now, no one is required to walk in lock step with the church. The church cannot compel one's obedience, nor does it have desire to. As it has been since the days of Joseph Smith, the church seeks to teach correct principles, and let people govern themselves. Because of this, I think some people mistakenly believe that church doctrine is somehow up for debate, or discussion, or vote. Agency doesn't mean the freedom to decide what is right, merely what one is going to do with the knowledge of what is right. You can always disagree, but your opinion doesn't change what is right and what is wrong.

On MSNBC today I read this article. It is annoying to read comments like the following:

We need a place where people can have a discussion and get information," said Laura Compton, a contributor at MormonsforMarriage.com. "And people need to know that it's not coming from an anti-Mormon place, or a gay Castro district place. It's coming from a faithful place."

Its not coming from a faithful place. Its coming from one of two places, either someone who has no problem standing in direct opposition to the public stances the church takes, or someone who just flat out does not understand how the church works.

There is a great quote by a church spokesperson in the article, its says:

"The Church, of course, recognizes and accepts that some among its very large membership may view the issue differently," Farah said in a statement."Church leaders teach important principles and invite our members to govern their lives by those principles. We do not desire to compel them, nor can we do so."

No one is compelled to believe anything. But, just because an individual decides that they do not want to stand with the brethren, doesn't mean that those aspects of doctrine can be ignored, debated, or argued over hoping to change them. Not while at the same time claiming to be a faithful member of the church.

This goes right on the list of responses by supposedly faithful members that make no sense to me with responses to Pres. Benson's talk imploring mothers to come home, and Sister Beck's talk about Mother's who know.

Can't wait

So, the new season of shows is coming out, it is looking good. I am especially
excited for The Office.




Mark had wanted to see that one, so I found it. They have had some great commercials on during the olympics. Still my favorite show, hopefully season 5 keeps it going.

Also looking forward to:

Heroes (though I will need to catch up on last season.)
Lost (yeah, I know that doesn't start until like January, I can still think its awesome, though again, because Alisa and I watch it on DVD, we still need to see season 4).
BYU football. I don't care if it isn't a TV show, I'm still excited, and its my blog and my list, so there.

facebook

I have enjoyed facebook because it lets me find people. But now I have a new reason to like it, mob wars. This game has been pretty fun.

All of you who are my friends on facebook have been sent invites, you need to join my mob now, even if you don't ever want to play, joining my mob helps me out, so join. Now.

Traveling

So, Alisa and I have been traveling a bunch in the last week and a half. First we went to Yellowstone. It was a great trip, we took the kids, and went with both my siblings, and Alisa's. It was a great trip.




This is us at the crest of the upper falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. I don't think I had ever been here before, but the north rim of the canyon is currently closed, so we went to some new spots to see the falls.




This one is of the lower falls, as seen from artists point.

Anyway, this trip was tons of fun. We wrapped it up by going to Loll for a staff reunion. This was also tons of fun. There were way too many mosquitoes, but Loll is always fabulous. Our kids loved it, I think.




After we got home from yellowstone (I won't mention how on the way home, we got a flat again, and I won't mention how that happens every, single, time, that I take Amelia to Loll. I wouldn't do that, I'll just stay quiet.) Alisa and I headed out for San Francisco. Me on business, Alisa to take advantage of a great hotel room.

San Francisco is a wonderful city to visit, it was like 67 degrees every day, and it is a great city to walk around in.

Here is Alisa in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.



Anyway, we had so much fun, it was a great week of trips.