Beneath the Wraps

           Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always been referred to as “a strange and peculiar people”. Perhaps one reason is because many members will spend time getting high on life instead of drugs.   We march to the beat of a different drummer in many minds – and while there are many who may find us odd, there are just as many who may admire us because of our values and being able to face challenges with a different perspective.           I remember both Corey and Joh were present when my youngest son got married.  As they waited for us on the outside and walked around temple square (I guess) Joh had many questions and would ask Corey – who by then had not been a member on record due to his excommunication (see here )  It was then that Corey understood why members are often called “a strange and peculiar people”.       ...

            When there are not enough active members attending church, wards may combine as others are done away with.   When there is growth in the church, new wards and stakes are created. I have lived in such areas that affected ward boundaries.             I am too young to remember when my mom and neighbors were a part of the third ward.   I had always known us as the forth.   Just after or right before I had graduated high school, it was announced that our ward boundaries would be changing as our stake would include members on the west side of state street.   One and a half streets were made a part of the seventh ward.   I remember there wasn't much support in the "sustaining vote" - nevertheless, it was carried out.                It wasn't too many years later when I was o...

World geography has got to be one of the most frustrating subjects as it is constantly changing.   Should Jenna ever learn about the names of countries and border locations and such, I think for the most part will be quite different from what I learned. Creating maps is an endless task – but I suppose if that’s the field of work you’ve gone into, well, then you will never be out of work.  In my sixth grade history class we were given blank maps as part of our world geography – or so I’m assuming that’s what was being taught.  I specifically remember working on a European map, but for whatever reason, our time in the classroom was cut short and so we were allowed to take the maps home and fill them out there according to our own resources as we were not allowed to take the text books home. We didn’t have the resources of today where one can go to Google and pull up a large variety of maps and find information on each country with just a click of a butt...

          The words ward and stake refer to the geographical boundaries of those who belong to the LDS Church.  A certain number of members are assigned to a certain building.           First off there is a chain of command.  Perhaps it might be easier to an individual to compare the chain of authority (but not the religion itself) to a business or military leadership, let’s say.           The CEO or President does not show up in every store, in every franchise, in every company that she or he has built.  They hire staff who they hopefully communicate to.  They in turn hold meetings at their assigned areas and let their people know what the CEO expects.                      The corporate moves from states to cities – with e...