General Conference

All my childhood memories of Conference are very black and white.  General Conference was a black-and-white, desperately boring weekend.  As a new mom, I decided to be way cooler than my own parents and teach my daughter to enjoy Conference...through bribery.  I settled on ziplock containers with pictures of the apostles glued to them, filled with prizes.  When the apostle spoke, hooray! There's a prize.

But then my daughter was disappointed every time there was a non-apostle speaker.  So I doubled the amount of containers.  Then she was disappointed when President Monson got up to speak more than once.  So I made three for President Monson.  Then she was disappointed at the audit report.  So I bought bags of candy to make up the difference.  Then I had another daughter, and they fought over the prizes.  So I made another set.  Then I had another daughter.  And another.

Everyone always talks about the commercialization of Christmas, but I think it's possible that I have successfully commercialized General Conference.  If my kids don't have a new toy or treat every twenty minutes for all eight hours of conference, you would think that the world is ending in blood and terror.  Ziplock containers pasted with smiling pictures of David A. Bednar and Dieter F. Uchtdorf are constantly cycling through my dishwasher.  The girls spend the time between speakers protecting their hoard.

Maybe this year I'll just sit and listen.

Anyway, here's a picture of President Monson for my friend Britta --she's putting together a General Conference packet for October, you should check it out.

LDS Prophet Clipart (It's supposed to be Lehi, can you tell?)

I was just thinking, as everyone does now and again, "I should start a blog."  And then I realized, just as most everyone does now and again, "I already have a blog."  So, without further fanfare, I reintroduce the world to "The Warren Smith Family."

In celebration I am posting this clipart I drew (based on the painting "Lehi and his Family") for next month's primary theme, "God Speaks Through Prophets."  I benefit so much from other people's blogged illustrations, I thought I could add another free image on the internet (besides, it is my first clip art, and I'm tickled with how it turned out).

I will be putting this in our March Primary Newsletter.  You may do what you like.  Just celebrate the fact that I drew a picture not covered in children's scribbles.  I will also be doing that.  I may also eat some chocolate.

Cheers,

Emily