Saturday Summary

I have not been on board with my fitness or dieting. I did run one day but unless I’m on the Cookie diet, my eating has been atrocious. Meh. I really only care about fitting into my clothes. Ugh.

Extremely busy yesterday. Pop had a football game about an hour away. After that we went to an Apple store to get a special cable so we can watch stuff off the iPhones on the TV. (Like Football games and LDS General Conference). I have never been in an Apple Store before and it was a madhouse! We got to see the new iPhone 5 and the Macbook Air… Yes, very cool. We got our cords and Superman got some fancy headphones and we headed out.

The next stop was a Sport Chalet for Soccer shoes for Snap. He didn’t want to play football but he’s going out for soccer. He’s picky, like his dad so we didn’t find a pair there. We drove over to Big 5 (still not happy). We also went to Spirit Halloween store because Snap is looking for a Captain America shield—I told him I could make one with a trash can lid. He wants something a little more “classy.” Whatever. At that same mall was a Hookah Resource shop. Does that mean what I think that means? Ugh. I do live in Los Angeles County.

We drive a while and Superman took me to Costco so I could get some Splenda. Then we try Dick’s Sporting Good’s where Snap actually finds a pair of Soccer cleats. After that we took the kids out to The Habit for dinner and next door to the Golden Spoon for dessert. It was nice.

By the time we got home I was completely exhausted. Also, I’m sick. I have a cold.

We did catch a few snippets of Conference (audio). The absolutely most exciting thing to happen today (Saturday) was the announcement of the age changes for serving missions. Now boys can leave at age 18 and girls at 19. This is HUGE and I’m rattled by the overthinking of it. I admit it excites me to no end! We talked a bit with Snap about it because he will be the first affected, well… Actually, my first indication of the change was not from hearing it myself but by getting a text from Princess. She says, “I’m going on a mission in a year!” I had to ask to clarify and she told me. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit that I started crying. I am so excited.

So we talked as a family about this change. Sunshine says it confuses her a little because she thought she would have more time to consider and think about it (she’s already 19). Princess thinks she’ll be ready in a year and Snap is a little befuddled but since he still has two years of high school left I don’t think it’s an issue. Superman didn’t have a lot to say. I keep pondering the bigger picture; if they are allowing younger missionaries what does that mean?

President Monson said, "Let me be clear, we are not suggesting that all young men will or should serve at this earlier age," he explained. "Many will still prefer to start at age 19 or older. Neither are we suggesting that young women are expected to serve or that they do so at age 19. Many will still prefer to serve at an older age or not at all. Their voluntary service is valuable and most welcome.”

In a later Press Conference regarding the change, Elder Holland said, “many will wonder how the growth that comes with the change will impact missionary work.

"We have a very simple answer," he said. "We don't know."

He also said, “"prospective missionaries will be asked to enhance and improve and take more seriously their pre-mission preparation.”

Other changes will be made as well like reducing time at the MTC and creating more missions. 

Finally, the last thing Elder Holland stated answered my question,

Speaking to prospective missionaries, he said, "What does this mean for you? First of all it means that God is hastening His work. And He needs more and more willing and worthy missionaries to spread the light and the truth and the hope and the salvation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to an often dark and fearful world.”