A disarming performance

So, the Primary (Mormon organization for children) in my ward has built a time machine. It's basically some big pieces of cardboard, painted black with glittery swirls, and a door cut out of it. But still--a time machine! And once a month they have someone emerge from the time machine, pretending to be an ancient prophet, and give a memorable presentation to the kids.

Last Sunday, it was my turn, and I got a good one: Ammon! I wore my kilt and a He-Man chest t-shirt. I'm too fat for both items, so after my performance I changed out of my costume right away, and didn't get any pictures of my prophetic mantle. But just imagine me in my kilt:

 

With a shirt like this (only if two or three guys that size were trying to fit into the same shirt).

 

I told the kids about my mission to the Lamanites, and I think they were impressed, but they really "began to be astonished" when I pulled these babies out of my sack.

I know, I know, the Lamanites had dark skin...but having arms at all was pretty impressive, I think. (The arms belong to my friend Julia, who got them as a white elephant gift last Christmas and thankfully kept them.) I had my glasses off (sure, Ammon somehow has a time machine, but that doesn't mean he has other post-75 BC technology), so I couldn't see all the kids' faces clearly, but the many "ewwww"s I heard let me know I had done a great job.

It felt good to perform again, even just in a capacity like this, and who knows--maybe it will lead to a similar career to the only person I saw portray Ammon as a child?

I think it's pretty cool that the Primary leaders built a time machine, but it's even cooler that we don't need a time machine to hear a prophet speak in person. This weekend is General Conference, which means there's no Sunday School class, which means there's no Sunday School reading assignment. Instead I recommend this short article to help you prepare for Conference.

I especially like President Uchtdorf's second point: don't discount a message merely because it sounds familiar. I think a lot of people expect huge announcements and proclamations to be made every six months, forgetting that General Conference talks are sermons, not press conferences. Also, I think a lot of people get a little myopic when it comes to the topics of those sermons. You may feel that a certain principle is being overemphasized, but chances are, you haven't mastered it as well as you think you have, and even if you have...there are likely thousands (if not millions) of other listeners that need help in that area.

Enjoy General Conference, and I'll be back next week with another Sunday School preview. If you have your own time machine, and you've already visited next week, try to act surprised when the new post goes up.