10July2010

I waited all week long for Monday to get here.

Then on Monday morning I waited all morning long for email time to get here.

We got to the library and there were no computers available in the front of the library, where we usually go. So we went to the children’s section which has two computers. One was occupied by a small child playing Star Wars. And boy, was he vocal about it. He did not know how to use the Force. And he wanted to be Anakin on his next game. And then his three friends had to come and watch and comment.

So Sister Thomas was on the other computer, and I sat at a nearby table. Just as luck would have it, I didn’t bring any paper to write letters, and I didn’t bring my Bible to finish my New Testament reading. All I had was my hardback Book of Mormon.

After poring over the Samuel the Lamanite story, AGAIN, I started looking for other ways to entertain myself. I love being surrounded by books I can’t read! At least these were all kid books. Young adult novels. Like the Traveling Pants books, and all their sequels, “The Traveling Pants and He Broke Up With Carmen,” and “The Traveling Pants Travel to Greece Again for Summer Break,” and “The Traveling Pants Find Another Small Child Dying of a Terminal Illness—This Time It’s Lupus,” and “The Traveling Pants Go To Soccer Camp Again and Hook Up With a Different Coach.” Maybe “The Traveling Pants and Carmen Goes on a Diet,” and “The Traveling Pants and Whatsername Gets Laid Off from Wal-Mart and Gets a Summer Job at a Slushee Stand.” Okay, those aren’t really the names but they should be. I think my titles are better than the original ones.

Then I found lists of recommended summer reading for kids and preteens, and they had short summaries of each book. Gotta love those young adult fiction novels. “Jimmy’s mom is having a new baby, and he gets paired with Meanie Jeanie for a school project. He and his best friend have a fight. He gets kicked off the playground. His Popsicle falls in the dirt. COULD ANYTHING ELSE GO WRONG?! IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD. Until Jimmy and his dad have a little heart-to-heart and then they hug and he punches him on the arm and says, ‘Go get ‘em Little Chief!’ ”

When I had read all the lists and had nothing else to do I listened to Star Wars’ older sister come and try and drag him off: “Jimmy, it’s time to leave.” (Yes it is, Jimmy! Oh please! I promise it is.) “No it’s not.” “Yes it IS!” “Tell Mom I’m staying a little longer, okay?” “It’s time to go!” “It’s time to go!” “Stop imitating me! You guys are so immature! I’m telling Mom!” (Hurry back with Mom! I’m bored out of my mind!)

After what seems like a brief eternity later, Mom comes. Mom comes! And in her sweet voice she persuades Jimmy to leave his game and give the headphones back to the nice lady at the front desk. Unfortunately Jimmy was mad so he turned off the computer as he stormed out. And seeing as these are computers dating back from the Jurassic Age, they take approximately two millennia to reboot and regain their bearings and find the Internet again.

Sister Thomas was so sweet and let me use her computer while she waited for Grandma Dell to wake up.

Anyway, this email does not sound like it was written by a missionary…it doesn’t say much about missionary work, and I will tell you now, that is because this week was a lot of drama and not much else. Good things are still happening, but nothing monumental enough to write home about. So this was my opportunity to learn patience, and pray that the drama resolves itself. It will, I’m sure. The Church is true, computers are slow, and children will play computer games until the Second Coming unless you drag them out by their earlobes.

Much love,

Kaelynn