Bob, aren't you proud of me? I made it all the way until Elders Quorum before I started reading the New York Times on my phone. -- Me.I often find church up in NorCal empty and pointless. I am almost 100% certain that it is just a reflection of me, where I am in my life, and what I bring each Sunday. Everyone else tells me how great the ward is--how much I should love it. Well, I don't, really.
So in order to squeeze some sort of meaning out of those hours, I try to make up some sort of inner dialogue that is loosely connected with the topic at hand. On Sunday, the last few words from Conan's last show stuck in my head:
Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it's my least favorite quality. It doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you are kind, amazing things will happen. I'm telling you, amazing things will happen.If I heard that same thing spoken verbatim over the pulpit, I am sure I would have ignored it. But it means something more in context.
good clip---good advice
ReplyDeleteYou should try going to the family ward - it took me a few months to get into it, but it's like church is fresh again.
ReplyDeleteAnd agreed to the sad fact that this message means something to me coming from Conan, but I can imagine it coming over the pulpit and bouncing off the top of my head like a well-spun skipping stone.
ReplyDeleteHey, I just barely watched that clip yesterday! And, since he kept saying how serious he was, I kept thinking, "a joke is going to come out of this." But then he was sincere the whole time. It was really nice.
ReplyDeleteconan is the bishop in his home ward, so take that for what it's worth
ReplyDeleteexcellent clip. i found his words very surprising since most comedians seem to cultivate an air cynicism.
ReplyDeleteand as for your ward.
you need to move to the true ward. although 9:30 a.m. church may be a bit difficult at first, you will have wade as a gospel doctrine teacher.
Maybe Conan can start the Fireside circuit. Better than the 7-11 parking lot.
ReplyDelete