Also, as a 4 year old in the gospel, whose family thinks he’s leading his family into hell by becoming LDS, I find myself continually concerned, no not concerned…surprised??? well, at least left wondering after witnessing those who have spent their whole lives in the Church take the Restoration and its teachings so nonchalantly. What are we willing to sacrifice in order to know and live for the truth? Perhaps an episode on converts and the stories of what they’ve had to struggle through, and how they found room in their lives for a testimony of Jesus Christ, The Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, et al.
Thanks. I’m listening.

http://theboard.byu.edu/index.php?area=posts&date=2005.12.22&archives=1
If you’re wondering, the 100 hour board promises to answer questions (any questions) within 100 hours. It has been a popular among the campus for several years. The site is run by the same group who handles the Daily Universe.

Another more legit source.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595067258,00.html

Much fabled but in truth “real” enough. Not a big issue, but keeping y’all in check.

Net Nanny is the content filter program that I use at home and it is pretty powerful and has some special features that make it pretty good.

It allows multiple user setup and so it goes along with my Windows XP. I let my teenagers have access to the computer but the internet has a separate login. The kids have access to the computer for homework and games but not access to the internet until my wife or I login for them. (I give my daughter free access, but not my sons. They haven’t caught on yet.)

The internet filter is pretty powerful and sends an email when items have been blocked. (Myspace advertisers and popups are blocked depending on the content.) There are many other features and it is quite “user friendly”.

One big advantage is that it can be remotely monitored and updated through the internet not just on the computer it is installed on.

I do still check periodically to see if my kids are searching for inappropriate material.

I think that would be great! Or, you could just call us on our new handy-dandy GrandCentral button in the top right of the page. Either one works.

Thanks,

BrotherSean

Respectfully,
Jim

PATRIARCHIAL BLESSING
President Hal Torgerson of the Camarillo, California Stake related the following story at a stake priesthood meeting:
An old friend from high school days came to visit. The friend was a stake patriarch in Idaho. He told a story of himself and a young member of his own home ward. This young man who was born with Downs’ Syndrome was now in his late teens. They were neighbors, and this young man would often stop to pass the time of day whenever the patriarch was working in the yard. He possessed all the classic symptoms of the disorder, including characteristic speech and tonal deprivation. In addition, however, he had a speech impediment, which made him hard to understand. Moving with difficulty, he was deliberate and lacked fluidity.

It came to pass that the young man asked, one day, for a patriarchal blessing. Nonplused, the patriarch stammered, only for a moment, and replied that one must first get a recommend from his bishop.

He reported to his friend, President Torgerson that he somehow imagined that no more would be heard on the subject.

Less than a week passed before the youth, smiling broadly, appeared at his door and held up his bishop’s recommend, announcing that he was now ready for his patriarchal blessing.

Now, thoroughly confounded, the patriarch told his young friend to speak with his parents about a time that would be convenient for them and then to call and he would make an appointment with them.

Afterward, he went into the house and prayed for inspiration. Nothing seemed to be forthcoming.

At the appointed day and hour, the young man, accompanied by his parents, came to the door attired in their Sabbath best. He ushered them into his home and visited for a few minutes, catching up on last-minute family gossip, frantically hoping for divine intervention. After nearly 20 minutes of “small talk”, he became aware that it was no longer possible to delay, and in the knowledge that the Holy Ghost had never let him down, he acknowledged that it was time to begin.

The young man approached him with confidence, smiled broadly, and seated himself in the specified chair. The patriarch, glancing at the smiling parents, placed his hands upon the youth’s head and surrendered himself to the Spirit.

Immediately the patriarch felt the presence of the Spirit, and he began to speak in the sure knowledge of purpose. He came, in that moment, to know and to repeat that this special young man was present at the trial of Satan after the war in Heaven, and it was he who escorted Satan out of Heaven. Because of his unique experience, God the Father knew that he would be subject to special risk at the hands of Satan during his time on earth. To protect him and to keep him safe from harm, he was given, as armor, the special shield of Downs’ Syndrome as his sword and buckler against the enticements of Satan. This was a gift of the greatest magnitude, which the Father could bestow in order to protect him while he gained the experience of having a mortal body until he could return again to his Heavenly Father.

At the conclusion of the blessing, the young man stood up, walked to his parents, now standing, with the confident gate of an athlete, and spoke clearly, without any of his usual characteristic speech patterns. He first embraced his mother and said, “Thank you for not having an abortion when you could have, after you learned that I would be handicapped.” Then he turned to his father, embracing him and said, “Thank you for being my father and for never being embarrassed by me or treating me as different from any other child. I love you.” Then he walked over to the patriarch, shook his hand, and said, “Thank you for the blessing.”

“For just that moment in time,” the patriarch said, “the boy was as normal as his parents or I in every way. There was a different set in his countenance and an expression in his eyes that gave us, for just that moment, a glimpse of the valiant steward of Heavenly Father’s kingdom who dwelt within that youth.”

The next time the boy and the patriarch met was when the patriarch was getting out of his car. The youth shouted in his loud, flat Downs’ Syndrome voice, “Hi, brother,” and shuffled more than walked down the street towards his home.