Monthly Archives: July 2010

If you’re looking for a unique Value Project idea, check out The Sketchbook Project. Whether you’re an established artist or a working mom with scant artistic ability (ahem) or a young woman looking for a fun way to complete a Personal Progress requirement, I’m telling you, this is a fantastic idea.

Here’s how it works. You pick a theme and order a sketchbook. They mail it to you. You fill it with art, doodles or what have you. You send it back (by January 15, 2011) and your super duper fantastic sketchbook becomes part of a literal (and sometimes travelling) library of sketchbooks.

Your sketchbook will go on tour.

Your sketchbook can be checked out at the sketchbook library.

Your sketchbook gets its own bar code so you can see who’s looking at it.

Now, how is that not completely awesome?

You don’t have to be an “artist” to participate. Your sketchbook will not be juried. This is just a way to express your thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, fears and love for chocolate (or whatever) in a creative way.

I’m thinking this would make for a great Divine Nature or Individual Worth Value Project idea. Not to exclude the boys (or moms, ahem) this is a great idea for anyone. For a smaller-scale challenge, the same organization offers monthly sketchbook projects (with monthly themes).

Here’s a sampling of past sketchbook art:

everything is the same, by Wendy Cook

And Suddenly…#23, by Nicolas Healy  (see, boys can do it too!)

Solvent Transfer and Ink, by thermion7

From a million little, by Ashley Ivey.

What would you put in your sketchbook?

The new Duty to God booklets have made their way to meetinghouses (with more on the way – most shipments were bare minimum quantities) and you can now download the PDF version of the booklet online.

Be prepared to wait.

It’s a big file.

It takes awhile.

Additionally, the Church’s website also has videos you can watch (whether you’re a parent or a leader) to help get young men started on the new program.

It won’t surprise you to know I’m very excited about this new program and encourage parents, young men and leaders to get familiar with it. By working it. No program is all things to all people, but this is divinely inspired and blessings will come to young men and their families when it’s put into practice.

Generally speaking, we don’t watch movies for Family Home Evening but after seeing The Blind Side (I’m late in the game, I know, I know), I decided to make an exception.

This is a movie I thought my young boys could relate to. It’s a true story (which always seems to capture their attention) and it has football. Not that we’re big on football around here, but what boy isn’t going to be drawn to football?

More than that, I knew this movie would have impact. And who can resist the message? Who wouldn’t be touched and inspired by this amazing true story?

I prefaced the movie with a little bit of background information, to give them context in which to understand the story.

I probably stopped the movie another three or four times to discuss what was happening, ask questions (Why did Leigh Ann invite Big Mike into her home? What made Michael different or the same as other boys in his neighborhood?) and provide more background information to help them understand upcoming scenes.

We talked about it some more when it was over and we were feeling all warm and fuzzy and (yes) a bit teary-eyed.

I was not disappointed in my sons’ reactions to this movie. The ultimate payoff? My ten-year-old saying, “It makes me want to be a better person.”

Me too, sweetheart. Me too.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

- Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America

What are we doing to preserve freedom, both here and abroad? What are we doing to fuel the fires of freedom in the hearts of our children?

To all the men and women who have ever served this great country.

Thank you.