First Presidency Christmas Devotional . . .

[_consiglieri]

. . . was on last night and I caught most of it.

Nothing much of note except the usual banalities.

President Uchtdorf was energetic if nondescript in message.

President Eyring was weepy. (Am I the only one who found it slightly uncomfortable when he kept telling me I had felt emotional while viewing the new LDS video clips of Christ's birth, and that the emotion I felt was the Spirit testifying to me of its truthfulness? I did not feel emotional at all, though I was aware of how the footage seemed to intentionally play to the emotions.)

President Monson was sing-songy.

I really like President Monson, but does a prophet, seer and revelator for the church and . . . wait for it . . . the entire planet, have nothing more profound to talk about than synopsizing his favorite Christmas books?

Once again, I am left with the feeling that talks are manufactured not because there is anything particular to say, but because there is a meeting that has to be filled.

All the Best!



--Consiglieri

[_Runtu]

We must be two hardened hearts of a kind, as that's pretty much the same reaction I had.

My daughter came in while Monson was talking. "Why does he talk like that?" she asked. "It's so weird and so ... creepy. Do you think he talks like that normally?"

I assured her that I've seen President Monson talking normally, and it's not like that at all.

my wife said, "Maybe his parents taught him to speak that way at the pulpit."

[_consiglieri]

This is exactly what my wife said about President Monson's speech patterns.

I am usually so focused on the hallmark triple-intransitives and ubiquitous alliteration that I had apparently missed how he ends each sentence by extending the last word on a downward glissade.

This is what she thought sounded off-putting.

Hard-hearted kinds of the world, unite!

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

P.S. It just occurred to me we had a good example of President Monson before and after his prepared remarks last night. He delineated it himself when he said that, before he entered upon his prepared remarks he wanted to thank a bunch of different folks. The appreciation was great and sounded genuine. You know, like a real person talking. Then he started into his prepared remarks and totally shifted into classic Monson mode.

[_Ceeboo]

Hey Consig (Hope all is well with you and yours. Merry Christmas)

Is there a way to see this? (Link?)


Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

[_Buffalo]

I didn't see it - sounds like I missed out! The only First Presidency message I got yesterday was read over the pulpit - "Give us your money now before you spend it all on presents for your friends and family" (a.k.a. tithing settlement message).

[_MrStakhanovite]

So I had to see Monson's talk: Seen Here.

I wonder what Mormon folk get out of these things.

[_consiglieri]

Hi, Ceeboo!!!

My favorite Catholic apostate friend!

I am sure you can grab it at the Church's official website, LDS.org.

http://LDS.org/?lang=eng

Bring your pillow.

You may like the portrayal of the Virgin Mary . . .

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[_MrStakhanovite]

I didn't see it - sounds like I missed out! The only First Presidency message I got yesterday was read over the pulpit - "Give us your money now before you spend it all on presents for your friends and family" (a.k.a. tithing settlement message).

I'm suprised you still go to meetings! That is a painful burden to bear.

[_Simon Belmont]

I'm suprised you still go to meetings! That is a painful burden to bear.

*from someone who has never been to one.

[_Buffalo]

President Eyring was weepy. (Am I the only one who found it slightly uncomfortable when he kept telling me I had felt emotional while viewing the new LDS video clips of Christ's birth, and that the emotion I felt was the Spirit testifying to me of its truthfulness? I did not feel emotional at all, though I was aware of how the footage seemed to intentionally play to the emotions.)

I'm really tired of watching him blubber and sniff back snot all over the podium. Blatant manipulation, especially with him trying to manipulate people into conflating their feelings over a Hallmarky video with the holy ghost.