The spirit of Easter

As an LDS cartoonist, this week is kind of challenging for me deciding what to draw. It's Holy Week, leading up to Easter. It's also the week before General Conference. And it's a good thing that BYU isn't in the Final Four, or I'd have to consider that, too.  So many possibilities!

In the end, I chose to compromise (at least for today) with some cartoons from Sis. Kerry Jo's mission, trying to explain Easter eggs to her companion, Sis. Han.

Although there's no mention of General Conference in the cartoons, you CAN download the Mormon Cartoonist's General Conference Activity Packet from his website.

There. Did we cover everything? Wait — go Wisconsin!

Monday Sketchbook: Making the most from General Conference

I must have been feeling a bit cynical the day I drew this. I think that's why it stayed in the sketchbook.

If you want to get more out of General Conference, prepare yourself. Go with questions in mind, with an open heart, and actively listen to all the sessions. Yes, the sessions on Saturday too. You'll get a lot more out of it if you do.

It's all available online, including the General Women's Session. Just like women can listen to the Priesthood Session, men should listen to the Women's Session, too. Make yourself uncrushable!*


*Bonus points if you got that reference!

May it nourish and strengthen us

If you're going to have a monster under your bed, it should at least know how to say grace, right?

If you do proper planning

...if only...

Time for a miracle!

I used to borrow my brother's clothes after he left for school, and hurry and put them back in his closet before he came home. I could never figure out how he knew I'd taken them, because I always put them back in the same spot.

And then I learned about deodorant!

It's what's inside that matters

In our mission, it was more about what was living in the walls. Whatever they were, they seemed to be holding World Cup matches almost every night!

What's on your list today?

Sometimes there's a conflict between parental agendas and those of the kids during spring break.

On to the next round!

Maybe that's why they call it the "Big Dance."

Monday Sketchbook: First Principles

I think this is listed on the first page of the Handbook. If it isn't, it should be!

Are you ready to wear it?

But what about going the extra mile?

Welcome to the friend zone — sometimes you have to put it in terms they can understand!

Thanks to my apprentice for the idea for this gag!

Reporting time: she's back!

At last! Kerry Jo is getting caught up on her post-mission activities. She just posted about her report to the High Council.

More to come!

Growth as a missionary

My friend tells the story of when his son was told to act his age and not his shoe size. His son looked puzzled for a moment and then said, "But they're both sixteen!"

Busting your brackets

Well, my brackets got busted yesterday — and the tournament hasn't even officially started yet. Rats!

Wearin' o' the green

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday Sketchbook: Self talk

Sometimes ideas stay in the sketchbook because the concept is a little scary and I don't want to draw any attention to it just in case it goes from thought to reality. Case in point. I know the selfie thing has been done already, such as Ellen Degeneres at the Oscars in 2014, but I haven't heard of it being done as part of a sacrament meeting talk — and I don't want to!

Switching channels

I thought I'd borrow from today's Good Heavens. The stuff on TV isn't all miserable!

It's Pi Day (approximately)

I always preferred 22 divided by 7 because it was a lot easier for me to remember than 3.141592...

It's all about the base

...and that's what Pi Day is all about, Charlie Brown!

Cue the theme music!

Missionaries have a lot of deep, after hours discussions about such things.

Liquidation

 

Snowman gags are amongst my favorites!

It's the ears!

This is an old favorite, from the mind of my padawan.

Monday Sketchbook: Bazinga!

Welcome once again to Geek Week, an arbitrary week chosen due to its proximity to March 14, sometimes known in geekier circles as Pi Day — 3.14!

Cartoons this week will run toward the geeky side of the continuum (or nerdy, we're not that particular), and will likely include science or math jokes, or things of that ilk. This year, in honor of the passing of Leonard Nimoy, I'm also going to rerun a few of my favorite Star Trek gags.

Stay tuned and enjoy!

P.S. Happy birthday, Dad! You taught me that being a geek can be cool!

Behold, I have dreamed a dream

I'm glad we have the later schedule, especially today!

Engaged in a good cause

I'm sure he was using the Scripture Mastery app, or one of the many others that are available to enhance gospel study.

Truth be told, I've never seen anyone use ear buds during a sacrament meeting... but I've seen plenty of apps running that weren't church-related!

Feast or feastier?

So the other day at work, one of my co-workers stopped me in the hallway and started asking me questions about food storage and provident living. When I asked why he was asking me, he said, "You're Mormon, right? You guys know all about those things!"

I hope they call me

Missionaries often have a language of their own, which can often sound very strange to an outsider.

Size matters

Missionaries are usually pretty quick about finding the best places to eat in an area. And those places to eat usually find out about the missionaries pretty quickly as well!

And that's why you hold on!

One of my boys made a sled kite in Cub Scouts that was almost as big as he was. We took it to the coast to fly it, and it nearly carried him away! From that time on, we've always been careful in selecting the size of our kites!

Monday Sketchbook: The uplifted hand

We had stake conference a few weeks ago, and then ward conference a week or two later. We did an awful lot of "raising the right hand" in a short period of time. It was almost enough to make the shoulders of some folks just a little cranky!

We have a winner!

I have to say, this was the toughest caption contest we've had yet! Our esteemed panel of judges narrowed it down to three — worthy candidates all! — and voted for this one. This caption was submitted by faithful reader Sam Bradshaw. It would cause any missionary to panic!

Thank you to all who submitted ideas. There were some really good ones (and a couple of scary ones, too!) that I might steal use for upcoming gags. And when that happens, I promise I'll give you full credit (or blame, as the case may be). Alice's is already on the drawing table.

Thanks once again!

- Kevin