Or maybe the Plan of Redemption

It must be buried deep in my psyche that fancy, expensive restaurants have plants between the tables. If you look back through my cartoons, you'll notice that the plants are one way to tell whether a place is a fancy restaurant, a fast food joint, or something in between, Go figure.
 

Visual aids

It seems to me that the helps they use in singing time sometimes become more important than the song itself. I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that Pinterest has entire boards dedicated to Primary song helps.

In our Primary room, there's a six-foot-tall foam core replica of the Portland Temple. Funny thing is, I've never seen anyone use it.
 

Be nice and clean

My first shave lasted maybe a dozen years, so that could work.

Making adjustments

We just got a batch of new missionaries in our mission. Even though it's just one time zone over from the Provo MTC, it can still be quite an adjustment to get out into the mission field.
 
If you're recovering from spiritual jet lag, general conference is coming up soon. Which means it's time for the Ward Cartoonist's General Conference Activity Packet! It's perfect for your family, for students in your classes or even for your personal use! Download a copy and enhance your conference experience!

Sketchbook: The best part of waking up

I've got a lot of (nonmember) friends who say they can't get started until they've had their cup of coffee. That made me think about how missionaries get going in the morning.
 

Our next speaker...

Have you noticed that in most arenas where there's a speaker, there's a flowery introduction that's loaded with accolades and accomplishments. 

It would be amazing to hear that kind of thing in General Conference: university president, world-renown surgeon, fighter pilot and airline executive, educator, animator, editor, scientist. Instead we get a name and title and what quorum or organization the speaker is a member of. That's kind of cool.

I like how that extends to local congregations as well. We're all just referred to as sister or brother. And that's all we need to know.

 

The power of one

Raise your hand if you think your kid (or sibling) could accomplish this in the second hour. I thought so!
 

I've got reservations about this

Every workplace has those jokes they hear all the time.
 

Sketchbook: The time is far spent

It seems that Nursery is one of the last rooms to clear out after church is over. But is that because the kids don’t want to leave, or because the parents aren’t ready to go get their kids?

Editor’s note: This may not stay in the sketchbook too long. 
 

"Beauty's a doubtful good"

My son at college told me about some of the meals he's been making for himself. Like the missionaries here, he's not likely to be posting any dinner plate photos on Instagram any time soon.
 

Editor's Note: The headline is Shakespeare from The Passionate Pilgrim.

Coming out of the dark

We're on our third day of school for this school year. I'm starting to feel like this already.
 

Winter prep

Sometimes the bad jokes are worth it!
 

Modern problems

There are those of us who remember the days of having to call the family phone. It would have been great in those days to be able to just send a meme instead.
 

Sketchbook: Healthy eating

One thing that most cartoonists would agree with is that drawing grocery carts is hard. 
 

Airplane mode

I saw a news report that some airlines are considering a child-free zone seating option — for an extra fee. That got me wondering if they're going to consider special seating options for missionaries who are on their way back home.
 

Trials of faith

Never go against the Young Women. It's a lesson best learned early in life.
 

A fair deal

It's state fair season in the USA, and that brings out some of the craziest cuisine! Some of the most notorious are the deep fried foods that involve deep frying...anything! 

 

Turning up the heat

Here's another from the Disney collection. Having just returned from vacation (not to Disney, though), I can tell you this fear is very real. Even though I've got good credit and we save a couple of cards specifically for travel, there's always that little bit of worry niggling at the back of my brain.
 

Sketchbook: The hand that prepared it

Kinda obvious why this stayed in the sketchbook. 
 

Be still my sole

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

You'll want to hold it a bit away from your nose, however.

 

Book of Mormon stories

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

One of these days I'm going to explore this idea further. Like, how did Ammoron feel when he got mail from Captain Moroni?

 

Snooze storage

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

Here it is still August and it seems like we're in the only school district that hasn't started for the year. What's up with that? They used to wait until after Labor Day!

 

It's elemental

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

We've been getting our fair share of that fervent heat in our neck of the woods. How are things where you are?

Sketchbook: In his own tongue

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.\

As we're reading Paul's epistles, I'm reminded of how it's promised that each will hear the gospel in his own tongue — which doesn't always mean language. It means they'll hear it in a way they can understand. I like how this sketch works with that message on multiple levels. Maybe it should move beyond the sketchbook?

Doing the good that we need

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

Raise of hands — who else feels awkward blessing the refreshments?
 

The heat is on

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

It was 88 degrees when I got up this morning. By noon it was over 100. I'm thankful that the church building has air conditioning!
 

We're all the same

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

The ward we visited last week had reports from some of the girls who went to Girl's Camp. It maybe wasn't the happiest of experiences for all of them. 
 

Back to school

Editor's note: I'm taking a bit of a vacation, so I'll be running some reruns for the next little while.

I like how the teacher's expression says that he's heard this excuse before.

Sketchbook: Playing possum

I think this or a similar scenario has happened to every missionary!
 

A little bigger

I don't know why the Small World cartoons seem to be so much fun to draw.
 

Call of the mild

Yeah, maybe this should have stayed in the Sketchbook.
 

Never can say goodbye

It's always hard when the missionaries leave!
 

Object lessons

After all, what missionary doesn't want to see his friends in the water?
 

Sketchbook: How it works at our house

Honestly, it is hard to remember sometimes. 
 

A gold record

Yeah, another variation on Nephi and the plates. It never gets old.
 

Time for a transfer

One of our family Come, Follow Me discussions led to the question, "How would you like to be Paul's mission president?"

 

Pulling my weight

Our stake did its trek last week. On Sunday our Young Women asked about the possibility of having a multi-ward activity with a very specific ward that has, apparently, a strong Young Men's program. Coincidence?
 

Go ye therefore

Luckily this one is not based on personal experience!

Have you had the experience of reading the newspaper comics and noticing that some of the gags have similar themes? It happens more frequently than you might expect. So it strikes me as funny when the Ward Cartoonist and I have cartoons that are similar in subject matter that run around the same time. It occurred with gags about square dancing on trek (his and mine). It just so happens that a couple of days ago, he ran one about bad smells — not a topic often covered in the scriptures or at church. The subjects are different, but the theme of stink is crucial to the gag. It's an odd phenomenon.

Now that I've mentioned it, you'll probably see it happening all the time now. You're welcome!
 

Sketchbook: Living lemonade?

When we were at the Oregon coast this weekend, we ran into some missionaries. They had set up a lemonade stand in the parking lot for one of Oregon’s most popular beaches. They also had several copies of the Book of Mormon to share. They didn’t use this exact line, but they did get to talk with a lot of people!

 

Par for the course

Another from the Disney collection. Has this ever happened to you?
 

Approach with caution

The original sketch for this had the dog asking a deep doctrinal question. My editor, Sis. B., suggested something a little more gentle. I think this worked out a lot better!
 

Lengthen your stride, raise the bar, and...

I had a couple of companions who played baseball in college. This was actually something we talked about.
 

The riches of eternity

The scripture is D&C 67:2. It's been a favorite of mine ever since I was a missionary. It's one that touched the heart of one of our investigators and directly led to her baptism. It's one of my go-to scriptures in my spiritual first aid kit.

I also spend a lot of time worrying about what's for dinner.
 

Not the Sketchbook: Days of '46

How did a state holiday manage to score one of the largest civilian parades in the world? 

I have a friend who was vacationing with her family in Utah one July. They pulled off onto the 600 South exit in Salt Lake City — and found themselves smack in the middle of the Days of '47 Parade melee. Who knew that July 24 was anything?

Have a safe and happy Pioneer Day wherever you are!
 

Food for thought

I really like this one — but halfway through drawing it, I wondered if it should have been the crickets talking?
 

Back on the road again

It had to be tough for the pioneers. There was no AAA, so what did they do if their wagons broke down and needed repairs?
 

Our menu options have changed

Someone suggested that I add a tiny editorial cricket in the corner that said something like, "Eat until you puke!" As you can see, I discarded that idea. Some people are still eating breakfast.
 

Happy trails to you

As I was drawing this, I couldn't decide whether this took place on the Oregon Trail or the Mormon Trail. There's a distinct lack of dysentery, so I lean toward the latter.
 

Sketchbook: Today's Special

Full disclaimer: I have to give partial credit for this idea to (I think) John Bytheway. I was listening to the Follow Him podcast while sketching some doodles about Peter and his vision. Bro. Bytheway said something about "pigs in a blanket" and this was the result.