Treats or tricks

Fewer things are worse than discovering snacks in the diaper bag and then finding out that they're nasty.
 

Weak goals

 

In our Come, Follow Me study recently there have been references to the “weak and simple” declaring the word to all the world. It reminds me of Elder Holland saying that imperfect people are all the Lord has to work with. He deals with it, and so should we. 

You can count on it

I saw that Pres. Nelson has announced 200 temples. With the 15 announced in general conference, it brings the total number of temples — announced, under construction or operating — to 382.
 

Sunday Afternoon sketch notes

 

Sunday Morning sketch notes

 

Saturday Evening sketch notes

 

Saturday Afternoon sketch notes

 

Saturday Morning sketch notes

 

What's going on?

Hey! General Conference is coming up this weekend, and I've barely said anything about it! I haven't even posted a link to the Ward Cartoonist's Activity Packet!

As faithful readers of this site may know, every couple of years we take a bunch of kids to Europe over spring break. Since Sis. B is a French teacher, we always have to go to Paris. From there we try to explore different parts of the world.

This year, half the trip was in France, half was in Spain. We saw some fun things and had some good experiences — up until the day before we were supposed to go home.

My passport was stolen.

We were in Barcelona, having lunch at El Corte Inglés in the cafeteria on the ninth floor. It has beautiful views of the city. I had my satchel, which held my passport and a couple of other things (like some churros I was saving for later!), on the table next to me. I must have been distracted for just a moment, because it was there — and then it was gone!

Our last free afternoon was spent trying to make a police report. We were sent to three different police stations before we found the right one to file the report. The police were kind and helpful.

My next step was to visit the consulate to try to get an emergency passport so I could go home. But, this was a Friday afternoon and the consulate wasn't going to be open until Monday.

Long story short, the rest of the group got to go home on Saturday morning. I had to stay behind. Alone. And, no, I don't speak Spanish!

Luckily I was able to get lodging near the airport, and the airline graciously rescheduled my flight. The consulate was great and gave me same-day service, and I eventually made it back home. But, boy! Was it a stressful series of days in Spain!

While I was stranded, I didn't have the means to keep current on my cartoons, however. My notebook and pen were in my satchel as well. I also lost a pocket kite that I've flown at several historical landmarks around the world. Dang.

I'm hoping that General Conference will give me the extra boost I need to get back into the swing of things. 

And that's why I haven't turned in my homework.

 

Do they all go to heaven?

Pets are so entwined with family stories. Its good that there are ways to share those stories in the Memories app so they are not forgotten. 
 

Bringing forth the blessings

That’s the one big drawback with sacrifice. 
 

Sketchbook: Time to get ready!

It’s almost time for General Conference again!
 

What's in a number?

 

By the fruits ye shall know them

This would be super fun to try.
 

Raise your voice

Now how about a verse of Reverently, Quietly?
 

Sketchbook: The field is green

Better that the greens are vegetables rather than the meat.
 

Ever green

Cold cereal is a staple in many missionary apartments!
 

A guarantee

There are all kinds of surprises when you start digging into family history.
 

A joyful noise

Sometimes those songs just get stuck in your head, you know what I mean?
 

Sketchbook: That's using your head

We certainly don't want to encourage any Bible-bashing. Not that it's a thing anymore. That's one good reason for this to stay in the Sketchbook!
 

Growing together

Of course most people say that all missionaries look alike, so there’s that. 
 

Have we got a message for you!

I think almost every missionary has wanted to do this at least sometime while serving!
 

Quick fix

Need a boost? Try listening to general conference. That usually helps!

 

Sketchbook: Car area

I learned early in my mission that it wasn’t the number of books you could carry, it’s what you did with them. 
 

Take a hike

 

Carried away in the spirit

I had one companion who liked to knock hard on the doors. I was always afraid something like this would happen.
 

Maybe that was a typo

Perhaps one of the most underrated scriptures we have. 

Yes, that should be “souls.” I often wonder just how much trouble I’m going to get in for “wresting the scriptures” to get a joke to work. 

On a different note, to me the dad looks like a cross between the Mission President and Walt Duncan, Jeremy’s dad in Zits. Is it just me?

Sketchbook: One Sunday in Middle Earth

This was a lot of work for very little joke.
 

Values

I love a good non-sequitur. 
 

Yeah, I got that shirt

Ever run into a dead end (pardon the pun) when you're researching someone in your family line? When you reach that point where you just don't know what to do?

That's genealogist's block.
 

Ready for an upgrade

As a new missionary, when someone asked me a question, my mind went through a process.

1. Translate the words I heard into something I could understand.
2. Formulate a response based on my understanding of the question.
3. Translate my response into my limited vocabulary.
4. Speak my response and hope that my pronunciation was close enough for the questioner to understand.

That, my friends, is lag time.

 

Sketchbook: Spreading the word

He had his satchel full, he traveled all over, and even saw some good fruit come from his work. 
 

The stake president sends his love

Sometimes it feels a little awkward when the folks conducting meetings express their love for their spouses. Not that it's a bad thing, but it feels like something that might be better done at home.

What I wanted to know is if anyone voted in opposition to this proposal?

Editor's note: The first draft of this cartoon had Brigham Young on the stand. Some quick research showed that the Brigham Young gag had already been done, but better.
 

The bigger scoreboard

There comes a point for most missionaries when they realize the things they thought were so important aren't really that important. That paradigm shift can be a little unsettling. 
 

Pillage the records!

You know, someone should talk to the folks at Roots Tech about incorporating cosplay into their convention. It would certainly be one way to bring family history to life!
 

Sketchbook: A gift of tongues

Yes, this looks suspiciously like a Mission President cartoon, but they’re facing the wrong way. 
 

Sometimes it's easy

You know, there are a lot of cartoons about Nephi and Moroni and the plates, but there are very few about Joseph Smith and the plates. I wonder why that is?