Last week on Tuesday night

there was rather big deal meeting held.

It’s kind of hard to explain the big deal aspect of the meeting

cause you have to understand how the LDS Church is structured.

When I think about it’s not that hard really cause

if you are familiar with Christ and his 12 Disciples

then it make perfect sense cause that’s how the leadership of the Church is organised.

And Mormons are uber organised.

Structure, boundaries and keeping to them is fiercely important and

super helpful cause you know exactly where you stand and how things need to be with you.

I think all religions are like this but

some are less clear on what the boundaries are than others.

Personally I’m not big on rules but I am on principles and values.

I like structure because it allows me to stretch and I know where I stand.

Last Tuesday evening Elder Quentin Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve

came to visit Christchurch with a traveling party of many.

Stake President Ormsby called a meeting for all the Saints in Christchurch

to come and listen to Elder Cook and those in his party.

This is Elder Cook's party (sans wives) so females

left to right are Mel, me, Sister Bertha and Sister Marietta -

they are the lovely Catholic nuns on the Chirsthchurch Interfaith Council

plus Derek (Unitarian) in the cream shirt and Keiran (Ba'hai) in the grey jacket.

The suits are local and international leaders.

Elder Cook is the little bald guy behind Sister Bertha.

All the Brethern (and their wives) are just lovely, lovely people.

I can truly say I know they do God's work

cause the Spirit has told me so.

I liked Bishop McMullen’s talk the best.

I think because he has a beautiful Disney voice over speaking voice but

also his talk was scripture based and insightful.

He spoke to me.

Elder Cook, who was a Stake President in San Francisco

in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

and now seems to be the disaster relief apostle,

talked about enduring and embracing change.

This was a precursor to this Sunday just gone meeting

where all our Ward boundaries have changed.

We have lost three Wards and gained two Wards –

they are different believe me. 

See how complicated it is but this makes perfect sense to a Mormon.

During the meeting we had a 4.1 earthquake and

a lad projectile vomited over two pews.

 I was impressed and very grateful that it was freshly eaten dinner

so it wasn’t stinky cause that chapel was muggy and close.

My job that evening was to run around

cause we had a bunch of secular VIPs - 

 six MPs and a few Interfaith Council members.

That was interesting.

Which reminds me, I need to call Amy Adams,

MP for my electorate and pick her brain for a service project. 

That was the spiritual side of my week from an overly busy place.

I didn’t make it to Church on Sunday,

instead slept like the dead at home in my own bed.

Ahhhhhhh.... my own bed with my own linen and pillows.

  I suspect two large Church meetings put me on

Church attending overload for the week.

Glad it's over.

Now I just have six days away for work starting Thursday.

I need to find some balance!