Traffic for 2011 June 19

Today was my first day in YM. Either they are very respectful young men or they are just shy. My memories of young men's include leaning the chairs back against the wall, not paying attention, and being rowdy and obnoxious. This class was nothing but crickets. I intend to try and fix such quietness without going all the way to full-blown rowdiness when I teach next week.

I'm not sure what makes them quiet. Culture? Actually being humble human beings, unlike my American cohorts? A combination of both most likely. They all seem like very nice young men, but I wonder what challenges they encounter being Christian, and LDS, in a non-Christian society.

There are Mormonads hanging from the ceiling. I remember Mormonads from my day. They were garish and brightly colored because, well, they were a product, mostly, of the early 90's. Some of them were extremely clever but most were horrid. And now they hang from the ceiling. I haven't noticed them hanging in US chapels for years now, so I guess we shipped them all over here. Hence the missing link.

The teacher today is actually from Ivory Coast. He just finished University here and goes back home in September. I tried not to think of him as a poor thing; after all, he tells me they have a temple in Ghana which is more than I can say for the members here. I think the African saints may have it better in a lot of ways from the Indian Saints, actually.

I got myself in a pickle talking to him after class. My friend who grew up across the street served his mission in Ivory Coast. His name is Adam Whalquist. His last name is Dutch but he's actually Indian. I mean, Native American. Over here, the distinction is more critical than in UT, where we really only have the latter and can get away with not being PC and everyone knows what we mean.