Sheila shared this one

After being interviewed by the school administration, the prospective teacher said: 'Let me see if I've got this right. 'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning. 'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride... 'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job. 'You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the final exams. 'You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish or any other language, by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card. 'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps. 'You want me to do all this and then you tell me ... I CAN'T PRAY?'

Prayers on Temple Square

Jacques Desir, left, joins in prayer for Haiti earthquake victims at the reflection pool near the Salt Lake Temple Sunday. Desir has yet to make contact with his family in Haiti. (Michael Brandy, Deseret News)

Read the story here and read here about the LDS medical teams who are heading over there. A few excerpts follow.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Jeremy Booth, an emergency room doctor from Ogden who speaks French Creole, needed to place only two calls to make the select group. Provo orthopedic surgeon Creig MacArthur — who learned French as an LDS Church missionary a half-century ago — gladly accepted a surprise phone invitation to join. And Jeff Randle, a Salt Lake City doctor specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, was a natural and willing choice, given his longtime charitable efforts at the group's destination site.

They are among the first wave of medical personnel en route to earthquake-ravaged Haiti as part of the ongoing humanitarian efforts by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scheduled to be on the island late today.

The LDS Church's medical team includes 14 doctors and nurses and two family services specialists, most from Utah. They've cleared their schedules and made themselves available for at least a week to make up what Nate Leishman, manager of the church's humanitarian emergency response, labels as "our assess and response team."

"This is a hard trip," said Leishman of the medical team's Haitian assignment. Most members of the group are making their first foray into responding to mass-trauma, disaster situations.

It will be far from a typical week's visit to a Caribbean island.

Each member of the group was given a large duffel bag? called the "survival bag" ? that included a tent, a sleeping bag, a blanket and food for the stay. Once in Haiti, they will set up camp, so to speak, outside one of the several LDS chapels in Port-au-Prince or perhaps some at Randle's Helping Hands for Haiti clinic.

"This group is self-contained," said Leishman, adding, "there's no hotel for them there, and it's not as luxurious as camping."

Each of the medical personnel was also given a blue duffel full of basic medical supplies — ranging from gauze and bandages to stethoscopes — and an additional large duffel full of basic pharmaceuticals. Nearly two dozen pallets loaded with additional supplies and drugs are to arrive as well in Port-au-Prince.

Thanks!

We got good news yesterday, generous help from loved ones, and answers to prayers.

Thank you!

Prayer request

OK, not life or death but maybe mental sanity. Jenn and Fred are seriously wanting to be homeowners and have been trying again since he got his new job. With a dearth of homes they like in the price they can afford, it seems everyone else wants the same ones. They have recently put an offer on another house after learning one of their two choices already had an offer and now they find this one also has "multiple" offers on it. They need some divine intervention to find the right home. They are seriously tired of living with me. Go figure~

In other news - Jon & Karla have a blog to journal their adventures in South Carolina (home of the nefarious Governor). Not sure how often they'll update but undoubtedly there will be plenty of photos. http://weremelting.blogspot.com/

Day of Prayer?

Must be because some years "Mormons" have been excluded in the organized events... (ha ha)

COLORADO SPRINGS - Organizers of this week's National Day of Prayer still don't know whether the White House will participate.

The event's evangelical character earned it a White House welcome during President George W. Bush's eight years in office. But Brian Toon, vice chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, says to date, there's been no mention of a White House observance being held this year.

According to an article this past week in the Colorado Springs Gazette, advocacy groups for so-called inclusive dialogue on faith in America are "trying to break what they perceive as the organization's monopoly on the event."

The newspaper went on to say that the "Interfaith Alliance and Jews on First sent a letter this month to President Barack Obama asking him to declare that the National Day of Prayer is for Americans of all faiths - and even for nonbelievers."

The Gazette also reports that "White House officials have not said whether the Obama administration will formally honor the prayer day." (Associated Press, reported by One News Now)