This collection posted 05-19-2008

Latter-day Laughs
Edited and Compiled by Trish Manwaring,
Assistant Editor, Meridian Magazine

David and Goliath

On Sunday morning we read the story of David and Goliath during family scripture study.  Our 3-year-old daughter seemed to be interested, but we always wonder how much she really comprehends.  I was trying to coax her upstairs to change out of her church clothes later that day and she got upset that I started up on my own.  She asked me to wait while she put her shoes away, and then suggested we race.  This was her scripture-inspired ultimatum: “If you win, I’ll be your servant; but if I win, you’ll be my servant.”  I’m sure you can guess who won.Trish Manwaring
Mason, Ohio

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Sending Mixed Signals

Long ago, our bishop was announcing a ward party to be held on New Year’s Eve.  Knowing that many in the ward with small children may not attend because of the late hour, the bishop cheerfully announced: “All of you who have small children, please come and bring them as well.  We will set up a special room where you can go and put your children to sleep.”  He turned a few shades of red as the congregation burst into laughter.Lance Anderson

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Piano Lessons

My 6-year-old grandson was trying to sing along with me while I was practicing a Primary song on the piano.  After a while, he tipped his head to the side and said, "Grandma, you ought to try to play the notes we sing." That same month, he stopped the brother who plays the organ at church and said: "Could you come over to my grandma's and give her lessons?"

Jane Tierney

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While visiting the Primary in my parents' ward, I had the opportunity to listen to the bishop teach the children a story from the Book of Mormon.  With each question he posed, one young boy could not restrain his hand from shooting into the air, and he correctly answered every single one. Finally, the bishop addressed the boy by name and stated, "Your family must study the scriptures together often." "No we don't!" the boy exclaimed proudly.  "We just watch the videos!"

Angela Ruff
Pleasant Grove, Utah

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Our Primary president was presenting a Sharing Time about the pre-existence, and had gone over some of the things that had happened there.  She had commented early on that we don't remember the pre-existence.  Later in her presentation she asked: "Were we there fighting in the war in heaven?"  One child said quickly: "I can't remember!" 

Jana McGettigan
West Valley City, Utah

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Last year our family started a tradition of singing a hymn each night before reading scriptures together, with each family member taking turns to choose the song.  It was our 6-year-old son Zachary’s turn to choose. He chose “Away in a Manger,” but apparently couldn’t remember the tune, because he started singing to the tune of the hymn we sang the night before, “How Firm a Foundation.” To our surprise, the words fit the music, so we all sang along.

Peter Gordon
Hutto, Texas

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Trish Manwaring was born and raised in Sterling, Virginia. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism
at BYU and has since worked for a magazine publishing company and various newspapers.

Trish and her husband Matt just returned from an overseas work assignment in Geneva, Switzerland. They are now living north of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. They are the proud parents of two children — Claire (2) and Noah (4 months). In her spare time, Trish enjoys traveling, reading and photography.

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