"Best Blessing" contest - This idea is wonderful, wonderful to me.

People of the ward!

I have just been given a revelation regarding something that is really going to be fun. And if this doesn't bring the ward close together, I don't know what will. Here's the idea. We are going to have a contest to see who in the ward can give the best priesthood blessings! Why hasn't this been done before? It's such a great idea.

It's going to work like this. We will pass around a sign up sheet at church on Sunday. Any worthy priesthood holder is welcome to participate. (Unworthy priesthood holders can participate too, I guess, but you're just going to lose to a more powerful, more worthy priesthood).

Each person will be assigned one of the ward invalids. You will race to the invalid's home, give them a blessing, then come back and wait in the chapel until that person is healed. The first person to have their invalid reach full recovery will be the winner and crowned "Best Blesser" and the looser will be nicknamed “The Lesser Blesser”. I'm even going to see if President Martin will let us use some of the tithing money on a trophy. See you Sunday!

Someone called me an idiot -- I called them to repentance

Here is an actual email I received recently:
Warren Jeffs must be your hero!
Right!
Get a life! You look like a Idiot on your website!

I called that person to repentance with the following response:

Dear Brother or Sister,
When you talk like that you do not have the spirit of the Lord, which is too bad, because it's the best kind of spirit you can have. Learn to strive for it. Other kinds of wholesome spirits you can have are team spirit and the spirit of St. Louis.

On another matter-- Warren Jeffs is not my hero because he is a law breaker and a commandment breaker. My heroes always do what is right. Maybe you don't know brother Cardsdale in our ward, but to me, he is a hero. Ever since he was a child he walked with a limp and he was made fun of at school by some of the mean kids. Did that stop him from going out for track? No. It did not. Did he make the track team? No. He did not. But the point is, he walks with a limp and that's who I respect. I see him out there every week mowing his lawn. Never asking for help. Paying a full tithe. Limping. Always limping. That's my hero.

If I had to guess, I'll bet that you do not have the spirit of the Lord and you are so angry because of a sexual transgression that you feel guilty about. You must repent. And whatever you do, do not let it lead to homosexuality. Am I too late? Is that the real reason you are so angry with God and with me (and in reality, yourself?)

Bless you.
Bishop Gerald Higgins