Memes

I often see the word 'meme' and I know generally what they are but I decided to look up the actual meaning.  I loved what I found.  

Historically, a meme is a discrete 'package of culture' that would travel via word of mouth, usually as a mesmerizing story, a fable, a joke, or an expression of speech.  Today memes travel much faster than simple speech.  As internet email forwards, instant messages, and web page links, memes now travel instantly via the internet.

Last weekend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its semi-annual General Conference.  Thousands of people traveled to Salt City to attend meetings held from 10-12 and from 2-4 on both Saturday and Sunday; with a special meeting for men and young men on Saturday from 6 - 8. (Just so you know, the women of the church had a special meeting just for them on the Saturday before.) These meeting are held in the new conference center across from temple square. Because we sustain our leaders as prophets, seers and revelators, we all look forward to this chance to listen to their words of counsel.   With modern technology most of us are able to stay home, sometimes in our pajamas, and listen by way of TV or the internet.  One of my friends said it is like 'super bowl Sunday for Mormons."

What does this have to do with memes?  Well the conference sessions were hardly over before Facebook was busy with Mormon Memes….little packages of our LDS culture. Words of wisdom and practical advice from God through his servants, living prophets! 

I blog in the hopes that my grandchildren and great grandchildren will get to know me a little as they read my annual blog books.  For them, here are a few of my favorites 'packages of gospel culture'!