Isn't technology wonderful?

Today I'm counting my blessings which involve this amazing technological world. I'm thankful for email, blogspots,  ichats , itunes, ipods, digital camera's, scanners, computers, Dish network, etc., 

It really is all a marvel. I was talking to my daughter Laura Lee and reminded her that when I had my first child, Ryan, his big time entertainment (when he was Addie's age) was a record player! No joke!  He and Jeffrey listened to "Tawny, Scrawny Lion" over and over and over again on that record player. I have been reminded of it as our grand daughter Addie wants to watch  the DVD "Nemo" over and over and over again. My conclusion - children/SAME ----technology/WAY DIFFERENT!

I have been so grateful for the blogspots and emails lately. Some of you will remember when we had to write letters to everyone to communicate in written form. If someone was really on the ball and wanted family members to know what was going on in their lives - they would write a letter and mail the letter on and  each family would write their current happenings until all the family members had received the letter.  I light up every time there is a new posting of someone I love. I cherish the photo's that are readily available and free! I love that someone can post and a minute later I can read and see everything. It's been an amazing blessing in my life. I am really big on trying to let people know how much they mean to me and how much I care about them. Keeping in touch with people I love through this method is the BEST!

I think email is such an amazing convenience!  Number one, it's free. Number two, it is so efficient. Number three, it's immediate!  I love email. I have especially appreciated it lately with a son on a mission. Our oldest son was never allowed to email while on his mission. We had to wait for letters from the Philippines. Now, I get news from my missionary the minute it's sent. I have also been emailing to Japan, Madagascar, Honduras lately and it's trouble free. I've  also recently sent emails to missionary mom's who have missionaries in our branch. I've  sent pictures and letters about their missionary son. It took me all of 10 minutes to do each time.  Every mom has been so grateful! One mom in Japan said she had not received a picture of her son in over 6 months until she got the pictures I sent through email.  What a blessing!

I think i-chat is wonderful! We watched our grand daughter take her first steps on i-chat. We met Marc and Sarah and Jenn on i-chat. We often talk to our parents, and loved ones on i-chat. It is an amazing tool and is the next best thing to being there!

Being able to watch or listen to any church talk given, get our Church's General Conference live,  dig up anything  written in a church magazine on the internet, store photographs so conveniently, retrieve information so readily is all an amazing blessing! I remember the days we would write to the TV networks thanking them for putting one session of General Conference on a station. I remember "saving" Church magazines because they were so precious and had so many good articles in them and I wanted to have access to them. I remember the library being the ONLY place you could do research. The need to store information, memories, and profound wisdom is ageless. We just have a better method now! 

Conclusion - people/SAME - --technology/WAY DIFFERENT 

The music world is INCREDIBLE now, and at our fingertips so readily! The world of photography is such a blessing. 

Well, I could go on and on like I typically do. I think I've made my point. The younger generation needs to have these blessings pointed out. It's so convenient and easy to keep in touch now,  to store our treasures, and learn from Master teachers!

One last thought  ------------ I don't think technology has made us a better people. Only as we make choices from good to better to best, and become from the inside out who we really are (sons and daughters of God) do we become better people.

Only as we put away our selfish, prideful, carnal selves  and become a Saint through the Atonement of Christ do we truly begin to reach our potential. 

Technology has made everything more convenient and easy (like washing machines and dishwashers and microwaves). People in "the olden days" treasured what we treasure today. They loved connecting and communicating with family,  they loved music and song, they loved  connecting with God, they loved capturing memories, they loved what we love today and they found the best ways they could to do that, no matter what generation they were in. We just have things so much more readily available and at our fingertips. And anything that contributes to  these fundamental needs of humanity and makes them easier IS INDEED A BLESSING!