Month of Gratitude - November 11

I thought a lot about technology today and how it has an impact on my life.

Today, I was able to send an email to my son in Japan.  When Rick was on his mission in Canada, it took almost a week for him to get a letter and another week for me to receive his reply.  I know that within a matter of hours, once he gets somewhere that has internet access, Wil will have an update on all our goings-on this past week.  And when I wake up in the morning, there will be a response from him waiting for me.

Today, while we were already at church, Emily remembered that she was supposed to give a talk in Primary.  She was able to turn on her Kindle Fire, open the Gospel Library app, and find a poem and a story on missionary work from the children's magazine The Friend that she used for her talk.

Tonight Rick was able to talk to his dad who lives in California.  Communication has become so inexpensive.  I remember when we would pay $150 to $200 a month for long-distance on a single phone line.  Now we pay the same amount total for six separate phone numbers and long distance charges have become a thing of the past (unless you are calling Japan).

I can remember talking to Rick when he was in Canada on his mission or the east coast for military training and there was always a little static on the line.  Now I can call Japan (twice a year) and speak to Wil and it is like he is just next door and he is able to be on speaker, rather than trying to pass a phone around.

Not only can we talk to one another more frequently, but via the Internet we are able to share pictures and our children are able to receive a greater interaction with their grandparents, aunts and uncles.  Over the weekend I posted a photo of some new boots my girls had purchased.  They were so excited when within the hour, they had received comments from various family members on their choice of attire.  They love the contact they are able to maintain with their cousins, even playing games together online and engaging in online chats.

I know that there are drawbacks to technology as well.  It is blamed for creating less human interaction, helping to depersonalize society.  But I believe that technology is a gift from God to help us accomplish those things that need to be done.  It is a tool that if used wisely, just as any tool, can aid and ease us in our endeavors.