Mother's Day, Missionaries And Skype...

Each religion has its own unique customs. And ours is no exception. One of the oddities associated with the religion to which I adhere is the sending out of missionaries. Other religions do the same, but I don't know the rules of their missionaries or the missionary families.

I do know the rules when it comes to our missionaries, partially because I was a missionary decades ago and because our oldest son is currently out in the field (missionary field, not a corn field...). So, as I check Facebook on this Mother's Day, the posts are filled with families gathered around a computer screen, talking to a son or daughter that's currently far from home.

Today was the first time we participated in the Missionary Mother's Day Skype Call. It was a great experience. We got to see him, hear him, ask him questions and just enjoy his company, albeit for a short time. And my son's grandparents dropped in and they were able to participate, too. I was also able to carry around the laptop and show my son the cats, the dog, the newly painted deck and the new house being built across the street.

Things certainly have changed in the past 30 years. When I served my mission, a portable computer capable of transmitting audio and video signals in real time was the stuff of science fiction. I believe we could call home every once in a while, but that was it.

Rules say missionaries can call home twice a year, on Mother's Day and Christmas. Looks like we'll be doing the same thing in only seven short months.

Skype...It's The Future!

For as long as I can remember (and before Marty McFly came along...), people always thought the future meant flying cars. There is a flying car out there now, but in truth, it's more like a plane that can be driven on the road than a car that can fly.

Another indicator that we had officially reached the future was the advent of a working video phone. There have been video phones for years, but if you've ever seen the movie, "Mother," a classic from the comedic genius of Albert Brooks, you know the drawbacks of that early video phone.

Enter Skype. I never had the need to use Skype until I began podcasting. I just downloaded the program, followed the instructions and I was good to go. Tonight we had family from out of town visiting. After dinner they skyped their daughter on their iPad. It was a bonafide, honest to goodness video phone. You could see them; they could see you. There's a slight delay, but it's not worth worrying about. It works so well.

 

"It's amazing that you can just make a call and see the people on the other side of the world, and it's a free call." I told my mother-in-law. She agreed with me how cool the amazing technology is. My kids loved seeing and talking to the kids on the iPad screen. I'm sure in their world, a working video phone is a normal as 500+ channels on cable.

 

We don't have flying cars, yet. But the future is here and its name is Skype.