In all honesty, this is a fairly new development in my life - we didn't attend on vacation when I was a kid, and we didn't early in my marriage. We went through a phase where we always seemed to forget our church clothes when we visited the in-laws (much to their chagrin). But for the past 10 years or so, we have made an effort to attend wherever we are gone over a Sunday. It has become part of our expected family tradition. And since we are clever, we have our boys attend at times with no tie, or wearing tennis shoes, or jeans - despite their best efforts to forget their church clothes.
It a has been a good thing. Personally, I feel it hard to teach the incredible importance of the sabbath, and taking the sacrament weekly, if I am willing to wave it off to hit the beach, or to sleep in, or to get early admittance into Tomorrowland.
Today we attended a ward that was probably at 800% normal attendance because of vacationers. You could see the stress on the deacon's faces, and the smile on the bishop's.
When we first walked in, I was a little put back. The usher that was passing out the programs was greeting people as they entered the chapel. I said hello and reached out my hand for a program. He promptly took my hand, shook it and welcomed me to church. I still stood there with my hand out. He looked at me again and smiled - and just stood there.
Could I have a program?
Are you a visitor?
Yes.
(Silence)
Is there a problem?
Not at all. Here you go.
Thanks!
I took my hard-won program and went to my metal chair in the overflow. Did I do something wrong? Are they experiencing a ward budget crisis? I guess I didn't really NEED a program - I am just curious as to how other wards do things. So, I settled in, a little put off, and prepared for the meeting.
Most of the time I visit other wards, it is on Fast Sunday, and we attend Testimony Meeting. I was thinking about it, and it mostly has to do with the holiday calendar. Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day all fall around the first of the month, and often the next Sunday is Fast Sunday. I like it. It seems you have a much better opportunity to get a feel for the saints in that congregation than if you are listening to a High Councilor or some other assigned speaker. Sometimes you learn that the congregation is made up of really interesting people (read crazy).
Today, I found that the saints in this congregation were wonderful. The testimonies were powerful. Nobody went "off the rails." I felt like we were at the right place at the right time. We left feeling good, conversing about some of the testimonies we heard.
Over the past ten years I have attended church on five continents in a half-dozen languages. I have learned that the Lord's church is the Lord's church. Everywhere. Whether the nuances and procedures are the same or not, it doesn't matter. The Spirit of the Lord shines through when good-hearted people bear testimony of the truth - regardless of the wealth or poverty, language, culture or legacy of the people.
It was a good day.
Oh... We didn't stay for block. We aren't there yet. I do have a small concern that if we were to stay all three hours, while on vacation, it just might be the final push that would result in me being translated. I feel that this would be a hardship on those people left behind who are dependent on me, and I think that would be unfair.
Would that all could attend block meetings and be translated. It would make the work of preaching the gospel so much more targeted - "Oh, you're still here; you must need the gospel."
ReplyDeleteMy highest compliments go to you and your family for your efforts. The Church is a strength to those who attend, not because it is perfect, but because it works.
"There is but one path of safety to the Latter-day Saints, and that is the path of duty." (see http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/65453)Said by Heber J. Grant.
You are so thoughtful. My thanks goes to you for sluffing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for at least leaving after the sacrament. It would help if you made a stop at in n out or mcyd's on your way back to the hotel/pool.
ReplyDeleteMy sister's ward has Sacrament meeting last, so I feel like we HAVE to go to the entire block. And when I show up with my 5 kids we just about double the size of their tiny primary.
ReplyDeleteYou should do what I do.....I wear ankle weights that I hide under my pants, just to keep me grounded "in case". :) Or skipping out early on church works too.
ReplyDeleteWe have a no-kidding full-on swash buckling Pirate in our ward who likes to share his testimony. Fast Sunday has long been one of our more interesting meetings.
ReplyDeleteI took my boys and wife to church in one of my areas in Pennsylvania this month. I told my wife "there are probably 80 people that will be there." as that is the way I remember it. We walked in and there were wall to wall people. People all the way through the cultural hall and back onto the stage! We just so happened to be visiting when they were splitting the ward. It was amazing, a spiritual experience and a highlight for me of the trip.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely try not to skip Sundays church on future trips.
Never attend the entire block because you may just end up getting asked to play the piano in one of the later meetings. Or if you DO attend the entire block, do not attend with a friend who knows that you play the piano. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteWe always go to just sacrament meeting on vacation, unless we are visiting family, then we go to the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteWe once tried to go- the chapel was totally full, so we sat in the overflow with some other people-the overflow doors were locked and they could not get them unlocked!! So we went and sat in the foyer so we could at least hear the sacrament prayer and receive the sacrament. We got the foyer to find out the speaker didn't work out there... we heard people signing the sacrament hymn, heard the quiet indicating the prayer.. waited, waited.. they never brought the sacrament out to those in the foyer!
We left at that point and went and read some scripture versus in a park. Hey we tried :)
You are a better man than I. I generally use a vacation as a vacation from church as well as everything else. But it's true that the Lord never takes a vacation from me. Does he? I am clearly an unprofitable servant. I'll try harder in the future.
ReplyDeleteI did, however, attend my sister's ward in Las Vegas this weekend. A Crazy Man stood at the pulpit holding a trumpet. He discussed his trumpet at great length for over 10 minutes! Luckily he did not play it. I still don't understand the just of his message. He should just NOT next time.
if it's 2 sunday's in a row, then we go while on vacation...otherwise...well, let's just say, there's room for improvement, and leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to visit new wards though, and see how they run their program. Especially fast and testimony meetings. You never know what you're gonna get.