Well because I’d agree that we’d attend the church today it meant that I wonted to have a better understanding of what I was going to be walking into or to some regards what was I getting myself into! With that in mind, saturday between doing things around the house and for a upcoming con I was online researching various topics and points plus talking with a person or two over twitter who are like N part of the LDS.
Got a suggestion of a app to download that might be of use to me from one of them and so I got the app and it turned out to be what I was looking for, everything in one location that I could look at it online or offline (as long as I download the content first) including the booklet that we’d been given to read though (which was what I’d really been looking for in the first place – a digital version because paper is good but I find it easer to have digital for fast reading or referencing).
At any rate, I actually read the passage that we where asked to read on Wednesday, mostly because I wonted to see if the digital version had that passage in it or not, guess you could say I was trying to figure out if it really was what it said it was. Turned out it was exactly what I was suppose to read and more (the app will even read me the text, and has videos and a bunch of other things that you can download within the app – which is nice a form of one stop shop type deal). So I did read the passage and as I ended up saying to the person I was tweeting with “it sounds like its of the style of Shakespeare in hows its written, which I’ve not read since high school!” and yes I still feel that is the case with the it and other parts that i’ve looked at since downloading the app and since looking though that hymn book at church.
I was also at the time looking though that various LDS sites and its interesting to note how they are connected as they are yet at times so poorly designed yet the possibilities are there to make them really connected – but since they are different domains I’m not sure if they are subs of the parent site or not, I would think so but I could be really wrong on that matter. But still interesting to look though them from a design stand point and lay person who knows nothing about them as a religious group who’s looking up info on them in general.
So the church part, we got a call Saturday night asking if we where going to be attending and N said we likely would be yes, but it deepened on the weather, which is valid and true. Not the phone call we where thinking we’d get in the middle of things on Valentines day but it happens (could have been his mom instead, which has happened in the past ::chuckles::).
So we finally got to bed and my alarm got me up at 8am as I’d set it to, I turned over and asked N if we where going to church or should I just turn over and go back to bed? But ya we where going, so got breakfast and everything together while N did what he needed to go (got ozzy up and out and got his own breakfast). In short order we where getting dressed and that is something I am not use to really putting much thought into. I am very much use to just grabbing either Work Clothing or my outside clothing and dressing, sorry to say but my Sunday Best consisted of Black, Black and more Black, I a very much lacking in such clothing to say the lest unless its warm weather then I have more skirts that would work (though no tops – which if this continues I’m going to have to change it would seem) in general. But as it was I had to wear what I had open to me to wear which was so NOT the right clothing to be worn with -20C weather on any level, talk about freezing areas off BLEEP!
Getting there was not an issue as I’d driven by the place many times and remember watching it get built back in the late 90s. Yet when we arrived I though we where early because there was only 5 cars in the parking lot, for a church that I know could hold a good hundred people or more (I think). I was actually wondering if we’d made a mistake since it was a few minutes past 10am, but N assured me that we where a little late but that it was the correct time. So we went in and ya I heard the organ being played and stuff being said, I will not say it felt funny walking into the place because ya it did. But N got me past the entrance and into the place proper, you should say I was feeling very much out of my element and unsure about going further into the building.
But that didn’t last long, soon enough as N went towards the door that was open the bloke who’d been coming to our home stepped out all smiles followed by the new guy (still on his cell phone ::facepaws::), he actually seemed shocked and pleasantly pleased that we’d come – I’m thinking he was expecting us to bail on them despite us saying we’d be there (yes I know it happens, people say they will be there and then are a no show) if the weather was good (and it was good weather, cold but clear so not a issue for driving or safety). He had us site at the back of the church area (which was where I wonted to sit to start with – I rather be at the back and able to people watch when I’m in a deal that I’ve got little to no experience dealing with) and handed up a hymn book (that on the pages I saw written “Beaches Ward”) so we could follow along with the singing as it took place.
As I’m writing this I haven’t got a clue what the three our four hymns that where dun where or even what their names where – I didn’t so much sing along as follow along and semi sing (hard to sing along even with the lyrics if you’ve never heard them spoken in your life – or that is the case with me at least), and yes I did try to find the hymns on their site just to post reference to them but its not going to happen, I just don’t remember the hymn names and when there are over 250 listed ya not going though everything trying to figure out if I recognize which was which, and don’t really feel like asking N which was which as I am typing this, maybe for a later post if I think to do it I might.
At any rate, sitting in the back and watching what was going on was different I counted about 60 odd people who where at what I was told is called Sacrament (similar to that catholic thing where a wafer and drink is passed around for those in attendance to partake – only in this case its bread and water), I’ve never experienced anything of this nature before. Ive heard about the Catholic equivalent many times growing up from relatives who are of the catholic faith and from my folks who have attended a number of such events in their life together and before they got married. But it was my very first exposure to anything like it ever in my life outside of the deal that I’ve dun with other pagans or just myself during a circle (when we offer the Goddess and her consort various items depending on the season and what you are wishing to do).
I wasn’t able to do part of the sacrament because I can’t have the bread because of it containing gluten, so had to abstain from it (not sure if that was offensive or not to them but I know the kid was a little shocked from his facial expression), but when the water came around that I did take. Bearing in mind that I knew 100% nothing about why this was being dun or the meaning behind it until the missionary guy said to me about the bread and water being used to clear away your sings for the past week. Talk about feeling really really really out of place in that moment! I have no idea how such things can do what he said or why they would do that but apparnetly in their belief system it does (sorry I just can’t get my head around this part of things, and no one’s yet been able to explain it well enough to me that I understand it – since from what I was told when young “Christ died to forgive you your sins” or something to that effect, so if that is the case how can eating bread and drinking water even if its been blessed by the bishop do that – shakes head, what ever some things just are not meant to be understood or at least you figure it out with time and LOTs of talking.)
So during the service I learned a few things about some things, like they apparently fast once a month or some times more and for the day the food that they would of eaten is suppose to be donated to the church so it can be given to other’s within the church who are less fortunate (which isn’t a bad thing, sounds just like the deal of “paying it forwards” from those who can to those who current can not do so – nothing wrong with this idea).
After the service some person who I don’t remember the position or name of (think he’s like the account keeper or something) stopped to speak with us. Funny thing he actually addressed me before N, which was a first and nice to have happen (though could have easily only been because I was closest to him at the time), but at any rate he had his phone with him and actually had on his phone Ns information from down in the Springs (that was a little freaky) he asked if the information was correct and learned that yes it was and no it wasn’t at the same time (named used down there was nick name not birth name) so he changed the notes from what I could see to reflect how N prefers being called (by his given name).
Then he got my information (feat strange giving it, but gave it I did) chuckles giving him my whole nine yards of a name had him looking at me in shock or something but he typed it all into his phone, plus my name use preference. He asked when we where married and where we where married since he had no record of us being married in the church records, just a notation that we where. Then came the question I knew was coming, that lovely BINGO that I’ve gotten from people over the years “Do you have children?” or “Are you planning on having children” first out of my mouth was “No, Not happening” while at the same time N was saying “We can’t have any” sighs, I know its a valid question since the church is so info having kids and raising them in the faith and what not, but grrr it still irks me to degrees. After that we all shook hands and he was off, saying that he’d like to talk further at a future date (guess there is more info that he wants to get or something no idea).
Shortly after that the Missionary guys started showing us around the base floor of the church, at which time we ran into the Bishop and shook his hand (almost everyone I’ve meet who’s male in this church has a good solid hand shake, the few girls well lets say that is not strong at all), made small talk and he said that he’d like to speak with us later as time permits as he has a few questions for N (I guess I’m included in that but don’t really know), so I assume when ever we’re there next or something is when it will happen (less they say X date for a meeting – no idea).
After that we where shown to the second floor and some of the rooms there – this is where I learned a few new things that I’d not known before and still don’t understand but likely in time will figure out. Ran into a few youngsters who where playing a form of hooky from their class which made me think of typical school kids getting way from as much class as they are able to get away with without getting in trouble. Made for a good chuckle among us that is for sure, but also lead itself into a few things I didn’t know about the church yet had glanced over in my readings yet not payed much attention to.
After that we headed back down to the main floor after getting told the third floor was for the single young adults to gather and talk between each other (so I guess its a form of young adult zone that lets them be themselves without without older people being around – goes from I think its 18 to 30, after 30 your an adult). Back on the main floor we talked a little but more about things regarding the service and church itself, and I had a little chance to apparently shock them since I pulled out my tablet and proceed to show them the app that I’d downloaded and why I’d dun so. I don’t understand why it was a shock that I took the time to download the app or that I actually did read the passage that we where asked to go though, I’m guessing they where not expecting it to happen or something and that my being a non member downloading the app and reading the stuff I guess is not normal in their experience and ya I can see that since it likely isn’t the normal thing that happens in mixed relationships, but then again nothing between N and I is of the normal deal because its how we are as a couple.
He did ask what I though of the passage and really I couldn’t say much since I’d only read it though once and not gone back to re-read it (which N and I’ll do at some point before they arrive), I remembered enough of it to say a few words that to me are so blasted genetic but fit the passage as far as I rememrbed it to be (Alma 32) about teaching and learning regardless of your means on this planet all end at the same place when all is said and dun. Shrugs it sounded good and is true in its own regards regardless of what path you choose to walk on this planet as I see it.
After that they asked if they could do a small prayer before we had to go, we agreed and the new person said the blessings and we said our goodbyes and left, after confirming the date that we are seeing them again at the house. I know their intent for being at the house and having us come to the church is to get N to come back to the church and if at all possible to get me to convert to their faith. Can’t say that is going to happen, but I have no issues learning about their faith attending things with N and in general being involved to various degrees.
When we got home we did what needed doing and then as soon as that was dun I did what I always do when learning new things take to twitter to talk to those who I know might give insight and to google to look a few things up that caught my attention and I’d like more information on for better form an opinion and understanding. Must have spent close to 4 hours or so that I was on twitter and google talking and learning, while playing on mindcraft as well (yes multi tasking). Got a few things answered that I was wondering about though my twitter friend (and did a tweet chat with another group of people in the process for something totally different) and book marked a few links from google to look at over time (since it seems to be one of those pages that is links upon links upon links to various informations – though skimming it seems to say nothing at all that is of any meat or interest).
Oh well write more as time does pass, take care everyone!