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MikeWaters · 03-22-2010, 10:55 PM

Was in San Antonio this past weekend. We planned to return home on Sunday. Usually in such cases we do not attend church. But it happened that we saw an LDS church building just a few blocks from my friend's house, where we were staying. The neighborhood is fairly blighted and poor, and I was curious what kind of ward might be there. Plus I thought it would be cool to invite my friend to attend.

My friend asked me a lot more questions about Mormonism than he usually does. So come Sat. night, I invited him to church at 9am down the street. He said "sure."

At the last possible moment where he could reasonably get ready, I knocked on his bedroom door. He said he was going to stay in bed and not attend. Oh well, I tried.

So we get to church. Nice little ward. Cozy and small. It was a very nice meeting. The ward confirmed a convert (African-American). They announced an upcoming baptism the next week as well. One of the speakers was a very engaging AA convert as well. She said she had lived in over a dozen places in a dozen years, so had been in many wards. She commented that the church was the same in each place, which was a testament to her. How true, I thought. It was a nice meeting.

As soon as sacrament meeting was over, an elderly man leaped across the aisle to introduce himself, followed quickly by a missionary elder. Perhaps seeing my tennis shoes, scruff, and no tie, they thought I might be an investigator. I told them no, just visiting, but I almost got my friend out. I told the missionary that maybe he could drop by my friend's street sometime. I said I didn't feel comfortable having them directly go for a visit without asking him. The missionary said, maybe you could talk to him and then we will call you to see if it is ok.

So I get back to my friend's home. And I mention to him that I had mentioned him in my conversation to the missionaries. My friend says "sure have them come by, I can at least feed them."

I don't know what will come of this. It's in the Lord's hands. Perhaps there is a place for my friend in this church. I don't know.

But I was glad to have seen the church building, and glad to have attended that ward.

Archaea · 03-22-2010, 11:06 PM

There is a lot of good in our community, and a lot of good people trying to do their best. Sometimes when we focus upon the trees we miss the forest.

I tend to have a better, fresher appreciation for what we have, by visiting other locations without a tie to it because I typically miss the details which tend to bug me so much otherwise.

Nice report.

I've visited a few wards recently in the Northeast and have come away with similar experiences.

Zulu451 · 04-05-2010, 01:42 AM

Very interesting Mike...

In our serviceman's group in Afghanistan it was very interesting that there was 1 guy from the Czech republic, 2 service women from Jamaica and 2 guys from the philipines and another from India. More foreign members than US members.

I found this interesting in the light of Elder Uchdorf's talk this morning.

MikeWaters · 04-05-2010, 03:44 PM

Is the inactivity rate among LDS service members high?

I remember Br. Morgan giving a talk about his experience in the Korean War. And how if they didn't get the boys active within a couple of months, they would usually end up in some kind of spiritual peril.

Zulu451 · 04-11-2010, 11:52 PM

It is hard to say if there is a selection bias. There are definitely many young soldiers who are in the military rather than on missions. For one reason or the other. It is in some ways very similar to college, if someone wants to get lost they can easily get lost. In some respects it is tougher though because you are forced to work on Sundays and if that work schedule isn't compatible with church times, then you miss out on church. There were also several guys I know of that were very active, but they were out at small outposts where there were no other members of the church.

MikeWaters · 04-26-2010, 01:43 PM

It's kind of funny, ever since this thing in San Antonio, where I made an effort to go to church when I normally wouldn't have.....my job responsibilities normally preclude me from going to church once a month (as long as my ward meets at 9am). But I had the thought that if could go, I would like to go to church. Instead of liking the fact that I am missing, or not having any second thoughts about missing. And whether it is coincidence or not, with no doing on my part, things have worked out recently that I have not had to miss church.

Church becomes important and interesting, when you choose to make it a priority, and make the choice to care about the people around you.

Normally, I would have had to miss church yesterday, but I didn't. And it just happened that an old friend from my hometown (he was a student at A&M when I was in high school) was visiting my ward (unbeknowst to me, he grew up in this ward), and I had the opportunity to talk to him. Was there any profound significance in this? Probably not. I don't know. But that's what faith is about. Taking the next step, not with perfect light, but believing that firm ground awaits your footfall.

03-22-2010, 10:55 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	The church Was in San Antonio this past weekend. We planned to return home on Sunday. Usually in such cases we do not attend church. But it happened that we saw an LDS church building just a few blocks from my friend's house, where we were staying. The neighborhood is fairly blighted and poor, and I was curious what kind of ward might be there. Plus I thought it would be cool to invite my friend to attend. My friend asked me a lot more questions about Mormonism than he usually does. So come Sat. night, I invited him to church at 9am down the street. He said "sure." At the last possible moment where he could reasonably get ready, I knocked on his bedroom door. He said he was going to stay in bed and not attend. Oh well, I tried. So we get to church. Nice little ward. Cozy and small. It was a very nice meeting. The ward confirmed a convert (African-American). They announced an upcoming baptism the next week as well. One of the speakers was a very engaging AA convert as well. She said she had lived in over a dozen places in a dozen years, so had been in many wards. She commented that the church was the same in each place, which was a testament to her. How true, I thought. It was a nice meeting. As soon as sacrament meeting was over, an elderly man leaped across the aisle to introduce himself, followed quickly by a missionary elder. Perhaps seeing my tennis shoes, scruff, and no tie, they thought I might be an investigator. I told them no, just visiting, but I almost got my friend out. I told the missionary that maybe he could drop by my friend's street sometime. I said I didn't feel comfortable having them directly go for a visit without asking him. The missionary said, maybe you could talk to him and then we will call you to see if it is ok. So I get back to my friend's home. And I mention to him that I had mentioned him in my conversation to the missionaries. My friend says "sure have them come by, I can at least feed them." I don't know what will come of this. It's in the Lord's hands. Perhaps there is a place for my friend in this church. I don't know. But I was glad to have seen the church building, and glad to have attended that ward.

03-22-2010, 11:06 PM	#2
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	There is a lot of good in our community, and a lot of good people trying to do their best. Sometimes when we focus upon the trees we miss the forest. I tend to have a better, fresher appreciation for what we have, by visiting other locations without a tie to it because I typically miss the details which tend to bug me so much otherwise. Nice report. I've visited a few wards recently in the Northeast and have come away with similar experiences. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

04-05-2010, 01:42 AM	#3
Zulu451 house-elf 3rd class Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 386	Very interesting Mike... In our serviceman's group in Afghanistan it was very interesting that there was 1 guy from the Czech republic, 2 service women from Jamaica and 2 guys from the philipines and another from India. More foreign members than US members. I found this interesting in the light of Elder Uchdorf's talk this morning. __________________ <---- Mikewaters drives the lane...

04-11-2010, 11:52 PM	#5
Zulu451 house-elf 3rd class Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 386	It is hard to say if there is a selection bias. There are definitely many young soldiers who are in the military rather than on missions. For one reason or the other. It is in some ways very similar to college, if someone wants to get lost they can easily get lost. In some respects it is tougher though because you are forced to work on Sundays and if that work schedule isn't compatible with church times, then you miss out on church. There were also several guys I know of that were very active, but they were out at small outposts where there were no other members of the church. __________________ <---- Mikewaters drives the lane...

04-05-2010, 03:44 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Is the inactivity rate among LDS service members high? I remember Br. Morgan giving a talk about his experience in the Korean War. And how if they didn't get the boys active within a couple of months, they would usually end up in some kind of spiritual peril.

04-26-2010, 01:43 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	It's kind of funny, ever since this thing in San Antonio, where I made an effort to go to church when I normally wouldn't have.....my job responsibilities normally preclude me from going to church once a month (as long as my ward meets at 9am). But I had the thought that if could go, I would like to go to church. Instead of liking the fact that I am missing, or not having any second thoughts about missing. And whether it is coincidence or not, with no doing on my part, things have worked out recently that I have not had to miss church. Church becomes important and interesting, when you choose to make it a priority, and make the choice to care about the people around you. Normally, I would have had to miss church yesterday, but I didn't. And it just happened that an old friend from my hometown (he was a student at A&M when I was in high school) was visiting my ward (unbeknowst to me, he grew up in this ward), and I had the opportunity to talk to him. Was there any profound significance in this? Probably not. I don't know. But that's what faith is about. Taking the next step, not with perfect light, but believing that firm ground awaits your footfall.