Well it happened. I had just finished with my run today. Was walking down my street, and I saw two women get out of a car...wearing dresses. At first I thought they were Jehovah Witnesses visiting our landlady next door. Nope. They were my visiting teachers! I couldn't believe it. (If you didn't know, I chose to be inactive about 9 months ago. I have moved a number of times since then and have not given my current address to the church.) Well, the sweet lady told me they were our visiting teachers, and I exclaimed something horrible like "Oh god!". She quickly told me we could be just friends. Since she was so nice I decided I would have to look past my initial horror and get to know her.
Cindy and her daughter Amy. I like them, despite the fact of their current church assignment. They live a couple of houses down in another George Q. Cannon polygamist house. Cindy and her husband used to be hippies in the 70's. (That spoke my language...:))
After they left, I got to thinking. I was surprised that my knee-jerk reaction was so strong. (I think she was too...) An apology might be in order. And I was surprised that they found me. Mormons have connections I tell you. It really is my fault because my name is still on the records of the church. In fact, I can't blame them one bit. If you believed that your church saved your soul, then you also would do everything in your power to find those that were inactive, I'm sure. I guess it just surprised me because I am not sure that I want to face my issues with the church....at least not yet. I want to hide just a little bit longer. But I believe there really are no coincidences so I suppose this is not to be. You really can't run from your problems, your fears etc. They always catch up to you. And so it will begin. I will start small...like look at why visiting teaching bugs me so much.
In the short-term there are a couple of reasons for which I can be glad they found me.
1. Mormons really are some of the best community builders in the world. And they really try to look after everyone in their community. I know that I now have two visiting teachers that are concerned for my welfare, and are most likely praying for me. A little extra prayer never hurts.
2. If there were an emergency, I would be very grateful that I was living by some mormons. They have got it figured out in that arena.
3. I feel like my block is more personal now instead of these blank houses. I would even invite them to our next shindig.
4. And a new friend is always a good thing.
Afterthought: After the break-in, I had been feeling a little less safe on my block then before. I had been praying for something to come along to change that. Ironically having visiting teachers three houses down did the trick. This makes me laugh a little.
9 comments:
Hee hee. (yeah- yeah- you're sticking your tongue out. ;b)
My least favorite thing is when people confuse the religion with the culture in Utah. Sometimes they are exact opposites, which recent discovery shouldn't have surprised me so much.
Speaking of Mormon culture- thanks for adding me to your blog list- I was pretty durn flattered. I wanted to add you to mine long ago, but the people who would click it would haze me for actively referring them to a post with the F-word. (And not just the Mormons, either.) Yeeeesss I saw the warning at the beginning of the post- I'm stupid like that. ;)
mormon religion and utah culture...now that could be a fun topic. I agree, the culture here is not necessarily the religion. I am curious about your recent discovery with this.
and I totally get it about not putting my blog on your website, I'm not offended in the least. Besides we don't want you to get hazed! :)
Can I just comment on the culture vs the religion?.....Ok I will :) This is one of the biggest struggles I have with living in the state of Utah. Phwew I feel better....I really struggle with the mormon "culture" here because I find rarely does it have to do with the religion itself.
glad you got that out...julie :)
It has come up a lot since we moved to Ohio. The differences we've noticed between living in Utah vs. out. Of course none of them come to mind just now... Well,
this one is totally about it, actually...
and this, kind of.
I dunno. My parents are actually a prime example of people living the culture, but not the religion. It starts with a little pride, then failure to truly repent. For some people it's easy to convince themselves that they aren't doing "that" bad simply because they are still adhering to relatively high standards. But really- it doesn't matter the justification- if we know we've got something to work on, and we have decided we aren't going to work on it, the spirit will leave until our heart changes, and meanwhile we get depressed.
It's easiest for Satan to work this particular plan on really intelligent people who can come up with really good justifications for everything.
And I think once his foot is in the door, the rest of the world and it's crazy theories (like antidepressants) seem to make a lot more sense. It's like looking at a stupid snake- repentance?? The atonement? Those are just Sunday School answers- pfft.
thanks for sharing that hot air. I know that sounds cliche, but I am sincere
interesting:)
I hope you don't think that means I am passing a judgment because I am not.
Corb you have no idea how much It means to me to have you say that you are not passing a judgement. and please tell me more about what you find interesting..lol
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