6.04.2012

What a Mormon Church is Like: {The D.C. Version}

Church in Utah: Less than a 5 minute drive to the church around the block.

Church in Oklahoma: A 20 minute drive to the church in a neighboring city.

Church in D.C.: An hour long commute via walking to the Metro, taking the Metro, and walking from the Metro to the church in a neighboring state. {But now I can officially mark Maryland off the list of states I've been to.}
MetrotoChurch2
They say the church is the same everywhere. But please, let me clarify, the gospel is the same everywhere...the church however, is definitely not the same everywhere.

I was grateful for fast Sunday on this particular Sunday. Isn't it so much easier to fast when church isn't until 1:00?

We successfully spotted a few other Mormons on the train, making it easy for us to once again, find our way in a foreign land. 

And lets just throw it out there. Isn't going to a new ward the worst? Or a new anything really...a job, a class...

We walk in and quickly find a seat, hoping that we didn't just steal someones 'regular' spot. 
While we sit and wait for the meeting to start, I hear a member of the bishopric approach the gentleman sitting behind us and quickly ask him if he would be "...the assistant to the Executive Secretary."

Umm...okay. Yes, his response.

Seconds later the meeting starts and he is sustained into this new calling. Wow, and I thought the ward in Norman was bad {calling speakers the night before to assign them talks.}

But to each his own. 

The meeting continued on just as normal. Or should I say Utah normal, as I was about to find out that things are run a little differently in this D.C. ward. 

First testimony bearer gets up, starting out: "Good Afternoon Brothers and Sisters."

Congregation: "Good Afternoon!"

Hah. What just happened?

Next testimony bearer gets up: "Good Afternoon."

Congregation: "Good Afternoon!"

Oh dear. 

You should have seen the reaction when the young teenager got up and said: "Hi."
That poor crowd had no idea what to do with it. A chuckle was about all this extremely vocal congregation could get out. 

Then there was the older black lady that got up. She was adorable. She begins her testimony like normal {or should I say D.C. normal}, but then takes a drastic turn by asking everyone to sing with her saying, "I know you know the words."

I definitely did not know the words. Pretty sure Mike and I were the only two in that room that didn't though. 
And it was definitely not a hymn.
I looked at Mike, "What just happened?"
Mike's response?
"That was awesome."
I still have no idea what song they were singing.

So several more Good Afternoon's later, the bishop gets up to end the meeting and then says, "After the prayer has been said, please stay in your seats and we will introduce the new people."

Did I mention that I kind of hate going to new wards?

And sure enough, after the prayer, we went around the room like on the first day of school and introduced the new people. Of which there were quite a few. 

And THEN {I know, its like it never ends} we got up to go to Sunday School and were intercepted by a member of the bishopric. He introduced himself and just asked why we were in D.C. and what our story was, when I told him that I wasn't really doing anything this Summer, just kinda following my husband in his adventures, he says, "Do you want to be our Assistant Girls Camp Director?"

Umm.

I'll be in Utah for the month of July, and so I was thinking that I would not be there for camp.
Nope.
Camp is in June.
So guess who is going to Girls Camp?
Bahah. 

I did not even know that this could happen. What in the world.

But I'm still really excited for the opportunity, and it will be nice to have something to do for a few days. 

Random.

Did I mention that in Relief Society we sang "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.....".
More than once I questioned whether or not I was in a Mormon church.
And now I just think about it and laugh.

Did that really just happen?

9 comments :

  1. hahahaha that is too funny! I didnt know that! Wow well youve got a few days to get ready for camp!

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  2. Hi Abby :) I noticed that you followed my blog, so I did the natural thing and popped over to yours. ha. And now I think I'm going crazy, because I'm pretty sure I know you from somewhere, but I can't remember where. (Hopefully we aren't related or something because that would be really embarrassing). Anyway, if you are just a random passer-by we can still be friends, but if you know me from somewhere please jog my memory. Cute blog and I read a little bit of what you said about law school and completely agree! :)

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  3. This is hilarious! I read it twice, and I made my husband read it too. Love it!

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  4. We'll I'm glad we get to be online friends! I was asking Matt if he remembers you and he said that he and I went to your wedding reception... :) I guess that's where I recognize you from, but I don't remember going! Anyway, law school is tough, but I like what you said about putting your marriage first! We have really tried to do that and it has definitely helped. Two years to go! What are you guys doing in DC?

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  5. Haha, never mind, Matt is confused because I just saw that you just celebrated your five-year anniversary and I didn't even know him when you got married. :)

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  6. OH Abby, this is one of the most entertaining things I have read in a long, long time! I love your stories; I love your exciting life!

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  7. crazy! We've learned the same thing, church is not the same, neither are the people. haha

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  8. I laughed so hard reading this. I had to call and read it to Tyler as he was traveling to Missouri for his entertainment. He loved it!

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  9. oh my gosh!! i LOVE how you said "to clarify the gospel is the same everywhere the church however, is definitely not the same everywhere." YES!!! we moved to this small ISOLATED town in kentucky where our branch is so so weird. the nicest people, but so so weird!

    www.wewouldlovetoadopt.blogspot.com

    {and nice that that guy was wearing a baseball cap {or whatever} during sacrament.}

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