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This makes my own heart swell. I am SO happy for you. Sis Katpur, any updates? Please fill us in on what’s happening when you can. An update… If anybody ever wants to release me from this calling, they’re going to have to excommunicate me.
😯 We’ve been at the jail for six weeks now, shadowing other teachers for the first three weeks, for two weeks on our own, and today, Christmas caroling with other teachers. So far, it has far exceeded my expectations. This is the first time in literally years that I have not dreaded Sundays. When we’re in minimum or medium security, we generally teach anywhere from about four to twelve men at once. We start out with an opening prayer, offered by an inmate (one of them always volunteers) and a song. There is a recorder with about two dozen songs on it and we pass out a sheet containing the words. We allow the inmates to choose the song. Almost always, it’s either, “Did You Think to Pray?” or “I Am a Child of God.” They sing; they don’t just mumble the words.
The lessons are on the basics of the gospel — the Plan of Salvation, the Atonement, Adversity, Repentance, etc. We’ve been moving around a bit to get the feel of things, but starting in January, we’ll be teaching in the same cell block for six weeks in a row (actually, one hour in one cell block and another in another cell block). We’ve done most of our teaching during our two weeks on our own in maximum security. Wow. Talk about a spiritual experience. Here, we do the praying. The men seem to want it this way, and we don’t have any singing. We give an abbreviated message and just chat with them about life in general.
I am blown away by their appreciation for us. It’s like nothing I’ve ever known in any other calling. Some of them seem pretty hardened; others seem completely out-of-place there. Our entire purpose from what I’ve gathered, is to give these men hope, and to let them know that God hasn’t stopped loving them because of what they may have done. It’s really hard to express what a phenomenal experience this is proving to be, but I am loving every minute of it. The only negative so far is that the no-touch policy prohibits us from even shaking their hands, and there are a few of them that I want to just give a big hug and say, “Think of this as being from your mom.”
Katzpur wrote:Here, we do the praying. The men seem to want it this way, and we don’t have any singing. We give an abbreviated message and just chat with them about life in general.
You probably know this already, but from what I’ve been told by people who have spent time in jail, it’s often a good thing not to stick your neck out. So many of these men are perhaps afraid that if they pray aloud they will be exposing themselves to mockery or gossip around the block.
I know someone who was educated and went to jail. In his case, his education was a bonus, so he could stick his neck out. But that was for writing letters for other people etc. That’s probably the exception.
Quote:
(Contemporary English Version)Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. 35 When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”
37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”
40The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”
I posted elsewhere on a Youtube video,
I was almost a school shooter, http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9262 There are a few relevant quotes in that video which I think apply here as well
Quote:When someone treats you as a person when you don’t feel like a human, it changes your entire world
Quote:“Love the ones you feel deserve it the least because they need it the most”
While I think there are those who have put themselves well beyond help, or as far as they can from it, there are also many who have been treated badly since the beginning. Most prisoners tend to have had abusive childhoods, bad backgrounds or just got mixed up in the right thing. I know why some of these people are being punished – I get that – but that also many of them never get true rehabilitation or the chance to get into a better life again.
I hope the prison you visit at also teaches art. There’s been some positive developments from exposing prisoners to art, although again, not all take to it.
Katzpur, PLEASE report back. You promised. Minyan Man wrote:
Katzpur, PLEASE report back. You promised.
There’s not a great deal to report, actually. I am still absolutely loving every minute of it. It has literally been close to two decades since I have actually looked forward to Sundays. One of the other teachers at the jail said that Jesus Christ walks through the halls of the jail. I don’t think that anybody who serves there would disagree with that statement. Every week when we leave to go home, I feel so alive, so happy, and so rejuvenated. At the end of our home ward church services, I’d go home feeling empty, discouraged or angry. It’s a 180 degree change, that’s for sure. I am able to be my authentic self for the first time in years, and no one is looking down on me because of it. It’s just so good to feel comfortable in a church setting again and to be able to interact with people who aren’t trying to impress you with how righteous they are. The guys we teach are so humble and genuine that you can’t help but love them. That’s another thing… I always kind of cringe when I hear a Sacrament Meeting speaker, say, “Brothers and Sisters, I just love each and every one of you.” I find myself thinking, “Yeah, but would you love me if you actually knew me? Probably not.” But the sincerity and warmth the men we teach just warms your heart, and I find myself thinking, “I really love those men!” I guess this calling might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely perfect for me. A couple from our home ward just got called to serve a temple mission in Nauvoo. When I heard about it, I couldn’t help but almost feel sorry for them. I can’t think of anywhere where I’d be much less comfortable or happy. I’ll take jail any time.
Not a great deal to report? I beg to differ. Thank you. I needed that. :thumbup: Respect.Katzpur wrote:
One of the other teachers at the jail said that Jesus Christ walks through the halls of the jail. I don’t think that anybody who serves there would disagree with that statement.I work in juvenile justice (education, and in this state it’s a therapeutic model as opposed to a punitive model). I once worked in a prison. I have borne this testimony before. Some of my stronger spiritual feelings have happened behind the gates and razor wire and I have at times been more uplifted there than in SM. I do not for one second believe that there are places the Spirit won’t go, and I also believe the Spirit is much like the Savior Himself – that is, it’s more likely to be found among the “sinners and publicans” than among the “healthy” who need no physician.
(For the record, not every one believes me.)
Katzpur: anything new to report? I need a spiritual “shot”. Minyan Man wrote:
Katzpur: anything new to report? I need a spiritual “shot”.
Hey there! Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but we’ve been out of the country and haven’t been back long.
I can’t say there’s a great deal of news from the jail, other than that I gave a talk in the branch’s Sacrament Meeting (held only for those of us who serve there, and not for the inmates). I decided to lay it all on the line. We still don’t know a lot of the couples all that well, but I had a hunch that they might be just a bit more accepting of different perspectives than most of my home ward members. Here are a couple of paragraphs from the beginning of my talk:
“For several years prior to receiving this calling, I’d been really struggling to get up and go to church on Sundays. Please understand that this was not due to any loss of testimony or ‘faith crisis’; my testimony of the gospel has never really wavered. It was more just a lack of enthusiasm and a feeling that, much of the time, I was just going through the motions. I was not really being fed spiritually and I didn’t feel as if I were really making any difference in anybody else’s life either. Church activity had become just one more tedious, mundane obligation, and I found that both frustrating and disheartening. In addition, many of my perspectives, opinions and viewpoints have always been just a little left of center, so to speak, and oftentimes I felt as if I didn’t quite belong among my LDS peers. I felt as if I were a square peg, trying to squeeze into a round hole, and even when I was able to, I wasn’t entirely comfortable.
I just mention these things to give you a little bit of a background concerning where I was seven months ago. At any rate, for probably about five months, starting roughly at about this time last year, every night when I said my prayers, I asked my Heavenly Father to find a place for me in the Church, a place where I could once again find joy in the gospel, where I could be authentic without having to worry that I might inadvertently offend someone in the process, and where I would genuinely be able to do some good. Every night, I’d say, ‘Father, please! Please, help me find the place where I belong, because right now, I’m just drifting aimlessly and I’m starting to lose hope that things are ever going to change.’ He knew, of course, where I belonged, even though I would never have dreamed that that place would be the county jail.”
Within all of ten seconds after Sacrament Meeting finished, one man was at my side saying, “That was the best talk I’ve ever heard anyone here give. I related to every word of it and there is nothing you said I couldn’t have said myself — except that I wouldn’t have said it as well as you did.” Seconds later, a woman came up and said, “I’m a square peg, too!” We talked about how we’ve never felt comfortable in our own skins in our home ward. She told me there are some things she feels so strongly about, and yet is afraid to speak out on for fear of being judged. I had several people comment on how what I said really hit home with them. I was seriously amazed to learn the extent that so many people shared my feelings.
It’s an awesome place to be. I still never want to be released. More and more all the time, I realize how close I was to becoming completely inactive.
Thank you. Just what I needed. Wonderful. Truly a blessing. I am so happy for you! Happier still that you seem to have really connected with others that maybe were afraid to say what you said. Amen.. This made my day. I just think there are some of us that need a purpose, instead of just existing and going to church. Sometimes, you just want to be more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees (I know, not a very nice thing to say..). Your ministry at the Jail is helping people in a real way, people choose to come and be a part of the service and listen to what you have to say. It is less like many I see in Wards, going through the motions, playing games on their phones or even watching a football game highlights during sacrament meeting (true story!). Helping people really make the whole religious experience worthwhile. I helped two people this month reignite their enthusiasm. Both were CofC, one was an overwhelmed Pastor who needed a shot of hope and the other was someone who was apprehensive to go back to a congregation that they had negative experiences in. I helped the Pastor start a social media page and I attended church with the other, which is several communities over from my home. Both were appreciative and I felt like I was in the right place at the right time for them.
As the Primary song goes, “I hope they call me on a Mission”.. Sounds like both of us are on one. God bless you as you serve others.
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