- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Had an interesting experience last Sunday. Many of you know we had some pretty extreme situations in our home Ward. It came to a head when no one — not my TBM wife or my TBM daughter wanted to go to church one Sunday due to their experiences in the Ward. We went to a new Ward and have been flying under the radar for some time now. I stay home 1-2 Sundays a month to work on schoolwork (am a student), but often I go every week when I am not in peak periods of stress/work.
Last Sunday, my wife, who is usually the church-motor of the family said she wanted a break from Church that day, and that I should take the kids without her. My son didn’t want to go, and my daughter was unresponsive when I tried to wake her up to go — as I stood there in my suit,
I finally walked into the livingroom, removed my tie and said — I guess our family is staying home from church this week. I felt this was a tipping point as it would be the first time we would not have gone when there was no practical reason to stay home. I felt the danger of it, as it would set a precedent that each Sunday is a crap shoot about whether you go to church.
My wife looked kind of shocked and said “YOU aren’t going to take them? I take them all the time without you”. I replied I wasn’t going to force them, and then walked into my office, got into my casual clothes and started working. I suppose I accepted we might set a bad precedent in not going.
Later, there is a knock on the door, and my wife is standing there fully clothed for church, and the kids ready. I got on my church clothing and we left as a family.
But something good came out of it. I don’t go to priesthood meeting anymore, so I stood outside the classrooms of my kids and observed their reactions in class. My daughter appeared to talk a lot — and I found later she was telling her story from our home Ward — about being ambushed at a YW activity, duct tape placed on her mouth and then thrown onto a bed while the kids tried to duct tape her feet and lock her in the room. Apparently the lesson was about forgiveness and my daughter shared how she had to forgive one of the girls that did this, who was one her best friends. We never talk about this experience anymore, but it was a precipitating cause for us leaving our home ward.
Everyone in her Sunday school class, including the teacher was shocked. Her teacher is a wealthy, judgmental woman who tends to share a lot of information about other people in her Ward. I have feeling what happened to my daughter will be all over the Ward now. And I’m glad — as when the time comes the Bishopric tries to corner us on our non-attendance of our home Ward, they will have some background that leaked out naturally. I feel it was the right thing to go into that Ward on the reasonable and justifiable hope/plan my work would move me into that area — even though it violates church policy –without grandstanding the weaknesses of our home ward (there are many). And I’m glad we ended up going to church that day even though there appeared to be a very weak will on the part of just about everyone in the family.
Small victories my friend. I rejoice with you! :thumbup: God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform. Tender mercies, indeed.
Ya, wonderful. I’m amazed at your daughter. Truly wonderful. I kept everything to myself, didn’t have the capacity to share things like that out in the open.
So I am amazed. The whole reason why I am anon in this board is because I wouldn’t want to have the conversation that might happen in your situation. I’d rather not have it in front of non skilled trained people who I don’t know.
But I hope it works well for you SD. I can tell that you care a lot.
Again that was amazing from your daughter and you did help raise her.
Props.
:clap: SD, What a great story. Thanks so much for sharing it. I’m glad that your daughter has found an outlet and an environment of trust.
SilentDawning wrote:And I’m glad we ended up going to church that day even though there appeared to be a very weak will on the part of just about everyone in the family.
I loved reading this; glad your family had a good day.
(I pictured the whole story made into one of those little church videos….)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.