I recently saw a buzz feed about normal, ordinary words that mean something completely different to the Mormon population. One of those "normal" words? Sunday, or the Sabbath.
For most people, Sunday is a fun day. A day to take the boat out. A day of barbecues and picnics. A day to do the grocery shopping. Since none of those things are approved for Mormons, you would think it would be a pretty laid back, relaxing day for us, yes?
No.
Instead, we Mormons like to fill our Sundays will a whole heck-of-a-lot of other things that are good, and righteous. And down-right exhausting.
Last Sunday was no exception. I give you the Sabbath, Mormon style...with a dash of Kennedy.
7:30 a.m. Wake up, get dressed in my performance blacks. Notice that John is not home, and wonder exactly which congregation he is visiting that day. Say a quick prayer for Hannah (at HOBY), for Mark (in Russia) and for Ethan and Rebecca (in Utah). Grab the church bag and a protein shake out of the garage refrigerator as I hop in the car.
8:30 a.m. Show up at Our Lady of Victory, our local Catholic church for handbell choir rehearsal. Help set up the bells, rehearse for 15 minutes, perform at 9:30. Sit through mass.
10:30 a.m. Finish mass, dash out to the car. I have exactly 30 minutes to get home to pick up Glo, and drive back to OLV so that I can once again perform but with a different choir, and Glo can play a violin solo in front of 400+ members of the Catholic church. It takes 20 minutes to get home on a good day.
11:05 a.m. Back the car into a parking space, so that we can make a quick getaway. Rehearse with the second choir until noon. Thankfully, Glo has remembered everything--her music, her music stand, her violin. I can hardly believe it is her as she plays with us. Such poise and such SOUND.
12:35 p.m. Start sweating bullets. The Catholic priest is taking longer with his sermon than normal.
12:45 p.m. Begin the performance.
12:50 p.m. Grab all of Glo's earthly possessions as I quickly pat her on the back as we fly out of church. Why? Because our own church begins in 10 minutes, and I'm supposed to be playing organ for prelude music.
12:52 p.m. Glo is scheduled to play a violin solo for ward conference, and the piano in the chapel tunes sharp. Thankfully, we had gone to the church the day before to find how HOW sharp is it, adjust her tuner to it, and be ready for that performance, because heaven knows, we won't have time to tune once we get there. Stepping into her older siblings' footsteps, she tunes during the five minute car ride.
12:55 p.m. Slide onto the organ bench, and pour all the gratitude my body feels to the substitute organist (from another congregation) in a smile and one simple "thanks so much". Take a deep breath and begin playing prelude. Glo sets up her stuff on the side of the pulpit and hopes for the best.
1:05 p.m. The opening hymn begins, but no chorister shows up. Turns out, Hannie had gotten a substitute, who then had gotten another substitute, who had forgotten all about it. A member (who attends a different congregation) finally gets up (somewhere around verse 2) and conducts.
1:20 p.m. Sit down with Glo...and wait. Her nerves escalate the longer she waits.
1:45 p.m. Glo plays like an angel. With no exaggeration on my part, it was seriously the best I have ever heard her play. I could honestly HEAR her testimony in her playing.
2:10 p.m. Sacrament meeting ends. I jump off the bench, run to the restroom, and find the leaders of the Young Women.
2:15 p.m. As the only member of the Stake YW presidency visiting our ward today, I lead a training session with the leaders. Do my very best not to offend any of these women whom I see every Sunday.
3:05 p.m. End training. Teach class on "Come Unto Christ" to the ten Young Women and their leaders. Feel the happiest there with the young women I know, many of whom I sang with in Primary. Give honey bears to each of them as a reminder of our lesson...and because I love them.
4:00 p.m. Head home.
Within minutes, this is what our living room looks like:
Finally, the Sabbath. A day of rest.
For most people, Sunday is a fun day. A day to take the boat out. A day of barbecues and picnics. A day to do the grocery shopping. Since none of those things are approved for Mormons, you would think it would be a pretty laid back, relaxing day for us, yes?
No.
Instead, we Mormons like to fill our Sundays will a whole heck-of-a-lot of other things that are good, and righteous. And down-right exhausting.
Last Sunday was no exception. I give you the Sabbath, Mormon style...with a dash of Kennedy.
7:30 a.m. Wake up, get dressed in my performance blacks. Notice that John is not home, and wonder exactly which congregation he is visiting that day. Say a quick prayer for Hannah (at HOBY), for Mark (in Russia) and for Ethan and Rebecca (in Utah). Grab the church bag and a protein shake out of the garage refrigerator as I hop in the car.
8:30 a.m. Show up at Our Lady of Victory, our local Catholic church for handbell choir rehearsal. Help set up the bells, rehearse for 15 minutes, perform at 9:30. Sit through mass.
10:30 a.m. Finish mass, dash out to the car. I have exactly 30 minutes to get home to pick up Glo, and drive back to OLV so that I can once again perform but with a different choir, and Glo can play a violin solo in front of 400+ members of the Catholic church. It takes 20 minutes to get home on a good day.
11:05 a.m. Back the car into a parking space, so that we can make a quick getaway. Rehearse with the second choir until noon. Thankfully, Glo has remembered everything--her music, her music stand, her violin. I can hardly believe it is her as she plays with us. Such poise and such SOUND.
12:35 p.m. Start sweating bullets. The Catholic priest is taking longer with his sermon than normal.
12:45 p.m. Begin the performance.
12:50 p.m. Grab all of Glo's earthly possessions as I quickly pat her on the back as we fly out of church. Why? Because our own church begins in 10 minutes, and I'm supposed to be playing organ for prelude music.
12:52 p.m. Glo is scheduled to play a violin solo for ward conference, and the piano in the chapel tunes sharp. Thankfully, we had gone to the church the day before to find how HOW sharp is it, adjust her tuner to it, and be ready for that performance, because heaven knows, we won't have time to tune once we get there. Stepping into her older siblings' footsteps, she tunes during the five minute car ride.
 |
| Yes, I'm driving. |
12:55 p.m. Slide onto the organ bench, and pour all the gratitude my body feels to the substitute organist (from another congregation) in a smile and one simple "thanks so much". Take a deep breath and begin playing prelude. Glo sets up her stuff on the side of the pulpit and hopes for the best.
1:05 p.m. The opening hymn begins, but no chorister shows up. Turns out, Hannie had gotten a substitute, who then had gotten another substitute, who had forgotten all about it. A member (who attends a different congregation) finally gets up (somewhere around verse 2) and conducts.
1:20 p.m. Sit down with Glo...and wait. Her nerves escalate the longer she waits.
1:45 p.m. Glo plays like an angel. With no exaggeration on my part, it was seriously the best I have ever heard her play. I could honestly HEAR her testimony in her playing.
2:10 p.m. Sacrament meeting ends. I jump off the bench, run to the restroom, and find the leaders of the Young Women.
2:15 p.m. As the only member of the Stake YW presidency visiting our ward today, I lead a training session with the leaders. Do my very best not to offend any of these women whom I see every Sunday.
3:05 p.m. End training. Teach class on "Come Unto Christ" to the ten Young Women and their leaders. Feel the happiest there with the young women I know, many of whom I sang with in Primary. Give honey bears to each of them as a reminder of our lesson...and because I love them.
4:00 p.m. Head home.
Within minutes, this is what our living room looks like:
 |
| Glo |
 |
| John |
 |
| Hoot |
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