Posted in Life, the Universe, and Everything

Yesterday, Amy, the kids and I attended Spencer 2nd Ward for the three hour block. This will be our new ward after the move is completed. Last night we attended a dedication ceremony for the new meeting house that will house Spencer 2nd and Lake Ridge 10th Wards. Having attended several different wards lately, I find it interesting to compare the spirit of the different congregations.

For the non-Mormon's among you, Latter-day Saints attend three meetings each Sunday and we normally attend a particular "ward" based on where we live. Everyone attends a Sacrament meeting. This meeting includes partaking of what we refer to as "the Sacrament,"  a symbolic re-enactment of the Last Supper, very similar to Communion as celebrated in many other churches. During this meeting we also listen to speakers either chosen from the membership of the ward or assigned from the Stake. The middle meeting is Sunday School; members are attend classes based on their ages. The third meeting is "Priesthood" for men and teenaged boys (this is further segregated into quorums), "Young Women's" for teen girls and  "Relief Society" for adult women. Children under 12 attend "Primary"

It was a bit odd, but when we visited Lake Ridge 3rd Ward Sacrament meeting by accident (while we were looking at the Gettysburg house), we didn't feel right. Both Amy and I felt out of place in a way we've never experienced before. We've visited other wards before for Missionary farewells and homecomings, and other special events, but we'd never felt this out of place before. It just felt wrong -- then we discovered that we were in the wrong ward. We had set out to attend a meeting in the Lake Ridge 4th Ward. Once we figured that out, and moved to the right meetings, it felt right. We thought at the time that it was because we were attending the wrong ward, but now that we are not moving to the LR 4th ward, I'm less than certain.

For the last few months, the Colony Ward (the one we're moving out of) has felt spiritually flat to me. The speakers and lessons haven't connected with me at all. I've not felt personally inspired in my own teaching in Elders' Quorum, and I have been so bored with Sunday School that I've taken to sitting in the Foyer rather than sit through the class. I just haven't felt that Colony Ward offered anything to me.

Lake Ridge 4th Ward felt like a better  fit than Colony, but it still wasn't offering me any inspiration. We know a lot of people in LR 4th, and we were welcomed into the congregation; Amy even sang in the choir the second time we went there. But when we learned Jose wouldn't sell to us, we just played hooky rather than attend either Colony of LR4th.

Spencer 2nd Ward however, feels like home. It seems to be brighter, the people seem closer and more approachable. I found myself wanting to go to Elders' when I had to sit with Meyrick in the new Primary class (only to learn later that the teacher is the Elders' Quorum President's wife. There's some more of that syncronisity and irony.)  I not only took Ephraim to Gospel Doctrine (my Sunday School Class) but I enjoyed the lesson immensely.

The conclusion I draw from this is that there is a specific congregation that the Lord wants me to be in. And that it is Spencer 2nd Ward right now.