So I went to church today. That was interesting. I knew I was in the right place because the parking lot was filled with Suburbans and Mini-vans. First of all the building was super small. To the right is my artist rendition of the building scale. The Utah church looks more like a wedding cake than a church, but you get the jist. You could probably fit the whole thing in just the chapel of one of the wards in Utah. I was greeted by the missionaries. One of the missionaries was from Provo. He said to me.."oh southern Utah, so you must be freezing!" I said, "not quite, but I will be!"
I proceeded into the chapel, and as the service started, I couldn't help but notice a couple of things. A) There weren't more people coming.... This was it. The slim 20-30 people that were there, were all that were coming. They made up the branch. There was no bus that was going to drop off a bus load of screaming primary children, or a family that would walk in late, children crying, dad still attempting to tie his tie, moms hair still half wet and B) Everyone was looking at me. It was as if someone had alerted the press that there was a new member in town. They were like those cute little beagles that sniff your bags at the airport. They could smell something different on their home turf.
Well, lucky for me. It was testimony meeting. For those of you who are unfamiliar, its like the Mormon version of open mic. You are your own m.c. J.k. Just a little Mormon humor for you. Anyway. I thought to myself, lets just get this out of the way now so that I don't have to do 30 times later. So I stood up in front of the whole congregation, and introduced myself. I told everyone that I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing in MN, that I left a super great job to come here, and that I knew it was where I was supposed to be.
After the meeting, you would have thought I was Brett Farve at a press conference or something. Holy buckets!! I was surrounded!!! It was questions right and left! Where I was living, if I knew so and so in St. George, where I was working, what I was doing, what callings I had had, if I lived by myself, among so many more. I shook hands with so many people today (which is against my personal belief right now with this whole H1N1 thing) and got so many names thrown at me....I hope they don't give me a pop quiz next week.
A very nice gentlemen said that he would be my home teacher, and wanted to know when would be a good time for he and his partner to come visit. I told him nights are best, but they would be sitting on the floor, or fighting over my one folding chair!!!
To say the least, it was a very eye opening experience. Relief society was made up of seven ladies, including me. I was the youngest one. In fact I could have probably been most of their granddaughters! That's ok though. It was nice to feel so welcome in my new ward/branch. I look forward to going next week! Hopefully they don't try and give me a calling. I am fine with saying the opening prayer every week!
Every Saturday lately this has become my new tradition. I run downstairs in my jammies and purchase for the low price of $1.10, this yummy goodness, a cinnamon roll and a coca-cola. Life doesn't get any better than this. Sometimes, I can get there just after they have been iced and they are still warm. I know it might not be part of a complete balanced breakfast. But you only live once right!
Late Sunday night I had my first house guests! These two hunks came to move in all my junk! Minus the baby hunk in the picture, he is a lot bigger now, he stayed home to druel and torment his big sister. Anyway, even though they were only here for a little while we had heaps of fun! I wish that they could have stayed longer. With the help of some ward members and the missionaries (THANK YOU!!!) they got my stuff in my apt within about a half hour. Which was good, because while I was at work, my dad's truck had what he called a "failure to start." One of my home teachers drove him all over St. James trying to find a part. They ended up finding a part to make it work and duct taping the rest of it. These two mechanics can make anything work!! Andy picked me up from work and we stopped by the "fleet and farm" to look for a few things. When he asked the sales clerk about the location of and item, she said in a very Minnesota accent, "Oh gosh, gee, I don't know, you know, try the back wall," I thought Andy was going to lose I right there in her face. It was so funny. I told him that was one of the best reasons about living here. Just so that I could hear people say "oh gee" or "you bettcha", and "don't ya know" For dinner that night, Andy cooked the best stir fry I think I have had in a long time. I could keep him around just to cook for me, and my dad for the comic relief. He somehow swindled the old ladies dowstairs at the bakery into giving him free pasteries. I don't even get that! And I pay rent!! Anyways, I was so happy to have them here. Maybe when they come back they won't have to sleep on the floor with their sleeping bags, and there won't be as much work envolved!! But at least they know how to get here now. Thanks so much for all your help guys! Love ya! PS...here are some pictures of my place, before and after. It is slowly starting to come together. It actually looks like someone lives here now!
aves of Central Park with a hot Ralph Lauren model. But I am experiencing the four seasons. I drive to work everyday and see people raking their leaves, secretly wishing I had my p.i.c (that would be partner in crime) Kate with me to jump in the strategically placed piles St. James residents have throughout their yard. If you know Kate, you know she would, she was always the first one to jump in the lake, no matter how cold it was.
