We had a Relief Society Pajama Party (not a sleepover) tonight at the home of the former Bishop (we had email contact with them before we came over but he was released a few months before we moved in). It was very fun, with a little yoga class followed by a "secret activity" by the RS Pres and then manicures followed by hot chocolate and cookies. Very fun.

The secret activity ended up being one of those warm/fuzzy activities most often found in a YW setting...everyone had a paper with their name on it and you passed it around the room, the idea being that each person writes something nice about the person on the paper and eventually you got your own paper back full of nice things about yourself. All fine and good until the former Bishop's wife says, "What if you don't know someone at all, like who are YOU?" with her face screwed up in exasperation and a finger pointed in my direction. I just smiled and said, "Well, you could say how beautiful my hair is or how lovely my socks are." Because, heck, I've only been in this ward for nearly 5 months now and my husband is in the Bishopric and you might have some vague clue who I am.

So that was awkward, but it was compounded by what she wrote on my paper...."I don't know Marianne very much, actually not at all, but she seems fun to be with." Well. Thanks for playing. "I don't know who you are" makes me feel all warm and loved. The others were fairly nice (though some were a bit generic because, yes, they don't know me as well as they know each other). The one from the RS Pres truly made me all warm and fuzzy ("Your beautiful smile lifts every Sunday. Your willingness to join in everything is a great example."). Anyhow, just as you're starting to feel slightly a part of the group somebody has to point out that you aren't!

And we just keeping pressing forward, right girls?

Marianne

__________________
Terrified, mortified, petrified, stupefied... by you!
--"A Beautiful Mind"

That activity sounds fun but I know for sure I wouldn't have like the whole write something nice about someone, lol! I can imagine feeling bad being singled out like that too! I know in my ward I've had to introduce myself a few dozen times in Relief Society to people. That's my fault though as you could see from my replies to the other post, lol.

Anyway yes we do march on don't we! My VT was telling my last night how she totally turned away from the church because of what people were saying and it's too bad we let others influence our feelings for the church sometimes but being human and sensative beings it's only natural I think. Totally not saying you do this Marianne, just though it was interesting about my VT and her story about how she fell away for a while. In fact what's even more intersting is her Protestant husband is what brought her back, lol, he even joined the church himself!

Keep marching girls

__________________

Shabs
Christopher 4-01
Connor 5-03
Kaitlee 9-06

Brooke and Brennon 11-99

I think it is hard to not let the social aspect of going to church affect the spiritual aspect. It takes definite work and conscious effort.

Marianne

__________________
Terrified, mortified, petrified, stupefied... by you!
--"A Beautiful Mind"