Yep. We go to church when we are on vacation. WE ARE SO STINKIN’ RIGHTEOUS!
In all honesty, this is a fairly new development in my life – we didn’t attend on vacation when I was a kid, and we didn’t early in my marriage. We went through a phase where we always seemed to “forget” (hehehe) our church clothes when we visited the in-laws (much to their chagrin). But for the past 15 years or so, we have made an effort to attend wherever we are gone over a Sunday. It has become part of our expected family tradition. Out of necessity, it has required that we have our boys attend at times with no tie, or wearing tennis shoes, or jeans – despite their best efforts to forget their church clothes. This is made more interesting because there have been occasions where my sons have been called up to pass of bless the sacrament – sometimes in a hastily-borrowed tie.
It a has been a good thing. Personally, I feel it hard to teach the incredible importance of the sabbath, and taking the sacrament weekly, if I am willing to wave it off to hit the beach, or to sleep in, or to get early admittance into Tomorrowland.
Today, as on the day this post was originally written, we attended a ward that was probably at 800% normal attendance because of vacationers. You could see the stress on the deacon’s faces, and the smile on the bishop’s.
On that day when we first walked in the building, I was a little put back. The usher that was passing out the programs was greeting people as they entered the chapel. I said hello and reached out my hand for a program. He promptly took my hand, shook it and welcomed me to church. I still stood there with my hand out. He looked at me again and smiled – and just stood there.
Could I have a program?
Are you a visitor?
Yes.
(Silence)
Is there a problem?
Not at all. Here you go.
Thanks!
I took my hard-won program and went to my metal chair in the overflow. Did I do something wrong? Are they experiencing a ward budget crisis? I guess I didn’t really NEED a program – I am just curious as to how other wards do things. So, I settled in, a little put off, and prepared for the meeting. When I was serving as a bishop I would watch closely to see how other wards ran things, in case there were any good ideas to steal.
Most of the time we visit other wards, it is on Fast Sunday, and we attend Testimony Meeting. As I think about it, it mostly has to do with the holiday calendar. Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day all fall around the first of the month, and often the next Sunday is Fast Sunday. I like it. It seems you have a much better opportunity to get a feel for the saints in that congregation than if you are listening to a High Councilor or some other assigned speaker. Sometimes you learn that the congregation is made up of really interesting people (read crazy).
The day I wrote this original post, I found that the saints in this congregation were wonderful. The testimonies were powerful. Nobody went “off the rails.” I felt like we were at the right place at the right time. We left feeling good, conversing about some of the testimonies we heard. I anticipate that today will be very much the same. (I must admit that we have been treated to some hilarity as well.)
One year we we pleasantly surprised to see Elder Holland was visiting the same ward and we were fortunate to hear from an Apostle that day.
During my tenure as the bishop of a really remarkable ward, I would extend annual challenges to try and help us all “raise the bar” a bit. Coincidentally, often the challenge would be something that was working on/struggling with personally. One particular year the challenge was simple.: Don’t miss sacrament meeting for an entire year. As in every single week, wherever you are. (48 if you take out conferences.)
For some members it was like, “Duh. We already do that.” But for a lot of us, it required a change in attitude and behavior.
The results were stunning. First, my own family was blessed as we introduced a new tradition of prioritizing church attendance, which has been a very good thing. The habit stuck for our family and many others. I would also get frequent reports back from saints who managed to find church services in the oddest locations and were so glad they did. Often inconvenient, it would require some effort to plan better, change travel dates, or sacrifice other activities.
But it made a difference in the lives of many. One family shared with me that it was the “turning point” in their attitudes regarding their commitment to the gospel and gospel service. For many it awakened a new respect and love for the importance of the sacrament. They have become a powerhouse family in the kingdom and are making a significant impact.
It isn’t hard to find services when you are on the road. Just go here: www.mormon.org/meetinghouse
Over the past fifteen years I have attended church on five continents in a half-dozen languages. I have learned that the Lord’s church is the Lord’s church. Everywhere. Whether the nuances and procedures are the same or not, it doesn’t matter. The Spirit of the Lord shines through when good-hearted people bear testimony of the truth – regardless of the wealth or poverty, language, culture or legacy of the people.
Vacation Church is worth the effort. This morning we are off to the Oceanside 4th ward. See you there!
(Oh… Sometimes we don’t stay for the entire block. We aren’t there yet. I do have a small concern that if we were to stay all three hours, while on vacation, it just might be the final push that would result in me being translated. I feel that this would be a hardship on those people left behind who are dependent on me, and I think that would be unfair.)
I definitely have a testimony of vacation church. When I was fifteen, I traveled with my family to San Antonio, Texas, where my sister was graduating from Air Force basic training. We attended church at a small chapel on base, which also housed Jewish and Catholic services. Amid the soldiers dressed in military uniform, my brother and I really stuck out in our white shirts and ties, so we were invited to participate in the administration of the sacrament almost as soon as we entered the building. As I passed the sacrament in that military branch far from home, and then cleaned up the sacrament table after the meeting, I reflected on how familiar everything about the experience was. I had always had a testimony of the Gospel and the restored Church, but it didn’t actually set in for me until this moment that the Gospel is the same everywhere you go, and that its truth and the blessings that come with it never change. A few years later, I was blessed to return to San Antonio as a full-time missionary and share that very same message. Vacation church will always be special to me.
Love this…. us too. You get to meet great people, renew your covenants, and I frequently find that “I needed Church” after the allotted hour and when in a bit of a problem, like the 5 ladies who filled their lamps before they needed it vs the 5 ladies who waited until it was needed. So frequently I am utterly speechless in gratitude for having a little oil in the lamp.
We always try to pack some “Sunday clothes”. In March we joined our oldest son (who lives in Ohio and we are from Alaska) for a spring break in southern Alabama. My fifteen year old grandson was recruited to pass the Sacrament and I led the singing in Relief Society. And yes, it was Fast Sunday because it was the week before General Conference. Everyone bore short, real testimonies and I was SO grateful we went. One older gentleman even gave us a lead for one awesome tourist destination in the area. The church is the same everywhere but so different also. Vacation church has yielded some treasured experiences for our family.
It’s good to be the “visitor” occasionally. This helps me be more friendly to those visitors I see walk through our chapel doors, and also less judgemental. It has given me the perspective of being the newcomer and I have learned from this! It is a blessing to feel the unity of purpose and spirit throughout the Lord’s church wherever you go!
With 28 years of working for Uncle Sam and living all over the world, we always try to attend church while on vacation. A few years ago when we were in NY, I stood in priesthood to introduce myself and from the back of the room I heard … He was my neighbor in Korea. You never know when you are going to run into a brother/sister in the gospel.
We had the privilege of attending a branch in the small mountain town of Silverton, Colorado today. We experienced the same 800% capacity in the small chapel. Luckily, sacrament is held in a room with no fixed pews, so after the opening hymn, the branch president asked that the chairs from the four small classrooms be brought in. We shifted our chairs to allow more in and most everyone fit, although some were sitting in the hallway. (no foyer in this tiny building) I loved the Spirit that was there. Many families had come in jeans and tennis shoes, maybe straight from camping. The feeling of literally including and welcoming everyone who wanted to be there was wonderful. The testimonies of Christ were powerful. I’m grateful we chose to attend vacation church and we could experience this as a family. I don’t know if it was the claustrophobia or what, but we also didn’t stay all three hours!
Almost 15 years ago, my husband and I and my sister were vacationing in Hawaii – the first time for all of us and we had many things we wanted to see and do. When Sunday came, my husband insisted that we find a ward and go to Sacrament Meeting. My sister and I were not happy about it; we figured 1 missed Sunday wouldn’t hurt anything. We grumbled about it, but went. It was a wonderful meeting with wonderful saints, but I still felt we could have been using that time to enjoy Hawaii since it would most likely be our only time there. And there would always be another Sunday to attend church. Two days after worshipping and partaking of the sacrament – was September 11, 2001. I can’t adequately express how much peace I had because we had been obedient and had renewed our covenants and had the Holy Ghost with us as we spent that very uneasy time so far from our families and children.
I had the opportunity to go on a sister trip last weekend with all four of my sisters. Oregon is the home state for most of us and as children we made many trips back to visit, even after being transferred to Salt Lake City. We decided it would be nice to visit the ward in Eugene we all remember (either as young kids when we lived there or visiting with our parents for years afterwards). This meant we would spend the day traveling in church clothes, all 5 packed into a Kia sedan, needing to immediately leave after Sacrament Meeting and drive another two and a half hours to the airport in Portland to fly home (after having a picnic in a Portland park with two seldom seen cousins). Let’s see — off the rail speakers at church, CHECK, nobody coming up to ask us who we were or where we are from, CHECK, taking the Sacrament and knowing we were where the Lord wanted us to be — the CHECK that really matters. After seeing many, many visitors in my own ward today in Utah for the holiday weekend, I hope they felt welcome. So fun to see the gospel in action all over the world.
I have loved attending church whenever I am traveling. Besides feeling the spirit and being able to partake of the Sacrament there are other rewards. It is amazing how many times we are in a different part of the country and we meet someone there that knows someone we know. Or better yet we run into old friends. Such was the case when I was attending a ward in the Boston area as a single adult. After the sacrament meeting a young lady came up to us and introduced herself. She had recognized us and was from the branch we grew up in in Montana. We hadn’t seen her in years, but we ended up spending the rest of the day together. Small world.
Last month I was visiting my daughter in Denver. I was there to meet up w/ a Canadian cousin I’d met through family history work. At that point I was the only Mormon this cousin had ever met. Much to my surprise, the cousin asked if we could attend church Sunday am, she was interested in seeing a Mormon service. Oh-oh, Fast Sunday. Anything could happen. What did happen was the cousin knew “How Firm a Foundation”. Every speaker spoke of their love for Jesus Christ, quoted at least 1 Bible verse, and kept it short and to the point. It was AWESOME!! Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Highpoint Ward, for listening to the Spirit.
I love going to other wards whole on vacation, and we usually go the whole block (and @Brandice: I don’t even mind playing the piano while I’m there). I do it just because I want to be there (maybe partially b/c you get the rewards without the responsibilitis of our own wards), but it’s also very much a way to show my kids how important the Sabbath and the Sacrament are. @CrystalPistol: true, the Lord never does take take a vacation from me, though I weary him, I’m sure!
I mentioned this on Sunday night check in when it happened, but one of the memorable moments the day after my mom’s funeral was visiting with my siblings in the halls after Sacrament Meeting and debating whether or not to go into Sunday School…”What would Mom say?” And we all went in and participated. All 3 hours, wherever we were.
We just attended sacrament meeting in Winnemucca. After a week of vacationing in Oregon we’ll do it again in Boise. It’s good to know that the familiarity of the sacrament is everywhere we go.
We had to hit up the Walmart in Ephraim last night to get Sunday clothes for everyone, I even got new shoes 🙂 it’s a drag not to be able to shower before church but that’s camping!
Impressive level of commitment!
if it’s 2 sunday’s in a row, then we go while on vacation…otherwise…well, let’s just say, there’s room for improvement, and leave it at that.
It is fun to visit new wards though, and see how they run their program. Especially fast and testimony meetings. You never know what you’re gonna get.
You are a better man than I. I generally use a vacation as a vacation from church as well as everything else. But it’s true that the Lord never takes a vacation from me. Does he? I am clearly an unprofitable servant. I’ll try harder in the future.
I did, however, attend my sister’s ward in Las Vegas this weekend. A Crazy Man stood at the pulpit holding a trumpet. He discussed his trumpet at great length for over 10 minutes! Luckily he did not play it. I still don’t understand the just of his message. He should just NOT next time.
We always go to just sacrament meeting on vacation, unless we are visiting family, then we go to the whole thing.
We once tried to go- the chapel was totally full, so we sat in the overflow with some other people-the overflow doors were locked and they could not get them unlocked!! So we went and sat in the foyer so we could at least hear the sacrament prayer and receive the sacrament. We got the foyer to find out the speaker didn’t work out there… we heard people signing the sacrament hymn, heard the quiet indicating the prayer.. waited, waited.. they never brought the sacrament out to those in the foyer!
We left at that point and went and read some scripture versus in a park. Hey we tried 🙂
Never attend the entire block because you may just end up getting asked to play the piano in one of the later meetings. Or if you DO attend the entire block, do not attend with a friend who knows that you play the piano. Just sayin’.
I took my boys and wife to church in one of my areas in Pennsylvania this month. I told my wife “there are probably 80 people that will be there.” as that is the way I remember it. We walked in and there were wall to wall people. People all the way through the cultural hall and back onto the stage! We just so happened to be visiting when they were splitting the ward. It was amazing, a spiritual experience and a highlight for me of the trip.
I’ll definitely try not to skip Sundays church on future trips.
We have a no-kidding full-on swash buckling Pirate in our ward who likes to share his testimony. Fast Sunday has long been one of our more interesting meetings.
You should do what I do…..I wear ankle weights that I hide under my pants, just to keep me grounded “in case”. 🙂 Or skipping out early on church works too.
My sister’s ward has Sacrament meeting last, so I feel like we HAVE to go to the entire block. And when I show up with my 5 kids we just about double the size of their tiny primary.
We used to do that, now 3 of our 6 are in young womens.
Thanks for at least leaving after the sacrament. It would help if you made a stop at in n out or mcyd’s on your way back to the hotel/pool.
You are so thoughtful. My thanks goes to you for sluffing!
Would that all could attend block meetings and be translated. It would make the work of preaching the gospel so much more targeted – “Oh, you’re still here; you must need the gospel.”
My highest compliments go to you and your family for your efforts. The Church is a strength to those who attend, not because it is perfect, but because it works.
“There is but one path of safety to the Latter-day Saints, and that is the path of duty.” (see http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/65453)Said by Heber J. Grant.