Church Drama- Young Women's

I think I need to be better at acknowledging the good things that happen at church.  This past year when we commuted from Layton to take our family to church in our new ward, there was no drama.  People were exactly how you would want your faith community to be- loving, accepting and tolerant.  We loved the ward, the leadership was generally nice and the Young Women leaders were normal and were interested in getting to know me as a person.  I liked them, and I really appreciated that.  The bishopric was really on top of it too.  They were really good at overseeing the whole ward, they knew who was in which callings and they seemed to be in tune with at least the things I noticed.  It was a much needed respite.  The only bad thing was that the ward was so big, it became unsafe for us to continue meeting in our tiny building. 

So unfortunately that respite has come to an end, our ward was split, the line went right through our backyard separating us from most of our favorite people, and now the all too familiar drama of church has returned to our lives.  Actually, the primary and scouts seem to be mostly normal-- though they do have their quirks, but Young Women's is bizarre.  So really instead of being disappointed in the dissatisfactory church experience, I am now pleasantly surprised when things go well.  Bizarre happenings, people ignoring each other, no common courtesy and manners being used-- that is really the new norm for me at church, and I should be blogging about when things go well and good at church, because that is the anomoly it seems these days.  I could have written tons of blog posts on weird things that happened at church in our Layton ward, and this new ward is following right along that same path.  The difference is that I expect it and thus I won't be taken by surprise and run over while trying to get over the shock.

I'm not going to go into details, because I don't want to hurt people's feelings, but the bottom line for me at church is that if the leaders are not following the scriptures, the Savior and the gospel, then I am not obligated to follow them.  2 Nephi 26:20-33 really spoke to me:

 20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the ^apride of their eyes, and have ^bstumbled, because of the greatness of their ^cstumbling block, that they have built up many ^dchurches; nevertheless, they ^eput down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own ^flearning, that they may get gain and ^ggrind upon the face of the poor.

 21 And there are many churches built up which cause ^aenvyings, and ^bstrifes, and ^cmalice.

 22 And there are also secret ^acombinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the ^bdevil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and ^cworks of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.

 23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in ^adarkness.

 24 He doeth not ^aanything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he ^bloveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw ^call men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: ^aCome unto me all ye ^bends of the earth, ^cbuy milk and honey, without money and without price.

 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should ^adepart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his ^asalvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath ^bgiven it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to ^crepentance.

 28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but ^aall men are privileged the one ^blike unto the other, and none are forbidden.

 29 He commandeth that there shall be no ^apriestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set ^bthemselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get ^cgain and ^dpraise of the world; but they seek not the ^ewelfare of Zion.

 30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have ^acharity, which ^bcharity is ^clove. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.

 31 But the ^alaborer in ^bZion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for ^cmoney they shall perish.

 32 And again, the Lord God hath ^acommanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not ^bsteal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in ^cvain; that they should not ^denvy; that they should not have ^emalice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit ^fwhoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.

 33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he ^ainviteth them ^ball to ^ccome unto him and partake of his goodness; and he ^ddenieth none that come unto him, black and white, ^ebond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the ^fheathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

 Christ turns no one away ever.  If there is envyings, strifes, malice-- people trying to make you feel bad about yourself-- it is not of God.  He doeth that which is good among the children of men.  Oh and he doesn't love Mormons any more than any one else on the earth, even the heathen.  We aren't better than anyone else, we are all children of God.  I am tired of hearing how much more righteous we are, how more blessed we are, etc.  It's a bunch of bull.