So my elderly TBM lady friend called this afternoon. She's having outpatient surgery next week and will I drive her? Of course. Her appt is 9:00 a.m.; she lives an hour from me and the surgery center is an hour and a half in the other direction. By my calculation, that puts me up, showered, dressed and out the door at 6:30. No problem. Then she says, "Can you get here an hour or so early so we can go to the bishop's house so he can give me a blessing?". And I said, "Why can't he give you the blessing between now and then?". "He's too busy; the morning of the surgery is the only time he has."

I took a deep breath and said, "I'm glad to take you, wait through the surgery and post-op and bring you home, but an extra hour for the bishop's convenience is too much."

She hung up in a huff; but called back a couple of hours later to say that one of the counselors is going to give her the blessing after church on Sunday.

What got all over me is that the world is supposed to revolve completely around this bishop's convenience, even though I'm already giving her the better part of my day.

You did the right thing. It is not fair that the bishop gets to pick and choose, and for her to be upset towards you instead of him.

These stories amaze me in how the person gets mad at the individual who is going all out for them instead of the person who won't give them the time of day until the last moment. Only in religion and specifically the mormon church is this train of thought exercised.

Bishops are just supervisors. And just like supervisors at work you will be accomodated when it is the best time for them and you will drop everything when they need you.

I was asked by to stand in while my Mom was on her deathbed...first time I'd been asked...she died anyway without regaining consciousness. When my Dad was dying I don't remember him having one. Might have happened when I wasn't there by his HP pals....he died too....and the experience didn't do f-all for me...faith-wise...

It brings up an interesting question for us nonbelievers. Granted many of us are now very much out of mormonism, so we would never be asked. What about the people who have decided to leave, but haven't opened up to their family and friends about their decision? They get asked to be part of a blessing. What should they say? On one hand they could partake since the blessing won't matter one way or the other, we all know that. However to be an honest person should the person step aside and say they shouldn't be a part of it since they don't believe anymore?

I was asked a few times before I officially left the church, and I didn't feel comfortable doing it because I thought the whole process was nonsense. I just respectfully declined, yet everyone thought I was a bad person for doing so. Maybe at that moment I should've just done it since in the end it doesn't matter anyway.

Most mature members realize that a priesthood holder may not feel worthy at some particular time to participate in a blessing, even if it's just because he kicked his dog that morning or something. Of course most are not that mature.

may drain him so thoroughly that he'll need weeks to recover... please be more sympathetic of the poor bishop, everybody! Channeling that kind of sheer power is not a feat to be undertaken lightly... Sheesh!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2012 05:19AM by drjekyll.