I live in a very Mormon community in the Salt Lake City area. Today a friend invited me to attend Sacrament meeting because her daughter is leaving for her mission in South America and was giving her farewell talk. And, her son just returned home from a mission in an Eastern European country and was giving his homecoming talk in the same meeting. I expected the meeting to be packed - this is a popular family with 6 kids, held many callings, own a local business and have lived in the area forever. They are very active in the community but still...

I got late (I hate to sit through the passing of the sacrament and try to arrive toward the end of it.) The parking lot was only 2/3rds full, the overflow hadn't been opened and there were actually seats still available in the foyer. I settled down in a comfy stuffed chair and someone invited me to come into the chapel saying "There are still plenty of seats in the chapel if you like." I declined. But I was shocked because just a couple of years ago, this sort of meeting, for this well-liked family who have a lot of local relatives, would have flowed over into the gym.

Two other quick observations. The son who just returned from his mission didn't mention a single baptism. In fact, about a fourth of his talk was on reasons people came up with not to listen to Mormons, calling them a cult or simply saying faith in God is enough and there is no reason to jump through all those hoops the missionaries suggested. The other thing I noticed was a real feeling of emptiness. I'd had a big breakfast but I suddenly started feeling like I was starving - like I wanted to go home and binge eat. This was more than the normal, palpable boredom that has been a part of Utah Mormonism for years. This was an empty feeling I'd never noticed in a sacrament meeting before. It made me sad but it also made me realize I've found something better to feast on than whatever it is that Mormonism thinks it gives it's members. So glad I won't feel I have to go back to another meeting like that for a very long time.

I love stories where the Morridor has a shrinking membership - not just outside the Wasatch front.

Back in the day, the entire sac meeting was about the departing missionary. He or she assigned the speakers, picked the hymns, got to pick his/her favorite bread for the sacrament (sourdough at mine!) and then was the concluding speaker!


(I lied about the bread...)

LOL!!

YOU ain't lying ElderOldDog!!!

I experienced "sourdough" many-a-time being passed during a Sacrament.

But i got you beat...

I picked blueberry Belgian waffles at my going-away last-rites Sacrament meeting!!!

Now who's lying Bro???

Sheesh...i can't believe how good a liar Mormonism made me!

Or so it seems to me...

Once in Laguna Beach Ward (circa 1979), they were forced to use a hastily purchased bag of Sesame Egg Hamburger Buns.

They were bright orange!

Missionary sac meetings are supposed to be nothing special now.

Just like everything else. Nothing special. Nothing new. And if you're bored, that's your problem.

Seems to be the case, but it's a very strange move by the church? I know they do tend to make everything as boring as possible, but surely the tradition of everybody worshipping return missionaries for a while when they return is something the church would want to maintain as it's part of what pressures the younger boys to go when they might not really want to.

poin0 Wrote:
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> it's part of what pressures the younger boys to go
> when they might not really want to.

But bigger pressures are building in their pants that only worthy young Mormon women can help with and that will cost them a bundle in time, money, and other family pressures.

Where I live the only times our Sacrament meeting is full or we have to use the overflow is when somebody is leaving for a mission or coming back home. Typically we have 3/4 of the chapel full for Sacrament meeting(but not this last week as if was only half full).

As for these missionary leavings and coming back home the Sacrament meeting is dull. It's not about them anymore. Just whatever topic the morg bishopric gave them to talk on...Boring!!

Well ya know if they were presented with a tray of crumbled truly healthy bread such as my preferred sacred Ezekiel whole-grain, they would surely recoil in horror as if being presented with a plate of dog poop in lieu of the lds,inc approved holy wonder bread.

Folks as much as we thought this day would never come, it is finally happening right before our eyes.......empty pews and damn few witnesses to the final frenzied croakings of frantic old toads.