Posted by:
Eldermalin
(
)
Date: May 01, 2011 02:27AM
I've posted bits of my story over the last several weeks, but here's the latest and possibly greatest of my adventures.
As stated previously, back in March my ex-gf snitched on me to the bishop for fornicating with her. I went into a depressive state and a couple weeks later after being asked by her and another person in ward leadership for the keys (Bishopric never called me) I returned them and my other leadership stuff, a short letter and also a ripped up temple recommend.
However, I was still sneaky enough that it wasn't my real temple recommend. In February my wallet was stolen with my temple recommend. I was friends with a South Korean who had made the mistake of getting baptised into the church and was going to the temple before he left for home and to working on a ship for the next 9 months. He considered me his best friend here as I was always taking him on fun adventures and activities and I was a good example. Not once did I ever have a gospel conversation with him, but I did take him to church activities. He went on his own to another ward. But he was a good friend and it was important for him to go to the temple before he left and it wasn't like his superficial friends in the church would drive him, so I agree to help him out.
I was having my own testimony struggles at this point and of course being immoral, but I support others spirituality and I was trying to be a good example so I quickly got a new temple recommend. I had to call up the Bishop on a weekday and drop in on a stake meeting, but after I explained the situation they were happy to help. So I had a new recommend.
The following week was the big immoral plunge, but it was also when the contents of my wallet were found dumped in the snow by a kind stranger who contacted me. Cash and wallet was gone, but I got all of my cards back including the temple recommend I'd reported lost. So it was this one that I tore up in my partial penitence to the Bishop. (Hey, I want to keep my options open)
However, I finally contacted the Bishop had a trial and was put on formal probation and ordered to attend that ward every week. Even though it's in another stake as I'd moved months earlier, but they wanted to keep me in the ward as I was one of the few Elders who would actually do his calling. (To think, if I'd fully moved out back then I'd never have dated this girl or have this problem. Maybe there is something to the church insisting you go to your assigned ward)
Meanwhile, one of my good friends is getting married and had his choice of best man bail on him and so he asks me, again because I'm reliable. I fess up that I'm willing, but won't be able to go to the temple and he's OK with that. Frankly, if he was fully honest he wouldn't be worthy to go either for his wedding date, but kept quiet as he was still finishing off probation for earlier immoral behaviour from last year (with another girl, but that's another story and he did tame stuff compared to me)
So the big day comes and we go down the night before to stay at a hotel close to the temple. Early the next morning I wake up and decide to do an experiment. Getting in my suit I go for a walk and with my temple recommend I go to the baptistry. I'm very nervous, but curious to see what would happen as in my mind, to the Bishop's knowledge my valid temple recommend has been destroyed.
So the clerk scans my temple recommend and basically sirens go off as the screen turns red with bold instructions to keep the recommend and call the temple presidency. SHIZER! I was tempted to flee, but timidly stayed there till the temple register came to question me. While waiting the clerk kept scanning the recommend over and over again with the same results and I am cursing him as I picture a report being sent to the Stake president over this and then on to the Bishop who is overseeing my probation. (I don't know if this happens, and I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't). I tell the register in the hallway in front of everyone that I had just gotten off probation and I'll call and take care of things so I can go in. He gives me back the recommend, despite what the red screen was saying.
Returning to the hotel and feeling divinely scolded I figure, so much for that as I just wanted to see the sealing and go through the temple for perhaps the final time. My friend already knew I wouldn't be there, but I thought it would be a nice surprise and would beat kicking my heels in the waiting room with the kids.
Returning to the hotel and waiting for the others to happen the electricity goes out. Initially, I thought it was just the hotel, but its the entire county. I'm glad I was already showered and dressed as the bride had to go out to use a car adapter to finish getting ready.
So everything in town is closed, so we can't even get breakfast, but the temple does have generators. But turns out its limited so only a few lights are on. Sessions are cancelled, but they have flashlights for people to use in the washrooms and they continue with the sealings and also baptisms. But the computers are down! Seeing this I wait in line with everyone else and they just trust on faith that my recommend is good. Mwuh ha ha!
As others have noted a sealing isn't anything special and they still had us on a tight factory schedule. Only unique thing were the lanterns in the room. The sealer who we didn't know talked about the William and Kate wedding and how they'll have to wait to be true Royals while the newly weds already were royals if they stay worthy. Usual advice to stay loyal to the church and do family scripture study and prayers. Also its always funny looking at the bride and all the extra stuff she has to wear over her dress that she slaved over.
So yes, a wallet getting stolen, my sneakiness, and a power outage got me to damn my soul further by desecrating the house of the Lord to see a friend's sealing.