Posted by:
gemini
(
)
Date: May 30, 2011 07:14PM
My father, may he R.I.P., joined the church in the early 50's to keep the peace in my family. I was just a tot when this happened so know very little about all the dynamics of it, but I know he did not have a testimony.
My sister, many years older than I, got married in the temple in 1961 and I was carted along with the family to get all sealed up together, doncha know. It was an awful day for me. I was too old to be in the "nursery" but that is where they put me for hours while they did the endowments. The only thing I remember is having to watch "Romper Room" on TV. I didn't know why they put me in there and why I had to be alone with a bunch of babies and stranger adults for so long. Finally, someone came and got me and took me to the sealing room where my parents and everyone else was dressed up in funny costumes. The whole experience was surreal.
Fast forward about 10 years and it was my turn to get married in the temple. Now, mind you, my father hadn't set foot in the temple since that one day back in 1961, and the open secret in our little mormon town was that he went to the cafe every morning to get his cup of coffee. Mother wouldn't have a coffee maker in the house, but she knew Daddy still drank the stuff. I was worried he wouldn't be able to get a recommend and I doubted that he really believed it and didn't know if he paid tithing. So, what did I do? I wrote his a guilt inducing letter telling him that it just wasn't fair that he was there for my sister's wedding in the temple but might not be there for mine. I guess it got to him because he high-tailed it down to the bishop's office to get interrogated...er...interviewed. When it came to the word of wisdom question, he told the bishop that he drank coffee. "well, there are worse things you could be doing" is what the bishop replied (according to my Dad). And he got his recommend. Part of me was relieved and part of me was disappointed that the bishop didn't chastise him for his sin of drinking coffee.
I bring this up because of another thread about de-caf coffee being ok'd for the members to drink. I don't remember that ever being allowed. My father continued to have his cup of coffee every day at the cafe till he passed away.
I wonder what he would think now that I LOVE my coffee in the morning!