Posted by:
Lowpriest
(
)
Date: July 30, 2020 09:17PM
During these challenging times....
I continue to get email from the presidents of the elders, the relief society and the other ward organisations. I imagine someone gave them all an assignment to take turns sending a thoughtful, encouraging message to all the ward members.
They really try hard and like to talk about pioneers. They make a lot of comparisons about how covid has changed the world. They try to be profound but it all sounds like a long trail of cliches. It's like getting a conference talk in my email once a week.
They also seem convinced that the guvment is conspiring to prevent them from attending church. Whatever. Not my problem.
Although I never officially quit, I did remove my email address from the church website. That didn't seem to work, so I actually put in a fake address. That helped for a while until someone figured it out and put my old address back in.
I am reluctant to make a stink about it because I don't want to put my wife in a bad spot. She is all-in and would not do well with the attention.
I think folks around here know where I stand. It does not seem to make a difference. They keep pretending like it is just a phase that I am going through.
It can really throw me off. I think I have peace and harmony and balance in the force and suddenly I am back on someone's list to get fellowship. It can be depressing.
My wife is actually ok with what I think of as our spiritual armistice. The last few Sundays I got up early and went for my usual hike. She has not asked me to study the scriptures with her in a couple of months. This week she suggested that I take my sons camping over a Sunday in a couple of weekends. We are still together on about 80-90 percent of issues, but we just reached different opinions about religion.
It all works except for the actions of the know-it-all busy bodies who insist on interfering in our marriage.
I have to admit I understand. I don't like it but I know why it happens. Also I know that they probably will not stop.
It takes a lot of concentration to focus on the things that are most important, which for me is supporting my family in whatever way I can.
I want to offer hope to people who are in the church but wish they were not. My situation is not ideal, but it is manageable and definitely worth it.
Good luck and thanks for listening.