Adventures in Lincoln

Today was really fun. Earlier in the week Alyssa told me she was giving a talk in church and she was really stressed about it. It was kinda cute--well to me, not to her. :) I told her it was okay because I gave a talk last Sunday, and they work out and she'll do fabulous. I told her that I would come to cheer her on. And make her a poster. And hold up said poster in Sacrament meeting. She was horrified and told me not to come. And then said it would be okay.

I don't think she believed me because when I showed up, she was so excited. Too bad I can't be greeted like that whenever I arrive somewhere. :) She was sweet.

Lys gave her talk and she did a great job! Really. I'm pretty sure that my talks at 15 were not that good. She had stories and scriptures and quotes by General Authorities. And she wrote it, not Michelle. I was so proud! :) Not that I had anything really to do with it, but still. I've known her since she was 2. Thats gotta count for something, right? And I'm her fake big sister. That definitely counts. ha ha ha. Oh, and I was respectful, I didn't hold up a poster--but I did make faces before and after her talk.

I was going to take off, but then Michelle said something about her RS lesson. So I stuck around for her lesson. As usual, she was fabulous. It was so fun. It was like I was in Young Women's again!

After church Michelle asked me to come over and "hang out" with Kevin (it's not babysitting--he is almost 12) later this week because everyone will be gone. Lys was upset and said something to the effect of, "Why am I too old to have a babysitter?! Not fair!" I felt so loved! Michelle told her that we can still hang out and do fun things--because we can be friends. She then replied with, "Oh, okay."

So its been a long time since I went to a family ward--and even longer since I went to one that wasn't Loomis 1st. It was a little strange to not recognize many people. I kept having to remind myself that the YSA ward is freakishly quiet (there are no children fussing, crying, screaming, etc.) so a family ward is not loud--but it was. There were three of the most adorable little boys were sitting in front of us and I was completely distracted by them. They were sooo cute and did cute things and were super flirty. I'm sure the speakers were great and said wonderful things, but honestly, I don't remember anything after Lys' talk. It doesn't help that Kevin and I played a round of the dot game. I won--but barely. :)

I found Sunday School to be entertaining and enlightening. There are quite a few older people in their ward and they kept asking tangent questions and giving tangent answers--which really had nothing to do with the point of the lesson--which was bearing testimony of Jesus Christ. It was pretty awesome.

I think my favorite moment of the ward came in Relief Society (besides Michelle's lesson & Lys' talk, of course). There was this sweet woman, probably in her 70's sitting a few rows in front of me. She was in a wheelchair and all hunched over. And when she sang, it was wonderful. It was off key, her voice was practically monotone, and her timing was definitely off, but I sincerely thought it was beautiful and I felt the Spirit. I am not making fun of her. Please don't think I am.

I loved that 1) She didn't seem to care, maybe she didn't know, but if she did, she didn't keep it from stopping her. 2) No one else seemed to care or even notice. Chances are they did, because it was obvious, but no one said anything or tried to stop her. It was so beautiful. Maybe I'm making too much of it, but it was a wonderful moment of testimony about how wonderful the Gospel is.

The Gospel is all IN-clusive. You don't have to be good at everything or even anything to be a member. You don't have to be rich or poor. You don't have to beautiful, young, or old. There are no exceptions, or exclusions. All you do is have to want a testimony of Jesus Christ and you are welcome. And I think that is beautiful.

Ok, I'm not sure how this turned into a testimony meeting here, but that was my Sunday and it was a lovely experience. And apparently a long one. So I will close with a picture of Lys, Kevin, and me from about a couple of years ago after a "date." :)