Benefit or Waste of Time?

Let me be honest upfront.  The mere fact I am writing this makes me a hypocrite, and make absolutely no claim to any sort of perfection, or strength.  I will endeavor to better myself, but that is all I can claim at the present moment.  I will not begrudge anyone thinking me a hypocrite by the end of the article.  You have been warned.

When I travel for work on a Sunday, I normally will not attend church services.  Between finding time (usually in class or attending drill), finding a meeting, finding transportation and actually going, I have given a lot of ground over the years.  If I were to be accused of giving up too much ground, I would probably stand guilty.

However, this weekend proved to be a delightful exception.  Having been given the entire weekend off from training, I spent most of the day Saturday just being lazy and doing nothing.  However, a fellow class mate, and probably an answer to a prayer, either from me, or someone who has a vested interested in my well being, invited me to accompany them to dinner.   During the course of dinner, the conversation turned to religion, and being from widely different religious backgrounds, the conversation took some interesting twists and turns.  However, during the course, I was actually invited to attend my own religious services.

What was my first reaction?  It wasn't, "Sure, I think that is a fantastic idea.", but rather "I didn't bring any Church clothes." (and this was just after I berated Utah mormons for being so judgmental and trying to appear perfect in everything. Told ya, hypocrite)

So after having that very poignantly pointed out, I relented to go.  However the deal was, no church services before 11 (this wasn't my idea, but I put absolutely no resistance).  I get back to the Hotel afterward and look up the local ward, and they meet at nine (whew, so I don't have to go to church).  However, it was then proposed that we go to a local Protestant church, and some church is better than no church (there went my out).

We meet Sunday morning and go searching for a Church.  The night before we found no less than 10 with a half hour of driving.  However, Sunday morning, we seem to have trouble finding a Church that doesn't look like bringing your own snake is a requirement for entry (probably offended someone with that remark, and for that I ask apology, and again see the reference to hypocrisy and judgmental Utahns).  This whole time I am thinking "maybe I won't have to follow through on this"  But after a bit of searching, and a very determined friend, we found what appeared to be a suitable church.  (see last parenthetical insert).  Now I am thinking, I won't be the first one one of the car and maybe that will get me out of this.  Well, I was the second one out of the car, and we did go inside.

Upon entering, we were very well received.  We took our seats, and if I didn't know better, the chapel could very have been an LDS chapel.  The song numbers were located in the same place, the bench layout was identical, and people were going around shaking hands as if they knew each other.

That was the end of my comfort zone.  We stood up to sing, the prayer was a little different than I am accustomed to hearing, but no less heartfelt, and after a musical presentation, the congregation clapped (that was the biggest shocker to me).  The collection plate was passed around in a very similar fashion and timing to our Sacrament.  Then came the Sermon. 

It was very, very well done.  It dealt with preparing for the return of Jesus.  Some minor doctrinal differences, but nothing to distract from the message, and I left as what I would consider a better person for having gone.  I felt my priorities in life better aligned, as normally happens when I attend church, and felt very edified.

I spent more time marveling afterward that I take so much for granted.  I have the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, and often pay it no more than a cursory thought here and there.  These lovely folks, are confined to their interpretation of the Bible, and relish every bit of it.  In the day of Judgment, I would really be found lacking.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience.  I learned that not all prayers are answered in manners that I would often expect.  It made me WANT to want (yes I said want to want) attend church and be more diligent in my preparation for the spiritual feast I am offered on a weekly basis. 
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To SFC Z, I say thank you.