An Opportunity of a Lifetime

While trying to stomach the awkward silence that often accompanies church service on the first Sunday of the month (which is typically referred to by Mormons as "fast and testimony" Sunday), Caleb leaned over to me and said, "I think I want to get up and say something to the people."

"Do you know what you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Yes, I want to talk about Joseph Smith."

"That sounds good," I replied, nodding my head in agreement. Then, I added, "and may be you could tell everyone about the Sacred Grove and how you felt while visiting it."

"May be you should!" he challenged.

"No, I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because I am teaching in Elder's Quorum today."

As soon as I fumbled through my reasoning, two words came to mind: lame excuse! As I sat there in the pew listening to him share with a 150 plus congregants his feelings about Joseph Smith (which, by the way, did not include the experience he had while visiting the Sacred Grove), my mind drifted to the discussion I had with Elder & Sister Virgin just two days prior while visiting with them in Nauvoo. They shared with me how the Church is planning to construct a Visitor's Center adjacent to the Temple, on the north side of the front entrance, opposite side of the road. The rationale: curious passers-by will typically stop at the Temple to admire its beauty and architecture and to ask questions. Their visit typically ends with an invitation to visit the main (and only) Visitor's Center that is just a 1/4 mile down the hill, if that. Very few actually make it there. Hence the need for a second Visitor's Center.

The significance of that story lies in the willingness of the Church to invest a substantial amount of time, resources, and energy into the construction of a second Visitor's Center. To what end? My thought is that the Church recognizes there is a very short window of opportunity to plant seeds among those who have been struck by the Temple in some way, enough to where they have delayed their travels to inquire about this anomalous and curious structure! All this, I believe, is an attempt to "seize the opportunity of a lifetime" while the "lifetime of an opportunity" is at hand!

Caleb returned to the bench, smiling, yet sober - for he had just challenged everyone to share with others the story of Joseph Smith and how he had translated the Book of Mormon. Next to him sat his father, who was being consumed by thoughts of . . . missed opportunities!

Several minutes later, I stood up, made my way to the aisle, and walked towards the stand. After sharing with the 150 plus congregants my feelings about Joseph Smith and the events that occurred within the Sacred Grove, I rejoined my family on the bench. Smiling and proud, Caleb leaned over and said, "Thanks Dad! That was a nice story!"

Nauvoo: the Mecca of Mormonism

This past Friday after meeting with our midwife we took a little road trip to Nauvoo, IL. While there, April and I had the chance to attend the Temple. Perhaps just as insightful as the Temple itself was my visit with the senior missionary couple (Elder & Sister Virgin) while waiting for April to rejoin the kids and me at the accommodation center. We spoke of the Nauvoo IL Temple as being a destination temple, one where people travel from all over the world just to attend, to claim and re-claim as their own one of the great narratives in American history, to renew their faith, to walk the streets of the City of Joseph. It is a pilgrimage to the Mecca of Mormonism! People come from all over with the expectation of having an experience - in particular, having an experience with the Divine!

It seems like there are very few that leave this sacred site disappointed; and I am not quite sure if it is a result of being in the midst of the site itself (i.e., the preeminence of Nauvoo and its Temple in Mormon history and culture) or of the mindset people have when visiting. Regardless, for me the lesson here seems to be one of preparedness, training oneself to expect (and experience) the best, and passionately pursuing the realization of those expectations! It is, after all, one's mindset or attitude that will ultimately determine the outcome of their experience!

The timing of this lesson is impeccable. (And, yes, it seems like I, too, have had "an experience" while visiting Nauvoo.) We are expecting number five to join our family in a matter of days (40 wks on February 7), and the baby as of now is presenting breech. If the four previous births we have had is a preview of what is to come, then it is reasonable to expect an experience with the Divine is forthcoming. My only concern: that ingratitude and self-absorption does not breach this newly acquired mindset!