Lessons from my boy

At precisely 10:20 am, dressed in our very Sunday best, we pulled into the parking lot of the local meeting house of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   At precisely 10:21 am we realized that we were precisely 51 minutes late for church at the said building.  Yes, it was the same building we went to church at last week.  Yes, we were on time last week. Yes, I feel foolish.

But, could we walk in 51 minutes late?  Seemed a little silly to us at the time.  So we promptly pulled out of the parking lot and drove away, escaping the embarrassment of our predicament. 

Perhaps on our own Jared and I could have ended our attempts at piety there.  But we had two little boys in the back of the car who wondered when we were going to go to church.

"Well, we don't want to walk in late, so we aren't going today."  "It's the thought that counts, right?" No, that just wasn't going to cut it.

So, we drove home to regroup, recharge (with some delish raw tacos I made up, since I didn't bring any recipe books to Victoria) and find another meeting house where we wouldn't have to make such a grand tardy entrance.

At precisely 1:02 pm, still dressed in our Sunday best, be it a little worse for the wear, we pulled into the parking lot of another church building, and only 2 mintues late we hurried in while the opening hymn was still being joyously sung.

After such an ordeal (getting the boys in shirts and ties, keeping them clean while they ate tacos and getting to church AGAIN is an ordeal, let me promise you) we had this silly notion that we would only go to Sacrament meeting (the main meeting where we partake of the Sacrament) and skip out on the other meetings (Sunday School/Primary and Priesthood/Relief Society). Silly us.  After Sacrament we were making our quick, subtle escape when Eli conspicuously said, "Hey, ask that guy where my class is!"

"Well Son, we thought we'd just go home."  "Actually, we aren't going to go to all of church today."  Nope, that wouldn't cut it either. 

So, I asked that guy, and he told me exactly where to find Eli's Sunbeams primary class, and he ran straight there. 

At precisely whatever that time happened to be I learned a good lesson from my three-year-old.  Church isn't about how tired you are, how hard it was to get there, how far you are from anyone who would know if you went or not.  Church is about going and worshiping and learning about the gospel, no matter where in the world you are.  And guess what Eli learned.  "Joseph Smith talked to Heavenly Father, and Heavenly Father talked to him, and that's how we know he's a prophet."  I guess it was worth it.

Thanks, Eli.  I love you!