Sunday, June 3, 2007

Open Mike Sunday

F&T, otherwise known as Fast & Testimony is definitely an experience here in Milwaukee. I have come to appreciate this day in my years as a Milwaukeean and know that I will miss it once I am gone. You never know what you're going to hear and today was no different. For what seemed like 20 minutes, I got to listen to a woman talk about her cat "muffin" who had recently passed. Now, I should have prefaced this by saying she followed a woman who had lost her mother not even 12 hours prior to Sacrament Meeting. And yet she continued to talk about her feelings about her cat. She discussed it with her Visiting Teachers. She asked her Home Teachers for advice as well, and keep coming back to the question "why", "why did Muffin need to die". The cat was 18 years old! I guess I should be more sensitive, but I really do NOT like cats. Previous F&T meetings have had a higher ratio of members under the age of 9 bear their testimonies than adults. Then there is the guy who really likes to hear himself talk so he gives a Sunday school lesson from the pulpit. Oh, and the lady who finds answers to every problem she might have in the scriptures by playing the flip and point game. And then there was this guy from the City Branch who thought he was on stage doing a comic routine. Never do I hear...I want to stand and bear my testimony, it's always, "I felt like I needed to tell you what happened to me this past week", or, "hey, how are you all doing today?". Where was everybody the day the Bishop stood up and reprimanded everyone for the way F&T meeting had changed. I remember it. He pretty much told us how to bear a testimony from beginning to end...not that I really appreciated being told how, but I guess he was inspired because people in MKE really do need help!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

To add to your day of pain,, Josie, one lady today said, For those who want to give me a hug because I am moving, I don't smell very good because I have been loading a truck! So, sorry in advance. Then on about a quilt, yada yada yada, I feel your pain and mine from top to bottom! Loved your blog!

Anonymous said...

Well, bleep! Ours was very educational, went over by 25 minutes. We had several talks. A youngman boasting about holding his priesthood, well, your blog would melt if I went on about it. Enough said, but I do enjoy your F&T's anyday over mine.

Unknown said...

I'd like to bear my testimony, that I know I will never bring an investigator to a F&T meeting. In fact, I think I'll tell them that we get the first Sunday of the month off, and to never come.

"I couldn't imagine putting Muffin on the cold marble slab, with the bright lights!"

anne said...

I have one word for F&T meeting - awkward. If done correctly, I'm sure it'd be great, but it never seems to happen that way.

Scott said...

Could be like on in AZ which a young men's president talks about how he used to do drugs and only is at church because his wife makes him go. After that his wife gets up and says he was beaten as a child to. Comforting to know the youth are in such good hands.
Tell Eric I said hi. Ask him which is worse, O-chem or dental school

josieposie said...

Alright, you've convinced me that it's not just Milwaukee.