The New Ward: Part 2

Just over seven years ago, we moved here after seven years living in Montana. I wrote this about my first experiences in the Union Park 6th Ward. Now, seven years later, here we are again in a brand new ward, only this time we didn't move. Boundary changes took almost all the former 6th ward members and moved them to the 4th ward. A tiny handful of us are going to the 3rd ward. Well right here is what I wrote about that just last week when the changes were announced.

Today was our first Sunday in the new ward. How was it, you might be asking? Scary. Okay, maybe that's overreacting. Intimidating. No, not really that. Unsettling. Yeah, let's go with that. It is a much larger ward than the former 6th ward, and with the five-ish new families, it's even bigger. There were people all the way back in the overflow. I sat behind Labrums and Metcalfs, and I could see Kinghorns. Other than that, I felt entirely surrounded by strangers. So many of them!

Of course all the normal anxiety questions filtered through my mind. Will I ever find my place here? Will I ever get to serve? Will my calling be anything I actually want to do? Will I get to speak quarterly like I do in my current ward? Will anyone like me? Will I ever recognize these 200 people and know their names? Okay, calm down, Terrianne. This isn't helping.

The couple who spoke in sacrament meeting told us we didn't need to learn their names because they will be leaving the ward in a month. Excellent. That's two I don't have to worry about. The best hour was definitely Gospel Essentials class. Gospel Doctrine meets in the chapel, and that's way too big a room to have a productive, meaningful discussion, so Emily and Trent and I went to Gospel Essentials. Keep in mind that I recently spent five years in that class (in the same room even!), so yeah, it felt pretty comfortable. It was a small group of eight people, including Emily, Trent, and me, and the teacher facilitated a decent discussion on missionary work. Score!

The third hour was a joint Relief Society/Priesthood meeting for the fifth Sunday. The bishop taught, and he tried to demonstrate how he knows the names of all the new people, except he definitely doesn't know ours, but at least he tried. The lesson was about how to prepare for General Conference, and he brought forth several ideas, and others had some good thoughts to add. He didn't mention stocking up on Twinkies, Pringles, Red Vines, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Oreos, and other essential Conference food; he probably just forgot.

After the block, they hosted a "linger longer" (you know, those things they have in singles' wards to get people to figure out if they want to date each other). Well, this was equally awkward, except without the dating component. They served cookies and water, and everyone walked around trying to decide whom to talk to, while feeling awkwardly conspicuous. For the record, I'm sure it wasn't any less awkward for the regular members than for us newbies.

Two things worth noting came out of the linger longer. I met the mother of one of Seth's friends, who is serving his mission in the Marshall Islands, so we were able to speak "mission mom," a language understood only by missionary mothers. Then Gerald met a girl who served in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission about 10 years ago. I didn't meet her, but Gerald says she's very interested in connecting on social media so she can follow Seth's mission.

The New Ward: Part 2. How was it, you might be wondering? It was okay. It could have been so much worse. And now we won't go back for two weeks because of General Conference next weekend.

Did you hear that? IT'S NEXT WEEKEND!!!!! I'm just a little excited. Along with the opportunity to sit at the feet of prophets, once again when they announce the number of full-time missionaries serving around the world, I will get to jump up and down and announce for all to hear: "ONE OF THEM IS MINE!"

I kinda love doing that.