Adventures at Stake Conference

The pioneers had to walk barefoot across the plains with little or no food in winter blizzards while carrying all their earthly possessions, but we...we face a slightly harder trial in our day.  We have a two hour meeting in which we have to keep our kids quiet and attentive while sitting on cold, hard metal chairs, (if we were not smart enough to arrive 2 hours early to secure the coveted soft seats).  This trial is known as Stake Conference!!!!   It was funny to exchange looks with the other mothers as we hauled our bags full of coloring books, crayons, snacks, and whatever toy we thought wouldn't be too loud into the church building.  We seemed to say to each other, "Stay strong sister"..."This too shall pass".  Now, for at least the last 5 years, this feeling of dread was not the case.  Because other than this year, most of the time I have been ingenious enough to be a part of the Stake Choir.  Stake conference had always been a highly uplifting experience for me.  How could it not!?  I was sitting in the EXTRA comfy choir chairs (a huge step up from the padded pews).  I was usually sitting by a friend and not by wiggly children.  I was super attentive and alert. (usually because I was on camera and didn't dare doze off) And I could look out at the happy listening faces of those sitting in the pews as we shared in the strong spirit of the meeting.  Ok, this year was different...Today I learned that there are two very different meetings going on in that building.  You have the "Spirit Paradise" meeting.  These are those who are in the choir seats, and the padded pew in a well lit chapel.  They are smiling and attentive and surrounded by those who are smiling and attentive.  They enjoy a reverent meeting and come away edified and uplifted. Then you have that small number of padded chair folding chair people who are super close to the light and just in front of the large screens that are pulled down for the people in the back.  They usually have a similar experience as those in the front of the chapel. Then...oh then, you have that line where it changes from carpet to gym floor.  From well lit to dim.  From soft seats to cold, hard, super uncomfortable metal chairs.  I call this spirit Prison.  This is where you are surrounded by noisy kids, grumpy moms, dim lighting (because of the screens that are projecting the meeting) sleeping dads, and restless teenagers.  Of course I am exaggerating, but it was funny to see the differences between the meetings I experienced in the choir, and the meeting I experienced today.  Although being in the back is probably a more appropriate place for my family.  We had some good laughs during the meeting.  One of them came when the words to the rest hymn were not displayed on the screen and we didn't have a hymn book to look at.  The song was All Creatures of our God and King.  This is pretty much exactly how it went for us:

 Other than the hard chairs and noise around us..(and within our family) the meeting was still wonderful.  It focused on both missionary work and family history work.  (That much I did get)  I was being a little naughty and took a few photos of my family and our adventures in Stake Conference.  I will look back on these pictures as a reminder to join the choir again next Stake Conference.

Mike, who usually has to sit on the stand, got lots of back scratches and attention.  He only slept  a tiny bit . :)

Casie and I listened the ENTIRE time.

Jack was pretty good and played with my phone most of the time.  Not something I love during a meeting, but come on, it was a TWO HOUR meeting!

Yep.  This is the face Ellie kept giving me the WHOLE time.  I will translate what it means: "Mom, why does Casie get to sit by you and not me?" "How much more minutes?"  (she still says "much" even though we tell her it should be "many." ) "I want to go home." 

Annie can draw for hours.  At this meeting she drew for two hours....straight.  I hope she was still able to listen a little.  But I know for sure she entertained the guy behind us because he was mesmerized the whole time as he watched her draw. :-)

This was before the meeting started.  Casie wanted to walk up front so she could be on the two huge screens in the back.  I've never been so proud.