Worship...

Saturday was a very uplifting, spiritually fulfilling day. The training I attended in Crestwood was superb. It was something I could use no matter what calling I ever have in Church. I still need to type up my notes for future reference. I'll share a few thoughts I would like to really remember:

1. We were given Principles for Leadership in Presidencies: Prepare Spiritually, Minister, Counsel Together, Teach Pure Doctrine and Administer the Programs. The beauty of this is that we should focus on the first four principles first. These important prinicples, if accomplished, will make that fifth one fall into line.
2. If we pray the Spirit will prompt us to do and/or say the individual things that uplift the sisters we serve and support.
3. We should focus on the one. The Savior ministered to the one.
4. We are 'set apart' to serve.
5. The scriptures are our real handbook.
6. Revelation comes if our life is in order and we are specific in our prayers.
7. We should have unity and harmony in our presidencies. If someone is opposed to something, we should set it aside and fast and pray to get unity in our decisions.
8. Relief Society was organized, not just to make shirts for the men working on the temple, but to prepare the sisters for the fulness of the Gospel to be received by making temple covenants.
9. De-clutter our minds so we can hear the Spirit. Be Still. Be Quiet.
10. Sis. Barbara Thompson said that when they are asked to attend a meeting with the 1st Presidency, they know they should arrive 1/2 hour early to listen to the music and prepare themselves to feel the Spirit. We should listen to the prelude and prepare to feel the Spirit in our meetings.
11. 3 Nephi 17:7 - 'Invited to Come Unto Christ' NOT told to 'Send Someone to Christ'.
12. Lean on the Lord. Listen to His prophets.
13. Teach the Saints so we can bind ourselves together.
14. There is no sacrifice in the work of the Lord for us to make.
15. The Prophet Joseph Smith sealed his testimony with his blood. We seal our testimony with our devotion.

It was just great counsel and direction. Very uplifting. Very cup filling.

Then I left this wonderful environment and hurried myself to the Louisville Palace to  join my husband for the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert. It was in full swing when I arrived. The Louisville Palace is an older theater type venue. So it is more closed in than being in a big arena where they would place pro-basketball. This just made the music even louder. What a change of environment.

Crosby, Stills & Nash are still in great form. The people were enjoying their talent.

I was finding the change in atmosphere startling. This old theater has lots of carved wood like work several stories high one the sides of the stage. They stand out from the wall and the walls are all painted blue. Into niches on the wood and stone work were full sized statues in that Roman/Greek style. There were stuffed birds positioned as flying over these decorative elements or sitting on the statues hands, etc. I had the feel I was in the Venetian in Las Vegas. In all those huge casino/hotels they have the ceilings painted as though you were looking at a blue sky with clouds. It gives you the feeling of being out in the open air instead of inside a closed up building with no visible exits. Inside the Louisville Palace reminded me of this over-the-top decoration made to have you feel like you are outside of a huge palace.

Three rows in front of us was a woman who was really, really, really into the moment. When you sit in a theater like this and all the lights are out except the ones on stage, you see everyone like they are a silhouette. This woman just about always (at minimum) had her hands in the air clapping during the singing. I kept thinking of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry was not happy with the beautiful woman he was dating because she had 'man-hands'. The woman had huge 'man-hands' as she clapped the rhythm. I'm sure seeing them like that in the dark only made them seem larger. And the fact that NO ONE else was doing what she was doing at this point in the concert only made it stand out more.

I'm thinking of the Crestwood Stake Center full of all these women seeking a spiritual uplift and the contrast between that and this woman just wanting to give in to every feeling that came to her. Mighty difference.

This woman also had very long hair. She just couldn't sit still. Even when the woman in the row behind her tapped her on the shoulder and made a suggestion that she tone it down, you could tell it was a struggle for her and she wasn't going to win over her emotions. Her long hair she used to full advantage to swing back and forth. Watching it in the dark it was like seeing an octopus move in the water or a jelly fish. All this mass just flowing back and forth. Every now and then she would flip her hair over her head and then shake it around. Mind you, no one else was at that point in the concert, so it really stood out.

Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed the music. But as we talked about it after, both of us really enjoyed the point where Crosby, Stills and Nash came back in after their break. Their band members did not join them. The three of them with one, and some times two, guitars just sang in great harmony. That was Claude and my very favorite part of the program.

Then it was time for the hour and a half ride home. We were in our own cars so I was driving alone. I stopped in Simpsonville to get me a soda and some Chex mix to keep me awake on the drive home. When I pulled up in front of the Pilot Station (a gas station/truck stop), there was a car next to me. Their stereo was turned up really loud and out on the sidewalk in front of their car were two beautiful young women. They were dressed in skin tight elasticized very mini-dresses. They were dancing extremely suggestively with each other, then with the wall behind them. I got out of my car and locked the door to enter and get my soda and munchie. To my left was a man in a truck watching these young women gyrate to their music. He saw me notice what was going on and he looked at me and grinned with total enjoyment of the show he was seeing. I ignored his grins and hastened into the store. Again, I was overwhelmed with the difference in my afternoon and evening meetings and this base scene that was, quite frankly, disgusting. Such beautiful young girls and such a waste. Everyone was gone when I returned to my car.

Sunday morning I drove to Frankfort, Kentucky to visit the Frankfort Ward. I chose to take the back roads and drove Hwy. 460 which is a beautiful drive. I passed the golf course that is on that highway. The thought came into my head as I drove past the golf carts full of men out for a morning of golf that they were worshipping at Our Lady of the Golf Course. Silly thought but it is what ran through my head.

I drove a little on down Highway 460 and say people fishing at Our Lady of Elkhorn River. Again, a silly thought but it is what ran through my head.

Then I realized that my Saturday and Sunday had been a sampling of how some people worship. Clearly a lot of the people at the concert were enjoying themselves and agreed with the political statements made my Crosby, Stills and Nash. Clearly golf and fishing were the things of greatest importance to some people along Elkhorn River on their Sunday morning.

I'm not trying to place myself as superior to any of these people. I'm sure they are good people doing good things with their lives. But it was all in stark contrast to my spiritually fulfilling experience Saturday afternoon and at Church in Frankfort on Sunday.

It also helped me to see the importance of filling my life with good and uplifting things. Things that are filling and not hollow experiences. It is a lesson I felt important for me to record and remember. Not judging the actions of others, just taking note and reminding me how I want to live my life. A gift from Heavenly Father to each of his children is 'agency', that right to choose for yourself how you will live and fill your life. My choice is and will continue to be to enjoy the talents of others, the beauty of a drive in the country and to fill my life with uplifting and good things that fill my cup and aide me in living well.