The other day I followed an exchange on a favorite Mormon blog regarding the necessity of word-perfect sacrament and baptismal prayers. Personally, I wholeheartedly support word-perfection, even at the risk of humiliation by multiple do-overs—and I’ve personally had my share. There’s a reason why these prayers are spelled out in the standard works and I don’t think it prudent to open the door to laxness. But just for fun I submitted the question that, if I go to a Spanish ward and hear the sacrament prayer in Spanish, does the covenant work for me since I don’t understand it? A couple of replies suggested since the bishop was fine with the prayer, the priesthood authority successfully executed the covenant and it would be all right to take the bread and water. But that isn’t the same as what happened to me in the temple.
Now how to say this without saying too much…
I was assisting in the temple last week and helped a Spanish-speaking sister finish her participation. The thing is, she didn’t speak English, I don’t speak Spanish and her assistant didn’t speak Spanish. So here we went, going through the process, just waiting for the other to finish before we took our turns. Not one of us stopped and said we needed help, we just continued until we finally completed the ceremony.
In spiritual terms, I wonder if the encounter actually “took.” I went to my bishop afterward and told him what had happened. His first reaction was a big grin. He then said, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had interesting situations like that—not exactly that, but that kind of thing.” He added, “You’re seeing now the wonderful, strange ways things work in the Church sometimes, and that’s good. Keep getting out there, serving the Lord, and you’ll see more and more stuff like that. And the more you do, the more you’ll get it. You probably should have gotten some help, but I’m sure the Lord understood and the work was done.”
It makes me wonder how many bishops out there would have reacted differently. Listening to mine tell me it was okay, though, I felt at that moment that it was. I know he wasn’t trying to placate me; he’s the kind of guy who wants you to get it straight.
I realized another thing, too. After 21 ½ years in L.A., I need to learn Spanish.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Learn Spanish » No Habla Tongues // Nov 18, 2007 at 12:06 pm
[…] You can read the rest of this blog post by going to the original source, here […]
2 Maurara // Mar 24, 2008 at 10:35 am
nice work, bro
3 s'mee // Aug 4, 2008 at 3:01 am
Had an experience during high school where, at a school party the night before, the priest who was then praying over the bread was blasted drug and drugged on who knew what. (it was 1974)
I went to the Bishop with one of those “hypothetical” a friend of mine at school was wondering questions. Did the prayer take if the person saying it was unworthy? His reply was it depends on the faith of those receiving it. Trust the Lord to do His job, He knows who says the prayers and who receives the sacrament with faith.
Another personal note: I was married in the LA Temple at 18. Long story, however, my mother decided *during* the pre-marriage interview with the Temple Pres (yes she insisted on going in with me) that lying to the TP was easier than telling the truth and suffering possible humiliation (on her part). Being 18 and deathly afraid of my mother, I sat and let it go without telling the TP she had lied.
The thing is, I was was then married as Prudence Merriweather *Bottlebottom*, instead of my legal name *Hedgerow*. For fur years I felt as though I was living in sin and it heaped upon me like nothing ever had before. Every time I took the Sacrament, very temple night, everything past that sealing was a lie and I knew it.
I went to my Bishop when I could carry it no more, knowing he would separate my husband and me, take away my ‘illegitimate’ children and throw my sorry soul out into darkness.
Instead, he quietly laughed and counseled me to rethink the relationship I had with dear ol’ ma.
Needless to say I am grateful for the Lord’s patience with us blithering idiots, the unfaithful who stumble and those of us who out in out lie to save face. I am glad we have repentance and I’m most grateful I don’t have to sort it all out.
4 David // Aug 11, 2008 at 12:32 am
Lord bless the bishops who get it.
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