Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Countdown to Baptism: Mission President Interview Part 1

I woke up stressed out, still thinking in the back of my head how ridiculous it was that they would single homosexual actions out. Going trough a list of worse offenses they don't even ask about in my head.

When it was time to go I lingered around the house, dreading taking that first step out the door. I was so afraid my levees would be breached - that this was it, the end of Ayla's great LDS experiment. He would ask if I thought homosexuality was a sin and I couldn't lie about it. I just couldn't. I was sure of this.

I decided to pull a fairy card on the whole thing and meditate on it before leaving. I drew the "Miracle Healing" card which is one I draw often. I wasn't expecting that one. At first I was a little confused and thought perhaps my deck had let me down - it's ususally right on.

But I looked at the card and let my focus drift and then I came to the understanding that this meeting wasn't only about me - it was about the Mission President - he needed healing and I was there to do or say something that would bring him peace.

I thought of Deepak Chopra and his suggestion to always bring everyone you meet a gift - whether it be a kind word, a compliment - something. So I decided I would go into my meeting in that manner, to bring to it what I needed to bring. I made up my mind not sit there like an empty shell, ready to be chastised or filled by someone else, but to be really lovingly proactive and figure out what Spirit was leading me to do this day.

As I made the 10 minute drive to church the radio blasted out a few of my favorite songs, I felt charged up with the energy of the New Moon and the sacred feminine was palpable all around me. With the windows down I drove over the country side with the feeling of flying- a trail of divine energy creasting all around me.

When I arrived at church the Mission President was running late. He was coming from nearly 2 hours away. I settled down in the room, which was the primary room by-the-way because they thought I would have my kids with me. I usually have both my kids but today was so intense I had left them with Seth.

Elder R and Elder H were there. I had heard about Elder H but not met him before. He was a large, foot player-esque, 22 year-old from Cedar City, UT! What providance! We sat and talked for an hour about all the things we loved about Cedar City and how we both miss it. We found we knew some of the same people and had really similar interests.

Elder H started talking about the evidences for the Book of Mormon and the Anthropology buff in me couldn't sit still, I straight out wiggled in my seat with excitement as we discussed with ever increasing pitch and joy all the world religions and how they tell the same stories and how it laid the ground work for Christ to come.

I was elated to find another Mormon interested in the same things I was, and we talked about paganism without him batting an eyelash, and what's more he had studied about it and had drawn very similar conculsions as me!

I hadn't realized that Elder R had stepped out about a half hour ago and when the Mission President and his wife walked in, guided by Elder R, Elder H and I were in the middle of a loud, passionate, positive and emotionally expressive talk about....what else, paganism! Elder H ended on the note that he loved comparative religion and I told him to major in it when he got home.

Then entered the Mission President.....