After having the afternoon to recover from the morning shopping, we made our way tonight across the street to the Mesa Temple for the Christmas lights. Each year they have a short event the day after Thanksgiving and turn on the lights for the season.
My father in law had promised us a brief program with a choir singing Christmas carols and then the lights. It was standing room only. The choir came out, sang one song, and then wasn't heard from again for another 40 minutes. Instead, whoever was in charge of the program decided that before we'd get to hear more singing someone probably needed to talk for awhile and then have someone 15-20 minute talk on Christmas. To that end, two sister missionaries got up and spoke (one in English and one in Spanish), and then a mission president had some carefully prepared remarks on the Savior and Isaiah.
The frustration of the situation probably escapes the reader, but it was maddening to have come for lights and carols and instead been given a high councilman's talk*. I don’t think I was the only one, though because many people didn't stick around. Once the mission president made it clear his part wasn’t going to be just a brief testimony, people left, and I tried to leave with them.
In the hours that have followed, I've felt guilty about my criticisms toward the program. It’s one thing to notice problems, and quite another I think to voice the problems you saw and belabor them. There’s a right way to do it, and tonight I missed the mark.
I think what it boiled down to was trying to do way too much. Someone, a mission president perhaps, apparently got a bit overzealous when planning the program. This person (or persons) put aside any thoughts that a lengthened program that included so much talking might not be a welcomed addition, even with such an important subject to talk about. People came with their kids, though, and they came to walk around and listen to Christmas carols. In that context, having us sit through a 20 minute talk was the wrong move. I just wish I knew the proper way to make that point and not be seen or feel like heretic.
Even so, the lights were nice. And the choir eventually did get to sing, though they were made to stand for the entire program. Jared was enchanted by the lights, the creche, and the lighted camels. Hopefully that’s what most people went home talking about, not the sour taste in their mouths from the rest of the program.
Anyway, an eventful day.
*He started by his talk by trying to tell a joke: He'd heard that the choir could stand up for at most about an hour, so if anyone thought he started talking to long we should wave our hands [insert laughs]. I felt annoyed enough that I immediately started waiving my hand. My father in law followed suit. He didn't sit down though.
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