It's About Time

Three alarms, $17, and a 15 minute cab ride later and I finally made it to church... and it felt OH SO GOOD!

  

I loved being at church, but it felt very different.  I mean, I know the church is the same no matter where you are, but the ward was just different.  I've been to what I think as many different wards, but it wasn't until visiting this one that I realized how blessed I am for having been introduced to church when and where I was.

In Toronto, there is only one English speaking ward.  Although it's an English language ward, most of the people are of different ethnicities and have thick accents.  There is no young single adult wards because they can't afford it.  There are about 400 people in the ward but there are only 300 families and most of them are just couples.  Many of the single people in the ward are in their forties.  Oh, and only 12 people in the ward own a car.  

None of this is bad,  its just so different to what I'm used to.  Living in Arizona, the members of the church seem so perfect.  There aren't very many older singles in the areas I've been to and all the families have been blessed with many children.  Almost everyone is white and easy to understand, and finding a ride to church is never a problem.

While sitting in church, I was thinking about how much harder it probably would have been for me to accept the gospel and having to learn in this environment.  And then it hit me, although the setting is different the beliefs are the same.  The Lord is constant and the gospel is unchanging.  I'm grateful for where I was taught, but I'm also thankful that these people although so far and different from myself and where I'm from can have the same blessings that are available to all of Heavenly Father's children.