(to the primary tune if you know it). Yep iM a Mormon. Its pretty [great/challenging/hard/amazing]. As part of my faith I have the privilege (or curse depending on who you talk to) to attend church for 3 hours every Sunday.
YEP three whole hours, every Sunday. Then there are callings and responsibilities, activities, meetings, personal scripture study, attending the temple and so on. I really have to say its not a religion, it’s a lifestyle. Part of my lifestyle I wanted to preserve while I was living in Ethiopia.
So here is the low down on attending church here.
There are 4 branches (A branch is like a small congregation. They are typically in areas where the Church is new or has less members) in Ethiopia: Magenagna, Beklobet, Debri Ziet, Awassa
I have had the privilege of attending 3 out of 4- Watch out Beklobet, Here I come!
When we are in the Village {Kersa Illala} the closest branch is Awassa. I love Awassa the city and the branch. It’s a good place to be.
The Awassa branch meets in a small house in town that the Church rents. The living room/dining room has been converted to the Chapel. One of the two bedrooms is used for Primary and the other is President Ammanuel’s office.
The branch has about 20 active attending members. Most are younger people and there are several high school students who are recent converts. The Awassa branch has a homey feeling. Everyone sits and talks outside of church until the meeting begin. They all know each other. Currently there are 2 full time missionaries stationed in the area. They come down for a month probably 4 times a year to help with the work in the area, to train the branch members on their callings and to assist where they are needed.
Being in an area where the Church is small is really different. Since the Awassa Branch is so small there are only 2 hours of Church. Sacrament meeting and Sunday School.
You are asked to help out a lot and most of the time on the spot: Sister would you teach primary today? Sister would you speak today? Could you play the Piano.
It gives you a chance to serve even if you haven’t been extended a formal calling. The hard part is finding a balance between serving and allowing the other branch members to fulfill their responsibilities. As a lifelong member I have had lots of opportunities to serve in different capacities. While attending Brigham Young University (an LDS institution) I had the opportunity to serve in many leadership positions. These experiences have helped me to be prepared to support the local church leadership here in Ethiopia.
Church is in English and Amharic. The sacrament prayer no matter what branch you attend is in English. Most of the time there is a translator who will give the English speakers a mini version of the talk, or translate word for work into Amharic. In Awassa the branch president speaks pretty good English. So he will simply say everything twice. It gets exhausting to watch. The good thing Is there are only 2 speakers, since everything takes as long.
Since there is not enough leadership for a full branch at this point the entire congregation meets for sacrament meeting. After that there is one Sunday School class- Gospel Principles and Primary (Sunday school for young children). There are several young women in the Branch who are working on their Personal Progress program own their own. The missionaries help out where they can, and I spent some time last week talking with the young women about how the program works and its importance (BOY have things changed they added a new value).
It has been really faith promoting to be out here. To see members of the Church who have such faith. Faith to travel 4 hours to church each day. Faith to walk 15 kilometers to ride three taxis each Sunday. Faith to be the first members of a new Church. To go against the popular norm. To have faith, real FAITH. The kind of faith I have never really had. Or needed to have.
Being here has strengthened my testimony. My faith and has helped me want to be stronger and better.
right on! I'm glad you're able to experience it all!
ReplyDeletewhat an awesome experience...loved reading about it!!! i was wondering your thoughts and feelings about that...THANKS for sharing!!!!
ReplyDeleteBeing in an area where the church is so small is a learning opportunity to relish. I think that it shows us ¨lifelong¨members how to be more humble, more faithful, more spiritual, and more willing to do what we are asked. My mission was full of first generation members, and while we taught them how meetings and programs were supposed to progress, I think they taught us so much more.
ReplyDeletehave you been to the branch in debre zeit? if you meet or have met efrem, gideon, beka, or demalesh, please please tell them hello from becca foster.
ReplyDelete