Brothers and Sisters, stake conference is quickly approaching. I look forward to that weekend, and not just because church on Sunday is only two hours instead of three. I like hearing from our stake leaders, and getting an idea of what we, as a stake, struggle with need to hear.

My favorite part of stake conference is almost a secret: the Saturday night adult session. (‘Adult session’ sounds dirty, what else should we be calling this meeting?) I feel like we get the best instruction at the adult session, maybe because we can talk about certain things without kids present. Or maybe it’s just that we can hear things better without kids present. I call it a secret because not very many people attend. Do people not know about the Saturday night session? Or do they just not want to go?

Sunday at stake conference is crowded. It can be hot and noisy and oh-my-gosh-why-am-I-even-here?  Though I look forward to the messages given, let me be clear: it isn’t always easy to sit there the whole time. Sometimes I find myself being envious of the kids who are whining about how tired and hungry they are because I feel exactly like they do, but their lack of age-induced self-discipline justifies their whining, while I, in the name of maturity, simply suffer in silence. I suppose I could just do what my friend does and skip it all together, go to Vegas or wherever for the weekend. She calls it ‘Free Sunday.’

I’ve thought a lot about the idea of Free Sunday. What would I do with a Free Sunday? To be honest, I’d probably catch up on laundry and take a nap, and in the back of my mind I’d feel guilty for missing church. (And, to be clear, I’d be disappointed in myself for the guilt. I can’t win.) For whatever reason, I’ve always felt different on Sunday – even when I was little and my family didn’t go to church, I’d think, “I don’t feel right about being here at the store with my dad.” I don’t know why I’ve felt that, and I don’t project it to others, meaning: I don’t look at how someone else spends their Sunday and think, “They should feel guilty for that.” On the contrary, I’m a little jealous. I can only wonder what it would be like to be on vacation on a Sunday and not be searching the local phone book for the location of the nearest chapel.

What about you? What do you think about the idea of a Free Sunday?

Until we blog again,

Molly