Of farewells and open houses...

I recently read an email from Elder Kieffer. I suppose his learning curve is steep, but some of the things he writes surprise me a great deal. But even in my surprise I find parallels to life here - and that makes me wonder.

To whom do we owe allegiance and gratitude? To whom do we pledge our lives?

C.S. Lewis speaks more eloquently than I on this subject - pointing to The Fall and how most think that it had something to do with sex when in all reality it had more to do with us trying to separate or create our own happiness removed from God.

Kieffer writes to his brother Korben about an upcoming farewell - which we've been asked to no longer facilitate and this gets straight to the point of my diatribe but I will come 'round to it in a bit - and how there's no other time in your life when everyone comes to see you and only you, except when you leave on a mission and then again when you come home.

Kieffer's mistaken of course. Several people have come round to see him and only him at various times in his life, when he was born, for example, and when he got staples in his dome for another.

I suppose that recognizing his overstatement isn't that big of a deal - except for this - he tethers it to a sacred duty and an honorable thing - that of serving a full time mission for God. Teaching people about Jesus Christ. Therein lies the rub.

If people come just to see you off, are they missing the point of why you've committed in the first place? To serve God? If we come to see the man - creating happiness or unhappiness in his event - I believe we've stolen grace from our Savior who's made the event possible in the first place.

Perhaps that's why we're asked not to host/facilitate farewells and homecomings. Its a distraction from God, hoisting a spotlight for an individual. Giving glory where its not deserved.

I don't believe in open houses and farewells for anyone unless we can acknowledge those who make quiet sacrifices and perhaps stay home from a mission to care for an ailing mother or for the single mother who teaches primary while caring for an autistic son. I don't believe that we should ever tie gospel glory to any one single individual apart from recognizing the principles upon which that service is rendered.

The scriptures are full of very real examples of life that follows the choices people make when they place the glory or popularity of a man, even when he's my son, over the principles of truth or even, upon total accident and complete ignorance, at the expense of never shedding a sliver of light on the quiet and equally important acts of those who just serve and do so for the pure love towards their God.

I take some risks writing this. Already, I've offended friends and loved ones by verbalizing my thoughts. I realize that even the notable and valiant servants do so for the love of God - but I believe that they taint their service when they allow others to place wreaths on their heads and laud them - it distracts from God and from others who serve just as, and in some cases more, diligently.

And...where does it end?

All the talk in the last few weeks of special meetings, first conferences and even hearing from the pulpit one man say "Bring everyone" referring to a change in leadership - bring everyone? Why now? Why not three weeks ago? Why not bring everyone every Sunday? If our church is true, if the doctrines are the breath of life, why not invite everyone every single Sunday of our entire lives?

I'll admit I've got an atomic sub-particle of Teancum in me, but if I go one more Sacrament Meeting without hearing the word "Atonement" or hearing someone talk about a special meeting or the first with this group or that group - I am going to loose it.

Its not about us, you or me. Not about Elder Kieffer or Elder Korben. Its about Christ and the other - the absence of self.

My Savior is Brilliant.