A couple weeks ago, my husband (Mr. Cheap Seats) and I were lucky enough to get to attend the Texas Mormon Stories conference in Houston. We even participated on a panel of people talking about navigating misfit-Mormon issues as parents. I’m guessing that after our performance, the organizers might consider doing a better job of screening future panelists! ;)
We missed the Friday night events because we live in serious backwoods East Texas, but we were there all day Saturday and were treated to several amazing presentations/talks by MoSto founder John Dehlin, Mormon Matters/Sunstone guy Dan Wotherspoon, and several other Houstonians. Everyone shared such heartfelt messages. Listening to everyone, I felt like I have been wandering around in a desert and finally stumbled upon an oasis.
Several people provided beautiful musical numbers–a vocal duet, a piano solo, and an organ/violin duet. The only thing we didn’t have was any congregational singing! (Note to self for next time around–must have at least a few congregational hymns!)
After the first session, we had a story sharing session (in Mormon-speak = testimony meeting) that was truly remarkable. I cried. I laughed. And then cried and laughed some more. All the while, I kept thinking to myself: These people get me, which is a total departure from what I usually tell myself on Sundays. In between sessions, we talked and bore our souls either to complete strangers or to people we had only previously met online. I’ve tried to explain to some non-Mormon friends this whole Bloggernacle thing and they just think it’s weird. One friend quizzically remarked, “I don’t think there’s such a thing for misfit Methodists.”
Sunday morning the last hold-outs met at Discovery Green for more chatting and laughing (no crying–at least for me). We had intended to spend the night on Saturday, but after the high I experienced on Saturday, we decided to stick around for the Sunday gathering.
So without further ado, here is what our ride to the Texas Mormon Stories conference looked like. Please forgive the quality of some of the photos–many of which were taken in a traffic jam, in the rain, through our car windshield.
If you ever have a chance to attend one of these–regardless of where you are on the belief spectrum–do it.
yay!! And I laughed when I saw the second pic (moments cabaret) – how is it that Houston has so many of those? Those pictures say so much about Houston – they really capture what it is like here…. Jesu Cristo, Rev Deborah, cabaret. Great ride to church profile.
I was very impressed with the variety of perspectives and openness from other attendants at the conference, and would recommend it to just about any Mormon as well. I really hope this conference is something we can continue at least on an annual basis.
And don’t you love all the variety of churches here :). I personally liked Grace Lutheran and thought it was perfect for the purpose of the conference.
I was also pleased to see the wide range of views that were represented, Evan.
And the churches, yes. So many churches! I also loved Grace Lutheran. It was a beautiful building and suited our needs perfectly. Hats off to the people who found/chose it.
So when’s our next get-together? ;)
So interesting to see all these churches. And I agree I wish LDS chapels were beautiful. They are tearing our lovely church down in a couple of months. :(
Carole, why on earth are they tearing down your building? :(