Only In Utah

I've been looking forward to tonight's Relief Society broadcast all week, partly for the spiritual uplift and partly for the opportunity to have a nice meal and get out of the house for a little while by myself. Our stake was planning a dinner at 5:00 and then we would watch the broadcast together. I was a little late getting out the door, but still surprised by how full the stake center cultural hall was when I got there. I noticed a sign announcing the event and noting that dinner started at 4:30, so I felt embarrassed and slunk around the back to grab a plate at the buffet. There was a nice spread of pasta and salad, so I filled up my plate and took my seat at a table with an empty spot. There I nodded at the other women seated near me and tried to concentrate on my food while surreptitiously looking around to see if I recognized anyone. I found it odd that I didn't see anyone I recognized at all; I've only been in my ward for a few months but I have started to make some friends. Also, most of the women were quite young (younger than 30) with only a few older ones thrown in. That seemed suspicious given the demographic of my ward and my neighborhood. So I quickly finished my dinner, grabbed my bag, and headed to the foyer to look around. Sure enough, when I looked more closely at the sign it announced that the event was for the BYU 30th Stake (or some large number like that).

The thing is, the building is one of two on the same large lot. I had gone to it for the temple dedication, after looking up the stake center address on the computer. I didn't write down the address because I could picture the buildings in my head and was pretty sure I knew that at least one of them was at that particular address. So I headed over to the other building. This one had a sign announcing dinner after the broadcast, and the women there didn't seem right either, so I wandered around a bit and realized that all the offices said things like "BYU 184th ward bishop" on them. Somehow I managed to find two stake centers and neither one was mine. Thankfully I had a cell phone and so I called Mr. Fob and had him look up the address for me. Turns out that that it was about a block north of where I was actually at. And apparently in Utah it is possible to have three stake centers within two blocks of each other. I was able to find the right place, and some familiar faces, just in time for the broadcast. At least the pasta I had at the first place was tasty--BYU catering always does a good job.

Comments

ellen said…
That's funny. Our Stake (Cambridge, Mass.) doesn't even have a Stake Center (well, it's being built) and we've been a Stake for about ten years. Hope you enjoyed dinner(s) and the broadcast. :)
Emma said…
That is funny. Glad you enjoyed the food :)
Amira said…
You should have tried the dinner after the meeting in the other ward.
Kristi said…
Hehe, that's awesome. Pick a stake center, any stake center...
Earth Sign Mama said…
Yes, only in Utah...Did you eat dinner after the broadcast, too? Hey, you're eating for two, after all.
Desmama said…
Hee. That's funny. It's true that could only happen in Utah. Here in Logan there are three stake centers right next to one another, but they're in the middle of three blocks (hard to explain). It's kind of crazy.
FoxyJ said…
I thought about staying at the second place for dinner after the broadcast, but I'm pretty sure it was a single stake and that would have been pretty awkward. Especially since there was a lady greeting people personally at the door to the chapel. Should have taken off my ring and said nothing about my pregnant belly--would have been interesting.
skyeJ said…
That's what I was thinking!! Haa!! Pregnant belly in a BYU single's ward= swift visit to the Bishop's office and you are shown the door. You hussy, you.

I mean... "You'd better start going to RS or else you might 'corrupt' all the virgins in YW with your fetus."

OR... you just would've had random plates of cookies showing up on your doorstep from the RS presidency, to fellowship you back into the fold.
Cheryl said…
Love it. You were right, this is a great story! Only in Utah, for sure!
M said…
Wow, that's hilarious. I've got to say, I don't miss it much. Though I do miss you guys! :-)

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