Church With Lina

The doors on the other side of the chapel opened with a loud creak and bang as they were opened and left open. I glanced over at the open door, and then had to look again. It was Lina, but she looked different. Her hair was pulled up and she was wearing the light blue dress I had seen in her closest. The sleeves nearly reached her elbows and the bottom rested on the floor so I couldn't see her shoes. She also looked a little taller.

She greeted Bishop Bower with a smile and a handshake. At first the smile looked genuine then it wavered and became forced. What was he saying to her? After another moment she nodded and walked over to sit by me. More people came in and the voices steadily grew louder. Lina set her book bag under the bench and pulled out a spiral notebook and pen. Several people greeted her and inquired about me. Names and conversations blurred as the pounding in my head increased. Finally I had to rest my head in my hands.

"Keith, you don't have to stay," Lina said.

"What did he say to you?"

"Who?"

"The bishop, or whatever you call him."

"Bishop Bower? He asked about school and work. Why do you ask?"

"You…." I looked at her and stopped.

Her gaze was somewhere else and the edges of her mouth turned down a little bit more. "Sorry," she said, looking back at me. "I, what?"

"Nevermind," I muttered.

Music began playing on the organ and I leaned against the wall. Why would Lina come to a church if the people here made her so unhappy? Did she not realize that there was so much more happiness there was to be had out in the world? The music on the organ continued until another man, who had been sitting beside Bishop Bower, stepped to the pulpit.

"Good morning, Brothers and Sisters. I am Brother Rhode, 1st counselor in the bishopric. I will be conducting and Bishop Bower presiding. We welcome all visitors and hope you feel the Spirit today. We will open these services by singing Hymn #30 'Come, Come, Ye Saints.' After which, Sister Alice Ledbetter will give us an opening prayer."

The hymn was one that I had not heard before. The music was calm compared to what I was used to. It was different, but I actually liked it. Lina sang, her gaze remaining on the woman who was leading the song. Though my head hurt, I loved how she sang. She should join a professional choir somewhere. Some of the girls I had spent nights with were in the school chorus. They had even sung to me, but none of them had the voice Lina had. The song ended and the young woman stood to pray.

This too was different. It was not a recitation of the Lord's Prayer as found in the bible, nor was it one that involved the congregation. The words that were spoken were spoken as if God Himself were in the room. I watched those around me. Everyone had their heads bowed and arms folded. The prayer was closed 'In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.' Then the congregation repeated the Amen.

Brother Rhode stood and presented the next section of the program. Another hymn was sung about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ before the sacrament was blessed and passed. The words were similar, but a little different. Bread was used instead of wafers and water instead of wine. Several young men passed around the sacrament around and two sat behind the alter, where they had prayed. All wore business suits, there were no robes.

Lina sat with the hymn book open in her hands. Her notebook with the pen, sat on her lap. I picked up the notebook. There were so many things different with this church that I found I had several questions. The only people on the stand were the bishop and two other men and then there were two women and another man sitting on the other side. Did they represent a different organization? Why was there no choir? Why had he called the Alter boys 'Priests'? They weren't old enough to be Priests.

Brother Rhode stood and announced the rest of the program. Several people walked in late and I felt Lina jump slightly as her phone vibrated. She pulled out her cell phone and glanced at it before she left the chapel. I continued to write questions as they came to me while I listened to the speakers. Many of the questions were answered as the talks continued. The two young women talked then another hymn was sung before the young man spoke. After the young man's talk the congregation sang another song and another member of the congregation gave a closing prayer. Lina never came back in. Had she left?

I picked up her bag and left the chapel. She was sitting on the couch in the foyer. Her head was resting in her hands.

"Lina?" I asked.

She sat up as I set her bag on the floor by her feet and sat on the couch next to her. Her face was red from crying.

"Lina, why do you come to this church when it upsets you like this? Why don't you stop coming and find those things that make you happy? Hell, that's what I've done."

"This church does make me happy."

"Bullshit."

Lina just shrugged and picked up her bag.

"Are you ready to walk back to campus?"

"You can if you want. There are still two more hours of church."

"Two hours?! One hour of condemnation is not enough?"

"You don't have to stay, Keith." She started walking towards the hall.

"Wait. Hold on." I stood quickly to stop her and I had to stop because it made me dizzy. "Why are you so dead set on going to a church that makes you so damn miserable?"

"The church doesn't make me miserable. It's actually one of the few places that brings me happiness."

"Then smile, damn it. If this church makes you happy then show it."

She shook her head and walked down the hall to one of the classrooms. I followed her with her notebook still in my hand. I sat next to her and noticed that several people looked at us before quickly looking away.

"Welcome to Sunday School everyone. I am Mike Marriott I will be teaching today's lesson. Do we have any visitors in here?" He looked at me. "You, brother, would you stand and introduce yourself?"

"I'm Keith. I attend UPS with Lina," I said, not bothering to stand.

I heard someone scoff behind me.

"Welcome, Keith. We're glad you could join us."

The person behind me snickered, and I turned. "You got a problem, lady?"

"I...no," she said, averting her eyes.

This part of the service started with a prayer then turned to the lesson. They were studying in the book of Genesis since it was the beginning of a new school year. I had less questions in Sunday School since the stories were ones I remembered from when I was a kid. I passed the notebook to Lina and she answered the questions. Her expression was just like the one I had gotten used to seeing as she was editing my papers. I wrote more questions as the lesson ended and another prayer was said. After the Amen was spoken, Lina stood.

"Keith, you will be staying in here for the last hour. If you don't want to stay then you can head back."

"What are you going to do?"

"Go to my other class."

"Why do I have to stay here?"

"For the last hour, we separate into classes designed specifically for men and women. I'll come find you when church is over."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you separate? Are you all gay or lesbian?"

"No. We believe that homosexuality is a sin. We separate into separate organizations—Priesthood for the men and Relief Society for the women—in order to meet the needs of individual members of our congregation."

"Women don't hold the Priesthood in this church?"

"Write down your questions. I'll see you about four."

She picked up her bag and left.

This last class, too, was a little different experience. Again I was welcomed and made to introduce myself because there were other men that had not been in Sunday School that came to Priesthood. Where had they been? After a song and prayer, there was another lesson. Despite the active discussion about the lesson topic, I found myself watching the clock wanting to ask Lina my questions. Time seemed to drag until at last another song was sung and a closing prayer was spoken. I stepped out into the hall, expecting Lina to be right there, but she wasn't. At five after she turned the corner by the doors we had entered earlier, dressed again in her black pants and t-shirt.

"Took you long enough. Can we go now?" I asked.

"Sister Ashcroft," Bishop Barlow asked Lina, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Not today, Bishop. Later this week would be better."

Bishop Barlow looked at me then back at Lina. "All right. I'll have Dave set up the appointment."

She nodded. "We can go now, Keith."

We walked outside before I asked, "Does your bishop have something against me?"

"He's just concerned about me."

"If he's concerned about you then why the hell did he look at me like that?"

"People in this ward, congregation, tend to believe that when anyone brings a member of the opposite sex to church that they are together."

"You mean boyfriend/girlfriend?" I asked.

Lina nodded.

I laughed. "Are they really that stupid? Us, together? Hahahaha."

Lina said nothing.

"What? You don't find that funny?" I asked. "…Lina?" I stopped her, but she didn't look at me. Her gaze was as focused as it had been on Friday. "Lina."

Her head dropped a moment before she looked up. "Did you have more questions for me, Keith?"

"That's not important. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Do you still have my notebook?"

I handed it to her and she started walking again. She read the few questions I had written while she walked. Her pace was a little quicker now. The sun was low in the sky and it would be dark soon. After another minute, she put her notebook into her book bag.

"Keith, what do you know about the LDS church?"

"Isn't that the Mormons?"

"Yes."

"They have a Bible called the Book of Mormon. Worship a man named Joseph Smith. Practice polygamy. Don't do drugs, no sex, and a bunch of other odd things."

"Some of those things are true, but not all."

"What do you know about the Mormons?"

"I am one."

"You mean to tell me that I spent the last three hours in a Mormon church?!"

"Yes."

"Damn, Lina. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Please, don't swear. I didn't tell you because you never asked and it was clearly marked as an LDS church when we walked up."

"I don't remember such a sign."

"Trust me, it was there."

"If you're Mormon then why don't I ever see you read the Book of Mormon, huh?"

"You've seen me read both. I was reading from the Book of Mormon on Friday."

"You were reading the… Bible! For Christ's sake, Lina...."

"Don't use His name like that."

"Does it offend you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm sorry Ms. Mormon, guess I can't make my language fit your standards. Damn! Why did I stay in the first place?"

We had just crossed Orchard Street and I almost missed that Lina had stopped momentarily and stepped behind me to turn onto South Huson Street. There were fewer lights here, and already long shadows were being cast along the street. What was she doing? Had she already forgotten the two young men from UPS that had been assaulted by a flashlight only a week or two earlier? Ah, forget it. Damn Mormon.