The Official Mormon Minutia thread

[FMCoug]

I thought it would be interesting to have a thread dedicated to discussion of all the little things we do to ensure everything is done "in its proper order". Some valid, some humorous, and CUF being CUF, likely some mocking too.

Some will be right from the Handbook, (i.e. Sac prayers having to be exactly right), some the "unwritten order of things", others just stuff one of us may have seen implemented but is not widely known, taught, and/or practiced.

[FMCoug]

My first entry:

When you show up late and wait in the foyer during the Sacrament, at what point should you not partake? This had never occurred to me until a few years ago when I saw a woman and her kids show up after the bread but before the water. When they brought the water out, she didn't let her kids partake because they hadn't been there for the bread.

I can see the point but where of the line? Sacrament Hymn? First prayer?

[falafel]

My first entry:

When you show up late and wait in the foyer during the Sacrament, at what point should you not partake? This had never occurred to me until a few years ago when I saw a woman and her kids show up after the bread but before the water. When they brought the water out, she didn't let her kids partake because they hadn't been there for the bread.

I can see the point but where of the line? Sacrament Hymn? First prayer?

The line for me has always been if you miss the bread. The "rule" is that you have both.

[Jacob]

My first entry:

When you show up late and wait in the foyer during the Sacrament, at what point should you not partake? This had never occurred to me until a few years ago when I saw a woman and her kids show up after the bread but before the water. When they brought the water out, she didn't let her kids partake because they hadn't been there for the bread.

I can see the point but where of the line? Sacrament Hymn? First prayer?

There is no line. Just took only the water.

[TripletDaddy]

the bread and water are separate covenants. Eat what you can (but eat all you take!)

[smokymountainrain]

The line for me has always been if you miss the bread. The "rule" is that you have both.

I have never heard that. If I get there late, I will always take the water - especially if I'm thirsty!

[FMCoug]

I have never heard that. If I get there late, I will always take the water - especially if I'm thirsty!

Me too. The sisters' action surprised me but did get me thinking.

[HauteCoug]

Men absolutely should wear white shirts to church. My best friend's dad is intense about this one.

[Pelado]

I have never heard that. If I get there late, I will always take the water - especially if I'm thirsty!

My mother taught me that if you don't hear the prayers then you shouldn't partake. She had a lot of experience being late to Sacrament Meeting, so she should know.

[Viking]

Men absolutely should wear white shirts to church. My best friend's dad is intense about this one.

Having grown up in our family, I expect more out of you than this.

[happyone]

Men absolutely should wear white shirts to church. My best friend's dad is intense about this one.

My FIL is the same way - Last weekend he went on a 30 minute rant because his old bishop showed up in a blue shirt and what's more his sons we also in non-white shirts. FTR I rarely where a white shirt and I hear about it every time we visit.

On the sacrament - My rule has always been if you miss the bread skip the water. However my ward is really good about having the deacons go up and get a bread tray in someone comes in late and hasn't had the chance to partake of the bread. It seems like every week one of them is carring both a bread and water tray when the return after the sacrament.

[falafel]

Another one, of which I've posted before, is that you should never let your garments touch the floor. I held tight to this one for a long time, and even now that I see any real instruction requiring it, I will still throw them on a bench or chair instead of the floor most of the time.

[RobinFinderson]

Another one is about the visibility of garments in general. The unwritten rule is that 'modest' clothing will cover the garments. But I had a bishop who had a very different take on this. Right before my mission, I was discussing rules of thumb regarding the garment, and shared the following:

Bishop -- The garment should be worn as often as possible. Sometimes that isn't practical, and exceptions need to be made, but the covenant doesn't list exceptions, so the rule of thumb should be to wear it unless it gets in the way of a specific activity, and then it should only be removed for that activity.

Robin -- Some people talk about taking the garment off to play sports, or for activities where you are going to sweat a lot.

Bishop -- Those are fairly typical exceptions, but they aren't ones that I make. We all sweat, so there is nothing disrespectful about sweating in your garments. You wouldn't take off your garments on a hot day, just because you were sweaty. Well the same applies for most activities that might cause you to sweat. Personally, I wear the garments when I am playing sports.

Robin -- Hmmm... but a garment top with a t-shirt would get really hot during a pickup basketball game...

Bishop -- Then you could take off the t-shirt and wear the garment top.

Robin -- Wouldn't that look strange to non-members who might be there?

Bishop -- There is no rule that states that the garment shouldn't be seen by others. So long as you are still modest in your appearance around others, it doesn't matter if the garment is visible. As Mormons, we wear garments, and that might look strange to non-Mormons, but that is just the way it is.

[smokymountainrain]

Another one is about the visibility of garments in general. The unwritten rule is that 'modest' clothing will cover the garments. But I had a bishop who had a very different take on this. Right before my mission, I was discussing rules of thumb regarding the garment, and shared the following:

Bishop -- The garment should be worn as often as possible. Sometimes that isn't practical, and exceptions need to be made, but the covenant doesn't list exceptions, so the rule of thumb should be to wear it unless it gets in the way of a specific activity, and then it should only be removed for that activity.

Robin -- Some people talk about taking the garment off to play sports, or for activities where you are going to sweat a lot.

Bishop -- Those are fairly typical exceptions, but they aren't ones that I make. We all sweat, so there is nothing disrespectful about sweating in your garments. You wouldn't take off your garments on a hot day, just because you were sweaty. Well the same applies for most activities that might cause you to sweat. Personally, I wear the garments when I am playing sports.

Robin -- Hmmm... but a garment top with a t-shirt would get really hot during a pickup basketball game...

Bishop -- Then you could take off the t-shirt and wear the garment top.

Robin -- Wouldn't that look strange to non-members who might be there?

Bishop -- There is no rule that states that the garment shouldn't be seen by others. So long as you are still modest in your appearance around others, it doesn't matter if the garment is visible. As Mormons, we wear garments, and that might look strange to non-Mormons, but that is just the way it is.

I think it would look even more strange to the members who are there. I can't imagine showing up to the church to shoot hoops with the ward and seeing some guy in a G top.

[TripletDaddy]

I think it would look even more strange to the members who are there. I can't imagine showing up to the church to shoot hoops with the ward and seeing some guy in a G top.

Im going to try that, I will show up in nothing but an old school corban one piece. I think I will dominate because nobody will want to guard me. Plus, my surface area will be very slick and tough to hand check.