Magnifying Church Asinine-ments

[Dwight Schr-ute]

Last week's angry post about driving an elderly brother home after Sacrament meeting while his wife stayed at church made me reflect on many of the ridiculous things we're asked to do in the church because someone doesn't have the ability to say "no." I thought it would make for a fun thread.

Sunday I had the pleasure to stand in front of the EQ asking for volunteers to return to the church building two hours after Sunday worship to set up chairs and tables for the Young Single Adults who would be holding a dinner there that evening. I also was required to ask for volunteers to return to the church building an hour after that two serve said Young Single Adults, stay as you watch them eat and mingle and then take down all the tables and chairs that we had set up.

I couldn't do it. I told everyone that I'd be happy to get three guys there to set up and that the YSA's were more than capable of serving and cleaning up after themselves.

[pellegrino]

Last week's angry post about driving an elderly brother home after Sacrament meeting while his wife stayed at church made me reflect on many of the ridiculous things we're asked to do in the church because someone doesn't have the ability to say "no." I thought it would make for a fun thread.

Sunday I had the pleasure to stand in front of the EQ asking for volunteers to return to the church building two hours after Sunday worship to set up chairs and tables for the Young Single Adults who would be holding a dinner there that evening. I also was required to ask for volunteers to return to the church building an hour after that two serve said Young Single Adults, stay as you watch them eat and mingle and then take down all the tables and chairs that we had set up.

I couldn't do it. I told everyone that I'd be happy to get three guys there to set up and that the YSA's were more than capable of serving and cleaning up after themselves.

and the YSA couldn't do all of that because . . . ?

[Paperback Writer]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often. They called it the Celestial Lawn Service (I'm not making that up) and really talk it up as some type of ward achievement. It isn't working very well and just results in many of these families canceling their yard service or not making their own kids mow their own d@mn lawn.

The problem is that this is the brainchild of the bishopric and they committed to it without getting input from the YM leadership. Essentially they talk it up each summer and then stick the YM organization with the "assignment". The YM hate it and start skipping Wednesday night when they know they will have to mow lawns. This results in YM leadership not announcing the exact activity or worse saying the YM will work on Duty to God when they will really be mowing lawns. The YM figure it out quickly and start skipping Wednesday nights all together. This results in Saturday "assignments" where quorum presidents have to call up their buddies to give their assignments. When the YM figured that out and didn't answer the phone, the assignments were texted. When that didn't work, leadership started making Saturday assignments and just randomly assigned YM to people's lawns. That's not working either.

Even worse, it's giving some of these "lesser active" people a sense of entitlement. Last Fast Sunday, my son got "assigned" to help the deacons with fast offerings. For once, I liked the assignement as my son is learning to drive so we got to drive around town with little traffic on a Sunday morning. At one house, my son montioned for me to come to the porch with him. This sister was complaining about her yard not being mowed and demanded it be done ASAP. And she wanted a committment from me on when it would be done. I just politely said that we were only here to receive her fast offerings and didn't know anything about the "Celestial Lawn Service". Apparently, her adult son who lives with her is too busy to mow her lawn.

[imanihonjin]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often. They called it the Celestial Lawn Service (I'm not making that up) and really talk it up as some type of ward achievement. It isn't working very well and just results in many of these families canceling their yard service or not making their own kids mow their own d@mn lawn.

The problem is that this is the brainchild of the bishopric and they committed to it without getting input from the YM leadership. Essentially they talk it up each summer and then stick the YM organization with the "assignment". The YM hate it and start skipping Wednesday night when they know they will have to mow lawns. This results in YM leadership not announcing the exact activity or worse saying the YM will work on Duty to God when they will really be mowing lawns. The YM figure it out quickly and start skipping Wednesday nights all together. This results in Saturday "assignments" where quorum presidents have to call up their buddies to give their assignments. When the YM figured that out and didn't answer the phone, the assignments were texted. When that didn't work, leadership started making Saturday assignments and just randomly assigned YM to people's lawns. That's not working either.

Even worse, it's giving some of these "lesser active" people a sense of entitlement. Last Fast Sunday, my son got "assigned" to help the deacons with fast offerings. For once, I liked the assignement as my son is learning to drive so we got to drive around town with little traffic on a Sunday morning. At one house, my son montioned for me to come to the porch with him. This sister was complaining about her yard not being mowed and demanded it be done ASAP. And she wanted a committment from me on when it would be done. I just politely said that we were only here to receive her fast offerings and didn't know anything about the "Celestial Lawn Service". Apparently, her adult son who lives with her is too busy to mow her lawn.

Wow, I am speechless.

[beefytee]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often.

I'm trying to remember my psychology class. Is it the undesired behavior we are supposed to reward? Is that how it works?

[Uncle Ted]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often. They called it the Celestial Lawn Service (I'm not making that up) and really talk it up as some type of ward achievement. It isn't working very well and just results in many of these families canceling their yard service or not making their own kids mow their own d@mn lawn.

The problem is that this is the brainchild of the bishopric and they committed to it without getting input from the YM leadership. Essentially they talk it up each summer and then stick the YM organization with the "assignment". The YM hate it and start skipping Wednesday night when they know they will have to mow lawns. This results in YM leadership not announcing the exact activity or worse saying the YM will work on Duty to God when they will really be mowing lawns. The YM figure it out quickly and start skipping Wednesday nights all together. This results in Saturday "assignments" where quorum presidents have to call up their buddies to give their assignments. When the YM figured that out and didn't answer the phone, the assignments were texted. When that didn't work, leadership started making Saturday assignments and just randomly assigned YM to people's lawns. That's not working either.

Even worse, it's giving some of these "lesser active" people a sense of entitlement. Last Fast Sunday, my son got "assigned" to help the deacons with fast offerings. For once, I liked the assignement as my son is learning to drive so we got to drive around town with little traffic on a Sunday morning. At one house, my son montioned for me to come to the porch with him. This sister was complaining about her yard not being mowed and demanded it be done ASAP. And she wanted a committment from me on when it would be done. I just politely said that we were only here to receive her fast offerings and didn't know anything about the "Celestial Lawn Service". Apparently, her adult son who lives with her is too busy to mow her lawn.

Man, if they did something like this in my ward I would seriously consider going to church less often. I hate mowing my lawn.

I am guessing this will increase the number of missionaries from your ward given it teaches the true meaning of service.

[Walter Sobchak]

Last week's angry post about driving an elderly brother home after Sacrament meeting ...

I missed your original post, so forgive me... can you re-dramatize why you were so angry about leaving Church early?

[Northwestcoug]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often. They called it the Celestial Lawn Service (I'm not making that up) and really talk it up as some type of ward achievement. It isn't working very well and just results in many of these families canceling their yard service or not making their own kids mow their own d@mn lawn.

The problem is that this is the brainchild of the bishopric and they committed to it without getting input from the YM leadership. Essentially they talk it up each summer and then stick the YM organization with the "assignment". The YM hate it and start skipping Wednesday night when they know they will have to mow lawns. This results in YM leadership not announcing the exact activity or worse saying the YM will work on Duty to God when they will really be mowing lawns. The YM figure it out quickly and start skipping Wednesday nights all together. This results in Saturday "assignments" where quorum presidents have to call up their buddies to give their assignments. When the YM figured that out and didn't answer the phone, the assignments were texted. When that didn't work, leadership started making Saturday assignments and just randomly assigned YM to people's lawns. That's not working either.

Even worse, it's giving some of these "lesser active" people a sense of entitlement. Last Fast Sunday, my son got "assigned" to help the deacons with fast offerings. For once, I liked the assignement as my son is learning to drive so we got to drive around town with little traffic on a Sunday morning. At one house, my son montioned for me to come to the porch with him. This sister was complaining about her yard not being mowed and demanded it be done ASAP. And she wanted a committment from me on when it would be done. I just politely said that we were only here to receive her fast offerings and didn't know anything about the "Celestial Lawn Service". Apparently, her adult son who lives with her is too busy to mow her lawn.

I know this is a pain in the arse for you, but it's hilarious from the outside.

The extent of passive-aggressive behavior in this whole activity is amazing. Maybe all it would take to stop it is a YM leader saying 'I appreciate the idea, but it's just not working'.

[SCcoug]

Texas Mormons

[Jeff Lebowski]

Texas Mormons

[FMCoug]

Over the past few summers, ward leadership has made the YM mow "lesser active" members lawns as a way to guilt them into attending church more often. They called it the Celestial Lawn Service (I'm not making that up) and really talk it up as some type of ward achievement. It isn't working very well and just results in many of these families canceling their yard service or not making their own kids mow their own d@mn lawn.

The problem is that this is the brainchild of the bishopric and they committed to it without getting input from the YM leadership. Essentially they talk it up each summer and then stick the YM organization with the "assignment". The YM hate it and start skipping Wednesday night when they know they will have to mow lawns. This results in YM leadership not announcing the exact activity or worse saying the YM will work on Duty to God when they will really be mowing lawns. The YM figure it out quickly and start skipping Wednesday nights all together. This results in Saturday "assignments" where quorum presidents have to call up their buddies to give their assignments. When the YM figured that out and didn't answer the phone, the assignments were texted. When that didn't work, leadership started making Saturday assignments and just randomly assigned YM to people's lawns. That's not working either.

Even worse, it's giving some of these "lesser active" people a sense of entitlement. Last Fast Sunday, my son got "assigned" to help the deacons with fast offerings. For once, I liked the assignement as my son is learning to drive so we got to drive around town with little traffic on a Sunday morning. At one house, my son montioned for me to come to the porch with him. This sister was complaining about her yard not being mowed and demanded it be done ASAP. And she wanted a committment from me on when it would be done. I just politely said that we were only here to receive her fast offerings and didn't know anything about the "Celestial Lawn Service". Apparently, her adult son who lives with her is too busy to mow her lawn.

This is awesome. It could be case study in passive-aggressive Mormon behavior.

[myboynoah]

I know this is a pain in the arse for you, but it's hilarious from the outside.

The extent of passive-aggressive behavior in this whole activity is amazing. Maybe all it would take to stop it is a YM leader saying 'I appreciate the idea, but it's just not working'.

Boom.

Or when the assignment comes, "Yeah, we're not going to do that."

[Uncle Ted]

Boom.

Or when the assignment comes, "Yeah, we're not going to do that."

I have always wondered what those T.P.S. Report cover sheets were for...

[Dwight Schr-ute]

I missed your original post, so forgive me... can you re-dramatize why you were so angry about leaving Church early?

That one wasn't my story but OceanBlue's in the "What I Learned at Church" thread. Apparently, if you're not in the exact spot at the exact time to take this elderly brother home after sacrament meeting, his wife is sure to give you the business.

[Commando]

I either have an anger problem or I really just have a strong emotional response to asshole behavior-- I have had a strong, angry response piqued at reading each of these little stories. It's also multi-tiered. I'm angry at the obvious asshole in the scenario- e.g. the lady wondering where her lawn slaves are-- and also at the dumb leaders who hatched this idea like it's a good use of YM's wednesday night- or even a good idea for service for that matter.



*As an aside, I am very passive-aggressive myself and avoid interpersonal conflict at all costs. I have found my most effective way of dealing with confrontation is to play dumb as you're delivering the death blow, like Kenneth from 30 Rock would do.

"I say we just save time-- I figure the YSAs can do that since they're going to be here anyway"
"Well hello, Sister *** it's great to see you! Those crazy kids thought you'd come to church if they mowed your lawn enough times! See you at church next Sunday?"