Yesterday Marina and I went on a tour of Herlong Federal prison. We loaded on a small bus with 11 other people for the hour drive to the facility.
On the way back, someone had a magazine that had an article on a new TLC reality show called "Sister Wives" which is about a polygimous family. Okay, so anytime I hear anyone mention anything about polygamy, I know "Mormon" is going to be in there somewhere. Oh brother, here we go. So a discussion ensued regarding this article. Marina and I were in the very back seats, in front of us were two men, infront of them were two women. To the left of us was a closet for tools, then infront of that was one man we will call Kelly (because that's his name) and then in front of him was a young man in his early 20's and a girl about the same age. She was sitting on the aisle, as was I. We will call him Laman, and her Lemuela because I do not know their real names. :)
Laman turns around and is talking kind of loudly as he states he just read a book called...I couldn't hear the title because I was right under the air conditioning, however, I did hear the rest of his comments. He turned to Kelly and the others, us too I suppose, and said "I read about Joseph Smith in that book and he was one big scheister". Okay, here we go. Then he goes on (with dirision in his voice) about how those mormons werent wanted by anyone and they were kicked out of all those states (by this point he is smirking). Kelly, apparently can see there is a little bit of ignorance going on and said to him "Yes, they did move from county to county and state to state because there was an extermination order on them". Laman thinks this is funny and starts laughing. Lemuela chuckles too. The guys in front of me don't say anything I can hear but they are not exactly sympathetic. I am getting angry and his callous behavior and attitude but know I must be professional. But how do I take care of this? Kelly continues with his teaching lesson and says "Yeah there was a Governor that put it on them. Governor?...Governor?...Hmmm" I speak up and say "Governor Boggs" The guy in front of me says "Yeah, that's his name", I say "Yeah, I know because I am LDS". It is amazing how quiet a bus of 13 people can be all of a sudden. Laman turned around and faced the front. Lemuela kept looking back at me. Kelly turned around and said he was sorry. I know he was not saying sorry for anything he did, he was apologizing for Laman's (and anyone else who was disrespectful) behavior. He said he worked in Utah for 10 years and he had run ins with the fundamentalist and they are weird scary groups. I had to agree. So we chatted a little then he started talking to other people about random things. However, I noticed that Lemuala kept turning around and staring at us. I asked Marina "did I just grow horns or something?" She said, we always do when we announce who we are. I had to laugh because I know what she means. When I first started working with inmates, and I would meet someone who has a murder conviction, I expected that somehow he would look like a murderer, have some kind of mark or something. It was disturbing to me that he looked "normal" and just like me (figuratively speaking). I think it was disturbing to Lemuala that she actually came face to face with a Mormon and I was not a monster, had horns, wore long dresses and certain hair styles, that I am an intelligent and professional woman, that I am "normal". Did I mention that I work with her company extensively and have for the last 2.25 years? Anyway, I felt good about how all that came down. I was really at peace that all I had to say was "I am LDS" and the "taking the name of the Lord's annointed" came to an immediate halt. That was amazing to me. I kind of feel like I witnessed a miracle.
As a side note, Kelly knows Marina wants to go into Law Enforcement. He said she should look for jobs with the Washoe County Sherrif's Dept because they have a hard time securing people that are comfortable working in a correctional setting (being around inmates) and who can pass the background. Interesting how as soon as he heard we were LDS, he knew she would be able to pass the background and would be welcome to his dept.
Ahhh, the Lord works in wonderful ways!
2 comments:
I still remember being in high school and going to a slumber party as an older teenager. Probably 16 or 17. I remember there were 6 or 7 of us laying on the floor or on the bed trying to fall asleep, but we were still just talking. One girl I knew (not well, but well enough) started talking about how Mormons are so weird. Especially Mormon moms because they were all (in a serene voice) "The world is coming to an end. It's ok, let's go bake a cherry pie." The room went totally silent and in the dark I broke out into a grin because it was funny to me how off she was. In the silence she realized her mistake and said, "Uh oh. Who's Mormon." I debated not saying anything, but I laughed and said I was. She apologized, but I told her I didn't mind and set her straight about the record. My mom did not bake cherry pie. It was apple.
:)
I was/am invited to several parties in my adulthood becuase several of my friends know that I happily take the role of designated driver/drinking supervisor ( I get to tell them they should stop). One of my "friens" (I use the term lightly) was talking to a good friend about having a party. C (my good friend) told S ("friend") that if she wanted a safe fun invironement she should invite me cause I knew when to tell people when to quit and still have an awesome time.
S just would not let up..kept on going on and on about how that was so weird and who did that..then she says "what is she Mormon or something?" C says "why yes she is"
S kept appologizing and trying to backtrack.
Its actually quiet humouras or sad, if you think about it, that once they do find out you are LDS/Mormon instant regret comes to them and they feel the need to appologise. They always know they shouldn't have been doing it in the first place.
Good for you for speaking up.
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