essay #2 invention- seminary community

A Little-known Community
Essay #2 invention for Engl 110
Cassànndrè Sager
29 October 2006
There is a community that is well-known among those who partake of my culture. Outside of my culture, people have rarely heard of it. Many times they do not understand why people choose to be a part of this community (of course, some people in the community itself don’t quite understand why they must be members of it, but that is another topic for another time).
It is not an ethnic, cultural, or interest-based community. There are Hispanics, Caucasions, African-Americans, Asians, Indians, and just about any race you could think of- in my community. Some play instruments, others play X-box. Some play both. Some want to grow up to be doctors, others engineers, software developers, musicians, accountants, mothers, fathers. Some have six siblings. Some have none. Some are gregarious and popular. Others are introverted, and not well-known. Even others still are made fun of by the general population. Some moved 7 times in their lives before the age of 18. Others have lived in the same house all their life. Some come from wealthy families that own nice cars. Others require financial aid for their groceries.
What could this incredibly diverse and unfamiliar community be? What ties all of these people together? It is seminary.
Is seminary really that diverse? Is it really that unfamiliar? And while we’re at it, asking questions about it- what in the world is seminary?!!
Dictionary.com offers ideas as to the definition, some of which come very close:
1. a special school providing education in theology, religious history, etc., primarily to prepare students for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.
2. a school, esp. one of higher grade.
3. a school of secondary or higher level for young women.
4. a place of origin and propagation: a seminary of discontent.
5. A place or environment in which something is developed or nurtured.
However, none of those definitions tell you much about my seminary community. Before I attempt at a definition which not even a dictionary can achieve, perhaps I will try a different route to explaining this community.
5:20am. 97.3 is blasting music in my room, telling me to wake up, or else. I wake up, somewhat, and press the snooze button until about 5:30 or 5:45 (depending on what time I went to bed the previous night…). Then I get dressed, get breakfast, make myself pretty, nag my brother about being ready on time, tell our parents we’re just about ready, get my younger sisters awake and in the living room for family prayer. The elder of the two is on the couch with her huge quilt bundled about her, looking like a giant purple slug, within two minutes. It takes the younger about 3 minutes to be convinced to open her eyes. Another 2 to sit up. Then another 3 to actually get out of bed. (I am exaggerating this very little.) Parents come out. Family prayer. Then Mom or Dad take my brother and I out to the car (“Do you mind if I have shotgun, Rob?”), and then we’re on our way in the dark to the church building, arriving there within three minutes.
By now it’s usually about 6:15 or 6:20. We are late. Again. Why are we always late? It starts at 6:15, is it really such a problem to be ready at 6:10 or 6:05? We were on time everyday last week, why not this week? Oh well. It doesn’t really matter, I rationalize, because everyone else is usually late, too. Entering the foyer, there are several students my age who are procrastinating. We stand around a chat about school, dances, and how tired we are. I break through the little crowd and find my way to my classroom. (My classroom is one of the larger ones and actually has a piano because it happens to be where the young children go during church on Sundays.)
On days that I am (miraculously) early, Sisters Utterback and O’Neill are standing at the head of the classroom, talking, or finishing up last minute preparations for their lesson. That is not today, however. So I quietly walk in, trying to close the whining door softly behind me. There is a student with a Hymn book in hand pretending the conduct the music with the other. I watch, amused, as she spells her name in the air in cursive- nice try. Good thing no one’s watching her conduct anyhow. Since most of us are still half-asleep we mumble more than sing the song. Then the same student gives a devotional- I short, spiritual thought to start the day, and is followed by another student who says the opening prayer.
By this point I am at my table beside Marianne, feeling glad for the opportunity to complain about how my family made me late to seminary- again and how my parents still won’t let me drive to seminary. Today is Sister Utterback’s turn to teach the lesson.
“Good morning! Did you all get a lot of sleep last night?”
The awake students grunt. The ones that are working on catching up have their heads on their desks. Sister Utterback shoots the latter a sympathetic yet stern look- one only a mother could master.
“How did the football game against Kentlake go last night? Did Kentwood win?” Today Isaac, Derek, and Spencer have a funny story to share about that. They engage us in their tale of being caught by the security guard for drinking. Sister Utterback laughs at this. You must understand, dear reader, that these three young men were not actually drunk, nor have they ever considered drinking once in their lives. This is why the story is so remarkably funny. They are the least likely to be suspected of such a crime. The security guard pulled them aside from the bleachers and asked them,
“Have you been drinking?”
He gets a chorus of quizzical looks, followed by a slight pause, and then “no.” He looks at them suspiciously, wondering whether to trust these possible juvenile delinquents, but finally, after a bit of conversing, decides that they are perfectly sober young men, and releases them to enjoy the rest of the football game.
Derek gets a bit excited in the midst of telling this story, saying, “I was thinking ‘dude, we’re Mormon! we don’t drink! We don’t even watch R movies!’” (An aside- the type of “Mormon” that Derek is referring to is the type that actually follow their beliefs and stick to their standards.)
Sister Utterback allows the class a few moments of laughter and chatting (remember- she’s a mother, but also a teacher, and so knows how to handle us obnoxious sleepy-heads quite well). Then she grabs our attention and says, “That was a very funny story, Derek. Okay everyone, grab your scriptures, we are in Doctrine and Covenants section 29 today. Aubrey, will you read a verse from Matthew for me before we go into D&C? Thank you, the verse is….”
And the lesson finally starts. At 7:00am we have a closing prayer, and then all of the students leave for school. The teachers pack up their belongings and leave not too long afterwards. And the church is quiet.
What are the lessons in seminary about? They vary, depending on what scriptures we are focusing on. They are lessons that are centered around faith, repentance, gospel ordinances, consequences, long-term perspective, endurance, standards, integrity, respect, gratitude, knowledge, serving others, divine nature, individual worth, serving God, and many other such topics.
Dictionary.com wasn’t too far off the mark when it gave the definitions of, “a special school providing education in theology, religious history, etc.,” and “A place or environment in which something is developed or nurtured.” Seminary is where youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known by the common nickname of the Mormon church; often abbreviated to the LDS church) gather to learn daily about their religion and to be supported, nurtured, and instructed in living happy and fulfilling lives.
Many youth dislike seminary, or have days when they don’t want to go. However, we all eventually realize that it pays off. When asked what’s so good about seminary, many youth say something along the lines of, “it gets me through my day. I love starting my day with it because it just starts me off on the right foot. I notice a big difference on days when I go to school but don’t go to seminary- everything is harder and I don’t feel as good or happy.” Also, in the long run, these youth learn good standards and how to maintain them, thus eventually becoming successful adults who make a difference in the world.
This is the community which I am a part of every morning. This is the community that I loose a full hour of sleep for each morning. This is the community that I would never trade. This is seminary.