[Lisbon]

I'm not sure where this belongs but Sunday I went back to my LC. Actually I had been wanting to go for some time but felt too hypocritical. I'm certainly quite a hypocrite and don't see much way out at present. I met two elders just as I walked in the front door and was greeted very warmly by one and not that badly by the other. Actually had a very good visit. Many said they missed me and I had good conversation with several.

But the meeting! So poor. No Prayer, one poor song. To begin with there was so much noise that the song was drowned out by the talk. The song was a poor choice but probably the choice of Anaheim, don't know. The intro Bro stood and asked for the verses to be read following his five minute talk.

There were 30 speakings with the piano going off only two or three times. Their talks were mainly short. Quite a lot of one minute gaps which would not have been tolerated in the years past. I sat opposite the leading elder, who never spoke, and wondered if he was considering what I was thinking.
Almost no testimonies, just reading the HWFMR.

There were around 250 in the meeting about the same number we had in 1975. Sad. Forty years, little increase. Of course we now have eight other meeting places in the metroplex with I would guess 1500 to 2000 total attendees. The population of the metro is around 6 million.

One more thing of significance, the LC now has another meeting near the heart of the city where the yuppies live. Remember, no high, no low, no rich, no poor! With the Pope's blessing it's OK. Huh?

I don't think my daughter sees any difference. It's scarey. We're all that way. The RCC thinks they're so proper and the other 100,000 sects. I think the Lord needs to open our eyes too. Oh Lord!
Lisbon