Forks Washington, I saw no Vampires

This last Sunday was a very fun...however really long day.  I received a speaking assignment to go visit another ward in our stake.  For those Twilight fans out there it was the Forks Ward.  Oh and the town looks nothing like the movie.  Anyway it was a solid 2 hour drive from my house and I did not want to go alone so I asked my daughter Regann to go with me.  I mean what 14 year old girls would not want to go to Forks and spend 9 hours doing church stuff.  In the process of me arranging to speak Regann was also extended and invitation to speak.  She happily accepted and we headed off to the land of no sun and lots of rain (that part is true). 

It was quite a special time for me.  Sitting on the stand with my daughter who was a bit nervous.  I found out while we were sitting there her motivation for coming with me were to visit her friends from girls camp, not to spend the day with her Dad, way to burst my bubble.  The Sacrament meeting had two youth speakers a congregational hymn and then I had the remaining 30 minutes.  It is meetings like that, that give the High Councilmen a bad name.  It all worked out well. 

There were two or three things that really stood out to me.  First of all it always surprises me that every ward I ever attend run exactly the same.  There are a few very minor differences but for the most part I know exactly what to expect.  Every ward has its own flavor and spirit.  The Forks ward is a small ward.  There were less than a 100 people in sacrament.  But there was a very positive but unique spirit in that building.  These are good people who have to work hard.  Their building is 52 miles from the next wards boundary's. It would take the better part of 1 hour to drive to the outside ward boundaries in all directions from the chapel.  They have a huge geographic area to cover with winding mountain and coastal roads.  This makes attending stake, and multi-ward activities really difficult.  It left and impression that there was no middle of the road when it came to activity. 

Here is a photo I took of Regann on our way out of town so she could show she had been to Forks.