New Singles Ward, Take 2

I'm a realist.  This year one of my New Years Resolutions was to have 75%+ monthly church attendance(work permitting).  Since I didn't go last week I have to go the rest of the month.


I decided I didn't like the YSA ward for where I live now.  First it starts at 9AM, I'm sorry, but the church should make some kind of mandate that YSA wards can't start before 11AM.  Second, it was way out of my way.  Third, as I mentioned when I described it the first time, I am the youngest AND the oldest single person in the ward, I seemed to be in a void, too old to be never married, too young to be re-single.


My Dad told me a few weeks ago that they were creating a YSA ward out of our stake, and that they were creating a YSA Ward building.  I figured this was a good opportunity to become more active again.  Is it out of my way, Yes and no, it's like 20 minutes from where I live, but since I've been going to my parents every week for Sunday dinner I'm out there anyway.  It's not bad, even though I am an outsider right now I know a few people from the Home Ward.  Apparently there are just over 200 YSAs in that ward, but only about 20-30% of them are active so sacrament meeting was a little sparse.  Another thing is that they should really take the "S"
out of YSA.  As it was my first time in the ward I spent most of it people-watching like I'm fond of doing in any new group.  I've concluded that in my ward there are fewer single young adults than unavailable ones.


I've never really liked singles wards outside of the activities.  This one already covered two of my pet peeves in the first day I was there.  One, why do the elders always seem to find a reason to get a raise of hands for who's gone on a mission?  I mean how does Zacharias and Elizabeth or Joseph and Mary in Sunday school have anything to do with who's been on a mission?  Two, I dislike the neck-craning that goes on at church, I don't really know why, but it's always bothered me.  Like whenever anyone gets a new calling even though everyone in the ward knows them they all have to crane their necks to find where that person is sitting/standing.  Well in priesthood quorum meeting they asked if there were any new people or visitors.  I never raise my hand at this question, but after asking for volunteers to admit that they're new,the first counselor in the bishopric proceeded to single out every person he didn't recognize, no matter how much some of us were trying to avoid being called out.


Of course I'll still go, the ward shows promise, plus ever since I didn't go on a mission I've learned to separate the religion from the people who observe it.  Here's to 2011 and 75% church attendance.