New Orleans 1st Branch

This last Sunday, Jamie and I visited the New Orleans 1st Branch. It was a great experience, and I am afraid I can't do justice by telling about it, because "you had to be there", but I will tell you anyway.
As we entered the church, this cute African American older gentleman greeted us at the door and gave us our program, and we went in and sat on the back row. All through the meeting, this man mumbled under his breath, making comments after the testimonies and I expected him any time to stand up and say "Hallelujia!" I thought it was cute, but Jamie thinks he must have not been quite right. Anyway, as we sat there, I looked around and now, if you are like me, when I go to a new ward or branch, I immediately make a judgement, I know, it isn't the best thing to do, but I picture myself as a new member of the ward I am visiting. Sunday, was no exception, I counted about 60-70 people in this small plain chapel, and thought to myself, "I certainly wouldn't want to move into THIS branch". Little did I know, but by the end of the meeting my opinion would be different.



After the sacrament was passed, the congregation was invited to get up to bear testimonies, including the visitors, they were reminded that they were asked to fast for missionary efforts, since they were a branch, they have hopes of one day becoming a ward. The first couple of people came up to the podium, and bore their testimonies, one lady gave a history of her life for the past couple of years, and told how her house got gutted from hurricane Katrina, and the challenges she faced. The next sister was a cute young young lady who was from the Czech Republic. She and her husband had come here last year and she spoke about how this year has been one big miracle. She improved on her English, they found a beautiful cheap apartment, and she did well in her college classes. As she spoke in her broken English, I was taken by how humble she was and was so grateful for all that she had been through this year good and bad.

After she spoke, a middle aged African American man came up and as he stood, you could tell, something was wrong, he had a hard time getting up and walking to the podium. As he started to speak, all he could do was cry, he couldn't speak the words, and you could tell he was trying so hard to. He could manage to say "teach me to walk in the light", that was about all. At this time, his wife came up and stood beside him to give support. She didn't say anything and neither could he, finally, they started singing "Teach me to walk". They sang two verses together. It was his way of bearing his testimony. We were all in tears, not because it was such a beautiful way they sung, but the simplicity and the sincerity with which they sang. At the end of the meeting, the Branch President stood up and told us that this brother, had had a stroke, and even though his mind was completely fine, his speech was affected by the stroke, and the only verbal thing that wasn't affected was his singing. It was such a great meeting, everyone in the chapel was crying including Jamie and I. After the meeting, I just wanted to sit there, and stay all day. When we left, I told Jamie that I could totally live this branch!. It was a very sweet experience, that I will always remember.