A Bikini at Church

We were visiting a different ward on Sunday because an amazing couple we know was leaving on a mission. 

During the meeting we were asked to stand and sing a hymn.  The dad in front of us couldn't stand because his little daughters head was resting on his lap while she napped.

This gave my 13-year old son and myself a perfect view of this man and what he was doing.

He was on his phone.  

Who am I to judge?

He got on Instagram and a girl in a bikini popped up on his feed.

Who am I to judge?  But my son noticed and looked at me.  I kind of shrugged and kept singing the hymn.  

The Instagram feed adjusted to being turned on and the bikini picture disappeared.

We kept singing and the dad in front of us kept scrolling until he found... THE BIKINI PICTURE AGAIN. 

He viewed the bikini photo that had disappeared too soon for his liking.  He even scrolled in to get a better look.

My son looked back up at me and by now I was fuming.  

Here we were at CHURCH. 

Where is the honesty? Where is the example?  Where can a mom and her kids have a break from the worlds agendas and influence?  

CHURCH?????  Nope. 

I looked at my son and said, "I'm sorry you had to see this.  It's not fair and I am sorry that this man, this priesthood leader is being a bad example of the power he holds."  

We kept singing.  

I wanted to reach over and grab his wife and hug her.

After the song I leaned over and told my mom what had happened.  She got even more fired up than I was!!!  She looked at me and said, "I'm saying something to him after the meeting." 

And she did.

She actually walked right up to him and asked if he had a moment.  They sat down on the bench and she told him what had happened.  She told him she wasn't there to judge him only to let him know of the situation he had accidentally put others in.  {but lets get real man, you shouldn't be zooming in at the stuff regardless of where you are}

The dad was uncomfortable and probably really embarrassed.  Our purpose wasn't to embarrass him.  He mumbled around and tried to minimize what he did {"the picture popped up, I didn't know that was going to happen"} but he did apologize.  I was grateful for the apology.

Mostly, I was grateful for my badass mom who was brave enough to say something.  

She was the true example that day.  And her grandson {my 13-year old} knows he's important enough to speak up for.  

What would you have done?