rlbybee

The ward area is pretty large, and the ward itself is huge, so I know that is a factor that plays in, but it is definitely a younger ward, too, not too many older ladies like myself, so it's hard feeling like I don't belong. It's hard when you are fairly new in the ward, too, and hard to break in. I don't know. I think I'm just venting and wanting to know if there are others that go through this. I so appreciate your comments back to me. Thank you so much...:)

I just want to mention that I've gone through some real lonely times in my ward and have had a tough time relating and feeling like I belong, too. I've put forth efforts. I'm not the most outgoing, but I am friendly and willing to talk to people. I make concerted efforts to say hello to them in the hallway and ask them how they are, etc., even if they don't see me. I initiate the hellos many times. However, my experience is they don't initiate as much with me; in fact, I find they just don't seem to care, that they are indifferent. With me, it's not so much that I be friends with everyone I meet in the ward. Just a hello is all I need and a feeling of acceptance from other members. A hello goes a long way with me. It seems people in my ward are so indifferent and hard to reach that way. I don't get it. I don't get the attitude of not being aware of other people around you in your ward. Just a smile for someone and saying hi goes a long ways to reduce this feeling of loneliness in the ward. Above all, we must never give up on the Gospel, though. It is SO TRUE. It's just the ward members don't always walk the walk like they should all the times, and it's very, very sad and hard on a lot of shyer, backward, and weaker members. Just my opinion.

Just here to maybe get some support, I guess. It seems the older I get the more lonely I feel in my ward. I'm an older lady with a small family, and for many years, I was content to focus just on my family and didn't worry so much about making friends in the ward. They are older now, and so I'm starting to feel a need to make a friend or two, and it has been difficult to do that. I'm not real shy; I smile a lot, show interest, and make first attempts with ladies in the ward, but they don't seem to respond much back. Most of the ladies are 20 years younger than I am, so I feel real out of place most of the time. Just a difficult time for me to feel like I'm out of touch. I love to serve and make others happy, but even that hasn't helped me relate well to these ladies. Could it be I am just getting old, and "that's the way it is?" I don't know, just wondered if anyone else has feelings like this at times, or maybe I'm losing it... We've been in our present ward for not quite 2 years, and it is a huge ward, too.

I'm from Mesa, Arizona, active in church, married, with 3 kids. I love the Gospel with all my heart. I am originally from Utah but we moved to Arizona so my husband could finish school. It took some courage for me to come to this forum so that I could vent a bit and maybe find some support, but here I am. I hope this is a good enough introduction for now.:)