1. Persona non grata
2. How little do you know me after all these years?
3. A question of perspective
4. The people who weren't allowed to attend the ceremony in the temple
5. You can't choose your family

• (character chart)

1. Young Women's
2. Youth Conference
3. Saturday's Warrior
4. Brigham Young University
• Gratuitous Love Scene
5. Polygamist
6. Temple Wedding
7. Orem High
8. Bordeaux Mission
9. Exmo Conference

"That's funny, I knew that you and Grandma liked to do genealogy together, but I didn't realize that that was where you got your passion for it," said April.

"That was it," said Mom. "Of course the downside is that now all of my ancestors' names have been submitted to Salt Lake and now they've been baptized for the dead."

"What?" asked Susan. "Baptizing dead people? That's just too wacky."

"Well of course they don't baptize actual dead bodies," I said. "It's just that Mormons believe that a Mormon baptism is a requirement for getting into heaven. Luckily, if you neglect to do it yourself, your loving Mormon descendants can be baptized for you by proxy in the temple after you're dead."

"I still think it's wacky," said Susan.

"It is wacky," said Mom. "I don't know why I thought that was reasonable all those years. Think what I've done to my poor ancestors."

"I don't think it's such a big deal," I said. "I could see being annoyed if they were performing some sort of ritual curses on people, but all they're doing is their way of opening the door to their heaven for you. I generally don't let it bother me if some random religion wants to bless me in some way or other, even without my consent."

"Yeah, looking at it probabilistically, the worst thing it can do is increase your chances of going to some sort of paradise," said Rex.

"But I'm sure that my ancestors don't want to go to the Mormon heaven," protested Mom.

"Now sweetheart," said Richard, "you know that you don't believe in the Celestial Kingdom anyway, so why sweat it? I'm sure that if your ancestors are anything like you they have a great sense of humor. They're probably up there laughing about it over Sunday brunch, like we are."

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"Of course you're right, Richard," Mom said, chuckling and giving his hand a squeeze.

"Anyway Lynn, about what I was saying earlier, it might help if you could find a common interest with Rex's mom, like genealogy."

"Oh, she's not so into genealogy," said Rex.

"Well, not necessarily that exactly," said Mom, "but you know what I mean."

"You're right, Mom, thanks for the advice," I said.

After brunch was over we went more or less straight to the big dual-family picnic in the park. With a picnic following brunch like that, that made two meals in a row for us heathens, so we weren't very hungry for the picnic food, but those who had just gotten out of church were famished and heartily dug in.

Rex and I sat down on a grassy hillside to just hang out. After getting some food, Sam and Joe, still in their white shirts and ties, took up a spot next to us. When Rex saw Sam and Joe's food, he decided that perhaps he was hungry again after all and set off to get himself a sandwich.

"What a nice day," said Sam. "It's too bad that Jared couldn't come."

"I know," I said. "He would have had fun. Plus, I don't know what we're going to do to return his car and get to the airport without his help."

Sam saw his brother Matt talking with Annette and a group of other people nearby. "Well, maybe it's not too late," he said to me. Then he called to Matt. "Matt, come over here!"

Matt noticed Sam calling him and came over and sat on the grass next to him.

"What's up, little bro?" asked Matt.

"We were wondering if you could take us to go pick up our friend Jared and bring him to the picnic," Sam said.

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