By: Rebecka S., Grand Outer Observer and Representative to OK/TX
Hi California Rainbow! It’s Rebecka, your Grand Outer Observer and Representative to Oklahoma and Texas! This past summer I have had the honor of being able to travel to both Oklahoma and Texas. I had so much fun and I learned a couple of amazing things while I was there. While I was not able to attend Oklahoma’s Grand Assembly this year, I was able to travel to McAlester, Oklahoma to visit the Supreme Temple.
The temple itself is absolutely amazing, and walking through it was like being able to walk through Rainbow history. All of the furniture, paraphernalia, and even kitchenware are donated by Rainbow Assemblies around the world. There is even an entire room where everything is pink! There are Assemblies from all over the United States that will come and visit the Supreme Temple, and sometimes they might even hold a meeting using the Assembly Room there. In the east of the Assembly Room, are over 50 flags representing all of the jurisdictions of Rainbow. I also had the honor of being able to see the Supreme Worthy Advisor’s office and was even able to sit in her chair. And let me tell you that is one comfy chair.
After visiting McAlester, Oklahoma I was able to visit Waco, Texas where Texas Rainbow holds their Grand Assembly. I had no idea how different other Jurisdictions could be from California until I visited Texas. In Texas, all of the girls, including the Grand Officers wear white dresses. And, they were straight dresses with their hair down instead of in a hoop and hairpiece. I don’t know about you but I could never keep my dress so white. Another thing that I thought was awesome was that in Texas, for their marches, instead of floating and gliding as we do in California, they do this really upbeat and bouncy type of march. It was really hard for me to not clap along with the music.
In Texas Rainbow instead of their appointments being crazy and wild like in California, they do it in almost complete silence. The girls are called to the stage and then handed an envelope containing the information of what their next office will be. After which they have to– as calmly as possible– walk to their station and stand behind it. I don’t know about you but I would be bursting at the seams if we had to do that in California. In Texas, I was also given the honor to participate in their cavalcade of flags with Skilee, the past Representative of California, and Cadence D. from Nevada.
I had so much fun in Texas and of course, I could not leave without having some of their delicious barbeque, so, we made sure to stop at a local smokehouse and had some of the best barbeque ever. I honestly wish I did not have to leave Texas so soon and cannot wait to be able to go back one day.
