#at least i couldn't find this substantiated in my quick google search of today

[wowbright]

Fic: Guidance

Klaine Spring Fling: organization

Words: ~1200 words

Rating: Teen and up

Summary: Chandler explains the changes that have been made to the German soundtrack of Disney’s Little Mermaid over the years. Blaine tries to make people feel welcome.

This is part of my Mormon!Klaine universe. It takes place directly after New Friendship and before Love’s Redeeming Work/ Froot Loops & Resurrection.

My Mormon!Klaine Masterpost. (More recent posts are in bold.)

––––

The Wörles showed up, too. Blaine was settling into the pew with Chandler as Elder Hummel lingered at the front of the chapel to make sure the choir’s standing positions were properly marked with masking tape. Herr and Frau Wörle looked cautiously around them is if entering a lion’s den, and although the greeters shook their hands enthusiastically and smiled at their kids, no one rushed to hug them the way Schwester Schönfeld had with Doro.

Blaine wondered exactly how long it had been since the Wörles had last been to church. He hadn't seen them since his first day in Ingolstadt, but he remembered them perfectly. The bitterness of the decaf black tea Frau Wörle had served them was forever etched on his tongue, to be recalled at the most random moments—but no, it wasn’t Frau Wörle. It was Schwester Wörle. She might not come to church much or understand the Word of Wisdom, but she was a member all the same.

“The thing about The Little Mermaid is that there are multiple versions of the soundtrack in German. High German, Austrian … I think there's a Swiss version too,” Chandler was saying animatedly, moving his fingers like fireworks through the air. “But even with High German, there are two different soundtracks. The first one that came out in 1989 wasn't as loyal to the original Howard Ashman lyrics, so they did a big re-release in 1998, and it’s so much wittier, but Stefi—or, sorry, what do you call her? Schwester Schmidt? Anyway, Schwester Schmidt prefers the 1989 one just because that's the one she grew up, even though—”

“Sorry, Chandler. Can you excuse me for a moment?”

“Oh, sure.” Chandler smiled and tilted his head in a way that seemed somehow flirtatious—which of course it wasn’t. Chandler was into Elder Hummel, not him. “I know you’re on the clock.”

“It’s not a job.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“There’s just someone I need to say ‘hello’ to.” Blaine wondered if he had been rude. Usually, he would've been fascinated by the details of Disney musical translations. And part of him did want to know more. But sometimes Chandler was … overwhelming. Still, Chandler was a child of God like everyone else. “You can come with me, if you want. I can introduce you.”

"No, it's fine, really. I want to read the hymnal.”

Blaine felt his eyebrows start to shoot up, but he composed his face. “Back in a minute.”

As he stood up from his seat, he noticed Schwester Schönfeld leaning across Doro to whisper to her twins. They nodded, grabbed something from under their seats, and sprinted over to the Wörles before Blaine was even halfway there. When he reached them, he saw that the twins had presented the Wörle kids—Ute and Eugen, if he remembered right—with a treasure trove of Easter candies wrapped in green cellophane. Eugen, who at 11 years old was several years older than both his sister and the twins, accepted his gift in a slightly condescending manner, but Blaine could see in the way he clung to the cellophane that the charms of sugar were not lost on him.

Blaine reached out to shake hands with Herr—no, Brüder—Wörle. “Nice to see you again,” Blaine said.

Brüder Wörle looked momentarily confused, but then a light of recognition passed through his eyes. “Oh, yes. You're the new missionary. The one who made me throw out all my beer.”

“I— Um.”

Brüder Wörle nudged Blaine with his elbow. “Just teasing you. No one can make me do something I don't want to.”

“So, you didn’t—?” Blaine stopped himself. This maybe wasn't the best topic to be discussing if he wanted to make the Wörles feel welcome at Easter.

“No. Throwing out good beer is a waste. I gave it to my brother. My wife has been bringing home all kinds of non-alcoholic beer for us to try. It takes a bit to get used to it, but some of it's not terrible. I suppose I don't need beer anyway. It’s just a habit. Habits can be changed. Honestly, it was getting to the point that I’m not sure I really even noticed the taste anymore. But with these non-alcoholic beers, every day is a new adventure.”

“Oh,” said Blaine. “I’m glad to hear that.” Sometimes, he felt so presumptuous coming into people’s lives, telling them all the ways they needed to change, but never sticking around long enough to truly help them through those changes. But that’s what mission work was supposed to be like. It was supposed to push you out of your comfort zone—and you, in turn, were supposed to push investigators out of theirs. And that's pretty much where the job of a missionary ended. Nurture—helping converts find their new path, their new way of being comfortable—that was the job of the members in the local branch or ward.

That was the way God’s organization worked. Missions might feel chaotic and superficial times, but there was a good reason that missionary never stayed in one place for too long. It was so conversion was based on belief, not personalities, and so converts didn’t become dependent on the missionaries, but instead on the community where they were planted.

Blaine’s job was to preach. Building disciples was someone else’s job. There would be plenty of time for him to focus on the latter job when he got back from his mission.

“I’m so happy to see you all!” Elder Hummel’s familiar voice sounded just behind Blaine, musical as always. “How are you, Brother and Sister Wörle? And Eugen and Ute, how are—”

But Ute was already dashing off with her new friends before Elder Hummel could complete his question, Eugen coolly trailing behind them.

“I'll assume they’re fine, then. Life is always good when you have candy. I know from personal experience.” He glanced at Blaine, and Blaine felt suddenly giddy, as if he had been the one who had overindulged on Peeps that morning. Blaine cleared his throat and looked back at the Wörles.

“Anyway, there's someone I want to introduce you to,” continued Elder Hummel. “Have you met the Higachis yet? They're preparing to get baptized, and since you guys went through that process a couple of years ago, I thought they might enjoy hearing from you what it’s like. Oh! And you must ask them about tea substitutes, Schwester Wörle, if you’re still looking. Frau Higachi says she’s found some that really hit the mark.”

Elder Hummel was a genius. One of the best ways to get struggling members back to full activity was to get them into service and give them a role that made them remember why they had joined in the first place. Talking about their baptisms with investigators was almost a surefire a way to rekindle the Wörles’ commitment to the gospel. It would make them feel like mentors, like they had something important to give. If you felt like others in the church were depending on you for guidance, you were less likely to slip away.

#mormon!klaine #wowbright writes fic #klaine spring fling #Spring fling 2: Electric Boogaloo #klaine fic #my klaine spring fling #chandler here is me #total self-insert #like idk how many people I have bored with this trivia #except i think he's wrong about a swiss version #at least i couldn't find this substantiated in my quick google search of today #oh and also i am stefi not chandler #i prefer the 1989 one because it's the one i know #the little mermaid