Cheapskate Mormon Christmas memory unlocked

When I was a TBM kid in the 90s in Michigan, I got a taste of how cheap Mormons can be when compensating people, especially other Mormons, for work done.

I was probably 14 or 15 when I got a new scroll saw for Christmas one year. I was a somewhat crafty kid and my cousin had one, with which he made cool shadowbox-style art. I asked for, and was given, a Craftsman saw just like his. I spent the new year practicing on scrap wood and I became proficient at its use.

My TBM mom was in the RS presidency in our ward. The following Christmas, she helped plan a craft night for the women in the ward. One of the projects was a wooden jigsaw puzzle Nativity scene, which the RS members could paint and take home to display. Since I had the scroll saw, mom signed me up to cut the pieces.

Picture about 12" x 16", with a puzzle piece for each figure in the Nativity. About 15 pieces, including a large border for the stable roof and walls. About 20 women signed up for their own personal Nativity scene. 20 puzzles x 15 pieces worked out to be 50+ hours of work on the scroll saw, plus hand-sanding each piece to prepare it for painting at the craft night. It took me most of November and December, after school and on weekends (but not Sundays!!!) to get the work done. Mom tells me that the RS pres (also bishop's wife) will compensate me fairly for all the work I did.

Craft night goes off great, everyone is super pleased with the Nativities, and I received many compliments. The following Sunday, right near Christmas, RS president came to me with a gift wrapped package and a card, which I correctly presumed was my compensation!

Inside the card: a hand-written note thanking me. Inside the wrapping paper: a giant size Hershey bar. That was the extent of my compensation for giving up 2 months' worth of afternoons and Saturdays.

That was my first real taste of Mormon cheapness.