"You know Mom, some people think we are crazy for being Mormon".
As a life long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints--what some mistakenly refer to as "the Mormon Church"--I'm no stranger to this sentiment that my daughter expressed one night while watching an episode of Dateline. (What is it about me and Dateline? And why does every murder happen in the state of Florida??) But I digress...I'm fully aware that our religion can seem strange to others and that's evident by the types of questions I get asked:
"Do you wear magic underwear?" (Uh--no...I don't believe my underwear has magical properties but I guess it would be kind of cool if it did.)
"Does your husband have more than one wife?" (Nope--I'm plenty for him plus where would we put another wife??)
"Why don't you believe in birth control?" (Actually, if we DIDN'T believe in it I'd have like 20 kids by now thanks to my fertile womb.)
"Why is Coca Cola evil?" ( It's not. Diet Coke might be the greatest invention ever and anyone who thinks otherwise is missing out. I drink Diet Coke, eat chocolate and am known to pop a couple of Excederin on occasion.)
Truth be told, I welcome these kinds of questions because I'd much rather someone ask me and get the real answer than find some crazy answer on Reddit threads. It's like my husband says, "if I had a question about Jews I wouldn't ask a Catholic, I'd ask a Jew!" So questions are good--even the weird ones.
But out of all those questions one that I am rarely asked is WHY am I a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? It seems to me that's the real question on people's mind--either because they are actually curious or because they think I'm a little crazy, but regardless I thought I would share my top reasons I claim this faith:
REASON #1: WHEREVER YOU GO THERE IS ALWAYS A CHURCH FAMILY
This is 100% true. It does not matter if you live in Cleveland or Zimbabwe, you will find a Latter Day Saint congregation and they will be an automatic built in family. My son who served a mission in Brazil remarked how wherever he went he would find the latino version of someone from his ward (that's LDS speak for "congregation") back home. Need help moving into your new area? Call the Bishop and a crew of youth and men with trucks will be there to help you unload and will smile while doing it. Need a babysitter? No problem--call the Young Women's President and she will give you at least six teenage girls who will be glad to help, and smile while doing it. Sickness or death? There will be a week's worth of dinners provided by your ward family, all delivered with that smile. We not only take care of our own, but our neighbors as well--and we smile while doing it.
REASON #2: NEED SOMETHING? I CAN FIND IT!
Thanks to the vast network of church members we almost always know someone that has what you need. No joke. Need a plumber, electrician, mechanic or doctor? I can find you one with about 10 minutes notice. (A neighbor recently ran me down to say "I know you're Mormon and Mormons always know everyone and I need a concrete guy--who do you suggest?") Need a Santa for a work party or a Princess for your 5 year old's birthday? I've got just the people. How about a chocolate fountain for a wedding reception. Heck--I can find EVERYTHING you need for a reception AND pull it together with a week's notice! We are a resourceful people, we are. (And really good at planning quick weddings.)
REASON #3: I CAN LEARN ANY SKILL
It is 100% true that nearly every skill or talent I've learned has come from my association with the church. We have a strong belief in education of any sort and many of our sermons, classes, youth activities, and studies center on developing new skills and talents. Some examples:
*organizing a home
*keeping family records
*budgeting/estate planning
*planning events
*running organizations
*sewing
*cooking (notice I said I learned these things--I don't always practice them...)
*improving my relationship with my spouse
*parenting skills
*public speaking
*how to fix a vacuum
*how to change a tire
*how to use EXCEL
*painting/decorating
*how to deal with anxiety/depression
*helping loved ones with addictions
*diet and exercise
*dance and singing
*playing a musical instrument
*appreciation for the arts
*assertiveness and confidence
*crafts of every kind (seriously--SO many crafts...)
This doesn't even scratch the surface but you get the idea. If I want to learn it I guarantee I can find a class, talk, lesson or church member to teach me.
REASON #4: IT'S TRUE
Sure, all of the above reasons are nice perks to being a member of the church, but the bottom line, is this: I know it's true. Not just "think". I'm not just "pretty sure". It's not just because "I grew up this way." Nope--those things won't carry you through in this religion that frankly, requires quite a bit of you. I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints because I know, with all the surety in the world, that this is right and true. Perhaps you think I'm deceived. Perhaps you think I'm misguided. Or perhaps you think, like my daughter said, "you're crazy." I'm ok with that because I know what I know and I'm blessed to know it. I've seen the blessings that come from living it and the growth I experience because of it. I feel it in the sweet moments of Sunday worship and service but perhaps more importantly when on my knees in the depths of despair. I've read and studied and pondered and asked God if it's true and he told me with all the certainty in the world that it is.
*if you have questions about the Mormon church feel free to ask me or find answers at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist
