"I'm not 100% sure as to why, but lately I've been confronted about my religion and my faith in God. I'd like to clear a few things up. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Which means, yes, I am Mormon. I am proud of this fact. I will never leave the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all that I know to be true. I took a world religions class in college, and I've always remembered what that professor said to us. First, "if you are in this class to bash any other religion or anyone else's faith get out of my class because that is not what we are here to do." Second, "this class is designed to help you embrace all truths. Other religions and faiths have truth in them. There is no reason you should ever condemn any truth from anyone."
As I've gotten older and realized that it's been 5 years since I took that class I see truth all around me, and I also see non-truths all around me.
I don't care your faith, your religion, or what you believe in. I will love everyone, and I will not condemn anyone for their wrong doings. It is not my place to judge you. Nor is it yours to judge me. I go to the temple often to contemplate on all that I have going on in my life. I also meditate, read scriptures, my patriarchal blessing, and find articles that I often question and seek truth from.
I know who I am. I know God's plan for me, and I know the purposes of my life and existence here in this mortal life."
Now, all of that being said I would like to go into a little story about who I am, and why no matter what I will never leave the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I had the pleasure of being born into a family that is LDS. My mom grew up Catholic, and my dad has been a member his entire life. Both of my parents instilled in each of us the importance of the Gospel and going to church and above all else to be worthy to attend the temple. At the age of 8 years old I was baptized and I knew the importance of the covenant I was making at the time with my Father in Heaven. I knew that at that moment I was taking upon myself the Name of Christ, and that the Holy Ghost would be a constant companion to me throughout my life. I was grateful that my parents had taught me the importance of this ordinance because it would help me later in life to stay consistently righteous and become who I know I am. As I got older I noticed I had more friends outside of the LDS church than inside. I never once judged any of those friends. However, as I entered Young Women I was the one to be judged because I didn't go to mutual when it was on Tuesday night because I had football games to go to, or as I got into high school and I didn't go to an activity on a Saturday because I had a competition for band. And the best was when I went to church in one of the other wards with my dad, and sometimes even attended 6+ hours of church, and got chastised for not being at certain meetings. Yeah, I made sacrifices, but I also learned that at the end of everything who I am is because of all the choices I have made to this point in my life. Some of my favorite experiences have been when people in my school classes would realize I was Mormon, and ask me the 50 question relay.
Now, it was't exactly 50 questions, but some of my favorite stories were about polygamy. Even into high school having friends that I'd known FOREVER asked me if Mormons practiced polygamy. Funny thing is that it only offended me because they had known me my whole life, but I'd always answer anyone that asked that question the same way... "YOU KNOW MY MOM!" Being "Mormon" in the south raises a ton of questions for people about "those guys in the white shirts" "they must get hot walking in that heat." I'd always reply with the same thing to that too. "They do get hot. If you could just offer them a drink of water I know it would make their day!"
As I was deciding where to go to college I decided to go to Brigham Young University-Idaho. A private university where most of everything I learned was governed and approved by the First Presidency of the church. When I went there I realized there were tons of people just like me, and that there were many that weren't like me at all. My best friends from college weren't from highly populated Mormon areas. What I didn't realize is that my religion and who I was as a person would come into more question in Rexburg, Idaho than ever before in my life. I began to stand alone, but I noticed that as I stood in holy places that others would join me. That is how I received the friends I did. I'm not nearly perfect. In fact I saw this thing once that talked about being perfectly imperfect. That's how I feel I am. In every way for me to be perfect I am, but in the ways I'm not... it's okay!
Okay, so I got off subject a bit there. Let me fast forward to my after college days. I walked at graduation in December 2009. I then moved to Bountiful, Utah (to live with my parents) and began my student teaching experience. I taught kids who would talk about going to church on Sunday and kids who discussed how they beat up another kid. However, the different part for me was seeing how each student (or parent) treated another student (or parent). I suddenly began to realize a sad and unfortunate truth, and at church I began to notice myself judging others. I noticed the people I would spend my time with were gossiping about others, and I would join in. Soon, I decided to attend my parents ward. Where I was put into primary and found love by being with the children of the Lord. I realized that everyone in naturally good, and eventually I made the decision to go back to the singles ward. No doubt less than two years of me being back in the singles ward rumors began to spread about me and some of my best guy friends. To this day it is something that has bothered me because I honestly don't understand how good, loving people could do that to one another.
Any dang ways, In the fall of 2012 I met someone who I had no idea would make such an impact on my life, and especially the way I see the world. This person became one of my closest friends and more importantly he is my mentor in almost everything (especially business). I'm not going to put his name in here, but I do want to put up somethings he tells me.
One, question everything. It is our human nature to question things in life. That is the way God made us. We are to question so that way we can know.
Two, love everyone. Here's the thing... Everyone in the world is fighting a battle you know ABSOLUTELY nothing about. Just by saying "Hi" you could make someone's day.
Three (the most important), LOVE YOURSELF! Here's the thing... we are often told to "Love your neighbor as yourself" That can be a huge problem if you don't love yourself! I don't know how many people have come up to me within the last few months and asked me how I do it? How am I so happy all the time? How do I love myself? Well, it's because every day I wake up and say "I LOVE YOU!" I love who I am. I love all of my flaws. I love when I cry! I love when I feel! I love every little detail about who I am!
This world gets filled up with media and hate! If we all just loved things would be so much better.
I know I rambled a ton in this blog, but my entire point of it is to let everyone see that being LDS is what has shaped my life and who I am! THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS TRUE... THE PEOPLE IN IT ARE NOT PERFECT!
I love you all!
