Tough time to be a Mormon

It's been a tough few months to be a Mormon -- and I don't even live in California.

There's so much I've wanted to say.  But like a young child, I needed a brief time out.  I think I'm finally ready to 'use my words'.

It has hurt.  It has really hurt to see so many be so unkind and to observe people that I thought were friends of my beloved church, or even friends of mine, to pile on to the unkindness, often by simply saying or doing nothing. 

Even so, I've wonder aloud if the vitriol -- even the hate crimes -- would have occurred if we had done a better job of reaching across the aisle.  Or if at the very least we would have more come to our defense.

I didn't expect, nor could most Mormons have predicted when Mitt Romney entered the presidential race, that we as a people would be where we are today.

But we are here.

So here's what I hope.

I hope that we have learned something -- that because of this moment -- we will be a little kinder to others, we will find causes we care about, and people with whom we can work shoulder-to-shoulder, eventually finding our hearts knit together as one.  Quoting from Elder Eyring's 2008 General Conference talk Our hearts knit as one...

One way I have seen it done is to search for anything on which we agree. To be that peacemaker, you need to have the simple faith that as children of God, with all our differences, it is likely that in a strong position we take, there will be elements of truth. The great peacemaker, the restorer of unity, is the one who finds a way to help people see the truth they share. That truth they share is always greater and more important to them than their differences. You can help yourself and others to see that common ground if you ask for help from God and then act. He will answer your prayer to help restore peace, as He has mine.

That same principle applies as we build unity with people who are from vastly different backgrounds. The children of God have more in common than they have differences. And even the differences can be seen as an opportunity. God will help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see and value what another person brings which you lack. More than once the Lord has helped me see His kindness in giving me association with someone whose difference from me was just the help I needed. That has been the Lord’s way of adding something I lacked to serve Him better.

May we feel to, and find more ways to reach across the aisle -- to truly Know Our Neighbor -- in 2009.

Comments

[Ty]

Here’s a million dollar question – If you were to die right now, would you qualify for the celestial kingdom? If you’re like many Mormons, you’re not sure. You try hard to be as good as possible, but you still don’t know if you’ve done enough. If the Book of Mormon is really scripture, this hope will always elude you. Alma 11:37 says God cannot save you in your sins. Are all of your sins forgiven? Moroni 10:32 says you must be perfected in Christ, which can only be done by denying yourself of “all ungodliness”. Have you done that? Do you repent on a regular basis? Is so, then it is clear that you sin on a regular basis, since only those who break the commandments need to repent. 1 Nephi 3:7 states that you are able to keep His commandments. In fact according to D&C 25:15, you are required to keep them continually! Since you haven’t done this so far, why assume you will in the future? Of course, we should all try to be holy; but if you think that sinning less will qualify you to live in God’s presence, you are mistaken (Gal 3:1-11). The assumption that good works are required for forgiveness only cheapens Christ’s atonement, making it nothing more than a partial payment. God chooses to justify us by faith. Jesus alone does the “perfecting” (Heb 10:14). God gives peace to those who trust in Him alone. If you don’t have this peace, it’s probably because at least a part of you trusts in yourself. Questions? Visit us at www.gotforgiveness.com

[Dana King]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

Dana