I enjoy being a Mormon. I like being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I say that I like it, I mean besides believing it to be the truth, I also quite enjoy being neck-deep in the middle of it.
I know everyone does not feel that way. Some are in the church and are not comfortable with its doctrines. Some are in the church but not comfortable with their fellow saints. Some are not comfortable with the church’s stance on specific social issues. Other are so uncomfortable that they are looking for ways to change it. Others are so uncomfortable that they are heading for the door.
Then there are the folks on the outside taking shots. Broadway plays, websites, militant anti-Mormon and ex-Mormon websites are all are deeply invested in mocking my faith. Somehow, I don’t lose any sleep over it.
Me? I am comfortable in my church and in my skin. This is not to say that I am not painfully aware of those who are not. A large part of my life has been spent helping others understand the gospel. I have spent years helping people as they enter, and as some leave, the church. As an LDS social media presence, I am acutely aware of the angst of the age regarding the church – I interact with it every day of my life. Some sincere, some hostile, some heart-breaking.
I am aware of the current doctrinal and social hot-buttons that cause angst in members and non-members alike. I frequently get emails from people telling me, “If you knew this, you could never support your church again.” Joke’s on them, as there’s nothing “new” there. Some would accuse me of being blissfully ignorant. Hardly. I prefer to aim for “blissfully well-informed.”
Still, I am comfortable.
Ironically, my lack of angst regarding the church is precisely why I am in this church.
Yes, I am at comfortable. I embrace the doctrines of the church. I am not mad at anyone in my ward. I am not angry at the brethren at any level. I have accepted opportunities to serve, and try my best to fulfill them.
Does that mean I always like my callings? Nope. Does that mean I never have any questions regarding the doctrine, policies, or procedures of the church? Nope. I have all of those. (And I have addressed it before here.)
Being comfortable is not the same as being apathetic. I doubt anyone who has read my blog these past years would ever couch me as being indifferent to the cause.
Maybe “comfortable” isn’t really the word I’m looking for. I love the saying that “the church is here to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.” I have my share of affliction. Some foisted upon me, some well-earned – my life is surely not affliction-free.
There is much more to being comfortable in the church than just enjoying the social aspects. Sure, I have great friends in the church, and sometimes we have fun activities, but I am talking about a deeper level of comfort.
Perhaps a better word would be “peaceful.”
I find peace in being a member of the church. Not the quiet kind, but the better kind. Elder Quentin Cook described it like this:
“The peace to which I am referring is not just a temporary tranquility. It is an abiding deep happiness and spiritual contentment.” (link)
That’s what I’ve got. I am happy, and content. I find peace in being a member of the church precisely because that is what the church offers.
After I was baptized, I received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I have come to know that peace and the Holy Ghost are a package deal for me. When I am without one, I am usually without the other. When I find myself angst-ridden, I step back and evaluate, and can usually find where I have thought, said, or done something that the Holy Ghost didn’t feel like sticking around for.
In that way, I have learned that angst is a voluntary condition, a condition that can be remedied.
Repentance brings the Holy Ghost, and peace, back into my life. The miracle of Atonement of Jesus Christ restores peace, and helps me maintain it from week to week.
The doctrines of the church bring peace to me because I don’t have to buy into the worldly notions of what this life means. If I were to be defined by money, looks and power, I would be miserable. I prefer to be defined as a son of God, who has infinite and eternal promise.
Instead of struggling though a temporary marriage, I can look at my lovely EC and know that we hold the promise of an eternity together, as do our children. That is a kind of peace that makes me exhale deeply and contentedly.
Without membership in the church, and without participating in the covenants of the church, I would not be entitled to either the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or the promises of eternity. And I would be filled with angst.
It pains me to see so many walk away from the very remedy for their struggles. Faith is a curious thing, it is a choice, but it is also a spiritual gift. (1 Corinthians 12:9) The sad irony is that by walking away from the very means that we may always have his Spirit to be with us, we destroy what is left of the faith we are struggling with. The answers are spiritual, but without the ordinances of the gospel, the Spirit becomes a bystander, offering an occasional comment.
I am happy being a Mormon. I am at peace.
I highly recommend it.
Photo courtesy of Dave Anderson. Check out his art here.
I loved this! I recently returned from my mission, and I had many experiences there that tested me and helped me to know that I love being a mormon. Like you, I feel peace and happiness through it.
An ongoing health challenge has meant I currently have no formal calling in my ward. I look to find personal ways to serve such as making sure I’m in the temple at least once a week, attending scheduled meetings every Sunday, reaching out to family and friends with service and filling my life with the contentment and peace of the Gospel by various actions including reading posts like this.
“The sad irony is that by walking away from the very means that we may always have his Spirit to be with us, we destroy what is left of the faith we are struggling with. The answers are spiritual, but without the ordinances of the gospel, the Spirit becomes a bystander, offering an occasional comment.” Well said.
Amen!! I love the peace the gospel brings. Thanks for a wonderful post, putting into words what I and others feel!
Ditto! I also loved your previous post you linked to about questions. I have used it many times in discussions. Thanks for putting words to my thoughts.
I loved this post and it reflects exactly how I feel about being a Mormon. I absolutely love being a member of this Church!
Perfectly penned.
Beautiful post. Thank you.
I too enjoy being a Mormon. Yes, “Peaceful.”
Amen!
Mmmmm… Spiritual contentment. Perfect way to describe how it feels! This is a highly valued prize in my life.
I need a like button for this post. 🙂
Great comments to go along with your terrific post. I love being a Mormon, in fact if you want to stand out in a crowd and be different, except maybe in UT, be a Mormon. I’ve moved 18 times, lived in Europe for 11 years and 10 states and I’ve loved telling people I’m a Mormon. The place where people acted most afraid of me was in the Philadelphia, PA area, totally surprised me. I’ve had great conversations and respectful disagreements on doctrine with a whole lot of non-members. The only time I’ve ever ended up in a headed discussion was with a member friend who was involved with the fellow who was just disciplined. She cut me out of her life for two years, you know what I did…well of course you don’t so I will tell you. I just kept loving her by sending cards a couple of times a year and expressing my love and appreciation for her, we are now Facebooking and talking again. I’m at Peace with my faith, it is what grounds me and gives me peace. I don’t pay any attention to all the negative church stuff, I try never to get in arguments and heated discussions as they are a waste of time. I don’t have time for that as I’m quickly running out of earth time. Do I have doubts, sure. Do I have questions, a whole lot….like what happened to all the water after the great flood? Do I have faith yes, and it’s about the only thing I exercise…my gym membership is a waste of money. Do I appreciate your blog posts….you betcha. Peace brother, time to fix dinner.
I agree with you and all the comments thus far. God bless you for articulating that which is in my heart. Hurrah for Israel and Israel’s God!
Nice! I’m with you…and hopefully the Saviour! 😉
One of your most beautifully written commentaries I’ve read.
Me too. And even when I don’t (I’m not really enjoying my current ward dynamics) I cannot deny the spiritual experiences that I have had. Warnings. Instruction. Declarations of love. Testimony. All of it. I know it. I know that I know it and I will not deny it.
Amen! You have given words to how I feel. Peace, contentment, a sense of well-being. Sometimes being a Mormon is hard, we are asked to do hard things and reach outside our comfort zones in the service we render, but it brings me joy in the end. I am comfortable and happy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.
I’m with you 100% on this. I had a discussion on Facebook yesterday about John Dehlin and all the Church’s “failures” and “mistakes” and how I’m a “blind follower” of my Church and its leaders.
I’m educated. I’ve traveled to the world’s capitals. I feel like I’m a logical and reasonably informed person. I enjoy being a Mormon, and I believe that the LDS Church contains the true gospel of Christ and that my leaders are inspired. Do church leaders make mistakes? Probably, but not big mistakes, especially not in regard to doctrine. I know the Church is not a democracy to be swayed by the whims of men. I like that. I believe it is truly a theocracy with Christ making his will known to the Church and world through his prophets. I’m not blind. I see, and I’m happy.
I have always found the argument interesting that those who adhere to our Father’s word are “blind followers” and it is only those who reject him who think for themselves.
That stands up with the teenage argument that “I want to be different”…. just like everybody else.
I’ve noticed that the “free thinkers” and critics aren’t generally very happy people. That speaks for itself.
Perfectly said !
I like being a Mormon too. Thanks for reminding me why.
ABSOLUTELY…. it always amazes me to see people fight so hard against the very things that will bring them comfort.
I fully understand conflicts with people and/or programs… in fact, with a new program in our area, I had to ask the interviewer during my recommend interview last week “if I support this new program, can I answer that question in the affirmative?, and here is why I think that I can not…., but if I don’t support the program, I am now not sustaining my leaders”. A mutually exclusive conflict that I am not comfortable rationalizing. I think we worked it out.
I remember several years ago reading a book by a GA, I found a passage to be doctrinally conflicting. I prayed about it and the answer came to “keep reading”. Later an explanation was given that brought it all back in line.
Maybe that is the problem, too many people trip over a pebble, not seeing that if you look at the whole path, the pebble is necessary.
Our family was just discussing this topic last night after reading the last few verses of Alma 35. Alma expresses how his heart was exceedingly sorrowful that the Zoramites had waxed hard-hearted and become offended because of the strictness of the word. Obviously, the strictness hadn’t changed, but they had. I have felt the same grief over friends and loved ones that are intent on throwing away their peace and happiness. Like you, I have been blissfully aware of all these “recent” discoveries since I was old enough to understand them. Nothing new here. Those that know me well know I am a voracious reader and study and ponder anything I can get my hands on. Everything I have found only strengthens my testimony and makes me more sure of the path I’m trying to follow. More importantly, the Holy Ghost has borne testimony of these things to me. What greater witness can you have than from God? In time, the stone cut from the mountain will roll forth to fill the whole earth, and all the deceivers will be exposed. Stay in the boat. There is safety from the storm.
I agree wholehardedly with what you say. I did not understand completely until I was called to be an ordinance worker in the Idaho Falls temple. That is where I learned to lose myself in serving others.It’s the greatest feeling in the world. If you ever have the opportunity to serve in that capacity do not turn it down.
Thank you so much for this post! This is exactly how I feel even though I have many people trying to pull me away. I have 2 adult children that have disowned me because we follow church doctrine and 2 more adult children that haven’t disowned us, but have little to do with us because of our membership in the church. I used to feel guilty, but I’m learning that to put aside the things they say and I find comfort in the church and our friends there. You have no idea how much this helps me. Thank you again.
Cherie K
I was going to say about the same thing as ValDean…Ditto! (Thanks for using the pic:)
I love your pics!
I feel much the same. All the anti-Mormon literature, movies, TV, websites, books, do not faze me in the least. I can sometimes see why they may feel that way, but I waste no calories over wondering or trying to “correct.” I have been offended a couple of times (but it really takes a LOT) and it never stopped me from coming to church, or to feel unwelcome. Considering my age (almost 60) and the fact I’ve been an active member my whole life, it is a RARE occurrence.
That being said, if I don’t have a calling that requires me to be at church on Sunday, I have to fight my inclination to be lazy and not go. I almost always do go, but I know I have to be engaged in the work.
Thanks, MMM! You have successfully put into words how I feel. “Comfortable in my Church and in my skin”, “blissfully well-informed”, “…not just a temporary tranquility…an abiding deep happiness and spiritual contentment.” So appreciate this post.
Peace is a good way to describe it and like you, I don’t lose sleep over any of the issues going on. I find it’s social media and the internet that seems to bring out the worst in people. I know it can be for good, which is why Elder Bednar and others have talked about it and the Church is starting certain hashtags. I find it sad that people leave the Church, but then I am grateful that our salvation is not collective. I probably sound mean for saying that, but you can’t force people to change or even accept Christ as their Redeemer.
Actually, our salvation is collective…. that is the reason for 2/3 of the mission of the church. It is sad though that people actively choose to remove themselves from the joy they had/could have had.
Yes, it is sad that people actively choose to walk away from what could be true happiness.
I respectively disagree that our salvation is collective. I understand what you are referring to – The Mission of the Church- https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1982/04/remember-the-mission-of-the-church?lang=eng
President Kimball is not speaking of a collective salvation. He said “All three are part of one work—to assist our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, in their grand and glorious mission “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39)
What you do, or Joe, Bob, and Sally do in their life, is not going to effect my salvation. I won’t be judged by what you do. I will standing at the judgment bar of God and be held accountable for my life. I am going to be judged by my deeds, thoughts, and heart.
My understanding of a collective salvation, especially because it’s a phrase that has been used more often than not over the last 6 years, are that people who follow this notion, believe that you, Joe, Bob, and Sally can only be saved if I am saved and vise versa; we either all have to be saved or not saved at all.
Elder Packard summed it up best when he said, “But it is not a matter of comparing individuals. We are not baptized collectively, nor will we be judged collectively”.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1985/10/the-only-true-church?lang=eng
I agree, it comes down to semantics. What a person does individually does not effect our salvation, but what we neglect to do may effect theirs, which we will be accountable for…. which does effect ours.
What I was referring to was the principle that “we without our dead, can not be saved….” and the default that leads to missionary work among the living. in my opinion mortality is a collective effort towards salvation, with mostly individual failures.
“…everything you just said.”
Very nicely said, as usual. The gospel does offer a peace not found anywhere else. I am in the middle of what I feel to be a pretty big trial right now, and yet, amid the turmoil, my brother gave me a blessing last night that calmed me and brought me such peace.
I know that peace of which you speak. I am grateful to have it. I pray that others may find it. Amen to this wonderful post.