Meet This Mormon

Jon and I went to the movie "Meet the Mormons" on Monday night.  I was a little skeptical that the church had gone to these great lengths to make a film, but I loved it.  If you have the chance, GO.  My favourite profile was "the Candy Bomber."

I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I'll admit that my testimony and experience as a Mormon has met very little adversity.  I was born a member and have remained one my entire life.  I have never encountered a phase of rebellion or been overwhelmed with feelings of question or doubt.  Perhaps this may seem like the perfect recipe for an eventual falling away from the church, but when I consider the feelings of joy the church brings to my life and a handful of faith confirming experiences I've encountered, I think it's safe to say that I'm staying put.

Recently it seems like a great deal of people are leaving the church I hold so dear to me.  It pains me to hear of acquaintances, friends of friends, and even family members leaving the church or questioning it.  In fact, I take it quite personally.  Did I offend them?  Was I not friendly enough?  Is there more I could have done?  Even in cases where I really don't personally know the people leaving, I still feel like there was something I could have done.  It literally hurts.

I'm not naive enough to think that everything about the church is perfect.  I recognize whole heartedly that this is a perfect gospel in the hands of imperfect people, myself being one of them.  It is to be expected that there will be mistakes made, feelings hurt, and questions left unanswered.  If the church was perfect here on earth, there would be no need for faith.  And isn't faith the entire point of religion?  Perhaps I'm nothing more than a sheep following the masses in this common herd, but I'm a happy sheep and I am so loved by the Shepherd.