My father often quoted to me growing up there are two different types of people in the world today. One who walks into a room and brightens it and one who walks out of the room and brightens it. Which one are we? As members of the church we can attest that many people not of our faith have many many questions about us, false notions such as we have 50 wives, can't drink any soda, and that we just flat our aren't Christians. To tell you the truth though if I wasn't Mormon I just probably would think the same way. But there is another common theme people say about Mormons is that we have a glow to you. Others say, "you have a light about you!" People even ask, "why are you all so happy?!" And one of the biggest things I hear about Mormons is, "Why do you all go out knocking on everyone's doors trying to convert the world"
The simple answer is that we care. We aren't sharing our faith to get some sort of self gain, or to build up profits for the church, or because we think everyone is false. In fact we like to focus on our commonalities instead of differences. The main answer is because we love you all. Here is an example from a prophet named Alma in the Book of Mormon and he says,
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.
This is how many of us feel. It's like seeing a good movie and then wanting to tell your friends, family, and your cats and dogs. Now not all of us will be prophets or be able to tell everyone so like Alma says we can be content with what the Lord hath allotted to us. Maybe that is giving someone a compliment. Helping an elderly couple cross the road. Or even helping a widow be comforted over a recent loss of a spouse.
The prophet Joseph Smith once was once told, "I DO NOT BELIEVE IN YOUR RELIGION MR. SMITH! BUT I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS!" Joseph then responded, "You might say that is our religion ma'am!"
Glenn Beck, a well-known conservative talk show host, said he would never join the Mormon religion. His friend Pat found out Glenn and his wife were doing a virtually a religion tour to find which one their family would attend. Pat then said, "Well Glenn that would mean you would have to at least go to my church right?!" Glenn said, "Noooo Pat!" Glenn ended up going to church and his family got a warm feeling in side although questions still lurked for Glenn. Then one day at church there was the Mr. Amazing plastic man that Glenn called, who was always sooo happy and he seemed fake at first. He soon found out he wasn't so plastic after all. Then came the moment Glenn knew he was going to become a member.
About six months down the road Glenn quotes, "I was sitting in Priesthood, and a guy who I had dubbed 'The Amazing Mr. Plastic Man'--because he was the happiest guy on the planet--was teaching the concept of Zion. It wasn't a concept that I had really seriously considered before. He asked, 'How can it happen?' Tears started to roll down his cheeks and he said, 'It can only happen if I truly love you and you love me.'" He knew then that he wasn't so "plasticky" after all and that whatever kool-aid the Mormons were drinking he would drink it too!
I give these examples because they are Christlike and everything that Christ did was out of love and not for any other reason such as for gain and self-aggrandizement. Now don't get me wrong there are plenty of members of the Mormon church who could use some humbling. The members aren't perfect but God's gospel is perfect along with it's principles.
In John 14:15 it says If ye love me, keep My commandments. Can we truly be followers of Christ if we don't follow him and keep his commandments? Many times Mormons get mocked because people think we are working our way to "earn" salvation. But as Brad Wilcox says, "we are not earning heaven we are learning heaven!"
I often think of it as a sporting event or perhaps a musical recital one participates in. If one hasn't prepared, practiced, and studied how will we feel when we approach our coaches, teammates, and fans? Will we have grown and be prepared just by loving the game of say football or the piano instrument? James declares it plainly in the bible,
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of dailyfood,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
The last verse in 19 says it clearly. Surely Satan knows and believes in God. But what is the difference between us and Satan? We must follow Christ we must love Him, we must keep His commandments, and we must serve and love our fellowman like He taught.
In conclusion, if we truly want to be happy and genuine people of God then we will possess the Christlike attribute of love. We will serve others. For as we do this we become Christlike and we will not want to hide ourselves from His presence when we approach the judgement bar. Here are some final verses to consider from the Book of Mormon:
1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites—
2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
To learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also known as the Mormons visit mormon.org
-Caleb
