Work was pretty slow this morning, for the front desk and the kitchen. There is a man who works here at the Resort with me whom I will refer to as Z. He overheard my conversation with the lady I work with about how I am LDS (aka Mormon). For some reason he felt the need to tell me his opinion on my belief.
Z was raised LDS. He related an experience to me about when he was in his history class and how embarrassed he was when they started talking about Brigham Young and the trek out west. He didn't want anyone to know he was Mormon. In my mind that didn't make sense to me. For me, when we got to that part in history, I was anxious because I didn't want it to be portrayed incorrectly, but if it had been I would have stood up, and have stood up, to defend my belief and give my class and teacher the correct information. Never in my life have I been afraid to admit that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Z continued to tell me about how when he was older he decided he needed to decide whether or not this church was something he wanted to be apart of. He rattled off a lists of books that he read during his research; biographies about Joseph Smith, books that supposedly told details of what goes on inside LDS temples, etc. He named author after author, which I googled and they all wrote anti-mormon literature. I noticed in this rant of his that he didn't mention reading the Book of Mormon. I asked, "Well, Z, did you read the Book of Mormon?" His reply, "I didn't need to, I have been hearing that garbage every Sunday since I was an infant." He then proceeded to tell me what I didn't know about my religion, what it really was about.
I had to tune him out. I just wanted to cry the entire time he was talking to me. I couldn't get a word in edgewise and I didn't want to fight. So I just shut my mouth and tried not to listen until he was all out of breath.
I kept praying for a phone call or something to happen so that I didn't have to listen to him anymore. How could someone know whether or not my church is true if they haven't read the book that we learn and teach from? You can say what you want about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, but they are men, human men, they may be prophets but that does not make them perfect. Do you think that the Pope is perfect? I don't. And I don't expect him to be, he is human.
The church is perfect, but it is made up of imperfect human beings. That's why we go to church. I know without a doubt that my church is the one true church on this Earth. That may offend some, but I know it without a doubt. I know that Joseph Smith talked to God, that he restored the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet today. I know that I am a daughter of God. I know that He loves me. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know because I read it and prayed to know if this was true. I know that my family is sealed for time and all eternity, that even after we die we will still be together. I will be married in the temple and sealed to my husband and children. I will live worthy to enter temple doors. I will teach my children to the best of my ability and let God take over in places where I might falter.
I don't care what anyone tries to tell me. Let them believe what they want. But no one will ever be able to convince me that my church isn't true. I know it is. Nothing will ever change that, no matter how hard they try.
At this moment though, I think the thing I am most grateful for are blankets! If I didn't know better I would think my apartment is in the Arctic Circle!
