Faith - There are many religions throughout the world. They are different in doctrines, traditions, beliefs, rituals but there are also many similarities. Faith is what keeps families grounded, helps to bring meaning and purpose to our lives. Tell us about your faith - no matter what it is - and how it has helped you in your life. How are you teaching that to your children?For the first eleven years of my life we pretty much didn't attend church. We did for a time attend a catholic church but really I am not sure I learned anything from that. When I was 11 we moved in with my grandma. We met some girls and they invited us to church with them a few times. Later my mom met a christian man whom she later married. As they started to get serious they started "shopping" for a church. There were a few I remember walking out mid service. We ended up attending our neighbors church and it was the one that they got married in.
This was my true introduction to faith. While attending this evangelical church, I had many awesome opportunities such as going to Mexico and doing little day camps for children, then returning the next two years as a team leader. Back at home I got to help with summer day camps as well. Then I started working and church really landed on the back burner. Then I moved out of my parents home and it was something that was just part of my past. While I didn't make perfect choices, I didn't get into too much trouble either.
Then in came my night in shining armor. You know the one I brag about in practically every post about families! He gave me a book of Mormon for Christmas, said I love you, but I am only getting married in the temple, then left for college, to meet lots of ladies who were prepared to meet that requirement. I was lonely and I had this book, which if I read and believed it would lead me to the temple and be sealed to this man for time and all eternity.
I look back at that time and know how right he was, I was a little offended that I wasn't good enough as is, but now after 10 fabulous, imperfect years, I see! We have a family were we are unified in what we believe. We are unified in how we view our Savior and loving Heavenly Father. Because Jeremy and I are unified in our faith, we have a strong foundation that is stable for our children. I watch them grow and change. I love that they are not ashamed of who they are. They know that they are the children of our Father in Heaven, and what their purpose is here. I can't help but believe that this has come about because of the wisdom of that young return missionary who didn't compromise his standards.
We had the opportunity to go to a Christian Family Camp with my parents this last summer. There are lots of differences in how our church runs and how they run theirs. It was such a neat experience, we got to talk to our children about some of the differences and some of the similarities. I loved how we as Mormons fit in there. I am not sure any one knew or if they did if they would have thought of us differently. We had the opportunity at the very end to thank the Pastor's wife and we explained that we were Mormon and we really enjoyed their camp. There were so many aspects of it that we wish we could start here. There were so many great memories. I am grateful that just because we have different beliefs we didn't miss that opportunity. I love that people can be of different faiths and still love to be in each other's company.
1 comment:
Thanks so much for sharing your story! I grew up in Georgia where all of my friends were either Baptist or Methodist. We had great times in the summer attending camps and having some really good discussions about religion. I look back on it now and think how amazing it was to have teenagers with different beliefs be such good friends because we chose to focus on the similarities we had instead of the differences. Can't say it was the same for some of their parents - even between the Methodists and Baptists!
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