The Church

Today I went out with the missionaries! I met them in a neighborhood that reminded me a lot of Orange Park. I felt like I was walking down the streets near Mike’s home. There were families playing in the streets and sitting in the yards on plastic porch chairs, doors open and music blaring, and even beat up cars parked on lawns. People telling us “I’m too busy” “can you come back later?” etc. I mostly just stayed quiet and followed them. And then, after someone rudely told them sisters to move their car, they took me to a lady’s home. We talked to her and she opened up about her partner’s addictions and his growing tolerance for religion. She bore testimony of a merciful God who saved her life through 3 different kinds of cancer. She went on about loving her sweet grandchildren.  Then we pulled out the Book of Mormon and began to read the Introduction. After reading just the first paragraph she asked what kind of church we were and you could tell that she was listening and wanting to know with sincerity. I had already felt the Spirit so strongly and even held back tears as we said the opening prayer. But when she started asking questions, I could almost taste the Spirit! Just like I had in the MTC, and maybe many times on my mission. I had forgotten. It was so beautiful. Seeing this experience without the stress and responsibility of a missionary on my shoulders, I saw, maybe for the first time, how badly these people need the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church in their lives. Before, I had faith that what I was teaching was so important; I believed it with all of my heart. But today, I understood, even just a little bit, better. 

The BOOK OF MORMON is the word of God! He speaks through those pages. He is there!

As I pondered this experience on the way home, I also came to realize that while salvation is very much a personal thing, the church is not just a personal thing. I was thinking about coming here and how one might ask if we had a church to go to, because they have a great one if we didn’t. (The churches seem to be almost business-like around here), and I imagined responding saying “No thank you, we actually do have a church! We are Mormons, so we have a church everywhere.”

What a blessing! No matter where I go, I will have a home with the Saints. Why would it be that way if Heavenly Father only cared about the individual? Because He is the same God here and there, and loves His children all the same, He HAS created a church in which the fulness of the Gospel is to be taught. He needs a kingdom on earth, and that cannot be effectively built in so many different, competing, directions. Salvation is more than just a personal thing, it is something we cannot do alone. We need each other to build and grow and gain strength.