Where on Earth could you ever go where you rub shoulders with a Chicken Farmer who knows the Appalachians like the back of his hand, a Police Seargent who plans to retire on a horse farm in the hills of West Virginia, a classical pianist who just took the Bar Exam and volunteers at the temple (3 hours away) in her spare time, and a former Italian linguist who's beginning a masters program in Library Science so she can be a Children's Librarian. These are just a few of the people I've met, worked with and had in our home from church, and we've only been here for 6 weeks.
The thing is, so often I hear people talk about how they don't need organized religion to worship God. That religion is personal- your own relationship with diety and nothing more. I believe that to a point. However, if there is one thing that was impressed on my mind, heart and soul as a missionary, it's that the whole purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to learn how to Love. It's about developing Charity, Pure Love for every other living thing; having our hearts literally changed so that we are filled with all of the qualities that characterize Christ, himself. So that when we meet Him, we Know Him, because we are Like Him. This does not happen by sitting on the sidelines, keeping our distance from all but a selective few whom we choose to associate with on more than a superficial level.
The great thing about church is how interactive it is. We are put in a position to work closely, often very closely, with individuals of every kind. It can sometimes be frustrating or annoying to work with people who have personalities and lifestyles so different from our own, but isn't that the point? How better to flex our charity muscles? To keep us from only loving those who are easy to love? From befriending only those who are just like we are? Or working only with those we know we could get along with?
In my opinion, pure religion goes far beyond ones personal relationship with God. Or, rather, one's personal relationship with God can only go so far without learning to truly love and serve those around you, regardless of personality, education, background, economic level, attitudes and beliefs. Because that is what God is and what God does. To have a true relationship with Him is to try to be what He Is and do what He Does.
I sat in Church today with a smile, thinking about our first Sunday here. On that day, I looked around me and saw very few, if any, people just like myself. I wondered who would be our friends here. Thankfully, I know from past experience that I will come to love this ward just as much as every other ward we've been in, but on that first Sunday, I admit I wondered "how." Today, as I looked around, I saw a colorful group of people who I'm already beginning to love and admire for the ways they differ from me, and for the examples they have already been to me.
And our first friend here?
The Chicken Farmer.
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4 comments:
If you get a chance to ask him Grant would really like to know if you can "stick" a chicken in a certain part of its brain so that it will release its feathers and can then be plucked w/o having to be scalded.
Thanks for the Sunday thoughts. We didn't get to go to church today and it was nice to get your testimony. Your ward sounds fun.
Well said, Trish! Your blog is always so eloquent, thoughtful, and thought provoking. I love it!
I'll be sure to ask him, Sally (?!) I'm not sure which sounds worse- being "sticked" in the brain, or scalded alive...hmm...
Don't worry Trish. When they are scalded they are already dead and gone. I'm not sure about sticking them though. Grant has heard rumors that you can stick them through the mouth into the brain a certain way and they will release the feathers. They may be alive? But this is where your resident ward expert will have to weigh in.
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