If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know a little bit about me. Amongst other things, you know that I have been married to my husband for 20 years. I have five kids who are starting to leave the nest, and I believe in keeping things real. You might know that I once had a week of fame when my heartfelt post about my strong-willed child went crazy viral and was republished all over the web (in multiple languages).
But do you know what I value most? Do you know why I believe?
Before we get there, please allow me to tell you a little about where I come from. All branches of my family tree go back to faithful Mormon pioneers. Many of them were driven from their homes in the dead of winter by angry mobs who threatened their lives because they did not agree with their religious beliefs. To escape persecution and find peace, they walked 1250 miles from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah, suffering many hardships along the way. Yet they remained true to the God whom they loved.
The following picture shows an excerpt from my great-great-great grandfather’s journal, found on a plaque along the Trail of Hope in Nauvoo, Illinois (Please excuse the dirtiness of the plaque.)
That is my heritage. The blood of those stalwart saints runs through my veins, and their examples mean everything to me. I feel a great responsibility to uphold the faith that they sacrificed everything to practice. But it is more than responsibility I feel. It is a deep sense of gratitude and devotion to them and God.
To be true, I have lived through periods of doubt. I have questioned the validity of some gospel principles I have been taught since childhood, causing me to wonder if the gospel was nothing more than a good story. The very foundations of my faith have been tested on more than one occasion, driving me to my knees for direction. And, though I do not know the answer to every difficult question that arises, the peace that always eventually fills my heart as a result of prayerful searching encourages me to keep pressing forward.
Through this process, I have learned to focus on what I DO know, doubting my doubts before doubting my faith. And one thing I do know is that God loves His children. I know that because I have felt of His tender embrace many times. I know because He has answered my prayers in very specific ways, leading me down paths that I would not have chosen for myself but, in hindsight, were precisely what I needed. I know because He calms my heart in the midst of life’s storms that are growing in number and intensity.
I may not know everything, but I cannot walk away from the faith of my youth for one simple reason: I believe with all of my heart that it is true. Otherwise, why would my ancestors give up everything to follow its precepts, remaining diligent despite their very lives being threatened? And why do peace and joy fill my soul when I do the same (without threats from angry mobs, of course)?
My son, who is currently serving a mission and teaching the gospel to the good people of Hawaii, said it so beautifully in a recent letter:
Talking with him makes me realize why I came out here – to help people find the JOY of the gospel in their lives. As their eyes light up when we teach them, it helps me to know that I am in the right place, despite any discouragement. THAT makes all the difference, in their life and in mine.
The gospel I love is about joy. About hope. About peace. It is about finding purpose in life by understanding that there is a bigger picture than mortality alone, and God’s hand is in the details of orchestrating that plan. It is about understanding that we cannot be saved by our merits alone – that we need the grace of Jesus Christ. It is about knowing that family relationships can continue beyond the grave.
That knowledge, my friends, is what I value most. It is why I believe, and why everything in my life revolves around those beliefs. It keeps me going when times get tough and brings me more joy than I could possibly explain in a few short paragraphs.
I don’t tell you this to disparage any other religion or to convert you to my faith. If you believe differently than I do, we can absolutely be friends. I just wanted you to understand a little more about where I find direction and purpose, and what brings me peace and joy amidst the whirlwind of life. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I kept all that to myself.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact me. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. If not, no worries. I will be back to talking about motherhood and the craziness of family life before you know it. Thank you, as always, for joining me on this journey.
xo,
Lynnette
Very nice post, Lynnette. No one should ever have to be concerned about repercussions from discussing their faith, lifestyles, or any other ideology. As long as you’re not endangering yourself or others, do your thing.
I find is shameful that we’ve allowed our society to continue to press so much hate to others for what they believe that has nothing to do with ourselves. That we somehow think it’s okay to tell people how they should think and live, or why their way is wrong because it doesn’t align with our own lives. It’s the opposite of what our country was founded on. We’re supposed to be the example for the rest of the world on how to come together as one and live in peace, and we’re doing one heck of a terrible job at it these days.
I do not agree with your faith, but I would never in a million years even consider attacking you for it, unsubscribing, or defriending. It’s these behaviors that keep us separate, as if we’re somehow different. And we’re not. We’re women. We’re mothers. We’re wives and daughters. We’re bloggers. We’re helpers. We’re Americans. We’re human.
Lovely post, thank you for sharing more about yourself.
Oh, Kira, you have just spoken my heart. I cannot tell you how many people have unsubscribed from my blog when they find out I am a Mormon, as if knowing my faith means that nothing I say has merit anymore. It doesn’t hurt my feelings, but I do not understand it. Like you said, we are all so much more similar than we are different. The illusion of anonymity on the Internet has fostered a landscape where differences are attacked and create vast and hate-filled chasms between people who oft times, at their core, have so much in common. Thank you for showing us how to disagree respectfully. Sending love from one blogger to another.
Sending love right back! ☺
I agree that often the hardest thing to do is stand and say “I believe ” but it is so important that we do! I loved this article, and your strength!
Thank you, Elise. It is hard sometimes, but I do think it gets easier the more we do it. 🙂