What I Believe In

First off, I’m a little tired of the Mormon bashing. Why do people have to consistently bash the religion that I hold most dear to my heart, which I have so much faith in?

I’ve been thinking about stuff lately, mostly because of extended-family decisions that have been made over the last couple of years. And you know what, I think that my testimony has grown even more, more for the love of this great gospel, more for the prophet that leads me, and more for my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ.

I get so angered sometimes when people assume stuff, and assume how I think and act. People make mistakes. That’s their choice. That’s the awesome thing about being here on earth-we have the opportunity to make mistakes, but it’s from there that we get to choose whether we learn from the mistake and repent, or decide to go in another direction. Tyler has really made me understand this concept more over the last two years-that people make decisions, but no matter what, we still love them. When Tyler told our family that he and Kris were having a baby almost two years ago, my heart sunk-I literally came home to James and cried my eyes out. My brother, someone who I thought was a good example in all the standards that I held, had premarital sex and created a human being that he would have to be responsible for, for the rest of his life. I never once, ever thought I could not love my brother-I have always loved him. Now in present, I still love my brother and I love Kris and Sonja and I am so grateful for the two of them.

If you think about it, there is no perfect family, everybody makes mistakes; everybody makes their own choices. I was reading something my Uncle had written about us "Mormons" standing atop of our pedestals, looking down upon fallen apostates-and could we say everyone one else. It hurt me so much to think that my own family could think that I could sit there and judge somebody else. It is true that we have no right to judge other people, that that should left for other people to do, and our Father in Heaven when the time comes.

Proposition 8 and every other amendment opposing gay marriage: Marriage is a sacred ordinance between a man and women and is ordained by God. It is a religious, social, and eternal concept that the LDS faith has always embraced and defended. Marriage is not just a legal right, but a moral responsibility. No matter what Christian denomination you are, the Bible speaks plainly on its view of both marriage and homosexuality. The LDS faith-for I cannot speak of other denominations-will never falter in their views of marriage and what marriage is.

It is true that the LDS church has taught its members for years upon years to love one another because it is a commandment and it is the right thing to do. We have also been taught to always love the person, not the sin. I find that homosexuality, premarital sex, alcohol, drugs, abuse are sins and blights on society-that is what I believe in. Does that me that I don’t love anybody that engages in any of those activities-absolutely not. Gosh, if James and I axed people out of our lives for engaging in those acts, we would only have half the family that we have now. So for all of you that say that I’m not loving towards people that make choices against my standards, you’re absolutely wrong.

I am so glad to be a Latter Day Saint. I am glad to have a Church that stands up for morality in this ever-changing world. I am glad to have a Church that stands up for procreation within the bonds of marriage. I am glad to have a Church that believes that family is the core element in our society. I am so very thankful for the Atonement, that Jesus died for me so that if I do make mistakes I can repent and be forgiven. I am so very grateful for a loving eternal companion, and for my two boys. I am glad that we will be a family forever. I am grateful for my family members, for all that they do, and how they help me grow as a person.