When the time came to move from Utah to Texas, I wondered about all the changes the move would bring. I knew there was still a lot of bias against Mormons in some areas of the country. Would our little neck of the woods be one of those places? I learned quickly and with relief that not only would we be accepted here, but we would be accepted as fellow Christians. Further, I recognized early on that although my new neighbors, friends, and associates did not for the most part share my particular faith, they would abundantly bless me with their own.
As witness to that fact, I share a few examples:
- Just yesterday, my utterly delightful Catholic neighbor and I decided to join together on a specific goal to observe Lent. While observing Lent is not part of the Mormon faith, I have used it as an opportunity to strengthen my spirit and to work on self-mastery in the past with other Catholic friends. I was grateful for the chance to do so again. I am also grateful to feel an instant connection with a new neighbor, a connection made much stronger because of a mutual belief in Christ.
- Two days ago I was blessed to attend a prayer meeting at another neighbor's--someone I don't know well, but someone who felt called to invite people in our neighborhood together in order to unite in prayer over a current issue that deeply concerns us (school re-zoning). This neighbor, also of another faith, shared a scripture from the Bible, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20 KJV). She then said a prayer that brought tears to my eyes, because I felt that the scripture she read had been fulfilled as she prayed. The tears were also tears of of gratitude to live in a community where we can openly share our beliefs and our faith in God. I felt His spirit blessing our little gathering that night.
- Less than two weeks ago, my son Tristan got his drivers' license. I have a little OCD about driving anyway...in my mind it's a necessary evil. So the thought of my teenage son driving off all alone was a little more than my worried mother-heart could take. Strong comfort came in the form of reassuring words from, of all people, my insurance agent. In eight years I've never even met this man face to face, but I have had enough conversations with him to know he is a deeply faithful man. With complete sincerity, he reassured me that they prayed for their customers every day. I was touched and comforted.
- A couple of years ago, Tristan needed surgery on his finger due to an accident. Right before the surgery took place, the anesthesiologist came in, sat on the edge of Tristan's bed, and asked if he could offer a prayer. Of course we said yes. I was so moved by that faith-filled gesture, and so grateful for a fellow Christian willing to "walk the walk" and live like he believed without knowing ahead of time if we would be receptive or not. Again, God blessed that little gathering of three believers and Tristan and I both felt at peace.
- Over Christmas, we attended several concerts for the high school choir that Tristan participates in. One of them was held in a local church. I was once again pleasantly surprised by the beautiful and sacred music that the choir performed. My husband and I both commented that such sacred music would surely not be welcome in some other communities throughout the country, and how grateful we were that it was still welcome here.
- Over the past year, we have attended a number of interfaith concerts, where people from many local churches, including our own, joined together to perform music that uplifted us all. I have been blessed by the efforts and talents by so many people of faith who want to share their love of the Lord by praising him through music.
- I've learned that we can find common ground even beyond other Christian faiths. A couple of years ago, we were invited to attended a dinner at a local Muslim church in celebration of Ramadan. We were welcomed, we were friend-shipped, and we were fed in more ways than one. We found common ground in our love of God and family.
So, while I remain utterly committed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am deeply grateful for the blessing of being surrounded by people who grace my life with their testimonies of God and Jesus Christ. Whenever two or three are gathered in His name, wherever it may be, He is there. And I am thankful.
I live in the same community. Here's an experience to add to this list. I visited a chiropractor for the first time last week. At the end of our session, I asked him what his recommendations would be moving forward. He said, "I meet new clients in a variety of ways, but it's all in His Hands. I think that you should pray about it and decide if this is the route you want to take. If it is, make another appointment and we'll move forward." This man's faith in God combined with his honesty were both refreshing and inspiring.
ReplyDelete