Mormon Revolution

“Pure love is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ.”
– Elder Massimo De Feo

Greg Trimble, an LDS blogger and author says that the culture of Mormonism needs to bust. We need to be full of tolerance and love in order for the crowds of people that need the fullness of the Gospel to feel welcome.

“I wonder if people looked at the Sons of Mosiah and said… “Who do they think they are? How can they be missionaries? How can they represent Christ? How can they give advice in church when they were the vilest of sinners?” I wonder if those great missionaries were made to pay for their sins by their contemporaries even though those sins had already been paid for? Because of these repentant boys ability to overcome their past, they may have been the only Nephites alive who were willing and able to make an impact with those wretched Lamanites. People who have lived through massive challenges in life or made major mistakes and have been willing to make themselves vulnerable enough to empathize with others are able to reach people like those hostile Lamanites who we thought might have never been reached. And all of this revolves around love. Love that is passed from person to person to person. An extended hand, an arm around a shoulder, or a fervent prayer on behalf of an individual who has been through the ringer in life. Our culture needs a reboot. We need to pull for each other instead of being like the whiners in the parable Jesus gave about the workers in the vineyard.

“One of the most influential senior missionaries I served with during my mission once told me that he loved the smell of alcohol and tobacco at church. He said, “It’s the smell of change.” There’s someone sitting in that pew… trying to kick a habit, learning of Christ, and hoping for a friend to help take their mind off of that addiction… and yet some of us will move to the furthest pew and simultaneously say things that throw it right back in their face. This is bad! This is wrong! How can people do this or that! Slam! Whack! Bam! And the shame begins all over again for that struggling soul as they make their way back to their lonely apartment” (Greg Trimble.com).

I agree with Greg. I feel like I LOVE everyone, but do I really accept them? I want to be better at expecting change and welcoming every soul. It is not up to me to decide who is ready for that change. Al Carraway‘s story fits in here. She was a new convert, who moved to a Mormon community. She felt judged because of her tattoos. I read her whole book, MORE Than a Tattooed Mormon. IT IS AMAZING to hear about her difficulties of fitting into LDS church culture as a new convert. It shouldn’t be that hard. I love this quote:

“We don’t feel jilted by being so far below [Heavenly Father]. We haven’t missed a thing. It’s just so lovely to be near Him. Because He’s trying to pull us up to Him. He wants us to be like Him. And we can’t desire anything greater than that, so there is none of this dominance or submissive business, He’s not putting himself in charge. We are drawn toward Him and He wants us to be drawn.” – Hugh Nibley