You can read more about this topic at lds.org, from the LDS topics section: Gambling.

The Church is opposed to gambling (including government lotteries). The principles behind this position include that gambling invites trying to get something for nothing. It violates the principle of work that is so important in God’s plan. Gambling is also addictive, and as such, people often squander money that they should or would have used for something useful (or even critical to survival). Some even resort to stealing or other behaviors.

That said, as members of the Church, we also understand that sometimes people will use the gift of agency that God has given them to make choices that are not good for their well-being and for their families and other loved one. This may be the case for some members of the Church who gamble, and/or are trapped in the grip of other addictive behaviors.

The Church has an addiction recovery program for those who struggle with addictions of any kinds. Loved ones of those in addiction are also invited to attend, and there is a section on the ARP website just for loved ones. (In some areas, there are family support meetings. Check the Addiction Recovery website for more information.)

**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with either ‘mormonwoman’ or ‘mormonwomen’ as the username.

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Is gambling allowed by your church? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Are you curious about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but not currently comfortable with the idea of a face-to-face discussion with Mormon missionaries? Would you like to be able to have a real-time conversation about faith and God beliefs with missionaries while maintaining some anonymity and personal space?

Then the option to have a voice or video call with missionaries may be just the thing for you. Here you can have a real-time, no-obligation discussion via your phone or computer about Mormonism with a missionary. Ask questions about the Church in the privacy and comfort of your home, or in a hotel room while on a trip, or on your handheld device while riding the bus. Chat at a time that works for you using a medium that allows you flexibility and some space to process what you are learning.

If Facebook is more your style, you can connect with Mormon missionaries there as well. For example, at the time of this post, I two Facebook missionaries in person and they were fantastic. (“Elder” is a title that male missionaries have during the time they are serving. Women go by “Sister.”)

Habla Español? Hay misioneros que pueden ayudarle tambien. (Actually, there are missionaries who speak a wide array of languages.

Of course, if and when you ever would like a face-to-face discussion, you can request to have missionaries who live in your area visit you.

The post Curious about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Talk via phone or video call with a missionary appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

An insider has told me that the company [that just purchased the company I have been working for] is primarily Mormon. I have made no attempt at research, fear limiting me. I have heard bits and pieces of information, but never make judgments or believe “Hear Say”. My concern with a primarily Mormon-based company taking over has nothing to do with religion… I LOVE the people who have come to help us transition. They are helpful, genuine and some of the nicest people I have met. I’m scared because I have no religion and no desire to convert, I drink more coffee than I should and smoke cigarettes. To a Mormon, would that discredit the fact that I go above and beyond in my position, work EXTREMELY hard and that my company is my heart, 2nd to my family? I just don’t want to lose my job, I have a beautiful family who depends on me. Please tell me honestly what you would think.

Thank you for your question. We appreciate the fact that you choose to withhold judgment or put your confidence in hearsay. As such, we appreciate being able to share some thoughts with regard to your situation.

It sounds like the company should be grateful to have a worker like you! A strong work ethic is something I think any company would appreciate, so keep up the good work.

Of course, it probably goes without saying that anytime there is a company takeover/buyout/change in management, that sometimes jobs can be lost in the process. I hope this won’t be the case in your company, for anyone, including you.

But I want to address your specific concerns about having members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints primarily make up the new organization that has bought your company, and how and if that would have any bearing on any job decisions made.

I think it’s important first to separate out what it means to be Mormon from what boundaries companies have in terms of hiring and firing decisions they make. If anything were to happen, it should not be because you are not Mormon or don’t follow Mormon standards, but because of professional reasons and factors and policies. So, the short answer to your question is no. The Mormonism of your employers should not have any bearing on your job status.

That said, I would still like to respond more specifically to some of your concerns.

So, first of all, in terms of your religious preferences, my understanding is that it is simply illegal for a corporation like this to make staffing decisions based on religion. So please, don’t give that another thought. Your employers, Mormon or not, should have no professional interest in your religious beliefs (or lack thereof, if that is the case), and should not make decisions based on religious preferences. I would trust that they would not.

(That said, you may find that as you get to know people in your company who are Mormon, there may be some who may try to strike up a conversation with you about religion. If this happens, and you are not interested in talking about this, just be honest with them. We like to share with others because it means so much to us, but we are also told to be respectful of others’ perspectives and beliefs.)

In terms of drinking coffee, I’d say don’t worry one bit about this either. Unless your coffee drinking negatively affects your job performance I could see no reason this would be an issue for your job security.

As for smoking, I have just done a little bit of searching on this. What companies do about smoking and company policy does vary somewhat across companies. I was actually surprised to find out that there are a few companies out there who have made or are making business decisions not to hire smokers. (One example I saw did not apply this policy change to current employees, but to those in the future. For what it’s worth.)

Many companies, as I’m sure you know, also have certain policies that can vary about where people can and can’t smoke if smoking is allowed on the premises. I think state law also varies across the country with regard to smoking in the workplace.

This particular issue seems to be more specific to the individual companies and the laws that are binding on them. So my thought is just to ask if you have a concern. Find out what company policies exist, if any, regarding smoking. Decisions about smoking in the workplace seem to involve a lot of different factors, such as health concerns, company mission, cost concerns, work environment and culture goals, applicable laws, etc.

So this is one of those issues where I think it’s essential to realize that what to do about smoking in the workplace is not going to boil down to a Mormon vs. non-Mormon issue. It’s a more widespread question, with ongoing and varying discussions, ideas, and policies in professional, political, and legal realms.

I hope this helps. In the end, of course (and unfortunately), I cannot possibly predict all the specifics of what the new work situation will be like — again, because such company transitions are unique and often a bit tumultuous by definition. It must all be a bit unnerving in general (I’ve watched friends go through such mergers and acquisitions (went through it when I was working full-time), and it can be hard!) But I hope as you move forward that you can put any fears regarding the Mormonism of your employers to rest. Your employers should make any staffing decisions as any employers should — based on job performance, peer feedback, company finances and strategy and goals, company policy, current laws, etc.

I sincerely hope that your job in this transition will be unaffected and that you will find that the positive experiences you had had to the point when you wrote your question will continue.

Best wishes!

~Michelle**

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” and reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Do you have a question you would like to submit? Simply include a comment below, or send an email at gmail with the username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: My company was bought by a corporation run mostly by Mormons. Will this mean I could lose my job? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

In this video, Steve Young (a former professional American football quarterback) and Sharlene Wells Hawkes (a former Miss America), tell more about Mormon history and belief. The hope is to dispel some of the myths out there about Mormon life and belief. Topics covered include polygamy, if Mormons care about those outside our community, and if Mormons are Christians. Hear more about our belief in Jesus Christ, about our love of the Bible and other scripture, about our belief in modern prophets and temples — that the ancient Church of Jesus Christ has been restored. Learn a little about why families are so important to us, and what our faith means to us.

If you have other questions, please feel free to ask! Send us an email at gmail, username mormonwoman.

The post Do Mormons have lots of wives? Are Mormons Christian? — Answering Questions and Dispelling Myths about Mormonism appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

We recently received this question from Susy:

I have an 18 year old Catholic friend traveling as an exchange student from Mexico to Arizona next August.  She will be living with a Mormon family and I would like to know what she should expect during the school year.  It must be a very different culture:  home discipline rules, religious rules, etc.  Does this religion allow kids to go out with school friends, use a computer, attend school activities out of town, of course all these with respect…?  I really hope she can have a great experience and learn different things and language.

~Answer by Heidi

As a Mormon woman who has had both family and friends, also Mormon, act as host families in the foreign exchange program, I am happy to have the opportunity to answer this question for you, Susy.  First of all, let me assure you that any Mormon family prepared to welcome a foreign exchange student into their home will have a strong desire to:  expose her to rich cultural experiences, keep her safe from harm, provide her with what she needs to do well in school, treat her with warmth and love and do all they can to help her learn English.

At the same time, Mormon families, like most others who attend the Catholic church and other houses of worship, would have a problem with guests in their home who do not respect their rules, especially when it comes to issues such as smoking or drinking in the house, foul language, drug use, sexual activity, coming home in the wee hours of the morning, extreme immodesty in dress, or viewing inappropriate content on the computer. However, it is my understanding that most of these behaviors are not in harmony with the foreign exchange program and one would not expect to welcome a student into their home who did not, as you say, treat their host family with respectful behavior.

I feel that your question can allow us to clarify some of what Mormons believe and practice.  For example, Mormons most definitely use computers and I would expect that a host family would be prepared to allow a student living in their home to have access to one.  However, your friend could very well encounter a situation wherein the computer has filters and/or other protective software to prevent the viewing of inappropriate content.  Based on what you have said about your friend, I don’t expect this to be a problem.

Our religion does indeed allow their teenagers to go out with friends, to attend school activities (sometimes out of town), to dance, to attend movies, plays and concerts, etc.  Of course, as with any other family, personal preferences will come into play.  What one family sees as okay, another might not feel is a good fit for their children.  However, for the most part (as there are exceptions in every situation) I would imagine that in this situation, a Mormon family would likely not expect the exact same behaviors from their guest as they do of their own children (though they will encourage their guest to follow the rules as outlined in the foreign exchange program).

Obviously, I do not know the family with whom your friend will be staying and therefore can’t know specifically what they are like, but I feel I can say with confidence that your friend’s host family members will go out of their way to insure that she has a very positive experience.  In the end, I think that she will find she has more in common with them than not.

Thank you so much for giving Mormon Women to opportunity to address your concerns with regards to this issue.

Editor’s note: To learn more about Mormon family life, see this post:

What are some of the family traditions and rules of the Mormon religion?

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask A Mormon Woman: What Can A Foreign Exchange Student Expect To Experience When Hosted By A Mormon Family? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I was born a Christian (Baptist) and baptized. If I decide to make the step toward [becoming] Mormon, will I need to be baptized again?

~Answer by Michelle**

Cheryl, thank you for your question. It’s a good one, and one that many people have when studying Mormonism.

The short answer is yes.

Of course, the natural follow-up question to that would be, “Why would I need to be baptized again?”

Shortly after the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in 1830, there were people hearing about the Church who also had been baptized in other churches. They had the same question you do. Joseph Smith learned that baptism as performed in the Church was part of the restored covenants that had existed from the beginning (we read from other scriptures that Adam and Eve were baptized) and that it needed to be performed as the Lord had directed him.

These directions included performing the ordinance by immersion and with the proper authority. (Baptism in the Church is also not performed on infants; the minimum age is eight.)

Throughout the ages when the gospel of Jesus Christ has been on the earth, authority has been necessary to perform and receive saving ordinances. In Old Testament times, for example, only authorized priests could perform the ordinances of the law of Moses. If you think about when the Savior was baptized, he sought out John the Baptist because John had the authority to baptize.  This authority is called priesthood, which makes the ordinances for the remission of sin and for entrance into the kingdom of God binding with and approved by God.

Before the Savior’s death and resurrection, He gave the Apostles priesthood authority to direct His Church and perform saving ordinances of the gospel. Over time, as had happened in previous times in history, people rejected the gospel and the Lord’s authorized leaders. There came a long period of what is called apostasy — time when the priesthood authority had been taken away.

As part of the restoration of the gospel, Joseph Smith was  visited by those from Christ’s time who held priesthood authority. These heavenly messengers conferred that authority, through the laying on of hands, on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. John the Baptist conferred the authority to baptize (called the Aaronic Priesthood); Peter, James and John conferred authority to direct the Church, to give the gift of the Holy Ghost, to bless and heal in Christ’s name, and to perform all other saving ordinances that are necessary to return to live with God and to be with our families for eternity (called the Melchizedek Priesthood). This authority made the organization of the Savior’s Church possible in “the latter days” as part of the preparation for the Second Coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

This priesthood authority was then conferred on other men in the early days of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has continued in the Church until the present day.

Let me add one thing. When we share the message of the Restoration of the gospel and the priesthood and the Church with others, we do so in a spirit of respect and rejoicing in the good in others’ lives and in other churches. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the restored Church said it well:

“We recognize the good in all people. We recognize the good in all churches, in their efforts to improve mankind and to teach principles that lead to good, stable, productive living. To people everywhere we simply say, ‘You bring with you all the good that you have, and let us add to it. That is the principle on which we work’ ”

If you would like to read others’ experiences who also had this question, following are a few articles from lds.org (with excerpts):

My Second Baptism: “The elders next taught me about the Apostasy, the Restoration of the Church, and the restoration of priesthood authority. But when they invited me to be baptized, I was shocked. I had been baptized many years before, also by immersion. Being baptized again seemed unnecessary; it felt like a betrayal of my former beliefs….”

“Thanks for the Flood“:  “On the missionaries’ second visit, I had a problem accepting the missionary discussion. They seemed to be challenging all of my religious beliefs. For example, they asked me how I felt about baptism. I told them I had already been baptized….”

Baptized Again?: “I told them that I had already been baptized, and they explained that there was a proper method of baptism, which was complete immersion. I liked their message, but I couldn’t accept their challenge when I had already been baptized. While I was walking home, the word baptism kept ringing in my ears….”

Asencão Frango [was a] nun for twenty years….Hearing of a new religion, she attended her first meeting of our church with a friend, out of curiosity. It was held on the dirt floor of a member’s garage, but the spirit of the meeting impressed her. The elders began teaching her the discussions and challenged her to be baptized. She declined, saying that she already had been baptized. The elders persisted by inviting her to read the Book of Mormon….”

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Is baptism necessary to become Mormon if I have already been baptized in another church? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

OK, well let’s start this answer with a confession. I’m a total Trekkie. My favorite Star Trek series were Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. I dream in Sci-Fi; I love to imagine being transported from one part of the globe to another in an instant or take a Caribbean vacation on a holo-deck.

But, do Mormons believe that aliens from other planets visit the earth in spaceships traveling far distances to aid or hinder life on earth? No.

Do we believe there are other worlds out there? Yes, God created them.

In a book of scripture we use, called The Pearl of Great Price, God proclaims:

“And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.”(Moses 1:33, 35)

Do we believe that earth has been visited by highly powerful and knowledgeable beings? Yes. In the form of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and, heavenly beings, or angels.

We believe these glorified beings look like us, only more radiant. We believe visitations from these loving yet powerful beings have not ceased, that God lives, and angels still aid the work of God on the earth.

Joseph Smith gave the following testimony after a visitation from God the Father and Jesus Christ.

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me….When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

And this is Joseph’s testimony of seeing the Angel Moroni, who informed Joseph about the existence of the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated:

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom. Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person.

Many others have seen Jesus and/or have been visited by angels. I believe these visitations are evidence of God’s love. These visitations are documented in scripture and in the testimonies of people who have sought out God. While such visitations like these are not common, they are real. Most people on earth have their witness of truth come in simple but powerful ways, such as a feeling of happiness or peace in their soul, a comforting feeling that what they are learning is truth, or tears springing from their eyes when they experience beauty, love, goodness. Although these experiences are less fantastic than a visitation from an angel they are nevertheless ample evidence that God loves us.

Do Mormons believe in aliens? No. But we do believe in truths that are even more fantastic than warp drives and cloaking devices and UFOs. We believe that the Son of God, the Creator of all the universe came to this earth as a tiny babe to redeem the world from death and sin. We believe that the heavens are open, that God communicates to man through living prophets and through the Holy Ghost and yes, through angels. The message brought to us from heaven is that He has created a way for joy and hope in a fallen world and in the one to come.

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!” D&C 18:10-13

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Do Mormons Believe In Aliens? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

When my friends find out that we go to church every week for three hours at a time, I get lots of big eyes and replies like “You’re crazy! Why would you do that?!”

I’ll be the first one to admit that some weeks, three hours does feel quite long.  Thankfully the three hour block of meetings is broken up into chunks, so usually time goes by at a good pace.

The main part of our Sunday church service is when everyone in the ward (or congregation) comes together for Sacrament Meeting, a 70 minute service held in the chapel.  I have three small children (5 years, 3 years and 1 year old), and it takes some work to teach our children how to sit reverently, and we by no means have it down!  My 1-year- old daughter isn’t close to being able to sit still, and sometimes I’ll rock her in the back of the chapel, sometimes I’ll take her out for a short break to stretch her legs.  During Sacrament meeting, we sing songs of worship, take the Sacrament, listen to talks given by members of the congregation, get to hear special musical numbers, and take care of ward business (announcements about upcoming activities, announcing changes with responsibilities at church).  My ward has Sacrament Meeting as the first meeting of the three, but my parents ward has this meeting at the end.  I love Sacrament meeting because it gives me a feeling of family unity within my ward when we all worship together.

After (or before) Sacrament meeting, all the children 18 months to 3 years old are provided with a nursery they can attend. In nursery each week, the children have snack and song times, story time, and a lesson about a principle of the gospel, followed with lots and lots of play time.  Often there is also a little craft the children get to do that reinforces the lesson they were taught that day.

When children are 3-11 years old, they attend Primary for 2 of the hours each Sunday block.  Half of Primary is spent in a large group Sharing Time, with singing and a lesson.  The children get to put on part of the program each week in this meeting, presenting talks they prepared, praying, and reciting scriptures. The second half of Primary is where the children are broken up by age and have Sunday School.  My 5 year old son loves Primary!  His teacher is so loving and puts a lot of work into her lessons each week, and we hear him singing the church songs he learns all week long.  He has given talks in Primary twice, and gets excited each time.

For youth 12-18 years old, and all the men and women in the ward, the second hour is spent in Sunday School.  The adults learn together, and the teenagers are usually separated into two or three classes by age group.  Each year, the lessons focus on a particular book of scripture, and are the same lessons around the world. The teachers are ward members who are called on to prepare a lesson each week and present it to the class.  We have wonderful Sunday School teachers.

The last hour is possibly my favorite – if I can say I have a favorite!  Girls 12-18 attend Young Women, women meet together in Relief Society, and all the males from age 12 up meet in Priesthood (another link).  The men have a short opening meeting with announcements, prayer and song, and then the teenagers and adults have separate lessons. Everyone has the same lesson in each group, but I like the opportunity to have lessons and conversations as just women for those few minutes each week.

When I worked with the Young Women several years ago, I loved the chance we could take to focus on just these awesome girls for one hour each week, and the needs that teenagers have – these girls are so special and meeting their needs is so important!  I’m sure the men who are in charge of the teenage boys have similar feelings.

I love the sisterhood and love I feel in Relief Society, and I’m excited to get to attend this meeting again after spending time serving in Young Women and Primary for a few years.  It’s always interesting to chat with my husband after church and see what angle his Priesthood lesson took.  We think it’s fun to discuss how each others Priesthood or Relief Society lessons went that day and how they were different or similar.

So yes – Mormons go to church for three hours, and it can sound like a long time!  But every minute is important, used wisely, and fulfills an important purpose. And thank goodness we’re in three different classes during that time and not sitting in one seat in one room the whole block!

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Why do Mormons go to church for three hours? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Usually we have a weekly feature on Mormon Women called ‘Ask A Mormon Woman.’ Today we’ve turned the tables, and we’re asking you a question!

If you are here, on the Mormon Women website, chances are that you’re at least a little curious about the Mormon religion. Maybe the missionaries knocked on your door and you said, “No, thank you.” But now you’re wondering about something they said, or about the pamphlet they left, but aren’t sure you want to call them back. Perhaps you have a friend from high school that was Mormon and you look back and wish you had asked her some questions. It could be that someone you work with turned down an invitation to drinks after work, mentioning that they are Mormon and don’t drink alcohol. Now you wonder what else your co-worker believes. These, and many others, are reasons that this website exists.

There is another way for you to get personal answers to your questions in a friendly, non-confrontational way. Chances are that there is a Mormon woman in your community, maybe even someone you already know, who would like to share her faith with you. I’m a Mormon woman and I’d also like to share my faith with those that I know in real life in a friendly and non-confrontational way. Could you give me your opinion about how I should actually go about doing it?

A few people have accused Mormons of being preachy or overbearing. Mormons hear about this and become timid about sharing their faith. You could have a Mormon neighbor and not even know it. We’re not being secretive about our religion, we’re only trying to be respectful of your religious choices and our own. And I must admit we are afraid of possible negative reactions.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently told the LDS people, “..over one-half of the people in the United States and Canada have little or no awareness of our practices and beliefs. I am certain the percentage would be much larger in other parts of the world. This same survey also showed that when non-members interact with faithful members of the Church over an extended period of time or are exposed to clear and accurate information regarding Church beliefs and doctrines, their attitudes become positive and open.”

The LDS church membership is encouraged to share what they believe with their neighbors and friends. Some would say we do this only to increase our numbers. We do want all to feel welcome in our church, the Savior directs us to share his gospel with others. And we want to share because of what it all means to us. The gospel brings us so much peace and perspective.

But there is another reason, a reason Elder Perry mentions. We want to communicate clearly with the world who we are. We firmly believe in freedom of religion and that includes your choice not to belong to ours. But we also want you to understand what we believe, or don’t believe.

Thank you for seeking out active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who are trying to be faithful to their religion to learn about what our lives and beliefs are like. And please, don’t forget to leave a comment to give us a little advice on how to let you know who we are, without making you feel uncomfortable.

The post A Mormon Woman Asks You appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.