One True Religion?

As many of you may know I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for two years in Colorado. I loved my mission and I absolutely enjoyed getting to know people, creating lifelong friendships, and getting to know more about how religion plays a role in the life of others. It is this role of religion in the life of others that I would like to discuss today. As a reminder these views in no way reflect the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, these are my opinion on the matter at hand.

While I have gone through life I was blessed to have wonderful parents who really helped me understand that everyone is a child of God. I also grew up in a faith where I was taught that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the ONLY true church and there is no other true church out there. While I do not dispute this claim, this is where I would desire to expound on my opinion of the matter of one true religion.

There are many religions out in the world, and where I served my LDS mission in Colorado Springs, Colorado there were over 800 different denominations listed in the phone book (Yes, one day I sort of counted). Naturally we ran into many of these folks of different faiths, we spoke with many, had wonderful conversations with many of them, ate dinner at their homes, helped around their yards, etc. While I served alongside so many wonderful people I began to wonder why they were not LDS, why they were not part of Jesus Christ's only church on the face of the earth with the fullness of the everlasting gospel. While many seek to preach their religion as the true religion I began to wonder myself which religion was true. At this point in my life I had plenty of experiences with God telling me the LDS faith is the true church and to dedicate my life to the teachings of Jesus Christ that are found in the LDS faith, which I still agree with whole heartedly. What happened next to my own personal insight was interesting and life changing, it changed the way I approached my mission, the way I approached people who were not of my religion, and the way I viewed other faiths.

In my last area on my mission I was in a  mountain area of Colorado, a very beautiful area, an area that wasn't well off financially for the people who lived there. In our area was a food pantry which was housed in a little white chapel. While the pantry itself wasn't a religion, everyone who volunteered there every second and fourth Monday of the month was religious in someway. We would have a prayer, typically provided by my good friend David who is a Christian. As I interacted with these folks of many different religions for many months I began to realize how happy they were in their religion. Some of these people asked my mission companion and I to come help them with service projects in their church, to help them at their homes, or the home of their friend. We became part of the community.

As we became part of the community and got to know these good Christians I realized quickly that while I was in that area, none of these folks were going to get baptized into the LDS faith, but that wasn't my worry, I wanted to give them a good experience of the LDS faith, and to see them be happy. What I came to realize is the LDS faith wasn't for everyone. Everyone who desires to live the faith of the LDS church can be very happy, and I feel it is the way to eternal happiness.

What I came to learn as I interacted with these folks was each religion has its place. Not everyone can live the life the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints standards would require. There are other religions out there that do many wonderful things for their communities and the world. The reason there are so many different religions is because not everyone fits into one mold. While I feel my faith is THE true church, who am I to say that someone else's religion isn't true for them? With that approach I started seeing people who didn't accept our message, in a different light. I realized the LDS faith wasn't for everyone, it is for everyone if they are ready for it, but not everyone will be. The culture is such that not everyone would feel welcome, even Christ wasn't accepted of everyone, so why should his church be? maybe someone can do more good being somewhere else rather than being part of the LDS faith.

I don't know how this all works together in the eternitites, but I know it will all work out. I am not opposed to sharing my religion with others, but I try to do it in such a way as a dear friend once told me "live in such a way that those who know you will want to know Christ." Everyone I interacted with at that food pantry and other areas of service in my life, lived this quote to a T.

 I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, he was directed to restore again to the earth Jesus Christ's true church. This is the gospel in its entirety, and is the church, with all of Christ's teachings. I know it is true, and I invite others to learn more for themselves by reading the Book of Mormon and asking God if it is truly indeed another testament of Jesus Christ, a companion to the Bible.