Another installment of Peggy's Pearls...

Life has been busy but in a really good way! I am way behind on blogging and need to catch up so I don't really have time for this, but it's been a long while since I've posted one of Peggy's Pearls. I came across this excerpt from an article by the Church's Head of Public Affairs, Michael Otterson.

There has been a series of interesting events and/or notable people that have sparked interest in the church recently like Jimmermania, Brandon Davies' honor code violation, Book of Mormon the Musical on Broadway, possible presidential bids from Romney and Huntsman, Marie Osmond's remarriage to her first husband - BYU basketball star Steve Craig, etc. etc.

I enjoyed this article and I agree that these were three important things people should know about Mormons. It also served as a reminder to me to take a look at myself and be sure that I am doing an adequate job of practicing what I preach. I think I'm doing okay but always plenty of room for improvement!

Here is the excerpt from the article...

Perhaps most significantly as the church grows, more people have a Mormon co-worker, neighbor, or friend. And, as people get to know Mormons they get a clearer, fuller, and more accurate picture of our faith. This is vital, since real understanding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lags far behind its visibility.

In that vein, let me offer three things you should know about Mormons which are neither trivial nor stereotypical.

1. Mormons follow Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God and at the center of our belief and – to the best of our ability – our behavior. Some people like to define “Christian” in very precise and narrow terms. To me, it’s quite simple. We try to reflect Jesus Christ’s teachings in our lives and rely on his love and mercy when we make mistakes.

2. Mormons are friends of the family. Many of those who know Latter-day Saints realize how important the family is to us. Ideally, that means a mother, father, and their children. Today’s reality, though, means that sometimes we have broken families, remarriages, and single parents. And a large proportion of our church membership is single adults. Still, the nuclear family lies deep at the core of our belief about the purpose of life and the nature of God. It is, we believe, the fundamental unit of our society and of the eternities. While the traditional family is increasingly under threat, Mormons continue to sustain it as part of the divine order and the ballast of society.

3.Mormons are big on incorporating their religious beliefs into their day-to-day actions. Service is a hugely important principle, whether serving in the church or out of it. For some, that means partnering with others to help the people of Haiti or Japan. For others, it’s cooking a meal for a sick neighbor. At whatever level, service is as much a part of our religious culture as going to church on Sunday.

The first presidency of the Church:

Henry B. Eyring, Thomas S. Monson (president), Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The quorum of the twelve apostles


The pictures were not in the article. I added them for interest and for those who can't stand to read anything without pictures (like me!) I firmly believe that I would not be the person I am today without the guidance and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The church does not force me to do anything. It teaches me divine principles and let's me decide for myself. I feel like the LDS doctrine is a recipe for happiness and if you follow it as outlined (like a tried and true cooking recipe), happiness is guaranteed. That doesn't mean that we will always get what we want or that we are promised a life without sadness or tragedy or disappointment, but knowing why we are here and where we are going gives us the perspective to deal with life's ups and downs and still be happy.

I am so grateful for the restored gospel and I cherish Sundays and the opportunity it gives us all to dwell on those things. The peace and contentment that the gospel brings is a gift that I wish I could give to everyone. The missionaries spend every day for two years trying to give it away. It's kind of funny when you think that those two young men in white shirts, bad ties and dorky bike helmets (not to mention sisters in skirts of various extremely unflattering lengths) knocking on your door are actually giving away a gift beyond measure - the chance to hear the gospel. It's ironic that the unimportant things in this life are wrapped up in beautiful packaging both literally and metaphorically and are accessible to only a very small percentage of the world's population. Yet, the key to true happiness is free and easily accessible and even comes knocking at your door occasionally but most people don't realize what it is when they see it. The image of it makes me chuckle yet it's so sad at the same time.

I didn't mean to wax so philosophical, I just wanted to share those 3 things I came across and it just reminded me how grateful I am.