Mormon

The 24th of July

mikemjensen Utah Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

The 24th of July.

It might not have the same ring to you as the Fourth, but the “24th” in these parts is just as popular.

From amormonblog.com

From amormonblog.com

July 24, 1847 is the day the first Mormon pioneers, of which my family shares history, entered and settled the valley of the Great Salt Lake. It is here that they felt they would find the refuge they sought and needed, outside of the U.S. borders.

They did not hate the U.S., but its courts and systems of justice had failed them. They needed to find a place away from it all, and this place that no one else really wanted, suited the call.

Utah is a patriotic lot, don’t get me wrong. There is a fierce loyalty and belief in this country that would match any other group. But the day our earliest settlers realized they had found the place for which they hoped and prayed, it’s was a true day of Independence that rivaled the one 71 years earlier.

And it still does.

Happy Pioneer Day.

 

Day 151

LDS vs. The World

mikemjensen Sunday Thoughts Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

I heard today someone say “I don’t do LDS people.” Meaning, I don’t associate or attempt to communicate or be friendly with Mormons.

I’ve met people recently who are shocked I am Mormon, because “You don’t seem Mormon.”

How so?

I’m normal. I talk to non-Mormons as if they are human beings. Real people. I even like a bunch of them.

I don’t care if you drink beer, whiskey, coffee. Or if you smoke. Or if you swear. Or you don’t go to church every, or any, Sunday. I don’t care if you’re Christian or not, or if you even believe in God. As a person, these things are irrelevant to me as it pertains to whether you are interesting, a good neighbor, a fishing buddy, a friend, a boss, an employee, or deserving of common courtesy and friendliness. I also don’t assume that since you don’t believe the same as me, you must be lacking until I share with you what it is I believe and you agree.1016515_404587326321060_1411328951_n

Apparently, this is different from the majority of my doctrinal brothers and sisters. I apologize. Just know that there are plenty who don’t feel the need to judge and indoctrinate.

If you’re LDS and reading this, know that you’re also being judged. And the only reason you don’t know that is because your judges have stopped talking to you.

Be cool. Give the others the chance to be themselves. It’s OK to associate with people with different beliefs. In fact, hearing others opinions and beliefs might help you in understanding your own.

“Judge not, lest you be judged.” The saying is still as smart as advice as the day it was given.

I have found, however, that as much as I like someone, or dislike someone; it can all change on what football team they follow.

 

Day 104

Birthday Week- Saturday

mikemjensen Gratitude, Vanity Tags: , , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

Saturday of my Birthday Week. Last day, I promise. All week I’ve been listing things I’m thankful for and things that make getting older worth the effort.

Saturday- My Faith.

Faith means a lot of things to different people. To me it means those things that I believe, hope, or count on deep in my thoughts, emotions, and feelings. It extends beyond the question to which religion you subscribe. It’s more than a set of do’s and don’ts. It’s the feeling of how and why.

Manti Utah Temple which some of my ancestors help to build

Manti Utah Temple which some of my ancestors help to build

I’ve been raised Mormon and I cherish the heritage that gave me. Beyond belonging to a group of people from a particular family or country, I belong to a history of people who chose to be together, who struggled together, and who put their faith in things beyond the conventional possibilities. I’ve been blessed with this association for my entire life. (Sometimes plagued, I confess.)

As a child I learned to trust the happenings around me. Persevere and move forward, better things await those that do.

As a teenager, I kept myself out of a lot of trouble (not all). Some that might’ve affected my life in undesirable ways.

I remember as an 18 year old, new to the construction site, I was designated to hold the weekly football bet money. Several hundred dollars were put in my trust, over the weekend, not because they knew me, but because they knew I was Mormon. It taught me to be true to what I claimed as my values in all times, especially when others counted on it.

My Faith took me to France and Switzerland and taught me French. A lesson I will never forget.

My Faith has given me the encouragement to carry on through in justices in the world. A belief that the ultimate justice would be based on how I acted on a day-to-day basis and not in a tally for tally, eye for an eye method in what was fair in the world. It gave me a compass.

My Faith has allowed me to ask questions, to challenge my own Faith, to dig deep for answers and when lines don’t meet, dig deeper, to relax when things aren’t perfect, and believe and hope that one day it will be.

I’ve stated a very big, private part of me in just a few sentences. I don’t mean to trivialize it but to just give a small glance into why I think it’s the growth of that faith that I look forward to as I get older. I wonder what questions I don’t even know how to ask yet.I fear and anticipate with hope to see what Faith has to offer in the future.

At least, that’s what I believe anyway.

Day 82