Token Mormon Friend

I have many friends who aren't Mormon like me. It seems that more and more often I am being asked questions related to my faith. A very dear friend of mine said to me last night, "I often wonder how it is that my friend who I consider so smart and respect so much can believe these outrageous things that I hear about the Mormon church?" My response to her was simple, "then just ask me." At work every time a student, or family, or community member turns out to be Mormon I am looked to as the expert. Everything I do and the other Mormons around are doing is being watched very closely and often being seen as the Mormon way.

So, while I never take offense to being asked questions about my faith, I am very concerned that as the token Mormon person in so many people's lives- am I being a good representative of my faith? Would Heavenly Father choose me as His representative?

It is very similar to the conversation I had with my often all too single minded husband earlier this week. I was sharing that as American's we have a tendency to over generalize our thoughts of a whole group of people based on a small singular experience with only one or two people who can be connected with that group. I try very hard to understand that while collectively people may share a basic set of beliefs, each person is still very much an individual and shouldn't be judged based upon the actions of others. For example, let's look at me as a Mormon. I believe very strongly in the existence of my Heavenly Father and in the teachings of my church, but I also can appear very contrary to the teachings of my church. For one, I have six tattoo's. While I don't actively encourage anyone to get tattoo's, I also don't mind them. I am a convert and would not have gotten a tattoo after joining the church, but I also don't mind that I have them.


So my thoughts are these:

1. I will do my best to represent my Heavenly Father in the best way I can and hope that I make Him proud.

2. I will do my best to remember that everyone is an individual and will try to restrict judgement

3. I will encourage others to try to remember that same idea.