The South...

Sorry, this is long... If you don't have time to read, then don't. It's just my first expirience with a bit of culture shock.

Well, we have been loving it here. And more and more I am realizing that I am in the South. At church I keep hearing little comments about bits of persecution for being members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. I wondered what they were talking about? I figure since there are not as many members here, there are not as many that know about the church and so maybe people have neighbors that snob them or whatever because they are LDS. Well, it's more than that. One lady in our last ward, told a story that they were out for a Young Women activity in their neighborhood and a BIG man got into her face and started yelling at her telling her that she needed to belong to a Christian church and saying we were the devils church and stuff like that. She said she was so scared but was able to calmly explained that we are very much Christian. He didn't want to listen and stomped back into the house, unknowingly his son was outside watching and after his dad went back into the house he apologised to them for his dad's conduct. And I think he was later baptized. I thought wow, that is too bad that somebody would be like that. Then I heard another story like that, and another, I'm thinking wow! That is so abnormal for me to hear. Being from AZ, I guess most everybody there either is LDS or knows about the LDS church and sees that it is a Christian based church. Anyway, what got me on this subject is, we have a recent convert in our ward. (Our ward has A LOT of converts, but this girl is recent) She works at a pre-school ( for the past 3 years) at a close by Methodist church where she was a member and where her parents are still members. She was telling us last night at Enrichment that she was let go from her job on Monday because she was baptized in the LDS "Mormon" church. They told her that they were letting her go because, "her contract states that she must have Christian values and lead a christian life. And that because she is now Mormon that she is not a christian." That totally took me back. I was shocked! I couldn't believe that someone would be so naive about our church. I couldn't believe things like that still happen. (I've lived a sheltered life in AZ) She tried to explain that she is absolutely christian and quoted a few scriptures but she didn't want to hear it. I would have said, "HELLO! We are the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day saints, It's in the name, we revolve around Christianity, everything the church teaches is Christian. We have christian values. How can they not see that? It's because they don't want to see it. They are scared of the unknown and would most likely be baptized if they looked into the church. So instead they harden their hearts and are mean to those that are members. (We told her to give the lady the book, Are Mormons Chirstians?) Anyway, she was told it was the Pastors decision and she can't talk to him, mainly because they don't even know who the pastor is because he is new. WHAT? How can you not know who the leader of your church is? (Again, that is so forien to me. We always know who the leader is and who will be next if he dies. Like when pres. Hinkley died, we knew pres. Monson would probably be next.) WOW! Anyway, Many LDS families take their kids there for pre-school. They need to pull them out. Since apparently we are not christian and are not welcome there. They should go to the Lutheran pre-school around the corner that has a lot of LDS families there too and has an LDS Supervisor, that works there. And knows we ARE very much Christian's. Anyway, very interesting. Just thought I would share my bit of culture shock with you. Oh, that girls parents are no longer going to go to that church. Maybe that will be a stepping stone for them to investigate the LDS church? Something good will come of it, either way.