"Hello, is this John Westin?"
"Yes," I said.
This was our first exchange when the Mormon called to schedule our meeting. We decided on Wednesday, 3:30p.m. They got lost on the way, so I had to meet them in front of the Chem-Phys building. We sat down and talked for a good half hour at the black table between the President's house and the Chem-Phys building.
There were two of them. Elder Brook was in his early 20's. Chubby, giddy and easy to talk with. I can't remember the other one's name, but I will get it on Sunday when I go to the Church service I was invited to. He was thinner, just as friendly as Brook, but not as talkative. We'll call him Elder Joe for now. Joe seemed to be a more factual kind of guy, whereas Brook didn't seem to care about to facts; he was just happy to be Mormon.
They were both born into the Church, but Elder Brook's father was not a Mormon. I think he was Baptist, so Brook got a little of both worlds. Brook's father transfered from his previous denomination into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints later in his life. Family was emphasized as one of the most valuable parts of the Church. Brook said to me, "Almost all of my friends are Catholic or Baptist." Both Elder Brook and Elder Joe seemed to accept everyone as equals, even non-Mormons. "We're not going to tell you you're wrong," said Elder Brook. All he wants to do is spread The Good News. They have had strange interactions while speaking with people. They told me of one instance where a Christian woman tried to "pray the Mormon" out of them.
Elder Joe told answered the question, "What does 'being a Mormon' mean to you?" He told me about growing up, and questioning the Mormon ideology, because he didn't want to blindly follow his parents. He paryed about it, received an answer and the rest is history.
Elder Brook answered the same question. He was baptized at eight years old, but by the time he was eighteen he was starting to lose interest in the Church. He had been searching for something his entire life, and one day it smacked him in the face. The answer had been right there infront of him the whole time. The Church was his answer. A feeling of warmth came over him. "Imagine the warmest feeling of love in your life," Brook said. The glimmer in his eyes says it all, this man loves the Church, and I doubt he will ever leave.
"Church statistics also show a 30% membership increase between 1990 and 2008—a rate double general US population growth (http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/5611/mormon_numbers_not_adding_up/)." This statistic is not at all surprising when you meet them. They're friendly, seem happy and aren't imposing. They walk door to door, sure, but they don't do any harm. Elder Brook and Elder Joe genuinely care about my conversion, and this is appealing to most people. Sure, their beliefs are a little corky, but so is every religion when you take a good look at what they're preaching. I'm not sure Mormonism will be very appealing to younger people, because of their strict drugs limitations, but I could see middle-class white families being drawn in to the stable, friendly community. According to Brook and Joe, women are placed at a higher standard than men. This idea seems to gain popularity as the years go by, so this will be appealing to the stay-at-home moms out there.
I will be attending a service on Sunday at 9a.m., wish me luck.
"Yes," I said.
This was our first exchange when the Mormon called to schedule our meeting. We decided on Wednesday, 3:30p.m. They got lost on the way, so I had to meet them in front of the Chem-Phys building. We sat down and talked for a good half hour at the black table between the President's house and the Chem-Phys building.
There were two of them. Elder Brook was in his early 20's. Chubby, giddy and easy to talk with. I can't remember the other one's name, but I will get it on Sunday when I go to the Church service I was invited to. He was thinner, just as friendly as Brook, but not as talkative. We'll call him Elder Joe for now. Joe seemed to be a more factual kind of guy, whereas Brook didn't seem to care about to facts; he was just happy to be Mormon.
They were both born into the Church, but Elder Brook's father was not a Mormon. I think he was Baptist, so Brook got a little of both worlds. Brook's father transfered from his previous denomination into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints later in his life. Family was emphasized as one of the most valuable parts of the Church. Brook said to me, "Almost all of my friends are Catholic or Baptist." Both Elder Brook and Elder Joe seemed to accept everyone as equals, even non-Mormons. "We're not going to tell you you're wrong," said Elder Brook. All he wants to do is spread The Good News. They have had strange interactions while speaking with people. They told me of one instance where a Christian woman tried to "pray the Mormon" out of them.
Elder Joe told answered the question, "What does 'being a Mormon' mean to you?" He told me about growing up, and questioning the Mormon ideology, because he didn't want to blindly follow his parents. He paryed about it, received an answer and the rest is history.
Elder Brook answered the same question. He was baptized at eight years old, but by the time he was eighteen he was starting to lose interest in the Church. He had been searching for something his entire life, and one day it smacked him in the face. The answer had been right there infront of him the whole time. The Church was his answer. A feeling of warmth came over him. "Imagine the warmest feeling of love in your life," Brook said. The glimmer in his eyes says it all, this man loves the Church, and I doubt he will ever leave.
"Church statistics also show a 30% membership increase between 1990 and 2008—a rate double general US population growth (http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/5611/mormon_numbers_not_adding_up/)." This statistic is not at all surprising when you meet them. They're friendly, seem happy and aren't imposing. They walk door to door, sure, but they don't do any harm. Elder Brook and Elder Joe genuinely care about my conversion, and this is appealing to most people. Sure, their beliefs are a little corky, but so is every religion when you take a good look at what they're preaching. I'm not sure Mormonism will be very appealing to younger people, because of their strict drugs limitations, but I could see middle-class white families being drawn in to the stable, friendly community. According to Brook and Joe, women are placed at a higher standard than men. This idea seems to gain popularity as the years go by, so this will be appealing to the stay-at-home moms out there.
I will be attending a service on Sunday at 9a.m., wish me luck.
