my friend,

[lizinginholland]

as it is i live half way across from her, she was raised amongst mormons but is not one herself but still feels like she wants to go to church she's 16, and im really proud of her having these desires to go but she told me that even though she knows its right to go and stuff, that she still feels outta place like she doesnt know who to sit by and she's kinda embarrassed to say she feels a little jelous seeing all the familys in church with their own little spot on the bench where they sit every sunday, i suggested that she go and since everyone already kinda knows her because its a small town and basically everyone is LDS i told her to go and shake peoples hands and say goodmorning and stuff, just to kinda lighten the atmosphere, and to walk in there confidently, and there is no reason to be timid she has just as much right to be there as anyone else. i suggested that she talk to the bishop too, and just kinda tell him how she feels, and maybe he can do something. i realized as i was back in the states for summer and iwent to my sisters ward.. no one came and introduced themselves.. and i just felt totally... weird to say.. just horrible.. i mean good that i was in church but i felt so not welcome.. which is so different from where i am now, i mean everyone comes and says good morning and its just.. home. the church here is home, im not saying that its not in america which it is ofcourse, but i just feel that people should try and welcome all visitors instead of just the bishop at the podium, and who knows maybe they're not visitors maybe they've been more than a couple times but stopped coming for this reason...
my wishes are that we all can welcome people as we would want to be welcomed... go up and introduce yourselves, ask questions guide them to where they need to go for the next meeting, just totally be there for them, even though you dont know them, you have no idea how much it would mean to them...
maybe i was hoping some of you might be willing to pray for these people not just my friend, but just for people in general to feel welcome. and.. at home, because thats what the church should feel like.. a home for you the real you, the spirit you, where everyone is equal and loved. .. its hard to explain. but this is truely important. the concern for someone's well being can go a long long way...
just thought i would share my thoughts. and hopes.. that we can make church a home rather than a meeting... a home where your spirit feels relaxed and ... there isn;t a word for it in English ''gezellig'' ..thats what it is indutch... everyone is connected we all come from the same place. we should all feel at home because we're all family.. the church should feel like a family. its the place that really matters in the world, materialistic things dont matter, in the end we all need eachother, and the gospel and what we were sent down here for is really the only thing that matters. i dont know how to fully explain it...

anyway im gonna go sleep i have the flu haha...

but i just felt i should share my thoughts. and maybe if we all pull together we can share the love with others and make them too feel at home.

[Palerider]

thanks for sharing and I hope you feel better...

[Hemidakota]

You are right that we must learn to show love for others and know how to welcome them into the church.