PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS
Every religion you could possibly imagine, every way of life, was represented on Temple Square this week and we spoke to sooooooo many people.
Imagine just a swarm of people all wanting to know more. Here's the tricky part: they really don't like the idea of missionaries.
The Parliament is big on Interfaith, simply accepting everyone's beliefs and working on doing the best that we can. This is all well and good and seriously such an amazing idea and program, but, what do missionaries do?
They proselyte. They teach. They encourage others to learn and invite them to consider something more than what they already know. While everyone was respectful they were 100% not interested in considering anything else. And many believed that Mormons only want to convert people so were surprised to find many members mingled in with the interfaith crowd.
So needless to say it was a harder week when most of the people you talk with think Mormonism stands against the entire convention. That's the beauty of Temple Square though. The fact that they came from all around the world and were able to see what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly all about. Hearts were softened and we met quite a few who became interested in learning about the gospel.
FUN STORY: Speaking of diversity, my assignment this transfer is at the Humanitarian Center which helps refugees etc. from all over the world learn English and gain the knowledge necessary to apply for a job. With this we meet many different people. This week we met a Russian who is teaching English here. We sat and ate lunch with him and this Indian woman walks over, sets this dessert on the table and walks away. He hands them to us, asks us how they are and refuses to try it. We ask him why and he says in true, stereotypical Russian fashion "Sweets are for ladies. I am a man I eat meat." End of story.
Now getting to the best part of the week which actually happened just this morning. I. SHOOK. ELDER. HOLLAND'S. HAND. YES. ELDER.
HOLLAND.
What.
Is this real life?
He came and spoke to our mission this morning so we all woke up at 5:30 a.m. to get there by 6:30 so he could speak to us at 7.
He wanted to shake our hands and told us afterwards that he had just interviewed all of us. How scary is that!?!?! But it's all good haha I think we passed.
He then went on to teach us about the Book of Mormon. We are missionaries, we should know the Book of Mormon by now but what he shared with us was the central message, the key part of the Book of Mormon, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of essence our very religion. The Book of Mormon is simply a book written by revelation about revelation. Everything in our religion points us back towards revelation. We know that Book of Mormon is true through personal revelation. Joseph Smith became a prophet because of revelation and prophets continue to guide us through revelation. This is the message, that God is living and speaks with man today. He reveals truth and it is through revelation that the Church, the teachings of Christ, the teachings of God has been restored IN ITS FULLNESS. From the beginning of time until now God has called prophets and He will continue to.
Simply put if we can not accept the fact that God speaks with man then nothing else matters.
How blessed I am to be serving on Temple Square! How amazing it is that I am able to hear from an apostle of God and how truly great it is to know that this is God's church on the Earth.
Sky is blue. Church is True.
Love
Sister Eging
Companion and me at pumpkin patch on PDay:
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