My friend is helping pass some new laws for the state she lives in. They are trying to unite and strengthen the peoplehood factor (feeling a part of something larger than oneself). She has asked me to tell her how Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints do that. She is working with lots of people but specifically wonders how the "Mormon" Community does it both locally and as an international people.
So here are the two questions...
1. In your view, how does the Church strengthen LDS Peoplehood (ie unite people/communities and want to work together to support a bigger picture)
and
2. What makes you feel like you are a part of something larger than yourself?
Some examples might be shared family morals, helping people in need with the welfare program, going on missions, etc... Feel free to expound on ideas.
If you respond with an answer I can tell you a few more details- but am not allowed to post here on the blog as many of the interesting details as I would like to.
10 comments:
Okay friend here goes. I hope that 'she' doesn't mind me saying a couple things that I think are a top the lists that deal with beliefs rather than just into main stream traditions or kick backs of the culture.
I believe firmly that the Holy Ghost (Galatians 5:22-23) is tops the list of what binds our culture together. As we feel the Holy Ghosts promptings we find direction and a softening of our hearts to help serve others in many different wise ways.
Is that a cop out on the question, NO! That is the truth. It is what binds us together.
Considering the abovementioned (God is directing us through the Holy Ghost) I’d complete my response with this comments on the questions:
1. In your view, how does the Church strengthen LDS Peoplehood (ie unite people/communities and want to work together to support a bigger picture)?
a. We, Church members and the leadership, emphasize true needs for our membership to achieve true joy. Part of true joy is togetherness in my opinion—we foster in our communities continual interaction and support from it. We nominalize differences and evangelize our likenesses and strengths. Additionally, we attend bonding membership activities that help grow others continually (youth programs, relief efforts, missionary work, etc.). These focus on our main beliefs, those same beliefs we have felt a confirmation from God on. This comprises our testimony, thus confirmed by the Holy Ghost (Galatians 3:22-23). Our mission as a church and membership is nicely defined by 1) Proclaim the Gospel 2) Redeem the Dead 3) Perfect the Saints. Much, if not all, we do can be categorized into these three areas. We gain traction through focus and direction, openness and consideration, charity and love.
2. What makes you feel like you are a part of something larger than yourself?
a. I feel a part of something larger than myself due to the benefits (Galatians 5:22-23) that I feel and the friendships that have been cultivated. Then I see the after effect of my personal /church’s service—for example the change in my personal, family, church members, and community’s life/state.
I hope that you and your friend see this as a sincere reply. It is not stated with a preaching tone, but a very real very genuine explanation exposing my true thoughts and true essence of our church.
I’ll post this on my blog and see if there are any comments over there.
http://consciousignorance.blogspot.com/
so another thought is the spirit develops the culture.
enough said.
angenette, i think you're combining culture and tradition. i'm stating belief system creates the culture. 'tradition ' (fiddler on the roof) alway subjects silly people to hold on to it, yet the question is what 'unite people/communities and want to work together to support a bigger picture'. the spirit unites.
-sorry for the deletes on comments.
angenette,
i'd love to chit chat. anytime.
-doug
Here's what I posted over at Doug's place:
Hmmm...what does the Church do to strengthen "peoplehood"?
Everything is localized. And voluntary. Wards and stakes pretty much govern themselves and take care of each other. When I give money in fast offerings, it's going to people in my neighborhood, not to some ambiguous charity organization. Leadership and teaching positions are filled voluntarily and rotate amongst the members. I think that causes people to take ownership of the responsibilities. We, here locally, are charged with taking care of each other.
My uncle just went to Guatemala with a dentist that fixed all their teeth, well he pulled out all their rotten teeth so they would not be in pain anymore. Majority of the people were LDS. They also helped put light in the schools, and many more things. What is awesome about how LDS connect peoplehood is through service. It starts with the family and spreeds throughout the world. What was neet is that after they did their service they all stood by the fire and sang an LDS Hymn, "God be with you until we meet again." We leave behind love and that is what connects our peoplehood. Its part of a bigger picture because it does not just affect us individually. It affects everyone we come into contact with. I would say through service and love and following the example of Christ is how we connect our peoplehood and we become part of the big picture.
One of the things that my family depended on when I was growing up was that the church is the same no matter where you go. The gosple doesn't change, the organization in the Church doesn't change. No matter where I lived while I was growing up, I knew I could depend on the Church to be the same. This has been a major part of community building, although people who are leaders are different, they teach the same thing. You know what their responsibilities are, to some extent. You know that they are their for a common purpose. Once you've gotten that, it is easy for a group of young adults, women, or men to get together and extend God's hand in other's lives. Once you see that you are part of something, and feel that comfort, it is easy to share it with those around you. It's sometimes not that easy to share your beliefs, unless asked, but it is so easy to share of yourself. I think that our church teaches selflessness. You,Amy, are an amazing example of this. No matter how stressed you seem to be, there wasn't a time that I didn't see you doing something for someone else. It's more than that's how you were raised. I've been to other churches, but I can honestly say that this is the only church that sincerely does what they do out of pure faith.
So in short: Faith, and a gospel that is - the same today, tomorrow and forever.
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