I'm a Mormon.

New flash to almost no one: I'm a Mormon.
However, I realized that I have held back from publicly declaring my beliefs, not wanting to offend someone---or more correctly: from being scared that someone will think of me as ignorant.

But no matter what my beliefs are, someone will disagree. Someone will think I'm a hate-monger. Nothing I do will ever be right.

So why am I writing this post now?

I was listening to one of my favorite songs yesterday.
And I really listened to the lyrics that time. And I started to cry.
Not because my religion didn't "allow" me to listen to it anymore.
(Contrary to what many believe...our church doesn't dictate our lives, I choose to follow the standards.)

I started to cry because the song essentially defiled the Atonement. It denied it.
I cried because I felt the loss of hope people in the world have. Their was an absolute void of belief.

I can't listen to that song anymore. Again, not because my church came out and said, "Latter Day Saints  cannot listen to that song." But because the Atonement is so sacred to me, and I have such a strong faith of it that it hurts me to listen to it.

Maybe it was a good thing for me to realize these lyrics--it gave me that push to proclaim my beliefs.

I am a Mormon. I believe in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
I have a faith that is occasionally wavering, so it leads me to search and decide for myself. I am not ignorantly following teachings because I have never known anything else. I choose to live according to the gospel because I feel--deeply--that it is what I should.

I know that we had a life before this world, and have loving Heavenly Parents who only want the best for us. Although trials come and it is hard to believe, it is only to humble us and help us turn towards Him. I believe that families are eternal, that Chad and I will be able to love each other for a time unfathomable to me now. I have a faith in the doctrine in the Book of Mormon, and that the principles taught within it are easily applied to my life now. But, I also know that the New Testament and Old Testament contain true records of the lives of prophets. I believe in the divinity of motherhood, and the sanctity of marriage, that marriage should be only between man and wife. But above all this: I know that God loves us so much, that He sacrificed His Son--Jesus--to atone for us. And He did this so that our sins can be lifted, if we but repent. But included in the atonement I know that Christ has felt our pain and knows our sorrows. And if we turn to our Heavenly Father he will help us with our trials. Although the trial itself may not feel to have been lifted--the heaviness will feel lighter. We are children of God. We can live with Him and our families again.
This is my testimony. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ--our Savior and Redeemer, amen.

With Love,
Kylie