What Do Mormons Look Like?

There is an interesting Op/Ed piece in today's Salt Lake Tribune proclaiming that the church members portrayed in the new "I'm a Mormon" video ads are somehow "too cool" to actually be members of the church, and don't reflect the reality of "real Mormons"  whom the author states are rather bland and boring. Some of these ads show members of the church who are British rock stars and Olympians and fashion designers but many of them are accountants or writers or college students, etc.  Ironically, just yesterday, on a walk with a friend, a similar idea came up when we were discussing someone's comment in a class that grinding our own wheat and baking our own bread is just what Mormons do.  Applying my favorite questions,  I asked myself first..."Is this true?"  Is bread baking actually necessary for exaltation? Are Mormons all boring? Ummm...I think not.  Granted, I do, in fact, own a bread machine, mostly so that I can make yummy whole grain options for much less than the stores charge.  But I don't believe it is a prerequisite for the Celestial Kingdom.  Now, I'm certainly not trying to ruffle any feathers here, ...but I think the stereotypes about what Mormons look and act like stem mostly from...well, Mormons...specifically Mormons from Utah, or Arizona, or California, places where the church has been since Pioneer times.  Maybe they still associate church with shredded carrots in jello, or big hair or matching floral print dresses because that's the custom or culture they are used to.  But it isn't doctrinal as best I can tell.  The church is now truly a world wide organization, with members in every corner of the globe.  Many I bet have never even heard of jello.  I just can't imagine that one of my sisters in the gospel who happens to live in the Pacific Islands or the Ukraine, or Africa or even Texas for that matter,  has to toss out all of her beautiful traditional customs, foods, clothes, etc. to try to appear "more Mormon".  Or that the Spirit can't possibly whisper the truthfulness of the Gospel to someone with a nontraditional job or hobby or appearance.  But I do think that there are some long time members who might need to wake up and smell the root beer and realize that a testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel is available to anyone, with any job, or personality or even hair cut who asks God the simple question "is it true?"

Not Mutually Exclusive

This should be interesting...I feel like I am "coming out" of the religion closet with all of my yoga friends...Yes, folks, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka "LDS" or "the Mormons". Preston and I joined the church in 1993, while I was pregnant with Maddie.  We were very faithful members for a long time, up until we stopped going to church in 2005 or so...interestingly enough, about the same time that I began to practice yoga.  HOWEVER....I did not become "inactive" in the church BECAUSE I practiced yoga.  It was actually for a lot of reasons, none of them good, including misguided priorities, pride, ego, not feeling like I fit in with our local Ward, etc. (LDS churches are set up geographically into Stakes, which are comprised of several smaller units called Wards, or congregations, whose members all live relatively close to each other.)  To be quite honest, Preston and I weren't in the best place as a couple, either,  again, mostly due to pride, ego and misguided priorities. (Starting to see a theme here.) Nevertheless, and regardless of the reasons, I walked away from what had brought me great joy, peace and deep understanding, thinking that I could do better, be better, evolve more if I struck out on my own, spiritually speaking.  And while I was on my personal vision quest, I discovered yoga and fell in love.  Yoga and I fit together like a hand in glove.  In the early years, my mat was just my favorite "workout spot" and my hiding place from unhappiness.  I was naturally "good" at the yoga poses, having that much sought after combination of strength and flexibility and that made me "feel better" about myself. And, like I have done countless times throughout my life, I threw myself hook, line and sinker (or more accurately "body, mind and spirit" - does anyone else get tired of that phrase?) into yoga.  Full time.  Teacher Training, subbing at the "wellness center" inside a local hospital, starting a class at the community center, opening a studio inside a popular gym, then a local spa and hair salon (even now that makes me cringe!) and eventually opening my own studio, which was beautiful, and peaceful and one of my proudest accomplishments. I learned so much about so much. I grew to love the spiritual aspects of the practice, the chanting, the stories, the Bhagavad Gita and the Sutras.  They were meaningful to me.  But as I look back, even though I never mentioned my "Mormon Days" to anyone, almost everything that drew people to me as a yoga teacher could actually  be traced back to something I learned from the LDS church.  My caring, my compassion, my gentleness, my simplicity, my teaching style -  were all models of the teachings of Jesus Christ.  I had convinced myself that "church wasn't for me anymore", but Jesus quietly taught through me many many times.  And then, as sometimes happens in life, I was thrown a curve ball in the health department that made teaching yoga, even practicing yoga, impossible.  So I "retired" from teaching and returned home to step on the medical treadmill for many many months. And during that time of confusion and sadness and fear, events occurred that softened my heart, pricked my spirit and brought me back "home" to the church.  And in the past year, as my health has improved, my marriage has blossomed and our family is happier than we have ever been, you may be asking...where does yoga fit in now? The good news is that my yoga practice is stronger than ever.  Not physically.  Those days of wild arm balances are likely long gone, but my mat is now my dear friend.  We meet regularly, for movement, for quiet, for tuning in and listening to what God would have me know for the day. Yoga and religion are not mutually exclusive.  And that, I guess, is the purpose of this blog, to share my thoughts as both Sister White (we call each other Brother and Sister at church, because, well, let's face it...we are ALL brothers and sisters, every single one of us on the planet.) and as Yogamomma, a busy stay at home mom who loves to practice yoga.  Thanks for reading.