How do you like me now?

   I was not going to even address this musical in my blog, but I've had several friends who have posted about it on Facebook. To ignore these posts by my friends would be, in my opinion a cowardly action.  So... here goes.
       The tagline for this Broadway musical says, "God loves Mormons.  He wants some more."  This is true.  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I believe it is the only true church on the face of the earth.  This doesn't mean that I can't agree on some religious points with my non-mormon friends.  As I have stated before I lived in Texas for 11 years.  There were many times that I had to agree to disagree, but I left that state with many precious and dear friends.  I believe that by setting a good example... most of the time (Hey, I'm not perfect) I was proselyting by example.  It didn't matter that I was in my own backyard.  I was still proselyting.    In Matthew 28:19 we read: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. None of my non-member friends were baptized Mormon while I lived in Texas but I believe that I planted a seed.  To me that is just as important.  
     President Gordon B. Hinckley stated in his April 1999 conference address: "There are 137,629 volunteers and missionaries in nonproselyting activities. These are, for the most part, mature individuals who contribute their time and talents without compensation of any kind but with a great love for the work of the kingdom. Their united contribution is the equivalent of 15,174 full-time employees with a payroll value of $531,000,000. What a remarkable thing this is." I note that President Hinckley points out that these missionaries do this because they have a "great love for the work of the kingdom". This is true. Why would a 19 year old young man or 21 year old young woman go to... hmmm... let's use the play's location... Uganda, unless they had a great belief, love, and conviction about what they are doing? 
     A NY1 Theater review gave this synopsis about the play: "[The] musical...tells the story of two young idealistic Mormons who leave their Salt Lake City base for Uganda where their mission is to win converts to Mormonism. They quickly discover that the natives aren't exactly ready, willing or able to deal with religion. Plagued by abject poverty, AIDS and the constant threat of death and violence, they're a little preoccupied with basic survival. They don't regard God as particularly friendly to them; and in an irreverently hilarious number they hammer the point home." My brother Tim served a mission in Missouri and Illinois. My brother Sean served a mission in New Jersey. Both of them found some "natives" who weren't "exactly ready, willing or able to deal with religion".  Many of the "natives" there were preoccupied with survival and didn't see God as friendly to them, but both Tim and Sean also found people who received their message, people who had in fact been prepared by God to hear it. Both came back good men, and both are now awesome husbands and fathers. I know that their missions had a lot to do with this. Remember when you are serving others you are serving God. The person serving always gets more out of the service. As Christians we believe this to be true.  David asked the Children of Israel, "...who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" 1 Chronicles 29:5 

     To the makers of this musical... I am sorry if you find hypocrisy in the church.   The church is made up of people who are human and are not perfect. I have not always been a good example to my friends.  I tend to be a little "salty" in my speech.   This doesn't make the church wrong or untrue.  To all of my friends and family who may be struggling or who are enjoying this "slam" on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I challenge you to use the open mind that I know all of you have.  If you really read and study the scriptures with an open heart and mind I promise you would find no hypocrisy.  I promise that, in fact, you would find answers.  "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." Moroni 10:4