By Jocelyn Christensen
It's been a "big" year-and-a-half for Mormons, in the eyes of media organizations in our country.
Now as they are waist-deep in coverage of the 2012 U.S. Presidential election campaign, a race that included not one but two members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reporters everywhere are scrambling.
Major blogs and dailies are churning out articles by the dozens. In addition to pontificating about whatMormons are really all about, they want to know: What do Mormons want to get out of "The Mormon Moment?"
I've been thinking about this question for a while now, and it's a question that I've found sort of circular in nature. However, I finally settled on an answer, or so I thought.
I thought, all we want is what every member of any religion, nationality, or group wants: a fair shake.
We want to be seen and heard and understood for who we really are. We want to hear from otherMormons who walk the walk, not just talking heads on TV. We want to be known as women (and men) who are educated, talented, sophisticated, and who choose their own path, who know that the Savior, Jesus Christ loves and leads them.
Personally, I want my friends to understand that a majority of Mormons support traditional marriage and families--not to be a thorn in anybody's side--but because it is through this family equation that we learn the most fundamental truths about God, our Eternal Father, and about his personal connection to every person who comes to Earth. It is not the easy road, but we walk it because of personal conviction, faith in God, and love for our fellow men.
Personally, I want my friends to understand that a majority of Mormons support traditional marriage and families--not to be a thorn in anybody's side--but because it is through this family equation that we learn the most fundamental truths about God, our Eternal Father, and about his personal connection to every person who comes to Earth. It is not the easy road, but we walk it because of personal conviction, faith in God, and love for our fellow men.
As I was sitting in our Sacrament meeting in church recently, these thoughts were cycling through my mind. I just kept returning to the words "Mormon Moment."
And then I realized that the label itself is what I find so absurd. But that's how a lot of labels are in the news biz. You've got to be able to give a name to the thing you are covering.
The "Mormon Moment" that they are describing is just a passing infatuation that the world has right now with a peculiar people whose time has come to be in the spotlight.
But, as Latter-day Saints, we know that the Mormon Moment didn't happen in 2011 or 2012. And there isn't just one of them.
The Mormon Moment happened in 1820, when a 14 year-old boy dared to defy the religious clerics of his day by seeking out a testimony of his own.
Instead of taking their word about which church was true, he went straight to God and asked Him which church he should join. As a result, he was visited by God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ and was told to join none of them.
That was the real Mormon Moment.
That was the moment that true religion and great truths about God were restored to the earth.
And every moment since then, when someone has decided to take the questions that they have in their heart directly to God Himself, and received their own personal answers, those were also Mormon Moments.
These Mormon moments continue to happen quietly each day in homes around the world: every time that someone prays for answers, reads scriptures, nurtures a child, strengthens a marriage, decides to follow God, enters the waters of baptism, or serves their neighbor.
Those are all Mormon Moments.
No newspaper will ever cover those Mormon Moments, but these are the real moments that matter toMormons.
Former TV news producer turned stay-home mother of three, Jocelyn Christensen lives, breathes, and blogs her testimony at We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ.
