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UTAH 2005
Utah 2005
Loving my neighbor as I love myself is not always easy. Of course…my neighbors who believe what I believe, look like I look, treat me with respect, and love me are always easy to love in return. But what about those around me who have “strange” faiths? What about those who aren’t always friendly, or who think I’m wrong? Does God call me to love them as well? Yes. The answer is always yes.
For the past 150 years Latter-Day Saints (nicknamed Mormons) and Evangelical Christians have been name-calling, fist-throwing, and butting heads. But times are a-changing. Five years ago, CCU sent the first school-backed mission trip to Utah. Hearts were blazing, minds were reeling, but the Cause had changed. No longer did these Evangelical students wish to “Mormon-bash,” or street preach, or send the lot of Utah to Hell with a pat on the back. This generation of students decided to implement change – to begin building bridges, to smile at Mormons, shake their hands, RESPECT them – not intending to compromise, or in an effort to encompass Mormonism in the scope of Christianity, but to make a statement. The students simply and with pure hearts said, "We can be friends with Mormons; we can love them as our neighbors!"
Now history is being made in Utah. The pleasant exchanges between Latter-Day Saints and Evangelicals have led to institutional notice. Leaders from both groups are seeing a change and beginning to understand that arguing is getting us nowhere.
