We still have a dog.  I was a little irritated because he had just walked on my freshly mopped floor.  Isn't that the way it goes though??  Anyway, I want to say what's on my mind today.  I am a Mormon.  I am proud of it and like Ann Dibbs said, "I Know It, I Live It, I Love It."  This is me.  I had a dream last night that I was a missionary again.  Only this time I was serving here at home in Washington.  I was getting ready to leave and go home (even though in my dream I am totally married and still have the kids) and I was in an apartment packing all my stuff.  A few ward members were out for a run and they stopped to say good bye to me.  I was crying and so were a few of them.  Only I remember that I was crying hard.  I woke up and realized that I had an awesome experience.  I learned some wonderful things about the gospel on my mission and I was so blessed to be able to share them with others.  I made great friends!  My companions were simply awesome.  Except for 2, I feel so lucky to have gotten the chance to meet, and teach with these wonderful girls.  I just feel blessed to have been able to do something wonderful. 

That being said I'm surprised at people who are members of the church and choose not to be active.  Does going to church take up your Sunday?  Yes.  But what really is there to do on Sunday that you can't do on Saturday?  What I'm getting at is this I think.  I had a friend in high school who was a very religious girl.  She moved to Idaho when she was a junior but would keep in touch often and sometimes call and sing hymns to me.  For Christmas she sent me a video of Our Heavenly Fathers Plan.  She came to my wedding.  She had a glow about her and she was a faithful church goer.  I sort of lost track of her after having kids and life and stuff.  But after getting on Facebook there she was.  Only in her picture she had on a sleeveless dress.  I was curious and after reading some of her profile she has abandoned Mormonism and is something else.  She claims that she read some stuff about the church and decided it wasn't true.  Her husband got on board with her, as did her 3 boys.  What happened??  I mostly want to call her and say What the heck happened to you?  You grew up hearing about eternal families and now you want to throw that away?  I don't understand.  I feel bad for her I really do.  I wonder if a part of her deep, deep down still knows and wants to believe but maybe she's thinking it's to late.  It's never to late.  O.k. I'll sum up.  There are things about the church that I don't know.  There are.  But this I DO know.  1.  What I don't know doesn't bother me, and I certainly am not going to go read some anti literature to find the answer.  2. What I DO know,  I know to absolutely be true.  There have been experiences in my life both in the past and right now that have happened that I will never deny.  I know that God hears and answers prayers.  From big ones to small ones.  Because I have had answers to both.  I feel blessed to be a member of the church.  Because it has blessed my life in ways that I can never explain.  I am happy.  I am grateful.  And I just am.