Mormon.

It is an interesting time to be a young Mormon in the United States.

Mormons have been making the news a lot lately, especially with Mitt Romney potentially winning the GOP presidential nomination. People are becoming curious about our faith and what we believe in. Which is great! Knowledge is power.

But, sadly, a lot of what the popular television news shows say about our faith is wrong. They portray us as a polygamist cult that worships a different god than other Christian faiths. John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change" lyrics pop up into my head when it says, "When you trust your television, what you get is what you got. 'Cause when they own the information, they can bend it all they want." I want to set this bended information straight so that everyone who reads this can be a little smarter than the newscasters and have a greater understanding of the Mormon faith, which I understand, can be a little confusing and intimidating.

Let's start by stating the correct name - it's called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has "Jesus Christ" in it for a reason - He is the focus of our faith; we worship Him, follow His teachings, and strive to be like Him. How people can mistake us as not Christians is a mystery to me - it's in our name.

Second, we are not a cult. We live all over the world as normal citizens. I went to a public high school, I live in a normal neighborhood, I shop at normal places, I wear normal (but modest) clothes, I eat normal food, I do normal things. Our choices to abstain from drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea, swearing, and other harmful substances may cause us to stand out, but those choices are in no way a determining factor of if we are a cult or not. You probably live around some Mormons and didn't even know it!

Third, polygamy is a part of our past. We do not practice it now. It served a purpose during the Saints' trek across the United States and their early years trying to settle in Utah but ended when it was no longer needed in 1890. I have one mom. All my LDS friends have one mom. We do not practice polygamy. Simple!

These are just some simple facts about our faith that are most often misunderstood or misrepresented. I know there are more, and if you want to ask me about them, please do! Mormon.org is a great resource regarding questions! I use it once in while myself! Or feel free to ask your friendly Mormon neighbor. :)

With all the incorrect facts floating around about Mormonism - it makes me want to learn more about other faiths so that I can have a better understanding of them before I make judgements. What others choose to believe or worship shouldn't determine if you accept them or not. We're all different and I think it's time we openly accept that!

I love being Mormon. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brings me more happiness than anything else. Some may say that religion is a blind stronghold; I do not follow my faith because I am blind. I follow it because I can see. I can see what joy it brings me. I can see the blessings it produces. I can see how it changes me for the better. I know, because of this Gospel, that families can be together forever and that someday I will be sealed to my husband for time and all eternity. That is the most beautiful thing to me - that there is life after this and I will be able to spend it with the people I love most. I know that God loves me and each of us. I know that He has a plan for us, and it's a Plan of Happiness. He wants us to be happy; He wants us to reach our full potential. I know that Jesus Christ lives and atoned for each of our sins. He felt every pain we have ever felt, physically and emotionally. That provides me strength in my weakest of times because I know that He is there with me, helping to push me along the way. He knows how I've felt, because He has felt them, too. This Gospel provides so much truth to my life and I know that I would be lost without it.

"So why on earth am I a Mormon? It is something that rests deep within my heart, because in reality, being Mormon is a lifestyle. It influences everything you think, the way you see the world, and what decisions you make. My religion defines me, and while some might think that makes for a shallow, mediocre existence, my religion is actually a great source of happiness. It is through my religion that I am able to see who I really am." -Blake Faulkner, 2009.

My name is Cassie. I am a Mormon. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Xoxo