"You’re Mormon?…I’m Mormon, too!!"

A few years ago, during the holiday season, my sisters were out shopping with their daughters who were probably around 4 or 5 at the time. Now, it’s been quite awhile since I had any kids that were that age, but not long enough that I’ve forgotten how stressful shopping can be with youngsters in tow. Add the madness of all the other holiday shoppers into the mix and it’s enough to make even the best of us want to reach for a xanax once in awhile.

This particular story, however, is one of the favorites in my family because of the hilarity of images it conjures up….especially knowing the circumstances surrounding it.

Let me give you just a little bit of background on my extended family before I move along…

My parents were converts to the church, and while we were all raised LDS, none of my other 5 siblings or my parents have been active for many years (except my mom who has recently started going back to church…yay mom!). And here’s how this little shopping excursion played out…

Niece #1 is in the girl’s department of Kohl’s with niece #2 and passes a beautiful holiday dress and declares…

“Oh…I really like this beautiful dress. It looks like the perfect mormon girl dress.”

To which niece #2 responds, with all the exuberance andvolume of youth…

“You’re MORMON???…I’m MORMON, too!!!”

At which point, in the middle of the holiday-shopper-packed Kohl’s, both of my sisters began to look for refuge in the middle of the nearest clothes racks!

But sometimes kids are the greatest examples to us adults who have become cynical and jaded by life. Have I sometimes felt like my sisters when the subject of my religion has come up around others? Absolutely. Not because I’m ashamed of it, but because of the desire to avoid the sneers, jeers, and often derision that can come with the territory. And yet, the simple fact of the matter is that the gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in His church is something that we should always be happy to share with others. Exuberantly, even…