Richard Okelberry, September 17th, 2007- I recently moved my family from Lincoln Nebraska to Logan, Utah, that is, River Heights, Utah to be exact. Just prior to the move friends would often make slighted comments about Mormons. Most of these comments had to do with polygamy or the fact that much of the mainstream Christian community considers The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints (LDS) a non-Christian cult. Because I was given the opportunity to live in Logan while attending school at Utah State University I knew that most of the perceptions that people had about the LDS church and its faithful residents in Utah were gained primarily by hearsay. I will admit that even though I had gained a sizeable amount of knowledge about the Mormon Church while living here, much of what I knew came from discussions with ex-Mormon friends. While each had been raised here in Utah by faithful Mormon families, they had fallen from their faith at some point. Getting information this way is much like hearing a friend complain about his girlfriend all the time causing you to dislike the girl because you hear only the bad and not the good about the person. I understand now, after returning to Utah and moving my wife and two young girls into a wonderful, predominantly Mormon neighborhood, that most of what I had learned was heavily slanted. The very day that we moved in, our immediate neighbors began coming over and introducing themselves. While most came bearing gifts, one kind soul even brought over a loaf of bread with some peanut butter and jelly. Now I know that may not seem like much, but when you have a house full of unpacked boxes and two small children running about, having a quick and easy meal that you can make for everyone is a true gift. At one point it was uncertain if we would be able to hire workers to unload the semi-trailer. But, our new Mormon neighbors assured us that they could put a team of volunteers together from their church and have us unloaded in no time. We finally got the job hired out, but their offer made it apparent that we had not just moved into a new neighborhood but back to a lost era. Over the next several weeks we eventually met almost ever member of our block as well as a few that lived on the block behind us. It was clear to us that here is a people that take pride in not just church but also community, family and a commitment to each other. As many out there that have never lived in Utah might expect, it was not long before LDS missionaries appeared at our door. Because we were still in the middle of unpacking, I invited them back at which point we where able to engage in a somewhat lengthy discussion on theology. Since that visit I have had them back three or four more times. Each time I have gained a greater understanding of not just their religion but also their culture. I have truly come to look forward to their visits. Finally, at the invitation of one of my neighbors, I attended one of their church services where I experienced a tight-knit community woven together by common belief. I can truly say that I now believe that I understand why the LDS church is so attractive to so many and why, as a relatively small church, although one of the fastest growing, they can do so much for so many, Mormon and non-Mormon alike. While I will admit that we will always have

Logan Canyon, Entrance to Cache Valley and Logan Utah.

Logan's LDS Temple is a spectacular fixture and viewable from most parts of Cache Valley.

differences in theology, I have come to understand that their beliefs are held out of strong convictions through intense study of the Bible, the Book of Mormon and what they term Modern Day Revelation. This is not the "blind faithful" that ex-Mormons of the past had warned me about. I want more than anything to encourage everyone to take a long hard look at Mormon culture. Like me, you may hold differences in core beliefs and tenants of faith with the LDS Church; however, it is impossible to deny the great benefit that their social structure would hold for any community, religious or not. If for instance, by some strange phenomenon, Logan could have been transplanted into New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina, I promise that both the loss of life and property would have been at a minimum. It is also fair to say that the community would have certainly been rebuilt by now and hardly a single individual would still be standing with their hand open for the next round of handouts from the Government. I say this because nobody prepares for a disaster like the LDS Faithful. Most homes have several months if not a full year of both food and water. Additionally, each neighborhood has a block captain that maintains a list of who has valued items such as chain saws and generators so that they may be called into action at a moments notice. They even run disaster drills using a "telephone tree" notification system in each neighborhood to help sharpen their response time. How many of you have ever run a disaster drill with your neighbors? The moment that Katrina had past, TV cameras would have been telecasting the most massive relief and life saving effort ever seen on the face of the planet if my community had been hit. I am pointing this out to illustrate a simple fact. These people truly care for one another and watch out for each other, a basic human value that seems to have been lost to so many in this great nation. Never in such a disaster would you see a Mormon community looting and rioting. I am secure in the knowledge that, even as a non-Mormon, my family has an additional shield of protection that is being carried by my loving and accepting Mormon neighbors. I think that mainstream Christians everywhere could relearn what "Love thy Neighbor" really means by paying closer attention to our Mormon comrades. We may not share the same faith but we certainly share the same principals and values. Hopefully, we all can borrow a bit of their conviction. Instead of constantly focusing on what is wrong with Mormonism, I invite everyone of every faith to consider instead what is right with Mormonism and apply it in your own life, family and community. One last note: the LDS Church no longer practices polygamy and why would you care if they did? Also, in its infancy, Christ himself was considered the leader of a "CULT!"

Richard Okelberry, Managing Editor