You can't pick your family

You know the old saying "You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family."

That has been on my mind a lot actually, I must need to get something off my chest because it isn't going away!

I was talking with a friend about our Church a few weeks ago, she wasn't that familiar with how the Mormon church works. Such as the clergy, meeting places, etc. I was explaining our "ward" as we refer to the main congregation being a collection of members of our faith in a certain proximity of each other.

And as I had that conversation on my mind, while at church that following Sunday, it was Testimony meeting. And I began observing all the people in the ward. We refer to our Bishop as the 'Father of the ward' being that he is at the head delegating all the matters that make it all function. And often, our members refer to the ward as 'the ward family.'

So the old saying came to my mind. Because our church is quite different than other churches in the aspect that we don't "find one that fits" in our religion. We don't go to different Mormon congregations until we find one that fits us personally, we are assigned to it based on the location that we live in that area.

I really like how that principle is set up. Because imagine if the mormon church worked in that way, where you drove to other meeting houses until you found one that you like. You'll usually look for common interest people, economic status, even race maybe? But what happens when those commonalities change as we progress in life? Would it be time to find a new church that makes you feel more like you 'belong there'?

I know there have been times I enjoyed a certain ward more than others in the places that we have moved. But it was the people specifically that made me enjoy it. The religion doesn't change. So if I enjoyed them being a certain way, wouldn't it be fair to be THAT person for others that might enjoy being around me?

I like that I don't pick my children as God sends them to me. Each of them have shown me different personalities and qualities that in turn teach me to refine or develope something about myself so that I can be better for them. I like that my siblings and I are so diverse, because it makes for richer conversations- how boring we'd be if all we ever said is "I know! Me too!"

And I love that our 'ward family' is on that same principle. Each person I have gotten to know isn't exactly like me. We don't tick the same way. We each have different perspectives of our gospel, but in turn it helps us all to refine or develope qualities about us that we otherwise would not be challenge do develope. I think it's a divine part of our Heavenly Father's plan for our personal progression. Because without opposition, there is no need for strengthening that which defines our purpose.

How fantastic our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's wisdom is, and how great it enriches our life when he is at the head of his church! I love all of my family- both physical and spiritual.