An Ode to Dumbledore

Writing this essay reminded me of Harry Potter 7 [which I am SO excited to see November 19th!] 

It reminded me of when Harry is reading about Dumbledore's past, one: because I'm completely obsessed with it so I can relate almost any scenario to it, and two: because when Dumbledore died there were so many unanswered questions that Harry had to discover for himself.  

 Anyway...[it made sense to me]

The assignment was "What is your religious background?"

At first it seemed easy [and it was], but it really made me think about what I really believed. 

So I'm posting this essay, in hopes that it will answers questions you've had about what I believe and if nothing else, to help you better understand why I live the way I do. 

The Assignment:

religion essay.
1) can you trace the religious heritage of your parents and grandparents?
2) can you describe the religious tradition in which you were raised? what kinds of practices left a significant impression on you? can you say that religion informs your current understanding of the purpose of life?
3) can you say something about how you understand and practice religion today?
4) are there any abiding religious questions that gnaw at you and you are trying to come to grips with? if so, what is your best guess as to the answer behind these questions? 

I’m Maxwell Poirier and I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Though I’ve been raised a Latter Day Saint, I’ve come to know for myself that it is the true church on the earth today.

            In a family with no constant religious affiliation, my parents were pioneers into the LDS faith. My mother grew up Catholic and only attended Mass a few times per year. When she was nine years old, she attended catechism classes in preparation for her first communion. This is customary for Catholic children in preparation for taking the sacrament. My grandparents believed in God, but only attended church a few times per year, always on Easter Sunday and midnight mass on Christmas Eve, but never encouraged their children to read the Bible. My grandmother had her own views on things mixed in with a lot of superstition, while my grandfather believed in the Virgin Mary and a host of saints that he prayed to, however, they both never invested time into learning about the Catholic faith. These different beliefs and practices caused my mother feeling empty and dissatisfied, she felt no one could answer her questions, and as a result became agnostic where she felt the existence of God was questionable and stopped referring herself as a Catholic.

        

   It wasn’t until she was in College taking a class on religion that
all of her questions came to the forefront, she writes,
As the class focused on Mormonism, I was very attentive because at the time I was dating a young man whose family was LDS. The teacher was biased and misinformed.  I had actually met Latter Day Saints and I was impressed with their close family unit, their strong moral values, and their belief in a God that was kind.  As the professor harped on the Mormons being a Cult, I was interested in finding out more. I went to the library, read all I could on Mormonism, and soon realized that there was a lot of anti-Mormon literature and it made me wonder why. I began studying the Mormon faith, I read the Book of Mormon, and met with young Mormon missionaries.  For the very first time in my life, the questions I had, of so long ago were answered.  I was not told that they were unimportant or silly like the nuns and priests had said, however, I was given answers that made sense.  I knew who I was, that I had a purpose in this life and I knew where I was going when I died.  I felt fulfilled and at peace. I was baptized 24 years ago and my husband and I have lived the standards and principles of the Mormon faith since then.  Aside from marrying him, that was the best decision of my life.

Being a member of the LDS church has given me much comfort, it has given my life meaning, and it answers specific questions, such as: where I came from, why I am here, and where I am going.

            The corner stone of the LDS faith is based upon the Book of Mormon. We believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, as we do the Bible. Whereas the Bible focuses on the people of Israel, the Book of Mormon tells the story of the people in the Americas from about 600 B.C. to 400 A.D. We believe that when Jesus Christ was on the earth, he set up his church in the perfect order, but after his crucifixion and death, many of his followers fell away due to persecution and most of his apostles were martyred. Along with their lives, the true authority of priesthood keys to lead the Church was lost from the earth. This period is referred to as “The Great Apostasy,” a dark time with no revelation, resulting in conflicting ideas, lost truths, and various interpretations of the word of God. For centuries, the world dwindled in spiritual darkness.

            In Palmyra, New York in 1820, fourteen year old Joseph Smith was confused about which church was the “true” church. 

He writes,

So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was . . . to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong . . . In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? (Joseph Smith History 1:8, 10).

As he studied the Bible, Smith came across James 1:5, which directed him to pray and ask God. Following this instruction, Joseph kneeled down and prayed to God asking which of all the sects was right.
He describes,
I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (JSH 1: 16-17)
In this vision, God the Father and Jesus Christ explained to Joseph that none of the churches were correct, and that they had chosen him to restore the true church with the proper authority. We believe that through Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon was translated and proper priesthood was put back onto the earth. 

            One aspect of this gospel that has made a significant impression on me and has informed me of my current understanding of the purpose of my life is called The Plan of Salvation. The plan of salvation is God’s plan for his children, his plan for them to be happy, and the plan he has made for us to return back to him. Through this plan, I have come to understand that my life did not start with birth nor will it end at death.  I have also come to know that I am a literal child of God, a principle that sets the LDS church apart from other denominations. In the pre-earth life we believe God created our spirits and that we resided with Him. He knew and loved us, and we knew and loved Him. Also in this life, we learned about the plan of salvation and our purposes for coming to earth, which are to receive a physical body and to learn to make correct choices. When we came to earth, we forgot all that we learned, giving us the chance to exercise our faith in our Father and in Jesus Christ. When we die, we believe that our spirit separates from our body, but that through Jesus Christ and the atonement our spirit and body will be reunited, never to be separated again, called the resurrection. It is our belief that God will judge us fairly and according to our thoughts, words, and deeds which we performed on the earth and our reward will be a place in His kingdom, with the opportunity to be like Him. I love learning about this plan, because it makes perfect sense, if a father loves his children why wouldn’t he want them to return to him? He has given us principles and guidelines to live by that we may better fulfill our sojourn on earth with righteousness, faith, and integrity. 

            Today, I am still an active member in the church. Being at college and away from home has only made me more determined to live the principles I know are right and true. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ is more than just going to church on Sunday and then resuming your normal life on the weekdays, it’s a lifestyle, a culture of continuous study, learning, and understanding. I am not perfect, nor will I ever be in this life, but I work daily to improve my imperfections. I know that Christ performed the atonement, for the benefit of all men, so that when we make mistakes we can repent and through Him have the courage and the strength to persevere and move forward with faith. 

            There are certain aspects of this gospel that we practice that I don’t have a clear explanation for, however I believe that we have a prophet on the earth today that, like the prophets of old, speaks and is inspired by God and I therefore follow these teachings whether I understand or not why they are; principles such as not drinking coffee, a staple in most college student’s lives, has been recommended that we don’t drink. My explanation for why this might be is because it is slightly addictive, causing caffeine-withdrawal symptoms, dependence, and the incapability to function without it. 

            I may not understand every aspect of this gospel, but I do know that it is lead by a loving God, who has created a plan for all to return back to Him. I know that Jesus Christ came to the earth to atone for the sins of all men, and that through our faith in Him we can all be cleansed and return spotless before our God. I am sometimes mocked for the things I do or don’t do because of my religion, but the truth is, I’m proud of who I am, I’m proud of the life I’m living, and I’m proud of what this gospel has allowed me to see. We each have a divine purpose on the earth; it is my hope that I am fulfilling mine.

I love this gospel.