Opinionated Jennifer...

A few months ago my dear sweet roommate came to me and said that she no longer wanted to go to church. She said I understand if this changes things between us. I assured her that it wouldn't, nor would it change how I viewed her and it hasn't. Don't get me wrong I strongly believe in the Gospel and will stand by it always. Through my membership I have seen many people that let the actions of other members affect them, I promised myself that I would never let another members actions or lack of actions affect me, because we are all flawed and imperfect. Most people that leave the church do so because they feel they don't belong, recently I have began to notice that many do treat people differently. Saturday my roomie was contacted by sister missionaries that are new in our ward. She told them they could come over. When they arrived they set and asked us both questions about ourselves, they asked about my callings then asked her about hers. She replied with I don't have any, they said oh we can help you out with that, she then said we'll to be honest I haven't been to church in quite a while. They then asked why, and about a 5 minute akward silence fell after she answered. The silence was broke when there was a knock at the door. My friend had came over so I excused myself to hang out with him. I did come back into the living room periodically as we were preparing to leave, and when I did once I heard one of them saying, this is a war Satan vs God and we all know God's going to win, so why would you pick the loosing side? This bothered me extremely. They told her they loved her and wanted her to make the right choice, but instead of trying to understand her they ridiculed her and tried to manipulate her through guilt/ fear.. After they left I found her crying on the couch. She said that she had been thinking about going back but was reminded by the sisters that she isn't ready. She doesn't see the point of being somewhere when you have to pretend to be something your not. The sisters told her she should just go, and would learn to love being there. I don't really think that's a good answer, I feel like we should do things because we feel it is right. Also after this experience I thought about how single men in the church treat women, how the missionaries often approach others, and just in general how some members treat those that are different and we are seriously anything but charitable. We are taught that we are to live our lives after the example of Christ. Yes we are to be missionaries and to help others, but what is the nature in which we are doing it? I thought about Christ's approach to the Adulterer, He look at her with love, with understanding, not with scorn and disappointment. I just feel there is an awful lot of ways of man that has seeped into Christs church. Jesus Christ is the only perfect person that has ever been on this earth and he didn't treat the sinners, the lost, or the traders like that, so why do we IMPERFECT people see fit to treat anyone any differently or look at them differently. I get that we get sad for others when they are making choices that we feel aren't the best for them, but how do we deal with it? Do we shun em? Do we make them feel like they are lower then ourselves? I firmly believe that at sometime in all of our lives our testimony is going to be less then perfect, we are going to struggle, we are going to ask why, we may even doubt a little, and we sure in the heck are going to sin, have weaknesses, and trials that may lead to bad choices.. So why in the heck do we treat people the way we do. Maybe I'm just being protective, but this is the way I see it. I think we should clear our mind of the who people should be and focus on who they are now and what they can become.. She has came to church with me a few times recently and will go to singles activities,she had been feeling more comfortable as of late.. After the sisters left and my roomie was upset, my friend Mike that was over saw she was upset and set down to talk to her, he told her that she shouldn't let them make her feel bad, that she was a great person, and that this life was to make choices for ourselves, and that God was an all forgiving and understanding God.. He isn't a member of our faith but he has a clear understanding of how to be loving, supportive, and charitable. So after this opinion formed I am making a charge to myself that I will be much better at not judging, at understanding, and at just seeing people for who they are and not what I want them to be..