In God I still trust.

So I know I haven't updated either blog in forever. I plan on fixing that. There's been a lot that has happened in the family since I updated last. We're having a baby girl which I plan on writing a whole blog about within the next couple of weeks. We also had some really scary family stuff happen and it's still going on, for a almost full story of that read Misty's blog post.

This post that I'm writing tonight comes from a few things. First- a preacher saying I'm not a Christian. Second- A song by Diamond Rio called "Here in America, in God we still trust" that has been banned from local radio for being to controversial. I wanted to write this post to get some thoughts out of my head and on "paper" so to speak.

First I am a Christian. I worship and love my Father in Heaven. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What I believe is the very core to my existence. The choices I make day in and day out of my life steam from what I believe: I know my Father lives. I am a child of child of God. My Heavenly Father loves me. Families can be together forever. Faith. He sent His Son. He died that we might live. Jesus has Risen. I feel my Saviors love. Jesus entered Jordan's waters. Jesus said love everyone. Follow the Prophet. Keep the commandments. Love one another. Remember the Sabbath Day. Repentance.

In short I am a Christian.

I'm also a Republican. Does that mean because I am a Christian, a Republican and a member of the same church that Mitt Romney goes to that I'm voting for him? Absolutely not. When I vote I don't just vote for a someone in the republican party. I don't just vote for a Christian. I look into each person running, what they stand for, the promises they make and most of all I look to see if I think this person running for office can help make the world we all share a better place to live in.

Now it does matter to me if the person running for office believes in God. I could care less if when they're saying their prayers they use the name; Lord, God, Father in Heaven, Allah, Krishna, or Jehovah. To me when a person prays, they are humble enough to admit that there is a higher power at work in the universe. It does not matter to me if they believe in the same higher power that I do. But I respect those that can look at the universe surrounding them and see a divine hand.

This is in no way to say that if someone does not believe in some kind of God that I have no respect for them, or that if they are running for office they wont get my vote. I respect your right to believe in what ever you want. However, if someone does not believe that God exists and tries to show me how I'm wrong, tell me I'm wrong over and over again and not show me the same respect that I show them. That is when I loose all respect for that person and in a sense they will loose my vote.

It is true that I'm a member of the LDS church. It is true that I went on a mission. I went to the Caribbean and spent two of the most amazing years of my life sharing what I believe with others. My family and I paid for this mission. I was in no way paid by the church or the people I served among. I would do it over again in a heart beat. Some people have said to me that I'm being hypocritical when I say people shouldn't try and change my mind of what I believe but I spent two years of my life doing the same thing.

To these people I simply explain that they misunderstand what I did in the mission field. Yes I did walk up and down the street, talking to everyone I could offering to share what I believe with them. If someone wanted to hear the message I would explain my core beliefs of my faith and invite them to find out for themselves if it was true. I also went to Hindu Temples, Mosques, and many other Christan Churches. Simply because if someone was willing to come to the church I worship at and then invited me to go to theirs I would show them the same respect they showed me.

My point of this blog post is to simply say that when it comes to the choices I make in my daily life and where the affairs of the world are concerned I still put my trust in God.