Seeing the Spectrum - Why I Go to Church

A few months ago, a quilt group was formed at church and I started attending. The first month or two I went, more out of a feeling of obligation than desire. The woman are all 10, 20 or 30+ years older than me. These women have different styles, and, honestly, I didn't think there was much I would gain from the club. But each time I went begrudgingly I left inspired and glad I went. Last night I came home loving these ladies who've become my sewing cheering section. I made a quilt that started out as a hot mess, but these kind women helped me to view it as a work of art instead. With their encouragement and love this quilt sees the light of day with joy instead of sitting piecemeal in a bin somewhere to be viewed with disappointment and disdain.

But beyond their kindness for me, I have started looking at their creations with less arogance and more appreciation for the differences that make their quilts just as unique and beautiful. They still aren't my style and I'm not going to race home to replicate their results, but that's not the purpose of the club: to support, learn something new, and get inspired.

As I arrived home I saw this group as a microcosm of my ward family and life in general. I go to church for the ordinance of the sacrament but I stay to deepen my understanding of Christ and His Gospel. We all approach our worship differently, and while I may want to apply others' practices in my own life, I don't go to church to become a duplicate of anyone else. I go to church to feel supported, to learn something new and to get inspired. I'm not going to be able to do that if everyone approaches the Gospel in the same way.

To put another way, I start life viewing God and his Gospel very basically, seeing one color (let's say green). My testimony is shaped by this green lens. Life happens, I grow, mature, and experience pain and joy and suddenly I begin seeing other colors. Now I see green, maybe red and blue. My faith and understanding is increased and in turn my approach to God is deepened as I start to see other colors. But it is through going to church, hearing other's experiences and learning from the way they approach the Gospel that I start being enriched by the colors they see. Now I don't just see green, blue, and red. I also see magenta, coral, steamed asparagus, burnt sienna, and sky blue. Without their experiences I would still be better off than my original green lens but now God's miraculous tapestry becomes even more glorious as I see more than just my own colors interwoven throughout. So while some may think that organized religion is a fraud and that they can better find God through a solitary hike in the forest, I know that it is only through meeting together with fellow saints and sinners that God is most clearly and beautifully made manifest to me.