Call Me Crazy

I want you to think back to 1776. None of us were alive, I'd hope.... But this year was extremely important. Why? It was the year that several men signed what we know as the Declaration of Independence. Okay, now I want you to think about a few of these men. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson... Think about what they were doing. They were declaring their independence and liberty from England, the largest and most powerful empire in the world. When you think about it, they were a wee bit crazy.

Okay, now go back a few hundred years to Martin Luther. He saw corruption in the Catholic Church as he read through the bible, in particular the sales of indulgences. He decided he needed to do something about it, thus beginning the reformation with the posting of his 95 thesis. He was fighting against the largest church in the world that had so much control it wasn't even funny. He was a wee bit crazy.


Christopher Columbus. He decided that maybe there was a better and safer way to travel to India than going down and around Africa. He felt as if he was being pulled to go west instead of east. As he traveled west, he landed on a land no European knew of. We now know this as the American Continents. Because of him, we have our home now. But, you have to admit, he was a wee bit crazy.

Last one, Galileo Galilei. As a scientist, he was testing some of the theories of the day. He realized there were many errors that were commonly accepted such as the earth was flat and everything orbited around the earth. He realized the earth and mankind were not the center of the universe. Again, he shared his findings with those in charge at the time. Once again, he was persecuted and put on house arrest for believing this. They all thought he was a wee bit crazy.

My point? These 4 examples show us that it is possible for one person to change the world. It shows us that it is possible for us to discover something new, create new ideas, and most of all, make a difference. What do they all have in common? People around them believed they were a wee bit crazy. And when you put yourselves in the shoes that surround them, I can see why. What they were doing was revolutionary. It was something no one had ever thought of, or at least no one had the guts to stand up for.

I want you all to think of someone you believe to be crazy. Are the crazy because they have a way of thinking that you don't agree with? Many believe is. Many believe that Mormons are crazy because we believe that God still speaks to His children today by the same means that He did in biblical times, namely Prophets. Many think we are crazy because we live moral lives jut as taught in the bible. Many think we are crazy because we follow the basic 10 commandments plus a few more. Many think we are crazy because we are happy all the time because we know that there is hope in happiness hereafter. Many think we are crazy because of the claim that we have the fullness of the gospel. Many think we are crazy because we say we have the authority of God to act in His name, the same Priesthood authority given to prophets of old and Christ's original apostles. Many think we are crazy for believing God has laid out a plan for us. Many think we are crazy because we have the same organization that existed in the Church of old. Many think we are crazy because we believe the family unit to meant to be eternal, not temporary. Most of all, many think we are crazy because we can  know for ourselves if this is true.

Call me crazy, for all I care. Call me crazy for having read the Book of Mormon, prayed, and received my personal witness that the true Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. Call me crazy for spending 18 months of my life to share this incredible message of hope and joy with others. I would rather have the courage to be called crazy than the cowardice to follow the crowd. Call me crazy. Go ahead. But don't you ever doubt that I believe this with all my heart, mind, might, and soul. Don't ever doubt that I will always defend and stand as a witness of Christ. Don't ever doubt that you can believe with the same conviction I have. I know you can.

If you doubt me, then test me. My conviction is deep rooted into my soul that my lips, actions, and thoughts will never cease testifying of my Savior. I know He lives. I know He loves us. Most of all, I have the fullness of His gospel in my life and wish to share with anyone who is willing to listen. Comment, send me a Facebook message, whatever. You have questions, ask. I will do my best to help you find them because I love you. Why? You are a child of God. I am a child of God. That makes us family. To quote a favorite movie, "Ohana means family. family means no one gets left behind." I don't want to leave a single one of you without the light that I have in my life of the full, restored gospel. If you want to stay in the dark, that is your choice. But never can you deny that I have invited you to find out for yourself why Mormons are considered crazy and to finally know for yourself that Christ's church is once again on the earth.


I love you all!
Love
Sister Mackenzie Esmond