What a great reminder that no one is perfect and we don't need to compare ourselves to those we think might be.
We live in the age where everyone’s life is perfect. Or at least it looks that way. From the photos of models to the pictures on social media, everything and everyone life, dog, and family look flawless. Sometimes it even feels like everyone at church is perfect. They have amazing spouses, faithful children, and awesome testimonies. It makes those of us who don’t have a perfect life feel like we don’t belong.
This past month I was visiting a ward in rural Utah and in the testimony meeting a lady stood up and said, “I don’t belong here, my life is not perfect. My children are not returned missionaries married in the temple…” She then started to weep, and continued, “My children are currently in jail. I don’t belong here.” I’ve thought a lot about this testimony over the past couple weeks. And how the strive for perfection causes many to feel unwelcome, and that they don’t belong.
The problem does not come with people striving to become better. It comes from a cultural belief that if your life is not perfect, then you are a bad Mormon.