Informing the Public

My plan to share my personal essay about my mom's closet habit will be a little difficult.  I don't necessarily want to share something my mom doesn't want shared.  So... I need to be very careful and calculating in how I share it.  I want to share it with:

1. My Uncle Alex.  He left the church 50 years ago when he was offended.  I think he feels like Mormons put on this "perfection" show and he just isn't ready to commit to that.  I am going to email it to him and ask him about how it relates to my mother.  I have been trying to get him to read the Book of Mormon for a long time and I know that if he does he will gain a stronger testimony and maybe the strength to come back.

2. My Aunt Connie.  She is my Uncle Alex's wife and said she reads the Book of Mormon on occasion.  I want her to be able to read the Book of Mormon everyday and to feel the power of the gospel.  I know that they are on the cusp of coming back, it is just going to take all of our efforts and small but consistent efforts to get her back.  I am going to email it to her or go to visit her and see what she thinks.

3. Polly.  She is a girl I taught on my mission who almost got baptized.  She had strong family opposition to getting baptized and is still clinging to the church in all ways that she can.  I want her to know that members of the church are real people and that they can have strong values but strong personalities.  I am hoping that it will encourage her to keep pursuing the gospel and eventually joining the church. I will send her a link to my blog post.

4.  My cousin Winston.  He grew up not very religious at all.  From his point of view, Mormons are too goody-goody and have to follow a weird mold.  I want him to realize that we have personalities and that my mom has a fun side.  He comes down to Arizona to see his girlfriend and I think knowing my mom has a spunky side will make him want to come and visit more.  I am going to post the link to my facebook, tag him in it and say "Did you know your aunt was a closet nintendoer?"

Friends in Low Places

1. My girl friend Madeline: She is just working right now, and not enrolled in school. She eats most my food which means I cook for her more than she cooks for me. I think I can convincer to her take a minute and read my essay. She is from the city I served so she may have some understanding of what its about.
2. My grandpa Snow. He taught elementary school for about 40 years. He has been retired for a few years now. I recently was asking him about the life of a school teacher and the benefits and disadvantages. Perhaps having him read my essay would let him back into a world he dedicated so much time to.
3. My Mission President: President Ware was new half way through my mission. I got to work with he and his wife as they were brand new in figuring out the ways of the mission. We had a lot of emotional experiences together. Reading my experience of coming home may help him know how to help other missionaries. I will probably email this to him. 
4. My roommate Christian: He was on the same plane home with me from our mission. I would let him read my essay and compare my feelings of coming home to his feelings and experience.
5. My convert Carrie: She is like a mother to me I spent about 10 months in my mission associating with she and her family. It was a great experience to see them over thanksgiving break at the movies in Washington. It was a wonderful surprise. I could email my essay to her. Maybe she would feel how much I loved and care about the people there.
6. My Aunt Rachel: She is from Seattle and married my uncle when he was working there. They moved to a small town within my mission boundaries in washington. So they have an understanding of the area. I saw them over the summer at our reunion in Idaho. I will have to facebook message her and see how the family is. I am sure with 5 kids she can make time to ready my essay.
7. My friend Cooper: Cooper is from my home ward, he got home from his mission a month or two ago now. I snap chat him a good amount. He is getting ready for school next semester at UVU. I think I will tease him about getting back to some reading and see if he will read my essay.