How important is it to have friends within the church?

[skalenfehl]

Rachelle, I can understand. I come from a very open, warm and loving culture. It is in my nature to be friendly. One thing I notice about being part of a predominantly Caucasian society, particularly in church, is folks are only friendly when they are close neighbors, share callings with me (presidencies, groups), etc. Once our wards split or we move on to other callings, it's as if the relationship ends there too. I just don't get it, but I accept it. With me, however, once I'm your friend, I'm your best friend for life. So it's easier to get hurt this way, but I also have many good friends to show for it. I'll just continue to politely greet those with whom I once worked closely, with whom I used to go camping, hometeaching, and attend the same ward, etc, even though they just only politely smile or ignore me as I pass by them in the hallway today. I guess people just live in their own bubbles and are content this way. It was just never this way many, many years ago when I was in a Spanish speaking ward (all Mexican/Hispanic). Then again, it just occurred to me that maybe it's just...me.

But I do think it's very important to have friends in church. After all, churches are not only places of worship, but societies in Zion. Aren't we supposed to bear one another's burdens?

Mosiah 18: 8-9

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

Edited December 21, 2008 by skalenfehl