I noticed the substitute teacher hovering over me as I read my scriptures in my third period class today. I cringed slightly inside; her question was coming. Considering I have an emerald quad with gold leafed pages (Affectionately nicknamed "the Prettiest Brick Ever") I'm probably asking for this kind of attention.

"What's that you're reading?" she asked.

"The Doctrine and Covenants; a section in the Book of Mormon," I replied calmly. My face grew slightly warm. I smiled broadly (a sure sign of my discomfort) without looking up.

"Oh," she responded abruptly. She quickly walked across the room as if I had threatened her. I smiled even wider, and met the eyes of my friend who was sitting across from me.

"Wow. Way to end a conversation," she teased as we both giggled to ourselves. She borrowed my scriptures to peruse that which had scared the substitute to the other side of the room. I once again considered what color paperback scriptures to get my friend for Christmas. (I've never forgotten the time she asked me where I got my Bible after I described the BD, TG, and cross references to her.)

How do you approach situations where you have to admit, point blank, what you believe? Are you "fishers of men"?

 My friend, even though she has become more accepting of my faith, still has her moments where the urge to tease me just overwhelms her. But the anti-Mormon in her slowly becomes more tolerant each day, and its a relief to see that hearts can be softened. And as for the substitute, I question her need to distance herself from me. A person secure in her own faith would have realized that I pose no threat on any belief that is not ripe for unhinging anyway. I see in this substitute the same insecurity that has categorized every anti-Mormon I've ever met, including the anti-Mormon I used to be.

I don't believe in anti-Mormons, which is not to say that I don't support other faiths. However, being anti-Mormon is a presence of ignorance and insecurity; not faith in God. As long as there are individuals who feel threatened by who we are, LDS faithful have a mission, should we choose to accept it; to encourage tolerance of our beliefs, which does not always have to result in a baptism.

But I encourage you all to see the insecurity behind the anti-Mormons in our homes, schools, work places, and even in our heads. Only then can tolerance, yea, even faith, begin to grow.