A Change of Faith

McMurray enjoying a normal life.

Kara McMurray wakes up on a Sunday morning and like thousands of Americans she gets ready for church. Extra precaution is taken however, as McMurray makes sure her shoulders are covered, her skirt is knee length, and her clothes carry an air of modesty. McMurray is a Mormon.

According to allaboutmormons.com the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest individual denomination in the United States with about 5.5 million members and an estimated 13 million members worldwide.

Bouncy and talkative McMurray is in no way ashamed by her religion, because it was her choice.  Unlike many people who are born into a specific religion McMurray created waves when she decided to be baptized as a Mormon. 

In the fall of 2010 McMurray was 20 years old she was looking at a spring graduation and a future in teaching English. Yet, it still felt like something was missing. Then two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approached her on campus.  McMurray said she was skeptical, because the only thing she knew about Mormons was what she had heard from media and the general public.

 “I am open minded, so I decided to meet with them again, to learn more, ya know?” McMurray said.

McMurray continued to go to meetings and teachings with the missionaries and also began attending church events. Although she spent a lot of her time in early winter of 2010 attending teachings, her friends and family did not know. Unsure of how people around her would react to her growing interest in the church McMurray felt conflicted.  As her March 2011 birthday approached McMurray grew weary and after a comment made by her mother about Mormons she decided to stop talking to the church.

McMurray struggled to go back to her life from before. On her 21^st birthday McMurray went out for drinks with friends, the next day she enjoyed a coffee from her favorite stand. Nevertheless, after three weeks of ignoring the church McMurray could not deny her true desire, to return.

“When I told my mom, she was angry,” McMurray said inhaling deeply to maintain her emotions, “she threatened to not let me see my little brother, she knew of all my siblings that would hurt me the most.”

The best support McMurray received was from a group of her closest friends and co-workers.  Though none of them were followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they all saw how happy it made McMurray.

“They sat me down and drilled me for what seemed like hours, they kept asking me again and again if this is what I truly wanted, and I realized, it was.” McMurray said

McMurray and two church elders at her
 May 22, 2011 baptism.

On May 22, 2011 McMurray was baptized against her family’s wishes but she has never been happier. McMurray said that having her parents so angry with her was hard for her to understand but she found solace in her faith. Over time McMurray’s family did reconnect with her.

Today McMurray is excited to share the word and help those who desire it, those like Becky Ryan. The missionaries approached Ryan, a Washington State University Art student, when she was down on her luck.  “I was drinking, I was doing drugs, my only friends were druggies, and I just was not happy.” Ryan said.  Ryan said hearing McMurrays story helped her decided to come to the church and is thankful for the lending hand McMurray offered.  “It is hard to lose certain relationships just because you decide to join a new faith, but it is made easier by having people like Kara to help.” said Ryan motioning to the nearby McMurray and church missionaries.

McMurray is excited to start her own mission this coming year and hopes to be able to go to Germany.  Though she misses coffee from time to time, McMurray is glad she made the change in her life, and insists that she is still the girl she was a year ago.

 “I’m not saying my religion is for everyone, but I am so glad it was right for me” McMurray said. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meets on Sundays at 10:00 AM.