The Mormon in the Room

One thing that's always interesting when meeting new people is bringing up my beliefs. I'm thankful that I've grown up in a place where not everyone shares them, and I get the opportunity to learn from so many other people and their beliefs. Starting at my new job, I knew that I was going to have to bring up my religion at some point. It's such a big part of my life that it has to come up. Especially in the real world where there's a coffee pot brewing in the back, along with a tea kettle, and I get invited out to drink. 

I shared my beliefs one by one with my co-workers. Some, to explain why I didn't want some coffee, other's to share about the new temple opening up nearby. Everyone was very respectful and nice about it, and two of my co-workers know a lot about my religion which was nice.

However, there was one co-worker I was worried about. I'd heard rumors that they can hold grudges. They were planning a party on a Sunday, and it came off that it was very mandatory to attend this party. I wasn't going to though because I had church at the same time. When I told them this, they told me that I could just skip it. Which, technically I guess I could, but it's more than that. I believe in keeping the sabbath day holy, and also I don't drink. So going to a party where there would be drinking wasn't really something I wanted to skip church for.

A few days later, at a retirement party, there was a cake there. I got a piece of it, then stopped eating after a few bites because I could taste coffee in the cake. No big deal. The co-worker I'd been worried about came up to me a bit later and was like, "Kylee! I'm so sorry. I didn't tell you there was coffee in that cake, I know you don't eat or drink that." She then started telling me about one of her friends who'd served a mission, and so on. I hadn't even told her I was Mormon yet. I guess one of my co-workers did. I was really touched that she was so cool about it and worried about me eating that cake. She also stopped telling me about the party and how I needed to be there, instead being understanding about how important Sunday's are to me.

The next day she was brewing some coffee and told me that she'd brewed a cup just for me, in a joking matter. I joked along. I'm so glad that I get to be myself and be respected at my place of work for my beliefs. It's such a relief.