There is no gain

Joining yourself to any group automatically puts a label on you. And with a label comes opposition. There are people who will disagree with your group, not understand your group, and maybe openly fight against your group. Even something so small as a soccer team, some parents won't like the way it is run, executed, or disagree with the snacks somebody brought.

Choosing a side when it comes to theology elevates this opposition greatly. Do we really like opposition? Do we like that our Uncle Frank thinks religion is for the weak minded and Grandma Betty is taught every week in her church that ours is an abomination?

There is a great social sacrifice for just aligning yourself with theology.

Now what if you are completely devoted, you use your time, talents, and energy to serve in your church? Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is demanding. First, you give 10% of your income freely. Second, you have callings, or duties that can involve you dramatically, so does your spouse and your teenage children. Third, you have primary for young children, mutual for teenagers, you pick fruit at the orchard for the good of others, do humanitarian projects, blankets, diapers, pajamas, first aid kits, sanitary kits, you are supposed to magnify talents, be a public speaker, a teacher, etc. etc.. We try to set aside an evening for teaching our children about spiritual things, we attend the Temple to do service for those who have passed.

In general we try to do what is right, read scriptures, say our prayers, and edify ourselves with knowledge and good relationships.

This is an incomplete list, I don't know if I have the patience to write a complete one. But why do we do it?

Why?

Because of Jesus Christ. What else is there to gain? We try to follow his teachings, to love our neighbour, to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, we serve in the church to care for his flock, to care for our own little family flock, and we realize that our will is really the only thing we have to offer the Lord, everything else is just giving back.

This is not a list to demean grace and mercy, I can only make it by his grace, and with his mercy.

My testimony of "no gain" is that I believe in sacrifice, I believe that when we do with no thought for selfish desires, we are gaining the intangible. We are not paid in silver or gold or anything of earthly value.

This law of sacrifice is another reason why I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.