It's an old question, but Fred Bethel says he still gets asked: How can an African-American like himself be part of the Mormon Church, a religious group that waited until 1978 to allow blacks to become leaders? His response comes easily — because of what the church is today.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing dramatically, and it is increasingly diversifying in South Florida, with a mix of Hispanic and Caribbean members.
"I don't dwell on what the church has done," says Bethel, a member of the Fort Lauderdale Ward, or congregation. "I look at what the church is now, and what it can become. The church is saying, we're having a party and everyone's invited."