MR says: It's one thing to understand the concepts and history of the Church. It's quite another to experience it for yourself. Learn what happened when one Muslim attended an LDS Church and experienced it for herself.
For related reading, check out "What Happened When My Rabbi Told Me to Read the Book of Mormon."
The following post has not been edited to maintain the author's voice.
My name is Karma Hammouz and I am an Arab-Muslim BYU student who decided to attend church on Sunday 6, 2015.
It was the 11 a.m. church in Orem, Utah and as soon as I walked in the building, with my 2 friends Tianalei Siufanua and Ului Lapuaho, I realized I am utterly out of my comfort zone. “Why would a Muslim Arab go to church,” my friends said when I first suggested the idea. I can’t blame them, I have been in BYU for 4 years and I never thought of waking up early on a Sunday to go see what church is, but I did it. . . .
Learning about a different religion is a new thing for me. I decided to give it my best not to judge, as an Arab Muslim myself I understand the powerful effect of stereotype. With that being said, I woke up at 10 a.m. on Sunday 6, 2015 and I started getting ready for church, all I kept thinking was, will I be judged? Will they ask me if I was thinking of converting? Will they assume that I am judging their lessons when I am there? All these questions were answered when one of the church members went up to bear his testimony, “I believe God exists in each and every one of us.”
I would say the religion classes at BYU can explain concepts and a non-LDS student might get tested and pass the class; however, it is completely different than the process of applying the concepts learnt at church. When I was listening to testimonies and lessons and saw the sincerity of the members it made me think of how much courage it takes for people to share their opinions and, sometimes, their doubts, nevertheless, they all reach the same conclusion, God is there.
Those words stayed with me all day, the teachings of that specific Sunday were about the strength of faith and devotion to God. . . .