LADERA RANCH, Calif. — A fascination with people and a desire to share goodness led Sandi and Claire Gentry — a mother and daughter from Ladera Ranch, California — to create an Instagram account they titled “Mormon Faces.” They believe “everybody has a story, no matter who you are,” and they are on a mission to share those stories.
Sandi, a mother of six, felt an increased responsibility to share the gospel when her oldest son, Parker, left to serve a mission in Madrid for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She thought about all the members of the LDS Church she knows and had the idea to create an Instagram account featuring Latter-day Saints.
Her vision for Mormon Faces was simple: interview members of the LDS Church, snap their pictures and post the pictures on Instagram along with a few quotes. She pitched the idea to 17-year-old Claire, who immediately jumped on board. Sandi, a professional family photographer, takes the majority of the pictures while Claire conducts the interviews, but occasionally they trade places. Although the photos themselves are compelling, the mother and daughter hope that the quotes provide insights into the lives of LDS Church members.
“I think there are so many misconceptions out there and so many false statements about the church that, for us, we felt like if we post all these Instagram little nuggets into the members' lives, it really shows who they are on a day-to-day basis," Sandi said.
Since their first Instagram post in March, they have shared 223 Mormon faces and acquired more than 5,000 followers. They've interviewed people from various locations including Zimbabwe, Ecuador, Mexico and Sri Lanka. Parker, who is still on his mission, even got involved and interviewed an LDS Church member while he was serving in the Canary Islands.
At BYU Education Week in August, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged Latter-day Saints to use social media to “share goodness.” Although the family had already created the Mormon Faces account, they felt Elder Bednar's message was confirmation that what they were doing was important.
“I was really impressed with Elder Bednar’s talk where he quoted President Benson years ago … talking about technology and how everything that’s going to be created in the future could either be used for good or the demise of men,” Sandi said. “So that really stressed to me that we need to do our part. It’s a miracle … all this technology that we have, and we need to do our part to use it for good.”
They have interviewed some well-known Mormons, such as “Meet The Mormons" host Jenna Kim Jones and former American Idol contestant Brooke White, but majority of the people they talk to aren't famous. Some of the people they have interviewed they know personally or they met through a mutual friend, but others are strangers. After attending general conference in Salt Lake City in October, they walked around Temple Square, interviewing people from all over the world.
“It amazing because all you have to do is ask, and then people say, ‘Yes, I’ll do that,' and then they just start talking, and these amazing experiences just start unfolding,” Sandi said.
The mother and daughter intentionally exclude the names and hometowns of the people they interview from their Instagram posts.
“It’s more about promoting their testimony and their story more than them as individuals,” Claire said. “We’ve been asked time and time again to put their name and where they’re from, but I think it’s cool when they’re anonymous.”
The people featured on Mormon Faces have encountered a variety of struggles and experiences. Each story is unique, and each experience demonstrates faith’s role in helping them through those trials.
The mother-daughter duo hopes that the project impacts the lives of people from all walks of life.
“Yes, this is a way to get the voices of members of the church out to people who are not members of the church,” Sandi said. “But it’s also strengthening within. As our members are reading it, you know there’s strength in numbers when we hear others’ testimonies.”
They are certain that as a result of this project at least two testimonies have been strengthened: their own.
“I can’t think of anything else in my life that has strengthened my testimony more than this project,” the Claire said. “I wish everyone could have this experience to meet so many people and be impacted by them.”
People may wonder why the pair devotes so much time to a project that doesn’t generate money, but Sandi and Claire feel that the gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed their lives to the extent that they can’t help but share it.
“Raising six kids, I don’t know how moms do it without the power of prayer,” Sandi said. “I don’t know how they do it without having the Spirit, without having church to go to and having awesome Primary teachers to teach your kids and home teachers that will come check on you or having the priesthood in your life. It’s such a part of my life that I wouldn't recognize my life without it.”
Sandi added that one of the most rewarding parts of this project is listening as others share their testimonies with her daughter.
“When anyone shares their feeling, their testimony … suddenly it’s like you’re on sacred ground,” Sandi said. “And to have them testify and witness of their testimonies and their experiences with the Spirit and the Savior and the Atonement and our Heavenly Father’s love in front of my 17-year-old, it’s like a dream come true for a mom.”
Claire considers the LDS Church to be a blessing in her life, and that motivates her to share her faith with others.
“I’m so grateful for the gospel,” Claire said. “We ask people what they’re most grateful for, and I think mine is definitely the gospel. Because we have been given much, we’re also required to share that, and this project has given us a place to do that.”
Email: mjones@deseretdigital.com