LDS Freedom Forum

I live in a country where the church is not particularly strong, if you say you are a Mormon they ask how many wife's have you got. It's still at that stage and I don't ever see that changing. The church to me seems very insular here, it keeps itself to itself, we have no contacts with the local homeless or foodbanks, we pay our tithing and the good folks at Salt Lake distribute the monies around the world to those in need, a good system.
Up the road from me is a Methodist church which is open every day of the week, they have a soup kitchen for the homeless, meals for the elderly, foodbank for those in need, educational courses, social activities, the church is located in a very deprived area and this church has made a massive difference to the lives of those who live in that community, it makes me think what we as a church could do if we had the same approach?

It seems like we hide! as a church, leaders never come out and make a stand for what we believe and stand for! membership is on a plateau, if we are members of the true church why isn't the church still growing? In my ward in the last 12 months we had 8 baptisms with only 2 attending now?

I think it's where you live.
I'm in Utah and they have all kinds of activities all the time. A lot of them are "secular" and thus anyone can go but most everybody is or was a church member.
In Los Angeles we had to moreso "keep to ourselves" but then we had more dinners and other activities, parties, family home evening, and other get togethers.
I get the impression your ward and all is too small for much of that.

But also there is nothing wrong for you to participate in the Methodist social activities. You can volunteer over there at their soup kitchen or dinners, etc. Build a bridge, so to speak.
dc