Why do we have religion?

When I was little, my cousins and I got walkie talkies. They were sort of like phones, but you couldn’t post a picture on Instagram or send out a tweet. They worked on 2 double A batteries and were very simple. An on and off button, a volume dial and a transmitting button, but one of the most important things it had was a frequency dial. This is of course because they worked on frequencies. We all chose the same frequencies and we were able to talk to one another. I remember pretending to be spies on a dangerous mission. We were separated but not disconnected, and whenever we needed “backup” we could talk on our walkie talkie, but if we were too far from each other the connection was weak or not usable, or if we switched frequencies, we got sounds that were less clear. We stayed relatively close together and close to our parents so we would always be able to communicate one with another. We weren’t always able to see each other but we could always hear each other and help each other.
I didn’t recognize how similar that was to our time here on earth and God’s plan for us and the church. Some of the most important things in this little story are the walkie talkie itself, and the frequency we use. We could relate the walkie talkie to prophets and other ecclesiastical leaders chosen and set apart by God. As God relates His will to His leaders on earth as if through a walkie talkie, they are transmitted to us through them, but no matter what the message may be we won’t ever be able to hear it and benefit from it if we are not on the right frequency. The frequency is like the religion. It connects us and puts us on the same page. Even when we are spread out all over the world we know that we are connected and there for each other. This connection is like our connection with God. Some religions will get us some of the message and some will be too different to get us anything at all. This is why it’s important to know which ``frequency`` is the right one, so we understand all that God wants without static or unwanted transmissions.
Religion, to me, is kind of like this. It connects us to each other and more importantly, it connects us to God in the way He has established for us. We don’t have to wonder what we need to do to have His love and presence more in our life. Sometimes we just have our thumb stuck on the transmit button and we don’t pause long enough to hear anything else coming through, and when we decide to just listen, we hear the message loud and clear. The message is that we are not alone. In a sometimes scary and dangerous world, we have friends everywhere who understand us and our standards and values. We are united in our understanding of God's plan for us and we can help each other stay strong and bright in the dark times. God never wanted us to be alone or to be without guidance. That’s why He gave us prophets and leaders. More importantly, that’s why He gave us His Son Jesus Christ, so that when the hardest times do come we know there is someone that understands all that we feel. In giving us His Son, God also gave us the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His one and true church, for the perfecting of the saints (us) and to edify us. (See Ephesians 4:12)
As a missionary, when I share the message of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I am also sharing a simple declaration and invitation. Christ’s church is on the earth. This is it, and all are welcome and invited to come to Him. It is like a rallying standard to everyone who is looking for the truth. Here they can find answers, comfort, and others who understand them and their search. As Israel was together in biblical times to protect themselves and their standards, so do we gather ourselves together to strengthen our relationships with each other, with Christ and with our Heavenly Father. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ's church restored again to the earth, and because of it, we don’t have to tune in to other frequencies. We can tune in to God’s through His chosen prophet and leaders, and when the world gets big and bad, we are secure in the knowledge of who we are and who God and His Son Jesus Christ are. I for one, think that is much better than a dollar store walkie talkie!