Where I'm at... one year on, two years on, three years on

3 years ago, several changes of circumstance and new opportunities lead me to evaluate what motivates me and consider what I believe.
2 years ago I started the process of working in a new part of the world that opened my eyes to the wonder and diversity of the great human family.
1 year ago I started participating in online LDS communities as a way of articulating my perspectives.

As a marker point 1, 2 and 3 years on here is what I believe:

1. I retain a belief that we are not alone, that the earth was created for us by a greater power. I call him God or Heavenly Father, but I respect those of other faiths who call the creator by many other names.
2. I believe "I was, I am, I will be." The eternal nature of who I am is, for me, the most important message Joseph Smith taught. With a belief that I am an eternal traveler I see earth as an important stage in my journey.
3. I believe that the purpose of our turn on earth is to learn how to become better people. I believe the essential measure of progress and goodness is the way we treat each other. To not only treat others the way I would want to be treated, but to learn and discover how to treat others the way they would want to be treated.
4. I believe this life to be an elevation and not a descent or step backwards. I believe this is a life to improve us not test us to breaking, I believe in a loving God, a God who weeps with us while respecting our independence.
5. I believe I am and will be personally accountable for the standards I adopt and set for myself. I believe this will be the case for each and every one of us. I believe we will firstly be accountable to ourselves. We will, and already do, recognise the times and ways we could have done better and need to do better in future.
6. I believe in a God who offers each of his children a personalised curriculum. I do not believe that one size fits all. As such I don't believe Mormonism is right for everyone. I consider it to be an important part of my life, but am very comfortable with other people following different faiths and standards.
7. I embrace the offer of Jesus Christ. I consider the atonement's teaching of mercy, grace and forgiveness to be essential to my ability to progress and grow through being able to try, try and try again.
8. I consider the example of Jesus and others through the ages or in scripture to be valuable behaviour models. I'm not certain of the historical reality of some of those people, but still find their lives and experiences inspiring and instructive.
9. I recognise that many religious and philosophical perspectives are able to embrace the principle of continued improvement and doing good to others without Christianity. I believe that their perspectives are equally valid and lead them to the same end, which is what ultimately matters.
10. I believe Joseph was sincere and not a fraud. I think the same of leaders since him. They have made plenty of mistakes but so have I. When the prophet speaks my thinking has only just started. I don't agree with them all the time. I don't think we're supposed to. I appreciate them as sages and leaders but I am not bound by every thing they say. I do not believe it was ever intended to be that way.
11. I do not believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint is the only true church and all others false. I believe the "church of the lamb" is best described as an attitude, a behaviour, a direction of travel. I believe in one path to godliness with many imperfect vehicles for travelling on the path. Mormonism is one of those vehicles. It's not a perfect vehicle but it works for me.
12. I consider the LDS ordinances and commandments to be important ways of making promises to do more good. I don't think they are essential to the whole human family, but I recognise the benefit in offering them through temple work as an act of service and as a way of teaching their importance to me.
13. I accept that some Mormons disagree with me. I consider their absolutist attitudes to be part of their personalised curriculum and the diversity of the great human family. If they need absolutes to persuade them to do good then I'm happy they have found them. I just hope they will accept and respect my participation without absolutes.
14. I continue to associate with  the LDS faith tradition because I appreciate the friendships I have, the community I'm a part of, many of the principles taught within it and, most especially, the big picture answers to who I am, why I'm here and where I'm going.
15. I am, ultimately, a Universalist.