This is Part 3 in a series of articles on religious freedom. For the series introduction, see ?An Introduction to Religious Freedom.?

Religious freedom, or freedom of conscience, is critical to the health of a diverse society. From its very beginning, the United States has been home to a wide range of religious beliefs.

The issue of whether Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are Christian is not a new one, but the current media climate has caused the question to be revisited in both private and public conversations. No matter the circumstances, the underlying question is an important one and a matter whose implications reach well beyond the momentary news cycle.

Being a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is a positive and challenging experience for the women and men who volunteer. In an interview with the Research on Religion podcast (supported by the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion), Deseret News associate editor Allison Pond discusses her mission to Russia in the late 1990s.

Earlier this year, a family historian named Carol was trying to piece together the Ohio branches of her family tree. ?They were shattered by death, marriage, remarriage, name changes, and lack of records,? she said. ?Using the records indexed through FamilySearch [an organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], I was able to?solve an important mystery. It was such a satisfying moment.?

Today that satisfaction is experienced over and over by millions of people who are able to connect with their ancestors thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers known as FamilySearch indexers.

Michael R. Otterson, managing director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, addressed journalists at the Poynter Institute?s conference, ?Politics and Religion: Getting It Right in 2012," on 8 December 2011.