For 27 years I have had the opportunity to visit vast and varied regions of the world because of my employment with an airline. I can travel virtually free anywhere my airline goes, and practically free on most other carriers because of generous reciprocal agreements. This perk has afforded me the opportunity to be an ambassador for my country and my "peculiar" state.

No matter where in the world I go, when people ask me where I come from and I tell them Utah, the next words out of their mouths are almost always the same: "So you must be Mormon."

I always respond in the affirmative and tell them how wonderful I think the state and the people are, especially all the Mormons. I go on and on about the kindness of Utahns and the beautiful scenery and the many things and places visitors can see and enjoy in my "pretty great state."

I am sincerely proud of my Mormon heritage and my liberal Mormon family.

The next thing I do if I happen to be in a restaurant or bar is order a frosty cold beer and ask my new friends if they would like to join me. The confusion on their faces is to die for.

"I thought Mormons don't drink," they say. I tell them that while most of them don't, I am a "legacy Mormon" whose family was in the LDS Church before the mid-1840s, when the Word of Wisdom was amended to discourage alcohol consumption, and therefore that rule doesn't apply to us.

"That's interesting!" they say. And they want to know more.

I usually provide a cornucopia of little-known Mormon beliefs and obscure parts of our history, telling them everything they've never heard about the church and affirming all the wild rumors that have been spread by our detractors.

They all seem relieved to be finally told the truth about our horns (I file mine down!) and how many wives we "legacy Mormons" are allowed to have at one time. Our conversations are always fascinating and friendly. People like to be told the "truth," especially if it "validates" their predilections and biases.

On occasion I have had in-depth talks and philosophical debates with European intellectuals. They are intrigued by our apprentice program for godhood and want to know how they, too, can become master of another world in a far-off universe.

Yes, Mormons come in many different shapes, thought patterns and styles. Think about it the next time you travel and have the opportunity to represent Utah as a "Mormon." After all, aren't all Utahns just a little bit Mormon in one way or another?

We have become so because of the way our Utah Mormon neighbors categorize everyone in our "pretty great state." We are variously labeled as non-Mormon, anti-Mormon, gay Mormon, Jack Mormon, excommunicated Mormon, active Mormon, apostate Mormon, and my favorite -- Utah County Mormon (our Taliban).

So, if you wonder why the world is confused about Mormons, wonder no more. It is entirely the fault of "legacy Mormons" like me.

Bruce K. Church , a 1977 graduate of the University of Utah, served a mission for the LDS Church in Tahiti and loves his Mormon heritage. His father and grandfather were LDS bishops. He works for an airline and lives in Murray.