The New York Times takes a look at how Mitt Romney, who was a top Mormon leader in Boston, has lived out his faith. It’s pretty impressive stuff. For example:

Because the church imposes such heavy volunteer obligations on its members, much of Mr. Romney’s work involved functioning as a cheerleader to keep things up and running. When a congregant asked to be released from his church duties during a difficult divorce, Mr. Romney said no; he did not want to send a message that divorced people could not serve.

When Clayton Christensen, a Harvard business professor, and his wife, Christine, felt overwhelmed by church obligations, Mr. Romney showed up unexpectedly at the door. With three young children, Mr. Christensen was in charge of missionary work; his wife ran the relief society, ministering to Boston’s poor.

“He said, ‘I was just driving home from work, and I had a feeling that I needed to stop by and tell you that God loves you.’ ” Mr. Christensen was so moved, he recalled, that he wept.

If Mitt Romney were a Catholic or a Protestant, this kind of thing (and that’s not the only example in the story) would be a golden testament to his character, and how his faith motivated him to serve and support others. But because he’s a Mormon, he’s got to hide it. It might be better for his soul that he can’t really talk about his faith and how it inspires him to serve, but still, it’s not right.