First of all, please know this is seriously none of your business. Please don’t go asking pregnant ladies why they are (or are not!) pregnant, and please don’t ask me to elaborate more than I choose to here.
Why I’m pregnant again
After my last pregnancy, I didn’t know I could ever go through it again. (The Truth About Pregnancy) Surely, I wouldn’t be able to until we were financially stable enough to hire a full-time nanny, at least. The way my last pregnancy went, there is no way I would be able to take care of a baby on the outside at the same time I grew another on the inside.
My heart was (and still is!) set on adopting and/or fostering—and not on doing the whole childbearing thing again.
But God had other plans.
God began to tell me I needed to get pregnant again when my baby was perhaps just under a year old. When I heard His strong suggestions, I wasn’t anxious. I was downright terrified.
I didn’t know if this pregnancy would be any better (or worse) than the last. The way my last one went, I didn’t know how I would be able to take care of myself, let alone my 1-year-old.
What I do know is God. I know He told us we need to do this. His voice was firm.
When I pleaded if I could just wait a little longer, I heard Him tell me, “You can, but you will regret it.”
I lay my body, my life, my everything at the Lord’s feet to do His will.
My pregnancy started out practically the same as the last. For about a month, my life came to a screeching halt. I canceled or delegated out practically all of my responsibilities, and I scheduled out angel babysitters and family members to care for my baby because I was incapable.
By the grace of God, I have since been blessed with wonderful gifts from friends, technological advances, and medical personnel that have reduced my symptoms to a much more manageable level. While I still have bad days, I can mostly take care of myself, my child, and a good chunk of my other responsibilities.
I am grateful God has seen fit to grant me a (so far!) easier pregnancy than I had dared hope for.
Couples: take courage
As much as I wanted to wait as long as possible (read: through the Resurrection) to get pregnant again, I felt God pushing me in another direction.
At risk of sounding dramatic and revealing my life as charmed, I think I can say this is the biggest test of faith I’ve ever faced.
If you’re married and wondering if it’s time to start (or continue) having kids, first and foremost I declare: it’s between you, your spouse, and the Lord.
But you’re here, so I assume that means you want my two cents.
I suggest that, as a society, we would do well to consider the choice to have children as more than just a personal choice; instead, I propose we also consider this process a holy council. This council includes coming with questions to the Lord and being ready to listen to His advice. May we consider our willingness to “[yield] to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.” (Mosiah 3:19)
For more on how to make this decision, please check out the part 1 of this mini-series: “The Right Time to Have Kids”.
Yielding to what we hear from the Holy Ghost might feel uncomfortable, disappointing, or scary—especially when the counsel we hear does not align with our desires. I’ve been there. Hearing stories of faith have lent me courage in making this decision.
Stories of faith and courage
This story and subsequent guidance from Elder Rasband lends me courage, and may bolster your faith if you are in a similar trial of faith. One of their newly-married children once approached them and asked the following question:
“Is it still safe and wise to bring children into this seemingly wicked and frightening world we live in?”
Elder Rasband continues:
“Now, that was an important question for a mom and dad to consider with their dear married children. We could hear the fear in their voices and feel the fear in their hearts. Our answer to them was a firm ‘Yes, it’s more than OK,’ as we shared fundamental gospel teachings and our own heartfelt impressions and life experiences. …
“Take heart, brothers and sisters. Yes, we live in perilous times, but as we stay on the covenant path, we need not fear. I bless you that as you do so, you will not be troubled by the times in which we live or the troubles that come your way. I bless you to choose to stand in holy places and be not moved. I bless you to believe in the promises of Jesus Christ, that He lives and that He is watching over us, caring for us and standing by us. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.”
In his talk from the last general conference, “The Personal Journey of a Child of God”, Elder Andersen presents stories from multiple brave people of faith. I heard this talk while I was still dealing with the full force of my “morning” sickness without much aid.
I felt an instant connection with the sweet Laing family, who had their own challenging experiences with childbearing but still had four children! Even though they were content to be done having children, they listened to the Spirit telling them they weren’t done. They had not one but two more children.
What an inspiration to families who think they cannot possibly have another child.
(Even though I had already chosen to follow the Lord’s council and was already pregnant, they still inspired me to continue working on this piece. I’ve been working on it for three months now.)
This all said, I don’t know if God will ask me or if I will have the faith to have another kid after this. I’m happy to not know for now—so please don’t ask!
Aside: a word about appropriate boundaries
In my experience, when you get married, most people want to know when you’re going to have a child. A good number of them are bold enough to ask.
Please don’t ask. They may volunteer the information if they so desire.
I pretty much expected this when I got married.
What I didn’t expect was that practically as soon as I came home with my first baby, people also wanted to know when I was going to have another child, and an even bigger number of them were bold enough to ask.
Please don’t ask. They may volunteer the information if they so desire.
I was surprised and a little hurt by this experience—especially considering the hellish pregnancy and traumatizing birth and postpartum experience I had just escaped.
I tried to bite back mean-spirited retorts and play it off, saying something honest but conversation-ending, like, “Oh, I think we’re ready to start working on adoption once we’ve got the money.”
Family: a matter of faith
I know for a lot of people, childbearing and baby-tending are deep, strong desires. Many women describe “baby hunger,” a phrase I neither particularly like nor relate to.
Don’t get me wrong; I love my baby girl. I enjoy being around kids. I just haven’t personally experienced a personal desire to have babies. Instead, the experience of embracing motherhood has, for me, been a largely faith-driven process.
For this second baby, I had exactly zero personal desire to get pregnant again.
But I know God too well to not listen when He guides.
I know that He always takes me in the right direction. It’s almost never the fun or easy direction, but I can always look back and know it was right.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
May we not neglect to exercise faith in this critical part of life’s journey, having children. Certainly, God grants us agency and, often, the peace of knowing that our choice is a good one; however, in making this decision, we must have faith.
I have faith in personal revelation, in my experiences following the Lord’s commands, and in His holy scriptures—which teach over and over again that having children is both a commandment and a blessing to the righteous. (Gen 1:28, Ps 127:3)
I don’t understand perfectly now, but I have faith that God’s plan for me as a mother is central to who I am and must become.
With my imperfect knowledge and incomplete testimony, I testify of God’s love for you, of the compassion of His commands, and of the reality that He always keeps His promises. I testify that He loves families. I testify that He does not call perfect people to be perfect parents and that He understands that it will be a sacrifice. I testify that He will not lead you astray in this or any decision.
In the name of our everlasting Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
If you have children, what has been your experience in making that decision? No matter who you are, what are your experiences in following God’s counsel? Comment below.
For much of this time, I felt unneeded, unwanted, and out of place. I so much desired to share and to serve, but I thought God didn’t want to use me.
If I’m being honest, it really all turned out for the best; for much of that time, I was deathly ill while pregnant, then recovering through a long and awful postpartum journey. Now I see that I would have been of little service to anyone and God actually knew what He was doing. (Shocker, I know.)
More than anything, I think He taught me that His work doesn’t always look the way we think it will.
To my foolishness, however, I still prayed and hoped for a chance to have a “real” calling!
Right as I finished up the bulk of my postpartum journey, my husband graduated from college, we moved away, and we began attending a Spanish ward.
A couple months ago, and just a few months after moving in, I was called to serve as the president of the Young Women.
Yikes.
When I told a friend about how overwhelmed I felt, she smiled and said, “You said you wanted a calling!”
She was right. I asked for it.
And God likes to give us what we ask for!
Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
From the last couple years, I have some takeaways for people in either of these circumstances:
People with no calling. (I will also include people who have a calling that they feel doesn’t meet their desire to share, grow, and learn.)
People who’ve been called to a calling that seems overwhelming or impossible. (If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it probably will soon.)
Let’s get into it.
An aside: If you don’t know what the word “calling” means, no worries. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, almost every member of the Church has or will at some point receive a calling. They are special volunteer jobs or assignments to which a person is called by God to do a certain task, such as to teach Sunday school classes or to play the piano. Typically, the bishop (leader) of the ward (congregation) prays to know who to ask to take a certain calling, gets an answer from the Lord, then privately asks that member to receive the calling. If they accept, they will receive a special blessing, called a setting apart, to have divine assistance in fulfilling the calling.
Part 1: Not enough calling
You might think I’m crazy, but while I didn’t have a calling, I desperately prayed for one. For a year and a half, God didn’t give me one; instead, He taught me a couple lessons. Here are the cheat codes so you don’t have to take as long as I did figuring this out. You’re welcome.
Magnify your assignment
While bishops are encouraged to give every member a calling if possible, Relief Society and Elders’ Quorum presidencies must give every adult member of the Church a ministering assignment. Even youth should now have assignments as well. (If you do not yet have one, talk with your Elder’s Quorum or Relief Society presidency.)
After some time of bitter feelings every time I heard the phrase “magnify your calling” (Magnify Your Calling, Gordon B. Hinckley), I felt the Lord tell me something else:
I can magnify my assignment!
I started to truly understand how to lift where I stood and to magnify and even enjoy my assignment as a ministering sister. (To learn more about that story and how to get started ministering, visit Ministering Despite Anxiety: How to Start Ministering.)
I encourage you to study the doctrine of ministering like the Savior does as you try to follow Him in ministering to those to whom you are assigned. Surely, at least one will need your help—and perhaps you will need them, too.
My husband and I received another assignment as well, a short-term assignment to facilitate a self-reliance class for the stake, “Find a Better Job.” We worked together to get to know our group; we felt that we were able to love and serve them as they did the same for us. It was much more of a spiritually-strengthening and even joyful experience than I had anticipated.
Plus, because of the principles we were practicing, my husband used the strategies each week to land several job interviews and eventually a good job to begin upon graduation just a few weeks later.
Another assignment we did get and that you might get is to speak in church. Although I have social anxiety, I find speaking in church a very enjoyable experience, at least for the week leading up to it while I focus my study deeply in just one area of the gospel.
It’s possible that you won’t receive another assignment besides ministering. Either way, you can rejoice in your assignment and prove to the Lord that you will take this job seriously to bring Him glory.
You don’t need a calling or assignment in order to serve God
These words from Jesus Christ, along with prayer and the Holy Spirit, changed my outlook entirely:
“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
“Verily I say, men [and women] should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
“For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
“But he [or she] that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.”
Doctrine & Covenants 58:26–29
Did you hear that?
We can’t wait around until God tells us exactly how we are supposed to do His work. You don’t need a specific calling to do the work!
But you still want one, you say?
Well guess what?
You also get your own calling!
The Lord says:
“…if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;”
Doctrine & Covenants 4:3
Boom! There you go! If you want to serve God, you have a calling.
(If you don’t want to serve God, I don’t really know why you’re reading this, but I’m happy you’re here! I recommend studying His Word and praying to understand His love for you and why you should want to serve Him.)
“God invites all to come unto Christ and assist in His work by 1) living the gospel of Jesus Christ, 2) caring for those in need, 3) inviting all to receive the gospel, and 4) uniting families for eternity.” (numbers added)
The good news: This is kind of a choose-your-own-adventure moment! You have four main areas to choose from, and you can get more specific from there.
The other (but also harder) good news: You’re going to have to do some extra practice learning how to receive personal revelation. (A great resource to help you out is this talk from our prophet.)
Think about which of those 4 areas most speak to you right now. Try to choose just one or two areas and/or ideas. As you consider what to pursue, you might want to think about devoting more time to the Lord in scripture study or identifying your little missions. (We Should All Be Gospel Scholars…, On Little Missions…)
Take your choices to the Lord. Pray to know His will for you. He will either encourage you to continue in your chosen calling, or He will help you make another choice.
Make a plan for how you will fulfill your calling. Choose how and when you will achieve your own goals.
For me, this blog became my new calling. With it, I increased my daily scripture study time and intention and filled my Sunday hours with learning and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
All Things Have Their Seasons
Just because you don’t have a calling now doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. Just because you have a busy calling today doesn’t mean you will tomorrow.
God knows what we’re ready for. I quickly learned that being pregnant and recovering from childbirth was a full-time job for me, the way it affected my mind and body. (The Truth About Pregnancy) It was not a time for other people in the ward to depend on me.
Pray to understand His timing and His will for you and your life. It is rarely what we expect or hope for, but it is what is best for us.
Part 2: Too much calling
If you think your calling is overwhelming, I’m right there with you.
The Lord called you and will help you
Here I am, a person who hadn’t had a “real” calling for a year and a half, assigned a very time-consuming calling that, to me, seemed very difficult. I’m supposed to be a leader to all the young women in the ward, but I barely have more than 5 years of adulthood under my belt myself! I hadn’t attended a family ward or been around young women since my mission—if that really even counts.
It also seemed to have come at a terrible time, too. My business was picking up, I had just gotten a promotion at the nonprofit I volunteer at, and my nanny had just quit. (Plus, I was just starting to bring life to my dreams with Spack Chats, and this calling was going to take up most of my Sunday blogging/podcasting time!… Don’t worry y’all, we’re still going. 😉 )
My calling feels very difficult a lot of the time. I feel very inadequate, unqualified, and unsure of what to do. I’ve already messed up more than once. I stress myself out about all the things to remember and do.
The funny thing is, though, that I also know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I know God put me here.
I’ve felt it as my husband has given me blessings of counsel, in which I’ve heard the Lord’s assurance and confidence. I’ve felt it as I’ve prayed to know whom to call to help me lead the Young Women; in a ward where I knew nearly no one, names on the ward list jumped out and lingered in my mind. I’ve felt it as I’ve gotten to have experiences with the youth and the leaders as we’ve had and shared critical spiritual experiences together.
I testify that God is doing a “marvelous work,” and He enlists us to help Him. Callings are one major way we help in His work. If we accept His call to “embark in the service of God,” He will strengthen us: (Doctrine & Covenants 4:1, 2)
“…for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (Doctrine & Covenants 84:88)
If you accept the call to do His work, the Lord will not leave you alone. He will be with you every step of the way, and He will make possible and successful what seems daunting and difficult.
Have some faith
Some people turn callings down. In fact, it’s a dirty little secret that many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turn down many or all callings or inform their bishop that they will only take a select list of callings.
This is shameful.
We are members of Jesus Christ’s Church! We have promised to follow Him wherever He asks us to go. We have promised to serve Him.
The exceptions
That being said, there are times when a calling recipient may need to let the bishop know about very special circumstances (for instance, health concerns that would restrict calling fulfillment, or moving away soon). If you think this may be the case, you should counsel with your bishop. You may both need to go home, pray about it, and listen for an answer before coming to a decision.
If you tell a bishop new information that makes them decide to call someone else, it doesn’t necessarily mean that that calling was incorrect or not inspired. In fact, if you present new information to the bishop that leads him to choose someone else for the calling, God probably led him to your name so that he would find out that important information.
I felt prompted to choose a certain woman from the ward list to serve as a Young Women leader, but when the bishopric reached out to her to extend the calling, they found out that she had moved. I firmly feel that I was led to her name so that the bishopric would find out about her new situation and be able to get her support in her new ward.
Don’t be ashamed if any of these situations have happened to you.
The rule
But before you get too excited, remember: everyone has special circumstances. You aren’t unique in having limitations.
The bishop probably won’t know about everything going on in your life or about all of your limitations—but the Lord will. It is between you and the Lord to determine if your special circumstances are such that you cannot accept a calling.
Each person who is asked to receive a calling has a responsibility to pray to the Lord for confirmation that this calling is truly for them. Whether you feel apprehensive about taking the calling at first or if you accept immediately, it will serve you well to have a personal witness and testimony that the calling has come straight from the Lord.
I am concerned that we, as a whole, as members of the Church, more often turn down a calling for reasons of personal preference, fear, or pride instead of special circumstances.
Where is our faith?
We are God’s chosen people, saved for these latter days! But each of us gets to decide what we will do personally.
Will we be like Nephi? Who accepted the Lord’s call to build a boat, even though we had no tools or knowledge to do so? (1 Nephi 18)
Will we be like Joseph? Called to be a prophet, even though he had never seen one before or had any real training or abilities? (Joseph Smith History)
Or are we like the young rich man? Called to sell all that He had to follow Jesus, after keeping the commandments his whole life, but did not accept the call? (Matthew 19)
No matter your calling: drop the pride, catch the vision
You are more than the calling you do or don’t have. We mustn’t let our pride get in the way of doing God’s work.
If you turn down a calling because you don’t want it, you’re putting your pride before your discipleship to Jesus Christ.
If you only do your calling halfheartedly or to the bare minimum because you don’t think it’s an “important” calling, you’re allowing your pride to get in the way of your own growth and the blessing of others.
If you are proud of how “important” your calling is, your pride is getting in the way of doing Christ’s work out of love, which will hurt yourself and those around you.
Catch the vision. Your calling (or lack thereof) is about so much more than yourself.
It’s about all the people around you and bringing about the salvation and exaltation of our brothers and sisters.
It’s about the Lord Jesus Christ, honoring and following him back to our Heavenly Parents.
Join the chat
What situation are you in, with Church callings? What encouragement or advice would you add to others?
God has big plans and great intentions for each member of His Church.
In this Church, we are promised more blessings than we can find anywhere else; it is only natural that it is also a Church where we are asked to do much. This is definitely not an only-on-Sundays Church or something you can just do. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ means taking on a challenging lifestyle and struggling to allow Christ to make us into new beings.
Sometimes, it feels like He asks a lot of us!
We’re supposed to keep a strict health regimen, stay virgins until we’re married, and even give up 10% of our income.
We’re supposed to go to church on Sundays, take time on whatever calling we’re given, attend the temple regularly, watch 8-10 hours of general conference twice a year, and hold family home evening activities every week.
Despite all of these things, it’s that scripture study that gets really overwhelming for me.
Study general conference talks throughout the year.
Study about the promises to the house of Israel.
Read everything about the Savior and that the Savior said in all the standard works.
Review the proclamations from the Church.
Read Saints.
Read the Bible.
Read your patriarchal blessing.
Read any additional readings assigned by your youth leaders, relief society/elders’ quorum leaders, bishopric, or stake leaders.
Read any additional content as prompted by the Spirit.
This is a freak ton of reading.
How on earth can any one person living a normal life possibly read all of these things!?
Don’t panic: We don’t have to do all of these things at once.
There may be days or seasons in your life when you can only hang on by that minimum few verses a day in the Book of Mormon.
But before you take a total sigh of relief, what I’m about to say is probably not easy to hear. It wasn’t for me, when I heard it for the first time from the Lord:
God wants us to become scholars of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He doesn’t need us to have every verse memorized or be ready to Bible bash to prove a point in an argument.
He needs us to know this content deeply so that it changes us.
Catch the vision
Knowledge is power, and God wishes to grant His power in full force upon His people.
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”
1 Nephi 14:14
I remember a mentor once saying something to the effect of the following: “Oh, of course [Sister]’s Relief Society lesson was great. She is such a gospel scholar. She just understands the scriptures so well. I’ll never be able to know the gospel as well as her.”
She continued, “When I read the scriptures, it usually just goes over my head. I’ve read the Book of Mormon lots of times, but I don’t know if I know it really well. And I just haven’t read the Bible so much either.”
I was surprised and saddened by the idea. This mentor had been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ for more than 40 years, her whole life!
Granted, I’m sure my mentor was talking down her knowledge and abilities in an excess of humility. I’m sure she knows a lot more than she gives herself credit for.
The conversation led me to conduct some introspective evaluation and intent prayer. How well should I know the scriptures? How should I be studying the Word of the Lord?
I felt the Lord answer my prayer, and I started to catch the vision:
We are supposed to be as fully immersed in the doctrine and teachings of Jesus Christ as much as our lives permit—and if our lives don’t make much room for those things, we probably need to reevaluate our lives and make changes, sometimes big changes.
As a Church, I feel that we have begun to move toward the vision with the introduction of Come, Follow Me, but let’s take it further than the bare minimum.
Can you see what that would look like if we all tried to maximize our time in studying the scriptures?
Do you see the vision of the stay-at-home parent listening to general conference talks instead of podcasts while they clean? Do you see the young man or young woman picking up their phone to read the Bible instead of open Snapchat when they’re bored? Do you see the empty nester reading the Liahona as they eat instead of watching television?
I confess I am not anywhere near this vision right now. I need your help to achieve it.
Help me see what it looks like. I need your example to know how to become a gospel scholar.
Why become a gospel scholar?
There will always be people who know more than us in some areas, or even all areas, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Becoming a gospel scholar is not the main goal, however. (“Conversion Is Our Goal,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families)
Rather, I believe it is a state of increasing knowledge that highly correlates with becoming the most righteous and faithful follower of Jesus Christ we can become in this life—and will eventually become in the next life.
Granted, there are some who may become very righteous and faithful followers of Jesus Christ in spite of little access to the written words of Christ and His prophets. Such a disciple will also increase in knowledge about Christ, but most likely at a much slower rate and with greater exertion, because they will need to learn more strictly through personal revelation from God.
Thankfully, in this era, we have been blessed with much easier access to God’s word. The Gospel Library app includes an immense amount of information to learn from.
Of course, along with this access to existing scripture, we are also to employ prayer and seek personal revelation from the Lord, but we have a much quicker path to knowledge. Most of the time for most people, the Spirit only gives confirmation or denial, yes or no answers. To learn truth, it is extremely helpful to come to the Lord with something to confirm, rather than ask for specific detail.
This is not because of God’s unwillingness to give more complex answers, as He is eager to answer us; rather, I feel that it has more to do with our limited capacity to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, which is a skill that comes gradually with frequent practice.
How to start becoming a gospel scholar
Becoming a gospel scholar doesn’t have to mean that you don’t do anything besides recite scripture and read the Joseph Smith Papers all day.
You can still have other hobbies, watch television, and do personal activities.
But hear me out: I suggest a couple two things we need to stop ruling out entirely.
a) Don’t rule out cutting back on hobbies or television—or even cutting them out of your life, if prompted by the Spirit, and
b) Don’t rule out having a 1-, 2-, or 3-hour scripture study.
We usually talk about scripture studies over 30 minutes (or even over 10 minutes) as unreasonable, unrealistic, or only for old people who live alone.
But why? We should be maximizing our time with the Lord, and I believe nearly all of us have the time and energy to increase our time in the Word of the Lord if we make room and listen to the Spirit.
We live in a paradoxical world; we are time-poor, but we spend more time on entertainment than ever before. Think about the amount of time we spend consuming media. Muster the courage to look at your Screen Time data. Think about your yearly report from Spotify and the number of hours you spent listening to music or podcasts. Look through your Netflix history.
Now think about how long your scripture study usually is.
Can you replace even a fraction of that time with listening to general conference talks or reading the scriptures?
I know girls (and grown women) who have planned on their future spouse being their spiritual rock because he will have served a mission and had 2 years of 2+ hours of scripture study a day.
But what if she became her own spiritual rock? What if she decided to dedicate 2 hours (or even just 1 hour) to daily scripture study and come to know the Lord on her own?
Imagine if we all took the personal responsibility to become a gospel scholar!
Do you see the vision? Do you see what kind of a people the Lord is raising up in these last days?
Everyone a gospel scholar? Is this reasonable?
“…it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come…”
For most members of the Church, I believe that becoming a gospel scholar can be a reasonable goal—at least, increasing our time with and commitment to the scriptures is something attainable and necessary. I concede that most people don’t need to spend several hours a day fully immersed in the scriptures.
For me, my best scripture studies happen after 45-60 minutes of reading, praying, and writing, and they end with the Spirit telling me what I should do now with the rest of my day to live what I learned. I usually fill in my planner with things I am personally prompted to do: fulfill my Church calling, plan extra time for work, reach out to an old friend, practice music, or just to schedule a walk with my husband and baby. Personally, when I start passing 60 minutes of study, usually I begin to feel inspired to put down my scriptures and “go and do.”
I believe the Lord needs us to give Him some of our time to work with. He has big plans for us, but if we don’t give Him the time of day, we limit what He can do (while still respecting our agency).
No, you might not be able to live a “normal” life if you spend more time studying, pondering, and praying over the scriptures. You might need to get up earlier or cut out some activities from your life to be able to devote this increased time to the Lord.
But we aren’t called to be normal by the world’s standards. We are called to be a “peculiar people.” (1 Peter 2:9)
So how do we choose how long to spend in the scriptures?
You should, as guided by the Spirit, maximize your time in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Building a balanced schedule of scripture study
I believe in choosing a schedule and a study plan, but also being ready to change it as needed and prompted by the Spirit.
If you’re like me, you might feel a little overwhelmed by the idea of maintaining the great study we practiced last year in the Book of Mormon while adding on the study of the Doctrine & Covenants, as outlined in the Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families manual.
You should pray to know how you need to go about this! Here are some ideas, however:
Book of Mormon
Doctrine & Covenants
Additional Study
Individual
• Read quickly (e.g., 5-10 pages/day) • Read slowly (e.g., 1 chapter/week) • Find and record all blessings promised to the House of Israel •Ponderize a verse/day
• Read all the cross references as you go along • Write down one thing you learned/day in your CFM manual • Find and record all blessings promised to the House of Israel
• Listen to/watch talks as you drive, clean, etc. • Read Saints like a novel • Study a topic/week across Gospel Library • Study your patriarchal blessing weekly • Memorize the proclamations • Read the Old or New Testament from the beginning
Family
• Read a few verses together/day • Share verses and why you like them in a group chat • Read and discuss a chapter together on Sundays
• Read a few verses together/day • Choose and share a story from the D&C, its context, and message family home evening • Read and discuss a whole section together on Sundays
• Teach family home evening lessons about a topic/week from For the Strength of Youth • Sing and memorize hymns as a family • Memorize the Articles of Faith with your kids • Use the Circles app to share spiritual videos and thoughts • Watch and discuss talks together as a family/week
Feel free to choose one or more of these suggestions to start building your 2021 scripture study plan, or just use these ideas to inspire you to think of your own choices.
Remember, you don’t have to pick something from every intersection. I recommend using what’s called the “step-up” method.
Think about what you are doing right now. If you are struggling to do any scripture study whatsoever, I recommend just starting by choosing one square to get you started (ideally from the Book of Mormon column). If you are doing personal scripture study but struggle to do family study, try to choose an item from the individual row and from the family row.
Or, if you’re really rocking your studies, pray to decide if you’re ready to up the challenge and pick something from 4, 5, or even 6 of these areas.
The bottom line: Don’t bite off more than you can chew, and don’t think you need to pick something from every single one of these squares.
Start smaller, then come back for more when you’re ready.
As always, pray and ask for discernment and guidance to know exactly how God wants you to choose to learn His Word. I am confident He will help you become the gospel scholar He wants you to become. Remember these words from Nephi:
“…[the Holy Ghost] will show unto you all things what ye should do.”
Ask for His help in choosing your scripture study plan, and incorporate prayer in each of your study sessions. In this same chapter of the Book of Mormon, Nephi continues:
“But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.”
I testify that He will help you achieve your goals—or, better yet, He will use your goals to make you the person He wants you to be, whether or not you perfectly achieve your goals.
I was in high school when President Thomas S. Monson declared:
I am pleased to announce that effective immediately all worthy and able young men who have graduated from high school or its equivalent, regardless of where they live, will have the option of being recommended for missionary service beginning at the age of 18, instead of age 19. I am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available. As we have prayerfully pondered the age at which young men may begin their missionary service, we have also given consideration to the age at which a young woman might serve. Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21. We affirm that missionary work is a priesthood duty—and we encourage all young men who are worthy and who are physically able and mentally capable to respond to the call to serve. Many young women also serve, but they are not under the same mandate to serve as are the young men. We assure the young sisters of the Church, however, that they make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome their service.
Embarrassingly, that fateful Saturday morning, my parents were on a bike ride or something together, and I was alone with my younger brothers. Even though I was the first to wake up and scrambled to get my brothers to come watch general conference, I slept in and missed the first talk and a half (including the prophet’s announcement).
Between the following talks and my Facebook feed, I quickly figured out what had happened and was very excited.
I had always really wanted to serve a mission, but I had known that waiting until I was 21 was a potential hurdle. The idea of becoming a missionary at 19 made it a pretty done-deal!
I still had to do my own searching and asking, however. I didn’t get a strong, specific answer from God about serving a mission until I was 18. I left on my mission a couple weeks after my 19th birthday, and I had an absolutely amazing, hard, fun, and holy 18 months in Fort Worth, Texas.
I appreciate everybody who encouraged me to prepare to serve a mission, to seguir adelante, to press forward to finish my mission, and to take those lessons I learned into the rest of my life. Your kind words and service, while they were not the reason I served, helped me feel extra courage and confidence.
However, ever since President Monson’s initial talk, I have heard some troubling words as well.
“I’m only marrying a returned missionary.”
Various crazy dudes
These are my two main responses to those who make such claims:
A) Please stop that nonsense. In a 2016 Face-to-Face devotional with young adults, Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland said:
“President Monson never intended for all of the young women in the Church to go on missions by dropping [the] age [to 19]. We’re very grateful for those who goo. It’s changed the face of the Church. … But we do not want anyone feeling inadequate or left out or undignified or tarnished because she did not choose to serve a mission. And we’re a little irritated with young men who say, ‘Well, I’m not going to date you because you didn’t serve a mission.’ … We do not want that kind of climate over dating or marriages. … It isn’t our place to pass a judgment.”
B) Here’s the thing: some guys may think that, just because girls put “RM” on their list of requirements for a future spouse that they wrote in a Young Women class when they were 16, they can likewise make the same requirement for girls, too. After all, the women have no excuse now, because they can serve at 19!
News flash:
It’s a bad thing when girls do it, too.
There are many reasons why:
The truth about missionaries
Me on my mission
First, we have to admit it:
Missionaries are just not that great.
Don’t get me wrong; I love missionaries. I loved being a missionary. I believe missionaries have a special calling and are given special spiritual gifts and abilities to serve, bless, and reach people who need help. They are close to the Lord, and they do a great job with sharing that light with others.
But this obsession with marrying an RM is a weird form of idol worship, and it has to stop.
Many people, especially those who have never served missions, have a very rose-tinted view of missionaries. We need to take off the colored-lens glasses—particularly when we’re looking for a spouse.
Being a returned missionary does not automatically make you a more worthy spouse. RM-status does not equate to spiritual immunity in the future. It doesn’t even necessarily mean spiritual strength in the present.
Plenty of people lose faith in Christ and His Gospel after serving missions, and other missionaries may not have even had much faith to begin with.
To set a good baseline of why this is true, let’s first break down why this is the case for boys, then we’ll talk about the girls.
For ladies: about guys serving missions
I cede some ground to you; sisters, you have more right to hope to marry a returned missionary than the brethren do. However, I still propose we stop saying we will only marry an RM.
An image from my brother-in-law’s pre-mission photos
Instead, we need to figure out their heart, priorities, and past.
Reasons why a man would serve
A mission can be a good indicator of where a man’s heart is. Since men are commanded to serve a mission (as they are able and worthy), it can be a sign of obedience and love of God.
However, checking the mission box does not automatically indicate good motivation.
Some men go on missions to have exotic, exciting experiences. Others go to please their parents, who may have saved money for their boy to go. Even worse, in wealthier areas, I hear of boys who leave on a mission because their parents or grandparents promised them a car or free tuition to college if they served.
Some boys may go on a mission to meet the expectations of women. (Ladies, they hear you when you say you will only marry an RM.)
I have already discussed good reasons to serve a mission, and I still stand by the article I wrote last year about it. None of these poorer reasons are bad to motivate a guy to start preparing to serve a mission or even to leave. Hopefully, though, they begin to level up those motivations little by little.
Reasons why a man wouldn’t serve
One major reason why women shouldn’t swear off non-RMs is that there are plenty of reasons to not serve a mission that we would call “good reasons.”
For instance, someone may have only been introduced to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ too late in life to qualify for or plan on serving a mission. They may have needed to serve in the military, care for family members, or take caution because of their health.
There are many such “good reasons.” Remember, our last two prophets didn’t serve missions!
Of course, there are “not-so-good” reasons to not serve a mission, like unworthiness or unwillingness to serve at the time.
But! We would do well to remember that we are not defined by our sins. We all have an opportunity to allow Christ to remove our shortcomings, strengthen our faith, and change our hearts.
Even if we think we know the reason a man did not serve a mission, do not immediately disqualify them for marriage!
For men: about girls serving missions
Remember, unlike men, women are under no automatic obligation to serve a mission. Guys, it is much less acceptable for you to require your future spouse to be a returned missionary! This said, you can still factor the history or lack of a mission into how you determine if a girl is right for you by looking at her heart, priorities, and past as well.
Reasons why a woman would serve
A mission can indicate where a girl’s heart lies, too. It may indicate that she loves and wishes to serve the Lord and others. This is wonderful!
Just like men, however, a woman can be motivated by “not-so-good” reasons. A lot of girls feel pressure to be the overachiever. (See “Women Can’t Do Everything”) They may hear many well-meaning mentors and friends tell them, “You seem like someone who would like to serve a mission,” so they think they need to do it.
Or worse—they might be trying to meet men’s expectations for a returned-missionary wife.
Reasons why a woman wouldn’t serve
There are many other great paths a girl might take with her young adult life.
She might want to get married young and even start having children. (Yes, this is a valid reason to not serve a mission.) Remember, marrying in the temple is a commandment, a saving ordinance, and a requirement for exaltation. A mission is none of those things.
Wedding picture of me and my husband
Other reasons to not serve a mission include being called to serve in the local singles ward and getting involved at Institute. A woman may feel a duty to share the gospel with her family and her friends at home or to support missionaries in the field. She may be prompted to progress in college or perhaps jump straight into a career.
Or, like so many young women I know, she might begin to prepare to serve a mission, but, to her disappointment, receive personal revelation from the Lord that she is needed at home.
Unfortunately, a woman might also feel prompted to serve a mission but does not go for reasons of unworthiness or unwillingness. But again, even if this is the case, this woman has equal access to Christ’s atonement and can repent and be better.
Deciding whether to date or marry somebody
I suggest that many looking-to-marries in the Church should be less picky when going on first dates. Both boys and girls often have unrealistically high expectations for beauty, wealth, or other qualifications for people they will go on one date with.
An aside: Try to give people plenty of grace, but you don’t need to say yes to every person who asks you on a date. (Some people, especially girls, should increase their cautiousness when going on a date with someone; you should not go on a date with someone who makes you feel spiritually or physically unsafe.)
I reject nearly every “absolute” requirement on any person’s list of what they’re looking for in a spouse, even if each item is a good thing. Instead, as you date, look for patterns of behavior, listen to their testimony and their heart, and get to know who they are as a person. All of this will take getting to know them personally.
Get to know the people you date. Plan dates that involve plenty of opportunity to talk and see how your date behaves in various situations.
Deciding to serve a mission
“Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time. You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth.”
My two cents: every person should prepare to serve a mission because God has a mission for every person.
This does not mean every person will serve a 18- or 24-month mission for the Lord, however!
Both men and women should ask and work for a personal answer from the Lord when deciding if and when to serve a mission. If you keep Him involved in the whole decision-making process, He will not let you make a wrong choice.
If you feel the Holy Spirit tell you to not serve a mission, this does not mean you don’t have a mission—quite the opposite.
Long before you were born, all members of the House of Israel (which includes all members of Christ’s Church) were set apart and given a unique mission and destiny.
You have been called to fulfill a divine, personal mission just for you.
This unique mission may or may not involve serving a standard 18- or 24-month mission, but that does not make it any less or more important. God wants you and your critical service to bring about His Plan for you and all of His children on the Earth.
“Before the creation of the earth, faithful women were given certain responsibilities and faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood duties. As people prove themselves worthy, they will be given opportunities to fulfill the assignments they then received.”
Whether you are 12, 19, 35, or 80, you must still be preparing for and fulfilling your mission.
If you cannot now see the vision of what God wants for you and your mission, ask Him in prayer and listen to what He says. Study the scriptures and receive/study your patriarchal blessing.
A summary for singles
When it comes to choosing whom to marry, no matter who you are, don’t rule out those who didn’t serve missions. There is a good chance they are busy fulfilling more personalized and effective missions than they ever could in a formal mission field.
If “returned missionary” is an item on your list of requirements for a future spouse, you’re doing it wrong.
A summary for everyone
If your mission is the “glory days” of your life, you’re doing it wrong.
If you take your relationship with God lightly because you figure you will marry an RM who is more “spiritual” than you, you’re endangering your personal progression and any possible marriage you are blessed with.
Stop idolizing formal missions. Yes, they are wonderful and even a duty for (worthy and able) priesthood holders, but as long as we hold an improperly high view of missions, we run the risk of failing to see the mission God has placed right in front of us.
What do you think?
For those who didn’t serve missions, what do you wish others knew about you? For everybody, how are you fulfilling your life’s mission?
“If you are voting for [candidate], unfollow me right now.”
“I can’t believe that [family member] became a [party member]. Do they even have a brain?”
“It’s official. If you’re voting for [candidate], you hate America.”
“I used to be able to understand [people of other party], but at this point, I just don’t think there’s anything we can agree on.”
“I don’t know how you can vote [candidate] and still be a member of the Church.”
“Everyone voting for [candidate] is either brainwashed or just evil.”
“I would bet my salvation that the leaders of the Church are not voting for [candidate].”
Read all of the above, dropping in your preferred candidate and party, then repeat with the opposing side.
How many of these have you heard? If it’s under half, please tell me in the comments how you live your life, because I want to know your secrets. But I would guess you have heard all or most of these lines (or at least read them in the Facebook comments).
I have heard nearly all of these statements spoken verbatim or at least in sentiment about members of not just one but both major political parties and their candidates. My own family, like many others, has members divided against one another over this election.
Let me be clear: I fully believe in being informed about candidates, their platforms, and how their policies align with the Constitution and principles of the Gospel. I believe in having political opinions and voting according to our conscience. (See “Don’t Be Afraid of the P Word – Why and How to Embrace Politics”)
I care about your political opinions, and I like hearing all sides of political issues.
But frankly, who you vote for is not the most important or interesting thing about you—or anybody else.
Your divine identity
I believe the most important thing about you is your divine identity and potential.
I would suggest that if we have said any of the things on my opening list about someone whose political views don’t align with our own, we are doing it wrong. If you honestly can’t empathize with somebody who disagrees with you, you need a divine realignment. We must keep first in our minds, hearts, and lives our divine identity that is so much more important than our political orientation. (See Elder Oaks’ talk, “Love Your Enemies”)
The following three points outline just a few other things that are much more important things to remember about yourself and other people.
1) You are a child of God.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
You are a child of God, created by Him in His image, and He loves you. Do you treat yourself as if you are a precious child of an omnipotent, omniscient Father in Heaven? Do you treat others as if they are also His precious children?
2) You have divinely-given gender and family roles.
Gender and family roles are another piece of what I believe to be the most important things about you. We learn the following from the proclamation on the family:
“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”
Whether or not you have a family right now in this life, you are destined to fulfill a role as a man or woman, son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or wife, father or mother.
3) God intentionally sent you here on a specific mission.
President Nelson recently gave me a bit more of a glimpse of my divine history and destiny. In September of 2019, BYU hosted a devotional for young adults with President Nelson, who invited all young adults to participate virtually around the world. His address has had a remarkable impact on me and on my understanding of my divine potential and relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior.
He powerfully states the following:
“You are the children whom God chose to be part of His battalion during this great climax in the longstanding battle between good and evil, between truth and error. I would not be surprised if, when the veil is lifted in the next life, we learn that you actually pled with our Heavenly Father to be reserved for now. I would not be surprised to learn that, premortally, you loved the Lord so much that you promised to defend His name, and Gospel, during this world’s tumultuous winding up scenes.
“One thing is certain: You are of the house of Israel, and you have been sent here to gather God’s elect.”
President Nelson, prophet
We are here on earth to do so much more than become political activists. While our political beliefs and behaviors can enhance our ability to fulfill our divine mission on earth, they are not the only or primary thing we can do to gather Israel.
In this discourse, President Nelson also reminds us: “God loves every one of us with perfect love.” It is this love for every person around us that we must keep at the forefront as we work to complete our mission.
We can’t treat ourselves or others like our political party supersedes our divine identity or potential. We are so much more than who we vote for or the political party we subscribe to.
But also, voting does matter
Make no mistake: our actions matter. What we do in this life is part of what determines our eternal futures and identities.
Who and what you vote for does matter; we should celebrate voting as an opportunity to deliberately practice our agency. The Church always encourages its members to be politically informed and involved, including and especially in voting for candidates and policies that we best see aligned with our values.
While I still hold that somebody’s political views are not the most important thing about them, I understand that political views reflect personal behavior, religious belief, and knowledge. I claim that political behavior and beliefs reflect two things: a) your underlying actions and beliefs, and/or b) those of the people you listen to, particularly in the case of apathy toward or inaccessibility of truth.
On an individual level, we have to believe the best of intentions of all people. Of those closest to me who disagree with me politically, I seek to trust that they are attempting to allow their religious and moral compasses to direct their political views. This has never meant that we all end up on the same page, and we have to accept this.
However, speaking broadly, I am concerned that there may be those attempting to adjust their religious views to fit their political views; we should do it the other way around. We must allow our religious views to act as the mold for our political views. I claim there are political views and behaviors that simply do not provide fertile ground for your testimony; some people may remain in the Church while believing and acting a certain way, but that does not mean it is sustainable. We should never be so committed to a candidate or party that it overshadows our commitment to the Lord, His word, and His commandments.
An instagram post with the Nike logo revised to say “Just Vote”
I see many online figures repeating taglines like this: “Just vote.” I disagree. We should not just vote. I believe we must also seek knowledge from both research and from the Lord.
I have a very strong testimony of praying over my ballots. It sounds weird, but let me explain.
My weird and amazing story
When I was on my mission, my mother forwarded me my ballot. It was the first election I could participate in, and I wanted nothing to do with it. Before my mission, I was about as proudly apolitical as possible, and on my mission, I was wholly committed to the work.
After letting it sit on my desk for several days and almost ripping it up and throwing it away a few times, I opened it up and looked at the names. I didn’t recognize almost any names on the ballot.
Resignedly, I said a prayer and said something to this respect: “If you want me to do something about this, you’re going to have to tell me which ones to vote for.”
I was rather surprised when I immediately received an impression to vote for a presidential candidate of one of the major parties. I knew extremely little about this person, and what I had heard was all negative. I prayed to check one more time that that really was an impression from Him. Upon confirmation, I filled in the bubble.
I was guided to vote for a couple other candidates as well. I said a final prayer, sealed up my ballot, and mailed it off.
This last election, I have had much more opportunity to study out the candidates and the issues, which I believe I have done extensively. I still have attempted to approach my ballots with prayer and humility. This time, I have felt the Lord’s guiding hand both confirm good choices and also change my vote toward ones I had previously chosen against.
I dare you
I testify that God wishes to bless us all, and, if we allow Him, He will work through us to accomplish his work. I have learned to accept that I don’t know everything about any candidate or issue but that He does. My knowledge of the past, present, and, especially, future is extremely limited; His is complete. I must trust that He knows better than I which things must be brought to pass.
This is based on of a talk I gave in church on October 18, 2020. It is included in English and Spanish.
Esto se basa en un discurso que dí en la iglesia el día18 de octubre, 2020. Se incluye en Inglés y Español.
“Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always”
We were assigned to choose and speak about one talk from the recent general conference that just happened two weeks ago. It was difficult for me to choose just one conference talk because most of the addresses touched me deeply.
Because I could choose only one talk, I encourage all of you to take advantage of the opportunity to listen to the conference again, and to read each talk carefully between now and the next conference in 6 months. I have been developing this habit of frequently studying the talks from the apostles and our other leaders, and I testify that there is much more to find in each one of these addresses. I know that, in each one, God has much to say to us. As our prophet has said many times, we must follow the invitation of the father to listen to the voice of Jesus Christ when He speaks. I testify that, as this is His Church, the general conference of the Church is a time when He speaks to us.
He begins by speaking of the many frightening things that are happening in the world right now. As a person who suffers from anxiety, I understand much of the fear of which he speaks:
Violence
Moral denigration
Vandalism of religious buildings
Global pandemic
Death
Isolation
Disappointments
Economic challenges
Riots
Each of us also face our own personal fears and challenges. Surely, we live in troubling times. However, I am comforted by the following statements of hope President Ballard offers:
I think often of those of you who are suffering, worried, afraid, or feeling alone. I assure each one of you that the Lord knows you, that He is aware of your concern and anguish, and that He loves you—intimately, personally, deeply, and forever. Each night when I pray, I ask the Lord to bless all who are burdened with grief, pain, loneliness, and sadness. I know that other Church leaders echo that same prayer. Our hearts, individually and collectively, go out to you, and our prayers go to God in your behalf.
I find it comforting to know that I have the prayers of an apostle, and other leaders called by God, on my side. I hope it’s encouraging to each of you individually to know that you have an apostle praying for you.
I already knew that prayer could calm my soul personally and lead to individual blessings, but I was grateful to also hear that prayer is the best way to change not just myself, but the world.
President Ballard tells this story of when he was visiting the eastern USA last year:
On Sunday, October 20, I spoke to a large gathering near Boston, Massachusetts. As I was speaking, I was prompted to say, “I plead with you … to pray for this country, for our leaders, for our people, and for the families that live in this great nation founded by God.”4
I also said that America and many of the nations of the earth, as in times past, are at another critical crossroads and need our prayers.
My plea was not in my prepared remarks. Those words came to me as I felt the Spirit prompt me to invite those present to pray for their country and their leaders.
This is an amazing testament to me of how guided our apostles are, and how important prayer is. Now, he now turns this plea to you:
Today I expand my call for prayer to all people from every country around the world. No matter how you pray or to whom you pray, please exercise your faith—whatever your faith may be—and pray for your country and for your national leaders. As I said last October in Massachusetts, we stand today at a major crossroads in history, and the nations of the earth are in desperate need of divine inspiration and guidance. This is not about politics or policy. This is about peace and the healing that can come to individual souls as well as to the soul of countries—their cities, towns, and villages—through the Prince of Peace and the source of all healing, the Lord Jesus Christ.
During the past few months I have had the impression come to me that the best way to help the current world situation is for all people to rely more fully upon God and to turn their hearts to Him through sincere prayer. Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven’s inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us will be our safest and surest way to move confidently forward through these troubling times.
Did you catch that? President Ballard said the “best way to help the current world situation is for all people to rely more fully upon God and to… [pray].”
This is perhaps the most comforting thing about all of President Ballard’s address. To me, the most disheartening thing about the many problems happening in our world right now is that it seems there is little to nothing we can do about it. How can I, one woman in Utah, make things better in other parts of the country, and around the world?
Pray?
It seems so simple, but I am grateful that is the case. Prayer is something I can do! It is something we can all do. No matter our age, our profession, our popularity, or our worldly influence, we can all speak to God and come closer to Him individually.
This week, I finished the last chapter of a book titled, Seven Miracles that Saved America: Why They Matter and Why We Should Have Hope. It was a remarkably faith-bolstering book, and I highly recommend it.
The authors tell this story from the Bible that has left me pondering this week:
The eighteenth chapter of Genesis tells the story of God appearing to Abraham and sharing His intentions to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Hearing this intent, Abraham asks God a rather pointed question. “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (v. 23).
He then starts to bargain with the Lord. “Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?” (v.24).
And God answers, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes” (v. 26).
Think about that. “I will spare all the place.” The entire city. And why? For their sakes. For the sake of the good.
Then Abraham, apparently knowing that the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were really pretty bad, rethinks his proposition. Realizing there might not actually be fifty righteous within the cities, he makes a counteroffer, asking if God wouldn’t spare the city for forty-five righteous (see v. 28).
And so they go, Abraham bargaining with God, essentially pleading on behalf of the righteous until they get down to ten. And God says, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake” (v.32).
Surely there’s a lesson for us here. Maybe we have reached the point where we, as an entire people, are no longer worthy of God’s blessings. Are the good among us fewer than 60 percent of our population? Fewer than half? Fewer than 40 percent, or 30 percent? Is there any way to really know?
But in a sense, it may not matter quite as much as we think, for God has shown His willingness to save an entire people for the sake of the righteous, even if they are but a few.
If that is true, maybe we need not worry so much about our country and our people and whether our society has become too wicked, for surely there are a few wicked among us. Instead, maybe we need to concentrate on our lives, our own goodness, our own families. Are we one of the fifty? One of the ten? Are we, those of us who still believe, living our lives in such a way that we could convince God to save our nation if only for the few?
This story impressed me because I worry that we in the country, we in the world, are not sufficiently righteous. This story reminded me of the importance of my own prayers for this world in need. It can be very discouraging to know that as members of Christ’s Church, we are very few in the world. The number of Christians is also shrinking, and religion generally is becoming less and less popular.
I am encouraged by this story about Abraham, and I am encouraged by the words of President Ballard. From them both, I have courage to move forward doing my part, knowing that my small efforts, like praying on my own and in my family and living righteously, are making a difference in the world. It makes the difference.
Redouble your effort
At the end of President Ballard’s talk, he invites us all to “redouble [our] commitment to prayer.”
This was a bit of personal stab to the heart. A couple weeks before general conference, I was praying to ask the Lord what I lacked yet. He told me two things: 1) I needed to increase my scripture study time, and 2) I needed to pray more and pray better. I quickly learned that increasing my scripture study time was doing just as much for my prayers as it was for my study. I realized that when had a full 45 minutes planned out for scripture study, I wasn’t worried about my beginning prayer going too long and interrupting my day. Now, I know I can pray as long as I want without worrying about losing valuable time to work or be with my baby.
So when I heard President Ballard tell me to redouble my effort to pray, I was shook! Hadn’t I already done enough? It seems there is more work to do. I am still learning what my new, redoubled commitment to prayer will look like for me, but I promise to you and to the Lord that I will do that.
If I can do it, you can too! I challenge all of you to redouble your commitment to pray. That might mean to pray twice as often. It might mean to set aside extra time to pray twice as long. It might mean to pray twice as well, by praying aloud, or praying with a list of specific blessings you need or questions you have. You could begin praying as a family if you aren’t yet, or to begin praying by yourself, if you usually forget. Or, if you are new to prayer, or if you have slipped in your habit of prayer, it might even mean to just start praying every day.
Whatever “redoubling” is for you, I testify that redoubling your commitment to prayer will change your life, your family, your ward, your country, and our world to become more full of peace, light, and love.
Speaking in church and studying the gospel
I am grateful to our bishopric for inviting us to speak today. My husband and I have had some good discussions this week about the talks we chose and other talks we were considering. It’s been a great opportunity for us to have gospel discussions and learn together. It’s also been a great experience for me to really fill my 45-minute scripture study time with purposeful, action-packed study. I’ve learned a lot more than I could ever share in church, or even here on my blog.
I hope all of you get the chance to speak in church on another talk from this conference. But even if you are not asked to speak, I invite you all to study the talks as if you were going to! Listen to all the talks over again, then read them. Take notes, and pick one to focus your study on for a few days or few weeks. (October 2020 General Conference)
I have very personal connections with current and previous bishopric members in many wards. They always speak positively about their wards, but I know how demoralized they are after trying to find people to speak in church. Social anxiety and fear of public speaking are both real and really common. I certainly identify with both of these struggles. However, I have learned to see it as a blessing when I am assigned to speak in church, and in nearly every case, I believe God guides our church leaders to the people who most need to be heard and most need to study His Word. I pray that we both have the courage and faith to say yes next time we’re asked to speak. I truly believe He will bless us for our efforts.
Get accountable
Go check out the addresses from the most recent general conference, and pick one talk to study this week. (October 2020 General Conference) Then, come back to the comments and tell us: which one did you choose and why?
“Mirad, pues, orando en todo tiempo”
Yo y mi marido fuimos asignados para elegir y hablar hoy acerca de un discurso de la conferencia general de la Iglesia que apenas ha ocurrido hace dos semanas. Me fue muy difícil escoger solo un discurso de la conferencia, porque casi todos los discursos me tocaron tanto.
Ya que solo pude dirigirme a ustedes sobre un solo discurso, les suplico que se aprovechen de la oportunidad de escuchar a la conferencia otra vez y que lean los discursos cuidadosamente entre ahora y la próxima conferencia en 6 meses. El estudiar con frequencia los discursos de los apóstoles y nuestros otros líderes es un hábito que he estado desarrollando, y testifico que hay mucho más que encontrar en esas charlas que podamos detectar la primera vez que las escuchemos. Yo sé que, en ellas, Dios tiene mucho que decirnos.
Como nuestro profeta Russell M. Nelson nos ha dicho muchas veces, debemos seguir la invitación del Padre cuando nos manda a escuchar la voz de Jesucristo cuando nos habla. Testifico que esta es la Iglesia de Cristo, y que la conferencia de Su Iglesia es una vez que nos habla.
Él empieza hablando de las cosas de miedo en el mundo ahora mismo. Como una persona que sufre de ansiedad, entiendo mucho el temor de que el habla:
La violencia
La denigracion moral
El vandalismo de edificios religiosos
La pandemia global
La muerte
El aislamiento
La decepcion
Los desafios economicos
Los disturbios
A pesar de todas esas cosas y mas, me da consuelo los consiguientes declaraciones que ofrece el Pdte. Ballard:
A menudo pienso en aquellos de ustedes que sufren, que están preocupados, que sienten temor o se sienten solos. Le aseguro a cada uno que el Señor los conoce, que está al tanto de sus preocupaciones y de su angustia, y que los ama, de una manera entrañable, personal, profunda y para siempre.
Cada noche, al orar, le pido al Señor que bendiga a todos los que se sienten agobiados por la aflicción, el dolor, la soledad y la tristeza. Sé que otros líderes de la Iglesia se hacen eco de esa misma oración. Nuestro corazón, individual y colectivamente, está con ustedes, y nuestras oraciones se elevan a Dios a favor de ustedes.
Me conforta saber que tengo las oraciones de un apóstol, y otros líderes llamados por Dios, de mi lado. Espero que sea alentador para cada uno de ustedes individualmente saber que tienen un apóstol orando por ustedes.
Estoy agradecida por saber que la oracion puede tranquilar nuestros propios almas cuando nos enfrentamos muchos temores y desafios, pero es mas maravilloso saber que que la oracion es la mejor manera de cambiar no solo nosotros, sino tambien el mundo.
El Pdte. Ballard cuenta esta historia de cuando estaba visitando los estados del este de los Estados Unidos el año pasado:
El domingo 20 de octubre dirigí la palabra a una gran congregación cerca de Boston, Massachusetts. Estaba hablando, cuando sentí la impresión de decir: “Les ruego […] que oren por este país, por nuestros líderes, por nuestra gente y por las familias que viven en esta gran nación fundada por Dios”.
También dije que los Estados Unidos y muchas de las naciones de la tierra, al igual que en épocas pasadas, se hallan en otra encrucijada decisiva y necesitan nuestras oraciones.
Esa súplica no estaba en las notas que yo había preparado. Esas palabras me vinieron al sentir que el Espíritu me impulsaba a invitar a los presentes a orar por su país y por sus líderes.
Me asombra escuchar este testamento muy fuerte de que nuestros apostoles son muy guidados por el espiritu, y que la gran importancia de la oracion.
Escuchen mientras ahora nos hace su súplica a todos nosotros:
Hoy extiendo mi invitación a orar a todas las personas de todos los países del mundo. No importa cómo ni a quién oren, les ruego que ejerzan su fe —cualquiera que sea su religión— y que oren por su país y por los líderes de su nación. Como dije el pasado mes de octubre en Massachusetts, nos encontramos ante una importante encrucijada en la historia, y las naciones de la tierra necesitan desesperadamente guía e inspiración divinas. Esto no se trata de política ni reglamentos, sino de la paz y la sanidad que pueden recibir las almas, tanto de las personas como de los países —sus ciudades, pueblos y aldeas— por medio del Príncipe de Paz y la fuente de toda sanidad: el Señor Jesucristo.
Durante los últimos meses he recibido la impresión de que la mejor manera de ayudar a la actual situación mundial es que todas las personas confíen más plenamente en Dios y vuelvan sus corazones a Él por medio de la oración sincera. El humillarnos y buscar la inspiración de los cielos para perseverar y conquistar lo que nos aguarda será nuestra manera más segura y fiable de avanzar con seguridad en estos tiempos difíciles.
¿Escucharon eso? ¡El Presidente Ballard dijo que la mejor manera de ayudar a la actual situación mundial es que todas las personas confíen en Dios y oren!
Esto es quizás lo mas reconfortante de todo el discurso del Presidente Ballard. Para mí, lo más desalentador de los muchos problemas que están ocurriendo en nuestro mundo en este momento es que parece que hay poco o nada que yo pueda hacer al respecto. ¿Cómo puedo yo, una mujer de Utah, mejorar las cosas en otras partes del país y en todo el mundo?
¿Hacer una oración?
Parece tan sencillo, pero !qué bendición que esto es el caso! Sí es algo simple, entonces es algo que yo puedo hacer! Es algo que todos podemos hacer. No importa nuestra edad, nuestra profesión, nuestra popularidad o nuestra influencia mundana, todos podemos hablar con Dios y acercarnos a Él individualmente.
Esta semana, terminé un libro que se llama: Siete milagros que salvó America: Porque importan y porque debemos tener esperanza. Es un libro que les recomiendo, porque de verdad me edificó mi fe.
En el último capítulo, los autores comparten esta historia de la Biblia:
El capítulo dieciocho del Génesis cuenta la historia de Dios que se le aparece a Abraham y le comparte sus intenciones de destruir las ciudades de Sodoma y Gomorra. Al escuchar esta intención, Abraham le hace a Dios una pregunta bastante directa. “¿Destruirás también al justo con el malvado?” (v. 23).
Luego comienza a negociar con el Señor. “¿destruirás también el lugar y no lo perdonarás por amor a cincuenta justos que estén dentro de él?” (v. 24).
Dios contesta: “Si hallare en Sodoma cincuenta justos dentro de la ciudad, perdonaré a todo este lugar por amor a ellos” (v. 26).
Piénsalo. “Perdonaré a todo este lugar.” Por amor a ellos. Por el bien del bien.
Entonces Abraham, aparentemente sabiendo que la gente de Sodoma y Gomorra era realmente bastante mala, reconsidera su propuesta. Al darse cuenta de que es posible que en realidad no haya cincuenta justos dentro de las ciudades, hace una contraoferta y pregunta si Dios no perdonará a la ciudad por cuarenta y cinco justos (véanse el vers. 28).
Y así van, Abraham negociando con Dios, esencialmente suplicando en nombre de los justos hasta que llegan a diez. Y Dios dice, “No la destruiré, respondió, por amor a los diez” (v. 32).
Seguramente hay una lección para nosotros aquí. Tal vez hayamos llegado al punto en que nosotros, como pueblo entero, ya no somos dignos de las bendiciones de Dios. ¿Son los buenos entre nosotros menos del 60 por ciento de nuestra población? ¿Menos de la mitad? Menos del 40 por ciento, o 30 por ciento? ¿Hay alguna forma de saberlo realmente?
Pero en cierto sentido, puede que no importe tanto como pensamos, porque Dios ha mostrado su voluntad de salvar a todo un pueblo por el bien de los justos, aunque sean unos pocos.
Si eso es cierto, tal vez no debamos preocuparnos tanto por nuestro país y nuestra gente y si nuestra sociedad se ha vuelto demasiado perversa, porque, seguramente, hay unos pocos malvados entre nosotros. En cambio, tal vez debamos concentrarnos en nuestras vidas, nuestra propia bondad, nuestras propias familias. ¿Somos uno de los cincuenta? ¿Uno de los diez? ¿Estamos, aquellos de nosotros que todavía creemos, viviendo nuestras vidas de tal manera que podamos convencer a Dios de que salve a nuestra nación aunque solo sea por unos pocos?
Esta historia me impactó mucho, porque me preocupo tanto por el estado de nuestro país y de nuestro mundo. Temo que no somos suficientemente rectos para tener la protección del Senor.
Me siento un poco como Abraham, orando por este mundo en necesidad. Puede ser muy desalentador saber que, como miembros de la Iglesia de Jesucristo, somos muy pocos en el mundo. El número de cristianos de todos sectos también se está reduciendo y la religión en general se está volviendo cada vez menos popular.
Me anima esta historia de Abraham, y me anima las palabras del Presidente Ballard. Gracias a los dos, tengo el valor de seguir adelante haciendo mi parte, sabiendo que mis esfuerzos chicos, como orar solo y como familia, y vivir rectamente, hace una diferencia en el mundo. Hace exactamente la diferencia que se necesita.
Redoblen sus esfuerzos de orar
El Pdte. Ballard concluye su discurso invitándonos a todos a redoblar nuestros esfuerzos en la oración. ¡Me sorprendió escuchar eso! De verdad, me dejó un poco estupefacta.
Es que, dos semanas antes de la conferencia, oré al Señor, preguntando: ¿qué era lo que me faltaba todavía? Dios me dijo dos cosas: Que yo necesitaba aumentar mi tiempo de estudio de las escrituras, y que necesitaba orar mejor y con más frecuencia.
Rápidamente aprendí que aumentar mi tiempo de estudio de las escrituras era tan beneficioso para mis oraciones como para mis estudios. Cuando tenía 45 minutos completos para el estudio de las escrituras, no me preocupaba que mi oración inicial fuera demasiado larga que interrumpara mi día. Ahora, yo sé que puedo orar todo el tiempo que quiera sin preocuparme por perder mi tiempo valioso de trabajar o estar con mi bebé.
Por eso, cuando escuché al Presidente Ballard decirme que redoblara mi esfuerzo por orar, ¡me asustó! ¿Ya no había hecho lo suficiente? Parece que hay más trabajo por hacer.
Todavía estoy aprendiendo cómo será para mí un nuevo y redoblado compromiso con la oración. Pero les prometo a ustedes y al Señor que lo haré.
¡Si yo puedo hacerlo, ustedes también pueden! Los desafío a todos a redoblar su compromiso de orar. Eso podría significar orar el doble de veces. Podría significar apartar tiempo extra para orar el doble de tiempo. También puede significar orar más veces al día, orando en voz alta o con una lista de bendiciones específicas que necesiten o preguntas que tengan. Usted podría comenzar a orar en familia si aún no lo ha hecho, o comenzar a orar por si mismo, si normalmente lo olvida. O, si es nuevo en la oración, o si ha perdido el hábito de la oración, incluso podría significar comenzar a orar todos los días.
Independientemente de lo que sea “redoblar” para tí, testifico que redoblar tu compromiso con la oración cambiará tu vida, tu familia, nuestro barrio, nuestro país y nuestro mundo para que se llenen más de paz, luz y amor.
Agradezco a nuestro obispado por invitarnos a hablar hoy. Matt y yo hemos tenido buenas conversaciones esta semana sobre los discursos que elegimos y otras que estábamos considerando. Ha sido una gran oportunidad para nosotros tener discusiones sobre el Evangelio y aprender juntos. También ha sido una gran experiencia para mí dar más propósito a mi estudio de las escrituras y mis oraciones. He aprendido mucho más de lo que puedo compartir hoy en un discurso, o aun en todo mi blog.
Espero que todos tengan la oportunidad de hablar en la iglesia sobre otro discurso de esta conferencia. Pero incluso si no se les pide que hablen, ¡los invito a todos a estudiar las charlas como si fueran a hacerlo!
Tengo conexiones personales con miembros de obispados, actuales y anteriores, en varios barrios. Siempre hablan de manera positiva sobre sus barrios, pero sé lo desmoralizados que están después de tratar de encontrar personas para discursar en la iglesia. La ansiedad social y el miedo a hablar en público son reales y muy comunes. Ciertamente me identifico con ambas luchas.
Sin embargo, he aprendido a verlo como una bendición cuando me asignan hablar en la iglesia y, en casi todos los casos, creo que Dios guía a los líderes de nuestra iglesia hacia las personas que más necesitan ser escuchadas y que más necesitan estudiar Su Palabra. Oro para que ambos tengamos el coraje y la fe para decir que sí la próxima vez que se nos pida hablar. Realmente creo que Él nos bendecirá por nuestros esfuerzos.
Háganse responsables
Consulte los discursos de la conferencia general más reciente y elija un discurso para estudiar esta semana. (Conferencia general de octubre 2020) Luego, vuelve a los comentarios y cuéntanos: ¿cuál elegiste y por qué?
A week or two ago, a friend of mine posted on Facebook:
When has America ever been great?
I eagerly clicked to type a response in the comments, but for some reason the question made me stop and think. I knew I thought it was great, but what thing would I choose to say in a Facebook comment?
Today, I’m ready to answer:
When has America ever been great?
This isn’t about a presidential campaign; this is asking a real question.
Possible answers
I could give many answers.
For example, I’m not old enough to remember, but I’m told that, in the days following 9/11, the American people showed the unity, power, and kindness that made America great.
Or I could mention America’s role in ending WWII and the Holocaust, or finally granting women the right to vote, or the North’s victory of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation.
But more than all that, I would like to point us to the reason this country was created.
My answer
My answer hinges on the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon is a text of scripture and of history. It tells the story of a family who left Israel and sailed across ocean to the Americas, led by God. It tells the story of their descendants and how they waned and waxed in faith in God, as well as tells of the visitation of the Savior to the Americas. (Book of Mormon Introduction)
Dozens of times, the Lord refers to America as the “land of promise,” where, as long as they keep His commandments, they will be blessed and prosper in the land. (See 1 Nephi 13 for evidence that He is referring to the Americas)
These are just a select few excerpts:
And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.
For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.
Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuchas those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.
America is not great just because, nor has not always been great. But whenever America remembers the Lord and keeps His commandments, it will be great because of Him.
And the greatest thing we have done in America is provide the environment for the emergence of the Book of Mormon and the blossoming of the full Restoration of His Gospel.
Clearly, God long had intended these things to happen here. 1 Nephi 13 prophesies of the story of the discovery of the Americas, of the Restoration, and of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
I am in awe and reverence at this statement, taken from a remarkable article from emeritus general authority Elder Callister:
“… Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers,… made this remarkable prophecy in 1820, the same year Joseph Smith received the First Vision: “If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, truth will prevail over fanaticism, and the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted by his pseudo-priests (the apostasy), will again be restored to their original purity. This reformation will advance with the other improvements of the human mind, but too late for me to witness it.”
“Jefferson died in 1826. Four years later the gospel was restored — just as he prophesied. The Founding Fathers were the divinely appointed advance guard that made this Restoration possible. How grateful we should be for their inspired contribution to our country and Church.”
He said this in 1820. He died in 1826. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was established in 1830.
Now, the Church is 16 million strong, and growing. (Church Newsroom) Its headquarters may be in Utah, but thanks to the religious liberty we enjoy in the United States of America, it has been allowed to flourish here, put down strong roots, then spread to all corners of the earth.
Never before in human history has the Church of Jesus Christ been so blessed, widespread, or strong. Never before in human history have we had such widespread access to scripture, church buildings, temples, and the words of the living prophets.
Frankly, I think the United States of America has struggled with being great (read: being blessed) in a lot of ways, especially recently. But I also have faith that, if we turn to God individually, as families, and as a nation, He will yet bless us again.
To anyone else interested in learning about God’s hand blessing America, I would like to recommend a book, Seven Miracles that Saved America. I miraculously stumbled across it in a box of books I bought off Facebook Classifieds. It has changed my view of how I see America, and it has increased my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In short
When has America ever been great?
When God has made us so.
What do you think?
Tell us in the comments: When do you think America has ever been great, if ever? Why?
4 examples of “modernized” Church doctrine and 4 ways we can prepare against it
A phenomenon has been brewing under the surface for years. This phenomenon has worked its way into the Church ”—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God.” (Helaman 3:33) It may have always been there, but, with the help of the internet, it has spread rapidly, emerged into mainstream Church-member culture, and, finally, become exposed.
I speak of a practice of choosing to disbelieve certain parts of Church doctrine, then preaching the adapted beliefs as true. I call it “modernized” Church doctrine. We should be unsurprised by such teachings; we know that many will teach philosophies of men, mingled with scripture. We must identify these traps and seek the truth.
I wish to identify then discuss some examples of prominent claims that, from my perspective, are commonly believed (and even promoted) by Church members yet are partially or wholly false.
I bring these up not to criticize but to sound an alarm. I am uninterested in calling out names; instead, I wish to identify and analyze the ideologies with the goal of teaching how we may all do the same when we encounter these and similar “modernized” Church doctrines and how to inoculate ourselves against falling for these traps.
“Modernized” doctrine examples
Let us first list a few examples of this “modernized” doctrine; later, we will measure them up against doctrine and discuss where they go wrong.
“Modernized” doctrine #1
From an Instagrammer:
“You can believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and still struggle with aspects of the Church. I do. I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but I struggle with gender inequality, the treatment of LGBTQ people, polygamy, and withholding truth about history in the Church, to name a few.”
To this point, this is all totally okay. You can believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and struggle with aspects of the Church. But here is where it gets questionable:
“You can still be active and not accept every aspect of the Church.”
“Modernized” doctrine #2
I’ve had multiple friends and acquaintances claim vocally and online that they’ve decided to disbelieve “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Here are a few examples of the reasoning:
a) “The Family Proclamation is not canon.”
b) “I think the Church will soon allow gay marriage in temples.”
c) “The Church has renounced old doctrine before, and they’re going to do it with the Family Proclamation.”
“Modernized” doctrine #3
Off- and online, I have witnessed and had this conversation many times: “So how can I reconcile my concerns and doubts about the Church with my faith in the Gospel?” This is a really great question. The world offers many answers, some good, some decent, and some bad.
One popular answer (discovered on social media by an influencer in the Church):
“Only you can decide which things are real, foundational doctrine.”
“Modernized” doctrine #4
This phenomenon of modernizing Church doctrine is not only happening in pockets among members in person and online. It’s spreading from one of the main epicenters of Church life: BYU campus. I stumbled across the new Instagram account @keeping_faith_at_byu, which collects and presents dozens of stories from BYU students who have had encounters with professors and other school authorities promoting ideas that oppose the doctrine of Christ’s Church.
Here are just two stories from Keeping Faith:
a) “I sat in on a sociology of gender class where the professor deconstructed the family proclamation and talked about essentially how uninformed or incorrect it was, and how scientific knowledge has progressed since it was written and now the information is outdated.” -Anonymous BYU Psychology student
b) “I was taught in class that agency is a construct that doesn’t exist, and thus we as human beings are fundamentally determined beings, and thus are incapable of choosing right from wrong and thus cannot be held accountable for our sins.” -Anonymous BYU student
Debunking these beliefs by applying Christ’s doctrine
Now, you may have read these examples and felt comfortable with them. You may be feeling defensive when I say: These modernized Church doctrines are simply the philosophies of men mingled with scripture, leading us down a sneaky but rapid path to apostasy.
Whether or not you agree with my claim, please allow me offer you a case for why each of the four quotations (or set of quotations) are false and present dangerous beliefs to the Church and its members who desire to follow Christ.
Breakdown #1
To recap:
“You can believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and still struggle with aspects of the Church. I do. I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but I struggle with gender inequality, the treatment of LGBTQ people, polygamy, and withholding truth about history in the Church, to name a few.”
Again, this is not a problem. It’s actually really brave to admit which doctrinal points you may be struggling with. Talking about it can help you begin to tackle those issues.
“You can still be active and not accept every aspect of the Church.”
Problem.
First, let’s define our terms here:
By “aspect of the Church,” I will proceed as if the author means to say “every doctrine, statement, command, or action officially from or by the Restored Church of Jesus Christ.” If the author only means to say “everything any Church member or leader has said or done individually,” there is no problem. From what I understand about this individual, however, they likely also mean to take issue with key doctrinal points and official Church procedures. Either way, the ambiguity of the statement easily reads to include my interpretation of this language.
“Not accepting,” at least as far as it seems to me, is different than struggling to accept. It sounds as if the writer has decided to stop seeking answers beyond what they already believe. There may be discussion about their intent, but I will continue with this point under the assumption that my interpretation of the intent is true. Regardless, if that’s how I read it, surely others will read it the same way as well, either consciously or subconsciously, and I fear that that may damage their faith.
Proceeding with these terms, the Instagrammer is sort of right; you can be an active Church member and not accept every aspect of the Church. You can be an active Church member and do a lot of things: steal, watch pornography, believe racist and hateful things about others.
But there is something to keep in mind: cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is when you hold two conflicting beliefs or ideas at the same time. If I believe watching pornography is wrong, but I still keep doing it, I will experience cognitive dissonance. It is not comfortable. It can go on for a long time, but eventually, one side will win out. I will either allow my belief that watching porn is bad to drive me to quit, or I will keep going and renounce (or at least ignore) any claims that it is wrong. Eventually, I may even come to decide that watching porn is morally good.
Whenever you intentionally choose to believe or do something contrary to God’s will, and especially if you are a member of His Church and have full access to the Spirit, you will experience cognitive dissonance.
In this case, if you believe the Church is true, but you do not accept every aspect of the Church, you will experience cognitive dissonance. That dissonance may last for weeks or years, but, eventually, one side will win over the other. (Now, if you do not believe the Church is true, that is something you will need to discover on your own through study and prayer.)
If you believe in the Church, but struggle with an aspect of the Church, listen to the Spirit; allow Him to teach you. First, ensure your testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ is rock solid. Take President Nelson’s challenge to find out how you #HearHim. Then, ask Him your questions. Seek out answers as guided by the Spirit. I testify that the Holy Ghost will help you accept every aspect of the Church, in time and with effort.
Whether you are asking whether the Church is true or for understanding about an uncomfortable aspect of the Church, all members of the Church have the gift of having the Spirit with them, who “shall teach you all things.” (John 14:26) As much as you allow Him, He will be there to teach you truth.
When we have questions, we don’t just accept our doubts. We struggle in the Spirit! We solve our problems! As Elder Uchtdorf has taught, we must “doubt our doubts before we doubt our faith.” (Elder Uchtdorf, October 2013) This attitude of having faith in doubts will inevitably lead to having doubts about faith. It removes our arm of trust in the Lord and allows ourselves to become our own gods.
Breakdown #2
a) “The Family Proclamation is not canon.”
The only canonized scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the standard works: the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine & Covenants. By this logic, you would also disbelieve anything any prophet, apostle, or local Church leader has done since the Doctrine & Covenants was published (or at least since Official Declaration 2).
This aside, Church canon supports the principles found in the Family Proclamation. Using the Bible alone as guidance, most traditional Christians believe basically the same tenets of family structure and values.
b) “I think the Church will soon allow gay marriage in temples.”
This displays a misunderstanding of the Plan of Salvation. We have divine nature as children of God. As His children, our purpose is to become like God. Becoming like God includes finding an eternal spouse of the opposite gender and, together, having children (even if these things don’t happen until the next life). God intentionally created man and woman to need each other to reproduce, qualify for exaltation, and reign together in the worlds to come.
When approaching it through a scriptural lens, the idea of “gay marriage” is an oxymoron. The Lord commands us to seek out marriage, or the holy union of man and woman; on the other hand, He commands us to abstain from gay sexual relations, which were never intended to equate to marriage.
Our current prophet proclaims:
[I] declare, as an Apostle of the Lord, that marriage between a man and a woman is sacred—it is ordained of God. I also assert the virtue of a temple marriage.
Temples exist not to appease our earthly desires but to provide the saving ordinances that are required to enter the Kingdom of God. Even if the world’s standards of marriage change, the Lord’s will not. The definition of marriage is not just a policy of the Church that is subject to change with times; it is at the root of our divine family history and God-given purpose of life.
c) “The Church has renounced old doctrine before, and they’re going to do it with the Family Proclamation.”
2b already addresses this quite a bit, but here’s more.
Even if the Church is going to change policy, or some doctrine has been misunderstood and mistaught, that does not excuse you from following it. As a member of His Church, you should follow Its teachings. If you are endowed, you have sworn to the Lord of the Universe to follow Him and give all you are to His Church.
This in mind, let’s roll with the idea that a certain change is really going to happen. In that case, there are two possibilities:
If the prophet and the Twelve announce that a commandment must be “updated,” that does not mean it was not valid and in effect for you previously. Until such an announcement occurs, you are still under obligation to keep that commandment. (Alma 25:15-16)
If the prophet and the Twelve announce a “correction” to a false teaching or commandment which you had accepted or to which you had been obedient, God will bless you for being obedient according to the light and knowledge you had received. He will not punish you for listening to His prophets—but you may be held accountable if you do not.
Breakdown #3
“Only you can decide which things are real, foundational doctrine.”
No.
Fact check: false.
You do not have any answers. You are not the source of light and truth. This is an example of self-love becoming self-worship and diminishes our dependency on our Heavenly Father. (See Christianity: The Real Self-Love Movement)
We can trust Him to teach us and guide us:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Our Father in Heaven will direct us, and He wants us to ask Him our questions: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
He will confirm truth to your soul and bring understanding to your mind. God has all the answers, and they are always right! Ask Him. Hear Him.
As the Lord will confirm to our hearts, He will also speak through His Church. We can trust that the Church will be clear about “real, foundational doctrine:”
“The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk.”
There is something particularly dangerous about the promotion of false doctrine at BYU specifically. We know the world teaches false doctrine, but members from all over the world come to BYU expecting something different. They expect to find a place where they can gain a high-quality education, maintain and add upon their religious values—and yes, look for a like-minded, worthy, and attractive eternal mate.
BYU does provide thousands of students each of these things, and I am grateful on behalf of so many of my family members and friends who have found refuge there.
However, an anti-Church, anti-family, and, therefore, anti-Christ force has crept in at BYU, and it is backed by many students and even faculty and other staff there. (Julie B. Beck, March 2011) At least at other schools, incoming students know what to expect; many well-intentioned students who arrive at BYU are likely unprepared to defend against surprise attacks to their faith by those they thought they could trust.
Keeping Faith at BYU is a new organization created with the intent to ask the University “whether or not they fulfill the mission statement, which is: ‘to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.’” On their Facebook and Instagram accounts, they post stories submitted by BYU students (excerpts above and below). You can read more about Keeping Faith at BYU and/or sign their petition here.
As far as the doctrinal issues evident from the specific examples I pulled, the first reflects another underlying misunderstanding of the doctrine of the family, and the second is in direct conflict with the principle of agency. Here is just some quick reasoning:
a) Misunderstanding of the family
a) “I sat in on a sociology of gender class where the professor deconstructed the family proclamation and talked about essentially how uninformed or incorrect it was, and how scientific knowledge has progressed since it was written and now the information is outdated.”
As previously mentioned, the family is a core doctrine of the everlasting gospel and Church of Jesus Christ. It always has been. The Family Proclamation was declared by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve at the time, and is still upheld by our current prophet and apostles. It is also supported by Church canon.
Elder Oaks states:
“I testify that the proclamation on the family is a statement of eternal truth, the will of the Lord for His children who seek eternal life. It has been the basis of Church teaching and practice for the last 22 years and will continue so for the future. Consider it as such, teach it, live by it, and you will be blessed as you press forward toward eternal life.”
Many take issue with Elder Oaks, and/or this statement. If this is you, I highly recommend you take the issue to the Lord and, if needed, to a local Church leader. Keep in mind these two temple recommend questions:
“Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?
“Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”
b) “I was taught in class that agency is a construct that doesn’t exist, and thus we as human beings are fundamentally determined beings, and thus are incapable of choosing right from wrong and thus cannot be held accountable for our sins.”
Agency is another key tenant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is something we fought for in the War in Heaven, which continues here today. It is no surprise that that same Enemy is up to his old tricks, trying to fool even God’s elect that agency is unnecessary or nonexistent.
Consider this paragraph from the Gospel Topics essay on agency:
“Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation. Without agency, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior. With it, we are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27).”
So how do we resolve these issues? I can’t just sit around all day and do extensive research and longform writing on every single modernized Church doctrine to determine its veracity. How can we prepare ourselves, our young, and our most spiritually vulnerable against falling for these theological traps?
I present four solutions of things we can do personally, as families, and in teaching situations:
1) Study the Plan of Salvation
Get back to the basics. But really get to know the basics!
A great many of these philosophies of men, mingled with scripture, stem from misunderstanding the Plan of Salvation. Consider what Elder Oaks has taught in the most recent general conference:
“Many of our members do not fully understand this plan of salvation, which answers most questions about the doctrine and inspired policies of the restored Church. We who know God’s plan and who have covenanted to participate have a clear responsibility to teach these truths and do all that we can to further them for others and in our own circumstances in mortality.”
2) Study the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ
President Nelson has vehemently urged us to learn more about the Restoration of the Church and to strengthen our testimony in it. (President Nelson, October 2019) The Church has made it increasingly accessible with new resources like Saints and the Restoration Proclamation.
I would like to echo my testimony that the Church really is the true and living church, that Christ stands at the head, and that I can trust official Church doctrine and commandments to lead me to righteousness and happiness.
3) Seek personal revelation
You have a direct line to heaven. Pray often.
President Nelson so often encourages us to develop our own ability to seek revelation. (President Nelson, April 2018) Take your big questions to the Lord more than to Google, YouTube, your teachers, your friends, even your family, or any other source.
4) Take advantage of opportunities to #HearHim
Listen to the prophets, ancient and modern.
The average US adult spends 12 hours and 9 minutes a day using media. You can probably afford to put a little more of that time toward the best sources.
Take every opportunity to hear God’s word: tune in to general conference live and recorded; read the standard works; follow the prophet and apostles on social media; read Church magazines; watch Face to Face and other special devotionals; read or listen to other Church literature; listen to the hymns; watch the Book of Mormon Videos and other Church-produced videos.
Church leaders are not oblivious to these modernized Church doctrines or any other threat to Church members. One evidence of this is the timely address Elder Cook gave at BYU, given just two weeks after the creation of the aforementioned accounts and petition by Keeping Faith at BYU; in his discourse, he urges educators to teach with “a laser-like focus on our responsibility to help build faith in Jesus Christ and in His restored Church.” (Elder Cook, August 2020)
I am confident our prophet and apostles are sharply aware of what we are saying, thinking, and experiencing, and God reveals to them how we should respond and move forward. May you and I both listen better when He speaks to us.
What do you think?
Have you seen or believed these or similar ideas? Do you agree that they are dangerous to Church members? Do you disagree? Why?
Joking aside, this is a frequent topic of conversation in my household, and it’s led my husband and I to reflect on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Nearly every day, my baby does something that makes me think of how God must see us, and she’s taught me many lessons about what it means to be a child of God.
The more I understand about my relationship to my Heavenly Father, the more peace I enjoy in my life, the easier it is to have faith in His plan, and the happier I am to keep His commandments. I share these lessons with you in the hope that you might also receive some of these same benefits.
Here are a select few of the lessons I’ve learned:
Lesson #1: We Won’t Take the Blessings
… I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.
3 Nephi 17:7
My Experience
We had a really rough journey with breastfeeding, but I was determined to make it work. (Mostly, we just didn’t really have money for formula, and pumping was about as enjoyable as breastfeeding.) It wasn’t until after almost two months (and one really wonderful lactation specialist) that my baby would finally calm down and eat.
For weeks, when I positioned her to eat, she would scream, scratch me, and thrash her head back and forth. Even once she latched and got eating, she would frequently push herself off and start thrashing again. It often took an hour to get her to eat enough to stop screaming and go back to sleep.
Those first couple weeks, I also learned how painful breastfeeding can be, both from having a fighting baby and from being engorged when baby isn’t getting enough milk.
I remember, in the darkest hours of the night, telling her through my tears, “I know you’re hungry. I have so much food for you. Please just take it! It’s right here!”
The Lesson
I realized God must feel this way about us. He has so much to offer. He is full of blessings and wisdom that He is eager to give. The most painful thing to Him must be when we refuse to take the blessings.
I can almost hear Him: “I have the joy and peace of repentance. Just ask for it.” And: “I’ve prepared a wonderful spouse for you. You’ve been praying for him all your life. Please, let him take you on a date.” And: “I know exactly what you should do at this crossroads in your life. Stop panicking and stressing about which way to go. Just listen! Let me tell you what you should do.”
Lesson #2: Ignorant Impatience for Blessings “Coming Right Up”
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam… unless he… becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
At six months, breastfeeding is practically easy! (I mean, trying to use a cover is near impossible since she’s gotten good at grabbing, but who goes anywhere these days anyway?)
However, those moments right before eating are probably when she is worst behaved. Those who have breastfed know that, depending on the clothes you wear and your seating arrangement, it can take a minute to get set up and ready to feed your baby. And that one minute is unbearable for my baby girl! She squirms, whimpers, and sometimes cries.
When she gets fussy like this and looks me in the eye, I believe she thinks I just don’t know what she wants. I imagine her saying, “Hello?! I’m hungry, Mom! What are you even doing? Can you even hear me? Hello? Mom?!”
Then, when I do let her eat, I can see in her face: “You finally got it! Yes! Thank you, Mom.” I have to roll my eyes sometimes.
Even if she does recognize when it’s time to eat, my baby doesn’t currently have the cognitive ability to understand forethought, or what preliminary steps are naturally necessary for her to be able to successfully eat. She doesn’t realize that I’m not ignoring her or taunting her; I’m just getting ready to give her what she wants and needs.
The Lesson
This is just one more parallel to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Sometimes, we pray and pray for a certain, necessary blessing: for a spouse, for a better job, for an answer to a doctrinal question. We may think God just isn’t listening, or doesn’t care.
I believe He is listening, and He does care. For those blessings that we truly need, if we ask for them, He is willing to grant them. However, there may be steps that He’s gotta take first.
There are things happening behind the scenes that you are not capable of discerning. We do not have the capacity to understand His level of foresight to know when a blessing is already cooking and coming right up.
Lesson #3: We Are Not Alone, Even if We Think We Are
Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.
Nursing wasn’t our only struggle with our baby; she also had a really hard time sleeping. She always slept pretty well at night, but during the day, she wouldn’t sleep unless she was held. Even when she was awake, she was so poorly rested that she rarely could handle being set down.
Finally, right about the time we got breastfeeding down (-ish), I started asking around for tips to get a baby to just go to sleep! Someone suggested I read On Becoming Babywise. It was a very aggravating read, laced with writing errors and a condescending tone to parents who didn’t do things the authors’ way. Still, I was so desperate that I was willing to give it a shot.
I am aware this is not a sleep-safe crib! Our precious girl has a lot of blowouts. This was how we could get her down for a nap while the laundry was still running.
It took a lot of work, but now we have the easiest baby in the whole world! She naps three times a day, lets me set her down a lot of the day, and sleeps nine or more hours at night!
One of the biggest—and hardest—game-changers was letting her cry it out when she went down to sleep. For such a little baby, she could really scream, and in a tiny apartment, there was no getting out of earshot. (Sorry to our neighbors!)
As soon as she started acting tired, we would swaddle her up, set her in the bassinet, dim the lights, turn on some white noise, and leave the room. We made sure not to let her cry for more than 10 minutes at a time before going in, checking on her, calming her down, then leaving again. She always eventually fell asleep and later woke up completely happy.
She still sometimes cries when we put her to sleep. I can hear her cries go from confused, to angry, to outraged, to lonely, to resigned, then to sleep.
I wish I could explain to her that I am just outside the door and I can hear every noise in that room. I wish I could explain that this is for her good and that she will wake up happier and healthier for it.
The Lesson
I think we all have felt the moments when we are certain God has completely abandoned us. We pray for Him to comfort us, be with us, rescue us from our situations. Sometimes, we even curse God and blame Him for the challenges that life inevitably brings. We wonder how He could leave us alone.
I testify that God has not left us alone, not really. We may not see Him, but He is just on the other side of the door and He can hear us. He knows when we will need Him most, and He knows when it is better for us to feel alone for a moment to become happier and healthier afterward.
Lesson #4: We Can’t Do Anything—Let Alone Anything Important
… Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.
Babies come into the world completely helpless. They can’t do anything on their own. As you now know, my own baby required extensive training to even learn how to eat or sleep.
Remember how I said she has a lot of blowouts?
My baby is now learning how to grab things, roll over, bite her toys, and crawl. She wears herself out practicing these simple little tasks, and she’s clearly so proud of herself when she finally accomplishes one of them. She has an ExerSaucer, which my husband calls her “work desk.” We joke that it’s her day job.
She’s started enjoying “helping me” do things like play the piano and close the refrigerator door. I suspect she thinks she’s really doing big person things, even if she’s actually making those things a lot harder for me.
But when she does things like play the piano or close the refrigerator door—heck, even when she burps or poops!—we cheer for her! We are genuinely proud of her accomplishments, no matter how small, and we are happy to see her growing and learning.
The Lesson
We are like this, too. All of the important work and activities with which we fill our lives are surely just as basic to our Heavenly Father as rolling over is to us.
Cooking dinner? Graduating with a PhD? Doing actual rocket science? Small.
Setting up cultures and political systems? Changing the world? Discussing philosophy and theology on a personal blog? Cute.
There are even some things of greater importance we can seek to achieve. As a missionary, for instance, I remember feeling so purposeful, like I was really doing work for God. And while, yes, I know I technically was, I acknowledge that I probably don’t have any idea how useless I surely must have been compared to what God could do and did do as He helped me. God was allowing me to contribute to His work.
Regardless of how small our actions, our Father in Heaven is still cheering us on. He wants us to succeed! He loves us, and He is pleased when we learn and do good things.
Growing Up
We all have a Heavenly Father who loves us, no matter how small and childish we are to Him. He knows our ultimate goal to be “perfect, even as yourFather which is in heaven is perfect” is a high bar. (Matthew 5:48) I hypothesize that the greatest testament to our infancy is when Jesus Christ commands us to “become as a little child”. (3 Nephi 11: 37) If we are all babies, becoming a child would represent a significant amount of growing up.
Let’s Hear it
How else are we like babies? What spiritual lessons have you learned from the babies or children in your life?
I didn’t want to write this post. It’s about the most unpopular thing I could do. But after this week’s “Come, Follow Me” lesson, I couldn’t not write this.
Please read to the end before you destroy me when I say:
BLM is Anti-Christ.
For me to be able to make this claim, let’s first talk about what an Anti-Christ is.
What is an Anti-Christ?
Korihor is the only person in the Book of Mormon with the explicit title of “Anti-Christ.” (Alma 30:6)
The Come, Follow Me manual for that chapter specifies that:
An Anti-Christ is “one who would assume the guise of Christ but in reality would be opposed to Christ (1 John 2:18–22; 4:3–6; 2 John 1:7). In a broader sense it is anyone or anything that counterfeits the true gospel or plan of salvation and that openly or secretly is set up in opposition to Christ” (Bible Dictionary, “Antichrist”).
It goes on to quote this line that has had strong hold in my mind:
Sister Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President, taught, “Any doctrine or principle [we] hear from the world that is antifamily is also anti-Christ” (“Teaching the Doctrine of the Family,” Ensign,Mar. 2011, 15).
The line that “[anything] that is antifamily is also anti-Christ” has swirled around my soul for months and months, ever since I read it.
Okay, now let’s talk about:
How BLM is Anti-Christ
What I am not suggesting
Let’s get this out of the way:
I am not suggesting that everyone who has used the Black Lives Matter slogan, posted with the hashtag, or participated in a BLM protest is Anti-Christ.
I am not even saying that everything about the Black Lives Matter movement is evil or even wrong! It is good that racism is being called out, and the movement has inspired positive change and good conversations about race and personal experiences.
I am not talking about the movement, and I am certainly not saying anything about the statement that proposes “black lives matter.” Of course they do!
I am calling out the organization called Black Lives Matter.
The organization
Until about a month ago, I didn’t even realize there was an organization called Black Lives Matter (BLM) until I heard about various friends and celebrities soliciting and reporting donations to the organization. In the last several weeks, regular people, celebrities, companies, and even local governments have pledged donations of some millions of dollars to BLM.
There’s been some question about the distribution of those funds, but the facts have been so unclear that I don’t know how to call it.
What is clear is what they say about themselves. These are screenshots, taken July 6th, 2020, from BLM’s own mission statement on their website. I encourage you to read them all.
The problem
There are many things in this mission statement that sound good, and even are good. But there are many false teachings mingled throughout and particularly hidden toward the end.
There is one paragraph that raises special concern for me. Right after claiming that they are “family-friendly,” BLM’s mission statement reads:
We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.
There are things about this statement that sound good. It sounds right to “[support] each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another.” It sounds child-focused.
Indeed, we all ought to love and care for one another. The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that the commandment to love our neighbor applies to everyone around us.
But this half truth masks the evil motive ahead of it: to
“disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.”
The doctrine of the family
However, we know that the nuclear family (meaning, a husband and wife and their children) is central to God’s plan.
From comeuntochrist.org, we learn:
“God made it pretty clear that families are important when he created Adam and Eve. The Holy Bible calls them “man and . . . wife” (Genesis 2:25), and the first commandment God gave them was to have children (see Genesis 1:28).”
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.
The family described here is plainly the same as the nuclear family. According to this statement, the nuclear family is part of God’s plan, and all of His children are intended to live in families.
If the Proclamation is true, then BLM, according to its own mission statement, is certainly anti-family, anti-God’s plan, and, therefore, anti-Christ.
If you don’t know if the Proclamation is true, it is critical that you find out for yourself. A testimony of spiritual things only comes from God. (Moroni 10:4-5)
Other issues with the statement
Let us further dissect just the phrase, “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement.”
Oppression
For one, the statement uses the words “prescribed” and “requirement” when describing the nuclear family. It paints a very oppressive, restrictive picture of the family.
Who else talks like this about God’s plan?
Consider these statements from Korihor:
13 O ye that are bounddown under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yokeyourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come;
24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage..
In every era, Satan will try to make true doctrine and the Lord’s commandments seem oppressive. But the Lord offers truth to give us peace, and His commandments will keep us free from sin.
Western?
With simple logic, the proposal that the nuclear family is “western-prescribed” is ludicrous. The nuclear family is outlined in the oldest book known to man, the Bible, which is, in origin, a eastern book. Plus, the nuclear family is still the standard for most cultures all over the world today and has been throughout history.
Where are the dads?
Finally, I am troubled by the subtle trick of language in the last bit of the paragraph:
“We disrupt the… nuclear family… by supporting each other as extended families and “villages”… to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”
Why does the second item not read “fathers?” In fact, despite many mentions of mothers, women, and even “trans women” in the mission statement, the word “father” does not appear even once.
I worry that this institution, and many entities in our culture, are erasing the role of fathers in society.
Why is this an issue?
Well, we could talk about the statistics that show that a father present in the home makes the biggest difference than any other single factor when determining success by nearly any standard. (Focus on the Family)
But I see it more important to prioritize the doctrine.
According to the Family Proclamation, “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.”
Fatherhood is not disposable to our society because it is essential to our human race. Our God is our Father: “It is significant that of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to Deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father.” (“Father, Consider Your Ways,” Ensign, 2002)
Fatherhood, like motherhood, is next to godhood. It is a part of becoming like God. Becoming like Him is the purpose of our existence: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39)
You might say it is good to focus on mothers and women. They have more needs, you might say. I think women in this world do have many needs, and Satan is surely attacking us ferociously as well. But I feel that one of the worst things he has done to us is convince us we don’t need men. We both need each other, and our children need us both, too. (See “United in Accomplishing God’s Work,” Joy D. Jones)
Other attributes of an Anti-Christ
There is a lot more I could say about identifying BLM as an Anti-Christ, but I feel satisfied having issued a warning and explained some major points. Here are some other attributes of Korihor that I selected that I encourage reading more about and considering with regard to BLM’s mission statement:
He mingles truth with false teachings (Alma 30:25)
He preaches against the prophecies of Jesus (Alma 30:6, 14)
He denies consequences and says “there is no crime” (Alma 30:17)
He claims that others are “bound” and “in bondage” (Alma 30:13, 24)
He teaches others to turn away from the “foolish traditions of their fathers” (Alma 30:14)
He rejects the atonement and claims that “ye see a remission of your sins” (Alma 30:16-17)
He seems to target women (Alma 30:18)
He makes others lift their heads (Alma 30:18)
Why do I say this
I have really hesitated to make the claim that BLM is Anti-Christ.
But any defamation or discrimination I receive for having posted this is worth my clean conscience that I have done my part to share with my fellow saints what I have discovered. Let us not forget that we are waging a spiritual war here on earth, and we need discerning, high-quality intelligence about the Enemy’s plan. (See “War in Heaven,” Gospel Topics)
I feel it my duty as a warrior of Christ to raise the alarm when I believe an attack has been initiated.
I think there are many who would hesitate to promote or donate their money to BLM if they knew what I have just shared with you about it.
At risk of undermining myself, I recommend you play devil’s advocate when reading this and anything that tells you what to think. I encourage you to read Alma 30 and BLM’s mission statement on your own and see what parts I didn’t include, because the list is just too long to include everything. Do your own research to see what things might help paint a more full picture of this. As always, leave a respectful comment pointing out additional or opposing points.
What have I missed?
You tell me. What am I not considering, either in argument for or against BLM, the organization? What other things have you identified as Anti-Christ? Why?
Spack Chats 