Leaving and Following

It hurts me to see people leaving, turning their backs on, being pushed away, and hating something as wonderful as the church. For despite its flaws, imperfections, and its human membership, this is the Lord's Church. Through it we can have guidance, strength, and the highest blessings available on earth. Christ suffered all of our pain and more pain than we can ever imagine, so it breaks my heart that it is suffering that is causing people to leave the church He established to succor us on this hard road.

 

In discussing the Savior's life Nephi states, "Behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks" (2 Nephi 25:12). The Lord was persecuted by His own people because of their iniquities and pride. They only saw the Lord's laws in black and white and could not accept changes, liberal changes, to the traditions of their fathers. They could not accept the idea that all men could be saved, that the Lord loved those who did not keep His commandments as much as He loved those who did. Isn't that why the ssa members of the church and ssa couples outside of the church are being persecuted? As a church are we too hard in our hearts, only focusing on the letter of the law and not the Spirit of Christ? I believe in the Gospel, the commandments, and the Family Proclamation (it says that marriage between a man and woman is ordained of the Lord, not that marriage is only between a man and a woman). I'm not expecting those laws to change while we are on earth, but even in following and staying in the church there is nothing is Christ's doctrine that allows us to judge, condemn, persecute, or hate those who struggle and those who don't keep all the commandments.

 

Our church was not always like this. W.W. Phelps signed a letter that condemned the church members is Missouri and brought them copious difficulties. Several years later the Saints in Nauvoo opened their arms in forgiveness and welcomed him back to the fold. Now we cannot even extend love to those who do us no harm, but leave the church for their own reasons or choose to forsake certain commandments that affect no other members.

 

In defense and because my own bias desire to stay committed to a truth I have a testimony of, I think we need to forgive those who we are angry at for their own close-mindedness. We aren't perfect and we can't expect our leaders to be- even Joseph Smith made mistakes and through his actions 116 pages of the Book of Mormon were lost. But he was still a prophet of the Lord and he did much good in helping us understand the Lord's love and the Lord's glorious plan for us. We shouldn't judge the bigotry and stupidity of some of our leaders and fellow saints, yes we should try to educate them, but we shouldn't forsake the Gospel or the church because of them. And think of what would happen to the church if only the persecutors were left as members!

 

This week in Sacrament someone spoke on Thanksgiving (not sure why we are focusing on a holiday that celebrates the murder and destruction of hundreds of Native Americans, but that is beside the point). He said that if we are grateful for our blessings it is easier for us to hold to the iron rod. I think it is important for us to hold to the rod, and if we see the love of the Lord that is manifest through His blessing, we are more able to stay on the path He has carved for us. 2 Nephi 25: 25-27 testifies the Law of Moses was a preparatory law. We might not understand what this law is preparing us for, but we know of the Lord's love and His plan for our salvation and eternal life, so it must be preparing us for something wonderful. Still, because it is preparatory we might not understand the reasoning behind it, and perhaps like the first law, this too will change once we are prepared.

 

All that being said, life decisions are based on personal situations and individual relationships with the Savior. I feel that in my easy life, without many of the great struggles all of you face, my place is to stay in the church committed to the covenants I've made. I know and testify that here and in the end all those who follow the commandments and serve the Lord with pure intent will be abundantly blessed. All the sacrifices that are made to follow the Lord and keep all his commandments will be made up. Yet in my heart I've received that beautiful peace from the still small voice and I know salvation will come to those who must leave. Those who have left to form same-sex relationships and families, the innocent ones who were murdered by persecution and misunderstanding to the point of suicide, the ones who may still leave or weave in and out of the church trying to balance their earthly selves with the Lord's standards. His love will not weave in and out of anyone's life though and I know this as surely as I know I live, as surely as I know He lives. I think there are great blessings in staying and in following all the commandments, but I do NOT think there is damnation for living outside of the Gospel.