One Message

I don't know how effective my blog is at reaching out to a wide audience.  I have one lovely little friend who has publicly followed it, and I hope she's at least entertained by my posts and wanderings.  If I could, I would love to reach everyone in the world if only with this one message:  God has restored His church through a man He called prophet, and has given His authority to man to bless and benefit His children.  He has a plan to enable the exaltation of every one of His children who follow His Son, Jesus Christ, through His anointed prophet who holds His restored Priesthood, and through that gospel and the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, we are capable of becoming exactly like our Father in Heaven (that is to say just like God Almighty).  He and His doctrine are unchanging and unchangeable, but can have everlastingly positive changing and redeeming effects in our lives (see 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and 1 Timothy 4:15-16).  Bending it to change with the times and fit the opinions of man will inevitably cut off man's access to the blessings of the eternities.

Why, then, do some people feel they can change God's mind on points of His doctrine?  Christ himself, whose example we are to follow, did not try to change God's will, but willfully submitted himself to it.  "If God speaks, and man obeys, that man will always be right."  We are to serve God, and He will exalt us on High, but many people seem to want to make God serve them.  They want a God who doesn't command, but rather gives liberally of His eternal blessings.  They want their own personal bellhop instead of a loving father with expectations and requirements.

It doesn't work like that.

Joseph Smith said that a church that does not require a sacrifice in all things cannot produce the power necessary for salvation.  God's church requires our all.  Obedience requires sacrifice and is needed for salvation.  We may not understand everything (I believe we won't understand everything in this lifetime--that's why there's eternity), but it is up to us, that if we have a doubt, that we both work to try to understand the doctrine that answers that doubt.  We can do that by reading the scriptures, thoughtfully praying, asking church leaders, and studying past general conference addresses that may well contain the guidance you are looking for.  It is a commandment for us to seek learning (see D&C 88:118 and also D&C 50:24), apply what we learn (see D&C 84:44 and James 1:22), and sharing those things with our families (see Moses 6:57).

I bring this up because there are two people facing excommunication or disfellowshipment from the church for attempt at changing church doctrine (this is a form of apostasy).  This is sad, but not the end of the road.  This is not terminal or damning in any way.  It is a call to repentance.  It is a withdrawal of gospel blessings such as baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost,  temple sealings, rights to the priesthood, and other blessings faithful members have access to.  If they abandon their actions, realign themselves with the Lord and His teachings, and sustain and follow the Lord's servants, they can find forgiveness and be not only permitted back, but welcomed back into the church with every blessing reinstated as before.

I realize it is difficult to understand every point of doctrine, especially being brought up in a world where we are so vividly taught and encouraged a contradictory lifestyle.  We are taught in Isaiah that the Lord's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts (see Isaiah 55:9), and we are promised that if we follow Christ, who is the way, the light and the life, we will be able to return to our Heavenly Father (see John 14:6).  I see people that believe there is inequality in the church and I don't understand why they do.  Motherhood and womanhood is sacred, and is heralded as a partnership with God (see Elder Holland's Tribute to Motherhood).  Marriage is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman for the divine and sacred privilege and responsibility to bring life into the world as stated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  I recognize that some feel unnatural attraction to people of the same gender; theirs is a struggle I cannot fathom, but I have full confidence and trust that if they take the Lord's promises seriously, they are more than capable of living a fully righteous and fulfilling life (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

Regardless of your struggle in life, God is faithful and will help you with to overcome any opposition or challenge if you but go to Him.  He is waiting with outstretched arms.  He will not change, He cannot change, but He will accept us through our efforts to become perfect even as He is perfect (see Matthew 5:48 and 3 Nephi 12:48).  God does not ask us to betray who we are, but rather to live up to it.  We are His children with divine potential to become exactly like Him.  Our doubts, insecurities, or contradicting opinions do not source from us, but rather from the author of all iniquity, the father of lies, the devil.  Truth is of God, and will lead you to happiness.  It will be difficult, and there will be times when you will want to throw in the towel and give up, but it is worth it.

I know this to be true, and nothing can dissuade me from it.