Please don't run away!!! I just had to soapbox. AGAIN???!!!
Chapter 1
If I were to join any sort of club or group or even be in a restricted home owners agreement, I'd read the fine print. I'd ask questions. If the answers weren't satisfactory to me or didn't meet my desires then I'd keep on searching until I found what met my needs.
If I were to audition for a play or want to join a sports team or run a marathon...I'd really check out the fine print and learn what was expected of me and then figure out if I really wanted to make that commitment and join in.
I would also want to understand what could cause me to lose my membership at the Country Club or whatever I was involved in.
There are restaurants that I might enjoy going to dinner but according to their guidelines there is a possibility that I might not be served if I showed up barefoot.
All of these groups have that right to give the boot to those that refuse to adhere to the original agreement if they persist in opposition after being told the rules of conduct.
Chapter 2
In the Church we are expected to conform...early on we were told about the Word of Wisdom, appropriate Sabbath day activities, having a calling, and we had to tweak some of those things in order to meet the guidelines for membership/baptism...also why we needed to be re-baptized and about the gift of the Holy Ghost. We needed to pay tithing. Priesthood was the power of God and men could exercise that power when authorized. We also understood we were expected to attend a lot of meetings on Sunday and during the week. We had to be taught to pray and were overwhelmed with all that entailed in the suggested number. Some of the teachings we received as investigators required change right away. other things like prayer and reading scriptures and going to the Temple were going to be developed along the way.
We also understood the lay ministry concept. no paid clergy. no voting. temporary calls. and the big startling news, when we discovered that the Church taught and believed the heavens are open, not closed as we were taught, and that God speaks to mankind through a living Prophet. I was astounded at such a thing. Could this really be? How does this happen?
Over the years, studying and praying and trying to live the Gospel to the best of my ability, I gained a fervent testimony of that truth. I could see the sense and the blessing of having heavenly help in what is billed as a Church governed by inspired prophets. I really believe that. Growing in learning how to pray and to feel I was heard and listened to and loved and received personal revelation was a wonderful journey.
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
I'm a Bible believer. The Bible speaks against gays from what I've read.
It's also scriptural that men are responsible after ordination to use the Priesthood in Church governance and blessing the lives of people by use of the power.
I'm a believer also in current revelation.
I also believe that the Family Proclamation sums up the stand our religion has on the whole ball of wax regarding men/women/marriage/family. It is true. To me it is.
Chapter 5
I'm trying to come to more peace and unconditional love and personal revelation in my life so I'm addressing these issues to calm down? will I end up calmed down after this brief focus? Maybe this is me calmed down??!!! I intend to find out.
Chapter 6
The Presidency of the Church was praying for all men to receive the Priesthood and every once in awhile it would be mentioned. I didn't understand why it was withheld but I did understand that prayers from the tip top in-charge men were aware and praying for that to happen. I know it goes way back on Prophets mentioning it. Members understood it was in the hands of the leaders and eventually it would be straightened out. that did happen and I thought it was wonderful.
In all the years of my membership I have never read or heard one word from the General Leaders saying they were praying that gays could legally marry/be sealed in the Temple. nor was it mentioned they were pleading for women to receive the Priesthood. not once.
I do not equate either of these subjects with all men receiving the Priesthood.
As a matter of fact, I've heard them speak to the contrary and state authoritatively, that these requests/suggestions etc. are contrary to revelation they have received. It's not open for discussion.
Chapter 7
Maybe I will just end up firm. strong? my way of standing for truth and righteousness? I'm still mulling and pondering and looking forward to a solo trip to the Temple for added insight and possible direction. I will not write every day on this but for a few days I will. It's important to me to be at peace and feel settled. I'm moving ahead.
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a sort of PS about One Church etc.
I have always been amazed at the One Lord. One Faith. One Church. It makes sense but how can it be? how can one way cover all bases and all nations and all customs and traditions? That is the beauty of the Gospel. it works for all mankind and that is the edict to tell it to the world. The leading faction in the Church, the governing body, does an excellent job in keeping us united. They print everything in the languages of the world. The Handbook has been honed to the basics and not something that might be thought American only. The Church continues to grow and that growth is aptly handled by those few men.
I enjoyed this note from my son, Greg. Here is a bit of what he sent....
Good point in your blog that it is a testimony of the truthfulness of the
gospel that it is the same in all areas around the world. Remember a
couple of years ago they had a push for uniformity through out the church.
When I was asked to pick pictures for the newly remodeled Manhattan
building, I was handed an approved list of pictures. I thought that this
was because they were trying to get a volume discount (that's part of it)
but also that list goes throughout the world I bet. "One church" is what
we believe in, even down to the pictures. In Africa they had buildings
that had some native/traditional decorations and they had to remove them
because of that push for uniformity.
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from my study today
Elder David A. Bednar counseled, “As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:14)”
(and he also said in same talk....)
"The enabling power of the Atonement of Christ strengthens us to do things we could never do on our own. Sometimes I wonder if in our latter-day world of ease—in our world of microwave ovens and cell phones and air-conditioned cars and comfortable homes—we ever learn to acknowledge our daily dependence upon the enabling power of the Atonement."
(“The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 44)
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