Every Sunday I get the opportunity to face a room filled with 15-18 year-old young men and young women who humor me as I attempt to teach them about religion.
This calling brings me great joy...but also great fear. Not the nervous type of fear that stirs within our bellies as we stand and instruct, but the realization that I only have a meager 45 minutes, once a week, to share something that will leave an impression. Something that will build strength in their testimonies and carry them through the week ahead until I hopefully see them in class again on the following Sunday. Talk about pressure.
Brainwashed.
This past week a story from a local TV news station popped up on my Facebook feed. Advertising to the world more chatter about a small religious group in Southern Utah and their foretelling of "DOOMSDAY" coming later in the week. Being human, I was inquisitive to what they anticipated. I skimmed through the highlights of the story but found my attention drawn to the comments following the story.
"Brainwashed" was the word many used.
One comment however, stung...It read "If you want to talk brainwashed, lets talk about the Mormons. A boy see's God. God tells this boy where a book made of gold is. This Boy finds the book, he's able to read it but only with a magic rock, they build a "temple" that only certain people can go in and those certain people wear these magical undies that protect them....now that is brainwashed. Talk about ridiculous beliefs!"
Well....when you say it that way. I was troubled by that interpretation of my religion. As I wrestled with the silliness of it, ironically, the words of that same "Boy who saw God" came to my mind. Words he had recorded in the first 10 verses of Joseph Smith History .
"During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still if kept myself aloof from all these parties....so great were the confusion and strife among (them)....in the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done?"
The Claims we make.
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was inspired when she spoke April 3rd, 2016 at the Churches Sunday morning General Conference session. The words from her talk Do I believe were meant for me.
"We believe that this church is more than just a good place to go on Sundays and learn how to be a good person. It is more than just a lovely Christian social club...It is not just a great set of ideas that parents can teach their children at home so they will be responsible, nice people. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is infinitely more than all of these."
- We believe in a Prophet who was visited by God and Jesus Christ when he was just a boy.
- We believe that our leaders hold The Priesthood of God.
- We believe that only through the Priesthood we can receive the saving ordinance of Baptism.
- We believe the Holy Ghost is a gift from God to us.
- We believe in living apostles and prophets. God Speaks to us through these prophets.
- We believe ordinances preformed in temples are only made possible through priesthood power.
- We believe that familes can be bound together for eternity.
- We believe that our temples are literally the house of God.
- We believe that we can preform ordinances for our ancestors in the temples.
- We believe that we have received additional scriptures, adding to the testimony of the Bible.
- We believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on earth.
- We believe these priesthood authorities and temple ordinances can be found in no other place or organization on earth.
Do I believe?
"We have a knowledge of these things, but do we believe them? If these things are true, then we have the greatest message of hope that the world has ever known."
(Bonnie L. Oscarson)
The only convert was me. Every time I would speak explaining what I believed in and why, the spirit of truth spoke even louder to my very own heart.
I DO BELIEVE IT!
The Greatest Challenge.
In Sister Oscarson's talk she speaks of one of the greatest challenges we face. Its the finger pointing and taunting spoken of in the Scriptures regarding Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life and the "great and spacious building". I have seen it. That discussion on Facebook is proof.
But I have come to realize that its not just the finger pointing coming from others...its the mockery and the words they will use. So easily their words will sting us to the core, making all that we believe to be true and sacred sound silly.
We are those who have struggled to reach the tree. We are those who have partaken of the fruit. Will we become ashamed because of those who mock and make jokes of our beliefs? Will we step away from the tree and follow other paths? Will we become those who were lost? Or will we stand firm?
"We need only to keep feasting and not heed those who would make fun of our beliefs or those who delight to create doubts or those who find fault with church leaders and doctrine. It is a choice we make daily -- to choose faith over doubt."
(Bonnie L. Oscarson)
