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Hi – You’ve had some great answers here. In the area of callings – I would suggest working lessons around Christ. Kids especially will have no idea if you always talk about Jesus or his teachings. With Christ being the cornerstone of our faith – the topic is always correct. Use a parable or select one teaching, and build on it. With youth you can do the same. As for being uplifted during services, bring a devotional book or print some of your favorite conference talks, bring them read them, take personal notes on them. I always carry a stack of 3×5 cards with uplifting quotes on them. Quietly, privately I file through them and let them and their words uplift me. I also carry Max Lucado’s hand held devotional book or Elder Uchdorf’s book about the value of women. Those reflect my spirituality and faith. They aren’t material that could cause conflict and I enjoy the meetings much better.
I always keep them with me, the minute uncomfortable topics come up, I grab them. Sometimes I just stare at them till I calm down or other times I just let their hope engulf me. Before I know it – my worship has been fulfilling.
One of my biggest struggles comes not with church doctrine/dogma as much as breathing healthy air into the discussion. It is one of my delights with Terryl Givens, Grant Hardy and others, though I have never spoken with them, reading their material and thoughts encourages my thoughts. My joy or fulfillment in this faith is multi-faceted.So reading a broader brush stroke, active member enthuses me. But it’s very challenging to pass that love and enthusiasm over to traditional practicing people. I do know that every person sitting in my meetings isn’t stage 3 only nor are they card board, but our answers often seem so routine, and anything out of the ordinary – in a good sense – seems to throw things. I guess what I’m trying to say – is that I would love it if thinkings/scholars of our church could present these insights to larger bodies of members or leaders. I think it would go along way in helping this divide that exists. I think scholars with these points of view could help traditional members realize that spirituality, truth, etc is broader than the line we draw in the sand.
Thanks for posting the letter DB.
I bookmarked this article. I keep Grant Hardy pieces, Gregory Prince, etc. As much as his thoughts did support my feelings about faith and our religion, I see where it (and he acknowledges this) left gaps. In our house we have an ongoing “preponderance of evidence” challenge. Which basically says – yes an item or issue taken one at a time can be wrestled with, but when the list gets so long and intertwined there lies the problem.
To me Terryl Givens supports the one at a time approach. I liken that to chewing and swallowing one meal item at a time. This keeps you from choking, etc. For other members though, the landslide that the internet can cause just wipes them out. When I say internet I am not listing “Mormon Think” or ex-Mo only site. I believe fair and farms can cause the same landslide. It’s so easy, and fast with a click of a button to read a ton of info, and find your heart and hopes choking. This choking is a challenge that even Bro. Givens can’t stop. I wish for that suffering that a simple 14 page document could do that, but I think other efforts will need to be made to complete the bridge building effort he is trying to do. I applaud him for his desire and willingness to be an active assistant.
You have a great conflict here. I second all of the previous advice. I would like to add one more thought, perspective. We tend to forget that this global religion functions differently depending on where you live. Many valiant, faithful, practicing members in east coast wards are very different in their politics from many valiant, faithful, practicing mid-west and west coast wards. If you add another ring to the circle, many wards in foreign lands have other issues outside of the church or culturally that they bring in. So yes we may all read from the BoM, encourage temple attendance, partake of the sacrament, and attend the same style of 3 hour block – we are not all cut the same way. I try to take a moment and process that quick thought as I sit in meetings, it helps me decide if I do have a relevant, necessary response. Often times I do, and more times than most, I really can contribute a helpful idea. In the past 2 weeks I’ve received positive responses to my comments that were “different”. Both of them came in the form of private phone calls after class.
Anyway – take a breath, try to re-imagine the church body in it’s larger form. It may help. I know it helps me.
Congratulations. :clap: That is one calling I keep begging to have. I love my present calling. Actually I’ve enjoyed most of my callings but I love talking to people and feeling like I helped. That is one place you can pretty much assure both things happen. Have a great time. And thanks for letting us be apart of your journey.Neal Maxwell also had some good ones on Christ. Truman Madsen, he gave some great ones at Women’s conference. My talk would be on 3 Nephi 18: 22-25 and 30-33. I’ve given in the shower often and it sounds really good. Fantastic. I stayed up last night reading his Chieko article from Dialogue. I am listening to it again. Thanks, can’t wait to see what else is on it’s way. Congratulations on your desires. I pray you have one of the positive Bishop experiences as you head back. I grew up with the Matis family. I was wondering who runs the firesides now? Can you recall? Most of all – Godspeed.
I would add Leonard Arrington’s “The Mormon Experience”. The story it’s publication alone is insightful. I also keep old traditional books, McKonkie Doctrine, Discources of Brigham Young, etc. They are good validation material for present day reference. Last of all I would add “Why Faith Matters” By David Wolpe. My children’s Tae Kwon Do instructor taught me his view on religious dietary counsel. He considers himself more Judeo-Christian than any other style of faith. That said he has studied many of them and practices a real combination of them. I asked him about how he defined religion, he had three definers, – an act of divinity, a strict health code, and regular required rituals. These he said sculpt the soul. I really pondered that for a bit. I too am a follower of our WofW, and have some very personal reasons why I do, those reasons have little bearing on church teaching. It is more from watching others experiences. That said I do wish we obeyed it Joseph’s way, because I believe if we followed it with that faith and direction of moderation we would find more souls healed because there would be love instead of judgement against the people incumbered by the negative challenges with it. Does that make any sense? If not forgive me, it’s been a long day. A couple of things I have found interesting in my study of tithing using the scriptures are Paul’s explanation of what Abraham tithed on as well as Joseph Smith’s description in D&C 119:4. In Hebrews Paul explains that Abraham paid tithes on the “spoils” from his victorious war. Spoils to me is different than income. This seems more in line with D&C 119 where members were to be tithed of their surplus properties. I suppose it is word parsing, but I have pondered it often since I read it. To me tithing is more a thank you note. I have never begrudged paying it I just wonder if maybe it is the act of faith more than the where it comes from gross/net, etc. that matters, especially if spoils and surplus were acceptable before hand. Wayfarer – I have often used the same scriptures to expound the same story to others. We really do forget the entire tale and women who don’t need to feel guilty – feel guilty. Too Martha-ish. I love that the story has a fuller arch. Thank you for adding it to the thread. I was just about to when I read yours.
