For Whom the Bell Tolls: You

There's a quote by Brigham Young where he says that "we never began to build a temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring. I want to hear them ring again!” I think that this quote could also be applied to those who are trying to worship the Lord in His Holy Temple. Satan's bells ring for temple worshippers as well. Yet, despite whatever opposition to His work, God will help us through anything if we will depend on Him and our covenants to Him. Elder David A. Bednar, a living apostle, said that what gave the early saints the strength to endure through all their opposition was "the fire of the temple covenant that burned in their hearts. It was their commitment to worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the house of the Lord." I've seen it many times when going to the temple, or even participating in any ordinance leading to the temple, opposition come in whatever form. Yet, if we just push through with God's help, the adverse conditions are to no avail.

To Q or not to Q, that is the question?

What's in a question? I recently reread some of the transcript from the PBS documentary, 'The Mormons', where those who have been excommunicated for intellectual apostasy and wondered where these people went wrong. I think it all started in the kinds of questions they were asking. It appears that the questions they asked and thus the answers they later came to were wrong. Yet, they felt they had reached truth and taught accordingly. This teaching led to their excommunication? So, is it bad to ask a question?

When we look to the scriptures about examples of questions we do good and bad. Think of all the Pharisees tried to do with the Savior. They would always ask Him questions, trying to see if they could hold His answers against Him. The Savior would always see what they were trying to do. And then stump them by asking questions back (Mark 11:28-33). The same kind of trapping questions were given to Abinidi. Their intent is recorded as "they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words" (Mosiah 12:19). Their questions were bad because they were trying to justify their own actions and beliefs that were in opposition to God and His prophets.

How do these intellectuals, these September Six, fare the same? By pursuing their research and questions, they effectively put themselves in opposition to God's word by calling into question they doctrines the Brethren had taught. In the end, their questions weren't necessarily wrong, but their conclusions and teachings thereafter were. They were teaching contrary to the living prophets. Hence, why President Packer answers in the documentary, "It's very simple. Down some of those paths, you have a right to go, but in the Church, you don't have a right to teach and take others there." He's essentially saying that we can ask any question we want, but when our answers are in opposition to the Brethren, than that is wrong.

Does that mean we should blindly follow the prophets just because they said so? Hardly. Elder Angel Abrea said this about questioning and blind obedience: "I’m sure that many questions have come to your mind. The truth is that you will not be condemned for wondering or questioning if you make a sincere effort to find the answer. Our mental powers have been given to us to use. Faith based on personal prayer, study, and obedience is more lasting than blind faith; it is more rewarding, and for sure it is better grounded." In reality, we as a Church don't believe in blind obedience. Perhaps, those who rely on others testimonies could be considered as blind, but they are also trusting in someone they love to lead them aright. They are told to eventually get their own testimony, to not rely on others.

Elder Oaks explains that when we follow the prophets it is not blind obedience. He said, "Of course, we have leaders, and of course, we are subject to their decisions and directions in the operation of the Church and in the performance of needed priesthood ordinances. But when it comes to learning and knowing the truth of the gospel—our personal testimonies—we each have a direct relationship with God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the powerful witness of the Holy Ghost. This is what our critics fail to understand. It puzzles them that we can be united in following our leaders and yet independent in knowing for ourselves...We all act upon or give obedience to knowledge. Whether in science or religion, our obedience is not blind when we act upon knowledge suited to the subject of our action. A scientist receives and acts upon a trusted certification of the content or conditions of a particular experiment. In matters of religion, a believer’s source of knowledge is spiritual, but the principle is the same. In the case of Latter-day Saints, when the Holy Ghost gives our souls a witness of the truth of the restored gospel and the calling of a modern prophet, our choice to follow those teachings is not blind obedience." And so the real matter is of testimony not questions. Questions are encouraged. They ideally lead to more truth and not less, as what occurs when apostasy is the result.

God's Greatest Creation

Recently, my wife Amelia brought our second baby into the world, Ana Ruth. My wife and two other women will all be the mothers of newborns by the close of August. Mothers who sacrifice not only their body, but their lives in the raising of children are often unheralded heroes. I'm sure I could show more appreciation to my wife for the work and effort that goes into her being a mother. Truly, women hold a "preeminent role" in our faith, as Elder Quentin L. Cook declared. Using the definition of preeminent, women are eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing. Gratefully, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11). 

We men can glean some of the greatness of our superior counterpart. I was once in a meeting with another apostle, Elder Richard G. Scott, who put up a powerpoint slide of a woman being showered on with light from Heaven and the man beside her trying to glean some of the llight from her. The slide made people laugh, but the idea always stuck with me. Women who fulfill their part in God's plan are such inspiring examples to us oft ogre-ish men. At least with women's help and God's, we men can fulfill our divine potential. Thank you to all you women who sacrifice so much to be mothers and wives, especially to Amelia.