I am 42 years old (almost 43, aahh!), was raised in the "mission field" the first 18 years of my life, and moved to California for another 2 1/2 before settling here in good old Smithfield, Utah. I absolutely love it here in Cache Valley. It has everything I want and need. (At least it did before my kids started moving away!) We have a Temple, shopping, recreation, etc. As far as I was concerned, "All was well in Zion". There would be an occasional negative letter to the editor about the Church in the newspaper, and we had our share of less-active members in the ward but things seemed to go on smoothly year after year.Then last year Proposition 8 in California happened. I got blogging "savvy" and started reading blogs and comments about it and even in Cache Valley we had a teacher at my kid's high school who started a letter to the editor war because she claimed to be an active member of the Church but was against Proposition 8 because her daughter was gay.
The biggest blow to my "All is well in Zion" attitude came just last week though. Stephanie Nielsen (see previous blog) was nominated for "Mormon of the Year" and I followed a link to the website sponsoring the award. The award was just for fun, but holy cow it opened up a hornet's nest! Some of the other people nominated were Mitt Romney, Marie Osmond, California Mormons who voted for Proposition 8, California Mormons who voted against Proposition 8 and Steve Young's wife who went against the Church in voting against Proposition 8 because her brother is gay. The comments on this site were what got to me. Some said they were glad that Steve Young's wife (I can't remember her name right now) wasn't excommunicated because it made it safe for them too to go against the Prophet.
Okay, you're going to tell me this has been going on since Joseph Smith's day and I am just naive and sheltered right? It is just so hard for me to understand. I have a testimony that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet and President of Christ's Church here on the earth and if he tells me something I'm going to follow. It's black and white. I hope that I can always say that. I realize on the big issue I mentioned it wasn't a test for me. I don't have a family member who is gay (that I know of?) so it isn't a hard choice for me. But I hope and pray that whatever the Prophet asks of me I will follow him and not choose when and if it is right for me. I think this whole experience is a good thing because as I read in the Book of Mormon, it is Satan who wants us to believe that all is well.Let me hear your comments, even you lurkers. I need input.
6 comments:
Well, this issue was black and white to me as well. Even if I did have a family member who was gay my stand on the issue would still be the same because of my belief in the Church. I read somthing yesterday about Tom Hanks (who I used to like) speaking out against the Church becasue of prop 8 at some awards thing or "Hollywood" gala of sorts. I have been taken back by such strong words from these people who I have supported by going to their films and such - but NO MORE! I could go on and on about this issue but since this is only a comment that should do for now!
Following the prophet will always be a black and white deal for me.
Here are my thoughts. We have Prophet and Apostles, the words from past Prophets found in the scriptures, the Savior's own words, and the Holy Ghost. Could it be more obvious that our political position be stemmed from an individual who knows all, who is GOD. No one's political views should ever be because of issues or parties. Federal and State laws should always be in accordance to the Laws of Heaven. In reality there should never be an issue of homosexual marriage. The Law of Chastity states that no one is to have sexual relations with anyone except with his wife or her husband.
Nevertheless, the parable of sower and the wheat and tares are excellent examples of what is occurring in our time. Pauls words of perilous times is also another perfect example of the world we are living in.
The whole thing is ridiculous and a sign of the times. I can't believe that there are strong members of the church who were going against the prophet. I just don't see how they can have a testimony and feel good about themselves when they are doing those sort of things. I guess stuff like this will weed out the weaklings and make the strong, stronger.
I agree with you. It has always been black and white for me. We are in the last days and Satan is working harder every day to stop the work from progressing. We just need to stick together and keep following the prophet, keeping the commandments and doing our best. I know the church is true, that we have a living prophet today who leads our church and I am very grateful to be a member!!
25-years-ago (October 1984) there was a talk given in General Conference with the theme "Way to go, Cache Valley!" It was a talk by Elder John H. Groberg about his experience of traveling through Cache Valley on a Sunday afternoon after a speaking assignment. His first thoughts while driving through the valley was about how beautiful everything was. But he soon realized something - the Sabbath Day was being observed. The further he traveled through the valley, it became an obsession to see the next field. To his relief, each field was idle. He finally reached the end of the valley where he had to stop his car where he got out and realized that he had seen an entire valley observe the Sabbath. He did a "Toyota" jump and said, "Way to go, Cache Valley!"
This definitely isn't true today. Most stores are open on Sundays in Cache Valley and are doing well. And I don't even want to imply that Cache Valley is ready for translation. But I do want to say that I have visited other areas of the world and even other areas in the great state of Utah. There is nowhere else in the world I would rather live and raise a family. Even with the critics, anti-mormons, ex-mormons, editorialists, and others speaking out against the church and its leaders, living in Cache Valley by far is better (from a gospel sense) than most of the rest of the world.
Regarding Melanie's comments on Proposition 8 - it doesn't matter whether we are talking about the church's position on gays, watching rated-R movies, tatoos, multiple earings and body piercings, temples, or whatever - the difference between those who say they will follow the prophet no matter what and those who critisize the prophets is obedience. Obedience brings testimony, conviction, humility, strength to endure to the end, and best of all eternal life.
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