Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I Want to Go to War
All these protest targeting our churches and temples, the hateful and bigoted words tossed at the saints, and the vandalism to our buildings makes me angry, very angry. Growing up in California I have heard some anti Mormon things but never anything this bad. There are some really nasty people out there.
I was reminded today of a talk for the last conference by Elder Robert D. Hales entitled Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship. http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-22,00.html
After reading this I felt the comforting warmth of the spirit. It is marvelous not to be filled with hatred and anger. I feel a great sorrow for those who are so consumed with rage and vile. Such feelings are the very opposite of the feelings that we receive from the Savior. How sad that not all our Heavenly Fathers children are blessed to feel the joy and peace that come from following his commandments.
I was reminded today of a talk for the last conference by Elder Robert D. Hales entitled Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship. http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-22,00.html
After reading this I felt the comforting warmth of the spirit. It is marvelous not to be filled with hatred and anger. I feel a great sorrow for those who are so consumed with rage and vile. Such feelings are the very opposite of the feelings that we receive from the Savior. How sad that not all our Heavenly Fathers children are blessed to feel the joy and peace that come from following his commandments.
Friday, November 7, 2008
They Can't Understand
The pro gay marriage movement is focusing their wrath on mormons with protests outside our temples and even grafitti on the very walls around the grounds. If anything I think their attacks on the church will actually strengthen us. This saints today are not the small group of pioneers they used to be. They are leaders of industry, government, the military, and in our communities. They are well educated and organized. They are farmers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, academics, mechanics, and everything in between. The reason why they are coming after us is because we have a prophet and when the Lord speaks through the prophet we act. We are not an idle people.
A leader of a local religious congregation asked one of the leaders of our faith how they were able to get so many of us to do so much in the efforts to pass Prop 8. He was simply blown away by the numbers and dedication of the Saints. Our leader's answer to how it was done is very telling, "We just asked them."
The leader of the other faith seemed shocked that it took nothing more than asking. But this is where so many other faiths fall short. They don't require sacrifice and action on the part of their members. They think the way to keep people in the seats is to require less or soften their doctrine but in fact, the exact opposite is true.
Because so many of us are used to serving countless hours in callings that provide no or little training, provide not worldly status, and recieve no enumeration for, heeding the call to serve is not unexpected but is actually embraced. We have seen the blessings that come from heeding the call of our leaders and see instances like this as opportunities to show our love for the Savior and the gospel which has done so much for us. This is what the pro gay marriage crowd does not understand. They cannot fathom the devotion of millions world wide to a faith that requires sacrifice, that celebrates and promotes self control, that embraces denying the carnal and fun for the greater joy to be found in walking the strait path. To them, our very freedom seems like bondage but we see truly see that the path of sin truly leads to bondage.
They think that boycotts and protests will put pressure on the prophet to change the church's position when they have completely forgotten that we could care less about temporal pressures because we serve the King of Kings. Thus we fear God more than man. We know why we are here and who we really are, having an eternal perspective that makes the philosophies of men seem so inferior to the joys of the gospel. So to us their efforts appear as nothing more than silly displays while they scratch their heads wondering why we are such a peculiar people.
A leader of a local religious congregation asked one of the leaders of our faith how they were able to get so many of us to do so much in the efforts to pass Prop 8. He was simply blown away by the numbers and dedication of the Saints. Our leader's answer to how it was done is very telling, "We just asked them."
The leader of the other faith seemed shocked that it took nothing more than asking. But this is where so many other faiths fall short. They don't require sacrifice and action on the part of their members. They think the way to keep people in the seats is to require less or soften their doctrine but in fact, the exact opposite is true.
Because so many of us are used to serving countless hours in callings that provide no or little training, provide not worldly status, and recieve no enumeration for, heeding the call to serve is not unexpected but is actually embraced. We have seen the blessings that come from heeding the call of our leaders and see instances like this as opportunities to show our love for the Savior and the gospel which has done so much for us. This is what the pro gay marriage crowd does not understand. They cannot fathom the devotion of millions world wide to a faith that requires sacrifice, that celebrates and promotes self control, that embraces denying the carnal and fun for the greater joy to be found in walking the strait path. To them, our very freedom seems like bondage but we see truly see that the path of sin truly leads to bondage.
They think that boycotts and protests will put pressure on the prophet to change the church's position when they have completely forgotten that we could care less about temporal pressures because we serve the King of Kings. Thus we fear God more than man. We know why we are here and who we really are, having an eternal perspective that makes the philosophies of men seem so inferior to the joys of the gospel. So to us their efforts appear as nothing more than silly displays while they scratch their heads wondering why we are such a peculiar people.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
We Won!
The liberal LA Times is reporting that Prop 8 has passed. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gaymarriage6-2008nov06,0,2331815.story
I cannot say enough about how good this feels. I want to thank all of those from various religous groups and organizations that contributed to the effort to pass Prop 8.
Most importantly I want to thank my Heavenly Father. He deserves the glory and honor for the victory. We were merely His children who followed His divine plan for families.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints I am grateful for our prophet and other leaders who lead us. I am thankful that they speak for the Lord.
I am grateful for our Heavenly Father's plan for our families. May family has been greatly blessed in this effort.
I cannot say enough about how good this feels. I want to thank all of those from various religous groups and organizations that contributed to the effort to pass Prop 8.
Most importantly I want to thank my Heavenly Father. He deserves the glory and honor for the victory. We were merely His children who followed His divine plan for families.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints I am grateful for our prophet and other leaders who lead us. I am thankful that they speak for the Lord.
I am grateful for our Heavenly Father's plan for our families. May family has been greatly blessed in this effort.
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