controversy and compassion

Bold claims spark a lot of debate and criticism. 
Is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and all the truths that it entails, a bold claim? It depends on who you ask, but many would say that yes, it is. Saving grace? Infinite mercy? Loving Savior? Eternal life?

Bold, indeed. 

Our church gets a lot of attention. "Mormons" are starting to be nationally and even, in some places, globally recognized, especially in recent years. 

Are we nationally - even globally - positively being recognized? Ha. Not even close. 

We are even - and here's what I am kind of trying to address - bombarded with criticism, anger, and doubt coming from our own members. 

Some believe women are being oppressed in our church. "Ordain women!" They cry. 

Some believe we ought to be more accepting toward the gay community. "Equality for all!" They cry.

And there's more. These are just a couple of the biggest ones, but my point is that there's controversy and doubt surrounding our lovely church. 

Look, I don't care where you stand on ordaining women or gay rights or any of the other stuff. These subjects are complicated and touchy because we simply don't understand God and His eternal plans. And, quite frankly, we don't always understand our fellow humans and their internal struggles, and we aren't always very willing to try.

We know where the church stands, but sometimes we struggle. Doubts creep in and we dwell and we dwell until sometimes we don't know what to believe. 

I don't think we can ever truly understand God and why He does what He does, at least not while on this earth. 
We try to make sense of it. But we all make sense of it in different ways, which I think causes problems sometimes. For example, I know some people quite personally who hope for a day when women will be ordained. Do I hope for that? No. But I do understand that for some people, this is a real desire and a real struggle, and I try to at least acknowledge that and try to understand and reach out to them. 

Here's what I'm getting at, really: We're all different. We all have different opinions, and even within the church, some of us are going to disagree on doctrine and believe different things. 
If we could put on some sort of goggles that made it so we could suddenly see all things with God's perfect understanding and wisdom, that would be great. That would undoubtedly clear some things up. But unfortunately, that isn't possible. We are just going to have to trust and have faith and wait patiently and faithfully for the day when we will see all things as He sees them. 

In the meantime, let us be understanding of and compassionate toward our brothers and sisters who struggle and who believe different things than us. None of us have a perfect knowledge. None of us have perfect lives, and some of us believe in or hope for things that another person may not be able to understand or relate to. 
It's all part of the human experience, my friends. We aren't perfect, and we aren't the same. 

But here's what I think we can all agree on: 
God is good. He is over all, and He knows what He's doing. Jesus Christ is full of grace and mercy, and he understands and loves each and every one of us. 
I think we can all say that we love our family and our friends and that we want to be with them forever. 
I think we can all say that we love the gospel. 

The gospel is amazing, friends. And the church is amazing, too. It's run by and made up of imperfect people, but somehow it works. 
And it will continue to work and be an incredible vehicle for Christ's gospel, so long as we continue to support and love one another. 

So until Christ comes again, until we actually have a perfect knowledge and understanding, praise God. Because even with all the turmoil and controversy that's in the world - and even in the church, sometimes - God never changes. 
No matter what I struggle with, no matter what turmoil I have in my life, I will sing praises until I die. I have so many reasons to. God is so good to me, and so good to us all. 

So don't get caught up in little doubts and troubles. The gospel is good. It's true. It's simple. 



"Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,
Let me be singing when the evening comes."

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman





Haley

observe and learn from others!

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't blog last week!
Hopefully all your summers are going great… I'm leaving for pioneer trek TOMORROW and I am really excited! Anxious too, but mostly excited! :) I will be sure to post about that when I get back home.

I saw this quote on Pinterest the other day and thought it was interesting. You could definitely interpret it multiple ways, but in the moment it made me wonder how many people around me have things to teach me - to teach everyone - and yet they never open their mouths.

I know so many quiet people; people that I didn't really expect much from but have really surprised me once I've gotten to know them.

The people around you have more to teach you than you might ever believe. You can learn so much about love and compassion and hard work and true joy and sacrifice just by watching others. Can you think of someone in your life whom you have learned something from, even if they never used words to teach you?

Pay attention to others. Be perceptive. You have no idea what lessons you might learn if you watch others and ask people about their lives, especially people you don't usually talk to.

What else could be accomplished by reaching out and paying attention to people, do you think? In a regional stake conference we had a couple months ago, I heard the following quote:
"Some ask in silence because their arms are too tired to be lifted up."
Could there be people around you who need - even desperately need - help but don't ask for it?
Certainly!

I feel like I'm jumping around a bit, but I think the message I'm trying to get across is pay attention to people. Don't just go through life with your blinders on, only thinking about yourself.

There are people to help. There are people to learn from. There are people who have needs and don't make them known. There are people who could bless your life greatly if you just reached out to them and got to know them.

One thing I know about people is that they can surprise you. So be aware of the people around you. We need others to help us be our best selves. And others need YOU!

People hold their tongues. They don't always tell others what they are really thinking. In fact, they rarely do. Learn to be perceptive and understanding of others. Their life will be blessed and surely yours will be as well!



Have a great week! I'll just be trekking away!

Haley

empathize

If you could see others the way Jesus sees them, how would you treat them differently?
Would you be kinder? Would you think them more important? Certainly!

It is impossible for you to know all of the thoughts going through another's mind.
Even if you know them really well, even if they try to explain their emotions to you, there is still no way you could really know what it's like to be them.
People have so many different layers to them; so many different interwoven thoughts and stories and emotions.
Sometimes, when we look at them from the outside, people seem to do weird things.
Sometimes we can't fathom what their motives are for the decisions they make.

But know that just about everyone in the world, I'd say about 99.99% of the population, are just trying to do what's right. But people have different ideas of what's right, and sometimes people find themselves in sticky situations.
So don't judge others too harshly by their actions or their words.

They're just trying, they're just doing what they can.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has lovely things to offer the world. Everyone is important to God.





Let us all try a little harder to consider what others are going through, to see them as Jesus does, and to walk a mile in their shoes before we judge them.

People are good, they really are.


Haley

you can save lives...

     I've been wanting to write this post for a week now... but I included some of the following stories and thoughts in a talk I gave in Sacrament Meeting today.


So... I didn't want to give it away on here before I actually gave the talk.


But I still wanted to post it for those of you who are not in my ward. So. Here you go.

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You know... I think that when you gain a strong testimony and you realize the happiness and fulfillment that the Gospel brings to your life... you naturally gain a desire to share that happiness with others. 

It's why I started this blog.

You can do missionary work wherever you live - amongst nonmembers or even members of the Church.

I know that some people get scared to share the Gospel with their friends.

I mean, lots of things can go wrong. Maybe you don't know an answer to one of their questions. Maybe you find that your testimony isn't strong enough. Maybe they won't accept your beliefs.

Well... Let those fears go. 

Because I know that if you pray about it... Heavenly Father will tell you who needs the Gospel... and who will accept it. 

D&C 84:85 - Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.

Study the scriptures. Pay attention in church. Like the above verse explains, if you are treasuring up and learning about that which is good... you will know how to answer questions about the Church.

The Spirit will remind you what you read or heard in the very instant you need it. 

But the Spirit cannot remind you of something that you never read/heard in the first place.

So seek knowledge. And do not be afraid that someone will ask you a question. 

And remember... you can always say "I don't know, but I will try and find out". 

Now... I like to play soccer. 

And something that I've learned from soccer is that just one touch on the soccer ball... can change the whole game.

The same is true with our lives. One touch by the Master can change someone forever.

And something you say... even something little that you will forget about tomorrow... could change someone forever too.

You just never know.

Let me illustrate that with a couple stories. 

First of all... let me share with you the story of Wealtha Bradford Hatch.

Wealtha was born in 1804 in Maine. She married Ira Stearns Hatch and they ended up living near Farmersville, New York.

She was a wife. She was a mother. 

But she was no one incredibly significant to history.

(If you are one of her descendants... you might disagree with that (: haha. )

Anyways. After the Church was organized in 1830, missionaries were sent west to preach to the Lamanites (indians).

The specific missionaries in this story were Oliver Cowdrey, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Ziba Peterson, and Parley P. Pratt. 

Recognize some of them? Sweet. :)

These missionaries went to preach to the Catteraugus indians that were living on a reservation very near where Wealtha and Ira lived. 

So Wealtha got her hands on a Book of Mormon. And she read it. And she wanted to join the Church. 

This was a time of heavy persecution of Mormons, so her husband asked her to wait a while and see if the persecution kinda died down. 


Well... a year and a half later the missionaries had looped back around... and Wealtha was done waiting. She was seven months pregnant and they cut a hole in the ice for her to be baptized. 


A couple years later, her husband, Ira, went to meet the prophet in Kirtland, Ohio. I guess he decided that he was ready, because he joined the Church shortly afterward.


Eventually, Ira and Wealtha went west with the saints to Nauvoo. There, Wealtha died of cholera.


Okay. Why am I telling you this? Why is her story special? 


Well... Wealtha had seven children. If you count up her children and their converts, and their children and their converts... up until the present day... you can trace the membership of over a million members of the Church today back to the decision that Wealtha Bradford Hatch made in 1832 to join the Church. 

Does that make sense? Crazy.


Okay. One more example. This post is getting long. 

Abinadi. Abinadi went about preaching the Gospel. He ended up being killed for it - which was ordered by King Noah. 


After all that sacrifice... Abinadi only ended up with one convert. Alma.


Well, let's take a look at who descended from Alma. 


Alma ==> Alma the Younger ==> Helaman ==> Helaman ==> Nephi ==> Nephi ==> Nephi


Many of Alma's descendants ended up writing in the Book of Mormon. 


Actually, we pretty much have half of the Book of Mormon because of Abinadi. 


And just look at how many people the Book of Mormon has converted!








So... hopefully we learned the effects that just one touch has on generations to come. 


It's amazing. Amazing. 


You truly have no idea what could result from you sharing the Gospel with just one person.


You can save hundreds or thousands or millions of lives... who knows. 


And greater than that... you are saving their eternities.


D&C 18:15 - And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
                16 - And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!


It's so amazing to think about how happy and grateful you and so many others will be far into the eternities for your decision to share the Gospel.


Even if it's just by being a good example... or bearing your testimony in front of a friend...


The Lord works in mysterious ways.


Oh. One more quote. Then I'm done.


"Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were. . .You see, there are no small callings to represent the Lord."
- Henry B. Eyring 






I guess you just never know.

P.S. Hopefully this freakishly long post can last you a week. I will be at Girl's Camp until Friday!! :)
(I'm thinking of auto-posting a great EFY song for Wednesday... So tune in then...!)

You Never Know...

Story time.

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You Never Know Who You May Save

JACOB DE JAGER

I would like to go back in thought to my native Holland where six generations of my father’s ancestors lived in the little village of Scheveningen at the seashore. They were fishermen or had other related vocations, like fishing-boat builders, sailmakers, or fishing-net repairmen. Many of them were also involved in the voluntary but hazardous task of lifesaving. They were stouthearted, experienced men who always were ready to man the rowing lifeboats to go on a rescue mission. With every westerly gale that blew, some fishing boats ran into difficulties, and many times the sailors had to cling to the rigging of their stricken ships in a desperate fight to escape inevitable drowning. Year after year the sea claimed its victims.

On one occasion during a severe storm, a ship was in distress, and a rowboat went out to rescue the crew of the fishing boat. The waves were enormous, and each of the men at the oars had to give all his strength and energy to reach the unfortunate sailors in the grim darkness of the night and the heavy rainstorm.

The trip to the wrecked ship was successful, but the rowboat was too small to take the whole crew in one rescue operation. One man had to stay behind on board because there simply was no room for him; the risk that the rescue boat would capsize was too great. When the rescuers made it back to the beach, hundreds of people were waiting for them with torches to guide them in the dreary night. But the same crew could not make the second trip because they were exhausted from their fight with the stormwinds, the waves, and the sweeping rains.

So the local captain of the coast guard asked for volunteers to make a second trip. Among those who stepped forward without hesitation was a nineteen-year-old youth by the name of Hans. With his mother he had come to the beach in his oilskin clothes to watch the rescue operation.

When Hans stepped forward his mother panicked and said, “Hans, please don’t go. Your father died at sea when you were four years old and your older brother Pete has been reported missing at sea for more than three months now. You are the only son left to me!”

But Hans said, “Mom, I feel I have to do it. It is my duty.” And the mother wept and restlessly started pacing the beach when Hans boarded the rowing boat, took the oars, and disappeared into the night.

After a struggle with the high-going seas that lasted for more than an hour (and to Hans’s mother it seemed an eternity), the rowboat came into sight again. When the rescuers had approached the beach close enough so that the captain of the coast guard could reach them by shouting, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called vigorously against the storm, “Did you save him?”

And then the people lighting the sea with their torches saw Hans rise from his rowing bench, and he shouted with all his might, “Yes! And tell Mother it is my brother Pete!”

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     Keep in mind... when helping a stranger...

     They may not be your father or brother or grandparent...

     But they are someone else's.

     And I'm sure that they - and their families - are very grateful.


     
    
      So be helpful and reach out. 


    


     Even to those people you do not know.


     (And maybe those you do know...)







P.S. For those of you that know Lonestar at all... is Somebody's Someone stuck in your head now? Probably just me... :)