Some time ago, I received permission from my bishop while serving as Sunday School President to prepare a lesson for the youth about doubts. I'm posting some excerpts here so that those who find them useful may have them.
Before this world was, a war of ideas
was fought in Heaven. This war was about choice. Jesus Christ (called Jehovah before he
was born) proposed that we would have freedom to choose (called free
agency in the past, now called moral agencies, as there are
inescapable results to all of our choices, whether good, bad or
neutral). Satan proposed that all of God's children could be saved
if choice were eliminated. He asked in order to carry this plan out,
all of God's glory and power be given to him. God chose the first
plan. Satan was upset. He was cast out with 1/3 of God's children
who followed him.
Tangential note: Satan's plan would
have denied us choice. Choice is required to grow and become more
like God. Under Satan's plan, we'd have been saved, but could never
have been exalted, thus making sure he was the only one with power
and glory like God's. This is a classic choice: “Give me your
freedom and power (support) and I will make you safe.” This choice
and conflict are active today not only spiritually, but also as
political philosophies from which we may choose.
In order to insure our choices are
freely made, when we are born into this life, a veil is placed over
our memories so we can not remember living with God. If we could, we
would do anything to get back to him, and would not be able to make
choices freely.
Choosing to do right of our own free
will brings exaltation. Choosing to do wrong of our own free will
brings condemnation.
Hebrews
11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
God demands faith. Note that prophets
have clarified that it's fine to even have a desire to believe (see
Alma 32), but because learning to have faith is critical to our
progression, perfect proof will not be provided to us. It would
interfere with faith and our freedom to choose.
This has a direct impact on us as
members of the church. It means that the church is not perfect and
can not be perfect. There must be room for our critics to attack us
and for those attacks to be credible, as well as room for us to find
answers to those criticisms and for those answers to be credible.
Thus we can choose of our own free will which path we will take.
This is in keeping with the principle
of necessary opposition described by Jacob, Nephi's brother in 2nd
Nephi 2:11.
President Uchtdorf explained in “Come
Join with Us” that the church isn't perfect
and that's okay:
Mistakes of Imperfect People
...to be perfectly frank, there have
been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made
mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in
harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.
I suppose the Church would be perfect
only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His
doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect
children—and imperfect people make mistakes.
In the title page of the Book of Mormon
we read, “And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of
men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found
spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” (Title page of the Book
of Mormon; see Mormon
8:17.)
It's important to note that since
people are imperfect, no church can be perfect. I am convinced this
is the best and most correct one on the earth, and I accept that it
is not perfect, neither can it be.
To summarize, God promised us we would
have moral agency, that is, we could decide our path for ourselves,
whether it leads to or away from Him. He will not provide
universal incontrovertible proof, because that would interfere with
the agency promised to us and prevent the growth necessary for us to
become what He wants us to become. So, evidence, logic,
reasoning and even science must balance for and against the Church so
it comes down to faith and submitting our will to His. We must
choose. Our choices will exalt or damn us.
_________________________________________
Above is a short version created for a specific purpose. Here's the full thing.
Leading
with faith while dealing with doubts (25 Oct 2014)
1.
The possibility of doubt is essential to exhalation
A: Before this world was, a war of
ideas was fought in Heaven. (See Bible Dictionary, War
in Heaven)
Q: What was the central idea over
which this war was fought?
Choice: Jesus Christ (called Jehovah
before he was born) proposed that we would have freedom to choose
(called free agency in the past, now called moral agencies, as there
are inescapable results to all of our choices, whether good, bad or
neutral). Satan proposed that all of God's children could be saved
if choice were eliminated. He asked in order to carry this plan out,
all of God's glory and power be given to him. God chose the first
plan. Satan was upset. He was cast out with 1/3 of God's children
who followed him.
Tangential note: Satan's plan would
have denied us choice. Choice is required to grow and become more
like God. Under Satan's plan, we'd have been saved, but could never
have been exalted, thus making sure he was the only one with power
and glory like God's. This is a classic choice: “Give me your
freedom and power (support) and I will make you safe.” This choice
and conflict are active today not only spiritually, but also as
political philosophies from which we may choose.
B: In order to insure our choices are
freely made, when we are born into this life, a veil is placed over
our memories so we can not remember living with God. If we could, we
would do anything to get back to him, and would not be able to make
choices freely.
Choosing to do right of our own free
will brings exaltation. Choosing to do wrong of our own free will
brings condemnation.
2.
The Church can not be perfect, or there could be no doubt
Hebrews
11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
God demands faith. Note that prophets
have clarified that it's fine to even have a desire to believe (see
Alma 32), but because learning to have faith is critical to our
progression, perfect proof will not be provided to us. It would
interfere with faith and our freedom to choose.
This has a direct impact on us as
members of the church. It means that the church is not perfect and
can not be perfect. There must be room for our critics to attack us
and for those attacks to be credible, as well as room for us to find
answers to those criticisms and for those answers to be credible.
Thus we can choose of our own free will which path we will take.
This is in keeping with the principle
of necessary opposition described by Jacob, Nephi's brother in 2nd
Nephi 2:11.
President Uchtdorf explained in “Come
Join with Us” that the church isn't perfect
and that's okay:
Mistakes of Imperfect People
...to be perfectly frank, there have
been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made
mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in
harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.
I suppose the Church would be perfect
only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His
doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect
children—and imperfect people make mistakes.
In the title page of the Book of Mormon
we read, “And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of
men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found
spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” (Title page of the Book
of Mormon; see Mormon
8:17.)
It's important to note that since
people are imperfect, no church can be perfect. I am convinced this
is the best and most correct one on the earth, and I accept that it
is not perfect, neither can it be.
To summarize, God promised us we would
have moral agency, that is, we could decide our path for ourselves,
whether it leads to or away from Him. He will not provide
universal incontrovertible proof, because that would interfere with
the agency promised to us and prevent the growth necessary for us to
become what He wants us to become. So, evidence, logic,
reasoning and even science must balance for and against the Church so
it comes down to faith and submitting our will to His. We must
choose. Our choices will exalt or damn us.
3.
What can we do about doubt?
There are several things we can do to
address doubt, whether in ourselves or others, in a way that leads
with faith. What does it mean to lead with faith?
President Uchtdorf recommended: “my
dear brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt
your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to
hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts
that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” So as we
approach our doubts, we should not discard the things we believe in
just because they are challenged in some way.
It is important to realize doubt is
fine. We will all have some and maybe a lot during our lives. We
must never think less of ourselves or others for having doubts. It's
not unfaithful or wrong to have them. Church leaders have said so.
President Gordon B. Hinckley when testifying to things often said, “I
am convinced that...” rather than “I know that...” How
powerful. You don't need to know everything. You can believe, hope
to believe, be convinced, be working on, be studying, be trying to
understand. If you know something, it's fine to say so. It's also
fine not to be certain when you don't.
Other things you can do include (Taken
largely from Bill Reel's 15
Ways to help)
1. Become familiar with the new gospel
topics articles and church websites
Did you know about mormonsandgays.org?
How about the new articles addressing race
and the priesthood, the temple
garments, and other difficult questions? Our
leadership today is doing a great job of addressing misunderstanding
and as President Uchtdorf explained, mistakes by people in the past.
They made them. We're fixing them.
2. Recognize the inherent flexibility
that is in the gospel
Did you know that the following issues
are up to you as the member?
a. What the 10% of tithing is paid on
(gross, net, surplus)
b. What one believes about evolution
and the age of the earth
c. How figurative or allegorical many
bible stories are
d. Whether the great flood was local
or global
If you can't find something in the
scriptures, including the writings and teachings of our prophets, it
isn't doctrine.
3. Help get rid of folk doctrine and
speculation
This follows what I just said before.
Many members have learned a very rigid Mormonism that answers every
question. In reality, those answers aren't doctrinal. You don't
have to believe them.
4. Don't teach or encourage blind
obedience
Elder
Uchtdorf taught in his CES fireside “What is Truth,”
“Latter-day Saints are not asked to blindly accept everything they
hear. We are encouraged to think and discover truth for ourselves. We
are expected to ponder, to search, to evaluate, and thereby to come
to a personal knowledge of the truth. Brigham Young said: “I am …
afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that
they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by
him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security.
… Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of
God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the
Lord dictates.”
5. Distinguish and help others
distinguish between culture and doctrine
Elder Christofferson stated in his talk
“The Doctrine of Christ” that “At the same time it should be
remembered that not every statement made by a Church leader, past or
present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood
in the Church that a statement made by one leader on a single
occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered,
opinion, not meant to be official or binding for the whole Church.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “a prophet [is] a prophet only
when he [is] acting as such.”
Elder Anderson then followed this
up with more clarification in the next General Conference with a
quote from the talk “trial of your faith” when he said “A few
question their faith when they find a statement made by a Church
leader decades ago that seems incongruent with our doctrine. There is
an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The
doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and
Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one
talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine
is not difficult to find. “
6. Never feel like you're sinning, or
accuse anyone of sinning if they doubt.
Praying, reading scriptures and talking
with leaders and teachers are great. They also won't fix every
doubt. Sometimes a doubt is so difficult that instead of worrying
about it all the time, we must “shelve” it for a time. Put it in
the back of our mind until we're better equipped to deal with it.
Many people have used this approach and later successfully resolved a
doubt they weren't initially ready to confront.
7. Encourage questions and truth
seeking, even if the questions are difficult
“I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in
their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God
whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state
of blind self-security. Let every man and woman know, by the
whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders
are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.” – Brigham
Young
It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if
what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we
can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of
the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations,
we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have
accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or
balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine. You cannot
accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as
standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the
revealed word in the standard works. Every man who writes is
responsible, not the Church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding
Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations,
then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he
writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the
Lord, then it should be accepted. – Joseph Fielding Smith
8. The church doesn't teach all
history and information in the 3 hour block schedule.
There isn't time to do that, so we
teach things we think will help members grow in their faith now. We
won't teach a lot about polygamy or race and the priesthood in a
classroom setting. That's not the purpose of our worship services.
However, all that information is available to every member who would
like to study it.
9. Build relationships with rather
than shun or withdraw from people who have questions
This includes you! Despite having
questions and doubts, you can build loving relationships with your
Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, your family, members of the church and
leaders in the church.
When someone has a hard question,
remember to love them first. Even if someone leaves the church, be
the friend you always were to them. I have listened to many stories
of those who have left the church and come back. The people who come
back have one thing in common: their friends and family loved and
supported them without compromising their own principles. Never shun
someone with questions or leaves the church. Never treat them as a
lesser person.
Whenever someone has questions, create
an atmosphere of warmth and openness. React matter-of-factly to any
question, matter how distressing you may find it personally.
Acknowledge when you don't know something, and do all you can to help
your friend or family member in a search for answers.
4. Believing is beautiful
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland related a story about a boy who talked with him:
A
14-year-old boy recently said to me a little hesitantly, “Brother
Holland, I can’t say yet that I know the Church is true, but I
believe it is.” I hugged that boy until his eyes bulged out. I told
him with all the fervor of my soul that belief
is a precious word, an even more precious act, and he need never
apologize for “only believing.” I told him that Christ Himself
said, “Be not afraid, only believe,” a phrase which, by the way,
carried young Gordon B. Hinckley into the mission field. I told
this boy that belief was always the first step toward conviction and
that the definitive articles of our collective faith forcefully
reiterate the phrase “We believe.” And I told him how very proud
I was of him for the honesty of his quest. (Lord,
I Believe)
If we have even a
desire to believe, we can let it work within us, and experiment upon
gospel principles as Alma outlined in Alma chapter 32. Take a
principle. Try it. Live it. See if it makes you happy, see if it
works. If it does, you can believe in that thing. You can have
faith. It can grow to a perfect knowledge. It can overcome your
doubts.
Conclusion:
As you seek the
truth openly an honestly, you will be blessed and draw closer to your
Heavenly Father, I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
