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I just want to let you know things are going lately. Lately, I’ve been more active in church and serving in my calling as a ward missionary. I originally thought it be harder for me than what it has been so far after having a faith transition in regards to the church. Part of me doesn’t really care if people get converted and baptized into the church or if inactive members of the church get reactivated. What I generally care more about is if people are to grow spiritually, have spiritual relationships with God, and find purpose in their lives. If that means activity in the church, following the church’s standards, and performing ordinances, then I think that’s great. Even though I don’t agree with all the standards and teachings in the church, I feel God has led me back to activity in the church. I do meditation with my prayer and scripture study. Meditation helps me so much to quiet my mind. I am trying to read some other spiritual sources other than the standard works. Right now, I have a calling as a ward missionary. The ward mission leader is a good friend of mine, and I really like that. After having my faith shift in the church, fulfilling my calling isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The ward has sister missionaries, so I don’t have to worry about being asked to go on splits to testify of any teachings I don’t agree with. (Splits aren’t allowed anymore, period, I believe) Yeah, I know there was a General Authority that said once that the gaining of a testimony is in the bearing of it, but that can be really difficult if you have had a major faith shift, since so much stock is put in the church.
Trying to get through some of the lessons in priesthood meetings based off General Conference talks can be a bit hard, depending on the talk. On the other hand, I really don’t mind Sunday School, Gospel Doctrine class. I feel I have more leeway in how I study and interpret the standard works, even if we’ve only had the same standard works for years.
Anyway, I just wanted to keep everyone posted on how I’m doing. Feel free to post any comments, questions, or advice you have.
I like all that has been shared about some various ways to look at the word infirmity. One approach that I like is:
Firm = Solid/Hard
Infirm = Soft/Weak
Infirmity = frailty, fragility, weakness
It is this definition on infirm and infirmity that we use in talking about the elderly.
Quote:And [Jesus] will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
I like to imagine that God was impervious and invincible. He therefore looked forth at the physically and mentally puny humans and found it somewhat difficult to relate. Therefore part of the “condescension of God” was in taking on an infirm mortal body that he could better “bridge the gap” between God and man. IOW, God was so perfect that it would be impossible for man to get to where God is. If there was to be a reconciliation or “atonement” between God and man, it would need to be God that took that step.
We humans are infirm and can make only paltry efforts towards being firm. However, the point is not to change our nature. I believe that the point is for us to stand in open wonder that a perfect, impervious, and invincible God would give that up (even momentarily) out of love and a desire to meet us where we are.
Ilovechrist77 wrote:
Right now, I have a calling as a ward missionary. The ward mission leader is a good friend of mine, and I really like that. After having my faith shift in the church, fulfilling my calling isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The ward has sister missionaries, so I don’t have to worry about being asked to go on splits to testify of any teachings I don’t agree with. (Splits aren’t allowed anymore, period, I believe)
That sounds great! Finding a calling that you can do to contribute and feel authentic with is a major success. DW and I worked with the cub scouts and “activity days” for years and really loved it.
Ilovechrist77 wrote:
Yeah, I know there was a General Authority that said once that the gaining of a testimony is in the bearing of it, but that can be really difficult if you have had a major faith shift, since so much stock is put in the church.
I know exactly the talk about “testimony is found in the bearing of it.” Unfortunately, GA’s have a huge church to run and people that can’t or won’t bear testimony are “momentum breakers” (to use Amy’s example). I feel that the GA is giving the advice to “fake it until you make it” or “go along to get along.” This has the advantage of not breaking the momentum.
In a not unrelated example, a GA gave the advice to men who return home early from a mission for mental health reasons to just say that they “went on a mission to such and such place” and withhold the information about coming home early. The momentum is such that every young man is expected to serve a mission and those that do not are looked at as somehow deficient. Some young men could not complete a full two years despite their best efforts and find themselves marginalized when they come home.
I feel that a GA could stand against the momentum and say something like “the mission experience is not for everybody” or “not every young man should serve a mission” or ” God has His own plans for you that may or may not include a mission.” However, that would break the momentum. Therefore, if being fully transparent about returning home from the mission field is causing others to marginalize you – the advice is to stop being fully transparent/honest about it. In this way the problem is at least somewhat mitigated and the momentum can continue.
Quote:Trying to get through some of the lessons in priesthood meetings based off General Conference talks can be a bit hard, depending on the talk. On the other hand, I really don’t mind Sunday School, Gospel Doctrine class. I feel I have more leeway in how I study and interpret the standard works, even if we’ve only had the same standard works for years.
Yeah, I particularly like the New Testament. The parables are my favorite since they are not intended to be taken literally and can be open to multiple interpretations.
Fwiw, the official stance currently is that every worthy and ABLE young man should serve a mission, including service missions. What that means isn’t defined, and it shouldn’t become tightly controlled. I like how broad it is now, especially since I know more than one person who did the service mission route specifically because they couldn’t say they KNEW but wanted to serve people in a formal mission. Sorry it took a bit a long to respond, but I didn’t easily distracted with other things. That’s why I didn’t say anything sooner. Roy and Old-Timer, thank you very much for your comments. I agree with you, Roy. Momentum is such an important thing when doing anything, especially with moving the work forward in the church. However, speaking of momentum, both of our sister missionaries got transferred out of the ward. That means we don’t have any full-time in the ward just hopefully until the next transfer. My ward mission leader and elders quorum first counselor don’t know why we don’t have any new missionaries yet.
But, other than that, I’ve been doing okay getting back into activity in the ward.
🙂
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