Meeting with Stake Presidency this Sunday

[Anonymous]

So, Meeting went on. I was given about 45 minutes. They listened with good intent and they want to help. They don’t really understand the issue from my point of view but they took notes and stated they would address a plan of action and that perhaps I would be needed further.

[Anonymous]

DBM, if you get a chance for any follow-up, or if you want to print it out and share it with anyone, the following post might help people understand better how difficult it is to understand:

“Thestrals, Dementors, Boggarts and Crises of Faith” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2012/12/thestrals-dementers-boggarts-and-crises.html)

Also, please remember, perfect (“whole, complete, fully developed”) understanding is the ideal, but anything that helps someone understand better, even if only intellectually, is better than nothing – and while empathy is best, sympathy is better than its lack. An emotional connection can be created through what you did – and, in practical terms, for many people that sort of connection is WAY better than having to experience a faith crisis to understand perfectly.

[Anonymous]

So Bill, were you satisfied with the meeting? What it helpful to you?

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

DBM, if you get a chance for any follow-up, or if you want to print it out and share it with anyone, the following post might help people understand better how difficult it is to understand:

“Thestrals, Dementors, Boggarts and Crises of Faith” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2012/12/thestrals-dementers-boggarts-and-crises.html)

Also, please remember, perfect (“whole, complete, fully developed”) understanding is the ideal, but anything that helps someone understand better, even if only intellectually, is better than nothing – and while empathy is best, sympathy is better than its lack. An emotional connection can be created through what you did – and, in practical terms, for many people that sort of connection is WAY better than having to experience a faith crisis to understand perfectly.

I like this alot!

[Anonymous]

church0333 wrote:

So Bill, were you satisfied with the meeting? What it helpful to you?

Yes and no. Yes that it is an issue on their plate and they are concerned enough to make it part of their discussion. No, in that very few people really understand my experience and I do not feel like anyone there really understands me. That said, I think if they can not understand me, I wonder how they will understand anyone with a similar experience as mine.

Again it is not that they are bad or don’t care…. it is just that faith crisis seems foreign to them. They see through a glass very darkly

[Anonymous]

DBMormon wrote:

church0333 wrote:

So Bill, were you satisfied with the meeting? What it helpful to you?

Yes and no. Yes that it is an issue on their plate and they are concerned enough to make it part of their discussion. No, in that very few people really understand my experience and I do not feel like anyone there really understands me. That said, I think if they can not understand me, I wonder how they will understand anyone with a similar experience as mine.

Again it is not that they are bad or don’t care…. it is just that faith crisis seems foreign to them. They see through a glass very darkly

THIS in a nutshell is what makes this experience so difficult for all of us. I didn’t begin to understand a FC until I had one. Before mine, I judged people going through them as weak or sinful. I’m not sure there’s anything any of them could have said to make me understand or feel differently. I thought if I could just say the right thing, a miracle would happen and they’d be OK again. I know now that the things I was saying probably made things worse and they are the same things I hear others saying now. I must have sounded like a self-righteous donkey’s hindquarters. 😳

The only good thing to come of that is that now I’m more patient with people trying to help those in a FC. I don’t get angry with them. They’re just doing what they think is right. If one of us could find the magic way to help others understand a FC, that would be the real miracle!

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