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Terwilliger wrote:
Thank you for the welcome, DarkJedi. I have been creeping around this site for months and your mantra of “take it slow, don’t dump all at once, and focus on what you do believe” has been taken to heart time and time again. As far as advice, I feel that I am on fairly solid (though unfamiliar) ground right now. It took a long time for me to come to grips with some of my more serious doubts, but I have actually felt closer to the Lord while going through my faith crisis than at any other time in my life. It has also been liberating being able to decide what I actually believe instead of being told what I believe. The teaching calling has been tough, but I can usually find a way to teach my own spin on the assigned material with some success. I do have a TR interview coming up soon and am having some anxiety trying to figure out how to give the “right” answers without being a liar, but I’m sure I’ll get it figured out. Isn’t having a faith crisis fun!?
Hi, Terwilliger, and welcome! As I read this post and your OP, I couldn’t help but feel that, in many ways, you are my male counterpart. I also have been kind of a doubter for most of my life. I think it’s just something inborn in some of us. I can remember sitting in the foyer of our wardhouse with my no-longer-active son 26 years ago. We were waiting for the bishop to hold his baptismal interview when he hesitantly confided in me, “Mom, I’m not sure I should be baptized.” “Why not, honey?” I asked. “Well,” he said, “You know that story about Jonah and the whale? Well, I’m not sure I believe it.” I about cracked up. What could I say to this chip off the old block?
😆 I also live in Utah (in Salt Lake City) and have done all my life. I was married in the temple and for all but a few months of my adult life, have been an active member of the Church. I have wondered about many, many things, though, over the years, and have not come to terms with most of them. I am definitely not your average Mormon woman (let along your average Utah-born and raised, senior citizen Mormon). I currently teach Relief Society, so I can definitely relate to your having to find a way to put your own spin on some of the lessons you teach in priesthood. Today, I had to give a lesson based on President Monson’s April Conference address, “Love — the Essence of the Gospel.” I spent about a third of the lesson talking about loving people who are “different,” and specifically mentioned people who have a different sexual orientation than the majority of us. I also mentioned the fact that we’re expected to love people who don’t share our political beliefs. (Most of the sisters would die if they knew I’d voted for Obama.)
At any rate, I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.
🙂 Welcome Terwilliger. Loved your introduction, love the unorthodox side of you, and look forward to your posts!
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