A few years ago, while writing for Mormon Women Stand (they’ve changed their name to Latter-day Saint Women Stand), I created a meme that corresponds with a talk given by Glenn L. Pace entitled, “Follow the Prophet,” which I’d like to talk about this week.
He focuses on three different groups of critics: 1) nonmembers, 2) former members, and 3) current members.
Even though his talk was given a while ago, back in 1989, we continue to see similar reactions. Nonmembers tease and criticize us in fairly harmless ways. Former members are a little more aggressive. They simply can’t leave the church alone.
The last group can, unfortunately, be the most harmful. As he puts it, “The danger lies not in what may come from a member critic, but in the chance that we might become one.”
We must always be on our guard of our critical feelings of how the church is run, or rather how imperfect people attempt to perform their duties. Hurt feelings and harsh opinions abound.
Several years ago, as I taught our Gospel Doctrine class, there was an older gentleman who consistently played devil’s advocate week after week. It was a nuisance, but worse, there was no point in it other than simply driving the spirit away. And it frustrated me because I wanted to share the spirit I had felt as I prepared for class. Instead of yelling at him and demanding him to stop wrecking my lesson, I had to grin and bear it … and not get my feelings hurt. Ugh! It wasn’t easy but thank goodness callings don’t last forever. And thank goodness he didn’t rattle my testimony, or the testimony I left the class with.
Bishop Pace calls some of these actions “inappropriate intellectualism.” This idea “sometimes leads one to testify that he knows the gospel is true but believes the Brethren are just a little out of touch.” There are some people who simply can’t seem to help question the gospel, or the Brethren.
I can testify that the Brethren are not out of touch. They see the evil that is around all of us. President Hinckley read several national newspapers every single morning while he was alive. He knew what was “out there.” And we’re all amazed at how savvy Pres. Nelson is.
Each of our prophets have been called of God to lead the work of the church for Jesus Christ. They don’t cave to “public opinion,” but obey what the Lord tells them. Often—mostly—the two are not the same. We are all called to make a choice.
Who are we going to follow? For those who struggle with some of the church’s stand on social issues, are we going to follow “public opinion,” or are we going to stand by the prophet and watch how, in just a few years, we can all see what a grave condition that public opinion has become? It’s happened before many times.
Strong and faithful members of the church have lost their testimonies. In fact, it happens every day. Bishop Pace warns to not let it happen to us. If we believe the prophet is truly the mouthpiece of God, then we are safe in following him, even when it is opposite from what everyone else seems to be thinking. Follow the prophet, he knows the way.