We're all just walking each other home

I was in Utah this past week attending the wedding of one of my best friends and spending time with family. This trip really made me feel like a kid again-no mortgage payments, utility bills, or grocery shopping. I was thoughtful enough to leave that all to my 8 month pregnant wife.  I grew up in Utah. Yet not only did I grow up in the bubble of Utah county, I grew up in Northern Utah County--the bubble within a bubble. Many of you who read this probably know exactly what I mean. Sure there were still temptations and opportunities to sin, but let's be honest--when 90+% of your high school peers are Mormon, you're living in a bubble.

This past year I moved to Arizona with my first wife (Jim Gaffigan anyone?) to become a seminary teacher in Sierra Vista, AZ. Where? Exactly. Just spin your mental globe until you find Mexico. Then look up a nanometer and you'll find Sierra Vista. It's been great to and for us. We survived the first year outside of Utah (whew) and even did it without food storage. However, I'm a seminary teacher. That means that even though I live in Arizona now, I'm still in my own occupational bubble. I get to peruse the scriptures all day long, gambol (not gamble) around my solitary office without my shoes on, and even listen to Pandora for all 8 hours of the day.  There is more to this than being a seminary teacher, but since most people think that's all that seminary teachers do during the summer, I will keep that idea rolling. So you see, my life is kinda unique and I will be the first to admit that I've lived (and still do live) a pretty sheltered life.

So why am I writing a blog? I'm not entirely sure. I've never felt like my life was all that interesting or that people would ever read anything I'd have to say. And maybe they won't. But I can't get the idea out of my head, so I'll give it a whirl and see how it goes. If nothing else, it will be good to unload some of my thoughts. So pardon the thought vomit from time to time. This first post is religious in nature; a few in the near future will probably be religious in nature too. However, not all of my posts will be so theological. My wife is having a baby in a month, so I'm sure there will be plenty to write about that. We'll see where we go from here. For this post, my purpose is to make it clear (to whoever cares-and maybe you care a little bit if you're still reading this) where I stand on certain social and religious issues.

As I started out, I just got back from visiting Utah for a week and a half. One night as my parents and I were driving home from dinner, my dad mentioned a quote he had seen on Facebook that said: "We're all just walking each other home." At first that didn't seem that interesting to me; but as I've reflected on that and other nascent thoughts over the last few weeks, I feel impressed to share some of my developing thoughts.

I'm a Mormon. You probably knew that. There have been some hot topics recently on social media in regards to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You probably knew that too.  Many of my friends on Facebook post comments or links regarding the two biggest issues facing the LDS Church today--same-sex marriage and the role of women in the church, specifically when it comes to ordaining women to the Priesthood. Seeing as I'm a seminary teacher and am (I think) quite conservative in my views, you can probably also guess that I am against both of these movements. Stated clearly: I do not think that same-sex marriage is right in God's eyes nor do I think that women should be ordained to the Priesthood.

If your blood is starting to boil and you're about to scroll down and leave a diatribe below because I'm a bigot and closed minded and a chauvinist...hold on for two seconds. Please resist the impulse as best you can. We all have opinions, and we all think we're right. That's the paradox and the problem. That is part of the reason I have never commented on any of the links or threads that I've seen on Facebook; because it just leads to arguments. It can be a catalyst to lost friendships and only exacerbates the hard feelings between the two parties.

Before I get any further in this first blog post, I need to make something very clear. I know some who may read this post will have differing views and that is okay. But Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the quorum of the 12 Apostles said my thoughts perfectly:

"I suggest that it may be preferable for our young people to refrain from arguing with their associates...They will often be better off to respond by identifying the worldly premises or assumptions in the assertions they face and then by identifying the different assumptions or premises that guide the thinking of Latter-day Saints. This won’t elicit agreement from persons who don’t share our faith, but it can move the discussion away from arguing over conclusions to identifying the real source of disagreement." (As He Thinketh in His Heart, talk given to seminary and institute teachers, February 2013).

My assumptions may be different than yours. A few examples to explain what I mean: 1) I believe that we lived with God before this life, and I believe we have the chance to live with Him again after this life. Because I believe this, my views may very well differ from someone who doesn't believe in a life before or after this life. 2) I believe the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are all scripture. Therefore I will quote from all of these. 3) I believe that God speaks to His prophet today and that Jesus is very involved in the dealings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because I believe it is His Church. Those are just a few assumptions that I have that may differ from yours. So instead of us always arguing, I hope we'll realize that the reason we may not see eye to eye is because we fundamentally have different beliefs. I have a feeling that this might be a point to be brought up again, but for now, please understand that we may come from different places, and we need to understand where we're coming from in order to understand each other.

My hope is that when I post about religious or social topics on this blog, I can share my thoughts in a de-escalated setting and separate myself from the passions and emotions that sometimes arise when I read things online. If you do leave a comment, please try to do the same. I know there will be many that will differ from the views that I have, and that is okay. But please understand my intention is not to try to 'convince' anyone that I'm right and they're wrong. Indeed the Apostle Paul teaches "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase" (1 Cor. 3:6-7).  If there is any enlightenment to be found on this blog, it will be only if I write by the Spirit and if it is received by the Spirit. (Doctrine and Covenants 50:17-23) God will do the enlightening, wherever it is needed. If I need it, I hope I'll learn that quickly. If someone else needs it, I'll leave it to God to tell them.

Additionally, my intention is not to club anyone over the head with my personal views or doctrines of the LDS Church. However, I will stand up for what I believe and share my thoughts in a forum of love and understanding; of truth and directness; of humility and learning.  I firmly agree with what President James E. Faust (former 2nd counselor in the 1st presidency of the LDS Church) once said: “When there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord will depart, regardless of who is at fault” (“What I Want My Son to Know before He Leaves on His Mission,” Ensign, May 1996, 41).  So lets leave the contention to Facebook and the antipathy to Satan. Most of us worship the same God. We can love each other like Christ does, instead of bickering and condemning. Remember again what Paul said, and the prophet Mormon echoes in the Book of Mormon: "Charity is kind" and "is not easily provoked" (1 Cor 13:4-5; Moroni 7:45)

I believe that Christ was honest. I do not think He softened His truths. I do not think that Christ advocated sin. I do believe that Christ loved everyone completely, perfectly, and without condition. I believe that Christ loved the Pharisees as much as His disciples. I believe that Jesus died for everyone, not just the righteous. I believe that Christ will never love us any less, no matter what we do. Yet I do not believe that love is a synonym for acceptance or tolerance. I believe that when we love others, we are concerned enough about them to correct them. Yet who am I, as a flawed and imperfect man, to correct others? I have my own battles and my own sins, so why don't I just sit back and let others do what they want? Because Christ wouldn't. I am not Christ, (you already knew that), nor do I claim to be perfect like him. But in my study of the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, I see a Christ who loves us enough to correct us. I see a Christ who says "Come Follow Me" (Matthew 16:24) and invites us to become like Him (3 Nephi 12:48, Matthew 5:48). I do not see a Christ that sugar coats the truth. I do not see a Christ that wants people do what they want and then accepts them as they are. I see a just Christ, and a merciful One too. I see a Christ who voices His truths with confidence. I see a Christ who can be silent when He deems necessary. I see a Christ who offers us transformation, not stagnation. He offers us His gospel-His commandments included-so that we can know how to become like Him. This life is not a life to do what we want and trust that He still loves us. It is to do what He wants and know that because He loves us, we can trust Him.

Trust. That's an important word in life. I believe it's a very important word when it comes to the two topics I mentioned above. I love the title of Stephen Robinson's book "Believing Christ." I think many who read this post (if there are many, if it's just my parents that actually read it, then, "Hi mom and dad!") would say that they believe in Christ. But it is something a little different to believe Christ. To believe Him when he says "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6), to believe Him when he says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). To believe Him when he says "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5), to believe Him when he says "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3), to believe Him when he says "Mine eyes are upon you.  I am in your midst and ye cannot see me; But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day" (Doctrine & Covenants 38:7-8) and to believe Him when He says "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.  And Behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning" (3 Nephi 11:10-11).  I think that this world, myself included, needs to trust Jesus a little bit more.

So that's where I'll leave it for now. This is already long enough. I feel that there are many loud voices out there who oppose what I believe. I want to be a voice of support for those who believe like I do; I want my voice to be heard. My intent is to address those specific topics (the two
mentioned near the beginning) over the next couple of weeks when my thoughts are a little more cogent. But for this first blog post I just wanted to set the stage (not every post will be religious in nature however) to let you see that I believe in Jesus Christ, and I believe Jesus Christ. To let you know what I believe and who I believe Christ is. Jesus is the center of my life. He is my Savior. I am saved because of Him. I am nothing without Him. So are you. And yet with Him, we are something. Something great. Something beautiful. Something eternal.

No matter what we believe or what we choose, Christ's love is there. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).  He is the only begotten Son of our Great God. We are all siblings-children of God. I hope that we will each remember to walk each other home. Like my nephews in this picture, we're all just walking each other home. There is no need for hate, or anger, or pejorative words. We can help each other. We can love each other, no matter how we differ. And we can stand up for what we believe at the same time. Satan is already doing a good enough job at dragging us as humans down; there's no need to join him in pulling others down too. Instead, we can be unified in Christ and firm in His doctrine. He has made it possible for us to walk back home. And because of His great love, He let's us be a part of this; He allows us to walk each other back home too.