I believe a majority of us have experience what you are speaking of. I am struggling with our bishop. I remind myself he is human and makes mistakes too! But it is still a struggle...hopefully a short struggle!
posted by Geba
3 months ago
Yes, many of us have been in that position. I thought that if I was doubting the bishop, that I would be courting apostacy. We have all been there.
Hang in there. Work hard. Do service for others. Get lost in doing service, and try not to pay attention to any of the negative. Things do get better. Sometimes we just need to get a fresh look on things.
My former bishop was released after I ended up moving out of the ward. It wasn't very long either. Interesting how things happen...
God bless you to heal your heart and bless you with his spirit. The church is still true.
Thanks for the input. There's no chance of moving so I've gotta hope things improve. I was told once (almost ten years ago) by an ex-Bishop that there could come a time when we would encounter a higher authority (even higher than the Bishop) who might mislead us. And we just would have to hold fast to what we knew was true. So, I hope we don't get ourselves in hot water but we will speak up for what we know is true if we have to. The first counselor already has had to do so. He's still first counselor anyway. My one daughter and one granddaughter especially are very blunt and outspoken. Perhaps that is just what he needs. We will see.
Sounds like the Bishop needs some counseling himself. I feel in my opinion to just pray that God touches his heart and helps him see the errors of his ways. Instead of judging he should not be doing that it is very clear whom our judge is. I myself am not happy with my ward either. I have to be honest i dont go and wont till winter. Then I can go at 2 instead of 8 am. i have personal health reasons for this. I wish you the best in your choices. I also wasnt greated well at first and I dont have anynone to go with me. I honestly shouldnt be in this group giving any of my opinions lol but here I am .
Dianna, your opinion is just as meaningful as the others. Personally I am glad you are here and contributing. It seems this is a common problem. I know my bishop means well anyway. Hopefully he'll lighten up a little as he settles in. Hey, I'd never make an 8 AM meeting either!
We all need to do our best. I know how hard it is to get up early and go to church. When I was getting off work at 4am, it was hard for me to be at church at 9am. You can always go to a later sacrament meeting.
If you don't have any real friends to go to church with, please go find some one to go to church with. We all need you and want you to be with us. If you were here near me, I would drag you kicking and screaming. The church is still true. We love you and want you to be with us. Please show your love to us and go to church. We need you and you need us. We love you. Don't ever forget it. I hae had a tough time too. I was first married to a member who was not a good example. I could go on, but I won't.
My 2nd wife was not a member and became very anti.
I still went to church and I was blessed for it.
I am now married to a very wonderful spiritual woman who is a member of the church and we go to church every Sunday Together!! She is the Relief Society Secretary and I am now working with the scouts...
See how life turns around and can become better. Please come to church. We love you and need you!!
Awe, what a nice happy ending. What you said was very sweet too. Have fun with those scouts.
I just got home from church. In priesthood meeting our lesson was on following the words of a living prophet. These words echoed in my mind, and I wanted to share them with you.
"Follow the prophet" excerpts from a talk by Ezra Taft Benson February 26th 1980 at BYU.
The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
"As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the wordly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins. Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them."
In a general conference of the Church, President N. Eldon Tanner stated.
“The Prophet spoke out clearly on Friday morning, telling us what our responsibilities are …
“A man said to me after that, ‘You know, there are people in our state who believe in following the Prophet in everything they think is right, but when it is something they think isn’t right, and it doesn’t appeal to them, then that’s different.’ He said, ‘Then they become their own prophet. They decide what the Lord wants and what the Lord doesn’t want.’
“I thought how true, and how serious when we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not follow the Prophet of God. No, we should never discriminate between these commandments, as to those we should and should not keep.” (CR, October 1966, p. 98.)
In the Book of Mormon we read:
“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.
“And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.” (2 Ne. 9:28–29, 42; italics added.)
The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
“Thou has declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear,” complained Nephi’s brethren. But Nephi answered by saying, “The guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.” (1 Ne. 16:1–2.)
Said President Harold B. Lee:
“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)
How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.
I testify that following the living prophet is essential for us to be able to live in righteousness. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet— The President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.
May God bless us all to look to the Prophet in the critical and crucial days ahead.
