Preparing to answer questions

So, tomorrow the post on the main blog is one that may get some flack, and if not, the two after it might. I'm not really going to go in to that now, but related to all that I have been thinking about how sometimes we may have things that we don't want to come up. We should want people to ask us about the Gospel, and maybe we do, but we hope they don't ask about garments, or Kolob, or polygamy, or blacks and the priesthood or women holding the priesthood. I guess this is a follow up to two weeks ago on preparing for missionary work.

There are a few things to be understood here. One is that there is no reason to hope that the "weird" topics won't come up. "The Book of Mormon" now does not just refer to a sacred book of scriptures, but also to a popular Broadway play, there's been "Sister Wives" and "Big Love", and even though that isn't us, people still associate it with us, and then, of course, there is the Romney candidacy. I realize there are mixed feelings about how well he represents us, but it should be indisputable that there is a lot more attention on the Church now, and things will come up.

The other point is that even if you feel you have a strong testimony, but there are things you don't like to think about, then that is a potential weakness that could grow, especially when there is growing attention and mockery from the outside.

What I am saying is that we need to think about those issues and make peace with them. It doesn't mean that we will necessarily have an answer for other people. Sometimes the answer may merely be an assurance of peace for now, and that someday it will make sense. That's okay; that's still a testimony.

One thing I remember really clearly from my mission is that a lot of people we would talk to would say that they think if you believe in God that He is real, but if you don't then it doesn't matter. With the Buddhist background there tends to be more of a mindset towards goodness rather than absolute truth, and of course here we believe in being tolerant of other people's beliefs, but at the same time, what you believe does not change what is true.

Trying to tell people that never worked, but I remember one day it came up again with Vathsana, and I didn't argue, or try and logically explain, but I told her that I knew that God was real and that one day we would all have to stand before Him, and that what we do now matters. I bore my testimony, and that allowed the Spirit to touch her, and she had never thought of it like that. That was what worked.

But the testimony has to be there for us to be able to share it, and a testimony that relies on not thinking about the uncomfortable things would have a pretty weak light for showing others.

Now a lot of religions do rely on ignorance a lot, and that is a bad thing. That nourishes the growing disdain for religion, and becomes a stumbling block to others, and that is really horrible. As Mormons, we have no excuse.

Remember who we are. We're the religion that kicked off with James 1:5:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

We believe that we can receive answers. We believe in the power of the Holy Ghost. We have the Holy Ghost. Are we using that?

We're the religion that believes that "The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth." (D&C 93:36)

Or how about this bit from section 88:

"78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

 79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you."

We are the one church where activity goes up with education, instead of down. People should not be able to think of us as stupid and blind. We believe the most important trait is charity, and that we need to be filled with love, so there should be no way that people will be able to perceive us as bigots.

We need to be living up to the Gospel, and that involves trusting it, and trusting ourselves.

I admit that there are things I don't completely understand, or I have ideas of how they work, but I am not sure my ideas are correct. I also know that a lot of the things that people make fun of and find weird are some of the best things about the Gospel, and the reason why it is a plan that works for everyone, rather than just people have been lucky enough to be born in the right time and place. And I know the Gospel is true, and the Church is true, and that people have problems, which accounts for almost all of the trouble of the world, but I keep finding that I love more and more of those people, and that it makes this a pretty joyful life. And I'm not going to be scared of any question.

My confidence can wax strong, because it is not about me.