"Hold on, Wait a Little While"

I apologize for not writing last week.  Things have gotten very busy with tithing settlement and other interviews lately, so some Sundays I just run out of time to write.  It's been an interesting couple of weeks.  I started officially dating a beautiful girl named Ashley Camargo.  She is bright and intelligent and funny and loves the Lord.  It is still early, but I'm really enjoying spending time with her.

In case you weren't aware there were also some other things that happened this week with regards to Church policy.  I have a lot of friends on both sides of this issue, each with very strong feelings.  As a standard policy, I tend to stay out of Facebook discussions on these issues, but since this is my private blog and one that I don't expect will be shared outside of my circle of close friends and family, perhaps I will share a couple of stories.

First, when I first saw the report of the policy change on Thursday night, I must admit that my initial feelings were that it sounded rather harsh and that I was uncertain of it.  And so I think I can understand a little bit of where many of my friends are coming from.  But I was reminded of two quotations, one from Brigham Young and the other from President Eyring that I believe are instructive.

In August 1852, Brigham Young spoke to the saints about his first moments learning about the Book of Mormon.  He said, "When the book of Mormon was first printed, it came to my hands in two or three weeks afterwards.  Did I believe, on the first intimation of it?  The man that brought it to me, told me the same things; says he, 'This is the Gospel of salvation; a revelation the Lord has brought forth for the redemption of Israel; it is the Gospel; and according to Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, you must be baptized for the remission of sins, or you will be damned.'  'Hold on,' says I.  The mantle of my traditions was over me, to that degree, and my prepossessed feelings so interwoven with my nature, it was almost impossible for me to see at all; though I had beheld, all my life, that the traditions of the people was all the religion they had, I had got a mantle for myself.  Says I, 'Wait a little while; what is the doctrine of the book, and the revelations the Lord has given?  Let me apply my heart to them;' and after I had done this, I considered it to be my right to know for myself, as much as any man on earth.  I examined the matter studiously for two years before I made up my mind to receive that book.  I knew it was true, as well as I knew that I could see with my eyes, or feel by the touch of my fingers, or be sensible of the demonstration of any sense.  Had not this been the case, I never would have embraced it to this day. . . . I wished time sufficient to prove all things for myself."  (Brigham Young, 8 August 1852, Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, 1:558).

In April 1997, President Eyring gave this example:  "Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought.  Don't discard the counsel, but hold it close.  If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently.  Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful." (Henry, B. Eyring, April 1997 General Conference).

Both President Young and President Eyring were teaching an important principle about the messages of the Lord:  sometimes it takes time.  This is good counsel for all of us to remember.  In my case, after a few moments of uncertainty, trust in God and in his prophets came, followed by the calm reassurance that God is indeed at the helm of this Church and that He guides our Prophets and leaders.  But I know that for some, that reassurance and those answers did not come immediately, and probably have not yet come.  For any who are still feeling hurt and confused, please hold on for a little while.  For any for whom answers came quickly who are worried about friends and family who are upset, please hold on for a little while, and please allow them the time to study things out and come to understanding themselves.  It may take time.  It took President Young two years, but the answers came.  It has taken others longer, but the answers come.  God works with each of us on our own timetable, and so we must hold on with faith, hold on with hope, and hold on with charity, allowing Him the opportunity to teach each of us in our own time and in our own season.

An example of this that I love concerns my grandparents.  They had always wanted to visit Spain.  During one of President Lee's traveling tours in either 1972 or 1973, he was scheduled to go to Jerusalem with President Hinckley, but was not going to take my Nana and Papa Haycock with him to Jerusalem.  This meant that they had some free time after the initial assignments in Europe, and could make their desired trip to Spain.  When my Papa told President Lee of the trip, President Lee was hesitant and uncomfortable.  He told my Papa that he wasn't comfortable with that plan.  The following day he apologized and said that my Nana and Papa should go forward with their plans and that it would be fine.  My Papa responded that they had changed their plans because if President Lee was uncomfortable about the trip, that was enough for them.

Nana and Papa never made it to Spain during their lifetime (though I feel confident that they spent much time there during the 18 months that my cousin Monica served in Malaga as a missionary).  They never knew during this lifetime what sort of issues might have occurred if they had made that particular trip.  As far as I know, the answers regarding those concerns never actually came in this lifetime.  And yet, I am confident in the fact that they were blessed for their willingness to heed a prophet in such a small matter.  Perhaps nothing would have happened if they had gone.  But that story has served as an example to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for many years since that time.

I am aware that this story does not accurately reflect the feelings of many at this time.  And perhaps it is a poor example for the current circumstances.  But one of the few things of which I am absolutely certain is that great blessings flow from a willingness to follow the living prophets--particularly when we do not fully understand their counsel at the time it is given.  For any who are struggling at the moment, "Hold on.  Wait a little while."  Answers and blessings will come.

Brett