The following is kind of a rant. I’m not meaning it to be, but I suspect it is. It is also not really gun related. It’s the “LDS” part of LDS Gunsite. So be warned.
This site is all about preparation. Guns and security are just a small, focused part of that preparation.
I’ve just been given a calling in my ward. It’s a calling I don’t want but know I need to fulfill. It’s not Bishop, thank goodness, I got that T-shirt. It is another calling I have had before. But I’m getting to the age where I’ve had just about every calling I can in a ward. But anyway, I was called but won’t be sustained for a few weeks. So that has me thinking about what I need to do in this calling. I also had a conversation with a man who has left the Church. I don’t know if this guy is anti, our conversation wasn’t that long. But he told me he left the Church because of a few things, I’m sure there’s more. But just like the exmos, he had to give me his church resume. For some reason when someone leaves the church they must prove how “faithful” and “active” they were. They must tell me this was a long time coming. Like DUH! I don’t think an active member just wakes up one day and says, “I think I’ll leave the Church today.” And then he proceeded to give me a bunch of baloney that I actually can agree with to a certain point. But he got me thinking where my loyalty and testimony lie. This poor sap let policy kill his testimony of inspired leaders. He is of the mind that if leaders in the church were inspired, they would never make mistakes or tell the members something that was not in their best interest. There were a couple of actual incidents he mentioned but I’m only going to address one of them.
He had a problem with the Church telling its members to get the jab. COVID 19 immunization. There are a few issues I have with this. On the outset, my family and I did NOT get this shot. My job was threatened if I did not get it but all I said was “Bring it on!” I told them if I lost my job, I would get a lawyer and sue everyone of them personally! They were kind of offended. But so was I! Anyway, the Church counseled the members to get this jab. The Prophet even made a big deal of his compliance with this “mandate” along with a list of the Apostles who got it too. A few months prior President Nelson told the members to use the Spirit in their lives more fully. So, when this question of a jab started to be talked about, my wife and I committed the question of whether to get this immunization to prayer. We feel we were inspired to not take it. After we had made this decision, the Church came out with their recommendation. It didn’t change what we already knew we needed to do as a family. Then came the drama. Members actually thought that this was what the prophet wanted the Church to do as “good” members. At the time I was a member of the High Council. Our Stake President went along with the hype and said the message sent by the first Presidency was official. I pointed out that it was not. I had him go to the Church’s official letter website to find this “official” letter to the Church. It doesn’t exist. I asked him since when does the Church take its official communication and send it to every member of the church that has an email? That’s not, nor will it ever be, the way the Church works. When there is something official, it is sent to priesthood leadership and then to the members. I even heard from the pulpit someone say something to the effect that if you don’t get this shot, you were not following the Prophet! Please! That is pure, unadulterated, hogwash! But the Church and its dimwitted members believed that. Well, as for me and my family, we will follow the Spirit. Let me say right here, I follow, sustain, and love our Prophet President Russell M Nelson. I know for myself that he is a Prophet of God and speaks for the Lord. The problem I have is that everything that these brethren utter is not “Thus saith the Lord.” Plus, they are mere men. I don’t think President Nelson was deceived. I don’t think he made a mistake. Doctors are taught that pharma and immunization are the only way to battle sickness and disease. The medical world runs by this. Most medical personnel are taught this and have it drummed into their brains. Some Doctors are on to this and use pharma with great caution. I think modern medicine is amazing. But sometimes they get myopic and lopsided in this. Big pharma is big. Billions of dollars are at stake, so drugs are pushed. I don’t like it. My training is not medical, but I still don’t like it! I think in many cases it kills more than it helps. So, I feel that President Nelson is going by his training. By and large, those who took the jab didn’t have major problems with it. But a large minority did have problems. I’m convinced several healthy individuals had strokes and even some deaths from that jab. I know that this has happened even with the Flu shot, but I feel this has been worse because it was forced and not tested. So, I guess some people had their testimony rooted in the wrong place. If you put your testimony in a man, though he is a prophet, or an organization, though it be the true church, you will be let down. Men can set bad policy. Organizations can set bad policy. All are human and with that you will find mistakes and even wrong choices being made. Some are under the impression that a prophet can’t make a wrong choice. They are mistaken. Some think the true church is never going to lead them astray. In this is not safety. Joseph Smith lost 116 page manuscript of the Book of Mormon! Only faith in, and a foundation in, the Savior will keep you grounded. Christ will never fail you where people will. I feel sorry for those that build their foundation on shifting sand.
Let me say I know for myself that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. The fact that they pushed something I don’t think is right doesn’t change that. If I have questions about counsel or policy I will use the Spirit. The Spirit saved my life in combat and on my mission, it will not let me down. But my testimony is in Christ. He will not ever let me down even if I don’t go along with His prophet or church policy. I am very sorry for those that believe the "all or nothing" theory. If the Church puts out a policy I do not care about, like their gun policy, I have a choice to follow it, or not. I have never heard a doctrinal fact, or a proclamation that I have not agreed with, or I thought was wrong. I don’t think I ever will. Policies and counsel may change, but the doctrine will not. This is how I know that there will never be gay marriage in the temple, or the priesthood given to women. That would take a doctrinal shift that I feel will never happen. But if it did, I would not leave what I know to be true. Someone who is shaken by a medical policy will never survive the real battles that are soon to come. Also, I am not an anti-vaccer. I have vaccines (like the military would have let me off the hook) but so do my children. Not the jab, but proven and tested vaccines when they were children. My son went on a mission during COVID and did not have the jab. He went to Africa so he had every other shot you can think of. We told the Church “No” and they accepted him anyway. He came home when all the missionaries were called home but went back a few months later and finished his mission in Africa. The Church did not say, “Sorry. He can’t serve without the Covid shot.”
Basically, I want to say that be careful where you put your testimony. Make sure it is on solid ground and that it can’t be shaken with human frailty or mere policy. Make sure if there is policy you don’t agree with that you will feel you’re not following your prophet by not agreeing with it. Make sure what counsel you are receiving and how it is being given. Don’t let some whak-o member or leader try to tell you you’re out of line by not following counsel or policy. Make sure you recognize the Spirit when it speaks to you and the source of that feeling. Things will get worse that are similar to this situation. Don’t become a “tare” being sifted from the “wheat” because of a misunderstanding or someone’s interpretation. Be found living the gospel and worthy of decerning with the Spirit what is truth. Be strong and don’t jump ship over some petty thing.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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