Quote:
Originally Posted by fiona84
Good post vanhin....
I agree. Because the BoM and Joseph Smith are the parts he has a hard time accepting, I am worried that he will become all caught up in the validity of these specifics and lose sight of the overall message and get frusterated. After all, Jesus Christ is the center of the church, not Joseph Smith, and we pray to God, not Joseph Smith, so I'm worried too much of a focus on this will lead to not enough focus on faith.......
Ah, I just want to do the right thing for him and I.  |
I know you do, and at least from where I am sitting, it looks like you guys are on the right track. This struggle is part of that
trial that the scriptures talk about. It's a trial of faith for both of you. When all is said and done, if you succeed in your trial, you will find that your own faith and testimony will be strengthened, and so will your husband's.
There have been many times in my life when I struggled for answers, when the answers seemed out of my reach. I would study the scriptures, talk to my parents, and wet my pillow with my tears at night, as I plead with God for my answers. It is usually a struggle between my wants and the will of God, or there was something in it for me to learn first before the answers were forthcoming. I have learned, however, that the answers do come, and that God is listening. He knows the desires of our hearts, and wants us to pour them out to him in prayer. He wants us to believe in him, and to be willing to do his will. When we have humbled ourselves as such, the answers come, the trial is finished, and we receive the witness that we were seeking. Though we might have waded through much sorrow during the process, our joy will be greater in magnitude than our brief period of sorrow. Alma the younger experienced this joy after repenting of his sins, and he said, "
And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy." (
Alma 36:20-21).
It is ok for him to be caught up in the validity of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith as a prophet. These are important things for people to gain testimonies of, because the specifics of our religion, such as the Word of Wisdom and temple worship came to us by way of revelation through the prophet Joseph Smith. It is important for us to truly understand that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ really did appear to Joseph Smith, and called him as a prophet. All the peculiar things we believe in like temple marriage, and baptisms for the death were restored by way of modern revelation, and if we have a testimony that Joseph was a prophet, we can accept his teachings as truth. However, faith in God and in Jesus Christ is prerequisite to us receiving a witness by the power of the Holy Ghost. Faith in Jesus Christ will enable us to pray with real intent, and to really believe that God will answer. Faith will lead to a desire to change, and to become better, or to humble ourselves and be prepared for the answers that are in store for us. Here's another favorite scripture of mine:
Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers. (D&C 112:10)
Tell your husband that you know there is a God and he answers prayers.
Share with him times when your prayers were answered, and what it felt like to feel the Holy Ghost. I think it's going to be alright, sooner or later. If you guys are reading and praying together (and individually), you can't go wrong.
Sincerely,
Vanhin