Scared and Alone: Part 2 of 15: The Lone Person in the Wilderness

Dear Bro Jo,

I kind of realized that after sitting back and thinking about your last email.

By then it was too late though, because I had already responded.

My relationship to the Gospel and the Savior are probably not the best right now.

I attend church every Sunday, but I don't pray and read the scriptures as much as I could.

There have been a lot of people around me including most of my family and a recently baptized friend who have been slowly falling away from the Church and also not following the word of wisdom. Watching them do so has been hard, and I've ended up partially falling with them.

I'm not trying to use them as an excuse, because I know my doings are my own fault, but I guess after thinking about it, I haven't taken the steps that I needed to stay confident in the Church and follow the standards.

So I guess you could say my relationship with the Gospel and the Savior are not the best right now. 

Thanks!

- Scared




Dear Scared,

I think it's hard to be the "lone person in the wilderness" . . .

And I think loneliness is one of Satan's most powerful tools.

It sounds like you miss feeling the Spirit often . . . like you miss that comforting feeling we get when we know that, while we're not perfect, we're doing our best to be our best.

I think you're right: twice-daily prayer, daily scripture study, and attending all of our Church meetings helps a lot with that.

I don't think you're making excuses . . . but I think you know what you need to do.

For one: what should you do to help with this boy?

And what do you think would be the advantage, even though it's scary, in talking with your Bishop?

- Bro Jo