What If You Have Questions?

Dear bro Jo,

It's me again!

Just thought I'd touch base with you. To let you know that things between my boyfriend and I are going great :) remember I'm the one that asked where the line was? Yeah. Well we are doing great! :) going on 3 months!!

Any who, the reason I'm writing you today is for my own spiritual reasons.

My boyfriend and I were talking and I proposed the question: "if I told you that I didn't believe in the Church and wanted to leave it what would you do?"

(Not that I am planning to.)

I asked if he would break up with me and he said eventually probably yes if you weren't able to find out that it were true for yourself.

Because his goal is a temple marriage. And so is mine.

But it got me thinking... Have I found out for myself that this gospel is true?

Do I know why I follow it?

When I think about it all I can say is no...there isn't really an instance or anything that makes me say yes I know the gospel is true because ______. All I can say is it's true because it is.

I want to be able to back my statement of yes it's true up.

How do I do that?

What can I do to feel like I know without a doubt in my heart and mind this is true because________.

Help!

Sincerely,

Little Lost Sister




Dear LLS,

First of all I think it helps to know that we all have questions and doubts.  While we strive for a "perfect knowledge" such a concept is unrealistic.

Secondly, I would argue that the problem is that you're looking for lightning when what you need to see is the light that's all around you all of the time and has been for much of your life.

Statistically speaking, Angelic Visitations, Earth-shattering Revelations, and Burning Bosoms are remarkably rare.  Most people never have any of those things ever happen to them, so it's wrong to base one's faith on them.  (Consider Nephi's response to his brothers when they asked for yet another sign to be shown unto them.)

What we go on is what we know.

I have no doubt that you've felt the Spirit in your life.

And I have no doubt that you've had moments that you can look to where you can testify of the blessings that have come into your life from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  You've felt his love when you've repented.  You've been guided in times of trouble.  You've been comforted when you needed comfort.

We all have.

Sure life gets dark and dreary and difficult . . . often.

But even in those moments we have things to be thankful for.

Life is not about the Big Moments, but rather it's about the everyday blessings.

Instead of focusing on what we don't know, let's be grateful for what we do.

Yes, you could (and should) take Moroni's Challenge.

And yes, it's okay, even good, to have questions.

But don't ever let go of the things you already know are true.

I submit to you, LS, that you don't have Temple Marriage as a goal because of what your parents, teachers, or old guys who write advice blogs have said.  You have that goal because of how you feel when you consider how great it will be to live with your family, with your Heavenly Father, with your Eternal Companion and your Children . . . forever.

That feeling.  Right there.

That's why.

It's okay not to have all the answers, just remember to search them out in the correct sources.

- Bro Jo