Heart Murmurs

Our stake president came to visit the Island of Misfit Toys a couple of weeks ago, as we now have four (count 'em, four) elders quorums, and some reorganization had to be taken care of. After the business had been conducted, he was invited up to the pulpit to share a few thoughts with us.

Of all of the scriptures he could have selected, he chose 1 Nephi 2:12:

"And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them."

The stake president's purpose in doing so, I believe, was to counsel us against the perils of murmuring, as well as the importance of learning the Lord's will and then choosing to obey it.

It turned out to be a rather timely piece of advice. Later that same evening, Pres. Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve delivered a CES fireside that was broadcast worldwide, and some of his comments didn't sit too well with some of the social media crowd.

Some might have called it murmuring.

We are studying the Book of Mormon again this year in Sunday School. It's always a good time to taker a closer look at this additional testament of Christ, and I am grateful to spend an hour each Sunday re-reading and re-examining the story of Lehi, Nephi, and their family and the many other lessons contained in those wonderful pages in a class setting, in addition to my own study of the book.

A closer look at Lehi's dream this past Sunday reminded me that while holding to the Iron Rod remains as crucial as ever, the mists of darkness, the haze, the lost paths, and the Great and Spacious Building (G&SB) are as alive and well as they ever were, too. It's a good thing we get the opportunity to read and re-read this book time and again, because the same patterns and lessons are being repeated right before our eyes. The G&SB sure loves to murmur, in addition to all of its taunts, barbs, and vitriol.

Are there those striving earnestly to be faithful and to sustain our leaders who have legitimate doubts, concerns, and questions that they wish answered? Absolutely. Anyone can grapple with these issues and still cling to the rod, pressing forward while searching for the answers.

What separates them from the murmurers? The murmurers, by contrast, tend to be completely sure of the correct answer, and it ain't what they're being taught over the pulpit. Instead of praying to have their hearts changed to accept the will of the Lord as revealed by prophets, seers, and revelators, they instead pray to have the prophets' hearts (and/or policies) changed to fit their own set of beliefs.

Rather than holding to the concept that God "(made) man in (His) image" (Genesis 1:26), they make their own version of God in man's image.

"If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping and idealized version of yourself." -Tim Keller

This concept seems to be one of the biggest trials we'll see in our day. And still the Iron Rod is there for any who will humble him or herself and grab ahold.