I was visiting my daughter in California in mid-February. When I asked what time church was she informed me that it was stake conference and we would go to the Santa Monica Stake Center. I didn't know at that time that it was a televised stake conference for all the western area, including California, Oregon and Washington. I wish I had notes of all the talks, and I did take some, but missed many parts of Elder Renlund's talk. I was going to stay and ask the stake president if there would be written or televised copies released, but Stephanie told me not to bother him with stupid requests ... I never thought my requests were ever stupid. She shamed me into leaving, but I did bother Elder Anderson on Sunday and asked him if he knew how to get copies of that talk. He told me that sometimes notes are made available and to call and ask. Now I really did feel stupid, but pursued and was told that there would be no notes made available, but he had posted , on facebook, some of the passages that had been requested or that he found might be useful. Below are copies of his post.
They had a dialogue, a way of sharing what they believed in a very kind, direct way, and it always and will always be based in continuing revelation. Obviously I believe, but I need a dialogue. What is my version of revelation? What do I say to others? Again, how do I say, what I believe.
I remember one Sunday Fast and Testimony meeting in our church where members are able to stand and talk about what they believe my amazing, good neighbor, Richard "Dick" Monson got up and very powerfully recited the short history of Joseph Smith. What a powerful dialogue? We all were drawn to the truth through him.
A month ago in our women's meeting, that we call, "Relief Society, my neighbor Jen talked about serving a mission in Brazil and said that she missed sharing her own dialogue, where she would bear testimony of the individual nature of the Father of the Son... "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (JS - H 1:17)
A children's version of that event is written in our children's magazine, "The Friend." .... "14-year-old Joseph Smith was confused about which church he should join. On a beautiful spring morning, he went to a grove of trees to pray. A pillar of light descended, and Joseph “saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JS—H 1:17). https://www.lds.org/friend/2005/05/sharing-time-this-is-my-beloved-son-hear-him?lang=eng
In the same article. " President Gordon B. Hinckley has said he hopes each one of us can “simply, quietly” testify of the Restoration," just what Elder and Sister Renlund did. Here are those facebook postings.
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| Elder Dale G. Renlund and Sister Ruth Renlund |
ELDER DALE G.
RENLUND https://www.facebook.com/DaleGRenlund/
My wife and I
once visited a university in Athens, Greece. As part of that visit, we were
taken on a sightseeing tour. While we were actually inside the Parthenon, our
hostess, a graduate student in archaeology, said, “Next, I would like to take
you to my favorite coffee house in all of Athens.”
My wife said that
we would love to go with her, but she said, “Please don’t be offended if we
don’t drink the coffee.”
Our hostess
asked, “You don’t drink coffee?”
“No,” we answered.
“Why not?” she
asked.
As I was
formulating a response, my wife said, “The short answer is this: In 1820, a
young man by the name of Joseph Smith went into a grove in upstate New York to
pray. He wanted to know which church he should join. There he saw God, our
Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. Joseph was told he should join none
of the churches. But he was told that through him, the Church Jesus had
established while He was on the earth would be restored. The restoration would
be through a process of revelation. And it is through revelation that we know
that we shouldn’t drink coffee. My husband will now explain it to you further.”
How do we really
explain ourselves? How do we explain anything that we do or believe if we do
not go back to the Sacred Grove and establish the principle of revelation, that
God reveals His will to prophets in this day and age? We obey because we have
understood through the Holy Ghost something of eternal import. The reason you
and I observe the Word of Wisdom, obey the law of chastity, and keep other
commandments is because of revelation.
This past Sunday,
I participated in a satellite broadcast for stakes in the North America
Northwest and West Areas of the Church. One thing I felt impressed to share was
a bit of advice from my wife, Ruth. She was a plaintiff’s attorney for 23
years. She was always working with others who strongly held different opinions
than she. I was impressed by how two lawyers who were fierce adversaries in the
courtroom could sit down calmly together and eat lunch. She said that she had
learned early in her career to disagree without being disagreeable. She might
say to opposing counsel something like, “I can see we are not going to agree on
this issue. I like you. I respect your reasoned opinion. I hope you can offer
me the same courtesy.” Most often, this allowed for mutual respect and
friendship.
Our Church
doctrine does not lend itself well to sound-bite debate and argument. But if we
are allowed the opportunity to explain our belief in living prophets, the plan
of salvation, and the ultimate destiny of all of Heavenly Father’s children,
others will at least understand why we believe as we do, even if they disagree.
After offering such an explanation and respectfully listening to another’s
opposing viewpoint, it might be wise to say to someone who disagrees something
like, “I can see we are not going to agree on this issue. I like you. I respect
your reasoned opinion. I hope you can offer me the same courtesy.”
We may on
occasion find ourselves in uncomfortable situations where we differ in doctrine
with our acquaintances, friends, and family members. But the doctrine can never
be used to justify treating others with anything less than respect and dignity.
We can stand firm in our beliefs and have a loving relationship with those who
hold differing opinions. It is never an either-or choice. We love and live our
doctrine, and we love those who do not live it. We need not create false
dichotomies. The late Elder Marvin J. Ashton shared this insight from an
inspired leader: “The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually
and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people.”
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