As my Sunday school teacher said, this is the time when God is sorting the wheat from the tares, when we find out who’s on the Lord’s side, when Christ’s followers step forward.
He couldn’t be more right. The Saints’ duty was cut and dried this week the way it rarely is. Our obligation was brightly defined. Our baptismal covenants were put to the test.
The question is, how did you respond?
At the Waters of Mormon, when Alma’s followers expressed their desire to come unto Christ, he asked them a few simple questions: Are you willing to bear one another’s burdens that they may be light? Are you willing to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort? Are you willing to stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places? (Mosiah 18:9)
And then, the baptismal covenant itself: that “ye will serve [God] and keep his commandments, that he may pour his spirit more abundantly upon you.” (Mosiah 18:10)
What are the commandments we’re supposed to keep? Jesus outlined the two most important ones: the ones that take precedence over any other.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37–40)
An intense wave of pain is passing through many members of our church—our sisters and brothers. It doesn’t matter where that pain comes from; it doesn’t matter why they’re feeling it. The pain is real and it is public. Anyone with an Internet connection knows about it.
Did you fulfill your baptismal covenants this week? Did you mourn with those that mourn? Did you comfort those that stand in need of comfort? Did you love your neighbor as yourself?
Because that’s your one job.
If you didn’t, don’t worry. Plenty of your brothers and sisters are still suffering. You know who they are: they’re among your Facebook friends, your ward members, your neighbors, your family.
Stand as a witness of God by sitting with his mourning children.
They need you. Right now.
Stephen Carter
Stephen is the author of What of the Night?, an award-winning collection of personal essays on Mormon themes; The Hand of Glory, a young adult horror novel; and iPlates Volume I, a graphic novel based on the Book of Mormon. The Kickstarter campaign for iPlates Volume II starts November 5, 2013.
All posts by Stephen Carter
Thank you for posting this. The sad part was that most of my friends, particularly online, found my pain, and consequently the pain of everyone suffering, an annoyance. This week I have never felt more alone.
A. R. Vapor,
I feel your pain to at least a degree. our family has a gay son and has been through 15 years of hell over these types of things. it has been improving and he is happily married and safe. i have spent the past 10 days online trying to make even a tiny crack in the thick shell of many faithful members to get them to see this policy from a different perspective. Alas, i read an article discussing that there are simply different ways that human brains interpret morals. I hope that some of what i attempted to share will eventually eat their way through that shell and that their way of viewing things that can expand and help them see. But for now, I feel quite hopeless. My heart goes out to you and if you were nearby I would invite you to my messy house for a root beer or a cup of herbal tea so we could discuss things! 😉
Elsea,
(homemade root beer, by the way…)