Sunday morning thoughts

I found this quote today by Elder Henry B. Eyring, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

“There are few ways in which good people do more harm to those who take them seriously than to defend the gospel with arguments that won't hold water. Many of the difficulties encountered by young people going to college would be avoided if parents and teachers were more careful to distinguish between what they know to be true and what they think may be true. Impetuous youth, upon finding the authority it trusts crumbling, even on unimportant details, is apt to lump everything together and throw the baby out with the bath.”

I wanted to share it, because I think that it is very applicable, and not just for youth, but for the new convert, for long-time member of the church, and for all.

I think that the lesson we need to pull out of this is that we need to develop our youth and ourselves to recognize that the only truly solid foundation that our testimony can rest on is the witness of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is our savior and that the gospel is true. 

We can't send our people out into the world with their testimonies resting on half-thought through arguments and non-gospel related traditions. We need to help them to distinguish between what is really doctrine and what is tradition.  Between the flimsy superstition that is easy to embrace, and the practical religion that requires thorough study, thought and prayer. We must teach them to recognize that often truth doesn't come easy, and it often isn't popular. Because if we don't, just like in the quote above, people will find those flimsy things come apart.  And especially for youth, the lifestyle that is put forward as an alternative to the gospel standard is extremely appealing, flashy, and often seems to be logical.

The only true defense is to get them to have those metaphysical experiences that come from the witness of the Holy Ghost when they are young.  If they have had strong spiritual experiences that witness to them of the truthfulness of the gospel, in spite of all the contrary arguments in the world, then they will be able to endure.  They may not always understand, they may not always have the answer, but they will have the knowledge.

For the rest of us, this is our defense against the wiles of the adversary and the world.  How many good people have chosen to fall away because of offenses, perceived or real, or other worldly situations? 

We will always have questions.  We may often have doubts.  We cannot understand everything.

Our testimonies are ours.  We must found them on the spiritual witnesses from the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is our savior, that our Heavenly Father loves us.  This is the center of our doctrine.  Nothing anyone can say or do can take away or invalidate those experiences, and therefore nothing anyone can say or do can take away our testimonies.