This Is Where I Stand

So, a few days ago my day started off like normal. I woke up at 6am to get ready for another day at BYU. Before I started my normal morning routine I decided to check my facebook news feed. As I scrolled amongst the cat videos and photos of friends something totally caught me off guard. Through all the day-to-day posts of Facebook I saw an announcement made from the LDS facebook page that stated the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had a new addition to the church handbook. This addition was a new policy restricting children of same-sex couples from baby blessings and baptism until they are 18.

Bam. Immediately after reading this I felt a complex wave of emotion flow over me. I experienced mixed emotions of frustration, confusion and anger! I didn't understand why this new addition was necessary. As I continued to scroll through my news feed my feelings seemed to darken as I saw many people posting negative statements as a response to this new rule. Many were calling out the church, shaming the apostles and bringing up multiple points that I had not even thought of. As I continued to look at the news I felt overwhelmed with sadness and confusion. I felt confusion turn into anger and I just felt very upset. However, as I thought about all these things that I had read and heard I realized that I was doing something that wasn't beneficial. I was focusing on the media to help me understand this new change. Instead, I should've been asking those who I trusted the most to help me understand this change. With this in mind I was able to talk to my mom, my uncle, my dad and, most importantly, Heavenly Father while on my knees. As I discussed this new event with my loved ones I learned so much. However, one of the biggest things that stuck out to me was something my uncle said to me.

My uncle had been chatting early with my mom and she had expressed to him how I had been struggling with this whole issue. Even though he is extremely busy with work, six kids and his own life he took time out of his day to give me a call to chat with me. He asked me how I was feeling, what my concerns were and what I thought. As I expressed to him my personal feelings on the event my uncle told me something that really made me think (forgive me as I paraphrase his important pointers). My uncle explained to me that people were being very quick to anger about this but we were all forgetting something: The prophets and apostles speak for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When they give us commandments or rules they are from inspired directions from those Holy beings who love us and want what is best. As my uncle explained this he told me "So what people have to decide is this: do they stand by the prophets? Because if they are standing by and backing up the prophets they are standing by and backing up Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If you do not stand by the prophet where do you stand?"

Our Father in Heaven is all knowing. He is in charge, this is His church and He knows what He is doing. As members we have been taught "[To]believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and [to] believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (article of faith nine). He does this through His prophets. The prophets receive inspiration and revelation through Him and they act according to His will, not their own. We may not always understand the inspiration and commandments the Lord gives. However, we are not expected to. Instead, we are asked to go forth with faith. We are free to ask questions about things we don't understand but we must do so with an open heart and mind-willing to listen to the Lord.

I am not going to tell everyone what I think about this new addition to the handbook. I am not going to try and convince everyone what they should think about the addition, why it's right, why it may be wrong or anything else. I don't want to get into an argument with others about whether this change is too harsh, unkind or old fashioned. A personal opinion and belief on this change is something that everyone needs to seek answer to for themselves. However, in the words of my kind wise father, "I will say that when you look for answers...look and feel for the spirit in the right places. Not Facebook, the internet [or] blogs..."

After pondering with the help of sources that did not come from social media I have made my choice. I want everyone to know where I stand.
I stand by the prophet.
Even though I may not always understand things that happen I have decided that I will stand by the prophets and apostles of this church. I will support them and have faith in their inspired choices. By standing by these men of God I have chosen to stand by and support my Heavenly Father. Because His prophets are chosen by Him to recieve revelation for these times.
 I trust Heavenly Father and I will stand by Him.