52. Church Leaders don't have to be perfect.

I follow a blog that I really enjoy.  I think you would enjoy it also, so I'm putting in the blog he did for December 26, 2013 -- just 2 days ago.  So what you read below is Brian Mickelson's blog.   I'm assuming it is okay to copy and paste this, as it is on a public blog.

This is the link in case you'd like to follow him also:


  http://wp.me/pJYOD-nU

Brian Mickelson….

Thoughts, updates, and information about, well, everything…


I'm reading President Henry B. Eyring's biography. I'm not far into it, but I like it. Of course, there is a section of two on his parents, Henry and Mildred and how their lives and faith impacted young Henry ("Hal") who would eventually serve in the leading quorums of the church.
eyringHere is a short quote from Henry (the father and award-winning scientist):
"I like contradictions. I like a little bit of a mess, and I am glad when one of the brethren says something that I think is little bit foolish, because I think if the Lord can stand him, maybe he can stand me. So that's it, and I think that maybe there's a certain stumbling block that some of us have: we expect other people to be a kind of perfection that we don't even attempt to approach ourselves. We expect the brethren or the bishop or the stake president or the General Authorities to be not human, even. We expect the Lord to just open and shut their mouth, but He doesn't do that -- they are human beings; but they're wonderful, and they do better than they would if it weren't for the Lord helping them." (quote from Henry Eyring, I Will Lead You Along, 29)
I like a number of things here:
1. The leaders of the church don't attempt to, and don't have to, be perfect.
2. We often expect others to rise to a level of perfection we'd never ask of ourselves.
3. The Lord doesn't just open and shut the mouths of our leaders (like I pictured when I was very young).
4. The implied idea, which I believe to be true with all of my heart, that the Lord is still working in and through those He has called.
eyringPresident Henry B. Eyring, in a BYU devotional, taught:
"Clearly, my problem and your problem is to hear the word of God from and through imperfect teachers and leaders. That is your test and mine. And it is our opportunity....God has said that if we are going to make it home again, we must not only hear his voice privately by our own effort, but also through the voice of his servants who, when they speak by the power of the Spirit, speak as if it were his voice." (Henry B. Eyring, "Listen Together," BYU devotional, September 4, 1998)
President Eyring is right; this is the test, your test and mine. I'm thankful for opportunities to take the test each week--each day, even. I love the Lord and I love those He has called in the last days...
Be Encouraging...
BJM
The link again to his blog:

 http://wp.me/pJYOD-nU

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

121. Have you had your own Personal Gethsemane? I have had -- twice!

Image
I ran across this article this morning from a blog called:  LDS S.M.I.L E.  You  can also follow it at:    http://www.ldssmile.com   (Copy and paste)             It stands for LDS Spiritually Minded is Life Eternal. I have copied it as it was in their blog.  In my title, I mentioned I have had a Personal Gethsemane, not once, but two times, both quite different.  They are extremely personal, and I will not go into them here.  Only some family members know, and not even some of whom are my dearest friends.  Some deep problems are very personal, and some are known by many people, and perhaps are mentioned in the media!  They are as diverse as our lives are! But I do know the only thing that allowed me to keep my faith, courage, and personal self control to go on with normal life was our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the comfort I felt from prayer, and yes -- Personal Priesthood blessings. ...
Read more

48. Thoughts for Christmas Eve Day

Image
Latter Day Light DAILY DEVOTION __________________________ The Birth of Jesus Christ Nauvoo, Illinois December 24, 2013 SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: 3 Nephi 1:13-14 " Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the  sign  be given, and on the morrow  come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be  spoken  by the mouth of my holy prophets.   Behold, I  come  unto my own, to  fulfil  all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the  foundation  of the world, and to do the  will ,  both   of  the Father and of the Son--of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given ." QUOTE OF THE DAY:   Lorenzo Snow   ...
Read more

993. Are We Ever Released from the Responsibilities of Parenting? By Julie de Azevedo Hanks · January 16, 2018, in Meridian Magazine

Image
These are great thoughts, and very wise! Are We Ever Released from the Responsibilities of Parenting? By Julie de Azevedo Hanks  · January 16, 2018 We’ve heard phrases like “parenting is a calling from which you are never released [i] , [ii] ” over the pulpit many times, but rarely do we actually reflect on what this means. When taken literally, that it’s a parent’s job to continue to be their child’s caretaker throughout their lives, this belief can create enmeshed families with weak boundaries that undermine the adult child’s agency. Here are some ideas to consider about the danger of parents who are overly involved with their adult children and adult children who don’t fully transition into an adult role. Intrusive Parents   Too often, this belief of eternal parenthood is used to justify a parent giving constant (often unsolicited) input or criticism into an adult child’s life decisions. Does never being released from parenthood mea...
Read more