Episode 66: Only God Can Change the Doctrine
The past couple of weeks have been a little crazy as a female Latter-day Saint content creator on social media. The controversy surrounding the recent Worldwide Relief Society broadcast has been thick. The role of women in the Church has, once again, been called into the spotlight. A post on the Church’s official Instagram that quoted Sister J. Anette Dennis of the General Relief Society General Presidency has, thus far, received over 16,000 comments on Instagram alone, many of which are negative. (This does not include the response on other social platforms.)
The quote from Sister Dennis’ talk at the March 17 Worldwide Relief Society broadcast that is under intense fire is this: “There is no other religious organization in the world, that I know of, that has so broadly given power and authority to women.”
I loved her talk and found her words empowering and inspiring. But, to be true, I did not read all 16,277 comments. My heart could not take it. I did read some that reflect real pain by real women, to whom my heart goes out. Listen up, because this is important: I validate the difficult experiences of women throughout the Church – experiences that have originated because of their gender and are not in line with the teachings of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Those should absolutely be addressed with the individuals involved.
However, many of the comments I read lashed out at the Church and its leaders. Some called for change in various degrees from more female representation and decision-making power in the Church to women passing the sacrament and everything in between.
Amid this backdrop of heightened emotions and strong opinions, there were also women sharing their love for Sister Dennis, the Relief Society, the Church, and the Savior. I am thankful for their courage and faith in the face of great opposition.
Due to the intensity of this online discussion, the NY Times, whom at least one woman tagged in the comments of the aforementioned post, published an article entitled, “Does the Mormon Church Empower Women? A Social Media Storm Answers.”
Truthfully, I did not read the article because it requires a NY Times subscription that I did not want to purchase for the sole purpose of reading one article. But, given what I have seen and experienced over the past two weeks and the commentary of those who have read it, coupled with the title of the article, I do not need to read it to confidently conclude that it does not paint the Church in a very positive light.
I have been doing what I can to share my testimony of women and their role in God’s plan on social media but, truthfully, this issue runs so deep that I feel a little helpless. My social media efforts notwithstanding, I was not sure what to say here today. I felt like I could not ignore the elephant in the room, especially when so much of my audience consists of Latter-day Saint women who are directly affected by everything that is happening.
I could rehash what I taught in Episode 43 about the role of women in God’s Kingdom, which applies as much today as it did when I published it last January. That remains one of my favorite episodes to date because I know the words I spoke were not my own. After wrestling with the Lord for weeks about what I could say to adequately address the role of women without discounting the experiences of those who struggle with this issue, the words came so quickly and easily that I could not deny they came from heaven.
Today, I am not going to reteach what I taught in that episode, but I do encourage you to listen if you have not yet done so, or if you need a little reminder of how God feels about you, as His daughter. Again, it is Episode 43.
But I do want to recount one experience I had while wrestling with the Lord about what He wanted me to teach His daughters in that episode. Like I mentioned, the wrestle lasted for weeks, in which I knew I needed to say something but had no idea what to say. I worried incessantly and prayed unceasingly for guidance as I tried to piece together something coherent.
In the middle of this struggle, I went on a trip with my husband. We had just boarded a plane to Nashville and were getting ready to take off when, out of the blue, one thought permeated my mind with striking intensity: “Do not apologize for My doctrine.”
It took me completely off-guard because it was never my intent to apologize for the doctrine and the strength of the Lord’s admonition surprised me. I did not understand why, when I was entrenched in worries about how to address such a sensitive topic without muddying or setting the doctrine aside, He saw fit to remind me in an undeniable way to avoid approaching His doctrine apologetically. (I think it is important to note that He did not say “THE doctrine.” He said “MY”doctrine.)
I learned several important lessons from those six words: “Do not apologize for My doctrine,” but the one that rises to the top today is that the doctrine belongs to God.
It is not my doctrine or your doctrine.
It is not the prophet’s doctrine.
It is not even the Church’s doctrine.
It is God’s doctrine, and only He has the authority to change it.
Based on how strongly and unexpectedly He spoke those words “Do not apologize for My doctrine,” to me – a regular woman with no leadership position within His Church – I can only imagine how much more intensely the prophets and apostles feel that charge.
As President Russell M. Nelson declared, “our commission as apostles is to teach nothing but truth. That commission does not give us the authority to modify divine law.” (source)
Dale G. Renlund echoed those words when he said: “Ever since God appointed prophets, they have been authorized to speak on His behalf. But they do not pronounce doctrines fabricated “of [their] own mind” or teach what has not been revealed.” (source)
Because of my experience that day and its lingering lessons, I can testify without reservation that God knows what He is doing with His doctrine. He sees what we do not, knows exactly what we need to return to His holy presence, and has established a plan, in His love and mercy, to get us there.
His plan is complete with laws and doctrine that we may not fully comprehend.
But He does.
And, because God is the very personification of love, everything He does, including establishing eternal doctrine that we, as mortals, sometimes struggle to understand, is motivated by love.
Sometimes, His doctrine does not feel loving to us because we cannot yet see the whole picture and how all the seemingly disjointed pieces will eventually fit together.
But He does.
Sometimes, we might be tempted to apologize for or argue against His doctrine because it feels hurtful to us or those we love. Or because we are trying to be accommodating or inclusive. Or because we do not fully understand why a loving Heavenly Father would organize His Kingdom in a way that does not feel quite right to us.
Sometimes, we might be tempted to speak out against our prophets, apostles, and other leaders for the same reasons.
But, if our desire is to stand with the Savior, Jesus Christ, do such actions help us grow closer to Him?
In a talk to Church-endorsed chaplains, Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt declared: “When activism or advocacy is directed at the Kingdom of God on earth or its leaders, especially prophets and apostles, it is the wrong tool for the wrong job in the wrong place. Why? Because it effectively but subtly undermines the doctrine of Christ, which is God’s plan for changing, saving and exalting His children.”(source)
Did you hear that? Activism or advocacy directed at the Church or its leaders effectively but subtly undermines the doctrine of Christ.
And, if it undermines the doctrine of Christ, however subtly, it cannot help us grow closer to Him.
How do activism and advocacy undermine the doctrine of Christ? Elder Corbitt explained it this way:
“It is a three-step maneuver that is genius in its simplicity and effectiveness: (1) focus the rising generation and the valiant generally away from the doctrine of Christ and onto real or imagined unfairness or injustice in the Lord’s church and the imperfections of its leaders; (2) use this shift in focus to stir up feelings of disillusionment, annoyance, resentment, anger and hatred toward church policies, declarations, proclamations, principles, doctrines and eventually leaders; and (3) manipulate these negative impulses to instigate the use of worldly or secular activism or advocacy rather than the doctrine of Christ to effect change in the Kingdom of God.”
In other words, activism toward the Church turns us away from the doctrine of Christ by focusing our attention on what we see as wrong with the Church or its leaders. When our attention is not on Christ and His doctrine, coupled with feelings of disillusionment, annoyance, resentment, or anger at whatever injustice we see, standing with Him becomes much more difficult.
And, remember, the doctrine belongs to Christ. As Elder Corbitt said, “All needed and appropriate changes in the Kingdom of God are God’s work to bring to pass.” (source)
There is an order to the way the Lord does things. Jesus Christ is at the head of His Church. He leads us through prophets of His choosing. He decides if and when change is necessary, and works through His prophets to establish that change.
Ultimately, if we have a problem with how Christ has organized His Church, whom He has chosen to lead us, or what He tells us through them, it is our responsibility to make peace directly with Him. Again, not even the prophet has the authority to alter the Lord’s doctrine.
As Elder Renlund boldly declared: “Demanding revelation from God is both arrogant and unproductive. Instead, we wait on the Lord and His timetable to reveal His truths through the means that He has established.” (source)
Will there be times when we disagree with how the Church and its leaders handle complex issues? Undoubtedly. But, as the Lord tells us in D&C 1:38, “By mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
This means that the prophets’ words are the Savior’s words. They will lead us to Him by telling us the things He wants us to know, right now, in the exact circumstance of our current reality. We need not ever guess what the Lord wants us to know about current issues. He tells us, clearly, every six months, through the mouths of His prophets. I find so much comfort in knowing that.
The social media storm that is currently raging, not only about the role of women, but other hot-button issues that all hit the fan at the same time, is, at its core, a question of whether God would establish doctrine and laws that have the potential to cause or deepen pain for some of His children.
It is a question of whether or not He loves all of His children equally.
It is a question of whether or not he is truly leading His Church through the mouths of His ordained prophets, and if what they say is truly His will, especially when it is difficult for some to hear.
The prophet Nephi teaches us that Christ “doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loved the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him.” (2 Nephi 2:24)
If everything He does is for our benefit and is motivated by His perfect love, can we not conclude that there is a merciful, loving reason why He has organized His church the way He has, with prophets and apostles out in front, beckoning each of to follow them to the Savior?
With men holding priesthood keys and offices while women lead in other ways, armed with priesthood authority and power?
With divinely appointed roles for both men and women that are equal in their significance but different in their responsibilities?
Even if we do not fully comprehend why things are the way they are, can we trust that God, in His omniscience, knows more than we do, including the best way to work with His children?
Can we have faith that He is aware of what is happening in the world and is leading His church through the chaos and confusion of our day through the mouths of His holy prophets?
Henry B. Eyring said it this way: “It takes faith to believe that the resurrected Lord is watching over the daily details of His kingdom. It takes faith to believe that He calls imperfect people into positions of trust. It takes faith to believe that He knows the people He calls perfectly, both their capacities and their potential, and so makes no mistakes in His calls.” (source)
A couple of weeks ago, my husband, who is currently serving as the bishop of our ward, attended a local leadership training meeting with Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As he taught the leaders in our area, Elder Soares strongly focused on following the prophet, declaring, “There is no such thing as a prophetic suggestion.”
Then, with unapologetic boldness, born of sacred experience, he taught that the prophet’s counsel is not his opinion or a collection of nice suggestions. He speaks the will of the Lord for His people. Period.
This is coming from the mouth of one of the Lord’s special witnesses. Have you ever thought about what that means, to be a special witness of the Savior? Do you think it might mean that these 15 men – His apostles – have special, unique, powerful experiences with the Lord that are too sacred to discuss publicly?
If they are leading His church, how intimately do you think they know Him?
That is one reason why, even when I do not fully understand why they take certain positions on different issues, or teach truths that can feel difficult to digest, I cannot say, “The prophet made a mistake. The apostles made a mistake.”
Because the reality is that I am not qualified to make that call. I do not know what the Lord teaches them as they plead for His guidance in leading His people. I am not privy to the details of their personal experiences with the One whose church this is, and of whom they are special witnesses.
But I do know that Jesus Christ lives, and that his work and glory is to save as many of us as will come unto Him. I believe everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, He does is in line with that goal.
I know, because I have done the spiritual work to learn for myself, that Russell M. Nelson is His prophet today, and that following His counsel will keep us safe from the adversary’s unrelenting attempts to lead us “carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21)
I trust the prophet because I trust Jesus Christ. It is really that simple.
The social media storm will continue to rage against those who uphold the doctrine of Christ, with the prophets leading the charge. The current wave may begin to subside just in time for General Conference, which is bound to ignite another fire because truth is not always easy to hear.
But I invite you to remember who is truly under attack: Jesus Christ Himself.
It is His doctrine that is in the line of fire.
It is the structure of His church that is constantly called into question.
His laws and commandments are often deemed unloving.
His words are constantly twisted and misrepresented.
His prophets and apostles repeatedly walk into the fire for Him, putting everything they have and are on His altar for life, not for any measure of personal gain, but because they love Him that much.
Do we, too, love Jesus Christ enough to follow Him by following His prophets –putting our questions and concerns on His altar with faith that He knows what He is doing and understands exactly what we need?
Choosing to follow Him by following His prophets is not blind obedience – it is a continuous act of faith.
Choosing to be content with what He has revealed about the structure and governance of His church does not mean we are blind or dismissive, as some have accused me of being. It means we have faith in Christ, His eternal vision, and where we fit into His plan.
It means we trust Him to lead us where He needs us to be in the way that He knows is best, which may look very different from the way we think is best.
It means we are trying to set aside our pride and acknowledge that we do not know everything.
It means we are working to become disciples of Christ.
A disciple is, by definition, one who follows a leader. In this case, that leader is Jesus Christ. The way I see it, I cannot simultaneously follow Him and demand change to His laws, doctrine, the structure of His Church, or a million other issues and details over which He has charge.
The doctrine is His.
Change is His call.
And I choose to stand with Him, now and forever, come what may or what may not.
Will you join me?
