I served my mission in Antofagasta Chile--the driest desert in the world. The Sahara is the largest and the Atacama is the driest. I loved the people, the culture and the work I did. My mission president and his wife are wonderful. They served with all their might, mind, and strength. They are human and at times, imperfect.
One day during Zone Conference, the president taught in order to attain exaltation in the next world, perfection must be achieved in this life.
My world was shattered.
I must have misunderstood what he was teaching.
Certainly, he couldn't have meant that the way I heard it.
The only way I could sleep was to tell myself the story I had misunderstood what he intended to teach.
The next day during my personal interview with him, I clarified. "President, what I heard you teach is that in order to attain perfection in the next life, I must become perfect in this life. I think what you meant to say is that we need to strive for perfection and complete perfection will be achieved in the next life."
He told me "No! What you heard me teach is exactly what I meant to teach.
He quoted scripture to prove his point, "Be ye therefore perfect even as I and your father in heaven are perfect." "This life is the time to prepare to meet God..." The list goes on and on.
I knew in my heart what he taught wasn't right yet this man was my mission president. He was my spiritual leader.
My world really was shattered now.
My companion and I left the interviews to go proselyting. At the time, there were six discussions and six principles in each discussion. We were taught to teach the first discussion conversationally during our first introduction with a potential investigator. As all obedient missionaries did, we talked to people all the way home for lunch and taught as we went. It wasn't long before we found someone to teach and I began. The first principle of the first discussion taught, "God is perfect and we can become like him." As I taught, I held back the tears. How could I possibly teach something I couldn't live myself?
For the first time in my mission, we went home a few minutes early for lunch. I explained to my companion I needed some time to regroup and did not tell her why I was troubled. This one was between me and God.
I had a question.
A very valid question and I needed answers
I prayed, cried, studied and put that on repeat for quite some time.
The answer I received surprised me and is one I have never forgotten
Answer
- You are not teaching anything you cannot live
- Go forward with faith
- In time, all things will be made clear
I thought about it for a while and felt comfortable I could finish my mission (I had less than a month left)
Upon returning home, I found the answers spelled out clearly. We ARE NOT required nor expected to attain perfection in this life. I was absolutely right and now I had many, many sources to prove it from apostles and prophets.
Lessons learned
- God supports His chosen leaders and so should we
- The doctrine of Christ is perfect
- Men are not perfect. They are down here on earth doing their best to serve in the church and live the doctrine. They sometimes make mistakes in the execution of the doctrine AND that does not make the doctrine any less true
- I can sustain the church leaders no matter what!
- My testimony must be based on Gospel Truth!!
God didn't give me the answer I wanted nor hoped for AND He gave me exactly the answer I needed!!! I learned to be patient and to trust in God's timing.
He has never let me down!
To this day, it is my priority to take seriously the covenant I make with God each time I raise my right arm to the square to sustain a new leader or person in a calling. I do not take this lightly, but consider what I may do to help that person be successful. I do not criticize and recognize we are all imperfect beings doing our best to navigate our way through this mortal existence.
One of my favorite intentional thoughts---I AM A WORK IN PROGRESS AND I'M PROGRESSING
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