My prior husband came from a strong Christian background, but he said joining the Church and changing everything was wrenching. He felt new converts needed extensive fellowship and support. He certainly did, and he was a strong, intelligent, competent individual.
I’m afraid we are demoralizing and destabilizing them in a way I’ve never heard addressed before. How do I know this? Because I’m a lifetime member and I’m demoralized and destabilized by it. I can only imagine what it is doing to converts.
I’ve seen the Church evolve over the years, both formally and informally. I know how things have been done in the past. I know how things are being done now. AND, I know how things should be done because I read the instructions.
There is a big disconnect between how things should be done and how they are being done.
The other part of the problem is that people do what they want, what others have done, or simply wing it without reading the instructions or considering what they should be accomplishing.
When new converts see a vast disconnect between what we are instructed to do and what people in the Church are actually doing, don’t you think this is demoralizing and destabilizing?
Unlike us lifers, they often don’t have the spiritual longevity and maturity to process it.
I can hardly blame them. I know it would affect me. It does affect me. I show leadership and others the Church's explicit instructions, chapter and verse, and they shrug me aside and do what they want to do anyway.
Let’s get it right by reading and following instructions. We'll all be better for it!
I’m afraid we are demoralizing and destabilizing them in a way I’ve never heard addressed before. How do I know this? Because I’m a lifetime member and I’m demoralized and destabilized by it. I can only imagine what it is doing to converts.
I’ve seen the Church evolve over the years, both formally and informally. I know how things have been done in the past. I know how things are being done now. AND, I know how things should be done because I read the instructions.
There is a big disconnect between how things should be done and how they are being done.
Can you imagine what it would be like for a new member to excitedly begin a calling only to find out that the Church instructions aren’t being followed and no one seems to care?
Can’t you see them wondering why, if this is the true Church, and people feel that leaders are being inspired, that nobody is paying any attention to what they are being told to do?
Can't you see how we would all look like monumental hypocrites to these new converts?
Some of the problems are that current members are stuck doing things the way they have been done in the past and don’t grasp that change is in order. I’ve covered this before:
Some of the problems are that current members are stuck doing things the way they have been done in the past and don’t grasp that change is in order. I’ve covered this before:
The other part of the problem is that people do what they want, what others have done, or simply wing it without reading the instructions or considering what they should be accomplishing.
When new converts see a vast disconnect between what we are instructed to do and what people in the Church are actually doing, don’t you think this is demoralizing and destabilizing?
Unlike us lifers, they often don’t have the spiritual longevity and maturity to process it.
I can hardly blame them. I know it would affect me. It does affect me. I show leadership and others the Church's explicit instructions, chapter and verse, and they shrug me aside and do what they want to do anyway.
Let’s get it right by reading and following instructions. We'll all be better for it!
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