Months and months ago I posted on a facebook page that was about proposition 8 and how the Mormons need to "check their facts" about the church's involvement in getting the proposition passed. There were several posts on there that were negative against the church but they were not too ugly. I posted my opinion-- I just checked the date and all it says is "over a year ago" -- and have never heard anything about it until today. Today some idiot posted a response to me, with very ugly words about me and the church. I posted back. Then this person (whose name is Pat, so I do not even know if it is a male or a female) posted back and was even uglier, calling me a liar, saying things about the church and the church leadership that is absolute fantasy. I posted back. Then, I went out to dinner and a movie with my wonderful husband. Tonight, when we got home, I checked again and this person had posted again. The post is full of outright lies about Joseph Smith, President Hinckley, BYU, and the church as a whole. I did not even read the whole thing because it was just making me sick. I DID, however, report this person to facebook as "Attacking a person or group" because I figure this person did both. I did not post anything in response. I know I have to just let it go. Sadly, I am not very good at letting these things go. I just do not understand how people can believe the lies that are out there about the church. They are so ridiculous and outlandish that I would think that ANYBODY with ANY sense at all, member of the church or not, would be able to figure out that they could not possibly be true. Obviously, that is not the case.
I know that these are the last days. I can see the hand of Satan all around. I see how he is leading SO many people, members of the church included, astray. I am sometimes amazed at how sneaky and slimey he can be, insinuating himself into people's lives, almost without them realizing until it is too late. He picks up on the most subtle, slight, small little thing and uses it against us, to tear us down and weaken our testimony and break our resolve and get us to go astray. I worry every day about how I am going to make it. I try very hard to keep in mind the quote by Bruce R. McConkie. I cannot quote it exactly, but basically he said that the church is like a big caravan, moving through the desert. From time to time, rabid dogs will come and nip at the heels of the caravan, desert robbers will come and try to harm the caravan,but the caravan will continue. Nothing can stop it. I also love the quote that Joseph Smith wrote in the Wentworth letter:
"No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear; till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done. "
I LOVE the power in that statement. NOTHING can stop the gospel from going forth: not lies, not apostates, not Satan and all of his followers.....NOTHING. I find comfort in that. I love the gospel. I know it is true. I know that we have a true, living Prophet on the earth today and that Prophet is President Monson. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and did more than anyone on this earth, save Jesus Christ, to help the inhabitants of this earth. I know that he saw God, the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that The Book of Mormon is true. I have NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER about any of these things. I have serious doubts about Heavenly Father being able to love me. I have serious doubts about ever being worthy to live with Him again. But I have NO doubts about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If others choose to follow Satan, to not believe the truth, to persecute the church and it's members, I cannot help it. I cannot change their minds. And, the truth is, I should not waste my time on them. I know I just need to stay close to the caravan, to cling to the Iron Rod, and not let the wild, rabid dogs bother me. They are NOTHING, compared to our Heavenly Father.
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