Letter From The Highlands
January 2004
By Anne Perry

The second Sunday in the new year already and so time for me to start thinking about writing.  There is a prophesy that for the sake of the elect, time would be speeded up in the last days.  I feel very much as if that is happening.  The whole turn of the year has flown by, the shortest day has already passed and already the difference is clear to see in the mornings.  It is time to stop thinking about New Year's resolutions, and start putting them into practice.  More faith - more faith all the time.  There are occasions when an analytical type of brain is very useful, and others when it makes life a lot harder.  We were talking about it in class today in Relief Society.  I think it is part nature, part nurture just how one's mind questions or doesn't, explores or doesn't, worries or can block out anxieties and not feel guilty, as if we should be addressing them.  I hope there is room for all of us!

Our weather is still beautiful.  We have had one cold spell, with a little snow, but most of the time it is well above freezing, which certainly helps with keeping the roads safer.  Now it is 45-50 degrees F. and the snow had gone from the tops of the mountains to the north.

We have started to study the Book of Mormon in Sunday school, always one of the hardest scriptures for me.  I miss the individual, human stories of the bible, and I miss the great women as well as the great men.  But if I persevere, no doubt I will get more from it each time.

I taught my first Relief Society lesson from President Heber J Grant today.  I thought about it hard, and prayed, and I am very happy to say I felt the actual lesson went with feeling and content, and drew out some good answers, really addressing the subject, but getting something heartfelt from it.

Guidance from the Spirit

My difficulty was that the two main themes seemed to be teaching with the Spirit, and repeating the basics over, and over, and over again.  Most of which isn't even remotely new.  But I approached it from the view of bringing a spiritual sensitivity to the individual members of the class, what would be uplifting and meaningful, and how to phrase those things which could be hurtful, or possibly irrelevant.  If we cause someone to feel crushed, inadequate or excluded, we have achieved nothing good at all.  And how could we possibly wish to do such a thing; we are there only to hear the sound of our own voices, not to care for God, or for others?

All sorts of people have griefs we don't know of, and why should they show us their wounds?  Some wounds are bearable only if they can remain private.  But the Holy Spirit can guide us to speak gently, to be tolerant of differences and not judge the superficial.  What does it matter if someone doesn't look like us, or sound like us, or have the same lifestyle (I am referring to cultures, not morality)?  If they are kind, honest, brave and diligent, isn't that what matters?

And we must also listen with the Spirit.  It is so easy to take offence, and so seldom is it really meant.  If a teacher says something that sounds hurtful, it is not always easy, but we should ask her to explain.  I have always found that no injury was intended, and we have finished by being better friends than before.

And if we teach with prayer and the influence of the Spirit, we will not teach false doctrine, even unintentionally.  There is a vast difference between the principles of the Gospel, and some of the teachings of one culture or another, which may be expected, but are not obligatory.  To people of a different country, background, social class or regional area, these teachings may be alien and make them feel uncomfortable, excluded or as if their way of life is inferior.  'Member Doctrine' can spring up without any intent to deceive, but it can do untold harm.

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and reference to scripture for all points of doctrine, we will be saved from that mistake.  It is still fine to say - 'I believe, but it is just my belief' - and then say something we think is beautiful, or good.  There is all the difference in creation between 'I believe' and 'thus saith the Lord'!

And if we hear something that sounds false, or painful, we can ask - It seemed to me you said ..., did I understand you correctly?  Can you explain?  Where is the source for that?

The true gospel is more beautiful than anything else in the creation, more marvellous, uplifting and enlarging of the life and soul of humanity, than anything else I could dream, or anyone else could.  I believe it could only be the word of God.

But we cannot afford to pollute it with the concepts of individual people who could be mistaken.

Basics

Which brings me to the other main theme of basics.  What are the basics of the gospel?  I think not the schoolmaster rules of day-to-day behaviour.  I asked the class and received helpful answers: Love, faith, trust, hope.  What I was actually looking for was that the basis of the gospel but in the Plan of Salvation, the knowledge of who we are, where we have come from, the purpose of this life, and the reason we accepted it, what we can accomplish, where we can go to, if we will, and all we can become in eternity.  That is the basis of the gospel, and I could speak about that, learn about it, think of all it means for every lesson there is.

The schoolmaster laws can be added on, to help with the details, but this is the life and heart of it.  It is exciting just to think about!

We had a high councilor and his wife come as the speakers for sacrament.  She was superb.  She spoke on tolerance, not of anything that was morally wrong, just of people who are different.  She told us of a young man who had joined the church, was very keen and had a strong testimony, but he also had long hair.

To cut the story down, the members were so unkind to him that after some months he couldn't take it any more, and he left.  Is the length of anyone's hair really so important?

Only a few months ago, I met a young man of American Indian ancestry who also wore his hair long, after the custom of his people.  He was also mocked and jeered at!

What would we do with the Saviour, I wonder?  Not just the long hair but a long gown as well - and a beard!  Would we be kind to him, welcome him, listen to what he said?  Would we recognize Him if he did not look like we imagined?  Or are we consumed with outward appearances?

What else have we missed from someone who didn't look or sound as we liked?

Have any one of us ever been a stranger, excluded, different and a bit lost?  I was, when I first went to America thirty-something years ago - and I met with nothing but kindness.  I still do, every time I return.

I also meet with the same in Italy, France, Spain, Germany and everywhere else.  Not everyone is good, but most people are.  But different?  All sorts of cultures, tastes, appearances.  Difference is interesting, it is the colour of life - it is not dangerous and it is certainly not wrong.

The high councilor spoke of many things, and ended by saying that hard work could prevent us from entering the Celestial Kingdom.  I spoke to him afterwards to ask what he meant.  To me, hard work is good.  Those of us who are able-bodied should work as we can, to help provide for the many who cannot.  Work is a privilege as well as a duty.  If we are God's children we should surely be like Him - and from what we know of him, His constant characteristics are work (He created all we have) and love (His love for all there is).

After a little conversation I realized that the high Councilor meant people who are obsessed by work for the gaining of more material possessions for themselves, to the exclusion of all else.

I was thinking of someone who has to work on Sundays, such as a doctor, spending his time comforting those who are afraid, caring for the sick, possibly saving life.  Perhaps the high councilor's experience was different.  We all come to a situation with so much baggage, so many ideas and experiences than before we began, no wonder we misunderstand each other at times.

A little patience, a little kindness, and we could understand each other better, and like each other more.  That would be a great start to any year.

There is so much illness around, human and animal, and time goes by so swiftly, there is none to waste carrying grudges, nursing hurt feelings, taking offence where it is not meant.  How dreadful to find we wasted this most precious gift and had not loved enough, not learned enough, not forgiven, not built and made, and left the world happier and wiser than we found it.

Perhaps the great blasphemy is not passion or error, but not caring enough, letting it all go by without trying our very best.

Trust - a move forward.

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