LostMormon wrote:I does seem like they were a lot more focused on telling/pleading people not to leave, but maybe we are just listening for that more now? (I think I am) I don't really get a sense from my family members that people leaving the church is even a problem, and they don't seem to be hearing it in talks like I am. My ears did perk up when (I think it was Uchtdorf) told the story about the guy that fell away from the church, tried his best to tear down the church, even had his name removed, and then later came back to the fold.
he didn't really give much detail into why he came back, but I would like to hear what fellow NOM's think of this story, was it a real story? was it based on a true story, with important details left out that wouldn't be quite so faith promoting?
If it is a real story, I would like to hear his reconversion story.
I don't think it's just you. Many talks focused on people that leave or members in danger of falling away:
- Uchtdorf: Fourth Floor, Last Door
- Uchtdorf: O How Great the Plan of Our God!
- Cook: Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus
- Uchtdorf: Learn from Alma and Amulek
- Ballard: To Whom Shall We Go?
- Rasband: Lest Thou Forget
This isn't even a comprehensive list. I just pulled
one talk from every session that leaned heavily on the theme of people leaving (or getting tripped up and falling away). There were others. I also only pulled from talks given by apostles. It seemed like half the talks from the Q15 were on the subject. I think it's going to be a perennial theme going forward. We might not get 40% of all talks touching on people leaving like we saw this past conference but there will probably be at least a few.
All I can comfortably say about the story of "David" and "Jacob" is that it was a real story. What we are missing is all the details. Why David left, what prompted David to rejoin the church, how orthodox David's current beliefs are, etc.
Culper Jr. wrote:Usually I like Uchdorf's talks; he usually has a more conciliatory tone, but not this time.
Same here.
His first talk reminded me of my more orthodox years when I wallowed in scrupulous misery. No matter how much you do there's another door you
could have knocked and you feel guilt for not doing it. The talk was also reminiscent of that mindset where if you don't get an answer to your prayers you just aren't doing [fill in the blank] correctly. Do [fill in the blank] correctly. And if that doesn't work it's not god's will, which you can't change, but keep doing [fill in the blank] anyway.
His "past feeling" comment during his second talk felt like a smack in the face. I spent a few minutes processing that one before I could hear the other stuff he was saying.
Then there's David and Jacob from his third talk. I'd characterize myself to be more like David (but I've never resigned) but I couldn't help but feel empathy to all the people who have parted ways with the church (for their own mental health I might add) that now have orthodox family and friends sending them this talk and wondering why they can't be more like David. It may give orthodox members a false hope for loved ones returning to the church. That said, this is the general conference of the church, what else are they going to say? Sometimes leaving is the healthiest option? I wonder whether anyone at the top actually believes something like that?
Ballard. I don't know if the apostles take assignments or if they gravitate towards what interests them but he's definitely the missionary work apostle, which encompasses retention efforts. I actually like John chapter 6 but I think there's a difference between inward reflection and asking yourself "where will I go?" (more of my experience) and some third party forcing the question on you "where will you go?" In the Biblical story Peter reflects and asks Jesus, "to whom shall
go?" During conference it felt like the story was slightly altered. Peter was troubled and Jesus asked him,"where are you going to go Peter?" the Jesus supplies the answer for him, "Remember, I'm Christ."We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.
– Anais Nin
