I've been thinking a lot about this post, and how I want to say it, and how to make myself come across right. And I'm not done thinking about it, but it's time to put something down on the digital paper.
I'm going to start with a story. It's from
General Conference back when I was in high school. Elder Busche tells the story of a man he knew who had recently started a job with a small, private company. The company was having a dinner party that was sure to become a drinking party. This man was worried about the drinking, but he also didn't want to offend his boss by not attending the party at all.
When I saw him again, after that dinner event occurred, I saw him with a most happy, deep inner glow, and he could not wait to tell me what had happened. Because he was new in the company, the boss had sat right next to him, wanting to get to know him better. As the evening progressed, the brother saw his wildest fears confirmed because the boss would not tolerate that he would not drink beer with him, and he said, "What kind of church is that that would not permit you to drink even a glass of beer with me?"
The fear of my friend did not grow into panic as he was able to calmly answer his boss that the reason he was not drinking had nothing to do with the church that he belonged to, but that he himself had made a sacred covenant with God that he would not drink. If he would ever break this covenant, how could he continue to stay true to that which he would ever promise, and how could he be trusted, even by his employer, that he would not lie or steal or cheat.
According to my friend, the owner was deeply touched by this statement, and he hugged him, speaking words of profound admiration and confidence.
As a high schooler just starting to figure things out on my own, I remember this story really struck a chord for me. I had been told since Primary that I needed to find out for myself, needed to have my own testimony. But it had never occurred to me that it wasn't about what my religion told me I couldn't do; it was about my covenant with the Lord that I wouldn't do those things. This knowledge has spread to all aspects of the gospel for me, to the point that I do know for myself.
The reason this has been on my mind recently is
Prop 8. How do I explain to people why I feel the way I do? And then I remembered this story. So here's the deal: we have been counseled to support this measure. I have studied and prayed, and as a result, I know I need to support it. And that part of me supporting it involves writing blog posts like this. But that's me. The rest of you will have to figure it out for yourselves.
