CRINGING

It was in the mid 1970’s at a Northern California Regional YSA/Institute conference in Pacific Grove, California, I first realized I wasn't alone in my concern about testimonial words being borne in situations when peer group pressure and emotions can and often are confused with the feelings generated by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

As the conference was drawing to a close, Elder Boyd K. Packer, who had delivered the keynote address earlier in the week asked if he could say a few words before the scheduled testimonies were to be borne. I suspect his words were deeply meaningful to me because of a preconditioned response I had to such large peer group testimony meetings.

I am sure I have his words written in one of my journals, but for this Thought I will just paraphrase what was seared on my mind that day. ‘I would offer a word of counsel and caution before we begin to share our testimonies with one another. On occasions such as this we are often led by our emotions and are prone to say things of which we might not have received a sure witness. We are often prone to make promises and commitments which we are as yet not prepared to honor or keep. Therefore, I caution you to avoid that temptation and bear witness to those things you know to be true.’

It may have been at a stake Young Women’s girls camp or it might even have been when I was young enough to go camping as a Boy Scout very early in my life, but during my life, as stewardship roles I was called to fulfill put me in visible places where the congregations or classes could easily see my reactions to what was being said at the pulpit, I had to develop a poker face or, if that wasn't sufficient, I at times had to put my head down and cover my face with a hand or two.

I always hoped my cringes weren't noticed, but I was always well aware of what was going on internally in my mind. These facial contortions were usually set off by statements of absoluteness by persons concerning their testimonies.

I have cringed when I have heard:

A young boy scout declare – I know without a shadow of a doubt Joseph Smith is a prophet of God

A sweet young girl at camp proclaim – I know with every fiber of my being that the Book of Mormon is the word of God

A recent return missionary state – These were the two best years of my life and I know I will never stray from activity in the church

A young women before her bouquet has wilted say – I know with all my heart and soul that our marriage is eternal and our love will never end

I don't consider myself to be a negative person, so why would I have face altering reactions when I hear what most people would consider to be sincere declarations of belief?

Then why do I cringe:

We watch and witness half of those scout camp testimony bearing boys become numbered among the less active membership of the church before they turn 18.

We watch and witness a large portion of those sweet young girls bearing solemn testimonies around a camp fire fall from the roles of activity before they graduate from high school.

We watch and witness those young men who declared to have experienced two phenomenal years of life within but a few months having abandoned most of characteristics of those wonder years and giving no thought about bringing others to Christ

We watch and witness hearts shattered and lives broken because solemn marital covenants were forgotten or ignored

Included in my favorite people watching avocation is a segment where I have tried to observe the commonalities of those members of the church who seem from all observable indicators to be enduring to the end.

Observed shared characteristics of the faithful:

A constant desire to more fully understand and live gospel principles

A constant realization of how much understanding and knowledge they lack

A constant guarding against temptations and continual realization of the possibility of the natural man to dominate the spiritual

A constant desire to increase the closeness of their relationships of love and kindness

A constant diligence in lively courtship with their eternal companion

A constant effort to increase the closeness and love they have for and feel from The Savior and Heavenly Father

Observed indicators which subdue cringe reflexes:

The returned missionaries who realize how quickly the missionary spirit can be diluted and, therefore, do all they can to maintain the zeal with which they returned with honor. They maintain at least a semblance of the appearance of one who is representing themselves as a follower of Jesus the Christ. They retain a residue of the Holy Spirit which prompted them to be in a perpetual proselyting mode.

The member of the church who is aware of the culpability of the mortal soul and, therefore, is constantly striving to learn and live as the Lord would have them do. They never deceive themselves into thinking their Crystal Palace of belief is impenetrable. They are always aware of the minuteness of their comprehension and knowledge as it relates to the Omniscience of God.

The young married couple who understand that the beginning of every relationship is built on sandy soil and constantly in danger of being shaken down. They are diligently finding more secure building blocks to stabilize the foundations of their marriage. They never let yesterday’s love levels become the standard of their relationship, but unceasingly strive to find ways of increasing their love for one another. They strive to increase in understanding and practice the concept of oneness.

Warnings from He who knows us best:

Remember – the gate is narrow and the pathway is straight

Remember – the Shepherd will always have sheep which stray

Remember – there is a reason a porter is diligently at the gate

Remember – the adversary will always be sewing tares among the wheat

Remember – be ever watchful that you may endure to the end

I don’t remember it happening during the early years of my career as a teacher in the Church Education System, but I do remember during that 12 year period after Kathleen and I returned from our mission in Colombia we received a yearly lecture/counsel on not being confused about emotional responses to stories related during a lesson necessarily meaning that there had been a powerful spirit in the classroom that day. Reminding us that emotions can be dramatically stirred by reading events in the paper and watching movies. I remember it caused me to reevaluate my presentations in the classroom, where I no longer relied on time tested stories from my files to generate tearful responses, but I centered my efforts on teaching the principles and doctrines of the gospel from the scriptures and words of the living Apostles and Prophets, allowing the Holy Spirit to bring changes in emotions, thoughts and actions in the hearts and lives of the students.

It may be because my days of having a seat in a very observable place in church meetings has ended and I am no longer teaching gospel lessons on a daily basis or it may be that I have become desensitized to cringe causing statements, but these days I catch myself nodding my head and internally saying to myself – ‘time will tell’ – ‘we shall see’ – much more often than cringing or hiding my face.

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY