Several years ago I was asked to give a talk about our Church's pioneers (it was around July 24th). While looking up talks about the topic, I came across several talks about the pioneers in Africa. Their stories, struggles, and faith amazed me. I decided that's what I would talk about in sacrament hoping it wasn't straying to far from what the Bishop wanted... I sometimes have a bad habit with that. Like the time I took up almost a whole sacrament meeting with my rambles. Yup, good times.
Lately I find myself going back to those stories of our African members. I've been reading a lot about how hard it was for blacks not to have the priesthood and not be able to enter the Lord's temples. Like many other members, I still don't understand the reasoning behind it and grimace at the different theories trying to explain why they were denied the Priesthood for so many years. I find peace though in reading both Pres. Kimball's and Pres. Hinckley's testimonies on the subject and what occurred that morning in 1978. I also find peace in the way that those in Africa chose to have faith and keep the work moving forward in hopes that they would one day hold the priesthood. I read an article about Pres. Kimball going to the laying of the corner stones Brazil Temple in 1976. He learned about some of the black members that gave their time and what little money they had to the building of the Lord's Temple even though at that time they wouldn't be able to enter. It broke his heart. He wasn't the first to feel this way. President after President in our church before Kimball's time had prayed for an answer to Blacks having the priesthood. I believe our Prophet hears our concerns. I believe that he takes these concerns to the Lord time and time again. Whenever I think about why something hasn't changed or why our leaders decided to do 'this' instead of 'that' I think of the faithful members in Africa and Brazil. I think about how they still taught others about our Lord and shared the Book of Mormon with excitement and joy. Did they hurt for what they couldn't fully have? Of course! But they continued on. I can only imagine how many fell to their knees each night and brought their desires to the Lord, praying for that day that they could have the priesthood in their homes. What amazes me about these Later Day Saints in Ghana and other areas is that they stayed faithful even when they couldn't have something because of the color of their skin! They did missionary work, set up branches, and meetings when there wasn't a single priesthood holder. I believe that those in Africa had the greatest right to protest and let the Prophet know that they were unhappy with how the Church ran things ... But they didn't. They didn't protest or treat the Lord's Church like a political arena. Before the 1978 revelation took place, referring to the protest occurring in the United States, Pres. Kimball stated, "These smart members who would force the issue, and there are many of them, cheapen the issue and certainly bring into contempt the sacred principle of revelation and divine authority.” So what did the people in Africa do differently than those protesting at Temple Square? They prepared themselves for the very thing they were being denied. They understood the sacred principle of revelation and the way the Lord works. They waited patently, not by standing idoly but by moving forward in the work.
The Lord hears our prayers. Sometimes our prayers aren't always answered in the time span that we wish. Sometimes they aren't answered in the way that we want. But that does not mean they go unheard. It does not mean that the Lord's Prophet is unaware of our concerns. I have no doubt that he is very aware of the members of this Church and those that are hurting. He's aware of our desires. With that I find great comfort. I'm thankful that my family and I belong to a Church that is led by a modern day Prophet and that he is in constant communication with our Savior. It gives me great peace to know that revelations will continue and that I need not make my concerns known by protesting but by prayer and faithfulness.
My favorite articles on the topic:
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/12/steadfast-african-pioneer?lang=eng
http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/sperry-symposium-classics-doctrine-and-covenants/23-official-declaration-2-revelation
http://ldsmag.com/ldsmag/articles/030606hallelujahprint.html
1 comment:
Lovely talk, Dani. I believe there are a couple of documentaries about that. I think they are on BYU-tv. I'll check. I also have the book "All are Alike unto God" by Dale LeBaron that I can bring with me when we come to the blessing. I guess I told you about the time right after your dad and I were married. I was in Guernsey WY at Nat. Guard summer camp. No tv, no radio. Someone told me that they had heard a rumor that the church had announced the revelation on the priesthood that morning. I had nothing to rely on except to go to the Lord and pray. The Spirit told me it was true. When I called your dad later in the day, he verified it. What a special time!
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