Quote:
Originally Posted by Archaea
Wherein did my statement assert that you believe the Church is perfect, only that you rely upon the judgment of the leaders in deference to your own. Is that a misstatement?
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No, I rely on my own judgement, but ultimately defer to the divine calling and right to make those decisions to those that are actually ordained by God to make them.
I disagree with my branch president virtually on a weekly basis in PEC, but after I RESPECTFULLY voice my opinion, which he allows me to do, I submit to his decision on the matter. I don't seek to bad-mouth him, undermine him, rally support against him and so forth.
I don't check my brain or my conscience in at the door, but I openly acknowledge that there needs to be order in all things and that I need to recognize and limit myself to what is and isn't my stewardship.
For leaders outside my ward that I've disagreed with, here is a basic example of what I've done. During branch council, myself and others voiced a number of concerns about the way that missionary work was being done in our branch and about the readiness of many converts at the time of their baptism.
Our branch president then took our concerns to the mission president, who then modified their approach in a couple of respects, though not in all respects.
This is the way the church should work, IMO.
It shouldn't consist of me personally calling the mission president and telling him where he's wrong and that his missionaries are hanging a millstone around our fledgling branch's neck.
It shouldn't consist of me making wild accusations that the Q12 and FP are more concerned with people getting wet than getting them to the temple, or that our missionary program is too corporate to meet the real needs of the people.
Those statements are neither accurate nor productive in bringing about meaningful, even if sometimes limited, change.