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Dear
Gramps, My husband and I would love to go on a mission. We are in a
financial position to serve anywhere in the world and would love to serve in
a third world country. The concern we have is his elderly mother. She is not
a member of the church and would not understand our desire to serve a
mission. Her feeling is that we should wait until after her death.
Fortunately, she enjoys wonderful health, lives alone, and is very active in
her ladies organizations. How do we make her understand that we are not
abandoning her? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Christine |
Dear
Christine,
Seldom
can we please everyone. But I have the feeling that if we acquiesce to the
desires of those who do not have a full appreciation for the things of the
Kingdom, we demonstrate to them that the things of the Kingdom are less
important to us than is our relationship with some individual. However dear that
relationship is, it would demonstrate that our commitment to the Lord is of
lesser value.
We
should do all we can to placate the feelings of the those who do not fully
understand the sacredness and the importance of following the inspiration of the
Lord, but it seems to me that far more harm would be done by putting at a low
value our commitment to the Lord. If you have been to the temple you will sense
some obligation to obey both the law of sacrifice and the law of consecration.
The Savior gave clear instructions in matters like these, as recorded in
Matthew.
For
I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes
[shall be] they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not
worthy of me (Matthew
10:35-38).
Gramps