A few weeks ago, I remember sitting in Sunday School class and I was struck by the particular timing of the lesson that had been scheduled. We've all heard the story, right? Sister Marsh and Sister Harris want to make some cheese. They agree to put their stores of milk and cream together to make one BIG cheese (and who wouldn't want bigger cheese, ammi right?), but Sister Marsh keeps a pint of cream from each cow and just sends the milk. Naturally, Sister Harris feels swindled. They argue so bad about this, that they end up going to the Bishop who determines that Sister March didn't keep her side of the bargain.
Sister Marsh doesn't like this much. Neither does her husband. So they go to the High Council. Same Deal. It went all the way to First Presidency. No go. They not only left the Church, he got the law involved and told Missouri government officials that the LDS church was hostile against the state of Missouri. An action that was a stepping stone on a path that eventually led to the extermination order from the state of Missouri against all Mormons.
19 years later, Thomas B Marsh realised he had been wrong.
This story is often used to illustrate how seemingly insignificant things can lead to people falling away from the Church with grave consequences. But this story has more far reaching implications than just this.
Ultimately the issue here lies, that if there was such a problem with corruption in church leadership that a Bishop, a Stake President, and even Regional leadership were somehow corrupt, then the Church simply could not be true.
If you believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church that holds the keys to the Priesthood, then you cannot without some feat of incredible mental gymnastics also believe that our leaders are corrupt. If this Church is true, then those men are called of God.
These men do not become Bishops through a popularity contest. Their names are taken to the First Presidency, who pray about it first. There are fail safes in the Church to make sure that our leadership will not be the sort of men who will lead us down dark paths.
Our leaders are human. There are times that they may make mistakes. There are times that they will feel bent almost in half with the pressure of the responsibility they have. And I am certain that there are times that their hearts break when no matter how much they try, they simply cannot help someone.
I would hate to bear that burden. Some of the choices they have to make seem almost Herculean to me.
It is with all of of this in mind, that I can wholeheartedly testify that our leaders are called of God. That this is Christ's church, organised from the ground up precisely how he would have wanted it. To imply that our leaders are corrupt, to me is to imply that the First Presidency simply don't have that link with God that they claim to. One man might make a mistake. But for a Bishop, then a Stake President, then Regional Leadership to ALL be in league against one person? Infeasible. My faith tells me that the Lord simply would not let that happen if this was his true Church.
When we sustain our leaders, we aren't just waving our hands in the air for the sake of it. We are saying we will support them even when it's hard to; in fact especially when it's difficult because that's when they need sustaining the most. This isn't about personal grievances anymore. It's about Church doctrine, organisation and the dispensation of extremely important Priesthood Keys to the right people at the right time.
I believe the Church is true. And I believe in my leaders. Not one of them would ever willingly lead a soul astray or cast them out. They genuinely love us as Church members and as individuals. As humans, they might not get everything right 100% of the time. But I have absolute faith that they try their best; I sustain them, I support them, and I pray for them in all that they do.
If we just allow them to administer their duties instead of fracturing their souls with gossip, pride and anger; then they have the capacity to bring us as members peace, joy, fellowshipping and security. We may not understand all the choices they need to make. But then, it is called faith for a reason.
