Questions and Answers
How Can I Align with the Prophet?
I discovered that it’s normal to need to increase our faith in Jesus Christ to align our beliefs with what the prophets and apostles teach.
Prayer, by Jenna McKell Thompson
God has said, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38). I have often felt the Spirit teach me that what the prophets have testified is the word of God. But I have also struggled with not getting that feeling.
I experienced this when one of my siblings came out as transgender. I started to hear statements in general conference that didn’t seem to sit right with the love I had for my brother.
Hearing things that we don’t understand or fully agree with from leaders is hard. Yet I have found ways to press forward with faith in the Savior and trust in His chosen leaders amid those difficult feelings. Here are just a few things I’ve learned.
Know You Belong
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “Don’t be surprised if at times your personal views are not initially in harmony with the teachings of the Lord’s prophet.”1 This gave me hope as I learned that it’s normal to need to increase our faith to align our beliefs with God.
While I went through this process of aligning my will with His, despite my strong love for my brother, I feared that I was a hypocrite and that I didn’t belong in the gospel anymore. Could I truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ when I felt at odds with something I heard over the pulpit?
I found the answer in Christ’s ministry.
The Savior said, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Matthew 9:12). And I realized that if He is the physician, then His gospel was exactly where I could heal my doubts and fears. Jesus Christ spent His mortal ministry inviting imperfect people to follow Him, so I, someone with imperfect faith, could accept His invitation and continue to follow Him likewise.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in a young adult devotional: “Untested faith isn’t much faith at all. … Real faith, life-changing faith, Abrahamic faith, is always in crisis. That is how you find out if it is faith at all.”2 Having questions of faith is a clear sign that you do, in fact, have faith and that you belong in the gospel.
If you are struggling to reconcile personal feelings with your beliefs, choose to stay in the fold. Those who lead Christ’s Church today will continue to direct you to Him. This is a gospel of belonging and hope. As you search for answers, know that you are welcome and that His gospel is built to strengthen and help you.
Gain a Testimony of Prophets
While serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Russell M. Nelson said: “You may not always understand every declaration of a living prophet. But when you know a prophet is a prophet, you can approach the Lord in humility and faith and ask for your own witness.”3
This promise proves that we too can develop a testimony of prophets, which will help us if we don’t understand or accept something they’ve taught.
I followed the prophet Alma’s advice and used desire and effort to grow my faith in modern prophets (see Alma 32:27). I wanted desperately to hold on to the gospel that had brought me so much peace and hope. I listened to each general conference with a will to be humble and believing. The Spirit I felt while sustaining our leaders and hearing them speak confirmed to me that they are men and women of God.
While I haven’t yet found answers to the concerns that trouble me, I have come to believe that the prophets are what they say they are: called of God.
Elder Andersen also testified, “A prophet is a watchman on the tower, protecting us from spiritual dangers we may not see.”4 When you believe this, you can find peace knowing that though you don’t know everything, God does. And He guides the prophets.
Seek Answers and Comfort
At first, I was afraid to approach Heavenly Father with my questions. But when I did, I felt like He had been waiting for me to ask. A peaceful feeling confirmed to me that He had been aware of my feelings and was glad I had turned to Him. I understood that He was willing to patiently help me find peace.
In the end, Heavenly Father is really the only one who can give answers and comfort through the power of the Holy Ghost.
The story of Job is an example of this. At times, Job questioned God because of his unfair trials. Yet he chose to turn to God about his confusion because he was confident in God’s loving response: “Will [the Lord] plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me” (Job 23:6). Job knew God would give him the comfort he needed. He was right. God answered Job with a promise that He knew what was best for him. Though God didn’t explain why Job had to go through trials, His answer helped Job gain a testimony of God’s goodness. Job could humble himself and find peace.
Many of the things we don’t understand or agree with can seem as wrong to us as undeserved trials felt for Job. You may not come to a full understanding, yet God will give you the comfort you need to continue in faith.
Though God led me to gain a better perspective, I am still in the dark about a lot of things. My prayer taught me that we need to ask Him the hard questions but also be willing to accept comfort as we wait. I continue to feel that God loves me. If my doubts bring me down, I can turn to Him in faith, and He will lift me.
Choose to Believe
God isn’t going to answer all at once. Alma explains, “blessed is he that believeth in the word of God … without being brought to know the word … before they will believe” (Alma 32:16). God requires faith first—both belief and action (see Bible Dictionary, “Faith”).
Initially, I thought that if I loved my brother, I had to either let my family’s circumstances drive me away from the gospel or I had to find an answer to all my concerns. However, when answers didn’t come right away, I made the decision to act in faith while still loving my brother fully. I realized that doing both is possible.
While I still have questions to resolve, I am grateful for the peace I have found as I have stayed faithful to the gospel and relied on God for comfort. My decision to stay true to what I believe has helped me feel closer to Him than I ever have. I know that He is aware of our personal beliefs and struggles and that He is patient with us as we work through them in faith.