Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf related a true account of a member’s return to the church after decades in active opposition to it. This, from a talk in the Priesthood session of October 2016 general conference, was titled ‘Learn from Alma and Amulek’. President Uchtdorf said, “I was touched by the journey of one brother who asked himself, “When the Lord calls, will I hear?” I will call this fine brother David.
David converted to the Church some 30 years ago. He served a mission and then attended law school. While he was studying and working to support a young family, he came across some information about the Church that confused him. The more he read these negative materials, the more unsettled he became. Eventually he asked to have his name removed from the records of the Church. From that time on, like Alma in his rebellious days, David spent a great deal of time debating with members of the Church, engaging in online conversations with the purpose of challenging their beliefs. He was very good at this.
One of the members he debated with I will call Jacob. Jacob was always kind and respectful to David, but he was also firm in his defense of the Church. Over the years, David and Jacob developed a mutual respect and friendship. What David did not know is that Jacob was praying for David and did so faithfully for more than a decade. He even placed his friend’s name for prayer in the temples of the Lord and hoped that David’s heart would be softened.
Over time, slowly, David did change. He began to remember with fondness the spiritual experiences he once had, and he remembered the happiness he had felt when he was a member of the Church. Like Alma, David had not completely forgotten the gospel truths he had once embraced. And like Amulek, David felt the Lord reaching out to him. David was now a partner in a law firm—a prestigious job. He had developed a reputation as a critic of the Church, and he had too much pride to ask to be readmitted. Nevertheless, he continued to feel the pull of the Shepherd.
He took to heart the scripture “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”13 He prayed, “Dear God, I want to be a Latter-day Saint again, but I have questions that need answers.” He began to listen to the whisperings of the Spirit and to inspired answers of friends as he never had before. One after another, his doubts turned to faith, until finally he realized that, once again, he could feel a testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored Church.
At that point, he knew that he would be able to overcome his pride and do whatever it took to be accepted back into the Church. Eventually, David entered the waters of baptism and then began counting down the days until he could have his blessings restored. I am happy to report that this past summer, David’s blessings were restored to him. He is again fully participating in the Church and serving as a Gospel Doctrine teacher in his ward. He takes every opportunity to speak to others about his transformation, to heal the damage he caused, and to bear testimony of the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ.
President Uchtdorf concluded in part with: “My dear brothers, my dear friends, let us seek out, find, inspire, and rely upon the Amulek’s in our wards and stakes. There are many Amuleks in the Church today. Perhaps you know one. Perhaps you are one. Perhaps the Lord has been whispering to you, urging you to return to your first love, contribute your talents, worthily exercise the priesthood, and serve side by side with your fellow Saints in drawing closer to Jesus Christ and building the kingdom of God here on earth.
….Finding a Testimony Again
Above, Elder Uchtdorf called this man who struggled ‘David’. Steve Smith, his real name, shared his story with LDSLiving magazine; the story written by Danielle B. Wagner is titled… ‘How an Anti-Mormon Attorney Became a Member of the Church He Hated.’ To me it is a must read, not just once, but when I begin to take for granted the many blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. k
Again, Elder Uchtdorf’s complete talk can be found at… ‘Learn from Alma and Amulek’
