On the whole, people at church are some of the kindest and caring people. I’ve received true acts of kindness. But you do have to realize that we are all human, and sometime, someone at church will do something to offend you, and it may become difficult not to get irritated, offended or otherwise put-off by these people you call “sister” and “brother” at church.
The gospel net brings in all kinds of fish, there are any number of catfish, squids, sting-rays and even sharks. There are also a number of beautiful fish. And, maybe some of those catfish will change…for the better.
But you’re going to run into all kinds. Even Joseph did. So how do you keep the faith when faced with an unfriendly fish?
On the other hand, why can’t people just be nice and kind to each other? It’s that scripture about as soon as a person gets a little bit of authority they begin to exercise unrighteous dominion…by sad experience..
We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.(D&C 121:39)
Even in the ward library.
My daughter-in-law, who is a new member of a couple years, teaches Primary. She went to the library to get a few things, and when she got the crayons, the two not-so kind, little, old sisters read her the riot-act. “You must sign out for those, this is not how we do it, maybe in your ward, but not ours.” Scold Scold. Shame, shame.
Oh, I could die.
A year ago, in another ward, I was assigned to visit-teach a sister that I had never met. Our ward had undergone a change in boundaries and two wards were now joined as one. Things were a little chaotic.
I made some cookies, and on a Sunday afternoon, drove to her house for a quick visit to meet her. Her husband invited me in, and before he could gather the two little boys out of the room, his wife began to read me the riot-act. “This is not how it is done, you must call first and set up a visit.”
I apologized and handed her the cookies, asked about her family, life, but she continued to scold me, saying she did not want cookies brought over, and a lesson should be taught. And she would soon be going back to her stockbroker job.
At that, I kindly said, “O I guess I better leave, so, so, sorry.” And I backed out the door and ran like a bat out of hades to my car, and left.
Of course, I only reported to the RS president that our schedules conflicted, and maybe she needed someone else to visit her.
That is when I moved.
So, you get the idea. How do you not be offended?
The people in the gospel net, are not the gospel. The gospel is true, the book of Mormon is true. Priesthood and prayer and ordinances such as baptism and endowments, are all needed, all valid, all real. That is why.
We’re all just a bunch of fish in the net, but it isn’t worth leaving the net. There are some wonderful people, truly kind and caring people. Our home teacher in our last ward, handed us $200 when we were having hard times. (And years earlier, I had been offended by this same guy–I could die.)
We choose not to be offended. We let it go. Some fish change, some fish have had some rough seas.
There are some good people, and there are some difficult people. And some crazy people.
And there are some down-right mean people, in the net. I always say, someone ought to cut the net there and let that fish swim away.
One time, I made an elaborate dessert for a woman who had complained to me about substituting for my Primary class on short notice. I am guilty of baking this dessert out of irritation, to try to make her feel bad for being so rude. But it worked. Is that bad?
I think I got the idea from Brigham Young. When in the Utah territory, they were having problems with the native-americans (you see, I am politically correct). The chief was named Walker. When the people asked Brigham what he was going to do about Walker he said–
I have not made war on the Indians, nor am I calculating to do it. My policy is to give them presents, and be kind to them. Instead of being Walker’s enemy, I have sent him a great pile of tobacco to smoke when he is lonely in the mountains. He is now at war with the only friends he has upon this earth, and I want him to have some tobacco to smoke.(Journal of Discourses, vol 1)
I love that story.
