Even while hoping this note finds many of you anticipating a restorative and rejuvenating weekend, I know the reality. So many of us – including in our own faith community – are angry. And weary. And fearful. And suspicious.
I felt a prompting this last weekend to interview several neighbors who, like me, have harbored some serious questions about prevailing pandemic policies, and sincere wonderings at why the Church has been so willing to adopt and encourage them. Each of them went through an experience lately of feeling softened by their own communion with God over the matter. I was so touched by the conversations that I decided to write it up in a piece that ran Thursday in Public Square and Meridian Magazines: COVID-19 Vaccination as an Abrahamic Test.
As one woman, Jocelyn, said about her experience: “I felt layers upon layers of hardness on my heart peel off. I could just feel it come off my heart. I didn’t even know that hardness had been there.”
I’ve felt the same just in witnessing their experiences. I can’t deny that peace these brothers and sisters have felt from God in doing something that felt terrifying. They speak of arriving at the vaccination clinic, for instance, fully conscious of the possibility that their life could be harmed – but wanting more than any other consideration to trust the peace they had felt from God.
Who cannot be touched by such faith?
At the end of the essay, I brought attention to the experience of others who have exercised their own faith and felt different guidance in their own individual situation. Then I asked: “Do you have faith to take the vaccine, even if your bias is against it, if the Spirit gives you peace to proceed? And do you have faith to not take the vaccine if you feel so guided by the same Spirit, even if you are going to get some push-back from those around you?”
These have been good questions for me to ask. And I’m grateful for the greater peace that has come as I’ve allowed my heart to soften and trust a little more.
Perhaps this whole struggle can even soften us on other issues that we’re clenching our hearts against each other about. For instance, Mandi, a staunch conservative said, “This whole experience has given me a lot of compassion for people who have struggled with LGBT+ stuff.”
As I said at the end of the essay, I repeat here:
As a final note, if you find yourself fixated on this issue and grappling in your heart with frustration towards brothers and sisters, or even the prophets themselves, please take a moment to remember the full range of things Latter-day prophets have been sharing with the world (here’s one summary we put together, Prophets on Pandemic). It’s a beautiful message—and I’m confident, the most hopeful message anywhere in the world. Don’t let that gloominess or hardness ruin this upcoming conference weekend! Heaven (literally) knows we all need some uplift and rejuvenation! So, please don’t let yourself go into the weekend looking for more reasons to be frustrated. God wants more for you, and all of us.
Happy conference, everyone. If God has something to place on your heart and mind this weekend – including peace, comfort, love or knowledge – my prayer is that NOTHING will stand in the way of that happening.
Hurrah for Israel!