Opposition

Today and yesterday on Facebook I saw that there has been opposition to Elder Packer's talk from General Conference last year from the "world". Then tonight there was a preview of one of the stories on the news and saw that it was about our Church's response regarding homosexuality. And with all the debate over the last little while about this subject it's become quite a topic... I found myself thinking that we are alone in feeling "persecuted" for believing in what we believe.

But then during my scripture reading I came across that helped me to realize that we are not alone - and that many before us have felt the same way. It's found in the book of Helaman and starts in Chapter 7. This is when Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to Zarahemla and prayed in a garden tower regarding the iniquity of the Nephites. He was surprised to find a group had gathered around to watch him pray. He boldly testified to them of their wickedness and of their great need to repent. The corrupt judges were angry at Nephi's boldness and tried to incite the crowd against Nephi (see chapter 8). Verse 5: "Therefore they [the corrupt judges] did cry unto the people, saying "Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them." Verse 7 and 8: "And it came to pass that thus they did stif up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent; Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth our iniquities."

So there were some who did believe in what Nephi said and stood up for what he taught.

Then remember that Nephi prophesied to them of who killed the chief judge even before they knew he was dead - and the events that happened with that. See chapter 9 for all details.

But the point is...Nephi's teachings weren't popular in the world. He was teaching what the Lord told him to teach - he was a servant of the Lord.

Much like Elder Packer is a servant of the Lord and received direction from the Lord to speak on this precious subject of the definition of marriage and the situation in today's world.

Take the time to look at the link to read Elder Packer's full address:

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-23,00.html