Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

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drumdude
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Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by drumdude »

https://www.reddit.com/r/latterdaysaint ... h_leaders/
I, and I think many fellow young members of the church, feel like I'm in a constant wrestle with the church. I love the gospel. I love Christ and his teachings, I believe we're all children of God, I've seen miracles and felt things I cannot deny. But there are people who have been truly hurt by the church and its leaders on a church-wide and local level. Growing up it was easy to ignore it, in fact I was taught to ignore it. But I really can't anymore. I feel so heavily the pain that has been caused. I know that the members are imperfect, and I'm working on forgiveness. But a lot of what the church does as an institution feels like it goes against the very things it taught me to value. Taking accountability, improving on our weaknesses, justice against wrongdoings and advocating for victims and the marginalized. It's really disheartening. Please don't come at me in the comments, I just want to express how I'm feeling. I feel like there's no avenue for me to voice these concerns. I can and do talk to my Bishop, he's amazing. I can talk to my Stake President, which I have, and which was not nearly as validating. But it stops there. I don't think my Stake President is passing that on to anyone else, unless I'm wrong about how that works. I just want to be heard. I wish that there was a way to express concern in a sincere, non-threatening way to our higher up leaders. Does anyone know of any way to do this without being labeled as antagonistic to the church? TIA

There are some interesting responses from other faithful Mormons:
Agree 100%, this is one of the things I wrestle with as well. We are taught to be honest, to apologize when we hurt others, to seek forgiveness, to be transparent in our dealings with others and when we say things that turn out to be wrong, or hurtful, we go to those that are hurt and try to make it right. But when the leaders of the church have done these things, or when the institution of the church has. It’s crickets. I hear you my friend. I have had good bishops who have heard me too, but never had anyone in a stake presidency validate any of these concerns as well. I hear you buddy, hope you can figure things out.
For what it's worth, all of the general authorities I've ever known have been intimately familiar with all of the difficult issues. Also, the best avenue is through the Lord. Talk to Him about your concerns and difficulties and He'll do what He must to bring about His will.
Elder Holland said that they have prayed to tears over the issue. It's not falling on deaf ears, they just don't have more light and knowledge to provide right now.

There are so many similarities to Putin’s war on Ukraine and Rusty Nelson’s war on LGBT. Both Putin and the church are losing, and they can’t understand why. They are so butthurt by any helpful criticism that they just entrench themselves further and further into self destructive policies and propaganda.

This kid asking how he can reach Mormon leaders to talk sense into them is just as ridiculous as a young Russian asking how he can get Putin to end the war. The answer is the same in both cases. Putin and the Mormon gerontocracy have to die before progress can be made.
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Moksha
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by Moksha »

There is a danger that if he tried to contact Church leaders, the inquiry would be referred back to his Stake President for punishment. The charge would be for the impudence of contacting Church leaders.
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msnobody
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by msnobody »

Could write to them anonymously.

50 E. North Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” Jude 1:24
“the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 ESV
drumdude
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by drumdude »

msnobody wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:47 pm
Could write to them anonymously.

50 E. North Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
It’s well documented that nothing gets through to the leadership. Not because they’re too busy, not because they get too many requests, but because they want lower level leaders to handle the riff-raff.

The few examples of responses that we have from the letters that make it through are full of rebukes and shaming the member for bypassing their local leaders.
Dr Exiled
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by Dr Exiled »

Start a podcast that questions Church authority, get a following, and voila.
Myth is misused by the powerful to subjugate the masses all too often.
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Everybody Wang Chung
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by Everybody Wang Chung »

The COB regularly monitors this board.
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by dastardly stem »

Elder Holland said that they have prayed to tears over the issue. It's not falling on deaf ears, they just don't have more light and knowledge to provide right now.
Wasn't that in the same speech from Holland where he advised to pull out the muskets on these bastards?

I don't know, maybe it's the mixed messaging they're sending to the members that is causing the problems?
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msnobody
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by msnobody »

drumdude wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:40 pm
msnobody wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:47 pm
Could write to them anonymously.

50 E. North Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
It’s well documented that nothing gets through to the leadership. Not because they’re too busy, not because they get too many requests, but because they want lower level leaders to handle the riff-raff.

The few examples of responses that we have from the letters that make it through are full of rebukes and shaming the member for bypassing their local leaders.
I too was told that my letters would not get through. Maybe it is different for non-members. I got two responses when I wrote to them. One was from one of the GA’s secretary, and the other one was a very nice handwritten note from one of the Qo12 that echoed the wording of what I had written.
"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” Jude 1:24
“the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 ESV
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Rivendale
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by Rivendale »

Everybody Wang Chung wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:05 pm
The COB regularly monitors this board.
And the exemormon reddit.
drumdude
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Re: Faithful Mormon asks how he can be heard by church leaders

Post by drumdude »

msnobody wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 8:35 pm
drumdude wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:40 pm


It’s well documented that nothing gets through to the leadership. Not because they’re too busy, not because they get too many requests, but because they want lower level leaders to handle the riff-raff.

The few examples of responses that we have from the letters that make it through are full of rebukes and shaming the member for bypassing their local leaders.
I too was told that my letters would not get through. Maybe it is different for non-members. I got two responses when I wrote to them. One was from one of the GA’s secretary, and the other one was a very nice handwritten note from one of the Qo12 that echoed the wording of what I had written.
When abouts did you receive the letter, and would you be able to share any more details of it?

They do apparently like to receive praise and adoration, I'm sure that makes it through the initial screenings much more often than questions and criticism.
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