Come Unto Christ

I had another post all written in my head. It was about finances and what I wish I'd known when we first got married. It was solid, I think, and it will probably still be written. Just not today.

There's something else on my mind today.

I hesitate to write anything at all about Ordain Women, because I kind of feel like it's getting too much attention in the press/blogosphere already and I'd rather focus on other things. Back when I wrote my piece on Wear Pants to Church Day, I remember feeling like I'd drained so much mental, emotional and spiritual energy thinking about it that I had hardly anything left to give. But maybe there's still more to say.

Yesterday the Church released a letter that a spokeswoman wrote to the group asking them to reconsider their protest. I read the letter and found it articulate, loving, inclusive and sincere. What she wrote rang true to me and I appreciated the fact that the Church was taking the group and their concerns seriously. That felt loving to me. It seemed Christ-like.

What really bothered me, though, wasn't the news articles about the letter. It was the comments I read after them. Some comments were loving and articulate. Some were not. Some were probably hurtful. Particularly this: "If you don't like the way the Church runs, you can leave."

I'm not a member of Ordain Women and never will be. But consider this my plea: Please never ever ever invite someone to leave the Church, whether their doubts have to do with the priesthood or Church history or the Word of Wisdom or whatever.

When I read that comment, I think, "No, don't! Don't leave! Please stay. We need you. We need your family. We need your understanding and your testimony and your faith, no matter what your doubts are. I hope you reconcile your feelings and decide you want to stay with us."

The purpose of a missionary is to "invite others to come unto Christ." Let's not do the opposite.

There's more I could say, but I hear a sweet 2-year-old playing in her room and we both need breakfast. So I'll end with this: Can't we all just be nice?