Question
Gramps,
I have a stake president that said he would not sign my temple recommend unless I said I believed and would follow the “ For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet.” I told him that was not a question for the temple recommend, and I believe he needs to stick to the temple recommend questions. I’m 40 years old and feel the pamphlet has some good stuff in there. He said it was doctrine and got mad and did not give me a recommend. What do I do? What can I do?
Jon
Answer
Jon,
Some time ago I received my own testimony of For the Strength of Youth as a guide that was not only a great guide for the youth, but also for adults. For me, I feel it’s about example and about modeling behaviors for youth. Many of our youth in the Church are great examples for us and it might behoove us to step up our own spiritual game.
It’s impossible for me to guess at what your stake president’s motivation is in asking for your buy-in to the principles taught in For the Strength of Youth. While it could be a measure of “unrighteousness dominion,” I could also see (and don’t take this as an accusation, because it’s also impossible for me to guess your own standing before the Lord and in His Church) how, as part of his stewardship, he might possibly be receiving an impression about something you are holding back from your own devotion to the Lord. This is something you will have to ponder on and ask the Lord for guidance in.
One thing comes to mind for me in all this. You say your stake president should stick to the temple recommend questions. The fourth question, as President Russell M. Nelson said in the October 2019 Sunday afternoon session of General Conference, is really three questions:
Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys?
Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?
Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?
I want to call your attention to the last part of the third question: do you sustain your local leaders? Maybe this is a test and therefore a growth opportunity for you.
Gramps
