Questions I Can't Answer

I have known different people throughout my life who have become disenchanted with their church or religion in general due to questions that the preacher couldn't answer. Included in this are many of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who leave because the missionaries, the home teachers, or the bishop couldn't answer their questions to their satisfaction. This has motivated me to write about what I do with questions whose answers I'm not yet familiar with.

The first thing I'd say is to re-iterate that I have questions. Sometimes people feel guilty that they have questions, like maybe its because of a lack of faith, or because they weren't born in the church, or didn't put enough energy into seminary, or because of some other personal shortcoming. This is simply not the case. While there may exist some person or persons that have so much knowledge in the Gospel that there is no question she or he cannot answer my belief is that this constitutes a tiny minority if anyone. There's nothing wrong with questions.

I've been thinking about writing this post for a few weeks and I recently re-read an interview a friend of mine gave. I'm going to quote two things she said about questions:

I think a lot of people have questions but they don’t ask them. If we don’t ask the questions, we can’t have the conversation, and it’s the dialogue that enlarges us all, that enables us to get understanding. We’re told in Proverbs [4:7], “Above all, get understanding,” but sometimes we just swallow stuff.

I agree 100% with this attitude. Ask your questions and seek understanding. Don't just ask them to people you know or church leaders but ask to God and reflect on them when you study your scriptures. Some answers come faster than others but eventually the answers will come. I think that in often times the experience we gain seeking the answers becomes more valuable than the answers themselves. We have a lot to potentially gain by asking questions and little to gain by swallowing stuff.

I had questions then and I have questions now, but the things I do understand bring such peace and enlightenment.

Here my friend is discussing when she decided to join the Mormon Church; when I read it I thought: "my sentiments exactly." There are absolutely things that I don't understand, but I don't feel the need to leave the church or lose faith over the matter. I wouldn't have the same peace in my life without the Gospel and the things I do understand. I would not have as much hope for my future and others' futures without it. It makes me a stronger, better me.

I know that I'm a better man because of what I've been taught in this Church. I have seen many instances where living the Gospel - attempting to live the Gospel is more accurate - has protected and blessed me. I believe that continuing to attempt to live the Gospel will guide me to the answers to the questions I have now and the questions I'll have in the future.