Commenting on the importance of being informed about Latter-day Saint history and other related topics, David Ostler wrote:
Ministering to those with questions and doubts requires that we understand the issues that are challenging to them. In recent years, the Church has made great efforts to provide better information on its history through sources such as the Gospel Topics Essays, the Joseph Smith Papers, and its recently published history, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.
The Gospel Topics Essays were commissioned by Church leaders to address subjects relating to our history that could be difficult for some members--especially when first encountering them from sources antagonistic to the Church. According to President M. Russell Ballard, they "provide balance and reliable interpretations of the facts for controversial and unfamiliar Church-related subjects," including polygamy, the translation of the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham, race and the priesthood, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and more. Getting to know these topics is crucial for understanding our brothers and sisters who faith might be challenged by those complexities . . . We don't need to get PhDs or become experts on Church history. We can read at our own pace and decide what level of detail we need to know to be effective parents, leaders, and ministers. But one way or another, we must better understand our history and where we as Latter-day Saints come from. As members and local leaders, we need to take the initiative to learn about our complex history and be willing to discuss it in those places where we have responsibility--in our families and in our wards . . . Unfortunately, I have heard Church members and even some leaders discourage others from reading the essays, fearing that they might unnecessarily have their faith challenged by them. Shielding people from this information, however, is not a sustainable solution. As Elder Steven R. Snow, emeritus Church Historian and Recorder, has said, "My view is that being open about our history solves a whole lot more problems than it creates. We might not have all the answers, but if we are open (and we now have pretty remarkable transparency), then I think in the long run that will serve us well" . . . It's our responsibility to develop and mature our testimonies and faith. At times, the work is hard, but in the process, we will learn and develop empathy and compassion. I used to think faith was supposed to be easy--I was wrong. Faith is a lifelong pursuit and involves incorporating new life experiences into our belief without being sheltered from the complexities of history, culture, humanness, uncertainty, and all that life brings us. I have found the journey challenging but rich, and I don't wish to go back to those days when it all seemed simple. (David B. Ostler, Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question [Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019], 47-50)
Study Church History
Ministering to those with questions and doubts requires that we understand the issues that are challenging to them. In recent years, the Church has made great efforts to provide better information on its history through sources such as the Gospel Topics Essays, the Joseph Smith Papers, and its recently published history, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.
The Gospel Topics Essays were commissioned by Church leaders to address subjects relating to our history that could be difficult for some members--especially when first encountering them from sources antagonistic to the Church. According to President M. Russell Ballard, they "provide balance and reliable interpretations of the facts for controversial and unfamiliar Church-related subjects," including polygamy, the translation of the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham, race and the priesthood, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and more. Getting to know these topics is crucial for understanding our brothers and sisters who faith might be challenged by those complexities . . . We don't need to get PhDs or become experts on Church history. We can read at our own pace and decide what level of detail we need to know to be effective parents, leaders, and ministers. But one way or another, we must better understand our history and where we as Latter-day Saints come from. As members and local leaders, we need to take the initiative to learn about our complex history and be willing to discuss it in those places where we have responsibility--in our families and in our wards . . . Unfortunately, I have heard Church members and even some leaders discourage others from reading the essays, fearing that they might unnecessarily have their faith challenged by them. Shielding people from this information, however, is not a sustainable solution. As Elder Steven R. Snow, emeritus Church Historian and Recorder, has said, "My view is that being open about our history solves a whole lot more problems than it creates. We might not have all the answers, but if we are open (and we now have pretty remarkable transparency), then I think in the long run that will serve us well" . . . It's our responsibility to develop and mature our testimonies and faith. At times, the work is hard, but in the process, we will learn and develop empathy and compassion. I used to think faith was supposed to be easy--I was wrong. Faith is a lifelong pursuit and involves incorporating new life experiences into our belief without being sheltered from the complexities of history, culture, humanness, uncertainty, and all that life brings us. I have found the journey challenging but rich, and I don't wish to go back to those days when it all seemed simple. (David B. Ostler, Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question [Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019], 47-50)
