288. Choosing to STAY with Richard Haynes

Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, said: “Some seem to believe that faith and questions are antithetical. Such could not be further from the truth. The Restoration itself was unfolded by the proper and necessary melding of both. The Prophet Joseph Smith had both faith and questions. Indeed, the passage of scripture that led Joseph to the Sacred Grove experience includes both a question and the promise of an answer based on the asker’s faith.”

As President Russell M. Nelson has reminded us: “Take your questions to the Lord and to other faithful sources. Study with the desire to believe rather than with the hope that you can find a flaw in the fabric of a prophet’s life or a discrepancy in the scriptures. Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery.”
Today, I interview Richard Haynes. He shares his journey of having questions about church history and exercising his faith to choose to stay. Richard grew up in Raymond, Alberta Canada. A small community in southern Canada. He came from a family of hard-working parents. His father was skilled at many things and his mother stayed home and raise the children. Richard always had a firm testimony and loved the gospel. He chose to be obedient and desired truth as he grew. When he was 19 years old, he served a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Las Vegas Nevada. Right before he returned home from his mission he had an experience of feeling that his testimony was unshakable. Then one day, a few months before heading home, while out with his companion, they were invited in a home. They sat down and visited with a man that was very charismatic, well spoken and had a way with his words. This man said things to the missionaries that caused the spirit to be driven away. Richard said a quiet prayer to himself and chose to bear his testimony of Jesus Christ. Immediately the spirit returned, and the elders dismissed themselves from the conversation. Years passed and a close friend shared his feelings about questioning if the church was true with Richard. Things were changing for his good friend. Richard decided to understand, read and learn more of his friends experiences. Join me today as Richard shares his journey of becoming whole and choosing to stay in the gospel and be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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