Adult Prodigals

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Adult Prodigals

• Rebellion 101

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Opps!
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ExternalViewpoint
External Viewpoint See Gospel through
prisms View Depends on the prism
The Mormon Culture
The Church
The Family
The Savior The Gospel
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ConversionViewpoint
Divine Viewpoint See Things through
Divine Eyes
The Mormon Culture
The Church
The Family
The Savior The Gospel
The Bishop
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Elder Holland

•  For the Church at large, we have so many things
  to associate in our minds with the visionary
  ministry of President Gordon B. Hinckley,
  including (perhaps especially) the vast expansion
  of temples and temple building.
• But I dare say for those of us on this rostrum,
  it is likely that we will remember him at least
  as emphatically for his determination to retain
  in permanent activity the converts who join this
  Church. No modern prophet has addressed this
  issue more directly nor expected more from us in
  seeing that it happen.
• With a twinkle in his eye and a hand smacking the
  table in front of him, he said to the Twelve
  recently,
  Brethren, when my life is finished and
  the final services
  are concluding, I am
  going to rise up as I go by, look each
  of you in
  the eye, and say, How are we
  doing on retention?
  
• April 2004 Conference

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The Big Questions

• Why do adults leave the church in the first
  place?
• What will it take to help them back?

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1st GroupShallow Rooted

• Went through the motions
• Sorta-Testamony
• Knows the church answers
• May have unanswered questions
• Never really converted
• Always on the outside
• Leaves during adversity
• Easily offended
• Life becomes hard

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Finally Lisa
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2nd GroupThe World-ized.

• World looks more fun
• Church rules are boring
• Church rules are hard
• World-bonded
• Allure of Pop Culture
• Desire to be accepted

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One members insight

• I became aware of an
  awful truth, a truth
  that found me
  with
  such force I was
  physically weakened by it. In a moment of
  perfect clarity, I was aware that the world had
  become my godworldly knowledge, worldly pursuits
  and worldly things.
• These were the things that occupied all my
  thoughts and my time. I did not love the things
  of God. I did not love the scriptures, I did not
  love to be in Church, and I did not long to be in
  the Temple.

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3rd Group The Betrayed

• Once believed
• Believe theyve been lied to
• Family
• Ward leaders
• Church History

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Covenants and Betrayal

• Covenants/Promises
• Mix of faith, trust and love
• Promises made and kept
• As a result, trust (faith) grows
• Additional sacrifice,
• based on promises

• Betrayal
• Mix of anger, fear and pride
• Believe that promises were made, not kept
• Believe that trust was violated
• Refusal To Sacrifice (Becomes Self Focused)

Lucifers Game Plan
Those You Trusted, Betrayed You
Follow Those Who Will Betray You
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4th Group The Contrarian

• Smartest guy in the room
• Must be non-conventional
• Will not accept anything
  on faith
• when they are learned they
• Think they are wise
• They would rather be right than happy

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Revealing interchange

• One individual, critically attacking the Church,
  was asked
• What would you say if God himself came down and
  told you that the Mormon church was true?
• He responded
• Id tell God he was a liar.

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Bro Stephen Robinson

• The difficulty for many Saints seems to be
  in believing that Satan could lie skillfully
  enough to fool even them if they let go of
  the rod. ("Moi, deceived? Oh come now, be
  serious! The merely elect perhaps,
  but me? Never! You see, I'm . . . well, I'm
  special.")
• Believing themselves to be
  "special"especially intelligent or especially
  talented or especially intuitivethey insist upon
  their ability to detect the truth on their own,
  and then, of course, they are lost. For Satan
  does lie, and he's very, very good at it.
• Some Saints are particularly vulnerable to lies
  told by scholars, others are most vulnerable to
  lies told by reporters, and still others seem
  most vulnerable to lies told by friends or social
  peers.
• Following Christ The Parable of the Divers
  and More Good News ( 1995)

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What can we do?

• 1- First, fortify yourself (and your family)
  spiritually by putting on the whole armor of God

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Whole armor?
DC 3 Yet you should have been faithful and he
would have extended his arm and supported you
against all the fiery darts of the adversary
and he would have been with you in every time
of trouble.

• Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be
  able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
• For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
  but against principalities, against powers,
  against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
  against spiritual wickedness in high places.
• Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
  that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
  and having done all, to stand.
• Stand therefore, having your loins girt
  about with truth, and having on the
  breastplate of righteousness
• And your feet shod with the preparation of the
  gospel of peace
• Above all, taking the shield of faith,
  wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the
  fiery darts of the wicked.
• And take the helmet of salvation, and the
  sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Caution Be clear about what you know And what
you dont know Your family member may be
more intelligent than you are.
Also, Do not argue, BUT Do not apoligize for truth
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Important Questions

• When you are praying for them, what are you
  praying about?
• Ask yourself
• Does the Lord love the rebellious?
• Does He want them back?
• Does He know what they need in order to return?
• Does He know what experiences will soften their
  heart?
• Does He know the future?
• If all these are true
• How much of your prayers are spent in telling God
  what needs to happen (which He already knows)
• And now much is spent finding out what He wants
  YOU to do?

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LDS 12 Step group for wives of pornography addicts

• Powerless, as defined in Step 1 means that
  despite our very best efforts, there is nothing
  we can personally do to directly cause our loved
  one to cease their addiction (rebellion).
• We come to understand that their choices do not
  indicate we have failed as loved ones.
• (PASG Draft Copy)

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President Lorenzo Snow

• God has fulfilled His promises to us, and our
  prospects are grand and glorious. . . . In
  the next life we will have our wives, and our
  sons and daughters. If we do not get them all
  at once, we will have them at some time, for
  every knee shall bow and every tongue shall
  confess that Jesus is the Christ.
• You that are mourning about your children
  straying away will have your sons and your
  daughters. If you succeed in passing through
  these trials and afflictions and receive a
  resurrection, you will, by the power of the
  Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God
  has, until you get all your sons and daughters in
  the path of exaltation and glory.
• This is just as sure as that the sun rose this
  morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn
  not because all your sons and daughters do not
  follow in the path that you have marked out to
  them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as
  we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand
  as saviors, and as kings and priests to our God,
  we will save our posterity. 
• (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, 195.

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Elder Bednar