General and Local Leader's Inspiration

[Happy_LDS]

I have a brother-in-law who served as a Bishop and is now serving as a Stake President.  When he was serving as a Bishop, I remember him telling me that he felt a great endowment of the Spirit that he had never felt before he was ordained as a Bishop.  Now that he is serving as a Stake President, he has told me that he has felt an even greater endowment of the Spirit than he ever felt when he was serving as Bishop, and he speculates that the endowment of the Spirit that is given to the General Authorities must be even greater than the endowment of the Spirit that he has felt since being set apart as Stake President.  It seems logical.  Yes, they are fallible, mortal human beings and liable to err, but perhaps a little less liable to err than the rest of us.  The last General Authority to fall was George P. Lee.

That's an interesting experience. Of course, he shared probably his unique perspective of things but I don't find it "logical". I think often times, we forget that General Authorities are also humans (they are worshiped in a way by some members). They have the good, the bad and the ugly like anyone else IMO. Just because they are called to a certain position doesn't make them semi-infallible.

[tragula]

That's an interesting experience. Of course, he shared probably his unique perspective of things but I don't find it "logical". I think often times, we forget that General Authorities are also humans (they are worshiped in a way by some members). They have the good, the bad and the ugly like anyone else IMO. Just because they are called to a certain position doesn't make them semi-infallible.

You don't find it "logical" that a Stake President might enjoy a greater endowment of the Spirit than a Bishop, who might enjoy a greater endowment of the Spirit than a regular member, or that a General Authority might enjoy a greater endowment of the Spirit than a Stake President?  What is not "logical" about it?  It seems perfectly logical to me that the Lord might bless those who are given greater responsibility with a greater endowment of the Spirit.  Why wouldn't He?  Does it not occur to you that those who are in positions of greater authority might need a greater endowment of the Spirit?

I am not forgetting that General Authorities are human, and I most certainly do not worship them.  They do have the good, the bad, and the ugly, as you say, but not like everyone else.  I think that generally speaking they are probably a little better than the general membership of the Church but everyone else in the Church.  That is a general statement to which there may be and probably are exceptions.  There are many members of the Church that I consider to be just as good as any general authority.

I don't know what "semi-infallible" is.  It seems a little bit like being semi-pregnant--either you are or you aren't.

[Happy_LDS]

I am not forgetting that General Authorities are human, and I most certainly do not worship them.  They do have the good, the bad, and the ugly, as you say, but not like everyone else.  I think that generally speaking they are probably a little better than the general membership of the Church but everyone else in the Church.  That is a general statement to which there may be and probably are exceptions.  There are many members of the Church that I consider to be just as good as any general authority.

Hmmmmmm better in what way?

[tragula]

Hmmmmmm better in what way?

Better than the general membership of the Church in personal righteousness.  Don't forget that the general membership of the Church includes many inactive and unrighteous people who are worthy to hold temple recommends.  That drags the average down.

[Happy_LDS]

Better than the general membership of the Church in personal righteousness.  Don't forget that the general membership of the Church includes many inactive and unrighteous people who are worthy to hold temple recommends.  That drags the average down.

I found these quotes that you may find interesting by Boyd K Packer:

For a long time, something else puzzled me. Forty-six years ago I was a 37-year-old seminary supervisor. My Church calling was as an assistant teacher in a class in the Lindon Ward.

To my great surprise, I was called to meet with President David O. McKay. He took both of my hands in his and called me to be one of the General Authorities, an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

A few days later, I came to Salt Lake City to meet with the First Presidency to be set apart as one of the General Authorities of the Church. This was the first time I had met with the First Presidency—President David O. McKay and his counselors, President Hugh B. Brown and President Henry D. Moyle.

President McKay explained that one of the responsibilities of an Assistant to the Twelve was to stand with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as a special witness and to bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ. What he said next overwhelmed me: “Before we proceed to set you apart, I ask you to bear your testimony to us. We want to know if you have that witness.”

I did the best I could. I bore my testimony the same as I might have in a fast and testimony meeting in my ward. To my surprise, the Brethren of the Presidency seemed pleased and proceeded to confer the office upon me.

That puzzled me greatly, for I had supposed that someone called to such an office would have an unusual, different, and greatly enlarged testimony and spiritual power.

It puzzled me for a long time until finally I could see that I already had what was required: an abiding testimony in my heart of the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, that we have a Heavenly Father, and that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. I may not have known all about it, but I did have a testimony, and I was willing to learn.

There is the natural tendency to look at those who are sustained to presiding positions, to consider them to be higher and of more value in the Church or to their families than an ordinary member. Somehow we feel they are worth more to the Lord than are we. It just does not work that way!

As General Authorities of the Church, we are just the same as you are, and you are just the same as we are. You have the same access to the powers of revelation for your families and for your work and for your callings as we do.[/b]

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-775-2,00.html

I think the talk speak for themselves...

[tragula]

I found these quotes that you may find interesting by Boyd K Packer:


http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-775-2,00.html

I think the talk speak for themselves...

I'll tell you what speaks for itself:  are any inactive members ever called to be General Authorities of the Church?  No?  But the general membership of the Church includes inactive and unrighteous members, so why are they never called to be members of the Church?  Because those that are called to be General Authorities of the Church are obviously the cream of the crop.  As I said before, the inactive and unrighteous members of the Church who are unworthy to hold temple recommends drag down the average righteousness of the general membership of the Church.  As I say, the fact that no inactive members, unrighteous, or non-recommend holders are ever called to be General Authorities of the Church speaks for itself.  Elder Packer's words do not address that issue.  He only says that we all have access to the Holy Ghost, which is true.  But many members of the Church do not take advantage of that opportunity, which, as I say, drags down the average righteousness of the general membership of the Church.  On the other hand, those who are called to be General Authorities are those who do have access to the Holy Ghost.  That's why, generally speaking, they are on a higher level, spiritually, than the general membership of the Church.  That's just pure logic.