A Trial in My Hometown

In the community where I currently reside an LDS man is on trial for horrific crimes against his family. If the charges are true, they are of the worst kind - the kind that even hardened criminals find repulsive. Given his status as a member of the Church, how does this reflect on us?

As Latter-day Saints we like to tell others to judge us by our fruits. What are the fruits of the gospel as we teach it? Generally those fruits are quite good, but in this instance, the fruit appears to be rotten to the core.

Out of a sense of loyalty to the Church many members like to only reflect on the positive fruits of Church membership. If we are honest, and consistent, we must look at ALL OF THE FRUITS of our church. Honesty is not a lack of loyalty. It is the only position consistent with integrity.

Warning signs existed with this family and bishops were notified many years ago that something was very wrong in this home. Nevertheless the father (the accused) still held a responsible position in the Church (ward clerk) and as far as I know, he was never disciplined by a church council. Did we fail this family? Did the hometeachers fail this wife and children? How about the visiting teachers, Relief Society Presidencies, Elders Quorum Presidencies? Did they all fail?

I don't know who failed, but certainly this man failed to live the gospel as taught. Had he obeyed the counsel we are given and kept the commandments he would never had committed the crimes he is charged with. But it isn't enough to say it is all his fault, he didn't obey the commandments. ALL OF US ARE IMPERFECT to some degree. For some of us it is more obvious because maybe we smoke, or drink, or don't go to church on Sunday. But we all fall short in following the counsel we are given, as did this man. And to some degree yet unknown, we the Latter-day Saints in this area, failed this family. Our influence in homes is only as much as we are allowed. Apparently we weren't allowed to do very much of good or this would never have happened.

Generally the fruits of the gospel as taught by this Church are wonderful. But occasionally they are rotten. The same tree that brought us Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson also brought us this man who is now on trial. It is tempting to dismiss this case as an anomaly; and it is an anomaly, but we also need to acknowledge that we probably failed this family to some degree and to that degree we as a people need to repent.