When the scriptures, brethren, and church handbook of instructions say one thing, and a local priesthood leader asks you to do another, what should you do?

Pray, listen, and then act. I’m assuming you did this –and then just keep repeating the pattern.

That’s actually pretty good advice. I should follow it more often…~sigh~

I struggle with this daily.

Perhaps you could give some advice that could help me out.

When the scriptures, brethren, and church handbook of instructions say one thing, and a local priesthood leader asks you to do another, what should you do?

I can understand what you are saying. But my biggest concern regards deatails: Sometimes, we are instructed to do things that go against our better judgement. And sometimes, our better judgement is in the wrong.

For example: We moved to another state just recently, and because of my husband’s job and other circumstances, we arrived on a Monday night. We were concerned that because it was a Monday, nobody would be willing to help us move our stuff into our house and we’d have to do it ourselves. Considering that our youngest child (of our four) was only 3 weeks old at the time, it was a very large concern (how was my husband and non-lifting FIL supposed to do it alone?). But our Bishop and EQ Pres. assured us that we would have help. Eight men (about) left their families and came to help us. I have a feeling that the Lord was happier to see those men serve a family in an immediate need, rather than refuse in the name of FHE.

There can be exceptions to rules. Not always, not often, but sometimes there are exceptions.

And perhaps, by not doing your calling as asked, you are being the exception. A good one. But I’ll just have to take your word on that one, because, obviously, I don’t know the details. :)

Good luck! And let us know what happens…

What if it was something as simple as the stake presidency asking wards to clean the building on Monday nights? What if their direction was to have families come to the church and clean the building for their family home evening activity?

What if there was high school basketball tournament game on a Saturday night, the same Saturday night of the general conference priesthood broadcast, and many of the young men in the stake were going to be involved. What if the direction over the pulpit was that the stake should support the young men and attend the tournament instead of the priesthood meeting?

What about an elder’s quorum president who is trying to hold regular PPI’s. In his efforts, he is making appointments with members of the teachers, priests, and high priests quorums, and holding them accountable. He is doing this under the direction of the stake president.

None of these is my current situation; however I have been involved in all of them.

The metaphor of the ship being a fraction of a degree off course comes to mind. It’s not a matter of the ship being 0.000001 degree off course or 45 degrees off course. The fact is that it is off course and will not reach its destination.

Continuing with the ship metaphor, if the poor ship hand who stokes the boiler refuses to do so until the ship is back on course, I can see one of two things happening. 1) The captain may re-evaluate the course and correct things 2) the sailor gets thrown overboard.

So, I ask myself, are my loyalties to the captain or to the owner of the ship? The owner of the ship wants me to help get the ship to its destination. That should be the captain’s goal as well. But, if it isn’t, then I’m being asked to serve two masters.

I agree that there is the issue of whether or not the ship hand has the authority to question the captain’s actions. But in a priesthood context, I believe that he does.

Can someone throw me a life preserver?