What I Did When My Friend Starting Believing That The Church Was Wrong

The following short story was shared by Hanna Seariac on Twitter. You can follow her here.

A few months ago, one of my best friends posted an interview of a well known excommunicated member of the church and some positive comments about it, including some reasons that she believed that the Church was wrong and needed to change. I thought in my mind, “she’s lost.”

The Spirit just about slapped me. I had the firm, and honestly harsh rebuke come to me, “Hanna, go do something,” I reached out to her and asked to talk about what she had posted.

The Rise of the Church of Christ in These Last Days by Robert T. Barrett. Image via Church of Jesus Christ.

We talked a handful of times and after doing some listening, I was clear. I didn’t hold back and I can get really passionate when I don’t hold back. We have had some uncomfortable moments. I told her some things that she did not know and provided evidence for my claims.

She began to see Joseph Smith as a truthful prophet again and a good man. Fast forward to this past month, she wrote a beautiful testimony about how God found her again and how she had come out with a stronger testimony of the Church.

It was a reminder for me of a few things:

Don’t stop reading my scriptures and praying
Don’t let my friends slip through the cracks without putting in as much effort as I can
Truth is not always comfortable.

I have failed to do this with other friends. But I hope I won’t fail again. I hope that I have more courage in my convictions.

The Church is true – I believe that. I believe the Church is what it claims to be and I believe the claims of the Church. If it’s what it claims to be, it’s earth-shattering, world-changing, and beyond life-altering. I believe it is what it claims to be.

No matter how uncomfortable it is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ at times, it has to be done. That does not mean we do not mourn or grieve or listen – we can and we should. But we can’t claim to do the work of God without following all of His commandments, which includes leading His children to Jesus Christ.

You can read more about Hanna Seariac and her conversion story here.