Shedding the Shame: Finding Grace in the Trenches of the Work

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve ever felt the weight of a mistake—a stumble in your temple covenants, a slip in your personal life, or even just a moment of impatience with a family member—you know that heavy, sinking feeling. The feeling that this particular sin is somehow 'worse' than the last one, or that it creates an unbridgeable gap between you and the Savior.

It’s a subtle trap, isn't it? We start mentally ranking our shortcomings, believing that if we just confess the 'big' sin, the 'small' ones will magically disappear, or vice versa. But the truth, as the Spirit whispers to those of us who have been through the crucible of missionary life, is that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is not a tiered system of forgiveness.

We are called to be disciples in every corner of the earth, whether we are in the MTC, sitting through missionary discussions, or right here in our homes. And as we learn to be better disciples, we inevitably fall. The key isn't the fall; it's the willingness to keep showing up and accepting the grace that is always waiting.

The Great Equalizer: Christ’s View of Our Stumbles

Listening to recent teachings, I was struck by the emphasis placed on dismantling the culture of shame. We have, as a society, developed ways of making certain struggles feel so monstrously huge that we feel too stained to even approach the Savior. We whisper about some things and shout about others, implying a hierarchy of sin.

But what does the gospel teach us about that hierarchy? Nothing. The Atonement covers it all. Whether the gap is caused by a quick temper, a struggle with pornography, or a failure to pay tithing—the eternal gulf that separates us from God is covered by the same infinite love. Christ doesn't count the transgressions; He simply extends His hand.

“You fell, but keep going. Keep fighting that. You're going to make progress.”

This is the trajectory we need to focus on. We aren't aiming for perfection; we are aiming for consistent forward motion, sustained by the Savior's grace. When we attach shame to our struggles, we are actually doing the work of Satan—we are teaching ourselves to hide, which, ironically, is what makes the addiction or the habit so powerful.

Transparency Over Stigma

If we want to build a culture of discipleship that truly reflects the Savior's love, we must replace stigma with transparency. We need to talk openly about recovery, about relapse, and about the fact that being a disciple is a process, not a destination.

This principle applies everywhere: in our Book Club discussions in HolyPlaces, when we are studying scripture together, or when we are preparing to serve in the field. If we treat every struggle—no matter how private or embarrassing—as something that can be brought into the light, we allow the healing to enter. We allow the Spirit to do the work.

Remember, every member can be an internet missionary, every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time. And that means bringing our messy, imperfect, striving selves to the Lord, knowing He is right there in the trenches with us.

If this message resonates with you, I encourage you to dive deeper. If you want to explore these concepts of connection, covenant, and grace with others, check out the Book Clubs or Bible Study Groups available in HolyPlaces. Or, if you’re feeling the pull toward deeper study, I highly recommend diving into the Iron Rod authors available in LivingBook. It’s a constant journey of refinement!

For those who are preparing to serve, let's keep practicing that openness. If you're ready to tackle those hard questions head-on, jump into a session with Davee's AI Investigator. He’s ready to walk you through what an investigator might ask!