BYU Professor Encourages Latter-day Saints to Make Room for Those Who Struggle

[Third Hour]

Eric D. Huntsman, a BYU professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, gave a devotional in August 2018 entitled "Hard Sayings and Safe Spaces: Making Room for Struggle as Well as Faith." This address noted the importance of being respectful and loving towards all of God's children—no matter their circumstances. We live in a time where challenges are inevitable. Professor Huntsman explained that Christ had many disciples who exclaimed: "This is an hard saying," and because they believed those things Christ taught were too difficult to understand, there were many who "walked no more with him" (John 6:60, 66). These "hard sayings" can include anything from church policies on gender disparities and race to purely spiritual disconnects—the pain of losing a loved one or enduring poor physical, mental, and emotional health. "These are challenges that do not go away easily. Rather, often they are struggles that we must deal with throughout our lives. While ideally we would all, with Peter, simply respond with seemingly immediate faith, the reality is as Moroni...

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