If people's faith is built on expectations of peers, prophets, pioneers or the Book of Mormon then for some people the full history of the church will be too much to dismiss. It was for me.
Many people get the perception at church that a testimony should be built on the Book of Mormon or the prophet Joseph. But that's risky, and where I went wrong as that's what mine was built on for most of my life. I've realised that I misunderstood the purpose of the different bricks in the building of faith.
It's not a good idea to build on a keystone, especially if the foundation is sand.
Christ is the cornerstone, the Book of Mormon is said to be the keystone. Only one is good for using as a foundation.
In 2011 I had a year of starting to establish a foundation on Christ. In 2012 my keystone of the Book of Mormon and the origins of the book and the church crumbled as I fully investigated their origins. The 'earthquake' of pain and uncertainty shook my building of faith and it came crumbling down.
I am grateful that what was left in the rubble was a still strong cornerstone. As I work to rebuild my faith, with some old bricks and some new ones there will be elements that I recognise. It might even be in the same LDS neighbourhood and community. But I fully expect a new building with new features and different windows to let in the light. It will be less rigid. More able to adapt to new circumstances.
The "earthquake" has got rid of the old one and I don't want it back any more. I celebrate the God-given opportunity to build a new one.
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