By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog

16 Responses to “Dialogue Sneak Peek: Stephen Carter”

1. Ronan Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 10:17 am

   Such honesty. Nice essay.
2. Steve Evans Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 10:19 am

   Ronan, that was my impression as well – very plainspoken, yet profound. I think it will be fun to grill him about this when he blogs.
3. Ronan Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 10:29 am

   I liked the bit at the end about wanting to put his hands on his children’s heads when they are sleeping. I do that too!
4. kris Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 10:33 am

   I loved that part too, Ronan.
5. Ann Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 11:08 am

   That was beautiful.
6. RoastedTomatoes Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 11:34 am

   Really a wonderful essay. This is one of the first people I’ve ever heard talk about how it feels when everyone you taught in your mission leaves the church. For most of us, that’s an inevitable part of the mission experience–but we never talk about it. And the family relationship descriptions are perfect.
7. Kayla Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 1:30 pm

   Very well written story. I couldn’t help but feel a little envy, though. As a woman, I will never have direct priesthood related experiences (at least, none that I can write about and not be called a heretic). Even the weight, the resposibility that Stephen feels is envious.
8. Steve Evans Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 1:38 pm

   Kayla, is that really so? Admittedly, there’s aren’t many ordinances you can perform, but the weight Stephen describes shouldn’t be totally foreign, I don’t think… or am I totally wrong?
9. Kayla Says:
   August 25, 2005 at 1:51 pm

   Steve,

   yeah… the envy (maybe the wrong word–longing, regret?) was real. I read the essay, and was very much touched by Stephens honest, straightforward prose and by the topic itself. But I also noticed that I found myself thinking, “I will never know what that feels like, but I want to.” (Mind you, I don’t always want to experience what everyone else does, but in this case, it made me reflect on the limitations I have with respect to the priesthood because of my gender).

   As for the weight not being totally foreign: Certainly not. Knowledge, understanding, belief in God is weighty. Every day I reflect on things I could have done better because internally I _know_ better. But the weight as it relates to direct priesthood responsibility, I have not felt. (upholding the priesthood is similar, I concede)
10. Ben S. Says:
    August 25, 2005 at 2:49 pm

    Anyone have a source for this?

    “I found out later that Joseph Smith had some of his apostles do a healing blessing over and over again until they finally got the Spirit.”

    I enjoyed reading this as well.
11. a random John Says:
    August 25, 2005 at 2:49 pm

    That was a touching article. I remeber feeling the weight of hands on my head as a child, this was physical, but no more real than the weight I felt coming off me the moment the stake president released me from my mission or the sudden weight I felt when I was made EQP.
12. LRC Says:
    August 25, 2005 at 5:32 pm

    Stephen writes: “I can’t imagine holding the sick or dying body of one of my children or my wife and not being able to bless them.”

    If he were an average Mormon woman, this would be the reality he would live with: That he would, indeed, have to sit by holding his sick or dying child or spouse and feel unable to bless them.

    True, some Mormon women are comfortable giving blessings to their children or spouses, but the vast majority of modern mormon women are reluctant to call upon the Powers of Heaven themselves in any way that involves the laying on of hands, lest they be seen as heretical or even apostate. It is a wonder that more Mormon women don’t feel like Kayla.
13. Christina Says:
    August 25, 2005 at 6:17 pm

    This essay is excellent. I share Kayla’s longing to know the feeling of administering the priesthood. I have ambivalent feelings about the priesthood. On the one hand, I am very resentful of the administrative power (and sometime abuse of that power) of men in the church; on the other hand I am immensely grateful for the priesthood. It has worked miracles in my life. I often ask my husband after he has given me a blessing what it felt like, how he knew what to say, whether he really believes what he is saying is coming from God. No doubt that adds to the weight he feels in bearing the priesthood!
14. a random John Says:
    August 25, 2005 at 11:48 pm

    Ben S.

    I know that Truman Madsen mentions the multiple blessings incident in his Joseph Smith: The Prophet lectures. I don’t know what the original source was.
15. J. Stapley Says:
    August 26, 2005 at 5:27 pm

    I finally had a moment to read the full article and found it quite moving. There were many images that I identified with, but the most poignant (for me) was the issue of Faith. My magnitude of Faith has vascillated more than other aspects of my spiritual life. I can look back to certain points and see that I had Faith in Jesus for tangible outcomes. More times than not, however, I lack the faith, doubting my relationships.

    I look forward to Stephen’s comments.
16. A Nonny Mouse Says:
    August 29, 2005 at 3:55 pm

    Ben S.,
    I believe that incident is also cited in Andrew Ehat’s Masters’ Thesis.

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