Some thoughts on the sad attitudes towards abortion of many members of the church in name only. #DezNat

While serving in Europe, I had the opportunity to interview many women for baptism from all over Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, Central and South America, and the

Philippines. Every single woman who I interviewed had an abortion at some point in their life. I have three observations from this experience. 1) They were all haunted by their choice. For some it had been a few years since the abortion and for others decades. But without fail

they were all wracked with guilt, tormented, and told me how they regretted it every day for many years. 2) It is an extremely serious sin. It is one of the baptismal interview questions “have you ever participated in an Abortion?” Per baptismal interview rules, if a woman

seeking to make the covenant of baptism has had an abortion they have to speak with the mission president. Obviously this is no light matter. I would call him and they would speak to him before they could be cleared for the ordinance. Couple this procedure surrounding

the ordinance which stands as an entrance into the Lord’s kingdom with repeated warnings and
and admonitions from prophets denouncing the practice and we need to ask ourselves, can we as members be taking the political questions of abortion lightly when it is obviously so

serious in the eyes of the Lord? And secondly, how can we support any measures that legalize such a heinous practice? We cannot call ourselves “pro-life for ourselves but not for others” or argue that we should make it safe, legal, and rare. It is a barrier of entrance to His

kingdom. He would not have His disciples supporting others in making such a violation as long as we don’t participate ourselves. 3) Repentance and joy after abortion are still possible through Christ. When I would return to complete the interview after they spoke with the mission

president I could see the relief on their faces. It was immediate. In every case, these women had spent years agonizing over the guilt and pain they felt because of their choice. However, hearing from a servant of the Lord with keys that they could be forgiven and they could move

forward with baptism brought joy beyond comprehension to their souls. Years, and in some cases decades, of guilt began to be swept away through the atonement of Christ.

It is a heinous sin, and we need to much better as saints to stand up against it and those who seek to

normalize it, celebrate it, and keep it legal. It is a sin that will keep you out of His kingdom, but to those who truly come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit like these many women I interviewed, Christ offers hope, healing, and joy. #DezNat