“His hand is stretched out still,” by Evan Lurker
In the hours after releasing our CES Letter Investigation last week, I was driving to Salt Lake City when I felt a startlingly strong desire come over me to pray for Jeremy, the author of the CES Letter, as Michael and I had both done throughout this process. But right there in the car, I pleaded more fervently that he would feel something from God in our words.
There are moments in great crime dramas, Jeremy, when the person under trial sees the undeniable evidence on full public display, and decides to come clean: “you’ve got me.”
This could be that for you - an opportunity to not only acknowledge what’s taken place, but to pivot in a completely different direction.
"Every passing moment is a chance to turn it all around,” Penélope Cruz tells Tom Cruz in a movie you should probably never see, but is worth quoting.
Nephi proclaims the Lord’s assurance that “mine arm is lengthened out all the day long” - to you and me, and all of us. My entire life - all my happiness, peace, love and meaning - depend on that single fact. If He didn’t keep reaching out to me personally, I would have been lost long ago.
There’s still a way to right this ship. To make things right. To turn back from the course you’ve been on. Do you feel and know that yourself?
That’s my prayer for you - that you will. Imagine what that could mean for your family, for yourself - and for everyone you’ve impacted to this point - if you dug deep and stopped allowing anything but your own choices “trouble you” as Alma pleaded with his son, “with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.”
“That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more,” this mighty prophet entreated his son earlier. “But rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done.”
“Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God,” Alma continued, “but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.”
That’s not just your path forward. It’s all of our path forward. And eternity will look completely different if you decide to take that path. Right now.
I’m sure there will be some back-and-forth in the days ahead publicly. We stand by our work, and you have a right to respond. I want to be clear before any further engagement where my own heart stand towards you.
I won’t stop praying for you.