1

Bringing Balance to the Framework

Adeline R. Melin

Department of Home and Family, BYU-Idaho

FAML220: Parenting

Sister Cindy Smith

September 26, 2020

 2

Bringing Balance to the Framework

This week in our parenting class we studied Doctrinal Framework and the difference

between doctrine, principle, and application. We learned that many Latter Day Saints get stuck

being focused on the applications, or the “to do”, and forget about the doctrines and principles,

the “to become”. To become who we need to be requires understanding the doctrinal framework

and focusing on all three areas as a whole, rather than just skipping to applications and doing

only what we can check off of a list of “to dos”. In this paper, I will discuss two of the listed

reasons not to focus on applications that I struggle with, find the correct doctrines and principles

for one of them, and then create a solution to my problem that I can apply in my life.

Section 1: Where I Struggle Most

I have noticed that I have been too application focused on the “dos and don’ts”,

specifically the “dos and don’ts” of the Law of Chastity and the Sabbath day. I know that I am

too application focused in this area, because I strictly obey what the “For the Strength of Youth”

book says about the Law of Chastity and Sabbath Day Observance rather than letting the spirit

teach me what I should and shouldn’t do. I feel frustrated and stuck sometimes because many of

the guidelines in “For the Strength of Youth” are principles, not applications, and therefore do

not tell me directly what to do and what not to do. For example, the “For the Strength of Youth”

book mentions that we should not participate in “passionate kissing” before marriage. What

exactly is “passionate kissing”, and how do I know when I should stop? For a while this phrase

confused and frustrated me, but I now know that if I have the spirit with me, I will always know

when I need to stop. And I know that I listen to the spirit because I want to be pure and worthy of

a temple marriage someday. This is the doctrine that I am acting on. I believe that my motive has
 3

always been to be pure and worthy in the eyes of my Heavenly Father, but I was missing the

understanding that I must use personal revelation and my testimony to guide me through a lot of

issues in my life, rather than only following the written rules blindly.

I have also struggled to notice that being application focused really does not help me feel

a lasting sense of peace, safety, or happiness when I need it most. I can tell that I am too

application focused in some areas of my life because sometimes I miss out on the feelings of

happiness, safety, and peace. I feel all of these good feelings when I am focused on the whole

doctrinal framework and I really put my heart into things like my scripture study, my partaking

of the sacrament, and my participation in Sunday school. But sometimes I find myself just

“going through the motions” and becoming too application focused, and these are the times that I

don’t feel good and I don’t get as much as I can out of the gospel. Rather than partaking of the

sacrament, studying scriptures, and participating in Sunday school because of my understanding

and appreciation of doctrine and principles, I just do these because I have always done them

throughout my whole life, and they’re always on my internal “checklist” of things to do. I know

that when I am focused on the whole doctrinal framework, I will appreciate the gospel and all of

the blessings it brings into my life, and I will feel the sense of happiness, safety, and peace that I

need to feel.

Section 2: Appropriate Doctrines and Principles

Diagram
 4

Explanation of Diagram

I selected the doctrines and principles above to represent the “why?” and the “what?”

of living the Law of Chastity and keeping the Sabbath day holy. I think that the doctrine of

Eternal Progression best represented both of these struggles I have experienced because in order

to progress in this life and also be able to eternally progress in the next life, we need to be ready

and worthy to make and keep our sacred covenants. Living the Law of Chastity prepares us to

enter the temple and make sacred covenants with our spouse and with Heavenly Father. Keeping

the Sabbath day holy helps us to focus on the sacrament and be worthy to take it, so that we can
 5

renew our sacred baptismal covenant and repent and progress. Understanding these doctrines and

principles while also applying them to our lives helps us to improve each day.

The doctrine of Eternal Progression answers the questions “Why do we live the Law of

Chastity?” and “Why do we keep the Sabbath day holy?” because when we understand this

doctrine, we know that living the Law of Chastity and keeping the Sabbath day holy help us to

progress and become more like our Heavenly Father.

The principles of obedience to God, inviting the Spirit, and remembering Jesus answer

the question of “What do I need to do to observe the doctrine of Eternal Progression?”. I know

that if we follow these three principles we will be able to progress eternally, because when we

strive to obey God, invite the spirit, and remember Jesus, we will become more like our

Heavenly Father each day.

Section 3: What is to be Done?

My plan to better focus on the doctrine of Eternal Progression rather than focusing on

the tiny details of living the Law of Chastity and keeping the Sabbath day holy is to ask myself

every day “Did I do and say things that invited the spirit into my life today?”, to ask Heavenly

Father to help me to know his will each time I pray for help, and to more carefully ponder and

study the scriptures and the words of the prophets and apostles. My previous approach did not

include these three things. Previously when I had a question of whether I could do something on

the Sabbath or whether I could do something with a boy, I would just search for the answer

among the written rules of the word of wisdom or the “For the Strength of Youth” with no prayer

or question if I had the spirit with me or not.

 6

All of these solutions that I have come up with are internal. They require me to do

things in my mind and heart. They do not require me to change any applications, because I

already do the applications- I read the scriptures, I pray, and I attend church. I just don’t always

do these things with the thought of my eternal progression.

I am hoping that this new approach will help me to be able to focus and feel the spirit

strongly during sacrament meeting, strengthen my testimony more through my study of the

scriptures, and better my ability to hear and feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I know that

when I act on the doctrine in my life I will be guided to become the strong, righteous, Christlike

woman, wife, and mother that I am supposed to become.