Who can I trust?

Here is something I wrote in September of 2016, that I feel is pertinent now:

Yesterday morning I woke up and glanced at the clock and thought I saw that it was 5:30 a.m. I did not want to be up that early, but I was awake, so I got up. (I realized, after an hour on the computer, that I’d actually gotten up at 3:30.) Everyone else was asleep, so I went to look at facebook where I was bombarded with political memes and the bickering that always follows them. As I read, I suddenly thought of Joseph Smith’s history. It struck me that his words—with a few changes (from religion to politics)—were very applicable here:

For, notwithstanding the patriotism which the voters for these different candidates expressed at the state primaries, and the great zeal manifested by the respective parties, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of political feeling, in order to have everybody vote, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what party they pleased; yet when the voters began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the candidates and the voters were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—politician contending against politician, and voter against voter; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.

During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often troubled, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I followed their several campaigns as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to a third party, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different parties, that it was impossible for a person such as I was, and so unacquainted with men and politics, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Democrats were most decided against the Republicans and Libertarians, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Republicans and third-parties in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.

In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

As I said, I wrote that in September of 2016.

Today, February 23, 2020, with the whole political and election season hard upon us again (if the craziness ever really did die down from the last time) I’ll add these quotes by President Russell M. Nelson:

“You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust.”

“If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small.”

This time of politics is wearisome enough, with all of the mud-slinging that goes on. Let’s not add to it by bickering on facebook. This is not the place for debate, because without body language, vocal inflection, and facial expressions to help out, it’s difficult to tell whether you’re engaged in a “friendly discussion” or a bout of verbal fisticuffs. By all means get together with your friends and family, face to face, on both sides of any issue, and discuss it like you are friends and want to stay friends—please do! But let’s be above the fight.

And as you work on making a decision, remember who you can really trust.