The Primary Answers

"if the prophet had bid thee do some agreat thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? (2 Kings 5:13)

This is the story of Naaman, who had leprosy and was told to bathe in the Jordan river seven times to be healed. He was mad, expecting a prophet of God to do something miraculous and showy, something worthy of the high station of Naaman. Now, we all laugh at how silly Naaman was, how stiff-necked and petulant. No, we say, we would never do that. Now, let me paint a scenario for you, dear reader:

At church it's Sunday School, or the Gospel Doctrine Class, and the teacher asks: How do we receive answers to prayers? or How do we come closer to God? or How do we overcome temptation. And then there is that silence, we all know it, as everyone sits there, thinking 'Duh.' And then there is the brave soul who can't stand the quiet a second longer, raises their hand, and says, "The primary answers."

Sounding familiar?

For those who don't know, the Primary Answers are what the church (and word of God) teach starting in Primary, the children's sunday school class. The Primary Answers are usually some form of this: pray, read scriptures, go to church. Not only are they easy things to do, but they are beyond basic knowledge for those who have grown up in an LDS church. And so many times 'Primary Answer' is said with bored exasperation.

But, why are prayer, scriptures, and church the primary answers? Because they are the fundamental answers. Want to know God? Read the scriptures (that's what I'm doing ;), talk to Him in prayer, go to His house. Want to overcome weaknesses? Primary Answers. Want to know the mysteries of God? Primary Answers. Answers so easy that sometimes they actually become hard to do.

We should think ourselves better than Naaman. Sometimes I too want a big miracle, want some hard task worthy of epics. But, that's the whole news of the gospel, right, that it's easy. You come unto Christ (or the prophet Elisha), you receive instruction (bathe in a river), and become clean and like a child ("and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" 2 Kings 5:14).

Yeah, Primary Answers are taught to children. But when will we learn, we are all children in the sight of God, our Father. All we have to do is bathe, and be clean, and believe. Then, we may stand with Naaman, and say:

"Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel...[I] will henceforth offer neither burt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD" (2 Kings 5:15, 17).

Through obedience and repentance Naaman came to "know" God. Hmm, maybe I should try that more...here I come Primary Answers.