y s a   l e a d e r s

As each man or woman walks the way of life there come dark seasons of doubt, of discouragement, of disillusionment.

Gordon B. Hinckley

April 2002 General Conference

Addictions are one of the primary challenges faced by many YSAs. Gambling, eating, shopping, sex, pornography, the internet, work, codependency, drugs (both prescription and illegal), coffee, tea, alcohol, nicotine and video games can all be destructive — crushing self-confidence, interfering with worthy goals, destroying virtue and breaking covenants.

A YSA bishop who works with addicted members of his ward represents the Savior as a true shepherd. He needs to use all of the resources of the Church to assist members who have addiction, and one of the best resources at his disposal is the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP). Participants have often referred to the ARP as a "workshop on the atonement," where members find a confidential setting to discuss their problems, learn to apply the atonement and hear heartfelt testimony of how it has helped others with similar problems.

The Scope of Addiction

Many bishops underestimate the scope of addiction and how many members of their ward are struggling under its weight. One bishop reported hearing another proclaim that "members of my ward don't have problems with pornography." His experience was very different:

"When I began attending ARP meetings with members of my ward, there were 3-4 people gathered in the meeting (including the part-time church service missionaries leading the effort). When I was released, the group size had grown to over 40 people, 95% which were comprised of members of my ward. Statistically, nearly half of my ward attended ARP with me over the years (even accounting for the unusually high turnover rate in singles wards). In addition to those with direct challenges, I would invite those who had a family member, roommate, or even someone they home/visit teach with addictions."

Experience shows that faithful and committed members are just as likely as any other member to be struggling under the oppressive weight of a hidden addiction. Additionally, women are just as prone to addiction as men. One bishop reports that:

"I found that 90% of addiction was sexually based, and that just as many women struggled with sexually based addictions as men (especially pornography). As a bishop, I cringe every time I hear pornography associated only with men. In my ward, just as many women had struggles with pornography, perhaps taking the form of movies, literature, fashion magazines, or chat rooms. My concern for the sisters was often greater because they often became victims of predators in chat rooms that would lured them for in-person visits (which in some cases led to transgression; in the most serious cases it lead to assault, battery or rape)."

The Bishop should be alert to signals from all members indicating that they may be in need of help from the ARP.

Effectively Using the ARP: A Personal Ministry

For a bishop to truly be effective, he needs to gain a personal testimony of the program. Experience indicates that leaders who accompany members to meetings regularly are seeing the best results. By attending weekly meetings, studying the Guide personally, and appling the steps directly to themselves, they gain a personal testimony. Once members have gotten a foothold in the program, bishops following this pattern have found that attending meetings themselves actually saves them hours of individual counseling that would otherwise be required. One bishop, when asked "Where do you find the time to attend these meetings?" responded simply: "I can't afford not to go."

The most effective bishops are those who lead by the Savior's example. The Lord did not say, "Go and do," but rather, "Come, follow me" (2 Ne. 31: 10, 12-13, 16; Matt. 4: 19-20, 22, 25). The bishop is most effective when he gives the same invitation to the member who struggles with addiction. When that member sits next to and is cared for in the company of his bishop, he can see the Savior's love emanate to them personally. The bishop can then see up close the effects of the group meeting and the manual, and follow up on assignments he gives the member.

Even after persuading an addicted brother or sister to attend ARP meetings with their bishop, a bishop's work continues. Some principles for helping members repent and endure to the end include:

There is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness.

Boyd K. Packer

The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness, Ensign, Nov 1995, 18

• The bishop needs to invite his members to take full advantage of attending ARP meetings and studying the manual daily. However, the ARP is not a substitute for regular meetings with the bishop. Ongoing counsel, help and assistance is necessary for the member to continue resisting temptation and establishing positive patterns of behavior.
• The bishop should use every interview with the member to teach about the atonement of Jesus Christ. This is the key. Tapping into this infinite source of this everlasting power should be the source of all interviews with the member.
• Teaching the principle of making weak things strong should be central (Ether 12:27). Once the member has begun to stop their addiction, it is important they continue to do the things that led them to that freedom (attending ARP, studying the manual, and meeting regularly [albeit somewhat less often] with the bishop). The tendency is for a member to stop doing the things that got them so far, like a clinically depressed person who goes off their medication because they feel better — they didn't realize that it was because of the medication they were able to sustain their emotional stability and function in life as well as they did.
• A caring bishop helps to ensure the member doesn't relapse into past behaviors. The bishop must help the member build fortifications around themselves that help steady their lives, build positive patterns of behavior, and maintain their recovery through the atonement of Christ.
• If a member has transgressed sacred covenants, the bishop should be prepared to have that member not receive the sacrament for a specified period of time. As the gatekeeper to the temple, bishops should also be prepared to ask for the member's temple recommend. Each temple recommend is the property of the Church. These two things can often be relieving for the member who confesses sin and wants to repent.
• The bishop can help members who achieve sobriety to realize how important their presence and testimony continues to be at ARP group meetings. The member has a great opportunity of service by sharing his or her experience and faith with those who are still on the path of recovery, as well as in offering individual support outside of meetings.

The program is one of the most important tools that local leaders can use to guide members of their ward suffering from addictions into the path of recovery, but it still requires the personal ministry of a loving priesthood holder.

Fruits of the ARP

The changes resulting from applying the ARP in wards can be quantifiable, and impact more than just personal worthiness. One bishop reported on the many remarkable results of applying the ARP in his ward:

"The ARP was a life saver for me. Here are a few things that have happened in my ward:

• At least 27 couples were sealed because of ARP. I made attending the ARP mandatory for couples who had pushed the boundaries of the law of chastity. When a couple cannot receive a living ordinance recommend until they repented and attended ARP, they took the group meetings and individual meetings with me very serviously.
• The ARP was a huge boost for those with clinical depression. The "group therapy" was restorative to their minds and spirits (a complement to professional counseling and sometimes medication).
• More than 150 members of my ward qualified for receive a temple recommend - many of whom hadn't had one in a very long time.
• Those who attended ARP were more apt to attend the temple (if worthy) on a more regular basis than those who would not.
• Those who attended ARP were more apt to share the gospel. There was an intense feeling for these members to share "the fruit of the tree" with co-workers, neighbors, and friends who struggled with addiction. Although ARP is not (the Church states) a primary source of missionary work (they don't want a bait-and-switch mentality to occur), their associates felt an outpouring of the gospel they could not explain.
• Those who attended ARP were more apt to home/visit teach 100% than those who would not attend.

In my observation and opinion, this is the most underutilized resource in our stake and in the Church."

This program is the foundation upon which other assistive strategies become more effective. Many professional counselors recognize that their efforts become more productive once the patient begins participation in 12 step recovery. Even medical issues are frequently ameliorated with 12 step participation. The Church's program is the essential core of any coordinated treatment strategy for addiction.

Available ARP Resources

There are many ARP resources available to a bishop:

In the Church’s addiction recovery program, those who suffer from addiction learn through the Atonement of Jesus Christ how to experience the miracle of living in recovery.

Lia McClanahan

“Addiction Recovery: Healing One Step at a Time,” Ensign, Jun 2009, 60–65

• Bishops can (and should) order manuals in hard copy and have them ready to share with members who suffer from addiction. An electronic copy of the text published by the Church, A Guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing can be freely downloaded from ProvidentLiving.org. It was authored by a group of recovered LDS addicts collaborating with Church leaders and counseling professionals, and is an adaptation of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, the origins of which is The New Testament. The final report of the Correlation Review Committee of the Church regarding the Guide states, "It moves the 12 step program squarely into the gospel realm." The relevance of these facts should provide local leaders with complete assurance that this program is practical, cognizant of professional scholarship and, most importantly, gospel centered.
• Addiction recovery group meetings are held weekly. A list of these meetings can be found at ProvidentLiving.org.
• Church leaders have taught about addiction and recovery. President Faust's last article to the Church was on The Power to Change, and includes a section on the Addiction Recovery Program (Ensign, Nov. 2007, 122-24). The Ensign article "Addiction Recovery" by Lia McClanahan is also a good resource (Ensign, June 2009).

Conclusion

Many of our brothers and sisters with addictions have found hope, peace, and healing through the Church’s ARP focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ. Please see a member of your stake presidency if there is no ARP nearby. Through the local office of LDS Family Services, one can be established in your area.

 

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