Marie Osmond and her brothers have been asked questions about their faith for decades. Rather than the private settings in which many of us face questions related to our religion, the Osmonds have been expected to answer these questions on national news networks. It is something that could easily wear someone down and yet, on this week's All In podcast, Marie makes it very clear that she remains a firm believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Read Marie's thoughts on how to be prepared when questions arise in the excerpt below. You can also listen to the full interview with Marie in the player below or by clicking here. You can also read a full transcript of the episode here.
Morgan Jones: I watched an interview from 1978, where you and Donny were being asked about Blacks and the priesthood, and then more recently, I saw an interview with Joy Behar and she was grilling you all about polygamy and the Book of Mormon musical and every single time you both stood up for the Church. And I wondered, has that been hard? And how has constantly being asked about the most difficult aspects of our faith strengthened your faith?
Marie Osmond: Well, okay, that's a loaded question. You know, Elder Uchtdorf, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." And one of the things that I have learned through my life is the word, "Work," you get nothing for nothing. If you want a free ride in life, you're just going to have a life that's empty and shallow and really without purpose. You have to work for it.
So. . . always be prepared. My brother Alan would say, "Let the Spirit speak through you. But first, be prepared and then follow the Spirit." And so, you know that people are going to ask you those questions. When the Book of Mormon musical came out, I said [in an interview], "You know what? I know a lot of people love it and that's great. But I don't really want to hear a song that, you know, says terrible things about God and His name.” I said, “It's not me."
Never [be] demeaning to people who ask those questions. Just try to give them answers that are faith filled, logical, and common sense. Everybody's struggles. Everybody struggles with their faith. How do they get through it? You just have to remember that after the trial is the blessing. And some things that we live don't always make sense. But you stay alert and you keep God always first.
For example, in my home [we talk about] the parable of the 10 virgins. . . When you're asked these questions—[and] everybody's going to be asked these questions—you want your lamp full. And to be full, it's not, "Go fill it up," and "Oh, He'll have an answer for you." But it's that drop by drop, that daily diligence, that effort reading your scriptures, saying the prayers that you need to commune with the Holy Ghost to have him with you.
And then you're not afraid. And to remember to always do it with faith, faith as a positive attitude . . . and be humble enough to listen to the Spirit. And don't be contentious. There's no reason in that whatsoever, you know?