Fulness of Times

To correct or not to correct...

2012-01-14T00:28:00.002-07:00

When I was first called as a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was 27 and very worried. About a lot of things. One of them was knowing when I should correct or not correct someone's doctrine from the pulpit or classroom. And then if I had to correct, how was I to do it, "for how to act I did not know." (JS-H 1:12.)

These are tough questions for bishops and for those that preside over them. It is not an easy thing to lovingly and tactfully correct a fellow member of the ward. I thought that perhaps, now that I am no longer serving as the bishop of my ward, it might be appropriate to share some experiences that occurred to me during my seven year tenure, and perhaps some personal reflections now that I am no longer serving. My hope is that if a bishop, currently serving, stumbles across this blog entry it may be of some small help.

One thing always had to be first and foremost: the principles found in D&C 121 had to be lived. No matter how a leader corrects a member of the congregation, if it happens, it must be done so that the member has no doubt that the correction was made because it was necessary. In my mind, a member will know it was necessary if the leader "shows an increase of love," and knows that the leader's "faithfulness is stronger than the chords of death." But for that to happen, the love that is given is clearly genuine and "unfeigned."

For me, the primary reason for ensuring the doctrinal purity is to always protect the integrity of the congregation. That said, my expression was usually enough to let the membership know I was at least uncomfortable with what was being said. My wife said she could always tell when I didn't like what was being taught because my face look upset or worried. Other times, such as in class, and I was teaching, if someone made a comment that I completely disagreed with, sometimes I wouldn't even bother to respond. Typically, my silence was response enough that I did not approve of what had been taught.

Another factor was that I had to weigh the feelings of the member teaching the false doctrine vs. protecting the integrity of the congregation. It seems to me that members in general don't intend to teach false doctrine. Because of that, for a member of the bishopric to stand up and correct them, can be a very embarrassing experience.

About ten years ago, I was asked to speak in my ward in the fifth Article of Faith. I gave my talk in the course of my remarks I shared an experience from the life of Elder Bruce R. McConkie about buttermilk (for the story, see The Bruce R. McConkie Story: Reflections of a Son, p. 258.). It was designed to demonstrate that we ought not to try to determine if our leaders are exercising unrighteous dominion. I thought it was a good story and illustrated my point quite well. At the conclusion of the meeting the bishop arose and said, "I just want to make a correction in regards to Brother Christensen and Elder McConkie's buttermilk story..." Then he proceeded to make his corrections. Essentially he said that we should never allow someone to exercise unrighteous dominion over us--particularly in the name of the priesthood. He said that far too often husbands do this and such practices must come to an end. I was shocked. I was shocked that I was being corrected. I was shocked that my bishop felt that I had taught something that was objectionable. I was terrified that my bishop perhaps thought that I exercised unrighteous dominion in my home with my wife. I remember the feeling I had as the bishop said that he was correcting me. I had only heard about this happening, but as of yet don't remember ever having seen it done. And not only was it being done, but it was being done to me! I was pretty bothered by it all week. Mostly because I was worried my bishop had misunderstood me and thought I was teaching false doctrine. Finally I resolved to call him. I brought up what happened at the end of Sacrament Meeting and apologized. I also tried to explain what I was teaching. To my surprise he said, "Matt, I have been meaning to call you..." Then he told me he perfectly understood and even agreed with what I had taught. His concern was for the small percentage of members who might not understand and confuse and even take license with the story and excuse their own behavior. He had something happen in the past and was not going to every let it happen again (unrighteous dominion) if he could help it.

Not long after this experience he called me as his second counselor and eventually I replaced him as the bishop of our ward. As we were going over the transition when he was released and I was called, I asked him about correcting people and how to do it. He said he had only done it publicly three times. I asked how they went. He said that only one time ended positively. I asked what happened and he said, "Matt, you ought to remember, it was you."

Another important factor that I weighed was whether or not I could correct the problem without drawing attention to the member or the doctrine. More than anything else, the one thing I tried to quickly assess in my own mind was, did anyone notice and do I need to address this? There was one occasion when a sister was speaking and said that we pray to Jesus. I knew this particular member well enough to know that she did not really believe that. Instead, I think she got flustered at the pulpit, perhaps a bit nervous, and what she meant to say and what she actually said were two different things. I know it has happened to me plenty of times. The other side of the token was I was not sure the members even noticed what was said. But in this case, because it is such a serious matter that some people in the Church don't seem to fully grasp, I felt that I had better say something. The way I determined to handle it was the best way I could in the circumstances. I arose at the conclusion of the meeting and bore my testimony on prayer: "I know that we pray to the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost." In this way, I was able to correct the falsehood (innocent yet egregious as it may have been) and did not draw attention to it or the sister that gave the talk. In the end, I think that the only people that would have recognized that I made a correction would have been the people that heard what she said earlier in her talk.

The above situation just mentioned is also closely related to the question as to whether the member even realized that what was taught was false or in error. As in the story I shared, and many others, I think that what was said was an accident. If that was the case, as in the example above, that would dictate how I would respond.

Was it worth the time to make the correction was always an important consideration. I have noticed that often, most members don't even realize there has been a statement of false doctrine made. Of course, sometimes that does't matter and if it was egregious the statement still needs to be corrected. But sometimes I realized that it wouldn't be worth it to make the correction. This also happened sometimes when something that I personally believe to be false doctrine, or something that I at least strongly disagree with, was taught. In these cases I had to really determine before hand, when I was first called, what the parameters of what I felt would qualify as worthy of correcting. I will have more on that below.

When I would hear something that I felt was false, I had to ask myself, "could I correct the person afterwards and in private?" I had no sooner been sustained and ordained a bishop, then the following Fast and Testimony Meeting, a member of the ward stood and shared some feelings that were inappropriate. I will share what he said in his "testimony" but I wish to first say that he is a very good man. He meant very well and I know that he meant no harm by what he said. He began by saying that when he and his wife were married, his parents called him, his spouse, and all their siblings and spouses to a special family conference. I remember thinking to myself, that is a good idea. He then said that his parents gave them two pieces of counsel that he has always tried to follow: 1) always stay close to the Lord and His Church, and 2) never do anything to prevent children from coming into this world. Then this well-meaning brother stated, "I know that many of you in this ward are newly-weds. I know a great many of you have been married for more than one year and you are not pregnant. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to repent and begin to fill the measure of your creations." Then he concluded in the usual way and returned to his pew. Needless to say the congregation was shocked (as was their new bishop). As he had been speaking the members all looked at me to see what my reaction was and to see what I was going to do. Like any good newly-called and ordained bishop, I did nothing. I was scared and was absolutely unprepared. I was teaching in Relief Society later that day and knew the sisters were traditionally more sensitive to the kind of remarks he made than the brethren. So I hoped that I could handle it there and make a correction that way. When I was in the Relief Society, when it was my turn to speak, I did not directly address what happened in Sacrament Meeting (I didn't even mention the incident). Instead I told the sisters that Heavenly Father loved them. That in our ward there were sisters from all walks of life and experience. I knew that some sisters have children that have left the house and moved on, and others are just beginning to have children. While others were still waiting and hoping to have children and others might not have the opportunity to have children in mortality. But that no one has the right to judge them and that they just needed to stay close to the Spirit and he would teach and comfort them. Later that week I had this man and his wife in my office for tithing settlement. After they declared their tithing status, I told them we needed to talk about what happened in Sacrament Meeting. I thanked him for his testimony and told him that I felt that what his parents had shared with him and his family was very appropriate in that setting. But that it was absolutely inappropriate to share that in a setting at Church even worse to call the congregation to repentance. The brother was surprised but humble and took the correction well. Especially for the fact that he was old enough to be my father (and for me to be his son). I then asked if he was aware of the policy on birth control as stated in the Handbook. He was not. I shared it with him: no member had the right to judge another member, that the decision as to when and how many children to have was deeply personal and only between the member and the Lord. This good man then said that of course, if I felt it was time for a couple to have children, I could call them in and tell them so. I reminded him what the Handbook said (no member can judge and it is between the couple and the Lord), and indicated that given the way the policy reads, not even a bishop could involve himself in that personal and sacred decision. At this point, his wife began to cry. We both looked at her and asked what was wrong. She said that she has been listening to her husband tell this to people their entire marriage (I think around 35-40 years). She had had four miscarriages and the MD's had told her to stop trying to have children because it was too dangerous for her. But because her husband had been so active in sharing the message, she felt too guilty and never felt she could stop having children (or at least trying). Her husband had no idea this good sister had been going through this agony for so many years. They both wept and some healing began. I wept too. In this case I was very glad that I didn't rebuke from the pulpit, because this healing moment would not have happened.

I am confident that there are other reasons and factors that need to be weighed in making these decisions on whether or not to correct someone in Church. These are just a few of that came to mind as I have reflected on this particular aspect of my service.

As I mentioned above, I had to make some determinations early on as to what I felt constituted "correction" worthy. I personally felt that anything that did damage to, disparaged, or taught contrary to a few central doctrinal points, I would of necessity need to take a stand. These things included some of the following: anything that taught that God was not our Father, Jesus was not the Christ, or we could not worthily maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Also, if someone taught something that was contrary to the Plan of Salvation as revealed in the Last Dispensation would require me to speak up. And if a speaker or teacher taught or spoke out against Joseph Smith or any of his successors, or the General or Local Authorities, or the revealed order of the Priesthood, I would feel compelled to rebuke that person. Finally, if a member were to speak evil or disparage another member of the Church or community (local or global), I would need to correct that member. Now, if something were taught that touched on any of the above points, I would use my best judgment and discretion to determine if I need to involve myself in making a correction.

I am sure there are a host of other things that I could have or should have included. Perhaps I will think more on this and include an additional entry later. Perhaps not. My worst fear is that someone who presides over me will read this and find something that is out of line or in need of correction. Of course, if that happens I pray that I am willing to take the correction.

mbc

Favorite Book of 2011 (is it too soon to judge?)

2011-10-15T00:09:00.000-07:00

I recently finished the latest book by Terryl Givens and Matthew Grow, Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism. I believe I can say with some degree of certainty that (so far) it is my favorite book of the year. I posted a review on Amazon.com which states:

"A marvelously written book. I wondered how much of this would be in PPP's Autobiography. There was some usage of the Autobiography (which is to be expected and required). However, there was a great deal of new information. The authors also did a great job of incorporating PPP's writings into the narrative and gave context to them in relation to his life. The biography of Brother Parley is a worthy companion to the Autobiography. It was clear to me that there is a genuine affection that the authors have for their subject. On the one hand, they did not seek to only share the perspective of PPP that you get from his Autobiography. On the other hand, they are willing to share the other side and what his contemporaries felt, wrote, and said about him. A very honest book. A book written with admiration. I felt it was in the same vein as John Adams by McCullough. I highly recommend reading this book."

I had the chance to have lunch with Terryl yesterday (October 13) with a few other people at the Wheatley Institution. It was a great experience and the conversation was fun. I am sure that I will post my review of my favorite books of the year soon (let's get at least closer to the end of year), but so far, this book is it! I cannot recommend it highly enough. The read was fast and exciting. If you read it, let me know what you think.

Covenants

2011-08-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday was my first time speaking as a high councilor. It was a bit strange to speak to a different ward after having given so many talks in my ward as the bishop. But I think it went well. Just for fun, I am posting my talk. I believe I took about 14 minutes and didn't use everything I prepared (as usual).

My usual pattern is to study everything I can on the assigned topic, think and pray about it, create an outline with some of the doctrines that I want to include along with scriptural references and statements from the Brethren, then I write everything out. After that I spend substantial time reading and rereading the talk. Once I get up to give the talk, I may refer to the talk but usually I have become familiar enough with the material that I am not absolutely reliant on my written talk. Of course, I still use it but my dependence is lessened.

"Covenants"

August 21, 2011

Matthew B. Christensen

Provo Peak 2nd Ward, High Council Speaking Assignment, Provo East Stake

I bring with me the love and greetings of the Stake Presidency. I have worked with them for several years in various capacities and have always been impressed with the depth of affection and concern each of them possess for each of us. I know it is made possible in part because of the lives they live and in a larger measure because of the priesthood keys President Christiansen carries in righteousness.

As you know, the Stake theme for this year is based around 2 Nephi 31:20. “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” My assignment from the Stake Presidency is to focus on the monthly sub-theme for August: “making and keeping Temple covenants.”

I have always found it instructive to note that the word “religion” has its roots in two words, RE and LIG. The LIG is the same root that gives us the word ligament. Of course a ligament is what attaches or binds or connects bones to bones. And so, using that idea, RE-LIGION is a way that re-attaches or binds or reconnects us to God. And nowhere does that happen with more validity and power than in the making and keeping of sacred Temple covenants.

God our Father has required us to enter into covenants, while other religions and the world asks us to make commitments. Covenants have the force of heaven, commitments are authored by man. Covenants are scriptural, while the word commitment does not find place in the scriptures or ordinances. For example, for many decades there has been a movement in the United States that asked its adherents to “make a commitment for Christ.” I believe these people are honest and devoted to what they believe. However, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is not a commitment that we are asked to make. Rather, God has required that we make a covenant. It is a covenant relationship with our Redeemer and His Father that will save us, not a manufactured commitment.

Covenants are an evidence of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. In fact, from the various accounts of the First Vision we learn that the Lord told Joseph Smith that “I must join none of [the churches], for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt because all of them were mistaken in their doctrine and not recognized by God as his church and kingdom [because] the Everlasting Covenant was broken.” (Christensen, “Music Ringing,” emphasis mine, p. 14.)

And then in a process to correct that “brokenness,” those “everlasting covenants,” were restored to the earth by Joseph Smith. I testify that on that early spring morning in 1820, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. It was real and it really happened. The more I testify of its reality the more it becomes a part of who I am and informs how I approach the restored gospel and the world.

The Lord’s People Are a Covenant People

We are the Lord’s people. His people have always been a covenant people. Of course, in order to become His people, we must first enter into a covenant.

The Lord desires that we go to the Temple and enter into sacred covenants through the ordinances there. The Lord told Joseph Smith, “Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.” (D&C 84:2, emphasis mine.) Or in other words, the Lord says that one of the reasons for the restoration of the gospel in the last days was to bring people to the Temple to make covenants with God. It is as simple and as important as that!

Covenants and Blessings of the Temple

It is no accident that salvific covenants are always associated with the ordinances of salvation. Indeed, the only way to enter into a covenant is through a saving ordinance. In the Bible Dictionary we are taught, “God in his good pleasure fixes the terms [of the covenant], which man accepts.” With that knowledge, coupled with the realization that ordinances and covenants are related, there is no reason for us to manufacture our own covenants in an attempt to bind God to them (or us). Indeed, I cannot imagine a covenant and its associated blessings that is not already encompassed in the covenants God has proscribed.

President Gordon B. Hinckley once taught: “If our people could only learn to live by these [baptismal and temple] covenants, everything else would take care of itself, I am satisfied. We would not have to worry about sacrament meeting attendance. We would not have to worry about willingness to serve missions. We would not have to worry about divorce and the many requests for cancellation of temple sealings. We would not have to worry about any of those things.” (Meeting with General Authorities and Wives, April 10, 1996.)

Remember, President Hinckley said these things would not be a worry if we as Latter-day Saints could learn to live our covenants. That is a “bold saying” as the scriptures would tell it. (D&C 128:9.)

While I served as the bishop of the 5th ward, I would have the opportunity to counsel with members. I was able to see first-hand the blessings that came from making and keeping Temple covenants as well as the devastation that followed the breaking of the same covenants.

On one occasion a couple came in and taught me something that I have never forgotten. I had been bishop for about two years. Usually, the member making the confession would come in alone and then, if married and appropriate, I would encourage that the spouse come in the next time. But on this occasion, the husband and wife came in together in the first place. I eventually asked why she came in with her husband—she was of course welcome, I was just not used to it—and her response was profound and sincere, “I made covenants in the Temple with my husband and God. We are in this together. How can I hope that he would help me keep my covenants if I am not willing to help him keep his? I love him and our covenants. They will keep us together.”

I know that because of her willingness to live her covenants, she was able to assist him in the process of applying the atoning blood of Christ in his life and overcome his sin and fully repent. As President Howard W. Hunter taught, “Whatever Jesus lays His hands upon lives. If Jesus lays His hands upon a marriage, it lives. If He is allowed to lay His hands on the family, it lives.” (1979 General Conference.) I believe that one of the most profound ways Jesus can “lay his hands” on us is through the making and keeping of Temple covenants.

An important exercise might be to consider the covenants entered into and their direct relationship with the blessings that will eventually be obtained. For example:

As we keep the Law of Obedience there is the promise of a Messiah and forgiveness of our sins.
As we keep the Law of Sacrifice and give everything up, we will one day receive everything and become omnipotent.
As we keep the Law of Chastity we are promised one day to have eternal increase of seed and posterity, becoming omnipresent.
And finally as we keep the Law of Consecration and dedicate all that we are and have to the Kingdom of God and its cause, we will one day have the Father of us all dedicate all that He has to us.

Wlder Bruce R. McConkie has taught: “With reference to temples, it would be a good thing to have a good perspective, which is this: temples are for the living. Now we think that temples are for the dead… but primarily temples are for the living. Temples are so that I can get married for eternity, and my children can get married for eternity. That’s what temples were for from Adam to Christ. There was no work for the dead [during that time]. The thing that’s wonderful about a temple to me is first: that it’s for me. That’s where my interests lie. It’s second that it’s for my dead ancestors. [We would] build temples if we couldn't find a single name anywhere to do work for, because you’ve got to have temples for the living.” (A Man Raised Up: The Teachings of Bruce R. McConkie, 10:362, emphasis in original transcription.)

We often talk about “being born in the covenant,” but rarely talk about what that means. To explain this, President Joseph Fielding Smith taught there were three blessings associated with being “born in the covenant”:

“It may be asked, what is the advantage coming to those born under the covenant? Being heirs they have claims upon the blessings of the gospel beyond what those not so born are entitled to receive. [1] They may receive a greater guidance, [2] a greater protection, [3] a greater inspiration from the Spirit of the Lord.” (Doctrines of Salvation 2:90.)

It is a magnificent blessing that in the Temple when parents are sealed to their children, they are promised everything “as if they had been born under the covenant.”

How We Keep Covenants

There is safety in the covenants of the Temple. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “If we will keep our covenants, the covenants will keep us spiritually safe” (Ensign, May 1987, p. 71). When I was serving as the bishop of my ward, I cannot think of a single instance when a confession of sin was not associated with the breaking of a covenant. On the other hand, some of the greatest joys and happiness’s I ever experienced during those seven years was witnessing the manner in which members prepared for, made, and kept sacred Temple covenants.

We are also expected to keep covenants when it comes to callings in the Church. We keep them by sustaining our brothers and sisters as well as accepting them from our leaders.

[IF TIME PERMITS (it did not): President Boyd K. Packer has shared the following story on a couple of occasions:

“Several years ago I installed a stake president in England. In another calling, he is here in the audience today. He had an unusual sense of direction. He was like a mariner with a sextant who took his bearings from the stars. I met with him each time he came to conference and was impressed that he kept himself and his stake on course.

“Fortunately for me, when it was time for his release, I was assigned to reorganize the stake. It was then that I discovered what that sextant was and how he adjusted it to check his position and get a bearing for himself and for his members.

“He accepted his release, and said, ‘I was happy to accept the call to serve as stake president, and I am equally happy to accept my release. I did not serve just because I was under call. I served because I am under covenant. And I can keep my covenants quite as well as a home teacher as I can serving as stake president.’

“This president understood the word covenant.

“…He… had learned that exaltation is achieved by keeping covenants, not by holding high position.

“The mariner gets his bearing from light coming from celestial bodies—the sun by day, the stars by night. That stake president did not need a mariner’s sextant to set his course. In his mind there was a sextant infinitely more refined and precise than any mariner’s instrument.

“The spiritual sextant, which each of us has, also functions on the principle of light from celestial sources. Set that sextant in your mind to the word covenant or the word ordinance. The light will come through. Then you can fix your position and set a true course in life.” (“Covenants,” April 1987 General Conference, emphasis in original.)]

I believe that it takes faith to accept a call and sometimes more faith to accept a release. But because we have made covenants that is precisely what is expected of us and is what we do. I have wondered what it means about our understanding of covenants when we refuse or moan about our callings. It would seem that the manner in which we serve in our callings reflects our personal understanding of covenants—particularly those of the Temple.

A Challenge/Charge to Make & Keep Covenants

There is no question that at times it is a challenge to not only keep our covenants but to live them. I feel I am being tested right now. It is nothing too serious but for me it is a test and I hope I pass. One of the things that I believe is involved in my own personalized tutorial from the Lord is to see if I am willing to really keep the covenants I have made. For the last seven years of my life, I asked and helped others keep their covenants; and because of the visible and demanding nature of my previous calling it was been relatively easy for me to keep my covenants.

But now, when no one is looking, when no one is expecting me to keep them because I am not under the same scrutiny, will I do it? Will I keep them? Of course, I will keep the “big” covenants (such as chastity, Word of Wisdom, etc.). But will I keep what I consider to be the highly personalized covenants (meeting attendance in relation to my calling, Temple worship, three-hours at Church, consecration)? I hope so. My hope and prayer is to one day gather my family together and look each of them in the eyes and tell them that I have been true and faithful in keeping my covenants. All of them!

President Howard W. Hunter taught: “Let us truly be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. We should hasten to the temple as frequently, yet prudently, as our personal circumstances allow. We should go not only for our kindred dead but also for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety that is within those hallowed and consecrated walls. As we attend the temple, we learn more richly and deeply the purpose of life and the significance of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us make the temple, with temple worship and temple covenants and temple marriage, our ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience.” (“A Temple-Motivated People,” May 1995 Ensign, emphasis added.)

Because we are a covenant people, and we make covenants together in front of witnesses and angels and even God, we are also a covenant community. It is proper that covenants are personal. However, it also seems right that covenants are a community experience and as such we have an obligation to help our covenant partners and neighbors keep them. This does not mean we break down doors and check to see if people are properly wearing garments. It does not mean that we demean or unrighteously judge someone when they do not appear to be living their covenants. It does not mean that we take advantage of others because they have entered into the same covenants as us. This is not appropriate behavior for members of a covenant community such as ours.

To live in a covenant community means when a couple we love has a marriage that is falling apart and appears to be salvageable, we encourage them to keep their covenants. When a youth we know is struggling we express love and encouragement. When a dear friend is having a hard time with his or her calling, we step in and offer support and help. And finally, if we are aware that someone in our community we made a covenant to comfort, to mourn with, or to strengthen is falling down in any way—we not only offer our assistance but perhaps go to a priesthood key holder and in love, offer our assistance in the loved ones behalf. This is all part of living in a covenant community.

I know of a group of sisters who regularly attend the Temple in a ward in our stake. They invite sisters that perhaps haven’t been to the Temple in a long time, or a sister that is struggling with the Temple itself to attend with them. A wonderful thing has happened, the sisters (both those who organize the weekly outing and the sisters that are invited to attend) have begun to love one another and the Temple to a greater degree and they attend the Temple often together. From my perspective, all of these sisters understand their covenants and know what it is to make and keep them—both individually and collectively in a community.

In the end, when I am asked, “What do you remember when you have forgotten everything about covenants,” I can at least say:

Covenants are the means by which God places you and me under formal contract that if we keep the covenant, He will exalt us.
That we “will receive all that the Father hath.” (D&C 84:38.) That nothing will be withheld from us.
That we will be “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17) and “to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn.” (D&C 107:19.)
That by being true and faithful to our covenants we may be chosen, called up, and anointed Kings and Queens, Priests and Priestesses to the Most High God.

That we may all make and keep our Temple covenants is my determined prayer, in the sacred and redeeming name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Why the Prophet is so important to LDS

2011-07-31T23:56:00.001-07:00

My wife and I and our family are visiting a different state and attended Church today with some extended family. The gospel doctrine instruction was quite good. Though I was surprised by the confusion generated when, in the context of Church organization and government, the teacher asked who would be the most important person. The question (and answer) seemed straight-forward enough): the Prophet, the one who holds and exercises all priesthood keys. Members starting giving the most random answers that the most important person is a child, or the humble, or... Now, these are all good answers, but they are not in context with the lesson (Church administration) and don't answer the question. When the instructor clarified his point (again restating that he is referring to the Church organizationally), some people then said that it would be followers that are the most important in the Church, the idea being you can't have a prophet without followers. I tossed in my two cents, trying to explain the fallacy of such an argument (no followers = no prophet). If anything else, I felt that perhaps this was worth an entry.

I used Joseph Smith as my example. I said that if he didn't have any followers, it would not change the fact that the Father and the Son appeared to him. If no one sustained him as the prophet, it would not change the fact that Peter, James, and John, as well as John the Baptist and many other angels (later) came to Joseph and gave him priesthoods, authorities, and keys. And so it seems that if the Prophet Joseph Smith didn't have any followers, it would not mean that he was no longer a prophet; rather it would mean that he wouldn't have any followers. More likely, if Joseph Smith had't been sustained or upheld by his followers, he could not have been their president. But in the extremely unlikely (and clearly moot) event that this would have happened (for arguments sake), Joseph and Oliver would have been lead by the Lord to another group of people who would have sustained them both as their duly authorized leaders.

Another part of this argument (again, no followers = no prophet) that is inherently mistaken in its line of thinking, is the seeming absence of an understanding of priesthood keys. I wish I had had time to explain this, but not being the teacher, obviously it was not my place. The whole LDS position is based on the principle that there was a general and universal apostasy after the Twelve Apostles were taken from the earth in the Meridian Dispensation (and in the Last Dispensation those priesthood keys were restored to Joseph Smith). With the absence of the Apostles, priesthood keys were also removed from the earth. I do not believe that the sincerity of the early Christians in general wavered. However, sincerity does not make up for the loss of priesthood keys and authority. And so to contend that in a Church administration and discussion on priesthood government, the followers are key is a contention that betrays a lack of understanding of the doctrine of priesthood keys. At best.

Now, of course, it is more likely that the other members of the class simply misunderstood the instructors' question. In fact, it seems that if he had restated his question, or even said it differently, everyone in the room would have nodded their heads and we would have moved on. Instead, people weren't listening and we spent too long going over something that we have all known and understood since we were in Primary. Probably.

In the end, regardless of the reasons for the confusion, it was a very good opportunity to once again think about the reasons for the Restoration and the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ restored through his prophet, Joseph Smith, Jun.

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The Scriptures are the Standard

2011-07-28T18:53:00.001-07:00

It has been my experience that when the Lord wants to hide something from His people, He puts it in the scriptures.

In any case, it is wise to remember the words of our leaders regarding the use of the Standard Works. President Joseph Fielding Smith once said,

"It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teaching of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine.
"You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works. Every man who writes is responsible, not the Church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the reveled word of the Lord, then it should be accepted." (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:203-4.)

Furthermore, President Harold B. Lee has taught,

"All that we teach in this Church ought to be couched in the scriptures.… We ought to choose our texts from the scriptures, and wherever you have an illustration in the scriptures or a revelation in the Book of Mormon, use it, and do not draw from other sources where you can find it here in these books. We call these the standard Church works because they are standard. If you want to measure truth, measure it by the four standard Church works.… If it is not in the standard works, you may well assume that it is speculation. It is man’s own personal opinion, to put it another way; and if it contradicts what is in the scriptures, you may know by that same token that it is not true. This is the standard by which you measure all truth. But if you do not know the standards, you have no adequate measure of truth." (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 148-9.)

And on another occasion he said,

"We have the standard Church works. Why do we call them standard? If there is any teacher who teaches a doctrine that can’t be substantiated from the standard church works—and I make one qualification, and that is unless that one be the President of the Church, who alone has the right to declare new doctrine—then you may know by that same token that such a teacher is but expressing his own opinion. If, on the other hand, you have someone teaching a doctrine that cannot be substantiated by the scriptures, and more than that, if it contradicts what is in the standard Church works, you may know that that person is teaching false doctrine, no matter what his position in this church may be. The President of the Church alone may declare the mind and will of God to His people. No officer nor any other church in the world has this high and lofty prerogative. When the President proclaims any such new doctrine, he will declare it to be a revelation from the Lord.” (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 149.)

Brigham Young, once speaking on the principle of the revealed word of the Lord to His people said,

"When God speaks to the people, he does it in a manner to suit their circumstances and capacities. He spoke to the children of Jacob through Moses, as a blind, stiff-necked people, and when Jesus and his Apostles came they talked with the Jews as a benighted, wicked, selfish people. They would not receive the Gospel, though presented to them by the Son of God in all its righteousness, beauty and glory. Should the Lord Almighty send an angel to re-write the Bible, it would in many places be very different from what it now is. And I will even venture to say that if the Book of Mormon were now to be re-written, in many instances it would materially differ from the present translation. According as people are willing to receive the things of God, so the heavens send forth their blessings. If the people are stiff-necked, the Lord can tell them but little." (JD 9:311.)

The need for modern revelation cannot be understated. When speaking to a BYU audience in 1959, Elder Spencer W. Kimball said that “Revelation today is common, continuous, and compelling.” (That You May not be Deceived, n.p., emphasis mine.) When considering the importance of the Revelations of the Restoration and their place in the Standard Works, it would be well for us to remember an experience from Church History, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt:

"While visiting with brother Joseph in Philadelphia, a very large church was opened for him to preach in, and about three thousand people assembled to hear him. Brother Rigdon spoke first, and dwelt on the Gospel, illustrating his doctrine by the Bible. When he was through, brother Joseph arose like a lion about to roar; and being full of the Holy Ghost, spoke in great power, bearing testimony of the visions he had seen, the ministering of angels which he had enjoyed; and how he had found the plates of the Book of Mormon, and translated them by the gift and power of God. He commenced by saying: ‘If nobody else had the courage to testify of so glorious a message from Heaven, and of the finding of so glorious a record, he felt to do it in justice to the people, and leave the event with God.’
The entire congregation were astounded; electrified, as it were, and overwhelmed with the sense of the truth and power by which he spoke, and the wonders which he related. A lasting impression was made; many souls were gathered into the fold. And I bear witness, that he, by his faithful and powerful testimony, cleared his garments of their blood. Multitudes were baptized in Philadelphia and in the regions around; while, at the same time, branches were springing up in Pennsylvania, in Jersey, and in various directions.” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, 260.)

I know those are just a bunch of quotes. But they are really really good quotes. I wish that our teachers would feel more comfortable with reading and teaching from the scriptures. I think the teachers in my ward are actually really good about this. In fact, I think that the more comfortable the teachers are with the scriptures, the more often they will be in the scriptures. I have absolutely noticed that when there is a lesson in my ward that has been doctrinally rooted and scripturally founded, the stronger the Holy Spirit is in the classroom.

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Thoughts on Priesthood Keys

2011-07-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

A week before (July 3, 2011) I was released as the Bishop of my ward (July 10, 2011), our Elders Quorum President invited me to teach a lesson on Priesthood Keys. What follows is my lesson outline. You will notice that I had a forward that asked that the brethren in the Quorum not make comments. I had not done that before and don't that I will ever do it again. However, because of my limited time that day (and ultimately as bishop of the ward) I felt that questions would be more appropriate in this case rather than comments. I hope that there may be something useful here that will benefit you.

Forward:

I am going to ask that you not make comments. Rather, if you have an honest question please feel free to pose it. Otherwise I will ask that you please refrain from making comments. My time is more limited than we realize and I want to be sure I express myself wholly and completely on this vital topic.

Scriptural Foundation

D&C 43:7 – Keys holders and all others that minister to the Saints must come in at the gate. This is similar in principle to John 10:1-2, though Christ’s words in John are more to the point.

Joseph Smith taught: “The fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom.” (HC 1:338.)

Definitions

Key: locks or unlocks doors.
Priesthood: the power and authority of God.
Priesthood Key: the power and authority to lock and unlock Gods blessings. They are the “right of presidency” (D&C 107:8) or the right to preside.
Key Holder: one who presides (a president) by right of authority, who oversees and authorizes the specific saving ordinances over which he presides in a geographic area.

It is important to note that Priesthood Keys are geographic. This is why it is so important to observe ward boundaries, as silly as that may seem.

Why Priesthood Keys

I believe that Keys were lost in the Great Apostasy
Keys are what were restored to Joseph Smith (always with a witness)
Keys are what enables us to access the redemptive powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ
Without Keys we would just be another Christian church that teaches good things
Keys ensure that the Lord's house is always a house of order. Without Keys confusion would reign (D&C 132:8)

Some Examples of Correct Principles

Sacrament Meeting (Can all men hold a sacrament meeting? What about when traveling? What if your wife suggests you stay home and hold a nice romantic sacrament meeting?)
Revelation (counsel, blessings, direction, etc.)
Callings and Announcements—and why they ought to be kept confidential (Law of Common Consent and who has the right to extend calls and releases)
Bishops says one thing and Stake Primary Presidency says another… (What to do?)
Elders Quorum and High Priest Group Leaders are stake callings, yet they must absolutely check all callings through the Bishop… (Why?)

What does it mean to me to hold keys?

· Paul and Ananias (Acts 9:1-18) “Jesus had come from the courts of glory to chasten and reprove Saul. Why, then, did not the Lord tell his future minister how to turn from the error of his ways? Why appear to him without delivering the whole message? Simply because the Lord had a servant named Ananias whose commission and work it was to teach and baptize Paul. The presiding officer of heaven and earth would not overstep the bounds of his own laws. He had delegated power to his local officer to handle matters of this sort and to him even the future apostle to the Gentiles must apply for counsel and direction.” (DNTC 2:90.)

· It means the Lord has asked that I be His steward for a time and a season to act in his behalf for the salvation (both temporal and eternal, both short-term and long-term) of the members of our ward.

What does it mean to me that others do not hold keys?

· Rights of revelation are limited to spiritual and physical geography.

· Wilford Woodruff: “The spirit of revelation belongs to the priesthood” (Collected Discourses, April 8, 1894)

· Joseph Smith, “I will inform you that it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves; therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them; but if any person have a vision or a visitation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction; for the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom.” (Teachings, p. 21)

· What do you do if an angel appears? What should his message be? (The same as Christ’s to Paul to go find Ananias.)

How should we treat those that hold keys?

· They are men, imperfect and more aware of their own faults than anyone else could point out.

· With respect and deference to the keys and office and calling that relate to those keys.

· With prayers and sustaining (D&C 107:22)

· President John Taylor said with typical boldness, “You cannot say that you submit to the law of God while you reject the word and counsel of his servants.” (Journal of Discourses 7:325.)

Not Observing Priesthood Channels and Keys can lead to apostasy:

· President Kimball taught the following:

Apostasy usually begins with question and doubt and criticism. It is a retrograding and devolutionary process. The seeds of doubt are planted by unscrupulous or misguided people; and seldom directed against the doctrine at first, but mete often against the leaders.

They who garnish the sepulchers of the dead prophets begin now by stoning the living ones; they return to the pronouncements of the dead leaders and interpret them to be incompatible with present programs. They convince themselves that there are discrepancies between the practices of the deceased and the leaders of the present….

Apply this to modern times…. Many budding apostates follow the pattern progressively. They allege love for the gospel and the Church but charge that leaders are a little “off the beam.” Soon they claim that the leaders are making changes and not following the original programs. Next they say that while the gospel and the Church are divine, the leaders are fallen. Up to this time it may be a passive thing, but now it becomes an active resistance and frequently the blooming apostate begins to air his views and to crusade. He is likely now to join [others and perhaps] groups who are slipping away. He… is flattered by the evil one that he knows more about the scriptures and doctrines than the Church leaders who, he says, are now persecuting him. He generally wants all the blessings of the Church: membership, its Priesthood, its temple privileges, and expects them from the leaders of the Church, though at the same time claiming that these leaders have departed from the path. He now begins to expect persecution and adopts a martyr complex and when finally [Church discipline] comes he associates himself with other apostates to develop or strengthen cults. At this stage he is likely to claim revelation for himself; revelations from the Lord directing him in his interpretations and his actions. These manifestations are superior to anything from living leaders, he claims. He is now becoming quite independent.

He fails to recognize that if the Church had gone astray, and if its authorities were “off the beam,” that he could get no authority from them or from anywhere else….

Some of these people disappointed, perhaps ignored in their ambitions, hungry for leadership, are deceivers of the first order. To them there is little help we can give. (That You May Not Be Deceived, BYU Devotional, November 11, 1959, n.p.)

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught: “Some members or former members of our church fail to recognize the importance of the priesthood line. They underestimate the importance of the Church and its leaders and its programs. Relying entirely on the personal line [of revelation], they go their own way, purporting to define doctrine and to direct competing organizations contrary to the teachings of prophet-leaders. In this they mirror the modern hostility to what is disparagingly called “organized religion.” Those who reject the need for organized religion reject the work of the Master, who established His Church and its officers in the meridian of time and who reestablished them in modern times.” (Two Lines of Communication.)
D&C 124:45-46 – if we do not hearken to the First Presidency and those they have appointed, we “shall not be blest.” This is the same principle found in D&C 1:38 (“whether by my own voice or the voice of my servant it is the same.”)

Keys are Designed to Bless Us

Baptism (both of water and fire)
Sacrament (D&C 20:77, 79)
Repentance (D&C 13)
Revelation and Counsel (Heavens continue to be Open and Accessible to us through Keys)

In the end, all keys belong to God. At the last day, all keys will be given back to Christ. For example Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught:

“This gathering of the children of Adam, where the thousands, and the tens of thousands are assembled in the judgment, will be one of the greatest events this troubled earth has ever seen. At this conference, or council, all who have held keys of dispensations will render a report of their stewardship. Adam will do likewise, and then he will [surrender] to Christ all authority. Then Adam will be confirmed in his calling as the prince over his posterity and will be officially installed and crowned eternally in this presiding calling. Then Christ will be received as King of kings, and Lord of lords. We do not know how long a time this gathering will be in session, or how many sessions may be held at this grand council. It is sufficient to know that it is a gathering of the Priesthood of God from the beginning of this earth down to the present, in which reports will be made and all who have been given dispensations (talents) will declare their keys and ministry and make report of their stewardship according to the parable. Judgment will be rendered unto them for this is a gathering of the righteous, those who have held and who hold keys of authority in the Kingdom of God upon this earth. It is not to be the judgment of the wicked. When all things are prepared and every key and power set in order with a full and perfect report of each man’s stewardship, then Christ will receive these reports and be installed as rightful Ruler of this earth. At this grand council he will take his place by the united voice of the thousands who by right of Priesthood are there assembled. This will precede the great day of destruction of the wicked and will be the preparation for the Millennial Reign” (The Progress of Man, 3rded. [1944], 481–82; see also Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [1982], pp.578–88).

Priesthood Keys and Callings

2011-07-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

I have had the privilege of weekly praying about callings in my ward for nearly eight years while I have served in the bishopric. Almost seven of them has been as the bishop. I have always maintained an awareness of the importance of obtaining the mind and will of the Lord in regards to callings. I know I was “called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands,” and it is my feeling that each and every member of our ward should expect to have the same assurance. (Article of Faith 5.) Likewise, I am constantly impressed that God cares about each of us, even in what some may mistakenly consider minor things such as callings. The Author of the Plan of Salvation, the Architect of worlds without end, the very Father of Christ has time and concern enough to involve Himself in the affairs and lives of the members of the Provo Peak 5th Ward.

Sometimes I am asked why it is that we are to keep the announcement of the call or release private, even from close family members, until it is publicly announced over the pulpit. Some presume this to be a tradition in the Church and is not very important. I have thought about this question for a long time and have come to a few conclusions which deal with authority, revelation, and Priesthood Keys. The following will use callings as the example, but releases from callings should be equally applied. It has been my experience and observation when calls and releases are announced in the proper place and time it promotes increased faith in local leaders and the calling process and that to do so otherwise damages or at least impairs a member’s faith in those same things.

Because the generality of callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are done with the approval of the bishop of a ward, or president of a stake, they are necessarily done under the direction of Priesthood Keys. When a key holder kneels in prayer and exercises the Priesthood Keys given him by one having authority under the direction of the President of the Church, and inquires of God as to what to do about a certain calling and potential candidates that might serve in that calling, he is entitled to and receives revelation. I am a witness of this choice and sacred experience and testify that it is common practice in my ward.

Acting on that revelation and in harmony with counselors, the calling is prepared to be extended. When the key holder establishes that a candidate is worthy and willing to keep covenants, he extends the calling. In my experience, I cannot recall a time when a calling was not accepted when I extended it. I do not know if my experience has been unusual in this regard. I have heard of some bishops who extend a calling and it is declined. I am grateful that my experience has been so positive and give credit to the members of our ward who love, live, keep, and understand their covenants. And so, as is customary and barring any unusual and unforeseen circumstances, the brother or sister accepts the opportunity to serve and thereby recognizes personal and intimate revelation at work in his or her life.

Just as callings ought to be extended with dignity and respect and tact and love, so should the sustaining be conducted. And as the calling is extended by the right authority so should it be announced and asked for a sustaining vote by the same. Any effort to circumvent the Lord’s approved order and channel is at best clumsy, displaying a lack of understanding the doctrines at hand, and at worst a usurpation of ill-gotten authority that really never existed with that person in the first place. When a calling is announced over the pulpit by the right person, exercising the proper authority, under the direction of Priesthood Keys and revelation, it provides each member the opportunity to receive in their hearts the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost that the individual is indeed called by God. When this opportunity is deprived the members, because a member feels the need to share the impending call with friends that have no right to know yet, the Spirit is not given the opportunity to testify to the congregation that the individual being sustained is indeed called of God. A revelation to Joseph Smith teaches us that when someone is called to serve, “he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate” (D&C 43:7). On another occasion Christ taught, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” (John 10:1-2.) There are a couple of ways this could be taught, but for our purposes and in this context, all callings must come in through the front door and if it is by any other means the Lord is not pleased.

We are blessed to live in a day when we possess the Gift of the Holy Ghost and can receive personal revelation. We also live in a day when Priesthood Keys are on the earth and in our stake and ward boundaries, providing for us the privilege to have institutional revelation. It should be remembered that the Law of Common Consent—the privilege to manifest a sustaining vote—is not a democratic vote but rather a vote to demonstrate confidence in our leaders’ ability to receive revelation and speak for God. It ought to be seen as an opportunity to express our willingness to abide by and follow and accept institutional revelation in the Provo Peak 5th Ward (cf. D&C 26:2.)

Each of us individually and collectively have entered into covenants in sacred moments “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9). We have covenanted to love and serve the Master and in turn our families and fellow Saints. We covenanted to accept calls to serve and to magnify those callings to the best of our abilities. We likewise covenanted to sustain one another. Part of that covenant is to allow callings and sustainings to be conducted by those duly authorized to do so. Thus, it is not our place to discuss callings and releases until they have been properly conducted. Rather we should “waste and wear out our lives” serving God. (D&C 123:13).

There are beautiful blessings promised to those who accept callings (no matter the station or location) and do all in their power to see them fulfilled. One of the promises of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood is that those who are faithful in “magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.” (D&C 84:33.) It takes faith to accept a calling or to sustain someone. Sometimes it takes just as much, if not more faith, to accept a release.

If this work wasn’t true and these principles didn’t matter, then respect for Priesthood Keys and confidentiality wouldn’t matter. It is my conviction that the Church is true and is God’s Kingdom on earth. We have many reasons to rejoice. Though it was first recorded in the Book of Mormon, and I feel it is just as true in our day in our ward, “surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.” (4 Nephi 1:16.) My sisters and brothers, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness. Priesthood Keys are on the earth and operative in our part of the Lord’s Vineyard. Let us thank God that the heavens are open and pour out blessings upon us the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

- Posted from my iPad

Naming and Blessing an Infant

2011-06-15T00:45:00.003-07:00

It has been my privilege for the last (nearly) seven years to participate in every baby blessing in my ward (when I was not traveling, which is not often on Sunday). My stake president encouraged me, and I agree, that as the "father of the ward" it is a right and a privilege to stand in each baby blessing. It has also been my custom before the baby blessing, to sit down with the Priesthood holder who will be performing the blessing to go over the steps and give some words of counsel and encouragement. I do this with all fathers, regardless of their first time or their tenth. I find it good practice and helpful.

There are a few things that the Handbook encourages and a few things it discourages. One is that large groups are discouraged. In my mind, seven men is the high end of the circle. Ironically, when my oldest was blessed, I counted seventeen men in the circle. Truly, it was ridiculous. There were men in the circle that I didn't even know, men that were invited by other men. Kind of strange. It seems that a small group of Melchizedek Priesthood holders is a better way of doing things. In my mind, it implies a reverence and dignity that the holders possess of the priesthood.

The current (2010) Handbook of Instructions gives five steps to the blessing of a child in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are:

1. Addresses Heavenly Father.
2. States that the blessing is performed by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
3. Gives the child a name.
4. Gives words of blessing as the Spirit directs.
5. Closes in the name of Jesus Christ.

Authority vs. Power:
Even though the instructions in the Handbooks, at least the last two [check this out with the others], state that the ordinance is to be done by the "authority" of the Melchizedek Priesthood and not the "power" of the same, I will still often hear priesthood holders invoke the "power." Is this a big deal? I would say that is a definite maybe. We have been taught that authority is something that all holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood bear. But power is synonymous with righteousness and to state that we are performing the ordinance (and this is true of blessings as well) is to presume that we are righteous when that is a privilege only God Himself can determine. This has been taught most recently by President Boyd K. Packer: "Authority in the priesthood comes by way of ordination; power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness." ("The Power of the Priesthood," April 2010 General Conference.)

Common ways of the language preceding the naming of the infant:
We often hear something along the lines of, "The name he/she will be known on the records of the Church and throughout his/her mortal life shall be..." There is really no reason to say that. There is no problem with saying that, but it has become more of a customary thing to say rather than something that is proscribed in the instructions. Or at least the Handbooks don't give any preference to this kind of language. On the other hand, a priesthood holder could simply say, "The name we give you is..." With my own children, I have done it both ways.

Either way a father or priesthood holder says it, it seems that we don't really give the infant a blessing. Instead, we state the name of the infant. I don't know that it is a big deal, but it is a little interesting. I wonder if we ought to be giving the name of the baby? It has been my custom when conducting a meeting and I have instructed my counselors to do that same: we announce that the baby will be blessed by the father (or whomever will be performing the blessing), but we do not announce the name of the baby. It seems that if the father has not "given" the name to the baby, it is not my place to preemptively make that declaration.

Blessing or Prayer:
This is the area that I hear the most differing opinions. I must state at the outset that I know good men who see this very differently and I believe that is okay. It is my feeling that good men can disagree on a whole host of things and still enjoy the approbation of Heaven. Having said that, I feel very strongly in one direction over the other. It is my sense that the ordinance of blessing an infant has two parts. The first part is when the father directs his voice to Heavenly Father. Obviously, when he invokes His Holy Name at the beginning of the ordinance, this could be viewed in no other way. But when the father gets to the portion of the ordinance when he is to bestow a blessing, it seems wholly proper for the father to now turn his direction to his child. The language in the 2006 Handbook for this portion of the ordinance is that the man giving voice to the ordinance, "gives a priesthood blessing as the Spirit directs." [check language.] In my mind, this concept was more perfectly illustrated by Elder Bruce R. McConkie. As his son told me the story, when Elder McConkie would travel the Church and speak in Stake Conferences, he would be sometimes asked if, in a baby blessing, the father directs himself to the Father the whole time or half-way through directs his comments of blessing to the infant. I am told that Elder McConkie would respond by saying, "Well, if you want to say a prayer then you had better hand the baby to the mother, because she will give a much better prayer than the father ever will. On the other hand, if you want to give the baby a blessing, you'd better let the father who holds the priesthood do it." Elder McConkie's son, Joseph Fielding McConkie understood this to mean (from other discussions on the topic as well) that when the father begins to give "words of blessing" (2010 Handbook), he is directing himself to the infant, as any priesthood holder would do in any blessing.

The Handbook (both current and past) also indicates that baby blessings should take place on Fast Sundays. I have been occasionally asked why this is the case. As I have thought about it, I have determined that it is principally a logistical decision. By that I mean because of the flexible nature of a Sacrament Fast and Testimony Meeting; and because a baby blessing often brings larger gatherings and sometimes take a bit of time, Fast Sunday is a better Sunday to do this rather than another Sunday. I am confident there are other reasons, but I cannot think of what they may be at the moment. Another aspect of this is that the ordinance is normally to take place at Church in the Meetinghouse during a regularly scheduled Sacrament Meeting. There are of course exceptions to this, but they are rare and in my opinion should not be sought out. I think the reason they are to be performed at Church in the presence of the ward (other than that is how the Lord told Joseph Smith and the Church members to do it--D&C 20:70), but it is to serve as a reminder to each member present of the purity and primacy of infants and children in the Plan of Salvation.

Beyond all of these rules, policies, regulations, interpretations, and guidelines, there is one question that I get more than any other: why do we do this? Or in other words, what is the doctrine that is involved in giving an infant a name and a blessing? This is an excellent question. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:70 we are commanded to bring infants to the elders of the Church, to have them presented and then blessed. Both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon have many stories of Jesus Christ blessing little children and reminding us "adults" to be more like children. And so, beyond offering the infant a blessing, perhaps the ordinance is to also serve as a reminder to us of the special place babies have in the Lord's Gospel.

It has been an absolute pleasure and one of the highlights of my time as the bishop in our ward to participate in these sacred moments. Each father blesses his infant in different ways. However, there has been a consistency that is wonderful: they are always done by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. They are always done in love. And I have always felt the presence of the Holy Ghost. The blessing of infant in the Lord's True Church is a blessing not only to the infant, but also to the father and mother and indeed the entire congregation.

- Posted using my iPad

Did Joseph Smith use a 17-point Checklist for the Restoration?

2011-06-05T11:42:00.001-07:00

I was asked recently, by one of my Young Men that is preparing to enter the Mission Field (he has received his call to serve in a mission in Texas) about the Seventeen Points of the True Church. He wanted to know what I knew about it and what I thought. I first encouraged him to read it and give me his perceptions. After he reported back, I gave him my perception. First of all, I am not necessarily knocking the man who authored the Seventeen Points, nor am I downgrading the experience of people who have enjoyed reading the story and the Points and have been strengthened by doing so. However, I wonder sometimes if we are thinking this through very well.

When I think of the Seventeen Points, I don't look at them from the authors perspective. Rather, I look at it from Joseph Smith’s perspective. When he asked which church to join, he was told none of them. in fact, in one of the accounts of the First Vision he is told that “the everlasting covenant was broken” and that he would be a part of restoring it. Interesting. Then, four years later, he prays again to know where he stands with God and this time God sends Moroni to teach Joseph Smith. Moroni quotes almost entirely from the Old Testament. Interestingly, among the New Testament scriptures that he does quote to Joseph, none of them are part of the Seventeen Points. Then, when he begins the translation of the Book of Mormon, he is told (and we are too, on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon) that there are three reasons for the Book of Mormon:

1. To remind us the great promises God has given to our fathers,
2. The importance of the Abrahamic Covenant, and
3. That Jesus is the Christ.

Again, none of the Seventeen Points are mentioned. Rather, we are taught the reason for the Book of Mormon is to point the seeker of truth to Covenants, the Temple, Joseph Smith, and Christ.

So, there may be nothing wrong with the Seventeen Points per se, but I think they miss the point. And yes, it is interesting that these guys that had the original Seventeen Points experience used the Bible to determine what was true. It is kind of neat actually. But I hope they moved beyond that. My concern is that I have seen missionaries use the Seventeen Points as a method to try to convince people that the Church is true. How sad. The thing is, anyone can take those Seventeen Points and set up a church. But they would be missing the one major thing that both Christ and Moroni and Joseph Smith all perfectly understood: the Covenants. This important doctrine is taught in the Book of Mormon.

In reality, we could go through the scriptures and find 10, 21, 50, or 100 points of the true Church. Now that I think about it, I remember a guy in my home ward in Seattle gave me a big print out before I left for the MTC. He told me that he had found something like 150 “points of the true church,” and that these guys didn’t find enough. Any evidence or checklist that someone is looking for is always going to come up short. I would worry just as much that someone might be looking for archeological evidence of the Book of Mormon and hang their testimony on that.

So I wonder, if the Seventeen Points are so critical, why didn’t Moroni tell Joseph Smith the Seventeen Points? Or better yet, why didn’t the Father and the Son tell them to Joseph? He was really interested in finding the true Church. Christ could have revealed to Joseph the checklist in the first place, then sent the angels to restore the various doctrines with Joseph and Oliver simply checking the list off, one by one. But as we know, that is not how it worked. Instead, the Lord sent Joseph angelic ministrants to give him Priesthood Keys and restore the doctrines and authorities line upon line. But the doctrines always dealt with covenants and would eventually lead Joseph (and us) to the inevitable: the Temple.

In fact, one more interesting fact: any idea what the missionary lesson plans were in the earliest days of the Restoration? The Gathering of Israel to the New Jerusalem (the Temple) to make covenants with Christ. Interesting that the early missionaries, along with Joseph Smith (not to mention Christ and Moroni), never thought of teaching the Seventeen Points.

So I guess my thought is that there is nothing inherently wrong with the Seventeen Points of the True Church. It's just that, at best, they the wrong Seventeen Points.

- Posted using my iPad

The Sacrament

2011-06-01T15:53:00.001-07:00

This last Sunday was our fifth Sunday, combined Priesthood and Relief Society lesson. As is usually the case when I teach or speak, I usually feel pretty confident about my choice in topic until the last moment. Then I change. Luckily, that realization hit me sooner than later and I had time to really think about the doctrine that I felt impressed to teach.

So, as the title of the entry suggests, I determined to speak on the Sacrament. My hope was to get a little deeper than we usually do and help the members of my ward (including myself) really appreciate what we are doing each in week when we partake of the Sacrament. I will only mention a thing or two that I learned, and incidentally, didn't have time to teach or share on Sunday.

I read the transcript of a class that Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught at the University of Utah Institute of Religion in 1970 on the Passover and the Sacrament. One of the points he makes is on the use of the bread and water. He rhetorically asks why is it that we use traditionally bread and water and not something else? He goes on to explain that from the time of Adam to Christ, animal sacrifice was used Biblically as the Passover or Sacrifice to point the minds of the pre-Meridian Saints to the Great and Last Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He reasons that for those 4,000 years our ancestors live in tribal and familial clusters. They primarily raised their own animals and grains for food. Their who survival, for the most part, was based on and around an animal. Therefore, what better way to typify Heavenly Father's Sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son, than to ask His followers to offer a main source of sustenance as a type of Christ? In the same way, in the 3,000-4,000 years after the Meridian of Time (depending how long you look at the "little space of time" when Satan will be unleashed), we now live very different styles of life. We are in largely urban communities. For the most part, we do not raise our own food but rather buy or barter. However, we still require bread and water (or some form of beverage) for sustenance. And because we require bread and water as the most basic source of our survival, what better way than to point our minds back to the Great and Last Sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

The other aspect that I wish I had more time to develop was the doctrinal reasons for the Sacrament and its immediate benefits for our salvation. The key part of the Sacrament prayers is that the end result is that we will have His Spirit to be with us, always. In the Doctrine and Covenants we are promised that with the reception of the Holy Ghost, comes a remission of sins. To me that means in the Sacrament, when partaken of worthily, we can receive a literal forgiveness of sins. Which of course is the whole point of the Sacrament and its pointing us to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

- Posted using my iPad

A testimony of Joseph Smith...

2011-04-26T01:39:00.001-07:00

One of the great things about my life so far, besides my wife and children, is the incredible people I have had in my life. When I first came to BYU ten years ago, a friend of mine was taking a Masters course in Religious Education. At the time he was taking a class from Joseph Fielding McConkie. My buddy encouraged me to come. It was wonderful. JFM taught me things from the scriptures I didn't know were there (which is not really a surprise). He ended up teaching two different courses that I attended.

After sometime I approached JFM and asked him for a job as his research assistant. Thus began what was for me a wonderful and singular experience. I helped him on book projects, we traveled to the East Coast twice for research and paper presentations, and even taught some of his classes. He taught me the tools I needed to read the scriptures, listen to the Spirit, and understand the doctrines of the restored gospel.

Since graduating and leaving his official employ, I have continued to help him on book and writing and research projects. We have become close and I treasure our friendship. The reason for the entry is to share something he taught me a couple of years ago that has had a lasting impact on me.

In sharing this experience, I will be a little vague, but will share the main point that has affected me deeply. I hope that it will you as well.

After returning from a vacation and arriving from a red-eye, he called me when he got home before he went to bed. He met a man while on vacation that shared an experience he had in the mission field. The man had two mission presidents. His first president had a rule to bear witness of the reality of the living Christ with every personal contact. His second president didn't have a rule. But the man reported that he noticed something. His second mission president would begin and end every talk and interview with a testimony of the First Vision. It wasn't long before the missionaries started following suit. Then something really interesting happened: obedience increased, as did baptisms and retention.

After JFM shared this story, he said, "Matt, there is a power when we testify of Joseph Smith. The Holy Ghost will always accompany a testimony of the Prophet." Then he hung up and went to bed. I started thinking. I thought about this experience for days. JFM was so excited when he called, ecstatic. After much pondering, I made a determination that has changed my life.

I decided that I would bear witness of the First Vision in every appointment, every lesson, every talk I give. Because I am the bishop in my ward, I get that opportunity often. I have been doing this for the last three years or so. Everything has changed for me. Everything. Because I am bearing witness of the First Vision, I am necessarily doing three things: I am testifying of the reality of a living God, a redeeming Christ, and a seeing Prophet. I feel the Spirit stronger each time I discuss the First Vision. And because of this, the Spirit is a staying power in my life and I am becoming a better disciple. The reality of the First Vision has become fact and knowledge for me. JFM was right: "There is a power when we testify of Joseph Smith. The Holy Ghost will always accompany a testimony of the Prophet." Furthermore, I have noticed members of my ward doing the same thing. The many members that have been doing this have experienced similar feelings.

If you are reading this, and you have a even a small testimony of the First Vision, or want it to grow, I invite you to do what I have done. Bear your witness of the reality of what took place. Because it is real and really did happen. God the Father was there in the Grove. Our Savior Jesus Christ was there, too. Joseph Smith was there and was called to be a Prophet. They spoke to him, and he spoke to Them.

- Posted using my iPad

Moses' Keys

2011-02-01T23:18:00.001-07:00

I have spent the last several months thinking, studying, and talking to my trusted friends about my last blog entry. I don't know if anyone is reading, but I thought I ought to post my latest idea.

After I learned what I learned, I visited the new lds.org online scriptures site. I did a search of "keys" and learned some very interesting things. I will only share one item.

My search took me to D&C 124. I was reading along where the Lord is telling Joseph that His people have no place on the earth where they can perform their baptisms for the dead, washings, anointings, etc. Then, all of a sudden a verse caught my heart and mind: 38.

It reads as follows:
"For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was."

I have read this verse many times, but I realized few things I had not in previous reads.

1. This verse stands out and in a way is unnecessary for the Lord to make His point. In other words, if this verse were missing, the doctrine and concept could still get a across and the verses would still flow. Indeed, verse 38 almost seems as if it were an aside.
2. The prophet Moses is being brought up in this section in connection with a discussion on the ordinances of the Temple.
3. In D&C 84 we are told Moses brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt to take them to the Promised Land. But before that could happen, he brought them to Mount Sinai so they could receive their endowment from On High. We learn from D&C 84 that they would not receive it so Moses and the Melchizedek Priesthood were taken out of their midst.
4. There are other things, but for whatever reason I can't remember them. I will add them later, etc.

My conclusion is essentially a strengthened position that I took in my last post. Which is: Moses brought to Joseph and Oliver the keys and authority to perform Temple ordinances. This makes sense, as the other two ministrants that came after brought Temple-specific keys: Elias with Temple marriage or the Abrahamic Covenant and Elijah with the sealing power. Looking at it another way, the prophets all come back and give their keys to Joseph and Oliver in the same way a member of the Church progresses through the successive Temple ordinances: initiatory, endowment, marriage, sealing it all together.

I am still working through this concept. If you have any thoughts or additional ideas, I would be very happy to hear them. This has continued to be exciting to me. My next plan is to look at each prophet that brought a Priesthood Key to Joseph Smith and examine the meaning of that Key. My thought is that if I had Moses and his Keys wrong all this time, what else am I missing? I suppose this is one of those times when I am genuinely excited about being incorrect on a doctrine; because I am determined to purify my understanding of the doctrine.

Amen.

- Posted using my iPad

Location:Berkshire Ln,Dallas,United States

The Gathering and What I Thought I Knew

2010-09-23T22:27:00.004-07:00

So, it has been nearly a year since my last entry. Life is busy. But the other day I learned something that has gotten me so excited that I feel the need to break my blog-fast.

I have always been taught and always taught others that the Gathering of Israel is missionary work. Furthermore, I have always been taught and taught others that when Moses appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple on April 6, 1836, the Priesthood Keys he gave to Joseph and Oliver were the keys of missionary work.

The canonized account, as read in D&C 110:11 says, "Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north."

The other night I was reading in President Joseph Fielding Smith's book, Answers to Gospel Questions (a must have for every LDS home as far as I am concerned), and found where he answers a question about the correlation between Moses' keys of the gathering and missionary work. You can read this yourself in volume 3:152-3. To summarize he essentially says that Moses' keys were not missionary keys. If that were true, then what right would Joseph Smith have in sending missionaries out into the world for the previous six years? So it would seem that the keys Moses restored were something else (assuming the logic is sound and I believe it is).

It is my understanding that the angelic ministrants that restored Priesthood Keys to the Prophet Joseph all restored Keys that were specific to the work they did in mortality. President Smith makes the point that Moses was not doing missionary work with Israel when he led them from Egyptian bondage. They already had the gospel. Rather, he brought them to Sinai to be endowed from on High in preparation for eventual entrance in the Promised Land.

Wow. I had never thought about it. Maybe you had. But I had not put it together. Joseph taught that "the main object [of gathering] was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom" (Teachings, p. 308). In D&C 84:2 the Lord says emphatically that He "… established [His Church] in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion…" And so it would seem to me (and I still can't believe I never pieced this together years ago) that the Priesthood Keys Moses is restoring relate to the Priesthood Keys both Elias (whom I think is Abraham) and Elijah restored; which all relate to the Temple. In my heart and mind it makes total sense.

So, this still leaves a question about the Priesthood Key of missionary work. The other night I happened to be reading a transcript of a lecture that Elder Bruce R. McConkie delivered at the University of Utah Institute of Religion in 1967 on the Doctrine of Elijah. In it he says that in 1829 when Peter, James, and John appeared to Joseph and Oliver they bestowed on the First and Second Elders of the Church three things: the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Keys of the Kingdom, and the Keys of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. Then Elder McConkie reminds his listeners that the last charge the Master gave His apostles before His ascension was to take the gospel to all the earth. The idea is that missionary work is inherent in the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Keys of the Kingdom which Peter, James, and John gave Joseph and Oliver. So, if I were to be asked when did Joseph receive the Keys of missionary work I would respond when Peter, James, and John appeared. Were I to be asked when did Joseph receive they Keys or authority to perform ordinances in the House of the Lord for Israel I would say when Moses appeared in the Kirtland Temple in 1836.

So what does all this mean in terms of the Gathering of Israel? A whole lot. It means that I need to broaden my own definition of what the Gathering of Israel means. Does it mean missionary work? Absolutely. But does it also mean Temple ordinances and brining the Lord’s people to the truth and endowing them from on High? Absolutely.

Because this is a concept that I am still getting my head around, I am not totally convinced that I am explaining it well. Feel free to ask questions so I can flesh out my ideas better. At the end of the day, this has enhanced my testimony and personal conviction that Joseph Smith and his successors in the Presidency are prophets of God.

LDS Books Reviewed

2009-10-04T15:25:00.004-07:00

I absolutely love reading books, particularly LDS-themed books. To narrow that down even more, I prefer doctrinal or historical (non-fiction) books. I have read several books lately that I really enjoyed. I have noticed some interesting things not only in the books, but in the LDS book publishing world. These are just my own reflections and not necessarily a reflections on what is really taking place.

I'll start with the publishing theme. It seems that it is getting harder and harder to get a book published at Deseret Book. I have a very good friend and he has published dozens of books with them. He is an excellent writer and a best-selling LDS author. He recently submitted a book that they rejected. He decided to self-publish. Of course, the problem with self-publishing is that there is no built-in marketing plan and the author must rely on word-of-mouth. The other problem is, unless you hire a good editor, you're on your own as far as copy and content.

There have been a slew of books recently that are self-published. The all have fun premises. However, I have noticed that many of them suffer from the second problem of self-publishing. Some of the ideas seem to be pure conjecture. If Deseret Book had published the book, it is likely that the conjectured parts of the books would either be more fully fleshed out, or not included in the book in the first place.

For example, in one book I read recently it said something like, "Clearly this symbol refers to the Second Comforter and the second anointing." Sadly, this seems only to be clear to the author. There are literally hundreds of footnotes in this particular book, however when the author makes a comment such as the one I just quoted, there is no footnote. It therefore becomes the conjecture of the author. While it might be true, there is no way for the reader to come to the same conclusion. As a reader that constantly is hoping to learn, statements like this with no clarification, I become frustrated.

On the other hand, the very positive step that self-publishing has taken in the LDS book world is that authors are able to take more liberality in their views, because it does not have the oversight that Deseret Book or other more mainstream LDS publishing houses typically have. To be clear, I think the oversight is good. However, it is fun to read something that has not gone through the correlation process. I recognize that my views are a tad schizophrenic. I want to read the exciting books and at the same time have them polished. Is that too much to ask? Maybe. Apparently. What I like most about these self-published, non-mainstream books, is that I am exposed to new ideas and ways of approaching doctrines. I can then think about them and decide where I stand. In other words, it gets my doctrinal juices flowing.

Now, having said that, I get very excited (quite literally) when I see Deseret Book or other mainstream publishers producing a doctrinally sound and historically accurate and faithful book. I buy and devour (not just read) every one of them (well, almost).

Here are a few books that I have read recently that I recommend:

Principles of Priesthood Leadership, by Stephen D. Nadauld. This book is EXCELLENT! There is no way for me to recommend this book in a way that will do justice to the book. It is a must read for anyone in Church leadership at any level. I read this book three times in one month (this was last month). I have asked that my Ward Council read it. I have encouraged just about everyone I know that has or is serving on a Ward Council to get a copy of it and read. It will change the way you minister (and administer). It was published by Deseret Book in 1999. I wish I had read it ten years ago. DB recently reprinted it in softback. I have had the book on my shelf for several years and never read it. When I was at the store last month I saw that it was now in softback. I figured that since DB doesn't reprint a book unless it is very good (at least that is my impression), and is in high demand, I should move it to the top of my list. I read it in one night. Then I read it two more times in the next couple of weeks. More slowly and took lots of notes. The only thing I can compare this book to is attending a really good Priesthood Leadership Training Meeting. I really really recommend this book.

Light in the Wilderness: Explorations in the Spiritual Life, by M. Catherine Thomas. This is a self-published book that does not suffer from any of the concerns I expressed above. This book is hands down one of the most interesting LDS books on doctrine and personal spiritual development I have read... ever. It is unconventional in its approach. I don't know any other way to put it. Cathy Thomas is a retired member of the Religious Education faculty at BYU, and I say that to imply that I believe she is doctrinally solid. A friend of mine recommended it to me. This friend was so persistent that I finally bought the book and slowly feasted. I would say it is not possible to devour this book. It is heavy, not light fare. Cathy introduces some very thought-provoking ideas that caused me to think. A lot. I typically get through a book in two or three days. A week at the most. I spent about three weeks wading through the deep end of this book. The whole book is the deep end. It changed the way I look at things, spiritually speaking, in my life. I have bought several copies of this book for some friends. They all come back with the same experience that I had. This is an excellent book. Read it.

Faith to Heal and the Faith to be Healed, by Dennis Horne. This is a fun book about Priesthood Blessings. The genius of Horne's approach lies in his research. He finds a topic that is interesting and finds dozens of statements from Church Leaders. This particular books attempts to answer such questions as: why do some blessings "work" and others don't, how does one prepare to give and receive a Priesthood Blessing, and what is actually taking place when a Priesthood Blessing is given. If you have ever asked any of these questions (and more) as I have, then you should take a look at this book.

The Three Pillars of Zion, by Larry Barkdull. This is a really interesting book. It is self-published but also does not appear to suffer from the concerns I expressed above. Brother Barkdull is solid in his scholarship and is simply trying to share some ideas. He is not promoting himself as a self-proclaimed or self-ordained watchman on the tower, as others do. He has full confidence in the General Authorities and recognizes their authority. He appears to be sharing some ideas that he has about what a portrait of a Zion person would look like. The book draws heavily on scripture. It was though-provoking and caused me to examine my own life and take stock. The book is big (think telephone book size). It is a well written and flows. I recommend this book.

The Day Star Books, volumes 1 & 2, by Val Brinkerhoff. To be sure, these books are beautiful. They are full of full color, hi-res images of temple architecture. Brinkerhoff is sharing in these two large (12x9) volumes. I enjoyed reading the books, as he goes through the various symbols founds on the outside of LDS Temples, sharing his insights. He has historical as well as doctrinal ideas that are thought-provoking. My concern with the books is that he tends to speculate without providing evidence. This is not to say that what he says is wrong. My wish is that he would help the reader understand what he clearly understands in some instances in the books. I recommend the books, but they are expensive and there is some unsubstantiated ideas included, some of which I agreed and some that I did not. What it did for me was to get me thinking and come to some of my own conclusions.

The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books. How do I review this? It is excellent! I love being able to look at original manuscripts of Joseph Smith's revelations. Some of which are written in Joseph Smith's own hand. It is expensive (about $100) and it is big (12x9), but if you can afford the money and shelf space, it is invaluable. At least it is to me. One of my favorite parts is in the original of D&C 84, the scribe is Frederick G. Williams. However, when it gets to the actual Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood portion of the revelation, it moves from Williams' pen to Joseph Smith! We don't know why for sure, but it is significant to me. This is one of my favorite books in my collection now!

Valiant in the Testimony of Christ, by Joseph Fielding McConkie. I admit I have some bias here. But I am not ashamed of my bias. Joseph is a dear friend and mentor to me. He asked that I review the manuscript a couple of times before it was published. I just think this is one of the best books he has written, period. This is a must read for ever Latter-day Saint trying to figure out where we stand with Christ in the Last Dispensation. JFM doesn't cut corners and he doesn't pull punches. It is a great read and will teach you about your testimony. If you enjoyed Elder Holland's talk in the last General Conference (October 2009), then you will like this book.

There are a few other books that I have read in the last couple of weeks that I should post, but I need to eat.

The Office of Bishop and the Aaronic Priesthood

2009-05-17T14:08:00.003-07:00

I gave a talk today in our ward. In honor of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood today, we had a special sacrament meeting. For starters, my first counselor and I blessed the sacrament. A rare treat for the bishop. Then the president of the deacon's quorum spoke, followed by the president of the teacher's quorum. Then my first assistant in the priest's quorum spoke. I was very impressed. Each gave a very thoughtful talk on their respective responsibilities and how it makes them feel. Then all of the Aaronic Priesthood and leaders (including the bishopric) sang We'll Bring the World His Truth (Army of Helaman). It was a very powerful moment. I spoke on the office of bishop and the Aaronic Priesthood in general. Our stake president was also there, so he gave some concluding remarks. It is always a treat for me to have him with us.

Below is my talk. Some things I left out, but most of it was delivered from the pulpit.

Excellent talks from the Young Men. I love them very much.

It was a true and rare privilege to bless break and bless the sacrament today.

My speaking assignment is to discuss the office of bishop and then the Aaronic Priesthood as a whole.

Bishop

May I first say that what I am about to say will hold me accountable to my Father in Heaven. As I teach what it means to be a bishop, I am fully aware of my personal shortcomings. I know that I am not perfect in many of the qualifications that I will read. Please know that I am trying. Thank God for the atonement that allows all of us to change and be better.

The Office of Bishop was restored on February 4, 1831. (The month and day being significant to me, as it is my birthday.)

At the outset, the primary responsibilities were to care for the sick and needy. In time, they grew to encompass both the temporal and spiritual welfare of large groups of Saints. All the quorums of the Priesthood, with the exception of First Presidency and the Twelve fell under the jurisdiction of the bishop. However, even today members of those quorums attend and participate in a ward that has a bishop at its head. Though, of course they preside if present at the meeting.

As the President of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward, I hold the keys of that priesthood. When the man known as John the Baptist came to Joseph Smith, he laid his hands on Oliver Cowdery and Joseph’s head and said, “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.”

Keys of repentance: the bishop can hear confession of sin and authorize the baptism of candidates.
Keys of the ministering of angels: We will talk more of this later.

The word bishop means “shepherd,” “overseer,” (Acts 20:28) and “one who feeds the Church of God.” We are taught that Jesus Christ is the bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25) and salvation. Local ward bishops are called to emulate His example and feed His sheep.

The first time a bishop came to shepherd over a ward was on August 20th 1842. The reason was to organize men and women who could assist in paying “labor tithing” in the construction of the Nauvoo Temple. Thus, Nauvoo was organized into ten wards, with a bishop at the head of each ward.

As outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants, a bishop must be a high priest. Joseph Smith taught: “The bishop is a high priest, and necessarily so, because he is to preside [over a branch (or ward) of the Church].” (Teachings, p. 112)

Brigham Young, in response to members wondering why a bishop must be a High Priest said, “What! ordain a High Priest to the lesser Priesthood? No; we call it ordaining a Bishop; and though we say, ‘We ordain you to be a Bishop, with our hands upon your head,’ it really … means, ‘We set you apart to officiate as a Bishop in the midst of the people of God, by virtue of your holy priesthood, which is after the order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of the Son of God. We set you apart to officiate in this office of the Aaronic Priesthood, blessing you with all the keys and authority of the same.” (Brigham Young, JD 9:90)

Paul taught: (Titus 1:7-9)
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

On another occasion Paul also taught that: (1 Timothy 3:2)
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

To the bishop is given to discern call the gifts of God that he may be the head of his ward and judge and bless. (D&C 46:27.)
27 And unto the bishop of the church [and this is understood to not only be for the presiding bishop, but all bishops in the Church], …. are to have it given unto them to discern all those gifts lest there shall be any among you professing and yet be not of God.

George Q. Cannon once taught that there is direct correlation between the faith that the members of a ward has in the bishop, and his ability to have all the wisdom needed to give the counsel required by the ward. He then encouraged the members of the Church to pray for their bishops and other leaders.

("It has been said that we are very willing to go on missions when we are told, and in regard to our spiritual labors we are very willing to be directed. In these respects there is no people so easily managed and directed as we are. That obedience which characterizes us in spiritual things will have to be manifested in temporal things. Many of the people think "I know more about this matter than my bishop does," when some temporal matter is agitated. That feeling is running through the minds of numbers of the people; and while this is the case your bishops will probably not be as wise as they might be; they have not your faith to sustain them. But when the time comes that you have implicit faith and confidence in god, and in those whom He appoints to preside over you, in things temporal as well as spiritual, your bishops will have all the wisdom needed to give you the counsel you require." (JD 11:338.))

Two common questions that I occasionally hear:

• Does the bishop have more “authority” than an Elder’s Quorum president?
This question is raised because the bishop is a function of the Lesser Priesthood and the Elders Quorum President is a function of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

“The duties and powers of a Bishop cease the very moment he steps over the Aaronic Priesthood, which is to officiate in temporal things; when he passes this he immediately begins to officiate by the authority and power of the Melchizedek Priesthood, though he (and others) may not (recognize) it.” (Brigham Young, JD 10:97.)

“Can the Bishop baptize the people, according to his Bishopric? He can. When the people he has baptized assemble for confirmations, can he confirm them? He cannot, under the power of his Bishopric; but as he has been ordained to the office of High Priest to confirm them into the Church by the laying on of hands.” (Brigham Young, JD 9:280)

Brigham Young taught that “A bishop sometimes officiates as a High Priest and sometimes as a Bishop.” (JD 9:281).

That statement could provide some interesting discussion, but the point is simplified to illustrate the principle.

It is true that the office of Bishop is of the Order of Aaron. However, as Brigham Young taught many times the Bishop acts in his role as presiding High Priest of the ward. However, to simplify matters, I am called Bishop Christensen all the time, rather than Bishop Christensen sometimes and Presiding High Priest Christensen at others. Because of the delegation and conferral of authority from our Stake President, I preside over all the priesthood and auxiliary organizations in the ward.

• What if there was a direct descendent of Aaron in the ward? Doesn’t he have to be the Bishop?
Not any more than any other man. In the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 68:18-21) where this is revealed, it has been interpreted to mean the presiding bishop of the Church. In this regard Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught “the practice of the Church constitutes the interpretation of the scripture.” (Our Relationship with the Lord, 1982 BYU Devotional.)

However, a careful reading of these verses also teaches us that that man must be worthy, called by the First Presidency and ordained by them. As President Joseph Fielding Smith once taught, “the revelation [for a call to be bishop] comes from the [First] Presidency, not the patriarch.” (Doctrines of Salvation 3:93.) There is an order to the Lord’s Church.

Some of the other responsibilities of a bishop include:
D&C 107:20: The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments.

D&C 107:72-74: And also to be a judge in Israel, to do the business of the church, to sit in judgment upon transgressors upon testimony as it shall be laid before him according to the laws, by the assistance of his counselors, whom he has chosen or will choose among the elders of the church. This is the duty of a bishop who is not a literal descendant of Aaron, but has been ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.

D&C 107:87-88:
87 Also the duty of the president over the Priesthood of Aaron is to preside over forty-eight priests, and sit in council with them, to teach them the duties of their office, as is given in the covenants—
88 This president [of the Priests Quorum] is to be a bishop; for this is one of the duties of this priesthood.

D&C 72:2-10:
2 For verily thus saith the Lord, it is expedient in me for a bishop to be appointed unto you, or of you, unto the church in this part of the Lord’s vineyard.
3 And verily in this thing ye have done wisely, for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.
4 For he who is faithful and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father.
5 Verily I say unto you, the elders of the church in this part of my vineyard shall render an account of their stewardship unto the bishop, who shall be appointed of me in this part of my vineyard.
6 These things shall be had on record, to be handed over unto the bishop in Zion.
7 And the duty of the bishop shall be made known by the commandments which have been given, and the voice of the conference.
8 And now, verily I say unto you, my servant Newel K. Whitney is the man who shall be appointed and ordained unto this power. This is the will of the Lord your God, your Redeemer. Even so. Amen.
9 The word of the Lord, in addition to the law which has been given, making known the duty of the bishop who has been ordained unto the church in this part of the vineyard, which is verily this—
10 To keep the Lord’s storehouse; to receive the funds of the church in this part of the vineyard;

D&C 72:11-16: 11
11 To take an account of the elders as before has been commanded; and to administer to their wants, who shall pay for that which they receive, inasmuch as they have wherewith to pay;
12 That this also may be consecrated to the good of the church, to the poor and needy.
13 And he who hath not wherewith to pay, an account shall be taken and handed over to the bishop of Zion, who shall pay the debt out of that which the Lord shall put into his hands.
14 And the labors of the faithful who labor in spiritual things, in administering the gospel and the things of the kingdom unto the church, and unto the world, shall answer the debt unto the bishop in Zion;
15 Thus it cometh out of the church, for according to the law every man that cometh up to Zion must lay all things before the bishop in Zion.
16 And now, verily I say unto you, that as every elder in this part of the vineyard must give an account of his stewardship unto the bishop in this part of the vineyard—

D&C 124:20-22:
20 And again, verily I say unto you, my servant George Miller is without guile; he may be trusted because of the integrity of his heart; and for the love which he has to my testimony I, the Lord, love him.
21 I therefore say unto you, I seal upon his head the office of a bishopric, like unto my servant Edward Partridge, that he may receive the consecrations of mine house, that he may administer blessings upon the heads of the poor of my people, saith the Lord. Let no man despise my servant George, for he shall honor me.
22 Let my servant George, and my servant Lyman, and my servant John Snider, and others, build a house unto my name, such a one as my servant Joseph shall show unto them, upon the place which he shall show unto them also.

The Lord has commanded that we serve in our callings (D&C 84:106-111).
106 And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also.
107 Therefore, take with you those who are ordained unto the lesser priesthood, and send them before you to make appointments, and to prepare the way, and to fill appointments that you yourselves are not able to fill.
108 Behold, this is the way that mine apostles, in ancient days, built up my church unto me.
109 Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; and let not the head say unto the feet it hath no need of the feet; for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand?
110 Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect.
111 And behold, the high priests should travel, and also the elders, and also the lesser priests; but the deacons and teachers should be appointed to watch over the church, to be standing ministers unto the church.

Read a portion of the letter authorizing my call as bishop.

From personal experiences, too many to count, I know I am called of God. I have been b

I have been blessed to always have good bishops. These men have made a significant difference for the good in my life.

I have found that when people have a problem with the bishop, it is usually not the bishop’s problem.

The Aaronic Priesthood

This is truly a miraculous time on the earth. At a time when young men are challenged on all sides by the enticing of the world, the young men of the Lord’s restored Church are given authority to bless and serve others.

It was not always that young men were given the Aaronic Priesthood. That did not really take place until 1877, in what is called The Universal Movement. It was during this time that the Presidency of Brigham Young felt that it would do much to prepare young men to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood if they first had the Aaronic Priesthood. President Young remarked, “It would be excellent training for the young men if they had the opportunity of acting in the offices of the lesser priesthood. They would thereby obtain very valuable experience, and when they obtain the Melchizedek Priesthood they would be likely to place a higher value upon it. (Ref. Pamphlets #080.8, Historian's Office.)”

The history of the Church, both ancient and modern is full of examples of young men being entrusted by God to do great and marvelous works.

Garrison Yoast (10) (Mormon was entrusted with the Plates of Gold)
Justin Ambler (12) (Christ teaches in the Temple)
McCade Rose (14) (Joseph Smith’s First Vision)
Hansen Ringer (17) (Joseph Smith when Moroni came)

Now, the most visual aspect of what the Young Men participate in, as holders of the Aaronic Priesthood, is in the administration of the sacrament. Of the importance of this ordinance and the participation Elder Oaks once taught that it is in the performing of the ordinance that the Key of the Ministering of Angels is made manifest.

“How does the Aaronic Priesthood hold the key to the ministering of angels? …. In general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and communication are only available to those who are clean.... Through the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost but also to the ministering of angels, for “angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ” (2 Ne. 32:3). So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.” (The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament, October 1998 General Conference)

My experience at the Bookstore with the woman that did not believe the Church had the Aaronic Priesthood.

There are a few experiences that I had as a young Aaronic Priesthood holder.
Deacon: passing the Sacrament to my parents, not really understanding the significance but knowing it was important.

Teacher: literally countless service projects that our advisor found for us. We moved anyone who would let us (we specialized in non-members), we demolished condemned homes, and even did light construction.

Priest: participating in the baptism of a friend of mine from High School in the Upper Skykomish river just outside of Gold Bar, Washington.

These young men are men of God. I love them. As a ward, we have a responsibility to nurture, teach, set examples, and provide opportunities for service. The Church is designed to sustain the teachings that take place in the home. President Packer has taught that the Church will never be any bigger than a ward. For better or worse, by and large, the experience that these young men (and certainly all of us) have in the Provo Peak 5th ward, will define their views of the Church in general.

I know the Aaronic Priesthood is real. It was restored by John the Baptist, under the direction of Peter, James, and John on May 15, 1829—180 years ago. I know it will remain on the earth until the Sons of Levi do offer up a sacrifice in righteousness. I know that it is the Lesser Priesthood, and prepares holders of this priesthood for the Melchizedek Priesthood.

As these young men fulfill their responsibilities, they are acting in the place of Jesus Christ. It is the principle of divine investiture of authority. Pray for them so that we can all see the works of the Master in their works.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Holy Ghost

2008-08-22T22:58:00.002-07:00

I gave a talk in my ward on Sunday. I am posting my talk outline (essentially a list of statements and scriptures). If you read it and was present, you will notice there are some things that are not in the outline that I said, and some things in the outline that I did not include. Either way, enjoy!

The Holy Ghost
Sacrament Meeting Talk
August 17, 2008

Scriptures to Consider: D&C 121:44-46
3 Nephi 9:20
3 Nephi 17:1-3
3 Nephi 19:9
Mosiah 3:19
John 14

I am afraid that my words will not allow me to be as eloquent as my feelings.

Relate the events of Christ’s visit to the Nephites and what happened all night and the next day and what they prayed for: the Holy Ghost.

We have just finished the sacrament. In the simple prayer uttered by our Priests, who are good young men, they plead that the Spirit will always be with us. A friend of mine once remarked, if God had a favorite scripture, what would it be? Possibly the sacrament prayers.

Joseph Smith appearing to Brigham Young.
I met with the brethren of the Twelve in the Historian’s office. Conversation ensued relative to emigration westward. I related the following dream:
While sick and asleep about noon-day of the 17th [of February], I dreamed that I went to see Joseph. He looked perfectly natural, sitting with his feet on the lower [rung] of his chair. I took hold of his right hand and kissed it many times, and said to him; “Why is it that we cannot be together as we used to be? You have been from us a long time, and we want your society and I do not like to be separated from you.”
Joseph, rising from his chair and looking at me with his usual, earnest, expressive and pleasing countenance said, “It is all right…we cannot be together yet; we shall be by and by; but you will have to do without me awhile, and then we shall be together again.”
…. I said, “Brother Joseph, the brethren you know well, better than I do; you raised them up, and brought the Priesthood to us. The brethren have a great anxiety to understand the law of adoption or the sealing principles, and if you have a word of counsel for me I should be glad to receive it.
Joseph stepped toward me, and looking very earnestly, yet pleasantly said, “Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach you what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil, from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the spirit of the Lord they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord.” (Manuscript History of Brigham Young 1847-1850, Collier’s Publishing Co. Salt Lake City, 1997, p. 34-36.)

On another occasion, The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:
"You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost" (History of the Church, 5:499)

Elder Bednar taught:
“Brothers and sisters, if you and I would distinguish our personal emotions from the impressions placed in our hearts and minds by the Holy Ghost, then we must desire and seek, ask and discern, hear and obey, and then again desire and seek and ask and discern and hear and obey. Our faith and diligence and obedience are ongoing invitations for additional spiritual knowledge and insight. Faith leads to obedience which yields wisdom and an even greater desire for added light and truth.
“The process of discerning between our will and God's will becomes less and less of a concern as time goes by and as we strive to rid ourselves of worldliness—and thereby cultivate the spirit of revelation in our lives. That is, as we mature spiritually, we begin to develop sound judgment, a refined and educated conscience, and a heart and mind filled with wisdom. It is not just that we have grown older, nor have we simply become smarter and had more experiences on which to draw, as important as those experiences are. Rather, the Holy Ghost has over time been expanding our intellect, forming our feelings, sharpening and elevating our perspective, such that we increasingly think and feel and act as the Lord would under similar circumstances. In short, we have made steady progress in obtaining ‘the mind of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
“This ongoing cycle of gaining spiritual knowledge ultimately produces a precious and delicious fruit, but that fruit cannot and does not grow from a blossom to its ripened state overnight. Furthermore, such fruit cannot grow in barren soil. Obedience to God's commandments and our personal integrity and adherence to commitments such as the honor and dress codes at BYU-Idaho provide the needed nutrients for fertile spiritual soil. It should be obvious to all of us that evil influences such as filthy language, immodest clothing and appearance, and pornography are bitter poisons that kill the soil and halt the spiritually subtle process of receiving help from heaven ‘...line upon line, precept upon precept....’ There can be no shortcut around the law of the harvest; truly, we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).” (“…Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept…” 2 Nephi 28:30, BYU-I Devotional, September 11, 2001.)

What does the Holy Ghost do?
• The Holy Ghost enlarges our minds,
• our hearts,
• and our understanding;
• helps us subdue weaknesses and resist temptation;
• inspires humility and repentance;
• guides and protects us in miraculous ways;
• and gifts us with wisdom,
• divine encouragement,
• peace of mind,
• a desire to change,
• and the ability to differentiate between the philosophies of men and revealed truth.
• The Holy Ghost is the minister and messenger of the Father and the Son,
• and He testifies of both Their glorious, global reality
• and Their connection to us personally.
• Without the presence of the Spirit, it is impossible to comprehend our personal mission
• or to have the reassurance that our course is right.
• No mortal comfort can duplicate that of the Comforter.

Beware of imitations. Satan, without a doubt, has his counterfeits. The best way to discern between the Spirit and the devil is what does the influence cause you to do?
Does it:
• Entice or compel?
• Invite or force?
• Love or hate?

Said President Hinckley,
"There is no greater blessing that can come into our lives than . . . the companionship of the Holy Spirit" (Boston Massachusetts Regional Conference, 22 Apr. 1995; emphasis added).

Brigham Young lamented:
"[We] may have the Spirit of the Lord to . . . direct [us]. . . . I am satisfied, however, that, in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges" (Deseret News Semi-Weekly, 3 Dec. 1867, 2).

Things to erase from our lives so that we can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost:
• Coveting
• Abuse
• Foul language
• Impure thoughts
• Anger
• Inappropriate media
• Etc.

We live in a day in which we are bombarded by information. A simply visit to the World Wide Web can take us to all sorts of information. As you view material that is Church-related, please be discerning. Listen to your feelings as you read. Do you feel the presence or absence of the Holy Ghost?

Joseph Smith once referred to the Holy Ghost as,
“God the Third, the witness or testator.” (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 65)

Ask yourself the following questions:
• When is the last time I know I felt the influence of the Holy Ghost?
• Are there things in my life that need to be removed so I can feel His presence stronger?

I feel the Holy Ghost. I love the way he makes me feel.

Joseph Smith Background Reading

2008-07-04T15:31:00.004-07:00

There has been a lot of press recently about the Joseph Smith Papers Project. A few summers ago I was privileged to work on the Project. Among other things, I transcribed Hyrum Smith’s diaries. It was a very rewarding experience. I was going through my papers today and came across some documents from when I worked on the Project. Among the papers was a list of articles and books all the research assistants were asked to read in order to provide a very basic background on Joseph Smith, his life and teachings, and the environment around him. I do not believe the list is confidential (some of the things I worked on I was asked to keep confidential and will continue to do so) and thought some of my readers would be interested in a list of things to read.

I have previously posted a list of Church related books I personally recommend. This list will have some of the same books. The following list is dated January 6, 2003. Certainly the list would be a bit different today, most likely including Bushman’s Rough Stone Rolling. Also, one of the more recent editions of BYU Studies has an excellent chronology of the life of Joseph Smith.

From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:
History of the Church
c. 1820-1831, Background, Founding, New York Period
c. 1831-1844, Ohio, Missouri, Nauvoo Periods
Joseph Smith-History
Smith, Joseph
The Prophet
Writings of Joseph Smith
Smith Family
Kirtland Economy
Kirtland Ohio
Kirtland Temple
Millenarianism
Missouri
LDS Communities in Jackson and Clay Counties
LDS Communities in Caldwell and Daviess Counties
Missouri Conflict
Nauvoo
Nauvoo Economy
Nauvoo Politics
Nauvoo Temple
Zion’s Camp

Jessee, Dean C., Editor. The Papers of Joseph Smith, Volumes 1 & 2
General Introduction
Joseph Smith Chronology
Introduction to Volume 1
Introduction to Joseph Smith’s Journal (in Volume 2)

Backman, Milton V., The Heavens Resound

Jessee, Dean C., Editor. Personal Writings of Joseph Smith
Introduction

Remini, Robert V. Joseph Smith

Anderson, Richard Lloyd. “Impact of the First Preaching in Ohio.” BYU Studies 11 (1971): 474-96.

Bushman, Richard L. “The Character of Joseph Smith: Insights from His Holographs.” Ensign 7 (1977): 10-13.

Bushman, Richard L. “Joseph Smith’s Family Background.” In The Prophet Joseph, ed. Porter and Black (1988).

Hill, Marvin S. “Joseph Smith the Man: Some Reflections on a Subject of Controversy.” BYU Studies 21 (1981): 175-86.

Jessee, Dean C. “The Early Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.” BYU Studies 9 (1969): 275-94.

Jessee, Dean C. “Joseph Smith and the Beginning of Mormon Record Keeping.” In The Prophet Joseph, ed. Porter and Black (1988).

Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (1971): 439-73.

Parkin, Max H. Conflict at Kirtland: A Study of the Nature and Causes of External and Internal Conflict of the Mormons in Ohio between 1830 and 1838. (Master’s Thesis)

Stakes in Zion

2008-06-02T17:58:00.003-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted. I thought this link might be a fun thing to look at. I suppose many have already seen this, but I liked it and figure it might be worth looking at again: click here.

Also, I just came back from a work-related trip to Denmark. If you are interested in seeing my photos, click here.

For those that have been following the Temple Preparation class lessons, I did not post the last two Sunday's lessons because they were based on the Temple Recommend Interview questions. We discussed the doctrine behind each question. I thought it was a really nice way for us to spend our time. Of course, I had the luxury of doing that because I have access to the interview questions (I am serving as the bishop of our ward).

Judgement and Kingdoms of Glory

2008-05-11T19:04:00.003-07:00

At the time of resurrection, each person will be assigned to a kingdom of glory. Those who are righteous will inherit greater joy and blessings than those who do not obey God’s commandments (see 1 Corinthians 15:35, 40–42).

It is interesting that immediately after Joseph and Sidney see the Father and the Son, and before they see the degrees of Glory, the two view a vision of the condition of the Sons of Perdition. It is as if the contrast is important in their understanding and our understanding.

READ D&C 76:28

* What does this tell us why Satan did and why he did it.

v. 31, 35, 43 gives us the qualifications for making one’s “calling and damnation sure.”

know God’s power (v. 31)

have been mace partakers thereof (v. 31)

have suffered themselves to be overcome (v. 31)

deny the truth (v. 31)

defy God’s power (v. 31)

deny the Holy Spirit after having received it (v. 35)

deny the Only Begotten Son (crucify him unto themselves) (v. 35)

deny the Son after the Father has revealed him (v. 43)

The question is often asked, “Just how much does one have to know before one could become a son of perdition?” The following quotations from Joseph Smith and Spencer W. Kimball may help:

All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me, he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the devil—the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life—the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war, like the devil, and awful is the consequence. (TPJS, p. 358.)

President Kimball taught:

The sins unto death may be thought of as somewhat difficult to define and limit with precision. From the words of Joseph Smith quoted above we note that “. . . many apostates of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” will fall into this category. We cannot definitely identify them individually since it is impossible for us to know the extent of their knowledge, the depth of their enlightenment, and the sureness of their testimonies before their fall. . . .

The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin. Comparatively few Church members will commit murder wherein they shed innocent blood, and we hope only few will deny the Holy Ghost. (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), pp. 122-23.)

1. The telestial glory is for those who do not receive the gospel of Jesus Christ or the testimony of Jesus or the prophets of God, and who live sinful lives (see D&C 76:81–88, 98–103).

Requirements for the Telestial Kingdom

they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus (v. 82)
they who deny not the Holy Spirit (v. 83)
they who say they are some of one, and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses—but received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant (vv. 99-101)
they who are liars and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie (v. 103; Rev. 22:15 adds murderers)

READ D&C 76:99-101

* Tell me about these people, who are they, what defines them?

* What danger do we have of being counted as one of them?

2. The terrestrial glory is for the honorable people of the earth who are deceived and for those who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ (see D&C 76:71–79).

Requirements for the Terrestrial Kingdom

Died without the law (v. 72)
Visited by the Son in the Spirit World, received not the Gospel in the flesh but did in the Spirit World (v. 73-4) “they felt it by the Spirit” (See D&C 137)
Honorable men of the earth (v. 75)
They receive His glory, but not the fullness of His Glory (v. 76)
Not valiant in the testimony of Jesus (v. 79)

Melvin J. Ballard said: “Now those who died without law, meaning the pagan nations, for lack of faithfulness, for lack of devotion in the former life, are obtaining all that they are entitled to. I don't mean to say that all of them will be barred from entrance into the highest glory. Any one of them who repents and complies with the conditions might also obtain celestial glory, but the great bulk of them will only obtain terrestrial glory.” ("The Three Degrees of Glory," in Melvin J. Ballard: Crusader for Righteousness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), p. 221.)

3. The celestial glory is reserved for those who obey the commandments and receive the ordinances, overcome all things by faith in Jesus Christ, and become pure in heart (see D&C 76:50–70).

Requirements of the Celestial Kingdom:

Receive the testimony of Jesus (v. 51)
Believe on His name (we might say faith) (v. 51)
Baptized (v. 51)
Keep the commandments (v. 52)
Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (v. 52)
Overcome by faith (v. 53)
Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (v. 53)

The doctrine in D&C 137 in light of the Celestial Kingdom:

In these verses the principles upon which the doctrine of salvation for the dead rests are announced for the first time in this dispensation. They are:

· first, that the doctrine applies only to those who “died without a knowledge” of the gospel;

· second, that God must read the hearts of those concerned and affirm that had the gospel come to them in mortality they would have accepted it;

· and third, that God must judge that not only would they have accepted the gospel but that they would have done so “with all their hearts,” meaning that they would have endured valiantly and faithfully to the end.

* Who is invited to receive this blessing and see this vision?

Here is what Joseph Smith said:

“I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them” (Teachings, 305).

On another occasion he said:

“God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them” (Teachings, 149)

Progression from One Kingdom to Another

Alma 41:3-4—If their works were good they shall be restored unto that which is good. If their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil.

Once people have been restored to either telestial, terrestial, or celestial bodies do they eventually progress to other kingdoms?

“There are those who say that there is progress from one kingdom to another in the eternal world or that lower kingdoms eventually progress to where higher kingdoms once were. This is worse than false. It is an evil and pernicious doctrine. There is neither progress from one kingdom to another, nor does a lower kingdom ever get where a higher kingdom once was. Whatever eternal progression there is, it is within a sphere.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Seven Deadly Heresies, BYU, 1980. (Emphasis added))

“After a person has been assigned to his place in the kingdom, either in the Telestial, the terrestrial, or the celestial or to his exaltation, he will never advance from his assigned glory to another glory. That is eternal!” (Elder Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 243-244; also in Melchizedek Priesthood Manual, 1989, p. 167. (Emphasis added))

“There are some people who have supposed that if we are quickened Telestial bodies that eventually, throughout the ages of eternity, we will continue to progress until we will find our place in the celestial kingdom, but the scriptures and revelations of God have said that those who are quickened Telestial bodies cannot come where God and Christ dwell, worlds without end.” (President George Albert Smith, Conference Report, Oct. 1945, p. 172; also Improvement Era, Nov. 1945, p. 720; also Melchizedek Priesthood Manual, 1979-80, p. 145.)

“The scriptures say there is no progression from one kingdom to another. This really should settle the matter. This is the whole tenor and meaning of Section 76. The statements in Section 88 about coming forth with different kinds of bodies in the resurrection are in the same subject. The statement in Section 132 that ministering servants will remain such and not have exaltation to all eternity is the same teaching. It is difficult to see how the Lord could have been more express in his language than he was in this passage in Section 132 or related passages in Section 76 that say where God and Christ are certain people cannot come worlds without end.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie letter to Vida Lind, March 14, 1973, in my possession.)

The Resurrection

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The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “The doctrines of the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Eternal Judgment are necessary to preach among the first principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 149.) It would seem that one’s understanding of the principles of the gospel would be incomplete if the teaching of the resurrection were not included.
What is the order of resurrection? I got this idea from a colleague on campus (at BYU) who teaches religion.

One of the qualifications in the New Testament to become an apostle is to be a witness of the ministry of Christ, culminating in His resurrection. See Acts 1:20-22 for more, along with Acts 2:32, 3:15, 4:1-2, 33, 5:30-32. You can also read the accounts of modern day apostles such as Orson F. Whitney and David B. Haight.

Alma indicates that a knowledge of the resurrection is one of the mysteries of God, knowable only by revelation (Alma 12:8-12; 40:3).

Resurrection: An ordinance

“We have not, neither can we receive here the ordinance and keys of resurrection. The keys will be given to those who have received their bodies again. They will be ordained to go forth and resurrected the saints, just as we receive the ordinance of baptism then receive the keys of authority to baptize others.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Conference Report, April 1977, p. 69.)

Who resurrects us?

It appears to be patriarchal.

Who resurrected Christ? Or what do we know about ordinances?

Take a look at the Topical Guide under “raise.” It appears that God himself resurrected the Lord. This would make sense if, in order to perform an ordinance one must have already received that ordinance.

President Kimball will resurrect his wife:

“Your wife is your counterpart, and together you use the God-given powers that are given to you, not by playing with them but by using them to create this great person that is born of yourselves. Now you become the servant of the Lord, with his power. What you have now is a miniature power. I mean there is no one in this room, perhaps, who is enjoying his power to its great limit.... You have the power over the elements. You will have many other powers that you have never thought or dreamed of yet. You will have the power of the resurrection some day. Did you realize that?

“Today you or I could not stand here and call to life a dead person, but the day will come when I can take my wife by the hand and raise her out of the grave in the resurrection. The day will come when you can bring each of your family who has preceded you in death back into a resurrected being to live forever.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Manchester England Area Conference, 21 June 1976, p. 34.)

An idea of the ordinance?

“I would esteem it one of the greatest blessings, if I am to be afflicted in this world, to have my lot cast where I can find brothers and friends all around me. But this is not the thing I referred to: it is to have the privilege of having our dead buried on the land where God has appointed to gather His Saints together, and where there will be none but Saints, where they may have the privilege of laying their bodies where the Son of Man will make His appearance, and where they may hear the sound of the trump that shall call them forth to behold Him, that in the morn of the resurrection they may come forth in a body, and come up out of their graves and strike hands immediately in eternal glory and felicity, rather than be scattered thousands of miles apart. There is something good and sacred to me in this thing. The place where a man is buried is sacred to me….

I will tell you what I want. If tomorrow I shall be called to lie in yonder tomb, in the morning of the resurrection let me strike hands with my father, and cry, ‘My father,’ and he will say, ‘My son, my son,’ as soon as the rock rends and before we come out of our graves….

Would you think it strange if I relate what I have seen in vision in relation to this interesting theme? Those who have died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy when they come forth, which they possessed or anticipated here. So plain was the vision, that I actually saw men, before they had ascended from the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They took each other by the hand and said to each other, ‘My father, my son, my mother, my daughter, my brother, my sister.’ And when the voice calls for the dead to arise, suppose I am laid by the side of my father, what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my brother, my sister; and when they are by my side, I embrace them and they me. It is my meditation all the day, and more than my meat and drink, to know how I shall make the Saints of God comprehend the visions that roll like an overflowing surge before my mind.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 294-6.)

We initially come forth from the grave with the same body as it was laid down

“As concerning the resurrection, I will surely say that all men will come from the grave as they lie down. Whether old or young; there will not be “added unto their stature one cubit,” neither taken from it; all will be raised by the power of God, having spirit in their bodies, and not blood. Children will be enthroned in the presence of God and the Lamb with bodies of the same stature that they had on earth…” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church 4:555-556.)

Children are resurrected as children

“Of course, children who die do not grow in the grave. They will come forth with their bodies as they were laid down, and then they will grow to the full stature of manhood or womanhood after the resurrection, but all will have their bodies fully restored.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 2, p. 293.)

We are raised up as we were laid down and then restored to perfection

“In speaking about the resurrection at the funeral of Sister Rachel Grant, President Joseph F. Smith said that the same person, the same form and likeness, will come forth ‘Even to the wounds in the flesh. Not that a person will always be marred by scars, wounds, deformities, defects or infirmities, for these will be removed in their course, in their proper time, according to the merciful providence of God.’” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 4^th Ed., p. 30.)

“…in the resurrection of the dead the child that was buried in its infancy will come up in the form of the child that it was when it was laid down; then it will begin to develop.” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 24)

“Joseph Smith declared that the mother who laid down her little child, being deprived of the privilege, the joy, and the satisfaction of bringing it up to manhood or womanhood in this world, would, after the resurrection, have all the joy, satisfaction and pleasure, and even more than it would have been possible to have had in mortality, in seeing her child grow to the full measure of the stature of its spirit.” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 453.)

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith explained that being restored to perfection happens almost instantly

“President Smith was in full accord with Amulek and Alma. He taught that the body will be restored as stated in Alma 11:42-45 and Alma 40:22-23. While he expressed the thought that the body will come forth as it was laid down, he also expresses the thought that it will take time to adjust the body form the condition of imperfections. This, of course, is reasonable, but at the same time the length of time to make these adjustments will not cover any appreciable extent of time.

President Smith never intended to convey the thought that it would require weeks or months of time in order for the defects to be removed. These changes will come naturally, of course, but almost instantly. We cannot look upon it in any other way.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 2, p. 294. (Emphasis added))

We will be resurrected with different types of bodies—depending on what we’ve done in this life

“In a real though figurative sense, the book of life is the record of the acts of men as such record is written in their own bodies. It is the record engraven on the very bones, sinews, and flesh of the mortal body. That is, every thought, word, and deed has an affect on the human body; all these leave their marks, marks which can be read by Him who is Eternal as easily as the words in a book can be read.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 97.)

“By obedience to celestial law, man gains celestial bodies, bodies which are sanctified by the Spirit… Their renewed bodies are just as different from bodies still in their carnal state as the bodies of the various animals, fowls, and fishes differ from each. (I Cor. 15:39-42).” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 115.)

The regeneration of the body in this life prefigures (symbolizes) resurrection

“Consider the fact that broken bones men and become strong once again. . . Lacerations in the skin heal themselves. A leak in the circulation system will seal itself, but circulatory systems outside the body do not have this power. . . The concept of self-renewal is remarkable. Each cell in the body is created and then regenerated from elements of the earth according to the recipe or formula contained within genes unique to us. . . To my thinking, this process of self-renewal prefigures the process of resurrection.” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Magnificence of Man,” BYU Devotional, 29 March 1987, p. 4.)

Are animals resurrected?

Absolutely! Joseph Smith taught the following1 in relation to what John the Beloved saw in his Revelation:

I suppose John saw beings there of a thousand forms, that had been saved from ten thousand times ten thousand earths like this,—strange beasts of which we have no conception: all might be seen in heaven. The grand secret was to show John what there was in heaven. John learned that God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them.

Says one, “I cannot believe in the salvation of beasts.” Any man who would tell you that this could not be, would tell you that the revelations are not true. John heard the words of the beasts giving glory to God, and understood them. God who made the beasts could understand every language spoken by them. The four beasts were four of the most noble animals that had filled the measure of their creation, and had been saved from other worlds, because they were perfect: they were like angels in their sphere. We are not told where they came from, and I do not know; but they were seen and heard by John praising and glorifying God.

The popular religionists of the day tell us, forsooth, that the beasts spoken of in the Revelation represent kingdoms. Very well, on the same principle we can say that the twenty-four elders spoken of represent beasts; for they are all spoken of at the same time, and are represented as all uniting in the same acts of praise and devotion.

This learned interpretation is all as flat as a pancake! “What do you use such vulgar expressions for, being a prophet?” Because the old women understand it—they make pancakes. Deacon Homespun said the earth was flat as a pancake, and ridiculed the science which proved to the contrary. The whole argument is flat, and I don't know of anything better to represent it. The world is full of technicalities and misrepresentation, which I calculate to overthrow, and speak of things as they actually exist.

Again, there is no revelation to prove that things do not exist in heaven as I have set forth, nor yet to show that the beasts meant anything but beasts; and we never can comprehend the things of God and of heaven, but by revelation. We may spiritualize and express opinions to all eternity; but that is no authority. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 291-292.)

The Spirit World

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Where is the Spirit World?

“When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going? Into the spiritual world. Are you going into Abraham’s bosom? No, not anywhere near there but into the spirit world. Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes, they do. Do they both inhabit one kingdom? Yes, they do. Do they go to the sun? No. Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not.

The Prophet lays down his body, he lays down his life, and his spirit goes to the world of spirits; the persecutor of the Prophet dies, and he goes to Hades; they both go to one place, and they are not to be separated yet.” (President Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 376-80. (Emphasis added))

Spirit Prison

“In a broad sense, the whole of the spirit world—paradise and hell—is a ‘spirit prison,’ inasmuch as the spirits there, even the righteous, look upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage (see D&C 45:17; 138:50). ‘I know it is a startling idea,’ Brigham Young stated, ‘to say that the Prophet [Joseph Smith] and the persecutor of the Prophet, all go to prison together… But they have not got their bodies yet, consequently they are in prison.’ (JD 3:95) Christ went to the spirits in prison in the sense that he went to the spirit world.” (J.F. McConkie, R.L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3, p. 299.)

Paradise

“There has been much said…about the words of Jesus (when on the cross) to the thief, saying ‘This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.’ King James’ translators make it out to say paradise. But what is paradise? It is a modern word: it does not answer at all to the original word that Jesus made use of. There is nothing in the original word in Greek from which this was taken that signifies paradise; but it was—This day thou shalt be with me in the world of the spirits.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 309.)

Spirits are not far from us

“When men are prepared, they are better off to go hence. …The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and are often pained therewith.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 326.)

Righteous spirits are not denied the privilege of looking in on us

“. . . those who labor so diligently in their moral estate to establish the cause of Zion would not be denied the privilege of looking down upon the results of their own labors from their post mortal estate. . . they are as deeply interested in our welfare today, if not with greater capacity, with far more interest, behind the veil, than they were in the flesh. . . Sometimes the Lord expands our vision from this point of view and this side of the veil, so that we feel and seem to realize that we can look beyond the thin veil which separates us from that other sphere.” (President Joseph F. Smith, Conference Report, April 1916, p. 1-8.)

If we could see beyond the veil, suicide would be a temptation

“Charles Walker quoted Wilford Woodruff who quoted Joseph Smith as follows: ‘if the people knew what was behind the veil, they would try by every means to commit suicide that they might get there, but the Lord in his wisdom has implanted the fear of death in every person that they might cling to life and thus accomplish the designs of their creator.’ ” (Cited in: Studies in Scripture, vol. 1, The Doctrine and Covenants, R. Millet and K. Jackson, p. 307.)

Spirits are tangible

“Spirits are just as familiar with spirits as bodies are with bodies, though spirits are composed of matter so refined as not to be tangible to this coarser organization.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 379.)

Spirit creations still remain

“The brightness and glory of the next apartment is inexpressible. They move with ease like lightning… If we want to behold Jerusalem as it was in the days of the Savior, or see the Garden of Eden as it was when created, there we are, and see it as it existed spiritually, for it was created first spiritually and then temporally, and spiritually it still remains.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 380.)

Proxy baptisms on earth

“Every man that has been baptized and belongs to the kingdom has a right to be baptized for those who have gone before; and as soon as the law of the Gospel is obeyed here by their friends who act as proxy for them, the Lord has administrators there to set them free.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 367.)

Men are called to the other side

“The Prophet Joseph Smith held the keys of this dispensation on this side of the veil, and he will hold them throughout the countless ages of eternity. He went into the spirit world to unlock the prison doors and to preach the gospel to the millions of spirits who are in darkness, and every apostle, every seventy, every elder, etc., who has died in the faith as soon as he passes to the other side of the veil, enters into the work of the ministry, and there is a thousand times more to preach there than there is here. I have felt of late as if our brethren on the other side of the veil had held a council, and that they had said to this one, and that one, ‘cease thy work on the earth, come hence, we need help,’ and they have called this man and that man. It has appeared so to me in seeing the many men who have been called from our midst lately.

“Perhaps I may be permitted to relate a circumstance with which I am acquainted in relation to Bishop Roskelley, of Smithfield, Cache Valley. On one occasion he was suddenly taken very sick—near to death’s door. While he lay in this condition, President Peter Maughan, who was dead, came to him and said: ‘Brother Roskelley, we held a council on the other side of the veil. I have had a great deal to do, and I have the privilege of coming here to appoint one man to come and help. I have had three names given to me in council, and you are one of them. I want to inquire into your circumstances.’ The bishop told him what he had to do, and they conversed together as one man would converse with another. President Maughan then said to him: ‘I think I will not call you. I think you are wanted here more than perhaps one of the others.’ Bishop Roskelley got well from that hour. Very soon after, the second man was taken sick, but not being able to exercise sufficient faith, Brother Roskelley did not go to him. By and by this man recovered, and on meeting Brother Roskelley he said: ‘Brother Maughan came to me the other night an told me he was sent to call one man from the ward,’ and he named two men as had been done to Brother Roskelley. A few days afterwards the third man was taken sick and died.

“Now, I name this to show a principle. They have work on the other side of the veil; and they want men, and they call them. And that was my view in regard to Brother George A. Smith. When he was almost at death’s door, Brother Cannon administered to him, and in thirty minutes he was up, and ate breakfast with his family. We labored with him in this way, but ultimately, as you know, he died. But it taught me a lesson. I felt that man was wanted behind the veil. We labored also with Brother Pratt; he too, was wanted behind the veil.

“Now. . . those of us who are left here have a great work to do. We have been raised up of the Lord to take this kingdom and bear it off. This is our duty, but if we neglect our duty and set our hearts upon the things of this world, we will be sorry for it.” (President Wilford Woodruff, Journal of Discourses, 22:333-334.)

Elder Maxwell taught:

“We do not control what I call the great transfer board in the sky. The inconveniences that are sometimes associated with release from our labors here are necessary in order to accelerate the work there. Heavenly Father can't do His work with ten times more people than we have on this planet, except He will on occasion take some of the very best sisters and brothers. The conditions of termination here, painful though they are, are a part of the conditions of acceleration there. Thus we are back to faith in the timing of God, and to be able to say Thy timing be done, even when we do not fully understand it.” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Glorify Christ, p. 7.)

What do spirits do in the Spirit World?

“Father Smith and Carlos and Brother Partridge, yes, and every other good Saint, are just as busy in the spirit world as you and I are here. They can see us, but we cannot see them. . . they are preaching, preaching all the time . . . they are hurrying to get ready by the time we are ready, and we are all hurrying to get ready by the time our Elder Brother is ready. . . . What! A congregated mass of inhabitants there in spirit, mingling with each other, as they do here? Yes, brethren, they are there together, and if they associate together, and collect together, in clans and in societies as they do here, it is their privilege. . . they have to do with each other, both good and bad. . . .

If a person is baptized for the remission of sins, and dies a short time thereafter, he is not prepared at once to enjoy a fulness of the glory . . . he must be schooled, while in the spirit, in the other departments of the house of God, passing on from truth to truth, from intelligence to intelligence . . . We cannot enter into celestial glory in our present state of ignorance and mental darkness.

[T]he fallen spirits—Lucifer and the third part of the heavenly hosts that came with him, and the spirits of wicked men who have dwelt upon this earth, the whole of them combined will have no influence over our spirits. Is not that an advantage? Yes. All the rest of the children of men are more or less subject to them. . . . Spirits are just as familiar with spirits as bodies are with bodies. . . they walk, converse, and have their meetings. . . . We have more friends behind the veil than on this side, and they will hail us more joyfully than you were ever welcomed by your parents and friends in this world. . .

[E]verything there will appear as natural as things now do. Spirits will be familiar with spirits in the spirit world. . . they exercise every variety of communication . . . as familiarly and naturally as while here in tabernacles. . If we want to visit Jerusalem, or this, that, or the other place—and I presume we will be permitted if we desire—there we are, looking at its streets. . . . Here, we are continually troubled with ills and ailments of various kinds. In the spirit world we are free from all this and enjoy life, glory, and intelligence; and . . . angels speak to us, and we shall enjoy the society of the just.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 378-381.

Alma 40:11

* If at death we enter the spirit world, not God’s actual presence, how are we to understand Alma’s words?

“These words of Alma as I understand them, do not intend to convey the thought that all spirits go back into the presence of God for an assignment to a place of peace or a place of punishment and before him receive their individual sentence. ‘Taken home to God,’ simply means that their mortal existence has come to an end, and they have returned to the world of spirits, where they are assigned to a place according to their works with the just or with the unjust, there to await the resurrection. ‘Back to God’ is a phrase which finds an equivalent in many other well-known conditions. For instance: a man spends a stated time in some foreign mission field. When he is released and returns to the United States, he may say, ‘It is wonderful to be back home’; yet this one may be somewhere in Utah or Idaho or some other part of the west.” (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Question, 2:84-86. (Emphasis added))

Brigham Young renders this verse a “little plainer”

“You read in the Bible [Ecclesiastes 12:5] that when the spirit leaves the body it goes to God who gave it. Now tell me where God is not, if you please; you cannot. How far would you have to go in order to go to God, if your spirits were unclothed? Would you have to go out of this bowery to find God, if you were in the spirit? If God is not here, we had better reserve this place to gather the wicked into, for they will desire to be where God is not. The Lord Almighty is here by His Spirit, by His influence, by His presence. I am not in the north end of this bowery, my body is in the south end of it, but my influence and my voice extend to all parts of it; in like manner is the Lord here.

It reads that the spirit goes to God who gave it. Let me render this scripture a little plainer; when the spirits leave their bodies they are in the presence of our Father and God, they are prepared then to see, hear and understand spiritual things. But where is the spirit world? It is incorporated within this celestial system. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies, as did the servant of Elijah. If the Lord would permit it, and it was His will that it should be done, you could see the spirits that have departed from this world, as plainly as you now see bodies with your natural eyes.” (President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 3:368. (Emphasis added))

At death we don’t enter God’s presence

“As for my going into the immediate presence of God when I die, I do not expect it, but I expect to go into the world of spirits and associate with my brethren, and preach the Gospel in the spiritual world, and prepare myself in every necessary way to receive my body again, and then enter through the wall [veil] into the celestial world. I never shall come into the presence of my Father and God until I have received my resurrected body, neither will any other person.” (Elder Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, 3:112-113. (Emphasis added))

Study on the "Most Important Books"

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A few years ago, a friend of mine, Arnie Garr, published a study in BYU Studies called, Which Are the Most Important Mormon Books? This study surveyed LDS Religious Educators and Scholars. Of course, I still like my list, but I thought you might be interested in what other Latter-day Saints are saying are the most important books. Click here to go to the article in the BYU Studies database. If for some reason the link does not work, it is BYU Studies volume 41 number 3.

The sections are broken down by fiction, historical, biographical, by publication date, and doctrine. Some of the books I was surprised by and others were happily duplicated on my list. Also, it is important to note that this study was published in 2002, so books published since then will obviously not be included on the list.

The Essential Latter-day Saint Library

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I love books. This is not a secret. Anyone who has been to my home will immediately recognize that books are prominent in my life. Specifically I love books about Church topics. Doctrinal. Scriptural. Historical. Biographical. Nearly everything except historical fiction.

Last week we had a campout with our Young Men. One of them is reading all kinds of books about the Restored Gospel. I think it is wonderful. He knows I read and collect books and asked what he should read next.

I get that question every once in a while. So, I thought I would post what I consider to be the essential books every Latter-day Saint should have in their home library. I realize that every list will be different and include other books. Not a problem. This list is based on my experience and learning. It is probably more of a reflection on what I like to read and what has influenced me more than anything else. Also, I have had my library inventory posted for over a year on the blog (actually a link to it). If you are interested in seeing what is in my entire collection click here. But what I am posting below is what I consider to be foundational to a good Latter-day Saint library. It should go without saying that the Standard Works are a given, so I have not included them.

This is a difficult thing to do, because I love all my books. As I put this list together, looking at my bookshelves, I resisted the urge to include every book, keeping in mind this is an essential library, not my library. And so, if you see a book that you think should be included but is not, please know that I most likely considered including it as well. I could also most certainly include a brief explanation as to why each book is included. Perhaps that will be another post. For now, I am just pleased to get this list together. I should also state that these books for the most part are not going to be considered scholarly by some. Such is not my purpose. I have and love those books as well. This list is based on what I would recommend for every member of the Church.

I also should note that these books are not only to be on a bookshelf, but to be read. I often get asked when people come to my house and see my books, "Yeah, but have you read all of them?" The answer is nearly all of them. I would say I have read about 85-90% of my books. There are a few that do not seemed to be designed to be read cover to cover and I use those primarily for reference. However, I have read in all of my books, if that counts for anything.

But enough of that. Without further commentary... my list (in absolutely no particular order):

Doctrinal

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith

The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo discourses of the Prophet Joseph, edited by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook

Gospel Doctrine, Joseph F. Smith

Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith

Answers to Gospel Questions, Joseph Fielding Smith

Jesus the Christ, James E. Talmage

Messiah Series, Bruce R. McConkie

Promised Messiah
Mortal Messiah, volume 1
Mortal Messiah, volume 2
Mortal Messiah, volume 3
Mortal Messiah, volume 4
Millennial Messiah

Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie

A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, Bruce R. McConkie

Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith et al

Messages of the First Presidency, 6 volumes, edited by James R. Clark

Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 volumes, Bruce R. McConkie

Priesthood and Church Government, edited by John A. Widstoe

Masterful Discourses of Orson Pratt, edited by N. B. Lundwall

Writings of Parley P. Pratt, edited by Parley Robison

A Witness and a Warning, Ezra Taft Benson

Christ and the New Covenant, Jeffrey R. Holland

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, four volumes, Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L Millet

Revelations of the Restoration, Joseph Fielding McConkie

Inevitable Apostasy and Promised Restoration, Tad R. Callister

Lost Language of Symbolism, Alonzo L. Gaskill

Called of God by Prophecy, Dennis B. Horne

Receiving Gifts of the Spirit, Matthew B. Brown

Historical

History of the Church, Joseph Smith and editors

Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, edited by Dean Jessee

Opening the Heavens, edited by John W. Welch

Remembering Joseph, edited by Mark L. McConkie

Eyewitness Accounts of the Restoration, edited by Milton V. Backman

The Joseph Smith Papers, Journals, Vol. 1: 1832-1839, edited by Dean C. Jessee et al

Wilford Woodruff Journals, volumes 1-9

Evening and Morning Star

Messenger and Advocate

Times and Seasons

Mormons at the Missouri, Richard Bennett

Kirtland Council Minute Book, edited by Fred C. Collier

Kirtland Elder's Quorum Record 1836-1841, edited by Lyndon W. Cook and Milton V. Backman, Jr.

Far West Record: Minutes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1830-1844, edited by Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook

The Nauvoo High Council Minute Books of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by Fred C. Collier

Biographical

Presidents of the Church, edited by Leonard J. Arrington

History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith

Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, George Q. Cannon

Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, Parley P. Pratt

Wilford Woodruff, Orson F. Whitney

Life of Joseph F. Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith

Go Forward with Faith, Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley, Sherrie Dew

Marion G. Romney: His Life and Faith, F. Burton Howard

The Bruce R. McConkie Story, Joseph Fielding McConkie

Boyd K. Packer: A Watchman on the Tower, Lucile C. Tate

Yearning for the Living God, F. Enzio Busche

The Fall, part two

2008-04-13T19:45:00.001-07:00

A fun way to understand the Fall is to set it down next to the Creation and Atonement. Elder Bruce R. McConkie called these three events the Three Pillars of Eternity. Each one is vital to the operation of the whole Plan of Salvation.

The atonement brings every person back into the presence of God thereby overcoming even spiritual death for all of us (qualified statement). See Helaman 14:17, Alma 42:23

Do we believe in original sin? Why does the Book of Moses insist that we were conceived in sin? Or in other words, what does it mean?, Moses 6:55. (It is blood.) To better understand this, take the following scripture chain:

· What is it about the Fall and blood that makes us evil?

· Evil (blood) is in the flesh, and it is that evil within that gives Satan power over us, as we allow. (2 Nephi 2:28-29)

· Satan cannot tempt translated beings because they no longer have a “sinful” body (3 Nephi 28:39). In other words, their bodies have been changed in some way.

· Satan has no power over the righteous disembodied (Abraham 3:26)

· The test of mortality is mortality: to overcome our carnal desires (Mosiah 16:4-5)

· Mosiah 3:19 is saying we are all naturally evil (because of the fall and the blood) and we must do something that is unnatural to Telestial bodies—act terrestrial or even celestial through the Atonement of Christ.

· Mahonri Moriancumer says the same thing (Ether 3:2: “Because of the Fall our natures have become evil continually)

· 1 Corinthians 15:22 is more than physical death. It is because of the Atonement that we can live. “Christ takes dead men and makes them alive.”

· In the act of the Atonement, what was it that Christ purged from his body?

o Mortality or blood.

Why must we understand the doctrine of the creation in order to understand the doctrine of the fall? Without the knowledge that Adam and Eve were literally the children of divine parents we are without the hope that we too are of the same family and that we through Christ can be reconciled to God.

The purpose of the atonement is to take us back to God not to make of us something that we never were. The purpose of the atonement to correct all the evils of the fall. It is to create again a deathless state, a sinless state, a place without wickedness and sin, etc.

Did Adam and Eve fall up, down, or forward? The Fall “had a twofold direction—downward, yet forward. It brought man into the world and set his feet upon progression’s highway” (Orson F. Whitney, in Cowley and Whitney on Doctrine, 287).

The 2^nd Article of Faith says we are not accountable for Adam’s transgression, what about Adam? Moses 6:53-54 helps us understand that original guilt is real, however Christ atoned for Adam’s original guilt.

To what extent did the Fall of Adam and Eve affect the whole world?

· To the extent of which the earth will be restored (AF 10)

· D&C 101:24-25 – terrestrial earth all becomes new

· D&C 29:24 – celestial earth all become new

· 2 Nephi 2:22 – “all things” (which is quite all encompassing)

Following the Brethren

2008-04-13T13:18:00.001-07:00

Following the Lord’s Appointed Spokesman

Priest Quorum Lesson

April 13, 2008

Today in Priest Quorum I taught the lesson on Following the Brethren. I hope the young men enjoyed it. With a new president of the Church, Thomas S. Monson, I thought it would be an appropriate lesson. What follows are some statements we used in class. I used President Benson’s talk, Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet for a lot of my remarks. I also threw in some ideas from Elder Cook’s talk in Priesthood Session (April 2008), as well as a few statements that I have collected on my own.

It is endlessly fascinating to me that in Lehi’s dream (1 Nephi 8), he first sees two representations of the world first, then after praying that the Lord would bless him according to his multitude of tender mercies, Lehi is brought to the Tree of Life, which is the Love of God, or ultimately the Savior and His Atonement. And so it is that after the prophet sees the world, he partakes of the blessings of the Atonement. It is only after that he sees the river of filth, the great and spacious building, and everything else. The lesson is that the prophet of God knows what is bad, not because he has partaken of it, but because he has partaken of the fruit of the Atonement and knows the difference. That is one of the principle reasons we follow the prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson.

D&C 81 and the instructions to a counselor in the First Presidency

This section is great not only for any men called to serve as counselors, but also to us as we sustain and follow our prophet.

Verse 3: The first instruction is to be “faithful in counsel.”

Verse 3: The second instruction is “proclaiming the gospel.”

Verse 5 The third instruction reads, “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

D&C 132:7

D&C 21:4-6

The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.

President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: ‘You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.’

“When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, ‘Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of old.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’ That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.’ (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18-19)

The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

“If the Old Testament words of Moses were sufficient, as some could have mistakenly thought them to be, then why, for example, the subsequent prophecies of Isaiah or of Jeremiah, who follows him? To say nothing of Ezekiel and Daniel, of Joel, Amos, and all the rest. If one revelation to one prophet in one moment of time is sufficient for all time, what justifies these many others? What justifies them was made clear by Jehovah Himself when He said to Moses, ‘My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.’” (Elder Holland, “My Words…Never Cease.”)

D&C 76:99-101 discusses the fate of those who only follow dead prophets.

The prophet will never lead the Church astray.

President Wilford Woodruff stated: “I say to Israel, The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of the Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, selected by G. Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1946], pp. 212-213.)

President Marion G. Romney tells of this incident, which happened to him: I remember years ago when I was a Bishop I had President [Heber J.] Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home....Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: “My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.” Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, “But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.” [In Conference Report, October 1), p. 78]

In 1951, President Kimball observed in a general conference that though some of those special individuals might falter, "there will never be a majority of the Council of the Twelve on the wrong side at any time." (Conference Report, April 1951, p. 104.)

“There is room in the Church for differences of understanding. On matters about which the revelations are plain, however, there ought to be a unity of thought and faith. We need not put question marks at the end of revealed pronouncements. We sustain the man who stands at the head of the Church as the living constitution of the Church. We follow the direction he points and accept his voice as final where doctrinal differences may exist. Such authority must rest with him if the Lord's house is to be a house of order and if we are to avoid being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. This is simply to say that there is but one head, and in this sense, one spokesman, for the Church.” (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Answers: Straightforward Answers To Tough Gospel Questions)

This is the story of Oliver Cowdery’s return to the Church, as told by Elder George A. Smith to Orson Pratt.

“Oliver Cowdery, who had just arrived from Wisconsin with his family, on being invited, addressed the meeting. He bore testimony in the most positive terms of the truth of the Book of Mormon—the restoration of the priesthood to the earth, and the mission of Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the last days; and told the people if they wanted to follow the right path, to keep the main channel of the stream—where the body of the Church goes, there is the authority; and all these lo here's and lo there's have no authority; but this people have the true and holy priesthood; ‘for the angel said unto Joseph Smith, Jr., in my hearing, that this priesthood shall remain on the earth unto the end.’ His testimony produced quite a sensation among the gentlemen present, who did not belong to the Church, and it was gratefully received by all the Saints. Last evening (Oct. 30th) President Hyde and myself spent the evening with Brother Cowdery. He told us he had come to listen to our counsel and would do as we told him. He had been cut off from the Church by a council; had withdrawn himself from it; stayed away eleven years; and now came back, not expecting to be a leader, but wished to be a member and have part among us. He considered that he ought to be baptized; and did not expect to return without it. He said that Joseph Smith had fulfilled his mission faithfully before God until death; he was determined to rise with the Church, and if it went down he was willing to go down with it. I saw him today, told him I was going to write you. (George A. Smith to Orson Pratt, 31 Oct 1848, in Millennial Star 11 (1 Feb 1849):14.)

The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

In the restored Gospel, the only qualification that is needed is outlined in the fifth Article of Faith.

The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to give us scripture.

Sometimes there are those who haggle over words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel, but that we are not obligated to follow it unless he says it is a commandment. But the Lord says of the Prophet Joseph, “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you” (D&C 21:4).

D&C 108:1

Said Brigham Young, “I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call scripture” (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot], 13:95).

The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

Said President Harold B. Lee:

“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life.... Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow.... Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” [in Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152-153)

How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

Said President Marion G. Romney, “It is an easy thing to believe in the dead prophets.” And then he gives this illustration:

“One day when President Grant was living, I sat in my office across the street following a general conference. A man came over to see me, an elderly man. He was very upset about what had been said in this conference by some of the Brethren, including myself. I could tell from his speech that he came from a foreign land. After I had quieted him enough so he would listen, I said, ‘Why did you come to America?’ ‘I am here because a prophet of God told me to come.’ ‘Who was the prophet;’ I continued. ‘Wilford Woodruff.’ ‘Do you believe Wilford Woodruff was a prophet of God?’ ‘Yes, I do.’ ‘Do you believe that President Joseph F. Smith was a prophet of God?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ Then came the sixty-four dollar question. ‘Do you believe that Heber J. Grant is a prophet of God?’ His answer, ‘I think he ought to keep his mouth shut about [certain matters].’

“Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living Prophet of God.” [Conference Report, April 1953, p. 125]

The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

Said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire” (Scrapbook of Mormon Literature, vol. 2, p. 173).

The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees with them; otherwise, the prophet is just giving his opinion--speaking as a man. The rich may feel they have no need to take counsel of a lowly prophet.

2 Nephi 9:28, 29, 42

The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency--the highest quorum in the Church.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord refers to the First Presidency as “the highest council of the Church” (107:80) and says, “whosoever receiveth me, receiveth those....the First Presidency, whom I have sent” (112:20).

D&C 124:45-46

Remember the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Every decision made by . . . [the First Presidency] must be by the unanimous voice of the same; that is, every member . . . must be agreed to its decisions. . . . Unless this is the case, their decisions are not entitled to the same blessings which the decisions of a quorum of three presidents were anciently, who were ordained after the order of Melchizedek, and were righteous and holy men” (D&C 107:27, 29).

The prophet and the presidency--the living prophet and the First Presidency--follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

President Harold B. Lee relates this incident from Church history:

“The story is told in the early days of the Church—particularly, I think, at Kirtland—where some of the leading brethren in the presiding councils of the Church met secretly and tried to scheme as to how they could get rid of the Prophet Joseph’s leadership.

“They made the mistake of inviting Brigham Young to one of these secret meetings. He rebuked them, after he had heard the purpose of their meeting. This is part of what he said: ‘You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God and sink yourselves to hell.’ (Conference Report, April 1963, p. 81)

In a general conference of the Church President N. Eldon Tanner stated:

“The Prophet spoke out clearly on Friday morning, telling us what our responsibilities are.... A man said to me after that, ‘You know, there are people in our state who believe in following the Prophet in everything they think is right, but when it is something they think isn’t right, and it doesn’t appeal to them, then that’s different.’ He said, ‘Then they become their own prophet. They decide what the Lord wants and what the Lord doesn’t want.’

“I thought how true, and how serious when we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow. When we decide that there are some of them that we will not keep or follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not to follow the Prophet of God.

“No, we should never discriminate between these commandments, as to those we should and should not keep.” (Conference Report, October 1966, p. 98)

“Look to the Presidency and receive instruction,” said the Prophet Joseph Smith (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 161).

The need to sustain our leaders

President John Taylor said with typical boldness, "You cannot say that you submit to the law of God while you reject the word and counsel of his servants." (Journal of Discourses 7:325.)

To Whom can We Turn?

Joseph F. Smith taught, “We can accept nothing as authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the constituted organizations of the Priesthood, which is the channel that God has appointed through which to make known His mind and will to the world. . . . And the moment that individuals look to any other source, that moment they throw themselves open to the seductive influences of Satan, and render themselves liable to become servants of the devil; they lose sight of the true order through which the blessings of the Priesthood are to be enjoyed; they step outside of the pale of the kingdom of God, and are on dangerous ground. Whenever you see a man rise up claiming to have received direct revelation from the Lord to the Church, independent of the order and channel of the Priesthood, you may set him down as an imposter” (Gospel Doctrine, 4142).

Elder M. Russell Ballard said: “You may not be aware of it, but there are ‘false prophets’ rising within and without the Church. They believe they have had revelations, that they know something the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles don’t know. You need to be very careful of such people. If you are ever approached by anyone who claims special authority or revelation from God outside the sustained priesthood authority, turn and run from them as fast as you can. The Savior said that in the last days even the very elect could be pulled away from the truth by such false prophets.

“So can we use this scientific data to extrapolate that the Second Coming is likely to occur during the next few years, or the next decade, or the next century? Not really. I am called as one of the apostles to be a special witness of Christ in these exciting, trying times, and I do not know when He is going to come again. As far as I know, none of my brethren in the Council of the Twelve or even in the First Presidency know. And I would humbly suggest to you, my young brothers and sisters, that if we do not know, then nobody knows, no matter how compelling their arguments or how reasonable their calculations.” (When Shall These Things Be?, 12 March 1996)

The Fall, part one

2008-03-30T17:23:00.003-07:00

For our Temple Preparation class today, we discussed the Fall of Man. There was not nearly enough time to get through all the material I wanted to cover. Which is okay. It just means we get to discuss the Fall again in two weeks (after General Conference). Below are a few of the ideas we covered:

Why study the Fall?

“Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ. No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind. And no other book in the world explains this vital doctrine nearly as well as the Book of Mormon.” (Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness and a Warning: A Modern-Day Prophet Testifies of the Book of Mormon, 33.)

Adam and Eve were chosen to be the first of Heavenly Father’s children to come to earth and were placed in the Garden of Eden. At that time, their bodies were not mortal (see Moses 3:7–8, 21–23).

In what physical condition were Adam and Eve before the Fall?

A Spiritual State – physical/immortal

· D&C 88:27-28

· Moses 3:7-9

Innocence – 2 Nephi 2:23

Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat. As a result, they were separated from God’s presence. This separation is called spiritual death. They became mortal, which means that their physical bodies would eventually die. They also became able to have children. The change to the mortal condition is called the Fall (see 2 Nephi 2:19–25; D&C 29:40–41).

Why is it called a Fall?

· Moving from a Celestial State (in which there was no death, no sin, etc. to a Terrestrial State)

· Out of presence of God

· Reliance on a Mediator, a Redeemer

Why did God not create man fallen to begin with?

· God does not create temporality.

· The Fall was about accountability – it still is.

Was it planned?

· Absolutely, see 2 Nephi 2:24 a great insight into the Fall in relation to the Plan of Salvation

Was the Fall immediate or a process?

· The Spiritual fall was immediate

· The Physical Fall was a process (for instance, a manuscript of the JST and a journal from Edward Stevenson both taught that Adam lived 1,000 years save six months.)

To what extent did the Fall of Adam and Eve affect the whole world?

· To the extent that the Atonement affects the whole world.

“What is meant by partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is that our first parents complied with whatever laws were involved so that their bodies would change from their state of paradisiacal immortality to a state of natural mortality.” (Elder McConkie, Christ and the Creation, Ensign 1982, p.15.)

The serious sin (transgression) of Adam and Eve was that they disobeyed the counsel of their Father, listened to Satan, and then followed Satan’s ideas. See D&C 20:17-20 for more.

Adam and Eve would not have had any children had they not partaken of the forbidden fruit. See 2 Nephi 2:22-23, Moses 5:11

What would have happened if Adam and Eve made it back to the tree of life after partaking of the fruit of the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”? Would they have negated the effects of the Fall on their bodies and lived forever? Why did God place Cherubim to stop them? See Alma 12:23 and Alma 42:2-6.

Hope in Jesus: An High Priest of Good things to Come

2008-03-30T12:49:00.004-07:00

Today I taught the fifth Sunday lesson in our ward. I hope the members got something out of it. As usual, there is just never enough time. I know people wanted to make additional comments, but there just wasn't enough time. It is hard sometimes, finding the balance between what the Spirit is telling me and what the Spirit is telling members of the ward. I think it worked out okay in the end.

Below are some of the statements, scriptures, and ideas I shared in my lesson:

On those days when things seem to hard, the road seems too long, there are too many dishes, not enough friends, no special to share the day with, and a host of other struggles, please remember that Paul described our Savior as “an High Priest of good things to come.” (Hebrews 8:6; 9:11.)

Of this Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once taught:

“My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the ‘light that is endless, that can never be darkened.’ (See John 8:12; Rev. 22:16; Mosiah 16:9.) It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, ‘What light through yonder window breaks?’ It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. (See William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 2, scene 2, lines 23.) To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His ‘more excellent ministry’ with a future of ‘better promises.’ He is your ‘high priest of good things to come.’ (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come, General Conference, October 1999, emphasis in original.)

Now, we do not know when these promised blessings come. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.

There are two kinds of hope

1. “I hope we get to Church in time to hear the Bishop’s remarks.”

2. Hope in Jesus Christ

What does it mean to be hopeless?

What causes hopelessness?

· Sin

· Depression (sin and depression are not the same thing)

· Trapped in a dead end job

· Finals

· Trying to be perfect

· Not getting answers to your prayers

Most hopelessness is self-inflicted. Why do we do that to ourselves?

· We judge others

· We judge ourselves

· The Sacrament and 3 Nephi 18

I testify that no matter how dark your situation is now, was, or will be at some future point, there is hope. As the hymn we love to sing at Conference-time testifies, “There is hope smiling brightly before us, and we know that deliverance is near.” (We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet)

Mormon teaches us where hope comes from and in whom it is centered: Moroni 7:40-41

How do we obtain that hope in Christ?

· Jacob 4

I want you to understand that the Father and the Son have hope in you! A plan has been established that will enable us to have hope, a message that can bring up happiness, the “Good News.”

Let’s review the Plan of Salvation.

· Where were we: pre-earth life

· Whose plan was it? The Father

· Who volunteered to be our Savior? Christ

· How many were lost? A third part along with Lucifer

· What was Lucifer’s great punishment? Not to receive a body. Joseph Smith teaches us:

“[Lucifer] sought for things which were unlawful. Hence he was sent down, and it is said he drew many away with him; and the greatness of his punishment is that he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment. So the devil, thinking to thwart the decree of God, by going up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may destroy—any person that he can find that will yield to him, he will bind him, and take possession of the body and reign there, glorying in it mightily, not caring that he had got merely a stolen body; and by and by some one having authority will come along and cast him out and restore the tabernacle to its rightful owner. The devil steals a tabernacle because he has not one of his own: but if he steals one, he is always liable to be turned out of doors.” Teachings, p. 297-8.)

· What is he trying to do? 2 Nephi 2:27. What might be some other words for miserable?

o Hopeless!

You do not need to be perfect to be saved. Elder McConkie taught this:

“We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don’t. There’s only been one perfect person, and that’s the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path—thus charting a course leading to eternal life—and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I’m not saying that you don’t have to keep the commandments. I’m saying you don’t have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved. The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the “straight and narrow.” You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. If you’re on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you’ll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved. You don’t have to do what Jacob said, “Go beyond the mark.” You don’t have to live a life that’s truer than true. You don’t have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church—keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you’re on that path when death comes—because this is the time and the day appointed, this the probationary estate—you’ll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure. Now, that isn’t the definition of that term, but the end result will be the same.

“There’s great hope for Latter-day Saints. There’s great hope for anyone who will repent, believe, obey, strive, struggle and seek to work out his salvation. There isn’t hope for anyone who will not. Our revelation says, “Surely every man must repent or suffer; for I, God, am Endless.” Well, either we suffer for our sins, according to the law of justice, or we repent, and through the atoning sacrifice, the Lord Jesus bears our sins and we become inheritors of mercy. Now we can go forward. We can have every reward that the scriptures speak of. We’re not an austere people. We don’t remove ourselves from the world. We’re deliberately in the world so that we’ll have opportunity to overcome the world. We can have in the Church every association and felicity and good feeling that anyone can have. Anything that’s wholesome and good is available to us. We’re denied nothing, and that’s good. In addition to that, we can have the hope of glorious immortality—meaning eternal life—in the realms and the worlds that are ahead.” (Elder McConkie, The Probationary Test of Mortality)

The Lord is merciful. He has been part of a plan that is going to maximize returns, so to speak. There are commandments that we have to keep, standards that we need to live, but they are livable! If you are struggling, come talk to me.

We cannot do this alone. It is when we rely on ourselves and our own strength and wisdom that we stumble. The Son was chosen by the Father in the pre-earth life. I imagine we sustained him there. The Son was chosen by the Father in mortality. We need to choose Him here as well. He is the only way. There is no other way.

The whole point is to reach the point taught to us in Moroni 7:48.

Pre-Earth Life

2008-03-23T23:08:00.005-07:00

Today I began teaching a class in our ward: Temple Preparation. There were several good members that could teach the class. Indeed, we just had the sister that has been the teacher move out. About a year or two ago my stake president suggested I might even teach the class. That seemed like a very good idea to me, but for some reason I have decided not to until now.

The course looks interesting. There are seven lesson outlines, however the manual indicates that the lessons do not need to be done in seven weeks. The instructor can take as long as he or she feels is needed. Well, after I looked at the manual I decided that I indeed would take a little longer. The first lesson is on the Plan of Salvation. Today I spent my time briefly introducing the course and discussed the pre-earth life. For fun, I am including a few thoughts about the pre-earth life I have gleaned from my own studies. There is very little that we have revealed from what I would consider reliable sources (essentially the scriptures).

Overall, I think the class went fairly well. It was clearly a first-class, because there was not the relaxed feeling that I like so much in the class room when I teach. Oh well. I figure that in the next several weeks things will loosen up.

Where was the location of the pre-earth life? In the poetic version of The Vision (D&C 76) written by the Prophet Joseph Smith to his friend W.W. Phelps, we find this line: “From the council in Kolob, to time on the earth” (“A Vision,” 82). If Kolob, the planet nearest to the residence of God, is where the Grand Council was held, it seems reasonable to suppose that it was also the planet upon which we resided in our premortal estate.

What did we do in the pre-earth life? We learn from Abraham 3:22-25 that the Great and Noble Ones helped to create the earth. We know that at the very least, Abraham was present. (see also Abraham 4:1, 26-7.)

Did sin exist in that place? Yes! Enough to make a devil out of Lucifer. D&C 93:38 is a great example of this. From this verse we learn that the Atonement of Christ was efficacious in that sphere of life. Truly, Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world!

Did we make choices of companions and families before our mortal birth? Maybe, or at least it depends. I think it is clear that some couples clearly were (Adam and Eve, Joseph and Mary, etc.) and some were not. The only way to tell is by revelation. Sometimes patriarchal blessings are helpful in the vein.

Do the spirits of those yet to be born mingle with the spirits of those who have died? “The idea that premortal spirits will mingle with postmortal spirits plays havoc with the doctrine that those who did not have an opportunity to accept the gospel in mortality will have that chance in the spirit world and thus ‘be judged according to men in the flesh’ (1 Pet. 4:6; D&C 138:10). Surely to be surrounded by the unborn but faithful hosts of the premortal life would more than tip the scales in favor of accepting the gospel for those who did not hear it in mortality. No faith would be necessary in such cases, for the veil of forgetfulness would have been lifted. The labor of the unborn spirit is to prepare itself for mortality; the labor of the disembodied spirit is to prepare for resurrection and the glories of an immortal world. Perhaps those differences in purpose are themselves sufficient to suggest a difference in place.” (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Answers.)

To what extent do our actions in the premortal existence affect who and what we are in this life? The same question could be asked about the decisions of our childhood effecting our adulthood. D&C 130:18-19 and the doctrine of same-o, same-o. Some have talents that were developed there that are manifest here.

Were there fence sitters or those that did not make a decision? No! Every person who came to earth chose to follow Christ, otherwise they would not have kept their first estate and come to the second estate.

How many plans were presented in the Grand Council? One. Often we get this idea that there were two plans presented: one from Christ and the other from Satan. This is simply not scriptural. The plan was authored by our Heavenly Father. The key phrase is “Whom shall I send?” It was not, “What shall I do?” Heavenly Father was not looking for ideas as to what to do. He knew the plan, it was His. Now he needed a volunteer to be willing to sacrifice and lay down His life for us.

Satan was not advocating forced obedience, at least not the way I understand it. There is nothing in his vocabulary that speaks of righteousness. It is foreign to him. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“When the Eternal Father announced his plan of salvation—a plan that called for a mortal probation for all his spirit children; a plan that required a Redeemer to ransom men from the coming fall; a plan that could only operate if mortal men had agency—when the Father announced his plan, when he chose Christ as the Redeemer and rejected Lucifer, then there was war in heaven. That war was a war of words; it was a conflict of ideologies; it was a rebellion against God and his laws. Lucifer sought to dethrone God, to sit himself on the divine throne, and to save all men without reference to their works. He sought to deny men their agency so they could not sin. He offered a mortal life of carnality and sensuality, of evil and crime and murder, following which all men would be saved. His offer was a philosophical impossibility. There must needs be an opposition in all things. Unless there are opposites, there is nothing. There can be no light without darkness, no heat without cold, no virtue without vice, no good without evil, no salvation without damnation. “And so, in the courts of heaven, the war of wars was waged. Christ and Michael and a mighty host of noble and great spirits preached the gospel of God and exhorted their brethren to follow the Father. Lucifer and his lieutenants preached another gospel, a gospel of fear and hate and lasciviousness and compulsion. They sought salvation without keeping the commandments, without overcoming the world, without choosing between opposites. And they ‘prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’ And his legions, the legions of hell, are everywhere. They are “the third part of the stars of heaven,’ the one-third of the spirit children of the Father; and they were cast out of their heavenly home because of rebellion. And so the holy word says: ‘Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath.’ And he goes forth ‘to make war’ with all men and particularly with those who ‘keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ (Rev. 12:4-17.) And the war that is now going on among men, the war between good and evil, is but a continuation of the war that began in heaven.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 666-7.).

Early Church Periodicals

2008-01-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a reprint of the Nauvoo era periodical, Times & Seasons. As I have read from its pages I have been thrilled with the thought that I am reading the same words the early Saints would have read. In that spirit, I am including a list of early Church periodicals along with dates they were published and links to read either the text or a pdf of the original. Access to each of these is free. Enjoy!

The Evening and the Morning Star (typically shortened to Evening and Morning Star)
Vol. 1: June 1832 - May 1833
Vol. 2: June 1833 - September 1834
To read the original in pdf format click here, to read in html click here.

Messenger and Advocate (click here to read in html)
Vol. 1: October 1834 - September 1835 (click here to read in pdf)
Vol. 2: October 1835 - September 1836 (click here to read in pdf)
Vol. 3: October 1836 - September 1837 (click here to read in pdf)

Elders' Journal (currently I am not able to find any online sources for this periodical)
Vol. 1, No. 1: October 1837
Vol. 1, No. 2: November 1837
Vol. 1, No. 3: July 1838
Vol. 1, No. 4: August 1838

Times and Seasons (click here to read in html)
Vol. 1: November 1839 - October 1840 (click here for the pdf of this volume)
Vol. 2: November 1840 - October 1841 (click here for the pdf of this volume)
Vol. 3: November 1841 - October 1842 (click here for the pdf of this volume)
Vol. 4: November 1842 - October 1843 (click here for the pdf of this volume)
Vol. 5: January 1844 - January 1845 (click here for the pdf of this volume)
Vol. 6: January 1845 - February 1846 (click here for the pdf of this volume)

Millennial Star (click here to read pdf scans)
This was published from 1840 - 1970 and was primarily for the Latter-day Saints in Britain.

Movie Ratings

2007-12-31T11:15:00.001-07:00

For some time now, I have been concerned about the entertainment we consume. True, there is some that is good and helpful to our spirits. However, there is much that us not good and very detrimental to our souls. I believe the Church has been clear on what we should watch and not watch. The standard that we use to measure whether we watch something or not should be whether or not we can continue to feel the Holy Ghost. If we cannot, then the entertainment is not for us. In my view, this certainly would mean that r-rated films are out of the question. This also means many pg-13 and even pg films should be closely examined.

To that end, I have discovered a website (actually a friend showed it to me) that does content measurements on virtually every film that is being released. It also has older movies as well as an archive. The website is called, Kids-In-Mind. I commend it to anyone who is interested in the content of a movie, regardless of the rating, before they or their family watches it.

Elder Ballard urges LDS-based blogs

2007-12-16T22:39:00.000-07:00

In a recent address to students at BYU Hawaii, Elder M. Russell Ballard urged students to make a positive difference in the national discussion of our faith. Read this to learn more.

The Law of Tithing, the Temple, and Revelation

2007-12-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

With the end of the year, and the entire Church participating in tithing settlement, I thought it would be nice to review some of the important blessings of paying a full-tithe. To do so, I am including a few statements by President Harold B. Lee a friend sent to me.

We must teach the law of the fast. No mother who really understands the law of fasting would knowingly want her family deprived of the blessings which come from its observance. It then becomes the responsibility of this organization, the Relief Society teachers, to teach every mother in her home this law of fasting and the paying of fast offerings, for the keeping of which so much is promised in the way of spiritual as well as temporal blessings. (1952)

There are promises of protection in the Word of Wisdom. The Lord’s word of wisdom commanding abstinence from a worldly “king’s portion” of tobacco, tea and coffee, and alcoholic beverages that are habit-forming, and which counsels the simple diet of fruits, grains, and vegetables in season, with meats used sparingly, has been given you as a revelation of God’s great law of health. It stands today as a challenge to a world surfeited with things condemned as unclean and unfit for the human body. If you have faith as the youthful Daniel and his brethren and purpose in your hearts that you will not defile yourselves with “king’s meat and wine,” even though you may be two thousand miles east of the Suez Canal, your faith will have the reward of hidden treasures of knowledge, of strong bodies that can “run and not be weary and walk and not faint.” If by faith in this great law, you refrain from the use of food and drink harmful to your bodies, you will not become a ready prey to scourges that shall sweep the land, as in the days of the people of Moses in Egypt, bringing death to every household that has not heeded the commandments of God. (1945)

Blessings come from paying fast offerings. The Church needs blessings, and the only way we can receive the blessings is by keeping the laws on which those blessings are predicated; and the fundamental law pertaining to the welfare of our people was fast offerings. The reason we want to stress the paying of fast offerings is because we need the blessings that come from paying fast offerings. (1971)

Tithing and fast offerings are the Lord’s financial system. [This is] the monetary system by which the Lord has directed his work to be carried forward: First, by tithing—a principle enunciated in former dispensations as attested by the scriptures and reaffirmed by modern revelation; the promise following obedience to this principle is that the windows of heven would be open and blessings would be poured out that we would hardly be able to contain. The opening of the windows of heaven, of course, means revelation from God to him who is willing this to sacrifice.

Second, by fast offerings—which means going without meals on the first Sunday and consecrating our fast by the contribution to the bishop for the care of the needy. As explained in the days of the prophet Isaiah, the children of Israel were admonished, “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,” meaning fasting and then paying fast offerings. If you would do that, he promised, “then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.” (Isaiah 58:7, 9.)

We are saying to the Saints, How important that you keep this fundamental law to fast and to deal out your bread to the hungry through contributions so that when you call, the Lord shall answer; when you shall cry, the Lord will say, “Here I am.” (1971)

The Lord gave us the law of tithing. Here in the 119^th section, after [the Saints] had tried and the Lord had found that they were not able to live the more complete law [of consecration], he gave another law that he called the law of tithing, and in it he says this: “Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion. And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.” (D&C 119:1, 3-4.)

Notice tithing is “one-tenth of all their interest,” and that has always been interpreted to mean income, a tenth of income is a tithe. We are now living that, and in addition to tithing we have the welfare program.

We heard President [J. Reuben] Clark say something that I have thought about as the Brethren have talked today. He said, in effect, “If you think about it clearly, when you think about our storehouses where we are putting in all the surpluses we can, when we are paying a full tithing, when we are giving assistance in the health services, when we are giving assistance in the programs by which we reach out to those who are far afield, teaching them how to take care of themselves, we will not be far from living the united order.” (1973)

Attitude is important in paying tithing. It’s possible for every one of us to learn how to keep the Word of Wisdom perfectly. It’s possible for every one of us to learn how to pay our tithing, perfectly. It was only day before yesterday that I went to the bishop of my own ward on tithing settlement day. He is now retiring from his position as bishop to go out and preside over the Central States Mission. He said, “I want to bear you a testimony that I’ve gained in six years of experience as a bishop. In all of this time I have had hundreds and hundreds of full tithe payers come to report their tithing, and in all that time I have never had one of them approach me, throw down his check or his money, and say, ‘Well, there it is,’ as though it were a terrible task, but they have all come happily because they felt they were doing the will of the Lord.” The one who learns how to pay his tithing perfectly is a happy man. (1954)

Those who observe the principles of fasting and fast offerings qualify for blessings. The turning point in the progress of the welfare program is when our people are faithful in keeping the fundamentals that the Lord laid down. If we can keep the fast, and consecrate our fast by paying the value of the meals from which we abstain, and for those who can pay more to pay more, then we will be assured of His blessings. It isn’t the amount of money, I tell you, that is the important thing; it is the fact that having this complied with the law, we then qualify ourselves and this church as the kingdom of God. We are then qualified to pray to the Lord, to call and He will answer. As Isaiah declared: “Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am” (Isaiah 58:9). It is this way that the Lord opens the windows of heaven and pours out blessings that we shall hardly be able to receive (see Malachi 3:10). (1968)

Law of Consecration

2007-11-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

I gave a talk a few weeks ago in my ward on the Law of Consecration. I have decided to post four images that I created on my laptop, based on four images I found in one of the books I read in preparation for the talk. The images were done by Lyndon Cook in his book, Joseph Smith and the Law of Consecration. It is a hard book to find, and a tad expensive, but a fun and fairly brief book to read. Recently there was an article published in BYU Studies (Volume 46, Number 3, 2007) by Max H. Parkin. Brother Parkin's article deals with many of the same issues, with a focus on the comings and doings of the United Firm.

These four images help to visually see the different stages of the Law of Consecration in Church History.

Three Most Serious Sins

2007-10-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked me the other night about the fate of people who commit murder. I figured that I would include the other two serious sins as well. This is taken from my lesson when I teach Alma 39:3-6. If anyone has other statements or scriptures they think would be useful, please send them to me and I will add them.

Denying the Holy Ghost

According to the Lord, individuals committing this sin do five things: (1) They “know my power, and [2] have been made partakers thereof, and [3] suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome and [4] to deny the truth and [5] defy my power” (D&C 76:31).

This leads that man to deny “the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to open shame” (D&C 76:35).

Joseph Smith indicated that such an individual must “have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. . . . He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 358).

“The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 23).

Brigham Young taught this remarkable principle: “How much does it take to prepare a man, or woman, or any being, to become angels to the Devil, to suffer with him to all eternity? Just as much as it does to prepare a man to go into the celestial kingdom, into the presence of the Father and the Son, and to be made an heir to his Kingdom, and all his glory, and be crowned with crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal lives.” Journal of Discourses 3:93.

For a sin to be unpardonable, it must be of such a nature that the atoning blood of the Savior could not “cover” it, nor could the personal suffering of the sinner pay the price for the broken law. All other sins can be covered by either of these methods and, therefore, are pardonable.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “The unpardonable sin is to shed innocent blood, or be accessory thereto. All other sins will be visited with the judgment in the flesh, and the spirit being delivered to the buffetings of Satan until the day of the Lord Jesus” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 301). In his sermons the Prophet used the term “innocent blood” in relation to both the sin against the Holy Ghost and murder. In relationship with the sin against the Holy Ghost, this apparently refers to those who have so rebelled against the Savior that they seek after the blood of Christ and if possible would shed his blood anew.

Shedding Innocent Blood

Elder McConkie wrote: “We do know that there are murders committed by Gentiles for which they at least can repent, be baptized, and receive a remission of their sins” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 231; see also 3 Nephi 30:12).Elder Spencer W. Kimball wrote: Even among willful murderers there are grades and categories. . . . There are those who kill in drunkenness, in rage, in anger, in jealousy. There are those who kill for gain, for power, for fear. There are those who kill for lust. They certainly will suffer different degrees of punishment hereafter. (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 129-30)

Because of this rebellion, the fulness of the atonement of Jesus Christ is not effective in murderers’ lives. In order for the demands of justice to be met, murderers must pay the price themselves before they can enter into a kingdom of glory. Elder McConkie suggests that it appears that they “shall eventually go to the Telestial Kingdom” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 3:584).

Joseph Smith further explained David’s situation by stating that his “remains were then in the tomb. Now, we read that many bodies of the Saints arose at Christ’s resurrection, probably all the Saints, but it seems that David did not. Why? Because he had been a murderer. If the ministers of religion had a proper understanding of the doctrine of eternal judgment, they would not be found attending the man who forfeited his life to the injured laws of his country, by shedding innocent blood; for such characters cannot be forgiven, until they have paid the last farthing.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 188-89) However, after paying the last farthing, murderers will reside in the Telestial Kingdom and thus be saved in the kingdom of God. Although the sin of murder is unforgivable as far as the atonement of Christ is concerned, the repentant murderer can still qualify for salvation in the Telestial Kingdom. Thus the sin of murder is different from the sin against the Holy Ghost and sexual sin.

Sexual Sin

President Joseph F. Smith emphasized the significance of this power when he stated:

The man and the woman who engage in this ordinance of matrimony are engaging in something that is of such far-reaching character, and is of such vast importance, that thereby hangs life and death, and eternal increase. Thereupon depends eternal happiness, or eternal misery. For this reason, God has guarded this sacred institution by the most severe penalties, and has declared that whosoever is untrue to the marriage relation, whosoever is guilty of adultery, shall be put to death. This is scriptural law, though it is not practiced today, because modern civilization does not recognize the laws of God in relation to moral status of mankind. The Lord commanded, “Whosoever sheddeth innocent blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” Thereby God has given the law. Life is an important thing. No one has any right to take life, unless God commanded it. The law of God as to violation of the marriage covenant is just as strict, and is on a parallel with law against murder notwithstanding the former is not carried out. (Gospel Doctrine, p. 273)

The seriousness of this sin has been repeatedly restated in this dispensation. For example, in 1942 the First Presidency stated: “The doctrine of this Church is that sexual sin—the illicit sexual relations of men and women—stands, in its enormity, next to murder. The Lord has drawn no essential distinctions between fornication, adultery, and harlotry or prostitution. Each has fallen under His solemn and awful condemnation.”

Joseph Smith declared: “If a man commit adultery, he cannot receive the celestial kingdom of God. Even if he is saved in any kingdom, it cannot be the celestial kingdom” (HC 6:81). This troublesome statement has caused some to feel a hopelessness because of their transgressions. However, after making a thorough review of scriptures on repentance revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, President Spencer W. Kimball observed: “Going back to the Prophet’s original statement, had he inserted in it the three words I believe it implies ‘and remains unrepentant,’ this statement would fit perfectly in the program as given in the numerous scriptures, many of which came through the Prophet himself” (Miracle of Forgiveness 350). In stating this, President Kimball emphasized that he did not intend to minimize “the seriousness of the sexual sins or other transgressions but merely to hold out hope to the transgressor, so that men and women of sin may strive with all their power to overcome their errors, wash themselves ‘in the blood of the Lamb’ and be purged and purified, and thus be able to return to their maker” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 351).

War in Heaven

2007-09-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

A friend has asked if I have any information on the war in heaven and agency. I happen to know of a wonderful statement Elder McConkie wrote in his work, Millennial Messiah. Check out the page reference at the bottom of the quote. Coincidence? You decide. Regardless, the statement is wonderful and full of doctrinal ideas.

"When the Eternal Father announced his plan of salvation—a plan that called for a mortal probation for all his spirit children; a plan that required a Redeemer to ransom men from the coming fall; a plan that could only operate if mortal men had agency—when the Father announced his plan, when he chose Christ as the Redeemer and rejected Lucifer, then there was war in heaven. That war was a war of words; it was a conflict of ideologies; it was a rebellion against God and his laws. Lucifer sought to dethrone God, to sit himself on the divine throne, and to save all men without reference to their works. He sought to deny men their agency so they could not sin. He offered a mortal life of carnality and sensuality, of evil and crime and murder, following which all men would be saved. His offer was a philosophical impossibility. There must needs be an opposition in all things. Unless there are opposites, there is nothing. There can be no light without darkness, no heat without cold, no virtue without vice, no good without evil, no salvation without damnation.

"And so, in the courts of heaven, the war of wars was waged. Christ and Michael and a mighty host of noble and great spirits preached the gospel of God and exhorted their brethren to follow the Father. Lucifer and his lieutenants preached another gospel, a gospel of fear and hate and lasciviousness and compulsion. They sought salvation without keeping the commandments, without overcoming the world, without choosing between opposites. And they 'prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.' And his legions, the legions of hell, are everywhere. They are 'the third part of the stars of heaven,' the one-third of the spirit children of the Father; and they were cast out of their heavenly home because of rebellion. And so the holy word says: 'Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath.' And he goes forth 'to make war' with all men and particularly with those who 'keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.' (Rev. 12:4-17.) And the war that is now going on among men, the war between good and evil, is but a continuation of the war that began in heaven." (Bruce R. McConkie, Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man, p. 666-667.)

The Office of High Priest

2007-08-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

We recently had a training with newly ordained high priests in our stake. The following is some of the material and statements that we used. I hope they are helpful to anyone wanting to learn about this sacred office in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Victor C. Anderson taught:

“What does it mean to you to be ordained a high priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Is it merely an ordination commonly conferred upon the elderly man of the Church or is it an ordinance having a deeper significance?

“When ordained a High Priest the individual receives recognition by the Church that certain fundamental standards have been attained which are requisite for ‘life eternal.’ In order to enjoy celestial living it is necessary that one has ability to live the standards that yield ‘abundant life.’ This plan of living was given to the world by Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago and again reiterated to the world by Joseph Smith in our dispensation. As a man is advanced in the priesthood he should feel that he has greater strength in his ability to live the gospel plan. Ultimately when he is honored by the church with the degree of high priesthood, or High Priest, it is an announcement to the world that he has mastered certain standards of attainment required for leadership in Christ’s Church.

“When a medical school confers an M.D. degree upon a student the university announces to the world that it may expect the man or woman receiving the degree to possess certain skills and information necessary to care for the health of the people. Anyone who desires may acquaint himself with the standards for such a degree. It is because of our confidence that these attainments have been met, that we trust the life of our dear ones when sickness and accident comes to them. Likewise when conferring the degree of High Priest, the Church of Jesus Christ announces to the world that this man who becomes a High Priest in the Kingdom of God has acquired certain fundamental skills that make for ‘life abundant.’” (Melchizedek Priesthood, Improvement Era, 1932, Vol. Xxxv. August, 1932. No. 10.)

This new office in the priesthood has not come because you are better than others. This is not a move to retirement in the priesthood. Indeed, the very fact that you were made a high priest is most likely because your leaders and the Lord have entrusted you with greater responsibilities. It is now you duty to work harder than before. The office of high priest is not the soft cushy job. It is the hard, spiritual labor one undertakes to further discipleship.

Context and Historical Vocabulary

The Prophet explained: “The duty of a High Priest is to administer in spiritual and holy things, and to hold communion with God; but not to exercise monarchial government…it is the High Priests’ duty to be better qualified to teach principles and doctrines…” (History of the Church, 1:338).

To give you an idea of what marvelous blessings are in store, let’s read JST Genesis 14 and learn about the man Melchizedek, who was a high priest.

26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.

27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,

28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;

29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.

30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.

32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

When we are made High Priests we are expected to live a higher more noble law. In JST Hebrews 7:3 we read: “For this Melchizedek was ordained a priest after the order of the Son of God, which order was without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. And all those who are ordained unto this priesthood are made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually.”

The Office in the Church

· Restoration of the office of High Priest: Spring 1831

· High Councils: February 17, 1834

· Apostleship: February 14, 1835

· High Priest Quorum: January 15, 1836

· Stake president and high priest quorum president merged in 1956

The highest quorum of the Church is the Quorum of the First Presidency or Presidency of the High Priesthood. The presidency consists of three high priests who are ordained to the office (D&C 107:22). Within this quorum is one who is called as President of the High Priesthood (D&C 107:65). His duty is to preside over the whole Church and he holds and exercises all the keys of the kingdom in their fulness (D&C 132:7).

The authority of the office of Apostle encompasses the office of high priest and all other offices of the priesthood. This means that a man may labor as an ordained Apostle with ever having been specifically ordained a high priest (as in the case of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, Discourses of Brigham Young, 141).

· A ward bishop must also be a high priest.

· He does not preside over the ward by virtue of the office he holds as bishop.

· A bishop presides because he holds the office of high priest and has been given specific keys as the presiding high priest of the ward.

· These keys cannot be given to an elder or to a bishop who has not yet been ordained a high priest.

Ordination Process

· Recommended by the bishop

· Approved by the stake presidency and high council

· Sustained by members in stake conference or general priesthood meeting

· Interviewed by bishop and stake president or an assigned counselor; ordained under the direction of the stake president

The Office of Bishop

2007-08-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

The office of Bishop was restored in our dispensation in a brief revelation give to the Prophet Joseph Smith on February 4, 1831. This revelation, known today as D&C 41 has the portion dealing with the call of Edward Partridge in verse 9.

In the beginning of the dispensation, there was only one kind of bishop, today we would call that bishop the Presiding Bishop. The local bishop was not given a ward over which to preside until August 20, 1842 at Nauvoo.

The Handbook of Instructions outlines five areas in which the local bishop has primary responsibilities.

1. President of the Aaronic Priesthood (D&C 107:15 (13-15), 87-88).
2. Presiding High Priest (D&C 68:19; 107:69; 84:29).

He is to oversee the teaching of the gospel in the ward
Oversee the three missions of the Church in the ward
Preside over the ordinances that occur at the ward level
Conduct all ward business

3. Common Judge (D&C 107:72-72)
4. Looks after the poor and needy ((D&amp;C 84:112; 107:68)
5. Oversees finances, records, and the use and security of the meetinghouse (Moroni 6:4)

Sacrament Prayers Compared

2007-07-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was curious about the subtle differences in the sacrament prayers. This is what I produced to help me study them.

Ordinances of the Restored Gospel

2007-07-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

Keys of the Priesthood

2007-07-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

What is the priesthood?

“Priesthood is the authority of God delegated to man to minister for the salvation of men. ‘The power of directing these labors constitutes the keys of the Priesthood.’ (Teachings, p. 141.)” (Russell M. Nelson, Keys of the Priesthood, October 2005 Ensign, p. 40.)

What are keys? (Matthew 16:13-19)

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught “the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom.” (Teachings, p. 21.)

“Today, the President of the Church actively holds every key held by ‘all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation.’ (D&C 112:31; see also v. 30.)” (Russell M. Nelson, Keys of the Priesthood, October 2005 Ensign, p. 43.)

What keys were brought back in our dispensation?

Elias and why he is probably not Noah/Gabriel:

Elias is a title
There are many Elias’s in the scriptures and they are not the same people

Elias
John the Baptist
Jesus Christ
Joseph Smith

How could this Elias be seen as a forerunner or preparer for what came next?

This man is restoring something that will enable the next key to be functional

Gabriel is the same as Noah according to Joseph Smith and D&C 28:5-7:

“The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed, as in Genesis 1:26, 27, 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures. Then to Noah, who is Gabriel: he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in this day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in heaven.” Teachings, p. 157

Raphael/Enoch:

“The Bible contains no mention of Raphael; the apocryphal book of Tobias, however, contains this statement: ‘I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord.’ (Tob. 12:15.)

“As to Raphael's mortal identity we can only speculate. We do know the personages however, who restored the keys exercised in the various great dispensations mentioned in the Bible, with the exception of the dispensation of Enoch. An inference thus arises that Raphael may be Enoch or some other great prophet from his dispensation. If this assumption is correct, then the keys restored by Raphael would be those enjoyed by the saints in Enoch's day including, perhaps, the power whereby men may be translated.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 618.)

There is a mention of “divers angels.” Who else might have come?

Seth
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Daniel
Lehi
Nephi
Mahonri Moriancumer
Possibly many others…

Who holds keys?

First Presidency
Council of the Twelve Apostles
Temple presidents
Mission presidents
Stake presidents
District presidents
Bishops
Elders Quorum presidents
Teachers Quorum presidents
Deacons Quorum presidents

What happens if we abuse the Priesthood by which those who hold keys are given? (D&C 121:37)

Why do we follow those who hold keys? (D&C 124:45-46)

Priesthood Keys are the mode by which the Church is driven and directed. Indeed, without keys we would not be saved. (D&C 35:25)

True Doctrine of Perfection

2007-06-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today my wife, Talia, and I gave a lesson to the sisters of our Relief Society Enrichment on the True Doctrine of Perfection. As is usual, I am posting the statements I used in my portion of the lesson. I am also including some thoughts on a few of the scriptures I used.

Matthew 5:41:

“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”

JST Matthew 5:41 (43):
“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him a mile...”

The implications of this change are significant. Especially for those who are spiritually and emotionally and mentally, and even physically exhausted from going the second mile, when the Lord would only have you travel one. The Lord is plainly teaching moderation in all things. Ours is a gospel of hope, of reality, of redemption. Christ did not atone for the perfect. He atoned for people like me.

Elder Samuelson has written:
“For over 20 years I was a professor and practitioner of medicine, and I have a concern that I know is shared by other General Authorities. A matter of great concern for some of you is the issue that mental health professionals describe as ‘perfectionism.’ Interestingly, often those who struggle the most with issues of perfectionism are among the most talented people. They have often been excellent students, model children, and outstanding young people. Some, however, become so obsessed or consumed with their every thought, action, and response, that they may become far too extreme in their own perceptions of what is expected of them.... Worthiness and perfection are not synonymous!” (New Era, January 2006)

Elder McConkie taught,
“We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don’t. There’s only been one perfect person, and that’s the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path—thus charting a course leading to eternal life—and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I’m not saying that you don’t have to keep the commandments. I’m saying you don’t have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved.

“The way it operates is this: You get on the path that’s named the “straight and narrow.” You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. If you’re on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you’ll never get off the path.

“There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved. You don’t have to do what Jacob said, ‘Go beyond the mark.’ You don’t have to live a life that’s truer than true. You don’t have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing.

“What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church—keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you’re on that path when death comes—because this is the time and the day appointed, this is the probationary estate—you’ll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure.” (From an address by Bruce R. McConkie, The Probationary Test of Mortality, delivered at the University of Utah Jan. 10, 1982)

To truly understand the purpose of life, is to place ourselves in the drama that unfolds in the historical account of Adam and Eve.

We were at first in a paradisiacal estate (pre-earth life or even, for some, childhood)
We were born into mortality (the Fall)

LDS are unique in that we see the Fall of Adam and Even and of you and me necessary and part of the plan of perfection

We are baptized and receive ordinances (Redemption)
As Nephi said, do not suppose all is done. We must press forward, constantly relying on the merits and mercy of Christ.

Indeed, as C.S. Lewis wrote,
“Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms” (Mere Christianity, 56.)

Office of High Priest

2007-06-19T14:21:00.001-07:00

I will be adding another post soon about the office of High Priest. I am going to be teaching a class to all the high priests in my stake who have been ordained to such in the last year. It should be interesting (to me).

Aaronic Priesthood Lessons

2007-06-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, I have been feeling that it is time for me to pick up the torch and begin adding entries to the blog. However, I have struggled as to what I might include. To be honest, the things that I would really like to blog would simply not be appropriate to share. The thoughts that take up most of my time are related to my calling at Church (I am serving as a bishop). I don't think I should be sharing my thoughts and feelings, when they should clearly stay between myself and the Lord.

That being said, I have found something that I could begin to include. This year, for our Aaronic Priesthood lessons, I have decided to make a change. Before I share the change, let me explain the thought process that helped me arrive to the decision I made.

While teaching Doctrine and Covenants and Book of Mormon classes at BYU, as well as in conversations with ward members and others, I have realized that priesthood understanding, both with men and women in the Church, is at best jaundiced. I believe the reason is that many times we simply do not have the time to invest in learning priesthood principles. In other words, a price needs to be paid, but few are willing to ante up the resources.

I also remember that in the mission field (I served in the Brasil Sao Paulo Interlagos Mission (1995-1997)) there was a need for missionaries to know and understand priesthood principles, but few had a sound grasp of them.

It is my hope that the young men in my ward will be of some use to future priesthood leaders. In order for them to be seen as a resource, I recognize that I will need to ensure that they are prepared.

So, on each Fast Sunday in our ward, during the third hour, members of the bishopric teach the lesson a priesthood principles I have carefully selected. Below are the topics and the schedule:

January: Joseph Smith and the First Vision

February: Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood

March: Quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood

April: The Office of Bishop

May: Aaronic Priesthood Mission Statement

June: Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, its Quorums, and D&C 121

July: Priesthood and Church Government

August: Priesthood Keys

September: Priesthood Ordinances (the “why” and the “how-to”)

October: The First Presidency & the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

November: Missionary Work: Organization and the Priesthood in the Mission Field

December: Why the Priesthood? & Oath and Covenant: A Summary and Recap of the Year

I am also preparing a book based on the above topics. I will post, from time to time, portions of my lessons that I think may be of interest to the readers of this blog. I am also interested in feedback. I hope you enjoy.

Update and Other Things

2007-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings class members. As you may have noticed, I have not posted to the blog in a few weeks. There will be no class during the summer months, and so I have not been posting the statements used in a non-existent class. Because you may be wanting something to read during the day--or night--I have been trying to decide what I might continue to post. Well. I have decided.

Some of you may have noticed that I keep the books I am reading, have read, or am about to read, updated with some frequency. For those of you who have been to my home, you know that I love books. To pass the summer away, I will be reading as many books as I can get through. I will also be posting short book reviews of each book read.

If there is a particular book you would like me to review, or you are simply curious to know my thoughts on a book, please send me an email. I will try to be as accommodating as possible. Also, you may have noticed that I have linked my book collection to the blog. Check it
out if you are curious.

I have received a few requests to continue to blog and use my experiences as bishop for material. After very little thought, I do not feel that would be an appropriate thing for me to do. True it is that I am keeping a journal of my ecclesiastical experiences, however, it would be far too inappropriate for me to share those experiences to an audience that I do not know. I hope you will understand.

As for what book I will review first, I do not know. I am in the middle of several books (yeah, I am one of those readers). If you have a request, let me know. We will begin class again the Thursday after Labor Day weekend in September. We will pick up where we left off: Doctrine and Covenants 77 and go to the end of the sacred volume of scripture.

D&C 76 – The Vision

2007-04-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

Background and History to the Revelation

The following was recorded by Philo Dibble, who was present at the time the revelation was received.

The vision which is recorded in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants was given at the house of “Father Johnson,” in Hyrum [sic], Ohio, and during the time that Joseph and Sidney were in the spirit and saw the heavens open, there were other men in the room, perhaps twelve, among whom I was one during a part of the time—probably two-thirds of the time,—I saw the glory and felt the power, but did not see the vision.

The events and conversation, while they were seeing what is written (and many things were seen and related that are not written,) I will relate as minutely as is necessary.

Joseph would, at intervals, say: “What do I see?” as one might say while looking out the window and beholding what all in the room could not see. Then he would relate what he had seen or what he was looking at. Then Sidney replied, “I see the same.” Presently Sidney would say “what do I see?” and would repeat what he had seen or was seeing, and Joseph would reply, “I see the same.”

This manner of conversation was repeated at short intervals to the end of the vision, and during the whole time not a word was spoken by any other person. Not a sound nor motion made by anyone but Joseph and Sidney, and it seemed to me that they never moved a joint or limb during the time I was there, which I think was over an hour, and to the end of the vision.

Joseph sat firmly and calmly all the time in the midst of a magnificent glory, but Sidney sat limp and pale, apparently as limber as a rag, observing which, Joseph remarked, smilingly, “Sidney is not used to it as I am.” (Juvenile Instructor, vol. 27, 15 May 1892, pp. 303-4.)

Not all the Saints immediately accepted the revelation. The following is Brigham’s experience:

After all, my traditions were such, that when the Vision came first to me, it was so directly contrary and opposed to my former education, I said, wait a little; I did not reject it, but I could not understand it. I then could feel what incorrect traditions had done for me. Suppose all that I have ever heard from my priest and parents—the way they taught me to read the Bible, had been true;—my understanding would be diametrically opposed to the doctrine revealed in the Vision. I used to think and pray, to read and think, until I knew, and fully understood it for myself, by the visions of the holy Spirit. At first, it actually came in contact with my own feelings, though I never could believe like the mass of the Christian world around me; but I did not know how nigh I believed as they did. I found, however, that I was so nigh, I could shake hands with them any time I wished. (Deseret News—Extra (Salt Lake City), 14 Sept. 1852, p. 52, as quoted in Robert J. Woodford, “The Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants,” unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Brigham Young University, 1974, p. 929.)

An Overview

The revelation contained in D&C 76 is a series of visions on the following topics:

1. The Son of God (vv. 1-24)

2. Satan and His Followers (vv. 25-49)

3. The Celestial Kingdom (vv. 50-70, 92-96)

4. The Terrestrial Kingdom (vv. 71-80, 91, 97)

5. The Telestial Kingdom (vv. 81-90, 98-112)

Verse 21 in Joseph’s poetic version of the Vision:

I beheld round the throne, holy angels and hosts,
And sanctified beings from worlds that have been,
In holiness worshipping God and the Lamb,
Forever and ever, amen and amen! (Times and Seasons, 4:82)

Verse 23 in Joseph’s poetic version of the Vision:

By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,
Even all that career in the heavens so broad,
Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last,
Are sav’d by the very same Saviour of ours;
And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons,
By the very same truths, and the very same pow’rs. (Times and Seasons, 4:83)

The Vision of Satan and His Followers (vv. 25-49)

Making One’s “Calling and Damnation Sure”

v. 31, 35, 43 gives us the qualifications for making one’s “calling and damnation sure.”

know God’s power (v. 31)
have been mace partakers thereof (v. 31)
have suffered themselves to be overcome (v. 31)
deny the truth (v. 31)
defy God’s power (v. 31)
deny the Holy Spirit after having received it (v. 35)
deny the Only Begotten Son (crucify him unto themselves) (v. 35)
deny the Son after the Father has revealed him (v. 43)

The question is often asked, “Just how much does one have to know before one could become a son of perdition?” The following quotations from Joseph Smith and Spencer W. Kimball may help:

Joseph Smith taught, “All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me, he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the devil—the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life—the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war, like the devil, and awful is the consequence.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 358.)

President Kimball taught: “The sins unto death may be thought of as somewhat difficult to define and limit with precision. From the words of Joseph Smith quoted above we note that ‘. . . many apostates of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ will fall into this category. We cannot definitely identify them individually since it is impossible for us to know the extent of their knowledge, the depth of their enlightenment, and the sureness of their testimonies before their fall. . . .

“The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin. Comparatively few Church members will commit murder wherein they shed innocent blood, and we hope only few will deny the Holy Ghost.” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), pp. 122-23.)

How easy is to commit this sin? Not very. Brigham Young taught: “How much does it take to prepare a man, or woman, or any being, to become angels to the Devil, to suffer with him to all eternity? Just as much as it does to prepare a man to go into the celestial kingdom, into the presence of the Father and the Son, and to be made an heir to his Kingdom, and all his glory, and be crowned with crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal lives.” (JD 3:93)

Celestial Kingdom (v. 50-70, 92-96)

We know in the Celestial Kingdom there are three degrees. This appears to be referring to the highest degree with that Kingdom.

Requirements of the Celestial Kingdom:

Receive the testimony of Jesus (v. 51)
Believe on His name (we might say faith) (v. 51)
Baptized (v. 51)
Keep the commandments (v. 52)
Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (v. 52)
Overcome by faith (v. 53)
Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (v. 53)

Nothing specific is said in this revelation about the necessity of eternal marriage in order to achieve exaltation in the celestial kingdom. That requirement is made clear in D&C 131:1-4 and D&C 132:15-25. Also, we learn from D&C 84:33-44 that faithfulness to the oath and covenant of the priesthood is a requirement. This is an excellent example of why we do not isolate verses and base the gospel on that isolation. When we read the scriptures, we must be inclusive with the doctrines and not exclusive.

D&C 76:54: Church of the Firstborn

“Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who so devote themselves to righteousness that they receive the higher ordinances of exaltation become members of the Church of the Firstborn. Baptism is the gate to the Church itself, but celestial marriage is the gate to membership in the Church of the Firstborn, the inner circle of faithful saints who are heirs of exaltation and the fulness of the Father’s kingdom. (D &amp;amp;amp; C 76:54, 67, 71, 94, 102; 77:11; 78:21; 88:1-5; Heb. 12:23.) The Church of the Firstborn is made up of the sons of God, those who have been adopted into the family of the Lord, those who are destined to be joint-heirs with Christ in receiving all that the Father hath.” (Mormon Doctrine, 139.)

Joseph Fielding Smith has said: “To be ‘made equal in power, and in might, and in dominion,’ does not mean that all shall advance with equal rapidity and perfection, but that means are given to them as sons of God by which they may obtain this fulness.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2:58)

Joseph Smith taught: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 348)

Terrestrial Kingdom (71-80, 91, 97)

Requirements for the Terrestrial Kingdom

Died without the law (v. 72)
Visited by the Son in the Spirit World, received not the Gospel in the flesh but did in the Spirit World (v. 73-4) “they felt it by the Spirit” (See D&C 137)
Honorable men of the earth (v. 75)
They receive His glory, but not the fullness of His Glory (v. 76)
Not valiant in the testimony of Jesus (v. 79)

The doctrine in D&C 137:

In these verses the principles upon which the doctrine of salvation for the dead rests are announced for the first time in this dispensation. They are:

1. first, that the doctrine applies only to those who “died without a knowledge” of the gospel;

2. second, that God must read the hearts of those concerned and affirm that had the gospel come to them in mortality they would have accepted it;

3. and third, that God must judge that not only would they have accepted the gospel but that they would have done so “with all their hearts,” meaning that they would have endured valiantly and faithfully to the end.

Telestial Kingdom (v. 81-90, 98-112)

Requirements for the Telestial Kingdom

they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus (v. 82)
they who deny not the Holy Spirit (v. 83)
they who say they are some of one, and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses—but received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant (vv. 99-101)
they who are liars and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie (v. 103; Rev. 22:15 adds murderers)

The Great Invitation (D&C 76:114-118)

Here is what Joseph Smith said: “I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 305).

On another occasion he said: “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 149).

D&C 68: 15-18 - The Aaronic Order

2007-04-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Explaining these verses, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “There are some men in the Church who have been blessed by patriarchs and pronounced descendants of Levi, but they have not made any claim to the office of bishop, for the revelation governing this situation says literal descendant of Aaron, not of Levi. There is evidently a great host of men who are descendants of Levi but not of Aaron.

“The person spoken of in the revelations as having the right by lineage to the bishopric is the one who is the firstborn. By virtue of his birth he is entitled to hold ‘the keys or authority of the same.’ This has reference only to the one who presides over the Aaronic Priesthood. It has no reference whatever to bishops of wards. Further, such a one must be designated by the First Presidency of the Church and receive his anointing and ordination under their hands. The revelation comes from the Presidency, not from the patriarch, to establish a claim to the right to preside in this office. In the absence of knowledge concerning such a descendant, any high priest, chosen by the Presidency, may hold the office of Presiding Bishop and serve with counselors” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:92-93).

D&C 68: Scripture, Doctrine, Canon, and Truth

2007-04-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Scripture:

- As defined in D&C 68:4-5, scripture is the:

Mind
Will
Word
and voice of the Lord

Canon:

from Latin, ruler, rule, model, standard, measuring rod
an authoritative list of books accepted as Holy Scripture
an accepted principle or rule; a criterion or standard of judgment
Binding on members of the Church (What we might say)
A cursory overview of Latter-day Saint canon:

1835

Book of Mormon

Doctrine & Covenants

Bible

1880

Pearl of Great Price canonized

Twenty five additional sections in the Doctrine & Covenants

The business of canonizing the new scriptures at this General Conference was conducted as follows:

President George Q. Cannon said: I hold in my hand the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and also the book The Pearl of Great Price, which books contain revelations of God. In Kirtland, the Doctrine and Covenants in its original form, as first printed, was submitted to the officers of the Church and the members of the Church to vote upon. As there have been additions made to it by the publishing of revelations which were not contained in the original edition, it has been deemed wise to submit these books with their contents to the Conference, to see whether the Conference will vote to accept the books and their contents as from God, and binding upon us as a people and as a Church.

President Joseph F. Smith said, I move that we receive and accept the revelations contained in these books as revelations from God to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and to all the world. The motion was seconded and sustained by unanimous vote of the whole Conference. (Journal History, 10 October 1880, Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City.)

1921

New footnotes, the Lectures on Faith are removed

1976

Section 137, Section 138 (included in the Pearl of Great Price)

1981

137 & 138 moved to Doctrine & Covenants

Doctrine:

Latin doctrina, from doctor
Teaching
something that is taught
a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief
Current Church emphasis

Truth:

Etymology: Middle English trewthe, from Old English trEowth fidelity; akin to Old English trEowe faithful
Statement of fact
Is truth absolute? Elder Maxwell’s circles: Eternal Truth, Scientific Truth, Facts
What are some examples of truths, yet not gospel truths?

Perhaps these diagrams will help illustrate the principle:

“Letters to individuals are not the channel for announcing the policy of the Church.” (Boyd K. Packer, The Law and the Light, p. 13.)

D&C 107:27, 29: “And every decision made by… [the First Presidency] must be by the unanimous voice of the same; that is, every member… must be agreed to its decisions…. Unless this is the case, their decisions are not entitled to the same blessings which the decisions of a quorum of three presidents were anciently, who were ordained after the order of Melchizedek, and were righteous and holy men.”

President James E. Faust taught: “Who is to declare the doctrine? It is well established by revelation and practice that the current President of the Church and his counselors have the keys to declare the doctrine. The investiture of this authority comes from revelation. The First Presidency are constituted “a quorum … to receive the oracles for the whole church” (D&C 124:126). Of this authority, Elder Stephen L Richards (1879–1959), then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated:

“They [the Presidency] are the supreme court here on earth in the interpretation of God’s law.

“In the exercise of their functions and delegated powers they are controlled by a constitution, a part of which is written and a part of which is not. The written part consists in authenticated scripture, ancient and modern, and in the recorded utterances of our latter-day prophets. The unwritten part is the spirit of revelation and divine inspiration which are [pertinent] to their calling.

“In formulating their interpretations and decisions they always confer with the Council of the Twelve Apostles who by revelation are appointed to assist and act with them in the government of the Church. When, therefore, a judgment is reached and proclaimed by these officers it becomes binding upon all members of the Church, individual views to the contrary notwithstanding. God’s Kingdom is a kingdom of law and order.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1938, 115–16.) (First Presidency Message, July 2000 Ensign)

“The scriptures are important as standards by which to measure all truth. Those ideas in harmony with the scriptures are true; those out of harmony are false.” (Gospel Principles)

Harold B. Lee: “I say that we need to teach our people to find their answers in the scriptures. If only each of us would be wise enough to say that we aren’t able to answer any question unless we can find a doctrinal answer in the scriptures! And if we hear someone teaching something that is contrary to what is in the scriptures, each of us may know whether the things spoken are false—it is as simple as that. But the unfortunate thing is that so many of us are not reading the scriptures. We do not know what is in them, and therefore we speculate about the things that we ought to have found in the scriptures themselves. I think that therein is one of our biggest dangers of today.” (First Presidency Message, December 1972 Ensign)

D&C 58, 59, 60-66 - Zion and the Sabbath

2007-04-05T22:40:00.000-07:00

D&C 58:2-5:

How Firm a Foundation

These next few verses remind me of those words:

1. How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

5. When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

6. E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.

7. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

D&C 61:19:

It is not clear if this destroyer is an angel of God or a devil. On other occasions when the destroyer is mentioned in scripture, he is a servant of God. The following examples come from Revelations of the Restoration, by Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig J. Ostler.

For example, at the time of the first Passover in ancient Egypt, death was sent to all households that did not have the blood of a lamb upon their doorposts. But faithful Israelites were protected; the Lord promised them that he would “not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23).
In our dispensation, when the Saints were being driven from Zion, the Lord declared, “Behold, the destroyer I have sent forth to destroy and lay waste mine enemies; and not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine heritage, and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for the gathering together of my saints” (D&C 105:15).
In a similar vein, “angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to” destroy the wicked (D&C 86:5).
Likewise, the revelation given to John the Beloved, referred to in this section, mentions several angels who send plagues and calamities upon the earth (Revelation 8-10, 15-18).
Given that the destroyer rides upon the waters by the Lord’s decree, it seems likely that the being seen in vision by William W. Phelps was a servant of God.

On the other hand, Joseph Fielding Smith wrote concerning this decree,

“These brethren, while encamped at McIlwaine’s Bend on the Missouri, beheld the power of the destroyer as he rode upon the storm. One of that number saw him in all his fearful majesty, and the Lord revealed to the entire group something of the power of this evil personage. It may seem strange to us, but it is the fact that Satan exercises dominion and has some control over the elements. . . . Paul speaks of Satan as the ‘prince of the power of the air.’ (Eph. 2:2.) The Lord revealed to these brethren some of the power of the adversary of mankind and how he rides upon the storm, as a means of affording them protection. They were commanded to use judgment as they traveled upon these waters, and the saints coming to Zion were instructed to travel by land on their way up to Zion. Moreover, notwithstanding the great power of Satan upon the waters, the Lord still held command and he could protect his people whether on land or by water as they journeyed” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:224-25).

D&C 62:3:

President Joseph F. Smith taught: “A testimony of the truth is more than a mere assent of the mind, it is a conviction of the heart, a knowledge that fills the whole soul of its recipient.” (Gospel Doctrine, 364)

D&C 50 - The Lord's Philosophy of Education

2007-04-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

Verse 37:

Joseph Smith taught, "Faith comes by hearing the word of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 148.)

D&C 46 - Gifts of the Spirit

2007-03-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Orson Pratt taught: “Spiritual gifts are distributed among the members of the Church, according to their faithfulness, circumstances, natural abilities, duties, and callings; that the whole may be properly instructed, confirmed, perfected, and saved” (Masterful Discourses and Writings of Orson Pratt, comp. N. B. Lundwall [1953], 571).

The following five reasons for the Lord giving the Latter-day Saints various Gifts of the Spirit come from a wonderful book, Receiving Gifts of the Spirit, by Matthew B. Brown. I highly recommend this book for further reading on this most important doctrine. Click here and here for a link to purchase or read more about it.

Strength

“Brethren and sisters, let us try to live our religion and sanctify ourselves before the Lord. Seek for the Holy Spirit; pray for it; and labor for visions, for dreams, for revelations and for the gifts of the Gospel of Christ, that they may strengthen us in the good work.” (Wilford Woodruff, Collected Discourses, 1:265)

Guidance

“If we will live worthy, then the Lord will guide us—by a personal appearance, or by His actual voice, or by His voice coming into our mind, or by impressions upon our heart and our soul. And oh, how grateful we ought to be if the Lord sends us a dream in which are revealed to us the beauties of the eternity or a warning and direction for our special comfort. Yes, if we so live, the Lord will guide us for our salvation and for our benefit.” (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 247)

Protection

“If we do not receive gifts and guidance and doctrine and commandments from on high, we shall of necessity receive them from some other source. Others have guidance to offer, doctrine to teach, and commandments to give.” (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 369

“If we are indifferent to spiritual gifts, somehow there is a vacuum left which evil spirits are all too eager to fill” (Boyd K. Packer, General Authority Training, 1983, transcript in my possession)

Improvement

“If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. Have I imperfections? I am full of them. What is my duty? To pray to God to give me the gifts that will correct these imperfections. . . . They are intended for this purpose. No man ought to say, “Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.” He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these things and to give gifts that will eradicate them.” (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:155.

Preparation

“…visions, dreams, revelations and prophesyings enlarged their minds, and prepared them for the society of the blessed.” (Oliver Cowdery, Messenger & Advocate, 2:20)

“There is a characteristic about the faith of the Latter-day Saints in which they perhaps differ from most of the professed followers of Jesus Christ—they do not believe that God expects or desires them to put off acquiring these perfections, powers, gifts and graces which belong to the heavenly world until they reach that world; but they believe that God has placed them here in a state of probation and that He has hid himself only to a certain extent from them.… Hence, the Latter-day Saints believe in doing everything here that will help to prepare them for life eternal in His presence. They look upon this world as a place where they should attend to these things. By baptism? Yes. By having hands laid upon them? Yes. Have the gifts of the Holy Ghost? Certainly, have them here as well has hereafter; have them here to a partial extent to prepare them for the life that is to come.” (George Q. Cannon, JD 17:230)

Can you only have one gift of the Spirit?

“More than one gift may be received by any person who diligently seeks for these things.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, p. 184)

“One person may receive several of them” (Charles Penrose, Contributer, 2:3:7)

“How many of you are seeking for these gifts that God has promised to bestow? How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these gifts to be bestowed upon you? How many of you ask the Father in the name of Jesus to manifest Himself to you through these powers and these gifts? Or do you go along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, without having any feeling upon the subject, without exercising any faith whatever, content to be baptized and be members of the Church and to rest there, thinking that your salvation is secure because you have done this? I say to you, in the name of the Lord, as one of His servants, that you have need to repent of this. You have need to repent of your hardness of heart, of your indifference and of your carelessness. There is not that diligence, there is not that faith, there is not that seeking for the power of God that there should be among a people who have received the precious promises we have.” (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 154-55.)

D&C 43, 44, 49, 52 - Discerning Spirits

2007-03-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ezra Taft Benson wrote, “With the abundance of books available today, it is a mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read. Of the making of books there is no end. In our reading, we would do well to follow the counsel of John Wesley’s mother: ‘Avoid whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, … increases the authority of the body over the mind.’ The fact that a book or publication is popular does not necessarily make it of value. The fact that an author wrote one good work does not necessarily mean that all his books are worthy of our reading. Many novels and modern publications are corrupters of morals or distorters of truth.” (September 1988 Ensign)

D&C 52 Historical Heading

John Whitmer also notes that Joseph Smith said “that the man of sin would be revealed” at this conference. “While the Lord poured out His Spirit upon His servants,” he noted, “the devil took a notion to make known his power. He bound Harvey Whitlock and John Murdock so that they could not speak, and others were affected but the Lord showed to Joseph, the seer the design of the thing; he commanded the devil in the name of Christ, and he departed, to our joy and comfort” (History of the Church, 1:175).

“In this conference much instruction was given by President Smith, who spake in great power, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost,” recalled Parley P. Pratt, “and the spirit of power and of testimony rested down upon the Elders in a marvelous manner. Here also were some strange manifestations of false spirits which were immediately rebuked” (Autobiography, 68).

The Lord gives us a pattern to help us avoid being deceived.

D&C 45 - Signs of the Times

2007-03-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

Verse 11-12: City of Zion

“After the Lord’s people were translated—for it was people who were caught up into heaven, not brick and mortar and stone, for there are better homes already in heaven than men can build on earth—after these righteous saints went to dwell beyond the veil, others, being converted and desiring righteousness, looked for a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God, and they too ‘were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion’ (Moses 7:27).” (Bruce R. McConkie, Come Let Israel Zion, Ensign, May 1977.)

Verse 39: Destruction Preceding the Second Coming

“I will prophesy that the signs of the coming of the Son of Man are already commenced. One pestilence will desolate after another. We shall soon have war and bloodshed. The moon will be turned into blood. I testify of these things, and that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh, even at your doors. If our souls and our bodies are not looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man; and after we are dead, if we are not looking forth, we shall be among those who are calling for the rocks to fall upon them” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 160).

JS-M 1:36: Sign of the Son of Man

At the April 1843 conference of the Church the Prophet Joseph Smith testified: “There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 286-87).

JS-M 1:37: How to not be deceived in the last days

“There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us,” counseled President Harold B. Lee. “Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.

“Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?

“Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications.

“Read the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew—particularly that inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great Price (Joseph Smith-Matthew).

“Then read the forty-fifth section of the Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times.

“Now turn to section 101 and section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants and hear the step-by-step recounting of events leading up to the coming of the Savior.

“Finally, turn to the promises the Lord makes to those who keep the commandments when these judgments descend upon the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38.

“Brethren, these are some of the writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings” (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 399).

Elder M. Russell Ballard said: “You may not be aware of it, but there are “false prophets” rising within and without the Church. They believe they have had revelations, that they know something the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles don’t know. You need to be very careful of such people. If you are ever approached by anyone who claims special authority or revelation from God outside the sustained priesthood authority, turn and run from them as fast as you can. The Savior said that in the last days even the very elect could be pulled away from the truth by such false prophets.