spamlds

From 2007 to 2012, I wrote literally hundreds of articles for the Society for the Prevention of Anti-Mormonism blog and for the Examiner which address anti-Mormon attacks on the Church. I am gratified to see that the Church has taken upon itself the burden of handling these topics. It does it with greater clarity and authority than any apologetics writer. It has always seemed to me that every president of the Church has a "theme" that becomes his trademark, like "every member a missionary" or "lengthen your stride." Ezra Taft Benson didn't have a catch phrase so much as his emphasis on reading and teaching from the Book of Mormon transformed missionary work. President Hinckley advanced the cause of Zion in so many ways, but he'll always be remembered for the goal of building 100 temples. I think President Monson's tenure will be remembered for "Hastening the Work" and an unprecedented era of transparency. When the Church disarms its critics in this manner, it strengthens its position. Unapologetically declaring truth seems to have that effect.

I'll give an opinion on this one and you all can consider it or dismiss it, but it's just some notions I've come to over many years. There is a fundamental difference between "fair" and "equal." Anyone who has kids knows this. If a parent hands out bowls of ice cream to a large family of children, the "fair" portion for a 2 year-old and a 16 year-old are not "equal." Likewise, our Heavenly Father judges what is fair, not us. Thus some apparent inequalities will exist. These inequities take into consideration our premortal faithfulness. For example, my patriarchal blessing says that, because of my premortal faithfulness (of which I have no recollection, of course) I was blessed to be born in the land of America. Whatever I did in the premortal life is related to that blessing somehow. Each of us has different missions to perform. It may be the case that some of the most righteous, noble spirits were born in countries where they have much fewer opportunities, because the Lord knew they'd hear his voice in the gospel message, convert, and save hundreds of people around them as well as many of their ancestors. Likewise a person might be born with a disability because she needs the testing and trials to progress. It may be that it's her family that needs the testing, through compassionately caring for her. We just can't say. We can't say that God is only fair if he gives "equal" chances to hear the gospel. An inspired dream that LDS pioneer Mosiah Hancock had mentions that some premortal spirits were more concerned about facing lives of physical hardship and asked the Lord to make them wealthy or in high social positions like politicians, judges, etc. so they would have an easier life. Meanwhile, he saw that many pioneers were willing to sacrifice all worldly comforts when their premortal missions were given to them, all because their devotion to the truth was worth everything to them. In the spirit world, it is as it is here on earth. People see what they can see with their spiritual eyes. People who walk in the light on earth experience life much differently than do the wicked. When the righteous get to the spirit world, they see the same things they saw here. They witness miracles. They are guided by the Holy Ghost. They resisted evil in life because it was their faith that led them to do so. The wicked also continue to see the same things when they cross the veil in to the spirit world. They experience reality based on their perceptions--a world in which there is lack and scarcity, where want and covetousness, lust and envy, and most especially fear dominated their experience. The big difference between the spirit world and this world is having a body. We are taught that it is harder to repent without a body. I think that is so because the spirits have incredible freedom to travel and see things. The Brigham Young Presidents of the Church manual has a great lesson in it about the spirit world. Brother Brigham said that spirits can move like lightning and see anything they wish to see. The key in that notion is their desires. The righteous will desire to see righteousness. The wicked will use this ability to try to satisfy wicked desires. Imagine this--a wicked man dies who is addicted to alcohol or drugs. He indulged in fleshly lusts in his life, pornography, etc. In a spiritual state where he can travel and see almost anything, it is reasonable to assume that he might try to satisfy those lusts somehow. He might travel to places of illicit adult entertainment or bars, nightclubs, etc. He might even try to possess the body of another mortal to have just a few more moments of mortal pleasure. That evil spirit would become further entrenched in his evil desires, without the means to satisfy them. He becomes increasingly warped and wicked in the process. Unless he repents, he cannot be rescued. In that spiritual state, it is actually less likely for him to find deliverance. The wicked in the spirit world are not yet delivered from Satan's power and his minions. Similarly, sectarian believers who end up in the spirit world may well think that they are "saved" because they aren't dead. The doctrines of their religions didn't teach a literal resurrection. There will be false teacher there, just as there are here, who will say that they should resist the messages brought by those Mormon elders who might lead them to destruction. Only the righteous, who overcame Satan in mortality through their faith and obedience, will be immune to the Deceiver's power. In the end, the unbelieving souls who die do not get any unfair advantage in the spirit world over the living. God has made it every bit as challenging for them there as it is here. When they believe, repent, and accept baptism, they do exactly what the penitent do in mortality--they gather with the saints and join together to edify and protect one another. The wicked do exactly what they do here--they gather with like spirits and seek the wickedness that they were attracted to in mortality. This is why baptism for the dead is SO important. It enables a penitent spirit to enter the Church on the other side of the veil and enjoy the same blessings and protection we receive as members. They get the gift of the Holy Ghost and enjoy the peace of a remission of sins. Anyways, those are a few thoughts on the topic at hand. God is fair, but fair isn't always "equal." We get the chances we desire. Our desires are the key factor in what becomes of us in eternity. That's why agency is always the ultimate factor because our desires connect with agency to determine the outcomes. We always--always--get what we want because our desires turn into actions and actions into consequences. It's no different on this side of the veil than on the other in that regard.

The answers to this question are interesting. I'm a convert to the Church. I was a dedicated seeker of truth all through my high school years and into early adulthood. I read everything I could get my hands on about religion--all religion. I was all about finding what I called "Truth with a capital 'T'" and I wouldn't settle for anything less. I first felt stirrings of faith when I was a young boy, about age 10. I responded to an altar call after hearing a powerful Baptist preacher warn that, if you didn't believe in Jesus, you'd burn in hell forever. As a 10-year old, that was too scary to consider. An altar call is when the penitent who want to be saved go up to the front of the church and the preacher or deacons pray the "Sinner's Prayer" with you. After a while, I came to understand that my actions were motivated out of fear, not faith in Christ. Hellfire is an effective way to scare people into being "saved." Of course, nothing else was to be expected after that and I eventually drifted away. In my high school years, I attended Methodist services with some friends because they had a big, active youth group. It was there that I had my first experiences with what I now recognize as the Holy Spirit. On one occasion, I felt that sense of warmth and tenderness while taking the communion (sacrament). Another time, the minister had us re-enact the washing of feet that Jesus did for his apostles. Actually, we didn't wash feet, but we washed one another's hands. It was a very spiritual thing. I regard those moments today as steps that were guided by the light of Christ to lead me to a greater light. I drifted away from Christianity for a time and explored Hinduism and Buddhism and I found great comfort and truth in those religions as well. Nevertheless, my desire for truth led me to discontinue those explorations and press onward. It was not until I encountered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that I found that "Truth with a capital 'T" in my life. It was the revelation of the Holy Ghost to me and the continuing blessings of personal revelation that has kept me active in the Church for the past 35 years, through good times and hard times. If there was no true Church on the earth, I would still be a seeker, unaffiliated with any sect or denomination. I would shudder to think that I would ever settle for the doctrines of men mingled with scripture for any length of time, much less commit myself to them.

Here's an article that touches upon the "Smithmas" thing. http://spamldsarchive.blogspot.com/search?q=smithmas In our surveys of anti-Mormon traffic for a number of years, the Society for the Prevention of Anti-Mormonism discovered that there is a seasonal pattern to anti-Mormonism. Our critics follow the calendar to touch upon various events to try to embarrass members. From the article: January: Polygamy and exaltation are often topics around this time of year. Martin Luther King Day often begins the "Mormons are racist" mantra that carries into February, which is Black History Month. February: Black History Month usually brings a cascade of anti-Mormon attacks on the priesthood ban which ended in 1978. Although the Church has disavowed any racism that may have been a part of its past, and with an understanding that the Church is growing faster in Africa than in any predominantly white nations in Europe or elsewhere, it doesn't stop the predominantly white anti-Mormons from making this an issue. March: Depending on when Easter falls in the year, usually the antis start cranking up rhetoric saying that Mormons don't put much emphasis on Easter and Christ's resurrection. This isn't true, but if going to Church and partaking the sacrament of the Lord's Supper weekly instead of just on Christmas and Easter isn't putting much emphasis on Christ, we'll have to ask you to re-examine your evidence. Also, with April general conference just weeks away, there are usually all kinds of negative articles that emerge. Past favorites have included baptism for the dead, These were generated annually by anti-Mormon Helen Radkey. Radkey had a group of covert "spies" inside the Church who used their LDS.org accounts to access temple ordinance information on deceased individuals she knew would create controversy: Hitler, Ghandi, Holocaust victims, etc. After the Church tightened its access policies and placed strict controls on the clearing of names for certain individuals for proxy ordinances, Radkey's work was foiled. Also, I should mention, depending on the date Easter falls in the calendar, the Phoenix LDS Easter Pageant will draw anti-Mormon protesters every year. Out of one side of their mouths, they say we don't Easter enough emphasis and, out of the other side, they protest in front of our pageant that celebrates it. Go figure! April: Coverage often depends on what is announced during Conference. For example, if temples are announced, or new missions opened, anti-Mormons will begin to organize opposition through the media to those projects. May: This month brings Mother's Day in the United States, so what better month than to attack the doctrine of a heavenly mother? June: The month in which Joseph Smith was assassinated often brings out the most virulent anti-Mormons in defending his murder. It's as if they feel compelled to justify the murder of an American citizen by a mob of 200 men in Carthage, Illinois in 1844. Throughout the summer, outdoor pageants at Manti, Nauvoo, and the Hill Cumorah attract anti-Mormon protesters by the hundreds. They pass out lying tracts and literature, shout horrible oaths at passers-by, frighten small children, and seek to intimidate anyone who might attend these events. July: This is the month we celebrate Pioneer Day, when the saints entered the Salt Lake Valley. This is always a time when polygamy surges back for its second round of annual treatment. There are also articles about how Utah is such an oppressive place to live if you want to drink, smoke, gamble, or own a bakery that makes phallus-shaped pastries. August: The summer doldrums usually kick in here. Even anti-Mormons go on vacation or are out pulling up crabgrass or something. But sometimes, there will be preliminary articles leading up to one of their September favorites: September: Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, anti-Mormons never fail to bring up their favorite historical event: the Mountain Meadows Massacre. You can count on it from now until Jesus comes back--the antis will capitalize on the terrible losses of September 11 to bring this up. October: General conference rolls around again. More of the same. November: Thanksgiving in the USA brings families together. So what better time to bring up polygamy again? Also, it is common to see attacks on Mormon doctrines like eternal familes around this holiday time. December: The Christmas season brings so many wonderful blessings. As Mormons, along with all of the rest of the Christian world, focuses on Jesus Christ and on kindness, reconciliation, and selfless giving, the anti-Mormons attack us and say we don't give enough emphasis to Christ at Christmas. They attack the fact that we believe that Jesus was actually born in April (when the shepherds abide in the fields, watching over their flocks by night--they don't do that in December in Israel!) Then, because someone might mention in December that Joseph Smith was born two days before Christmas n 1805, they'll go around saying we wished them a "Merry Smithmas" at Church. It's all bogus, but it gives them something to grouse about.

Anti-Mormons love to harp on this subject. They try to make the case that we care more about Joseph Smith than Jesus. Many converts are troubled by this because they come from a religious culture that has purposefully denied revelation and prophecy and rejected prophets and apostles for hundreds of years. They are uncomfortable with the power and status of prophets. The ancient Jews were the same way with John the Baptist and the apostles of Jesus. Jesus had to instruct the Jews on the role that a prophet holds, especially one who has been given the keys for a dispensation. The Jews rightly revered Moses, but they used their reverence for a dead prophet to justify rejection of living oracles. Jesus told them: Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:45-47) This passage shows that Jesus honors the chain of authority down to those to whom he has committed the keys of the kingdom in various dispensations. When people who lived in the times when Moses held the keys come to judgment before God, they are accountable for the revelations God gave them through Moses. Moses testified of Christ. Those who claimed to believe Moses and rejected Christ were condemned by Moses' testimony and authority. Likewise, those who rejected Peter, James, and John will be accountable to them in the day of judgment. In our day, God committed the keys of the kingdom anew to Joseph Smith. Every single person who has lived since that moment is accountable to him for salvation. Those who claim to believe Jesus and reject Joseph Smith will stand accused of him at the Judgment. No one born in this dispensation will enter the celestial kingdom without having received the covenants, ordinances, and knowledge that God revealed to the world through Joseph Smith. This is why the Restoration is perhaps the second greatest miracle after the Resurrection. It is the greatest fulfilled prophecy since biblical times. God honors his prophets. He said that, when we receive those whom he has sent, we receive Him. When we sing "Praise to the Man" in church, we praise the Lord who called and sent him. Personally, I am indebted to Joseph Smith for my witness of Jesus Christ. His testimony is the one that kindled that flame in my own heart over 35 years ago.

I was a counselor in a bishopric for several years. That bishop will always be "Bishop" to me. He insists everybody else call him "Dave" now, except for me. I'm the only one he allows to call him "Bishop." No matter what other bishops I may have as the years roll by, there's a special bond you have as a counselor to "your" bishop. Interestingly, very few members know that when a man is called to be a bishop, it is an ordination. It is not like being called to be a president. A branch president or a stake president is called and set apart. A bishop is ordained. Forever afterwards, on his membership records, his priesthood office is "bishop," even after he is released. If a bishop gets called to preside over another ward, he does not have to be ordained again, only set apart. For that reason, it can be appropriate to refer to one's former bishop by his title. He still IS a bishop technically--he just is not assigned to preside over a ward. A friend of mine's father was a bishop back in the Korean War. When many of the men were drafted, a bishop in a ward who shared the building was inducted into the Army. My friend's dad was called to preside over an additional ward. Imagine that--being bishop over TWO wards for several years. I can't imagine it. Ultimately, he served 23 years as bishop. That would be really unheard of today. Most bishops serve for five years. My "bishop" that I served with served for six and a half. Stake presidents and branch presidents sometimes get called by the title "President" after their release. It is uncomfortable calling your former stake president "Brother" at first, mainly because we hold them in such high esteem. It has always amazed me how the Church operates in this way. No man can end up building up a "following" and create his own personality cult because the future always holds a release for him. It tends to keep our leaders humble. I once knew a man who was a high-ranking military officer, who had served as a bishop and in a stake presidency. He worked in the Nursery with his wife when I first met him. I was stunned to find out that he was the commander of a nuclear cruise missile wing in Germany at the time. He was one of the most Christ-like men I ever knew--so kind and humble.

Here are two excellent sources about why we do work for the dead and what the expectations are in terms of completion.. https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-35?lang=eng https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-36?lang=eng https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-41?lang=eng Regarding the nature of proxy ordinances, the entire gospel is filled with them, from the offering of animals as a sacrifice to the sacrament--emblems which point to the ultimate Proxy--Jesus himself. I would not be too doubtful about our ability to complete task by the end of the Millennium. In less than 200 years, we have accumulated the records of probably about 80 billion people. If you consider the demographics of starting with two people, a population that increased until the flood, and then drastically decreased after that event, then another great destruction that will reduce population significantly at the end of this dispensation, you can figure that we've already made a huge "dent" in the research. During the Millennium, the veil will be open. The resurrection will open the doors for people who were on the other side of the veil to provide information about those desiring ordinances. There will be thousands of temples during the thousand years. When I look at how much we've done in less than 200 years, I marvel at it. In a thousand years, with all the divine help that will be available in the Millennium, I have no doubt that it can be achieved.

There's a book I read a long time ago that told the story of clergy and ascetics from other faiths who joined the LDS Church. it's quite inspiring when you read their personal experiences and the sacrifices they made to become latter-day saints. The list of stories includes priests, ministers, and even a nun who converted. http://www.amazon.com/From-Clergy-Convert-Stephen-Gibson/dp/0884944921/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412976941&sr=8-1&keywords=from+clergy+to+convert For some of them, it meant loss of significant amounts of income or prestige. It meant periods of joblessness, because they didn't have a skill set that translated into a secular market at the rate of pay they had been receiving. Many of them gave up perks like the parsonage, a church-provided car, etc. It very much reminded me of the passage from Matthew 19: 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

I can empathize with the sentiment that having a paid clergy could be a good idea. I was once a branch president of a small branch of the Church. Almost all my branch members were elderly and disabled. It became an almost full-time job--and I already had a regular, secular profession. Nevertheless, the creation of a professional clergy is prohibited by revelation. Mormons generally interpret these Bible passages to be a condemnation of having a paid clergy. John 10:13-- 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. Titus 1:7 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 1 Timothy 3:2-3 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 1 Timothy 3-8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Nephi calls preaching for money priestcraft and soundly condemns the practice. 2 Nephi 26-- 29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. 30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. 31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. In Alma, we read about Nehor, who set up a church with a professional clergy. This church persecuted the true Church and eventually gained dominance in the city of Ammonihah. This city was ultimately destroyed for its sins and persecutions of the saints (in Alma chapter 16). Alma 1:3,16-- 3 And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people. 16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor. We don't consider that all professional pastors of other faiths are engaging in priestcraft. Most of them are doing the best they can do with the light they have so far received from God. Hopefully they will receive the message of the Restoration one day and comply fully with the need to receive authority through the proper channels and preach out of charity, not the need to make a living. Members of the Church who promote having a paid clergy are teaching the doctrine of Nehor. It's always a good idea to search the scriptures to inform our opinions.

I used to have some guns that I inherited from my father. I had children in the house and no way to secure them so I felt it best to give them to my father-in-law, who has a big collection of guns. I carried a gun (actually two of them) every day for four years in my first Air Force enlistment. I had to qualify on them semi-annually for years afterward. I don't have any moral objection to owning firearms. However, over the years, a nagging scripture has guided me away from gun ownership. It's in Revelation chapter 13: 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Whenever the scriptures say, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear," it's a way of highlighting something important. I felt this scripture speaking to me. When I was in the military, the Church used to provide a little booklet with teachings from General Authorities on how we view combat and war. Essentially, the take-away from it was that, sometimes war is necessary and just. However, when you take up arms, you forfeit certain guarantees of divine protection. On the battlefield, things get equalized. When you and your enemy are both calling unto God for victory and protection, there's no guarantee. You're just as likely to get killed as the other guy. Considering some of the prophecies, like the George Albert Smith prophecy, talk about the government seizing American's personal guns. If that occurs, it would probably lead to an armed insurrection. Having seen what our military can do, I imagine that any opposition against it would end up like the Branch Davidians in Waco. As a practical consideration, pistols are only good for very short range use. There is what is called the "21-foot rule." If a perpetrator decides to rush you and you have a pistol in a holster, you don't have time to react, draw the weapon, aim, and fire effectively if he is within a 21-foot radius. He can cross that distance in just over a second. Beyond 21 feet, you have a chance. Inside that range, it's going to go hand-to-hand. That's one of the reasons I practice and teach judo. It's an incredibly effective form of self-defense that is non-lethal. You practice it with a fully resisting opponent, so it's very realistic. If you have to use it, you don't have to make any adjustments. You will be fully accustomed to reacting with sufficient force to throw, choke, or arm-bar an adversary, temporarily disable him, and get away. It's effective for women as well as men. If you're not comfortable with having guns in your home, it's a good idea to learn a martial art so you can defend yourself. If this of interest to you, the web sites of the United States Judo Association, United States Judo Federation, and USA Judo can direct you to a club near you. Judo is generally affordable for most families and it appeals to all ages.

This is one of those that Satan uses to trouble believers and it's used by skeptics. When I was on my mission in France, atheists would often try to establish a straw-man argument with a scenario like: "What if you get eaten by a shark, and then the shark dies, and its remains get eaten by crabs, and then I eat the shark, then I die." Their argument was that the literal matter of my body goes through nature and gets re-used, so that nothing can be lost. So how is it possible for me to get my body back? Those kinds of arguments never troubled me. Unlike any other existing religion, latter-day saints have had experience with resurrected beings. Joseph Smith saw and interacted with several of them. Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James, (John was translated, so I won't count him), Moses, Elias, Elijah, and others appeared to him to confer keys. Moroni was a physical being who gave him physical gold plates. The three witnesses of the BOM saw and angel and he turned the pages on the plates. Physical hands were laid on the head of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery when the various keys were conferred by heavenly messengers. The reality of the resurrection has been witnessed by individuals in this dispensation. We have no doubt of the physical nature of the resurrection. Of course, there is the testimony of the four gospels and the Book of Mormon, which relate the accounts of those who saw the risen Christ, but that is from an ancient record. I don't mean to discount that, but our critics would. It is hard to sweep away the testimony of modern witnesses who left their experiences for us to consider. I don't worry about the how. I just know that God has promised that he will resurrect all of us and that Jesus' resurrection is the template for that. How it will occur, I don't know. I just know that it has and that real people have witnessed the results. On a more spiritual or "metaphysical" level, I would throw this out for consideration. All of us pass through a veil into mortality. To me, the veil is symbolic. The veil for each of us is a woman. Motherhood is the "veil" between premortal life and eternity. When we pass through the veil to get back into eternity, there is another veil through which we must pass. That veil is the priesthood. Motherhood and fatherhood are linked in this manner. The resurrection is a priesthood ordinance that will be taught to us later. The temple foreshadows this. How will we be resurrected? The fathers to whom we are sealed will resurrect us.

I don't mean to suggest that we have soul-mates, or that predestination is involved. It's just the case that, as the Church grows, many members (particularly females) won't find a suitable mate in this life. In most cultures, the male courts the female and asks for her hand in marriage. Age, distance, the pool of available partners can vary depending on where one lives. An example of this would be a wonderful lady in the branch where I used to be branch president. She was an African-American divorcee in her late 40s, who lived in a really rural area. There were no single male members in the branch near her age and none were African American (it was her preference to marry a man of the same race). The nearest stake or church unit was over 2 hours away. She was fairly poor and had a car that barely ran. Traveling far and wide wasn't an option for her. Based on her opportunities to find a mate, it is possible that she might not find one in this life. In such a case, I'm sure the Lord has a way to help her find a mate because she desires one, even if she never finds one in mortality. It will be her choice and he will respond with miracles on either side of the veil.

We should not think that attaining the celestial glory singly is being on the "B-team." People who inherit celestial glory live forever in the presence of God the Father. They are happy there. They are glorious beyond our imagination. Anyone who desires celestial marriage will have the opportunity to obtain it before the resurrection and the judgment. It may be the case that one's future mate is someone they never knew in life and their romance only began in the spirit world. It may be that one's mate lived during a different dispensation. In the spirit world, we are still us. Righteous relationships--including romance--will still be available to those who seek an eternal partner. During the millennium, the veil will be traversed by resurrected beings and spirits to those who labor in the temples. If a single person finds their mate on the other side, it is fully possible for revelation to be granted to living family members who can perform the proxy ordinances for those who desire them. Only those who wish to remain single and separate will remain in that state. God will honor their desire and they will serve him forever in joy. Their choice is not to progress into exaltation and have eternal increase--but that is their choice. God will grant each of us the desire of our hearts if we live to qualify for the blessings in time, or in eternity. Revelation and proxy ordinances in the temples make this possible.

When I lived in another state, many years ago, we had some militant pioneer "wanna-bes" who frequently stirred up trouble in Relief Society with such notions, saying that women had to just suck it up and expect that their husbands would be required to have plural wives in the celestial kingdom. This is a falsehood that Satan stirs up to trouble righteous women. God respects agency. There will be polygamists in the celestial kingdom. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and many more will be there. Heck, Jesus even called heaven "Abraham's bosom." Nevertheless, God honors agency. If a man and woman keep their covenants made in this life, they will inherit celestial glory. Perhaps opinions and our desires will change when we gain greater light than we have now, but nothing compels a woman to accept plural marriage in eternity. Many point to militant statements made by pioneer apostles like Orson Pratt in his writings. Those statements were made in a time when the Church was under direct assault from the government. The test for those saints was to stand against such persecution faithfully. They showed their mettle by defiantly preaching and advocating for plural marriage. Times have changed. Conditions are different today. I would encourage anyone troubled by this to consider Jacob chapter 2 in the BOM. 29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. 30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. The Lord said through Jacob that chastity and monogamy is the rule. The Lord permits plural marriage when he needs to "raise up seed unto me." The period following the great apostasy would be an example of a time when the Lord needed to build up his people rapidly. "Otherwise," the passage says, the norm is monogamy and chastity. The Lord goes on to say: 31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. 32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts. The Lord hears and heeds the cries of the sisters of the Church. Hears their prayers. He loves them and he hates to see their hearts broken. Can you imagine that he would force any of his dear daughters into an intolerable situation for eternity? It is unthinkable. Have faith in the Lord Jesus who loves you, sisters.

The biggest problems with the paid clergy have to do with this scripture in 2 Timothy chapter 4: 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. I have friends who are pastors and they do not enjoy the freedom to preach according to their knowledge or conscience. They have a board that they are accountable to that controls their paycheck and their employ. The pastors get "on the hook" because their congregation provides them with a house (a parsonage), a paycheck, and very often a car. They get perks like paid vacations and trips that are funded by their congregation's donations. Then, when the Spirit moves them to call someone to repentance, the next thing they know is that the board is dealing with the complaint from the offended party. It is often the case that a dispute between two parties arises that divides the congregation and he is asked to take sides. A split can occur and then half the church quits. Then, the group that leaves goes out--having "itching ears"--and they hire a new pastor who won't call them to repentance like the old one. That lasts until a new dispute occurs. In the LDS Church, we operate from the position of having delegated keys of authority and men who are called by authority, by prophecy, and the laying on of hands. No one is hired. The bishop this week can be the nursery leader next week. Everyone knows that. There is no "job security" involved. Thus, he can preach, counsel, and call to repentance as needed. Disputes happen from time to time, but the congregation doesn't call the bishop or employ him. Ward councils run on the principle of unanimity. If unanimity on any issue can't be achieved, we pretty much can assume that it's not the Lord's will and we look for new solutions to problems. The system works because nobody depends on an ecclesiastical calling to feed his children or keep a roof over his head. There's more integrity in the system that way. Any other system where a preacher can be fired by his congregation inevitably leads to a loss of integrity.

Keep in mind that the Church owns profit-making businesses (like Bonneville Communications, Deseret Book, and others) from which living stipends are drawn. ZCMI was one of the early co-ops that followed this model. Tithes and offerings are not used to pay salaries for anyone who preaches the gospel. Like any corporation, or as in the United Order, shareholders receive renumeration based on the performance of the stock. The Church pays employees, like IT people, secretaries, custodians, and other employees who are not involved in preaching the gospel. It doesn't pay ecclesiastical leaders. It can reimburse them for travel expenses, etc. If the bishop buys a toner at Office Max for the ward, it doesn't come out of his pocket. If he has to travel a long distance to a stake meeting, the Church reimburses his mileage. Mission presidents get a budget to run the mission home, transportation, travel expenses, etc. For the General Authorities, it's not much different than that, I suppose. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me, but I believe that in the old United Order system, bishops work was basically a full-time job and he took his stipend from the storehouse. The Newell K. Whitney store is a good example. It was a private store, but it ultimately became the bishop's storehouse and Newell K. Whitney was the logical, but inspired choice for a bishop..

It's not scriptural at all, but Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet" gives some wonderful insights into human nature. One passage, "On Crime and Punishment" eloquently states: Oftentimes have I heard you speak of one who commits a wrong as though he were not one of you, but a stranger unto you and an intruder upon your world. But I say that even as the holy and the righteous cannot rise beyond the highest which is in each one of you, So the wicked and the weak cannot fall lower than the lowest which is in you also. And as a single leaf turns not yellow but with the silent knowledge of the whole tree, So the wrong-doer cannot do wrong without the hidden will of you all. We might consider the execution of Jesus as a confluence of individual and societal sins that created a momentum toward rejection of truth and vilification of an innocent one who challenged the status quo. The momentum of Pilate's life was one that was formed from years of social climbing, internecine Roman political intrigues, greed, and lust for power. When the time came for him to make the fateful decision, the die was already cast. When the choice came between freeing an innocent man and having the Jews say "Thou art no friend of Caesar," it was too late for him to change. Likewise, Annas and Caiaphas had lived their lives fending off messianic pretenders and movements, holding fast to the orthodoxy they were devoted to preserve. A living prophet like John the Baptist and the Messianic claims of Jesus' followers ran contrary to their slavish devotion to scripture. In the name of protecting and preserving the written word of God, they rejected the living Word of God. The revolutionaries and zealots had likewise set in motion violent events and they thirsted for revenge against Roman oppression. They could not let it go when Jesus spoke of his peaceable kingdom. All these things formed an avalanche-like motion downward that Satan used to turn them against Jesus. Even though the Lord willingly sacrificed his life, it was the sins of the individuals and the lifelong surrender of their agency to Lucifer's influence that consummated the act of murder. Similarly, we might ask "Who really killed Joseph Smith?" Was it the mobbers? Was it the apostates who hated Joseph? Was it the self-righteous clergymen of other faiths who despised Mormonism? Was it the hard-living frontiersmen and rabble who allowed themselves to be incited and prejudiced against the Prophet? Was it because of Joseph's political views? Was it because of the restoration of biblical polygamy? Was it because Joseph defied the established orthodoxy of his time, as did Jesus? In the end, it was all of these things. The entire social and religious climate of the 19th century ran afoul of prophetic movements. Two of those movements, Mormonism, and the Native American Ghost Dance movement ended up becoming the targets of state-authorized violence. It seems that, when society is steeped in sin, Satan uses that momentum towards darkness to try to snuff out the lights that appear in its midst.

Amen to that! I've known happy people who have very little, but they are thankful for what they have. I've also known people who had everything they could ever want and were miserable. It's being thankful now that makes the difference.

Hi everyone. I revisited this thread after a few weeks have elapsed. A thought came to me that I'd like to throw out there. Perhaps it is helpful to revisit the original question: I feel called to the LDS Church...but I still don't know if it's true Now, let's take the Church out of the picture. Suppose that a non-believer said, "I feel called to believe in Christ...but I still don't know if the gospel is true." You see, many people just take the Bible without questioning it at all. I was never like that. I questioned everything about it. Yet, unexplainably, I felt drawn to Christ as a teacher, as a man, as a symbol, as an exemplar. I could have said the same thing about Moses, Buddha, or Mohammed. I felt drawn to the light that I felt emanating from them as teachers, as people, as symbols. Yet Christ was different because of his claims of divinity. That was a big pill to swallow. How could I KNOW that Christ was divine? There was no way to prove or disprove that. It was more than I could accept on faith alone. When I encountered the Book of Mormon, that's when I found the key to faith. The Book of Mormon promised a personal witness from the Holy Ghost. It offered an experience, not just information. Through the Book of Mormon, I came to know that Christ was divine, that he was God's Son. The "proof" we all seek comes from the Holy Ghost. If you have faith in Christ, how do you know it's true? If you can answer that, the same answer can be applied to the Church.

The Teachings of the Presidents of the Church manual for Brigham Young has the best lesson ever on the spirit world. Here's the link to it. I have used quotes from it for three different funerals. It was amazing how comforting these teachings were to the nonmembers present at the services. https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-brigham-young/chapter-38?lang=eng

We have a historical and scriptural pattern in the gathering. In every dispensation, the pattern roughly follows these steps: A key-holder/revelator is called by God.This prophet preaches the word and gathers a small following.Persecution raises its head and the believers are cast out from among the core of society.The persecuted gather together for safety and security.Their numbers become sufficient to build temples.The presence of the temple motivates the faithful in outlying areas to gather with the greater body of the Church. It happened with Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Nephi, and perhaps many more. In our missionary work, even today, we tend to start in large population centers. As the Church grows, it develops branches that are administered by missions, then wards and branches under stakes. Once a stake is in place, the full programs of the church become available to the members and there is a lot of stability. It takes about 14 stakes in an area to support one temple. Once a temple is built, they become magnets for people who want to have those blessings and not travel days to get there. I wouldn't say it's a geography problem. It's the Lord's pattern to gather out the righteous from the midst of the worldly and bring them together into communities of faith.

1st Corinthians 14:33-- "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

As an interesting look back, here are some of the news headlines the Society for the Prevention of Anti-Mormonism tracked in 2008 when the temple site was first announced. It's interesting to study the methods the critics of the Church use to try to block temple construction using zoning boards. Spire height, traffic, and parking lot size are usually the targets for them to try to delay or stop construction. http://www.azfamily.com/news/People-continue-opposition-against-construction-of-LDS-temple-80447187.html http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705330723/Phoenix-neighbors-voice-opposition-to-LDS-temple.html http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2010/01/08/20100108-mormon-temple-opposition.html http://www.azcentral.com/community/northvalley/articles/2011/03/04/20110304phoenix-mormon-temple-parking-ruled-sufficient.html http://www.azcentral.com/community/northvalley/articles/2011/05/06/20110506phoenix-mormon-temple-protest.htm http://www.azcentral.com/community/northvalley/articles/2011/06/08/20110608mormon-temple-north-phoenix-neighbors-reach-agreement.html

I like that description. The description of the Celestial Kingdom brings to mind this passage of Isaiah: 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall besure. 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. The Celestial Kingdom's glory is called "everlasting burnings" and "devouring fire" by Isaiah. Who will dwell in this place? Those who walk righteously, speak uprightly, despise oppression, live honestly, and avoids the appearance of evil. In the non-canonical (although Jude quotes from it in the New Testament) Ethiopian Book of Enoch, it describes Heaven in this manner: 1 The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance 2 with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to 3 converse therewith and understand with the heart. As He has created and given to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given me the power of reprimanding 4 the Watchers, the children of heaven. I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement 5 has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and in bonds of the earth the decree 6 has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before 7 you by the sword. And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have 8written. And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in 9 the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright 10 me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was 11 of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were 12 fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its 13 portals blazed with fire. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there 14 were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling got hold upon me. And as I quaked 15 and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater 16 than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to 17you its splendour and its extent. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path 18 of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. And I looked and saw therein a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of 19 cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look 20 thereon. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and 21 was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason 22 of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times 23 ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were 24 nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ' Come hither, 25 Enoch, and hear my word.' And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards. (http://www.ccel.org/c/charles/otpseudepig/enoch/ENOCH_1.HTM) Look how many times "fire" is used as a description of the glory of heaven in that passage! The idea of God's glory is such that the wicked fear to enter into it lest they be consumed by it. The righteous will be able to endure that level of glory because they will be "like him" (1 John 3:2). The spiritual dross is consumed by the fire while the spiritual "gold" endures the flames of glory. The wicked are limited by their ability to endure God's glory. The righteous do not have those limitations.

Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." You must be one of his sheep if you feel drawn to the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd. Here's a passage from the Book of Mormon that might give you some encouragement. 15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism. 16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me (Alma 7:15-16). The Lord is merciful and forgiving. After baptism, you'll feel so close to him. It's a wonderful thing to accept him into your life and become a member of his kingdom.