Sealing of my family.

[foodforthought]

I have nothing to add except to say I'm in a similar situation. It's confusing and hurtful to think that you wont be able to child sealed to you. Even if technically everything is "ok". I empathize...all this does not help converts to grow a testimony and feel the desire to go to the Temple!

[Just_A_Guy]

So again, it seems that being sealed to your parents only means your parents are sealed--except when they're not*. (are you seeing the impetus for my third suggestion now?

I see it, but I don't think I quite agree. The whole priesthood-ban, curse-of-Cain rigamarole has made us a little gun-shy about discussing it; but I think theologically the idea of lineage and its significance in the patriarchal order is still important.

But I think it's kind of like genetics: It's important to have a father; but--so long as the genetic material is sound--the identity of that particular father, from a biological standpoint, isn't really that important. Similarly, I think it's important to have a patriarchal lineage established via a priesthood sealing; but--so long as the individuals in that lineage have kept their covenants and remain worthy of the blessings associated with that covenant--the identities of those particular individuals may not be as important as we tend to think that it is.

I could probably get on board with your suggestion #2 as a sop to the feelings of the parties concerned; but it's worth noting that under that policy you do run the risk that after-born children by a second relationship will never be sealed to any parent (at least, in their lifetimes). Under the status quo you may have kids being sealed to the "wrong people"--but at least they're sealed to somebody.

Remember, the parent-child sealing is the successor to the ordinance of "adoption", which--by definition--had nothing biological about it. :)

Edited May 31, 2013 by Just_A_Guy

[Anddenex]

I have nothing to add except to say I'm in a similar situation. It's confusing and hurtful to think that you wont be able to child sealed to you. Even if technically everything is "ok". I empathize...all this does not help converts to grow a testimony and feel the desire to go to the Temple!

foodforthought, this is why it is so important for "new converts" like my parents to study the scriptures and gain the spirit in our lives greater than we were yesterday.

The purposes of the temple are easily threefold, the first being the most important:

1. The salvation of the individual by entering into the covenants the Lord has promised that if we remain faithful we will obtain of his fullness.

2. To enter into a sealing covenant with our spouse.

3. Redemption of the dead

All of our gospel truths help us grow spiritually in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although we may not understand all things, as of now (like Nephi), we do know that God loves us.

[mdfxdb]

My understandingis the following:

Your child will not be sealed to the ex husband.

Your child is born in the covenant and recieves all the blessings of that as far as he/she is righteous.

Your child will be sealed to the mother as a matter of course because of her sealing to her ex, thereby making the child born in the covenant.

When you get sealed to your wife in the temple you will not be separately sealed to your child because your child is already sealed to your wife. Your sealing to your wife automatically includes your child in the sealing.

The only way that your child would not be sealed to you is if you were to not get the cancellation of covenants from the wife's ex, and you do not get sealed to your wife. This has nothing to do with the ex being sealed to your child. That is in fact impossible. The ex is not sealed to your child neither here nor in the eternities because he is not the childs father. Your wife is the only one who has claim on the child through the covenant.

Adoption is different because the child is legally separated from their parents, even if born in the covenant. The giving up of "parental rights" separates the child from their earthly parents in a legal sense. I think the church recgonizes this distinction and seeks to seal those adopted children to their new families. If a husband and wife are married in the temple and sealed, then adopt (even if the child were born in covenant to its biological parents prior to adoption) it would make sense for the child to be sealed to them as neither of them have a covenant with the child, i.e. have no claim either biologically or spiritually.

[Juan_P]

Regarding:

Originally Posted by Just_A_Guy

Let's go back to basics here for a minute.

What does it mean to be "sealed to" somebody?

From another blog (mormon mentality), I found this to be enlightening regarding what it means to be sealed in marriage to someone:

#3: Am I sealed to my former spouse? (Capitalization used for emphasis and clarity, not for volume)

You are not sealed TO anyone but God. You are sealed WITH your spouse in as far as you are legally married, participated in the sealing ordinance together, honor the covenants you have made AND choose to be with your spouse after you die. Even if you are married and sealed with your spouse, you DO NOT have to be with them in the hereafter—free agency is available to all, all the time. When your divorce is finalized, or covenants are broken, the sealing ordinance as far as your spouse is concerned is no longer valid. You do not covenant TO your spouse, you covenant WITH your spouse. When you and your spouse are no longer together, you are expected to hold your side of the bargain as an individual, which for the most part dribble down to honoring God. Anything covenant that requires a spouse to do (such as procreation) is no more

And regarding children:

#4: What about the children born in the covenant?

Children born in the covenant are sealed with their parents no matter the outcome of the marriage. No child is barred from a parent who has been excommunicated. If either parent remarries, the children are not sealed with the new spouse unless they choose to do so at the age of 18.

I guess then if the OP children do stay "sealed' to the wife and her ex due to BIC rules, then they could change that after 18?

(Mormon Mentality - Thoughts and Asides by Peculiar People » FAQ: Temple Cancellation/Clearance)

But then the writer at MM also has some unanswered questions which to me confirms my belief that the church's sealing policies are all over the place and urgently need clarifying; maybe adding a phrase in the CHI "divorce means end of sealing" or something like it since, based on all the worthiness clauses it practically is an end to that sealing.