The Savior, Atheists and Mormons

Posted on by Jared

This evening I watched two videos that I’ll provide links to. They are polar opposites in many ways.

The first video is the newly produced church video “Because of Him”. It is short, nearly three minutes long, but contains a wonderful message for Easter.   Click Here

The Second video is something I think the Savior would approve because it creates understanding. This week the American Atheist are meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. A small discussion group was put together. It included the head of the American Atheist, a former Mormon, and two BYU professors. The video is nearly 1 hour and a half.  Click Here

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Promptings of the Spirit: Revelation Or Brain Chemistry

Posted on by Jared

Recently, I read a post at a well known blog. The Mormon author of the blog is critical of the LDS church and it’s leaders. After reading one of his post and many of the comments, I decided to join in an express my thoughts on the problems unvarnished church history is causing church members. I suggested that when member are challenged by what they learn about church doctrine and history they should turn to the Lord for answers. I stated that some of my prayers have been answered in ways that doesn’t leave room for doubt.

My comments were read by other participants and an exchange of opinions commenced. The blog moderator intervened and selectively deleted some of my comments. I find it ironic that he censored some of my comments that promote faith and belief, but left the comments of others that detracted from faith and belief (The practice of censoring faithful comments is common in some parts of the bloggernacle).

Following is an exchange I had with one commenter. I wrote about my experience with prayer saying that in some instances, “I was answered in a way that doesn’t leave room for doubt”.

Here is his response:

“There is no doubt in my mind that you are sure that you had an experience that you value. When you say ‘I was answered in a way that doesn’t leave room for doubt’, I believe that that is a very real thing to you, and very valuable to you. However when you imply that an external source, external to your brain manipulated some sort of physical experience that had to have happened in order to register a biological/chemical awareness inside the chemistry of your brain, then that is a different thing altogether.”

[He believes that spiritual experiences are produced by brain chemistry, therefore—they are an illusion—a figment of our imagination.]

“I have no doubt that you think you have had a transcendent (spiritual in Mormon parlance) experience but think about it, if you say it comes from an external source, now you are making a claim about the natural world, and you are now in the purview of things we can measure, observe, and test, and your claim to be the recipient of external communications from sentient beings can be judged and critiqued and evaluated…The best and only method that objectively evaluates these claims and the only method so far that has proven time over for helping us understand the physical nature of reality is the scientific method.”

[This individual “worships” the scientific method because it has proven to be reliable.]

“So when somebody says no room for doubt, you can see the yellow flags go up with anyone who understands how we truly expand human knowledge. There is no doubt that you had an experience. There’s no ‘doubt’ you value it. However there is plenty to doubt when you assume it came from an external source as much evidence and repeatable experiment can reproduce in the brain what you’re talking about.” 

[In essence, he is saying: Jared, you couldn’t have had an experience with God because there is no God. If God existed science could prove it with the scientific method.]

I’m assuming this individual is a faith casualty of the internet era. His explanation about spiritual experiences being an illusion is being trotted out every so often to explain away religious experience.

However, there is a major problem with this explanation. I’ll relate an account from the history of Wilford Woodruff that thoroughly debunks the brain chemistry explanation.

 “I drove my carriage one evening into the yard of Brother Williams [a local member of the Church]. Brother Orson Hyde [of the Quorum of the Twelve] drove a wagon by the side of mine. I had my wife and children in the carriage. After I turned out my team and had my supper, I went to bed in the carriage. I had not been there but a few minutes when the Spirit said to me, ‘Get up and move that carriage.’ I told my wife I had to get up and move the carriage. She said, ‘What for?’ I said, ‘I don’t know.’ That is all she asked me on such occasions; when I told her I did not know, that was enough. I got up and moved my carriage. … I then looked around me and went to bed. The same Spirit said, ‘Go and move your animals from that oak tree.’ … I went and moved my horses and put them in a little hickory grove. I again went to bed.

“In thirty minutes a whirlwind came up and broke that oak tree off within two feet from the ground. It swept over three or four fences and fell square in that dooryard, near Brother Orson Hyde’s wagon, and right where mine had stood. What would have been the consequences if I had not listened to that Spirit? Why, myself and wife and children doubtless would have been killed. That was the still, small voice to me—no earthquake, no thunder, no lightning; but the still, small voice of the Spirit of God. It saved my life. It was the spirit of revelation to me.” Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, p. 47.

How can the experience related by Wilford Woodruff be attributed to a brain chemistry illusion? He was warned twice by the promptings of the Spirit and his life and property were preserved. Many modern day church members can testify of similar warnings. 

I can testify from my own experience that the Lord can guide his followers in ways that doesn’t leave room for the brain chemistry explanation to stand up to reasoning and logic.

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Latter Day Saints at a Faith Crossroads

Posted on by Jared

Cruising the Bloggernacle in recent weeks, I’ve read much on the topic of faith. It appears some church members are standing at a faith crossroads, deciding which road they will travel.

Some of what I’ve read related to the lost of faith. A few commenters even shared their “testimony” of deconversion. Here is a sampling:

One writer related how at a young age she “quite unexpectedly”, became an atheist.

A long time active member of the church relates how she lost her faith when she began to study contradictions and problems with church history and doctrine, and when no one could provide answers—her faith was shattered.

There were others who wrote about suffering with anemic faith:

A commenter says he has received powerful spiritual witnesses regarding the restoration and the Book of Mormon, but doubts still persist.

An active church member tells about his struggle never having had a prayer answered yet he is doing all the right things.

Another writer measuring his faith says he doesn’t know that Jesus is the Christ, or that Joseph Smith is a prophet, or even that God lives. But at some level he believes all these things.

Then there were those who wrote of their faith to balance the discussion:

Nearly everyone who studies Mormon history and doctrine encounters issues. Some leave the church, but many stay and are happy. I know I am. The reality of the Church is complex, but it’s also wonderful. The members are, in my experience, amazing people seeking to succor each other. The ordinances of the Church are imbued with real power.

Why is faith diminished and even lost?

The issues of faith are real and when faithful member’s experience deconversion, anemic faith, or even when faith plateaus—then confusion, fear and heartache can result and drain spiritual reserves.

The phenomenon of faithful members losing their faith is not new. It is as old as mankind. The reasons are manifold as illustrated by the parable of the sower (Mark 4:14-20).

The scripture use the imagery of foundations built on rock or sand to help us understand how faith and testimony are tried when the storms of life appear and the rain descends, and the floods come, and the wind blows, and beat upon them, if their foundation is rock they will be unmoved, but if sand they are moved out of their place and can perish spiritually.

Members who build their faith and testimony on Jesus Christ have a foundation on rock. Those who establish their faith and testimony on anything else, build on sand.

Surprisingly, active, committed members can build their faith and testimony on sand. It’s even possible to truthfully answer the questions on a temple recommend interview or even be called to influential church positions—a member of the Bishopic, Relief Society Presidency, High Council, Stake Presidency, or even as a General Authority and still have their foundation on sand.

We build on rock when we earnestly and diligently seek to fulfill our baptism covenant and receive the Holy Ghost and the Gifts of the Spirit that are available to us. The Holy Ghost is made available to us by earnest prayer.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

But above all our other petitions, we should plead for the companionship of the Holy Ghost in this life… The greatest gift a man can receive in this life is the gift of the Holy Ghost, even as the greatest gift he can gain in eternity is eternal life. Bruce R. McConkie, “Why the Lord Ordained Prayer,” Ensign, Jan. 1976, 7

When we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost we can and should receive spiritual experiences.

Elder Ballard wrote (notice the use of the word “must”):

We must have personal, spiritual experiences to anchor us. These come through seeking them in the same intense, single-minded way that a hungry person seeks food…It is my witness and testimony that the Lord is not very far away.  When Thou Art Converted, Chapter 4, by M. Russell Ballard

Spiritual experiences anchor us so that our foundation is built on rock instead of sand. Most church members who dwindle in unbelief do so because they lack spiritual experiences.

I know for myself of these things. I’ve studied the issues in church history and doctrine that can undermine our faith and testimony, and when troubled by these things, I reflect on the spiritual experiences the Lord has given me, and I am troubled no more.

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Example of Faith: Ministering Angel Intervenes to Help a Mother and Her Children

Posted on by Jared

I enjoy reading accounts from the Ensign magazine telling about church members who turned to the Lord in time of need and found his helping hand.

The following account was published in the Ensign, under the title  “‘Save My Life … Comfort My Children”, Sept. 1987, pages 52-53.

It was twilight on a cold and rainy October day in 1968, and I was riding my bicycle home from work in Copenhagen, Denmark. My husband was in Canada on an assignment at that time, and I was alone with two children, a boy ten and a girl seven years old.

On my way home I had to cross a very busy four-lane road with a bicycle lane. For safety, I had made it a habit to get off my bike and walk it across the intersection. On this particular day I got halfway across the street and stopped in the middle to let the cars go by. A small car stopped in the lane to my right, and the driver signaled for me to cross. A big truck stopped in the lane beside the small car, and the truck driver also signaled to me, so I continued across the street. Just as I passed the truck I saw a Volkswagen coming toward me, illegally in the bicycle track, at full speed. There was no time for me to escape, either backward or forward.

In that split second, countless thoughts of my children, my husband, my widowed mother, and my job flashed through my mind, and I prayed more fervently than ever before: “Please, dear Lord, whatever happens-spare my life.”

The car hit the bicycle, slamming the handlebars into the left side of my body. As I lay helpless in the road, I could barely breathe because of the pain, but I didn’t lose consciousness. When I turned my head, I saw the Volkswagen’s tire only an inch away. I looked at my bicycle, which had been thrown several feet by the collision. It now looked half its original size.

I was certain that I had experienced a miracle. The tire couldn’t have been any closer, yet it had not crushed my head. I felt that an invisible hand had stopped it right there. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thanked Heavenly Father for saving my life.

I lay in the road waiting for the ambulance. What would the children think when I didn’t come for them? Would I be in time to call the day-care center from the emergency room before it closed? Who could I contact? I hardly knew my neighbors because of a busy schedule, and members of my ward were some distance away.

At the busy emergency room, the staff wouldn’t let me use the telephone before they had taken an X ray. The nurses were too busy to make the call for me. The police officers didn’t show up until four hours later to make a written report of the accident.

For the five longest hours of my life I was kept in the hospital with a number of people helping me. Still, I felt that only Heavenly Father was able to give me the real help I needed. For the first time in my life I found myself unceasingly praying about my only concern-two small and lonely children.

“Please tell them I’m all right,” I prayed. “Let them have peace of mind so that they won’t panic, and give them patience. Please tell them what to do.” I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost, and an all-embracing peace filled my mind-the same feeling I prayed my children would receive.

Finally, the doctor told me that except for my painfully bruised ribs, I was as good as new, and he let me go. The two policemen offered me a ride home, and we arrived outside my apartment building at 10:15 that night.

Two small, tired children walked hand in hand in the dark toward the police car. “Mom, where have you been? What happened to you? How come it’s so late? Why did the police drive you home?” they asked, as soon as we were safely in the apartment.

I explained, and asked, “How did you get home?”

My son said, “We couldn’t understand why you didn’t come to pick us up, but we thought you might be late from work, so we walked home. It started to get dark, but we couldn’t get in because we haven’t got a key.

“I didn’t know what to do, but all of a sudden I thought we should pray about it. So we knelt on the doormat while I said a prayer. We sat without talking for a little while after the prayer, as you taught us to do, and then a nice thing happened to me.

“I felt a big, warm hand touching the top of my head, and I heard a friendly voice saying, ‘Your mother is well, she has been taken care of. It will be a while before she comes home, and it will be dark outside, but just stay calm. Take your little sister by the hand and stay near the apartment and play peacefully. If you do, the time will go by quickly until your mother is with you again.’

“When I looked up to see who was talking to me, I couldn’t see anybody, and no more was said. I felt calm.”

Over the years I have seen my son have occasional struggles as he has grown into adulthood. It’s sometimes easy during difficult times to doubt there is a living God.

Each time he was struggling, I would ask, “Do you remember what happened to you the night of my accident?”

His features would clear, and he would say, “Mother, it’s true, and I will never be able to deny it.”

I am grateful that my son is able to carry an experience like this with him. I have also learned how important it is for us to teach our children to pray and to remember the words in Psalms 94:9: “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” [Ps. 94:9]

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Using the Book of Mormon to Navigate Problems in Church History

Posted on by Jared

Some church members faith is challenged when they learn uncorrelated (unvarnished) history of the church. In Oct 2013 General Conference, Elder Uchtdorf discussed this concern. There has also been news articles reporting on the challenges the church is currently facing.

The internet has many blogs written by current and former LDS church members who are dedicated to writing about LDS church history. The other day I was reading a popular blog and came across the following comment written by someone named John. 

“Prophets and apostles who claim they are speaking for the lord and are only relaying their opinions is a gross sin…To claim your thoughts and opinions are revelatory because of your title is conceptual revelation…If we now are claiming that our apostles and prophets are giving us conceptual revelation…I cannot see that John the Baptist, Moses, etc. were conceptual revelators.

Councils of church leaders have done the best they could for centuries and attributed their decisions to the holy ghost. How are the LDS leaders any different than the many ecumenical councils that have met over the centuries and governed by unanimous decisions?

The heart of the matter to me is that if the LDS church claims true priesthood authority and revelation; why are there so many historical disasters in non-truth being given in the name of God.

I converted to the LDS church on a claim of authority and revelation and frankly I am furious to find this is not the case and I was duped.”

Understanding Prophets and Fallibility

I can understand, at least in part, the frustration John is experiencing. I think the difficulty he is having stems from his understanding of what it means to  be a prophet. 

One LDS writer exposed the tenancy we have to idealize LDS church leaders, saying:

“In the Catholic church everyone says the pope is infallible but nobody believes it; and in the Mormon church everybody says the prophet is fallible but nobody believes it.”

The scriptures attest to the frailties of mankind, and do not support the assumption that the Lord’s apostles and prophets are perfect or near perfect.

Like many others in our day, I’m reevaluating my thoughts on the fallibility of prophets. I have no doubt they are prophets, called of God, but I’m beginning to realize they may be more fallible than I have hitherto supposed.

Turn to the Book of Mormon for Answers

John, refers to “historical disasters” in his comment. I assume he is referring to things like multiple versions of the first vision, race and the Priesthood ban, Book of Mormon translation process, and plural marriage, to name a few.

Heavenly Father’s provided the Book of Mormon, the keystone of Mormonism, to help believers navigate the perplexities of mortality. Are there “historical disasters” in the Nephite church that can help church members in our day better understand what we’re facing?

I think there is, one example is found in Mosiah, chapters 23 and 24. It details the history of Alma and church members in his day. It provides some excellent teachings that John and I, and many others can use to deal with the issues of historical disasters in our day.

As you read the following outline, imagine how you would feel if you followed the prophet, and the result was that you and your family were put into hard bondage by your enemies. No doubt, you would have questions, was Alma an UNINSPIRED “prophet” receiving what John refers to as “conceptional revelation”? 

Alma Established the First Church Among the Nephites (Mosiah 23)

Alma (the older) was warned of the Lord that king Noah would come upon them, so Alma and his church members fled into the wilderness on an eight day journey, being strengthen by the Lord so that Noah could not overtake them.

They settled in a pleasant and beautiful land of pure water. Alma was their high priest, founder of their church. Alma appointed just men to nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness. They did labor exceedingly and and prospered. They called the city Helam.

My People Must be Tried in all Things 

The story in the Book of Mosiah is interrupted when Mormon intervenes with an editorial explaining what the Lord is about to do with the first Nephite church:

21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
23 For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.
24 And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings.  (Mosiah 23:21 – 24)

An army of the Lamanites find Alma and his people. Alma exhorts his people to trust God, therefore they hushed their fears, relying on God. The Lord did soften the hearts of the Lamanites.

Amulon Persecutes Alma and His People (Mosiah 24)

The Lamanites grant Amulon, a former priest of king Noah, to be a king and ruler over Alma and his people. Amulon exercises authority over Alma and his brethren. He persecutes them, and causes his children should persecute their children. He put tasks upon them, and put taskmasters over them.

So great were their afflictions they began to cry mightily to God. Amulon responds to their prayers by telling the taskmasters that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.

Alma and his people did not raise their voices to God any more, but did pour out their hearts to Him. The voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions promising to deliver them out of bondage. And the physical burdens which are put on their shoulders and backs by their taskmasters were made light that they could not feel them.  They did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

So great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying, that on the morrow the Lord would deliver them out of bondage. And, as promised the Lord delivered them.

Hushing Our Fears

Is the Lord chastening today’s church, trying our patience and faith through the challenges being presented by church history? I think so, and the solution for our day is the same as it was in Alma’s day—we need to rely on the Lord—and hush our fears. Alma’s people cried mightily to God, we can do the same.

We live in that day prophesied by Heber C. Kimball. He said:

This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.   Harold B. Lee quoting Heber C. Kimball, BYU, June 28, 1955; also in “We Believe” by Rulon T. Burton, p. 1038-39.

The solution for Alma and our day are the same, we need to experience the manifestations of the Spirit—“live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it.” 

Note: I am using this space to recall other historical disasters in the Book of Mormon (as well as other scripture). If you recall any let me know.

1.  Alma and Amuluek in the city of Ammonihah. Many believers cast into the fire (Alma 14).

2.  Believers threatened with death if sign of Christ death prophesied by Samuel the Lamanite is not given by a certain day (3 Nephi 1:9).

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Are Church Leaders More Fallible Than We Have Hitherto Supposed?

Posted on by Jared

There are many ways church members react when they become aware of the difficulties with LDS church history and the reality that church leaders are more fallible than many had supposed.

As a young returned missionary my worldview was that the church was led by apostles and prophets. They were in contact with Heavenly Father and this meant that all the decisions, teachings, and directions church leaders gave were the mind and will of the Lord.

After my mission, I pursued an in depth study of church history and doctrine. I was interested in becoming a religion teacher and even dreamed of the time I might teach at BYU.

I recall the heartache and disappointment I felt each time my studies revealed something new about church history and doctrine that challenged my worldview. I was compelled to rethink my worldview. As I pondered and prayed about what the new information meant for me, I realized it would take time to sort things out.

Though my worldview of the church was challenged, my spiritual view was intact and wasn’t affected. In the era of Viet Nam war during army basic training I realized I was going to be put in harm’s way. This sobered me up and I decided to find out if there was anything to the Book of Mormon and the Joseph Smith stories I had heard growing up. I decided to pray for the first time in many years. Within a few hours I had a dramatic answer to my prayer. This answer to prayer was my bedrock foundation of my spiritual life, so the changing worldview of the church wasn’t a crisis for me.

As time went on, I studied and applied the Book of Mormon and other scriptures to form a new worldview of the church and church leaders. I saw that church leaders are like the prophets in the Book of Mormon. They are human, make mistakes, and struggle following the will of the Lord.

Consider Lehi and his family. Here is a prophet with a dysfunctional family on the Lord’s errand. Nearly every time the Lord commanded Lehi to do something there was contention and struggle, but ultimately the work of the Lord was accomplished.

Our day is no different than the times that Lehi and the other prophets lived in. We live in the same fallen telestial world they did. The scriptures paint the picture that this is a place of difficulty and trial. The laws of a fallen world don’t allow for the worldview I had prior and during my mission. Many church members nowadays have a worldview like I had, even some church leaders. The laws of a fallen telestial world requires that there be “opposition in all things”. This means the apostles and prophets are subject to the laws of this world and are subject to error and fallible.

If every decision, everything ever written, everything ever said by the apostles and prophets from Joseph Smith to the present day were exactly what the Savior would have decided, written, and said (if He were here), it would be perfect. That would be contrary to the laws of a fallen telestial world. The Lord chooses “the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27). “Weak things” is referring to church leaders and members. 

Church leaders and members need to establish a worldview that is in harmony with the scriptures—there is opposition in all things—in a fallen telestial world. The Lord is leading His prophets based on the laws of a fallen world. Yet church members can have confidence the Lord’s work will eventually get done, just as we’ve been promised. 

There is growth and development in a fallen telestial world that isn’t possible anywhere else. That is why we are here in mortality. Would Nephi have been as great a prophet if he hadn’t had Laman and Lemuel for brothers? I believe the Lord provided him brothers who were rebellious for a purpose. Likewise, opposition in all its forms allows church members a leg-up spiritually, if they will abide the day faithfully, and learn to draw near unto the Lord and rely on Him for help, as Nephi did.

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Active in the Church? The Lord Defines What it Really Means to be Active in His Church

Posted on by Jared

One of the apostles asked a Stake President what the biggest problem in his Stake is? The Stake President reply is telling. He said that “Programs and activities of the church are becoming a substitute for testimonies.” When I heard Elder Packer relate this story I immediately thought of an old saying, “active in the church but not the gospel”. 

How is it possible to be active in the church, and yet, somehow be inactive in the gospel?

To answer this question a few definitions are needed. First, to be a member of the church is to have your name officially on record with church headquarters. Based on this kind of record keeping there are over fifteen million members today.

That said, the Lord doesn’t look at the membership tally, the Lord defines His church in a different way:

…whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. D&C 10:67

Apparently, the Stake President sees members in his Stake being more dedicated to the programs and activities of the church than they are to the gospel of repentance, or as Nephi refers to it—the doctrine of Christ.

The main difference between the two groups is—one group has access to the Holy Ghost, and the other group doesn’t—just like the parable of the 10 virgins dramatically illustrates.

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

However, it is my judgment that there are many members of this Church who have been baptized for the remission of their sins, who have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost, who have never received that gift, that is, the manifestations of it. Why? Because they have never put themselves in order to receive these manifestations. They have never humbled themselves. They have never taken the steps that would prepare them for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Therefore they go through life without that knowledge, and they have not the understanding. Joseph Fielding Smith, Conference Report, October 1958, p.21 – p.22

The Savior taught that those who diligently seek for the gift of the Holy Ghost will have it. Some members ask, how do I know if I have received the Holy Ghost? This question is answered in the following scripture:

Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you  shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men. D&C 18:18

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President Monson Accused of Fraud

Posted on by Jared

When I started this blog in 2007 my objective was to write about the doctrine of Christ as it is taught in the Book of Mormon and by church leaders. As time as gone on, I realize that there are not many LDS who search the internet with the intent of learning about the first principles of the Gospel (the doctrine of Christ). It appears that most LDS are interested in other things than doctrine. To verify this go to the high traffic blogs and look at what they offer.

The Bloggernacle Gathers All Kinds

I read many blogs, including those written by former Mormons who have left the church and now can’t leave the church alone. Why do I read these blogs? Because I am interested in all things pertaining to the LDS church. I’ve known for many years about the controversial teachings, history, and faith destroying material that is creating so much difficulty in the present day. I first learned of them in the early 1970’s. I’ve had a long time to think about it.

The Latest Difficulty

President Monson has been summoned to appear in a London court for fraud. A former Bishop and Stake President from England has worked tirelessly to bring this about. He claims that President Monson is perpetuating a fraud to make money from tithing paid by church members.

Disaffected Church Members are Rising Up

In October General Conference, President Uchtdorf gave the first talk in conference I am aware of that addressed the current disaffection of church members. He said:

“Some struggle with unanswered questions about things that have been done or said in the past. We openly acknowledge that in nearly 200 years of Church history—along with an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable, and divine events—there have been some things said and done that could cause people to question…I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes.”  

We Live In Fallen Telestial World

President Uchtdorf brought up two seeming unrelated topics that I would like to explore: 1) “an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable, and divine events”, 2) “some things said and done that could cause people to question”.

If every decision, everything ever written, everything ever said by the apostles and prophets from Joseph Smith to the present day were exactly what the Savior would have decided, written, and said it would be contrary to the laws of a fallen telestial world.

The laws of a fallen telestial world requires that there be “opposition in all things”. This means, as President Uchtdorf pointed out, that apostles and prophets make mistakes, they have agency. This creates difficult questions.

That said, the faithful know that the Lord is at the head of this church and will lead the church to accomplish the Savior’s purposes.

Decisions Determine Destiny

Each member of the church will decide for themselves how they will respond to the things that have been said and done that create difficult question that cause people to question their faith.

Some will remain faithful, others will leave the church. Each will then follow their decision and determine their own destiny.

It is important for faithful members to not judge those who leave the church as being offended, lazy, or sinful. President Uchtdorf made that clear when he said, “it is not that simple. In fact, there is not just one reason that applies to the variety of situations…this Church… honors personal agency…we respect those who honestly search for truth. It may break our hearts when their journey takes them away from the Church we love and the truth we have found, but we honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience, just as we claim that privilege for ourselves.”

I fully expect to see a continued exodus of church members, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the exodus include some General Authorities.

Questions and Miracles

LDS church history includes things that have been said and done that bring up difficult questions, but along side the questions are a legacy of miracles, reports of divine intervention. Miracles are not limited to church leaders. Average LDS often testify of divine intervention. 

It is the same with miracle as it is with difficult questions, if there were wondrous miracles without difficult questions then there wouldn’t be opposition. And that just isn’t possible in a fallen telestial world.

I’ll provide an example of a difficult question and a miracle from church history to illustrate this pattern. In fact, it may be the most difficult question of all according to some critics and observers.

From Rough Stone Rolling, Richard Bushman writes:

“Nothing confuses the picture of Joseph Smith’s character more than these plural marriages.”

“Was he a blackguard covering his lusts with religious pretensions, or a prophet doggedly adhering to instructions from heaven, or something in between?”

There are many ways to evaluate this part of LDS history. For myself, the more I study plural marriage the less I’m concerned about it. But the real clincher for me is the testimony I’ve been given about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. My testimony easily trumps all the difficult questions including those surrounding plural marriage.

I’ll leave the question of plural marriage for my readers to deal with in their own way. There is one account I’ll focus on. It is from the life of Mary Elizabeth Lightner, one of Joseph Smith’s plural wives. I hope you will read each link. BYU Address 1905 and her autobiography. 

When Joseph Smith told her about plural marriage she said she wouldn’t believe it without a witness. Joseph told her she would have a witness, she did, an angel appeared to her.

There you have it. A difficult question along side a miracle. 

When it comes to miracles, some church members experience miracles. It is a gift from God. It helps them deal with the challenges of life, including difficult questions from church history.

Some church members are blessed indirectly from those who experience miracles. They have the gift to believe on the testimony of those who testify of miracles (D&C 46:13-14).

With all this said, I invite you to follow this link where I testify of the miracles the Lord has given me as a gift. I share a few sacred experiences from my life with the hope it will prove a blessing to others.

Some fault me for sharing sacred experiences in the bloggernacle. I reply that I consider this is as a gift from God that “all may be benefited” (D&C 46:26). 

 

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Arouse the Faculties of Your Souls

Posted on by Jared

The language of scripture is powerful and can arouse the faculties of our souls if we have ears to hear.

The Lord explaining this said:

Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore, give heed unto my word. D&C 12:2

Using the language of the scriptures, following are three kinds of communication the Lord extends to His children: 1) An invitation to follow Him, 2) A warning to those who are falling from grace, and 3) Encouragement to those who are steadfast.

An Invitation from the Lord

Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price

Come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long

Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father

Whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive

Come unto me and your souls shall live

Come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost

come unto me…and signs shall follow them that believe in my name

Canst thou be humble and meek, and conduct thyself wisely before me?Yea, come unto me thy Savior

Words of Warning from the Lord

Now it is high time to awake out of sleep

Cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance

They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased

For thou hast rejected me many times because of pride and the cares of the world

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell

And make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof

Arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death

Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you

These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus

Your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late

And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things.

Blessed are Ye

Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven

Blessed are those who come unto me

Blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me

Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen

Blessed are ye because of your faith

Blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments

Blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you

Ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me

And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father

And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.

VERILY, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am

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Spencer W. Kimball’s 85 Day Prayer

Posted on by Jared

The following excerpt from a talk given in General Conference by Spencer W. Kimball when he was called as an apostle relates his experience with prayer. 

“…I recall two or three years ago, when Brother Lee was giving his maiden address as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ from this stand, he told us of his experience through the night after he had been notified of his call. I think I now know something about the experience he had. I have been going through it for twelve weeks. I believe the brethren were very kind to me in announcing my appointment when they did so that I might make the necessary adjustments in my business affairs, but perhaps they were more inspired to give me the time that I needed of a long period of purification, for in those long days and weeks I did a great deal of thinking and praying, and fasting and praying. There were conflicting thoughts that surged through my mind—seeming voices saying:

“You can’t do the work. You are not worthy. You have not the ability”—and always finally came the triumphant thought: “You must do the work assigned—you must make yourself able, worthy and qualified.” And the battle raged on.

I remember reading that Jacob wrestled all night, “until the breaking of the day,” for a blessing; and I want to tell you that for eighty-five nights I have gone through that experience, wrestling for a blessing. Eighty-five times, the breaking of the day has found me on my knees praying to the Lord to help me and strengthen me and make me equal to this great responsibility that has come to me…

…I appreciate deeply the unparalleled honor that has come to me. I shall do my utmost to show my appreciation to my Lord and my brethren by being a faithful servant. I am grateful for the opportunity of working with these honored and great men of the Authorities toward whom I have always had almost a worshipful devotion. I glory in the opportunity to serve the people of this Church, to share their disappointments and sorrows, and their joys and achievements.

I know that this is the Church and Kingdom of God. It has been a part of me. Whenever it has prospered I have gloried in it. When it was criticized, it has hurt me, for it seemed a part of my very being. Every fibre in my body bears witness that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness. I testify to you that this is the work of God, that Jesus is the Christ, our Redeemer, our Master, our Lord, and I bear testimony to you in all sincerity and in deepest humility, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

“Elder Spencer W. Kimball,” in Conference Report, October 1943, 15-19.

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