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  • Changing Doctrine

    Changing Doctrine

    The King Follett Sermon, Published in May 1971 Ensign: 1“>https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1971/05/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng))

    A question may be asked—“Will mothers have their children in eternity?” Yes! Yes! Mothers, you shall have your children; for they shall have eternal life, for their debt is paid. There is no damnation awaiting them for they are in the spirit. But as the child dies, so shall it rise from the dead, and be for ever living in the learning of God. It will never grow [in the grave]; it will still be the child, in the same precise form [when it rises] as it appeared before it died out of its mother’s arms, but possessing all the intelligence of a God. …

    I will leave this subject here, and make a few remarks on the subject of baptism. The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use; they are necessarily and inseparably connected. An individual must be born of water and the spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God. In the German, the text bears me out the same as the revelations which I have given and taught for the past fourteen years on that subject. I have the testimony to put in their teeth. My testimony has been true all the time. You will find it in the declaration of John the Baptist. (Reads from the German.) John says, “I baptize you with water, but when Jesus comes, who has the power (or keys) He shall administer the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” Great God! Where is now all the sectarian world? And if this testimony is true, they are all damned as clearly as anathema can do it. I know the text is true. I call upon all you Germans who know that it is true to say, Eye. (Loud shouts of “Aye.”)

    Original discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Times and Seasons: 2

    A question may be asked—”Will mothers have their children in eternity?” Yes! Yes! Mothers, you shall have your children; for they shall have eternal life, for their debt is paid. There is no damnation awaiting them for they are in the spirit. But as the child dies, so shall it rise from the dead, and be for ever living in the learning of God. It will never grow; it will still be the child, in the same precise form as it appeared before it died out of its mother’s arms, but possessing all the intelligence of a God. Children dwell in the mansions of glory and exercise power, but appear in the same form as when on earth. Eternity is full of thrones, upon which dwell thousands of children, reigning on thrones of glory, with not one cubit added to their stature. 

    I will leave this subject here, and make a few remarks on the subject of baptism. The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use; they are necessarily inseparably connected. An individual must be born of water and the spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God. In the German, the text bears me out the same as the revelations which I have given and taught for the past fourteen years on that subject. I have the testimony to put in their teeth. My testimony has been true all the time. You will find it in the declaration of John the Baptist. (Reads from the German.) John says, “I baptize you with water, but when Jesus comes, who has the power (or keys) He shall administer the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” Great God! Where is now all the sectarian world? And if this testimony is true, they are all damned as clearly as anathema can do it. I know the text is true. I call upon all you Germans who know that it is true to say, Eye. (Loud shouts of “Aye.”)

    Additional Resource:

    The King Follett Discourse, textual history and criticism, Van Hale: 

    https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/041-04-12.pdf

    References

    References
    1 The King Follett Sermon, May 1971 Ensign – 

    2 JS, Discourse, Nauvoo, IL, 7 Apr. 1844; in “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1844 – https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/discourse-7-april-1844-as-reported-by-times-and-seasons/1#ft-source-note
  • We will always teach truth #2

    We will always teach truth #2

    Excerpt from an address by Russell M. Nelson, September 17 2019: 1

    It is precisely because we do care deeply about all of God’s children that we proclaim His truth. We may not always tell people what they want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth!

    Excerpt from LDS prophet Harold. B. Lee’s book Decisions for Successful Living, 1973: 2

    “The privilege of obtaining a mortal body on this earth is seemingly so priceless that those in the spirit world, even though unfaithful or not valiant, were undoubtedly permitted to take mortal bodies although under penalty of racial or physical or nationalistic limitations.”

    References

    References
    1 Russell M.Nelson, BYU Devotional, September 17 2019 – https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/russell-m-nelson/love-laws-god/
    2 Decisions for Successful Living, Harold B. Lee – https://deseretbook.com/p/decisions-successful-living-harold-b-lee-78307?variant_id=20140-ebook
  • Don’t Know

    Don’t Know

    Excerpt from a Church News article, ‘President Ballard said missionaries shouldn’t invite people to be baptized without feeling the Spirit. Here’s why’, June 26 2019: 1

    “PROVO, Utah — Missionaries need to recognize the Spirit and teach by the Spirit more than at any time in our history, said President M. Russell Ballard during the 2019 New Mission Leadership Seminar on June 24.
    “If we help create a mission culture based on Spirit-led invitations that allow others to have spiritual experiences, our missionaries will feel the power of God as they witness the changes occurring inside the hearts and minds of all those they find and teach,” said President Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
    Speaking to 164 new mission presidents and their companions gathered at the Provo Missionary Training Center for the conference, President Ballard said gospel invitations — especially invitations to be baptized — should be Spirit-led.

    Some missionaries have felt pressure to invite people to be baptized during the first lesson or even the first contact. “These missionaries have felt that inviting people to be baptized the very first time they meet them demonstrated the missionaries’ faith and supports their thinking that inviting people to be baptized early is what is expected,” he said. “Other missionaries have felt that an invitation to be baptized early allowed them to promptly separate the wheat from the tares. In this case, some see the baptismal invitation as a sifting tool.”

    Church leaders don’t know where these practices began, but “it was never our intention to invite people to be baptized before they had learned something about the gospel, felt the Holy Ghost, and had been properly prepared to accept a lifelong commitment to follow Jesus Christ,” said President Ballard. “Our retention rates will dramatically increase when people desire to be baptized because of the spiritual experiences they are having rather than feeling pressured into being baptized by our missionaries.”



    Excerpt from ‘Discussion One, The Plan Of Salvation’ an LDS missionary teaching manual, Pub. 1986: 2

    “You Can Be Baptized 

    As the Lord answers your prayers and you feel that this message is true, we hope you will want to follow Christ by being baptized. 

    Invite: As prompted by the Spirit, you could now invite the investigators to be baptized.“

    Excerpt from ‘Discussion Two, The Gospel Of Jesus Christ’ an LDS missionary teaching manual, Pub. 1986: 3

    Commitment Invitation: Baptism 

    One of the most basic ways in which God asks us to be obedient is by being baptized. As we said a few minutes ago, when we are baptized, we enter into a covenant with God. The Book of Mormon teaches that Christ set the example for us by being baptized. His baptism was a witness that he would be obedient to all the commandments of his Father. [ Read and discuss 2 Nephi 31:4-7.] 

    Will you follow the example of Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God? 

    Invite: Unless otherwise prompted by the Spirit, you should at this point invite the investigators to be baptized on a specific date. If they need additional preparation for this commitment, use the “Invitation to Be Baptized” in the instruction booklet. 

    References

    References
    1 ‘President Ballard said missionaries shouldn’t invite people to be baptized without feeling the Spirit. Here’s why’, June 26 2019, Church News – https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-06-26/president-ballard-baptize-2019-mission-leadership-seminar-50222
    2 Discussion One, The Plan Of Salvation – https://archive.org/details/Discussion1ThePlanOfSalvation
    3 Discussion Two, The Gospel Of Jesus Christ – https://archive.org/details/Discussion2TheGospelOfJesusChrist/page/n1
  • Editing

    Editing

    General Conference talk given by Hartman Rector Jr., ‘Turning the Hearts’, April 1981:1

    Note: Bolded are the parts of the talk given in the original address, not appearing in written format on the official LDS church website.

    I consider it a great honor and a privilege to greet you this afternoon in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sure the Lord is much concerned about the families of the earth today.

    The family is the basic unit of society, and more importantly it is the basic unit of exaltation. It seems that nothing is more important to the Lord than a family. He has designed the greatest blessings for His children to be received through families, and the temple, of course, is the means of creating these eternal, exalted families.

    I believe that families are under a more serious attack today than at any time since the beginning of the world, with the possible exception of the days of Noah. It must have been bad then too. Maybe we today are not quite as bad as they were. Moses recorded in the Book of Genesis: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5.) I don’t believe I have ever known anyone quite that bad, whose “every thought was evil continually.”

    The Lord further indicated that all flesh was corrupt in those days, and so he brought forth the flood and destroyed all flesh except Noah and his family. Therefore, we are all descendants of righteous Noah. But the family concept is under very serious attack today all over the world.

    In many countries of the world today birth control is practiced. In some countries only one child per family is permitted. This is controlled through birth control, abortion and sterilization. If a second child is born the government takes it to rear. Since the real strength of a nation is in her families, I fear that such restrictions will literally destroy these nations. A documentary for TV was produced recently where it was shown that old people are dying for lack of love and attention. It seem s that children no longer care enough for their aged parents to visit them. Well, why should they anyway. The government takes care of them so why should the children bother with that chore. Today some governments pay full time employees to do nothing but visit their old people. It appears that this is one of the hidden evils which destroy families. Children no longer have to worry about their parents in their old age, so they completely neglect them.

    The Lord said from Mt. Sinai, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Ex. 20:12.) There’s precious little honor shown as children not even visit their parents. Of course we’re not lily white in this area here in the United States either. In 1980 was the year of the family here in the US of A. There were White House conferences held on the family in Maryland, Minnesota, and California, with delegates chosen from each state. In most states there was an attempt to get a resolution passed by the state convention, defining the family as any group of people living together. Not the traditional father, mother, children relationship but any group of people living together. And whom do you supposed would sponsor such a resolution. Is those who represent the so-called alternate lifestyle. Birth control is rampant. Sterilization, vasectomies increase annually. The statistics on abortion in the United States are mind boggling. For example, abortions will kill over 2 million babies in the next 12 months. Which amounts to three abortions every 60 seconds. Abortions kill more Americans in one year than all the wars did from Valley Forge to Vietnam. 8 Million American babies have been slaughtered since January the 22nd 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized abortion. Over 3 million dollars of American tax payers money will be used to pay for government funded abortions this year. How frightening.

    As I mentioned earlier we seem to have conditions today similar to those Noah faced; and the Lord speaks of smiting the earth with a curse, as happened at the time of the flood, and this will happen if there is not a turning of “the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” (Mal. 4:6.)

    There are those who feel that this turning of the hearts is strictly Elijah’s job, but in Doctrine and Covenants 98:16 [D&C 98:16] the Lord seems to give us that assignment. He said, “Seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children.”
    Elijah came and delivered the keys, but the Lord looks to us to do the work. In a little plainer translation of the Malachi scripture, the Lord said:
    “Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
    “And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.
    “If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.” (D&C 2:1–3; see also JS—H 1:38–39.)

    We, then, are in the very serious business of attempting to save the earth or to keep it from being “wasted” when the Lord comes. I have often wondered how or why the earth would be wasted if Children’s hearts did not turn to their fathers. Today is very clear for all to see. When the Lord comes if he finds nothing but birth control, abortion, sterilization, homosexuals the earth is wasted. What was the purpose of his creation anyway. The Lord said “we would go down for there is space there, and we will take of these materials and make an earth, whereon theses” meaning all of us “may dwell.” This earth was created so God the Father would have a place to send His children to receive bodies of flesh and bones and prove themselves. If we will no longer permit the Lord to send his children to this earth, then the earth is wasted, and as in the days of the flood He will surely destroy it.
    So what must we do? We must follow the living prophet, for herein is our only safety. He says, among other things:

    1. Complete four-generation family records and as far beyond as you can go.

    2. Write a personal and family history.

    3. Perform a reasonable number of temple ordinances by attending the temple as often as is practical.

    I personally believe that the writing of personal and family histories will do more to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to children than almost anything we can do. I am sure you will never turn your own children’s hearts more to you than you will by keeping a journal and writing your personal history. They will ultimately love to find out about your successes and your failures and your peculiarities. It will tell them a lot about themselves, too. They will get a great desire to raise a family of their own when they see what a great blessing they were to you.

    If children have a happy family experience they will not want to be homosexuals, which I am sure is an acquired addiction just as drugs, alcohol and pornography are. The promoters of homosexuality say they were born that way. But I do not believe this is true. There are no female spirits trapped in male bodies and vice versa. He who made them, made them male and female. Every form of homosexuality is sin said the living prophet Spencer W. Kimball.

    Also, I seriously doubt that you will ever turn your own heart more to your own fathers than by writing your family history. You must know a lot about them before you can write it. This will lead you to much in-depth research. I promise you will love them when you become acquainted with them. They were noble people, and they sacrificed much to give you the heritage you have today. They deserve the best you can give them, which of course is membership in the Church and the kingdom of God and the sealing of their loved ones to them.

    I am convinced that these records we are commanded to write are absolutely vital, not only to the salvation of our ancestors but also to ours, for are we not to be judged out of the books which John saw were to be opened, as recorded in Revelation 20:12 [Rev. 20:12]?

    “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

    After quoting this verse from Revelation, the Prophet Joseph Smith said, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 128:7–8 [D&C 128:7–8]:
    “You will discover in this quotation that the books were opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life; but the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; consequently, the books spoken of must be the books which contained the record of their works, and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. …

    “Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book.)
    Sometimes we feel we just don’t have time to write in our journals. I wonder. President Kimball stood before the World Conference on Records last August and said: “By now, in my own personal history, I have managed to fill seventy-eight large volumes, which are my personal journal. There have been times when I have been so tired at the end of a day that the effort could hardly be managed, but I am so grateful that I have not let slip away from me and my posterity those things which needed to be recorded.” (Ensign, Oct. 1980, p. 72.)

    I am convinced that it is not what we have done here upon the earth that will condemn us at the last day; it is what we have not done that will ultimately stand to judge us. Why? Well the bad things we have done we can repent of and because the Lord Jesus Christ paid for these sins they will be blotted out. So they obviously won’t hurt us. The good things we have done we should record in our journals and personal history and the good things surely won’t hurt us. But the things we have not done, how do we repent of them. It’s what we should have done, and didn’t do, that will constitute our judgment.

    Is there any wonder the prophet Joseph said, “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. Those saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation.” (Teachings of the Prophet, p. 193.)

    To become a savior on Mount Zion, then, goes far beyond the performance of the temple ordinance. It encompasses the personal and family history as well as the four-generation-and-beyond research—plus participation in the extraction program.

    Of course, none of this would mean very much if we did not have a holy house in which to perform this work. In this sense, temple building then becomes the most important work of this dispensation. How glorious to live upon the earth at this time and have part in the grand work of rearing the Lord’s house in nations around the world so the saving ordinances of the gospel and the ties that bind eternal families may be made available to all the children of the earth! Surely we are the most blessed people who have ever lived, to which I bear witness in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.

    Gary Bergera wrote to Elder Rector inquiring about the difference between the published version of his talk and the version reported in the Deseret News, Church News, and Salt Lake Tribune. Elder Rector replied in a hand-written note: 2

    “Sometimes it is not expedient to make people angry by telling them in too plain terms what their problems are. … Also the church [is] hoping to gain entrance into communist China so didn’t want to make waves,” according to an article in Dialogue A Journal of Mormon Thought. “I presume a combination of things made the First Presidency decide to eliminate certain portions of my remarks even tho’ they had received and cleared the talk before it was given. It is OK. They know best. However, what was said is still true.”

    (Gary J. Bergera, Letter to Hartman Rector, 11 May 1981; undated response handwritten on the bottom of the letter by Hartman Rector.)

    References

    References
    1 Turning the Hearts, Hartman Rector Jr, April 1981 General Conference – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1981/04/turning-the-hearts?lang=eng
    2 The LDS conference sermon you read online may not match the words spoken from the pulpit — a look at why speeches are sometimes ‘corrected’, The Salt Lake Tribune – https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2018/12/17/lds-conference-sermon/
  • Don’t give up

    Don’t give up

    Excerpt from an April 6, 2019 General Conference address by Bishop W.
    Christopher Waddell: 1

    John, who was Mikes friend, ministering brother, and a former mission president, used to tell his missionaries that if someone is on a list that says ‘not interested’, don’t give up. People change.

    References

    References
    1 April 2019 General Conference address, Christopher Waddell – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2019/04/media/session_1_talk_10?lang=eng
  • Caractors

    Caractors

    Excerpt from “Cumorah revisited”, Charles A. Shook, 1910: 1

    “Instead of ”Re-formed Egyptian” many of the “Caractors” are deformed English, as any one will observe who will compare them with English letters, figures and signs.”

     

     

    Further study:

    Book of Mormon Characters Examined, Dan Vogel – https://youtu.be/aMPFKZ2E4MM

    References

    References
    1 “Cumorah revisited”, Charles A. Shook, 1910 – https://archive.org/details/cumorahrevisited00shoo
  • Leading Faiths

    Leading Faiths

    Quote from Elder Alessandro Dini-Ciacci, Area Seventy as published in Mormon Newsroom, March 9, 2009: 1

    “How inspiring it was for me to witness two of the leaders of the leading faiths in the world meet together and share brotherhood,”

     

    List of Christian denominations by number of members: 2

    “Catholic Church – 1.285 billion”
    “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 16.1 million”

    References

    References
    1 Elder Alessandro Dini-Ciacci, Area Seventy, Mormon Newsroom, March 9, 2009 – https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/prophet-meets-pope-francis-vatican
    2 List of Christian denominations by number of members, Wikipedia – https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members
  • Research is not the answer

    Research is not the answer

    Excerpt from a Church News article, Pub. February 4, 2019: 1

    President Oaks admonished young fathers to “rise up to your responsibilities,” lead their families in righteousness and be united with their wives and children.

    He acknowledged that some Latter-Saint couples face conflicts over important values and priorities. Matters of Church history and doctrinal issues have led some spouses to inactivity. Some spouses wonder how to best go about researching and responding to such issues.

    “I suggest that research is not the answer,” he said.

    The Church does offer answers to many familiar questions through its Gospel Topics Essays found at lds.org.

    “But the best answer to any question that threatens faith is to work to increase faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “Conversion to the Lord precedes conversion to the Church. And conversion to the Lord comes through prayer and study and service, furthered by loving patience on the part of spouse and other concerned family members.”

  • Large Families

    Large Families

    Excerpt from ‘For Righteousness’ Sake’, by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, Pub. 1972:

    Two In A Family

    It is earnestly to be hoped that Latter-day Saints will not be misled by the ridiculous philosophy now being widely advocated that families are to be limited to one, or at most two, children.

    It is earnestly to be hoped also that they will not be duped into believing that there is nothing wrong with abortion and be made to feel that states and nations which now legalize it and permit almost at will, are farseeing and progressive.

    The doctrine of one or two children to the family IS CONTRARY TO THE REVEALED INSTRUCTION OF GOD.

    Have not the prophets of the Church taught from the beginning of our history that large families are to be desired? Shall we repudiate them? Have not the Saints been advised by those prophets NOT TO LIMIT their families, except in cases of poor health on the part of the mothers?

     

  • One or Two

    One or Two

    Excerpt from ‘For Righteousness’ Sake’, by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, Pub. 1972:

    Two In A Family

    It is earnestly to be hoped that Latter-day Saints will not be misled by the ridiculous philosophy now being widely advocated that families are to be limited to one, or at most two, children.

    It is earnestly to be hoped also that they will not be duped into believing that there is nothing wrong with abortion and be made to feel that states and nations which now legalize it and permit almost at will, are farseeing and progressive.

    The doctrine of one or two children to the family IS CONTRARY TO THE REVEALED INSTRUCTION OF GOD.

    Have not the prophets of the Church taught from the beginning of our history that large families are to be desired? Shall we repudiate them? Have not the Saints been advised by those prophets NOT TO LIMIT their families, except in cases of poor health on the part of the mothers?

     

  • Merry Smithmas

    Merry Smithmas

    ‘Address of the Prophet [Joseph Smith Jr.] — His Testimony Against the Dissenters at Nauvoo.’, History of the Church: 1

    My object is to let you know that I am right here on the spot where I intend to stay. I, like Paul, have been in perils, and oftener than anyone in this generation. As Paul boasted, I have suffered more than Paul did. I should be like a fish out of water, if I were out of persecutions. Perhaps my brethren think it requires all this to keep me humble. The Lord has constituted me so curiously that I glory in persecution. I am not nearly so humble as if I were not persecuted. If oppression will make a wise man mad, much more a fool. If they want a beardless boy to whip all the world, I will get on the top of a mountain and crow like a rooster; I shall always beat them. When facts are proved, truth and innocence will prevail at last. My enemies are no philosophers: they think that when they have my spoke under, they will keep me down–but for the fools, I will hold on and fly over them.

    God is in the still small voice. In all these affidavits, indictments, it is all of the devil–all corruption. Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on the top at last.I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet. You know my daily walk and conversation. I am in the bosom of a virtuous and good people. How I do love to hear the wolves howl! When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go. For the last three years I have a record of all my acts and proceedings, for I have kept several good, faithful, and efficient clerks in constant employ: they have accompanied me everywhere, and carefully kept my history, and they have written down what I have done, where I have been, and what I have said; therefore my enemies cannot charge me with any day, time, or place, but what I have written testimony to prove my actions; and my enemies cannot prove anything against me. They have got wonderful things in the land of Ham. I think the grand jury have strained at a gnat and swallowed the camel.

    References

    References
    1 History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 408-409 – BYU Studies – https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/volume-6-chapter-19
  • Columbus

    Columbus

    1 Nephi 13:12, Book of Mormon: 1

    And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

    Excerpt from ‘A People’s History of the United States’, by Historian Howard Zinn:2

    Now, from his base on Haiti, Columbus sent expedition after expedition into the interior. They found no gold fields, but had to fill up the ships returning to Spain with some kind of dividend. In the year 1495, they went on a great slave raid, rounded up fifteen hundred Arawak men, women, and children, put them in pens guarded by Spaniards and dogs, then picked the five hundred best specimens to load onto ships. Of those five hundred, two hundred died en route. The rest arrived alive in Spain and were put up for sale by the archdeacon of the town, who reported that, although the slaves were “naked as the day they were born,” they showed “no more embarrassment than animals.” Columbus later wrote: “Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity go on sending all the slaves that can be sold.”

    References

    References
    1 1 Nephi 13:12, Book of Mormon – https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/13.12
    2 ‘A People’s History of the United States’, by Historian Howard Zinn – http://www.michaelmeuser.com/zinn/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states.pdf
  • Not Ashamed

    Not Ashamed

    Excerpt from an October 2018 General Conference address by Russell M.Nelson: 1

    Thus, the name of the Church is not negotiable. When the Savior clearly states what the name of His Church should be and even precedes His declaration with, “Thus shall my church be called,” He is serious. And if we allow nicknames to be used or adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, He is offended.

    What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan. When we discard the Savior’s name, we are subtly disregarding all that Jesus Christ did for us—even His Atonement.

    Excerpt from a letter by Joseph Smith Jr. to James Arlington Bennet, 8 September 1842: 2

    And I will here remark, my Dear Sir; that Mormonism, is the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, of which I myself am not ashamed.

    References

    References
    1 October 2018 General Conference address by Russell M.Nelson – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/media/session_4_talk_11/5845645176001?lang=eng
    2 Letter by Joseph Smith Jr. to James Arlington Bennet, 8 September 1842 – http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-james-arlington-bennet-8-september-1842/1#source-note
  • Nickname

    Nickname

    And if we allowed nicknames to be used and adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, he is offended. What’s in a name? Or in this case a nickname. When it comes to nicknames of the church, such as LDS Church, the Mormon Church or the Church of the Latter-day Saints, the most glaring omission is the absence of the saviors name.

    To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s church is a major victory for Satan.

    Excerpt from an October 2018 General Conference address by Russell M.Nelson:
    October 2018 General Conference address by Russell M.Nelson:
    https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/media/session_4_talk_11/5845645176001?lang=eng

    His statement intrigued me—Mormon means “more good.” I knew, of course, that “more good” was not a derivative of the word Mormon. I had studied both Latin and Greek, and I knew that English is derived in some measure from those two languages and that the words more good are not a cognate of the word Mormon. But his was a positive attitude based on an interesting perception. And, as we all know, our lives are guided in large measure by our perceptions. Ever since, when I have seen the word Mormon used in the media to describe us—in a newspaper or a magazine or book or whatever—there flashes into my mind his statement, which has become my motto: Mormon means “more good.”

    We may not be able to change the nickname, but we can make it shine with added luster.

    Excerpt from an October 1990 General Conference address by Gordon B. Hinckley:
    October 1990 General Conference address by Gordon B. Hinckley:
    https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1990/10/mormon-should-mean-more-good?lang=eng

    Recommended Reading:

  • Size of Families

    Size of Families

    Excerpt from an April 1980 General Conference Address by Apostle N. Eldon Tanner: 1

    “There are various arguments for curtailing the birth of children or the size of families, but they are contrary to the laws of God. Our early citizens who were patriotic and God-fearing, and in many instances lacked for material possessions, believed in large families; and from that stock came some of our greatest statesmen and finest lawyers, scientists, and educators. They were self-made men reared in humble homes where spirituality abounded.”

    References

  • Better Die

    Better Die

    Excerpt from an October 1938 General Conference Address by J. Reuben Clark, Jr: 1

    “You young people—May I directly entreat you to be chaste. Please believe me when I say that chastity is worth more than life itself. This is the doctrine my parents taught me; it is truth. Better die chaste than live unchaste. The salvation of your very souls is concerned in this.”

    References

    References
    1 J. Reuben Clark, Jr, October 1938 General Conference – https://archive.org/details/conferencereport1938sa/page/n0
  • All They Can Care For

    All They Can Care For

    Excerpt from ‘With Full Purpose of Heart’, by Dallin H. Oaks, Pub. 2002:1

    President Kimball said, “It is an act of extreme selfishness for a married couple to refuse to have children when they are able to do so.” When married couples postpone childbearing until after they have satisfied their mutual goals, the mere passage of time assures that they seriously reduce their potential to participate in furthering our Heavenly Father’s plan for all his spirit children. Faithful Latter-day Saints cannot afford to look upon children as an interference with what the world calls “self-fulfillment.” Our covenants with God and the ultimate purpose of life are tied up in those little ones who require airtime, outlive, and our sacrifice.

    How many children should a couple have? All they can care for! Of Course, to care for children means more than simply giving them life. Children must be loved, nurtured, taught, fed, clothed, housed, and well started in their capacities to be good parents themselves. Exercising faith in God’s promises to bless them when they are keeping his commandments, many LDS parents have large families. Others seek but are not blessed with children or with the number of children they desire. In a matter as intimate as this, we should not judge one another.

    References

  • Casket

    Casket

    Excerpt from a First Presidency Address, published in the September 1981 Ensign, Marion G. Romney: 1

    I remember how my father impressed the seriousness of unchastity upon my mind. He and I were standing in the railroad station at Rexburg, Idaho, in the early morning of 12 November 1920. We heard the train whistle. In three minutes I would be on my way to Australia to fill a mission. In that short interval my father said to me, among other things, “My son, you are going a long way from home. Your mother and I, and your brothers and sisters, will be with you constantly in our thoughts and prayers; we shall rejoice with you in your successes, and we shall sorrow with you in your disappointments. When you are released and return, we shall be glad to greet you and welcome you back into the family circle. But remember this, my son: we would rather come to this station and take your body off the train in a casket than to have you come home unclean, having lost your virtue.”

    References

    References
    1 Marion G. Romney, September 1981 Ensign, First Presidency Message – https://www.lds.org/ensign/1981/09/we-believe-in-being-chaste?lang=eng
  • Dead Son

    Dead Son

    Excerpt from an April 1975 General Conference Address by Vaughn J. Featherstone: 1

    I know of a great man who held his dead son in his arms, and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood, I command you to live.” And the dead boy opened up his eyes.

    This great brother could not have possibly done that had he been looking at a pornographic piece of material a few nights before or if he had been involved in any other transgression of that kind. The priesthood has to have a pure conduit to operate.

    And what a valuable thing a covenant in our lives can be, if we will let it guide us. Another problem: an overweight girl from Ogden went to see her bishop. In the purity and goodness of charity, trying to help the girl, he counseled her that it might be a good idea to lose a few pounds. Pitifully heartbroken, she went home and told her father. It had cankered her soul. The father, of course, negative toward the Church all of his life, waiting for something like this, sprung like a cat on the bishop’s back, and they came down to see me and wanted their memberships transferred out of the bishop’s ward. I asked them why, because I didn’t know all this background, and they said, “Well, our bishop suggested to our daughter that she might lose a few pounds and make herself a little more attractive.” Now I want you to know that I defended that great bishop. I said to this family, “You are wrong. That sweet bishop, out of purity and love for your daughter, felt and did that which he was impressed to do. I am sure it was a message from God to your daughter, and she let it canker her soul. The strange thing is that she was probably up in her bedroom the night before praying, ‘Heavenly Father, I am lonely. I need someone. Please help me. Help me to find someone so I won’t be so lonely.’” And yet oftentimes we are offended because a sweet bishop gives us some instruction which is hard for us to live.

    :::

    References

    References
    1 Vaughn J. Featherstone, April 1975, General Conference – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1975/04/a-self-inflicted-purging?lang=eng&query=self+purging
  • Desire for Children

    Desire for Children

    Excerpt from an October 1948 General Conference Address by Harold B. Lee: 1

    If I were to name the first thing that impresses me always in these fine Latter-day Saint homes, I would say it was a love for and a desire for children. These are homes where the having of children was not delayed because of some social or educational or financial objective, and where the size of the families has not been limited by the practice of birth control.

    References

    References
    1 Harold B. Lee, October 1938, General Conference – https://archive.org/details/conferencereport1948sa/page/n0
  • Excommunication

    Excommunication

    Excerpt from Spencer W. Kimball’s ‘Miracle of Forgiveness’, Pg. 328-330: 1

    Excommunication

    The scriptures speak of Church members being “cast out” or “cut off,” or having their names “blotted out.” This means excommunication. This dread action means the total severance of the individual from the Church. The person who is excommunicated loses his membership in the Church and all attendant blessings. As an excommunicant, he is in a worse situation than he was before he joined the Church. He has lost the Holy Ghost, his priesthood, his endowments, his sealings, his privileges and his claim upon eternal life. This is about the saddest thing which could happen to an individual. Better that he suffer poverty, persecution, sickness, and even death. A true Latter-day Saint would far prefer to see a loved one in his bier than excommunicated from the Church. If the one cut off did not have this feeling of desolateness and barrenness and extreme loss, it would be evidence that he did not understand the meaning of excommunication.

    An excommunicant has no Church privileges. He may not attend priesthood meetings (since he has no priesthood); he may not partake of the sacrament, serve in Church positions, offer public prayers, or speaks in meetings; he may not pay tithing except under certain conditions as determined by the bishop. He is “cut off,” “cast out,” and turned over to his Lord for the final judgment. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” ( Heb. 10:31 ), and especially already branded as an apostate or transgressor.

    Inasmuch as ye are cut off for transgression, ye cannot escape the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.

    And I now give unto you power from this very hour, that if any man among you, of the order, is found a transgressor and repenteth not of the evil, that ye shall deliver him over unto the buffetings of Satan; and he shall not have power to bring evil upon you. ( D&C 104:9-10 .)

    There is a possibility of an excommunicant returning to the blessings of the Church with full membership, and this can be done only through baptism following satisfactory repentance. The way is hard and rough and, without the help of the Holy Ghost to whisper and plead and warn and encourage, one’s climb is infinitely harder than if he were to repent before he lost the Holy Ghost, his membership, and the fellowship of the saints. The time is usually long, very long, as those who have fought their way back will attest. Any who have been finally restored would give the same advice: Repent first-do not permit yourself to be excommunicated if there is a possible way to save yourself from that dire calamity.

    Ample scriptures indicate the power of proper Church authorities to judge its members in sin. The prophet Alma judged those who had been in iniquity and who confessed and repented, and waived the usual penalties.

    And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them he did number among the people of the church; And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out.

    And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church. ( Mos. 26:35-37 .)

    The Lord had previously said to Alma:

    Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. ( Mos. 26:29 .)

    When the Lord told the Palestinians, “Judge not that ye be not judged,” he evidently was giving general instructions to the mass of humanity through the assembly gathered. In the scripture above quoted, he is talking to ecclesiastical leaders whose responsibility it is to judge the people and regulate the affairs of the Church. As an individual, the bishop or other Church leader will not judge his fellowman, but in his official position as bishop and judge he must be the judge of their actions.

    The Lord’s promise to Alma is reassuring: “Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.” ( Mos. 26:30 .)

    References

    References
    1 Spencer W. Kimball, ‘Miracle of Forgiveness’, Pg. 329-330 – https://archive.org/details/MiracleOfForgiveness
  • No Action

    No Action

    Excerpt from a leaked document titled ‘Special Investigations and Projects’ by LDS Law Firm Kirton McConkie, October 2012: 1

    References

    References
    1 Special Investigations and Products-Kirton McConkie, Mormon Leaks – https://mormonleaks.io/wiki/index.php?title=File:2012-10-31-Special_Investigations_and_Products-Kirton_McConkie.pdf
  • Reluctant

    Reluctant

    Excerpt from a leaked document titled ‘Special Investigations and Projects’ by LDS Law Firm Kirton McConkie, October 2012: 1

    References

    References
    1 Special Investigations and Products-Kirton McConkie, Mormon Leaks – https://mormonleaks.io/wiki/index.php?title=File:2012-10-31-Special_Investigations_and_Products-Kirton_McConkie.pdf
  • Indian Placement

    Indian Placement

    Excerpt from a leaked document titled ‘Special Investigations and Projects’ by LDS Law Firm Kirton McConkie, October 2012: 1

    References

    References
    1 Special Investigations and Products-Kirton McConkie, Mormon Leaks – https://mormonleaks.io/wiki/index.php?title=File:2012-10-31-Special_Investigations_and_Products-Kirton_McConkie.pdf
  • Kingdom of Administration

    Kingdom of Administration

    Excerpt from a March 18, 1962 address by LDS Apostle Alvin R. Dyer: 1

    “Now you see how the plan opens up, and there is purpose and meaning as to what we are doing? I have often said this, it is a frightening thought, but it is undoubtedly true, that only those who are worthy of leadership will enter the Celestial Kingdom, because that is the Kingdom of Administration. Others who are less valiant, who do not have the qualities of leadership and direction will necessarily have to settle for the Terrestrial Kingdom.”

    References

    References
    1 For What Purpose, Alvin Dyer, March 18, 1962, Oslo Mission Conference – https://archive.org/details/ForWhatPurpose
  • Good Name

    Good Name

    Letter from the Houston Texas South Stake to Sam Young regarding disciplinary action: 1

    Dear Sam,

    This letter is a formal notice that the stake presidency will convene a formal disciplinary council in your behalf, the result of which includes the possibility of excommunication, disfellowshipment, formal probation, or no action. The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders. You have, among other things:

    Encouraged others to vote opposed to Church leaders.
    Organized more than one public “action” that expressed opposition to the Church or its leaders.

    We will convene the council at 6pm on Sunday, September 9 at the Lexington Building in the stake offices. If you are not able to attend at this date and time, please let me know as soon as practicable.

    You are invited to attend this disciplinary council to give your response to the above. Although we welcome your attendance, it is not required; you may also submit your response in writing. Whether you attend is of course your choice.

    Disciplinary councils are sacred, confidential, ecclesiastical proceedings. If you do choose to attend your attendance and participation are conditioned upon your agreement to respect the process and abide by the standards governing the proceeding, including the following conditions:

    Everyone who attends the council including you and me, will sign an acknowledgment that the council will be conducted privately and confidentially and will not be recorded in any form. Anyone unwilling to do so will not be allowed to be present at the council. If you decline, you will not be allowed to be present, and any statement on your behalf to the council will have to the submitted in writing.
    You may call witnesses, one at a time, whose testimony is relevant to the issues I have set out above. However, any such witnesses must be identified to me in writing by name, ward and stake, at least three days in advance. You must also provide to me, in advance and in writing, a description of the subject matter on which they will testify and the content of their testimony. In order to offer testimony, witnesses must be members of the Church in good standing. I will abide by these same rules in regards to any witnesses that I may call.
    Any proposed testimony from witnesses must relate to the specific issues described above.
    I anticipate that it will take about 15 minutes for the evidence in support of the above issues to be presented to the council. You will be afforded three times that, or 45 minutes, to give your response.

    As mentioned above, if you choose not to attend the council in person, you may submit a written response that will be read to the council. I will read your statement word-for-word, without any comment from me, for up to 45 minutes.

    I feel inclined to let you know that, if it is your ultimate desire and if you wish to avoid this process entirely you have the option to request that your name be removed from the records of the Church. If you should make such a request, the council will be cancelled, and I will work with you to supply all of the information that you need to bring about that result.

    Sam, I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves you. We are his children. His work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I know that His son Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan to help us return to Him and live with our family forever. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. He is our Savior and Redeemer. No matter the course you decide to take in this life, and no matter the outcome of this disciplinary council, as His representative in the stake where you reside, I stand ready to help you and your family in any way that I can. I will be here to meet with you and to work with you to help stregnthen your relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. My hope is that you will choose to change your course and to return to the covenant path.

    Sincerely,

    President Houston Texas South Stake

    An August 30, 2018 Newsweek article, ‘MORMON BISHOP SAM YOUNG FACING EXCOMMUNICATION FOR WANTING TO STOP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN’: 2

    Sam Young, a former Mormon bishop who staged a 23-day hunger strike in protest of the church’s policy to conduct one-on-one interviews with children involving sexually explicit questions, has been warned he faces being excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Young, founder of Protect LDS Children, has been a constant critic of the church’s practice of allowing Mormon leaders to interview children and youths alone.

    Young believes many of the questions posed in the interviews are inappropriate. It is common for the leaders, often bishops, to ask the children about their sexual experience such as masturbation or viewing pornography in what is known as a “worthiness interview.”

    In July, Young began a 23-day hunger strike in order to raise awareness of the issue and urge the church to scrap the interviews.

    Young has now received a letter from the church delivered by “two long-term friends” which warns he faces possible excommunication during an upcoming disciplinary council meeting.

    “The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders,” the letter says. The letter accuses Young of encouraging others to vote in opposition to the church leaders and organizing more than one public “action” to oppose the church.

    “Fast 23 days. Stand up to protect children. Speak out against a dreadful policy. Work to help the healing of countless kids who were severely wounded behind closed doors. Document the horrors. Apologize,” Young wrote in a blog post after receiving the letter. “And what do you get? Excommunication! After all, we are the Mormons. At least we used to be.”

    Young is not required to attend the hearing on September 9 and may submit his response in writing. It is not known what action he is deciding to take.

    Before staging the hunger strike, Young led a march of hundreds to deliver a petition signed by more than 55,000 people demanding an end to the one-on-one interviews.

    In June, the church announced they have updated their guidelines on interviews with children as a result of Young’s national exposure.

    Under a section entitled “Protecting Against Misunderstandings,” the church said children should now ask a parent or another adult to be in an adjoining room, foyer, or hall during the interview. The child can now also ask that another adult be invited to be present during the interview. “Leaders should avoid all circumstances that could be misunderstood,” the guidelines say.

    A list of simplified questions that should be asked to determine the child’s worthiness were also made public, including “do you live the law of chastity?” and “have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?”

    “Leaders adapt the discussion to the understanding and questions of the youth,” the guidelines state. “They ensure that discussions about moral cleanliness do not encourage curiosity or experimentation.”

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    From ‘Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops’, Church Discipline and Name Removal, 6.1: 3

    The purposes of Church discipline are (1) to save the souls of transgressors, (2) to protect the innocent, and (3) to safeguard the purity, integrity, and good name of the Church.

  • Excommunication

    Excommunication

    Letter from the Houston Texas South Stake to Sam Young regarding disciplinary action: 1

    Dear Sam,

    This letter is a formal notice that the stake presidency will convene a formal disciplinary council in your behalf, the result of which includes the possibility of excommunication, disfellowshipment, formal probation, or no action. The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders. You have, among other things:

    Encouraged others to vote opposed to Church leaders.
    Organized more than one public “action” that expressed opposition to the Church or its leaders.

    We will convene the council at 6pm on Sunday, September 9 at the Lexington Building in the stake offices. If you are not able to attend at this date and time, please let me know as soon as practicable.

    You are invited to attend this disciplinary council to give your response to the above. Although we welcome your attendance, it is not required; you may also submit your response in writing. Whether you attend is of course your choice.

    Disciplinary councils are sacred, confidential, ecclesiastical proceedings. If you do choose to attend your attendance and participation are conditioned upon your agreement to respect the process and abide by the standards governing the proceeding, including the following conditions:

    Everyone who attends the council including you and me, will sign an acknowledgment that the council will be conducted privately and confidentially and will not be recorded in any form. Anyone unwilling to do so will not be allowed to be present at the council. If you decline, you will not be allowed to be present, and any statement on your behalf to the council will have to the submitted in writing.
    You may call witnesses, one at a time, whose testimony is relevant to the issues I have set out above. However, any such witnesses must be identified to me in writing by name, ward and stake, at least three days in advance. You must also provide to me, in advance and in writing, a description of the subject matter on which they will testify and the content of their testimony. In order to offer testimony, witnesses must be members of the Church in good standing. I will abide by these same rules in regards to any witnesses that I may call.
    Any proposed testimony from witnesses must relate to the specific issues described above.
    I anticipate that it will take about 15 minutes for the evidence in support of the above issues to be presented to the council. You will be afforded three times that, or 45 minutes, to give your response.

    As mentioned above, if you choose not to attend the council in person, you may submit a written response that will be read to the council. I will read your statement word-for-word, without any comment from me, for up to 45 minutes.

    I feel inclined to let you know that, if it is your ultimate desire and if you wish to avoid this process entirely you have the option to request that your name be removed from the records of the Church. If you should make such a request, the council will be cancelled, and I will work with you to supply all of the information that you need to bring about that result.

    Sam, I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves you. We are his children. His work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I know that His son Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan to help us return to Him and live with our family forever. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. He is our Savior and Redeemer. No matter the course you decide to take in this life, and no matter the outcome of this disciplinary council, as His representative in the stake where you reside, I stand ready to help you and your family in any way that I can. I will be here to meet with you and to work with you to help stregnthen your relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. My hope is that you will choose to change your course and to return to the covenant path.

    Sincerely,

    President Houston Texas South Stake

    An August 30, 2018 Newsweek article, ‘MORMON BISHOP SAM YOUNG FACING EXCOMMUNICATION FOR WANTING TO STOP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN’: 2

    Sam Young, a former Mormon bishop who staged a 23-day hunger strike in protest of the church’s policy to conduct one-on-one interviews with children involving sexually explicit questions, has been warned he faces being excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Young, founder of Protect LDS Children, has been a constant critic of the church’s practice of allowing Mormon leaders to interview children and youths alone.

    Young believes many of the questions posed in the interviews are inappropriate. It is common for the leaders, often bishops, to ask the children about their sexual experience such as masturbation or viewing pornography in what is known as a “worthiness interview.”

    In July, Young began a 23-day hunger strike in order to raise awareness of the issue and urge the church to scrap the interviews.

    Young has now received a letter from the church delivered by “two long-term friends” which warns he faces possible excommunication during an upcoming disciplinary council meeting.

    “The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders,” the letter says. The letter accuses Young of encouraging others to vote in opposition to the church leaders and organizing more than one public “action” to oppose the church.

    “Fast 23 days. Stand up to protect children. Speak out against a dreadful policy. Work to help the healing of countless kids who were severely wounded behind closed doors. Document the horrors. Apologize,” Young wrote in a blog post after receiving the letter. “And what do you get? Excommunication! After all, we are the Mormons. At least we used to be.”

    Young is not required to attend the hearing on September 9 and may submit his response in writing. It is not known what action he is deciding to take.

    Before staging the hunger strike, Young led a march of hundreds to deliver a petition signed by more than 55,000 people demanding an end to the one-on-one interviews.

    In June, the church announced they have updated their guidelines on interviews with children as a result of Young’s national exposure.

    Under a section entitled “Protecting Against Misunderstandings,” the church said children should now ask a parent or another adult to be in an adjoining room, foyer, or hall during the interview. The child can now also ask that another adult be invited to be present during the interview. “Leaders should avoid all circumstances that could be misunderstood,” the guidelines say.

    A list of simplified questions that should be asked to determine the child’s worthiness were also made public, including “do you live the law of chastity?” and “have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?”

    “Leaders adapt the discussion to the understanding and questions of the youth,” the guidelines state. “They ensure that discussions about moral cleanliness do not encourage curiosity or experimentation.”

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Excerpt from a 2007 interview by PBS with Dallin H. Oaks, ‘Mormons’: 3

    “It’s wrong to criticize leaders of the church, even if the criticism is true.”

    Excerpt from a February, 1987 Ensign article by Dallin H. Oaks, ‘Criticism’:
    4

    “Criticism is particularly objectionable when it is directed toward Church authorities, general or local. Jude condemns those who ‘speak evil of dignities.’ (Jude 1:8.) Evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed is in a class by itself. It is one thing to depreciate a person who exercises corporate power or even government power. It is quite another thing to criticize or depreciate a person for the performance of an office to which he or she has been called of God. It does not matter that the criticism is true. As Elder George F. Richards, President of the Council of the Twelve, said in a conference address in April 1947,

    “‘When we say anything bad about the leaders of the Church, whether true or false, we tend to impair their influence and their usefulness and are thus working against the Lord and his cause.’ (In Conference Report, Apr. 1947, p. 24.)”

    Excerpt from ‘The Lord’s Way’ by Dallin H. Oaks, Pub. 1991: 5

    “Government or corporate officials, who are directly or indirectly elected or appointed by majority vote, must expect that their performance will be subject to critical and public evaluations by their constituents. That is part of the process of informing those who have the right and power of selection or removal. The same is true of popularly elected officers in professional, community, and other private organizations. I suppose the same is true of religious leaders who are selected by popular vote of members or their representative bodies. Consistent with gospel standards, these evaluations, though critical and public, should be constructive.

    A different principle applies in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where the selection of leaders if based on revelation, subject to the sustaining vote of members. In our system of church government, evil-speaking or criticism of leaders by members is always negative. As President George F. Richards of the Council of the Twelve said in a conference address in April 1947: “When we say anything bad about the leaders of the Church, whether true or false, we tend to impair their influence and their usefulness and are thus working against the Lord and his cause.” This is why the Holy Ghost will not guide or confirm criticism of the Lord’s anointed or of church leaders, local or general. This is why we are commanded and counseled to refrain from criticism of church leaders. It is for our own spiritual well-being.

    The Lord’s command to avoid criticism, faultfinding, and evil-speaking will never be welcome in a society where controversy is a popular form of entertainment, where opposition is institutionalized, and where personal criticism is commonplace. Some Latter-day Saints do not understand and accept the reality that the institution of “loyal opposition,” which serves a valuable purpose in a democracy governed by the majority, is a contradiction of terms when applied to a theocracy. Some also do not understand that the faultfinding is spiritually destructive to those who engage in it, and that members who engage in personal criticism of church leaders isolate themselves from the Spirit of the Lord. There are ways to differ with the church leaders, but they are the Lord’s ways, not the world’s ways.”

    References

    References
    1 Excommunication Notice, Tocubit Is Invisible’s Cubit – https://invisiblescubit.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/excommunication-notice/
    2 MORMON BISHOP SAM YOUNG FACING EXCOMMUNICATION FOR WANTING TO STOP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN – https://www.newsweek.com/mormon-bishop-sam-young-excommunication-sexually-explicit-children-interviews-1096856
    3 Dallin H. Oaks as featured on PBS Mormons 2007 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxyiHLg59ks
    4 Criticism – https://www.lds.org/ensign/1987/02/criticism?lang=eng
    5 ‘The Lord’s Way’ by Dallin H. Oaks, Pub. 1991 – https://deseretbook.com/p/lords-way-dallin-h-oaks-2997?variant_id=108461-paperback
  • Opposition

    Opposition

    Letter from the Houston Texas South Stake to Sam Young regarding disciplinary action: 1

    Dear Sam,

    This letter is a formal notice that the stake presidency will convene a formal disciplinary council in your behalf, the result of which includes the possibility of excommunication, disfellowshipment, formal probation, or no action. The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders. You have, among other things:

    Encouraged others to vote opposed to Church leaders.
    Organized more than one public “action” that expressed opposition to the Church or its leaders.

    We will convene the council at 6pm on Sunday, September 9 at the Lexington Building in the stake offices. If you are not able to attend at this date and time, please let me know as soon as practicable.

    You are invited to attend this disciplinary council to give your response to the above. Although we welcome your attendance, it is not required; you may also submit your response in writing. Whether you attend is of course your choice.

    Disciplinary councils are sacred, confidential, ecclesiastical proceedings. If you do choose to attend your attendance and participation are conditioned upon your agreement to respect the process and abide by the standards governing the proceeding, including the following conditions:

    Everyone who attends the council including you and me, will sign an acknowledgment that the council will be conducted privately and confidentially and will not be recorded in any form. Anyone unwilling to do so will not be allowed to be present at the council. If you decline, you will not be allowed to be present, and any statement on your behalf to the council will have to the submitted in writing.
    You may call witnesses, one at a time, whose testimony is relevant to the issues I have set out above. However, any such witnesses must be identified to me in writing by name, ward and stake, at least three days in advance. You must also provide to me, in advance and in writing, a description of the subject matter on which they will testify and the content of their testimony. In order to offer testimony, witnesses must be members of the Church in good standing. I will abide by these same rules in regards to any witnesses that I may call.
    Any proposed testimony from witnesses must relate to the specific issues described above.
    I anticipate that it will take about 15 minutes for the evidence in support of the above issues to be presented to the council. You will be afforded three times that, or 45 minutes, to give your response.

    As mentioned above, if you choose not to attend the council in person, you may submit a written response that will be read to the council. I will read your statement word-for-word, without any comment from me, for up to 45 minutes.

    I feel inclined to let you know that, if it is your ultimate desire and if you wish to avoid this process entirely you have the option to request that your name be removed from the records of the Church. If you should make such a request, the council will be cancelled, and I will work with you to supply all of the information that you need to bring about that result.

    Sam, I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves you. We are his children. His work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I know that His son Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan to help us return to Him and live with our family forever. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. He is our Savior and Redeemer. No matter the course you decide to take in this life, and no matter the outcome of this disciplinary council, as His representative in the stake where you reside, I stand ready to help you and your family in any way that I can. I will be here to meet with you and to work with you to help stregnthen your relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. My hope is that you will choose to change your course and to return to the covenant path.

    Sincerely,

    President Houston Texas South Stake

    An August 30, 2018 Newsweek article, ‘MORMON BISHOP SAM YOUNG FACING EXCOMMUNICATION FOR WANTING TO STOP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN’: 2

    Sam Young, a former Mormon bishop who staged a 23-day hunger strike in protest of the church’s policy to conduct one-on-one interviews with children involving sexually explicit questions, has been warned he faces being excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Young, founder of Protect LDS Children, has been a constant critic of the church’s practice of allowing Mormon leaders to interview children and youths alone.

    Young believes many of the questions posed in the interviews are inappropriate. It is common for the leaders, often bishops, to ask the children about their sexual experience such as masturbation or viewing pornography in what is known as a “worthiness interview.”

    In July, Young began a 23-day hunger strike in order to raise awareness of the issue and urge the church to scrap the interviews.

    Young has now received a letter from the church delivered by “two long-term friends” which warns he faces possible excommunication during an upcoming disciplinary council meeting.

    “The reason for this council is that you are reported to have acted repeatedly in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders,” the letter says. The letter accuses Young of encouraging others to vote in opposition to the church leaders and organizing more than one public “action” to oppose the church.

    “Fast 23 days. Stand up to protect children. Speak out against a dreadful policy. Work to help the healing of countless kids who were severely wounded behind closed doors. Document the horrors. Apologize,” Young wrote in a blog post after receiving the letter. “And what do you get? Excommunication! After all, we are the Mormons. At least we used to be.”

    Young is not required to attend the hearing on September 9 and may submit his response in writing. It is not known what action he is deciding to take.

    Before staging the hunger strike, Young led a march of hundreds to deliver a petition signed by more than 55,000 people demanding an end to the one-on-one interviews.

    In June, the church announced they have updated their guidelines on interviews with children as a result of Young’s national exposure.

    Under a section entitled “Protecting Against Misunderstandings,” the church said children should now ask a parent or another adult to be in an adjoining room, foyer, or hall during the interview. The child can now also ask that another adult be invited to be present during the interview. “Leaders should avoid all circumstances that could be misunderstood,” the guidelines say.

    A list of simplified questions that should be asked to determine the child’s worthiness were also made public, including “do you live the law of chastity?” and “have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?”

    “Leaders adapt the discussion to the understanding and questions of the youth,” the guidelines state. “They ensure that discussions about moral cleanliness do not encourage curiosity or experimentation.”

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    References

    References
    1 Excommunication Notice, Tocubit Is Invisible’s Cubit – https://invisiblescubit.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/excommunication-notice/
    2 MORMON BISHOP SAM YOUNG FACING EXCOMMUNICATION FOR WANTING TO STOP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN – https://www.newsweek.com/mormon-bishop-sam-young-excommunication-sexually-explicit-children-interviews-1096856
  • Families

    Families

    Excerpt from, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Chieko N. Okazaki: 1

    I don’t think I’m going out very far on a limb to say that I know that you either have someone in your family with at least some of these problems or you know somebody has some these problems. This is what real families deal with the real world. And they don’t stop being families.

    A divorced family is not a broken family. It’s a family with a particular set of circumstances that it needs to work with. A family with a gay child is not a failed family. It’s a family with a member who needs special love and understanding and who has love and understanding to give back. A family with a pregnant teenager is not a dysfunctional family. It’s a family with a complex set of decisions to make.

    References

  • Tell Them How to Vote

    Tell Them How to Vote

    Excerpt from a CBS News’ 60 Minutes interview with Gordon B. Hinckley, April 7, 1996: 1

    “We urge our people to exercise their franchise as citizens of this nation, but we do not tell them how to vote, and we do not tell the government how it should be run.”

    Email sent to Utah LDS Members sent August 23, 2018 opposing medical marijuana ballot initiative: 2

    “Dear Brothers and Sisters,

    In November, Proposition 2, an initiative which would legalize the sale and use of marijuana, will appear on the ballot. Its proponents assert that it will make medical marijuana available to those suffering with debilitating pain and other infirmities. However, in truth it goes much further, creating a serious threat to health and public safety, especially for our youth and young adults, by making marijuana generally available with few controls.

    The Church joins a coalition of medical experts, public officials, and community stakeholders in calling for a safe and compassionate approach to providing medical marijuana to those in need. The Church does not object to the medicinal use of marijuana, if doctor prescribed, in dosage form, through a licensed pharmacy.

    As a member of the coalition, we urge voters of Utah to vote NO on Proposition 2, and join us in a call to state elected officials to promptly work with medical experts, patients, and community leaders to find a solution that will work for all Utahns, without the harmful effects that will come to pass if Proposition 2 becomes law.

    For more information on Proposition 2 please refer to this legal analysis prepared for the Church by Kirton McConkie.”

    References

    References
    1 CBS News’ 60 Minutes interview with Gordon B. Hinckley, April 7, 1996 – https://youtu.be/_kP0ZDg2HAg
    2 Church sends email to Utah Latter-day Saints urging them to vote no on marijuana initiative – https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900029230/mormon-church-sends-email-to-utah-latter-day-saints-urging-them-to-vote-no-on-marijuana-initiative.html
  • I’m a Mormon

    I’m a Mormon

    ‘I’m a Mormon’ Campaign, Mormon Newsroom: 1

    “The Church’s national media campaign called “I’m a Mormon” (launched in 2010) included television spots, billboards, and ads on buses and on the Internet. The ads give a glimpse into the lives of Latter-day Saints from all over the world and refer people to the mormon.org website, where they can read the profiles of tens of thousands of Mormons, chat live with representatives who will answer questions about the faith and watch dozens of videos about members of the Church.”

    Style Guide — The Name of the Church, Mormon Newsroom: 2

    “When referring to Church members, the terms “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” or “Latter-day Saints” are preferred. We ask that the term “Mormons” not be used.”

    The church that is traditionally known as the mormon church, the same church that ran a global campaign about their mormon.org website full of member profiles saying “I’m a Mormon” now discourages (by way of it’s leaders) the use of the very terms mormon or mormonism.

    Mormon Church Discourages Mormonism | wasmormon.org 3

    References

    References
    1 ‘I’m a Mormon’ Campaign, Mormon Newsroom – https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/-i-m-a-mormon-campaign
    2 Style Guide — The Name of the Church, Mormon Newsroom – https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/style-guide
    3 Mormon Church Discourages Mormonism | wasmormon.org – https://wasmormon.org/mormonism-is-discouraged/
  • Little Factory

    Little Factory

    A General Conference address (later published in a pamphlet titled ‘To Young Men Only’ 1 ) by Boyd K. Packer, October 2, 1976: 2

    “There are present in this priesthood session only brethren. I approach a subject that could not appropriately be discussed if there were others present. I have prayed fervently for inspiration as I speak to young men of Aaronic Priesthood age: to young men only.

    I wish to discuss a subject that fathers should discuss with their sons. Because some young men do not have fathers and because some fathers (and some bishops) do not know how to proceed, I approach a very personal subject, one that is important to every young man.

    You have been given a mortal body with which to experience earth life. Through it you will be tested. Your body is the instrument of your mind and the foundation of your character. It has within it powers which, if properly used, will contribute greatly to your exaltation. If you use this gift worthily, it will serve you throughout all eternity.

    Never be ashamed of your body. No two are just alike. Some young men worry because they think their body is not well proportioned. They think they are too short or too tall or too stout or too thin or too something else. Physical proportions need have little to do with success, particularly spiritual success. Be grateful for your body.

    Strive to keep it healthy through proper nourishment, rest, and exercise. Develop your body to full and useful capacity. Develop stamina and control. Take nothing into your body that would harm it. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or any other harmful substance.

    A young man should learn to rule his body. Like his temper, he should keep it always under complete control. That sometimes is not easy to do.

    Within your body you have the power of creation. You will one day find a mate and desire greatly to express fully your love with her. The righteous expression of this physical love in marriage is approved of the Lord. She then may conceive and give birth to a boy or a girl, a baby of whom you will be the father.

    This is a very sacred power. The Lord has commanded that you use it only with one to whom you are legally and lawfully wedded. He has decreed serious penalties indeed for the misuse of it.

    This power begins early in life, with some when you are hardly in your teens. This has a purpose, for with this power come the attributes of manhood. You notice changes in your stature and in your voice; a beard and other masculine characteristics become part of your nature.

    Your feelings also change. This physical power will influence you emotionally and spiritually as well. It begins to shape and fit you to look, and feel, and to be what you need to be as a father. Ambition, courage, physical and emotional and spiritual strength become part of you because you are a man. You become very interested in young women –and want to be with them. This is as it should be.

    This power of creation affects your life several years before you should express if fully. You must always guard the power with wisdom. You must wait until the time of your marriage to use it.

    During that waiting, what do you do with these desires? My boy, you are to control them. You are forbidden to use them now in order that you may use them with worthiness and virtue and fullness of joy at the proper time in life.

    I wish to explain something that will help you understand your young manhood and help you develop self-control. When this power begins to form, it might be likened to having a little factory in your body, one designed to produce the product that can generate life.

    This little factory moves quietly into operation as a normal and expected pattern of growth and begins to produce the lifegiving substance. It will do so perhaps as long as you live. It works very slowly. That is the way it should be. For the most part, unless you tamper with it, you will hardly be aware that it is working at all.

    As you move closer to manhood, this little factory will sometimes produce an oversupply of this substance. The Lord has provided a way for that to be released. It will happen without any help or without any resistance from you. Perhaps, one night you will have a dream. In the course of it the release valve that controls the factory will open and release all that is excess.

    The factory and automatic release work on their own schedule. The Lord intended it to be that way. It is to regulate itself. This will not happen very often. You may go a longer period of time, and there will be no need for this to occur. When it does, you should not feel guilty. It is the nature of young manhood and is part of becoming a man.

    There is, however, something you should not do. Sometimes a young man does not understand. Perhaps he is encouraged by unwise or unworthy companions to tamper with that factory. He might fondle himself and open that release valve. This you shouldn’t do, for if you do that, the little factory will speed up. You will then be tempted again and again to release it. You can quickly be subjected to a habit, one that is not worthy, one that will leave you feeling depressed and feeling guilty. Resist that temptation. Do not be guilty of tampering or playing with this sacred power of creation. Keep it in reserve for the time when it can be righteously employed.

    One of you, perhaps, has not fully understood until now. Perhaps your father did not talk to you. You may already have been guilty of tampering with these powers. You may even have developed a habit. What do you do then?

    First, I want you to know this. If you are struggling with this temptation and perhaps you have not quite been able to resist, the Lord still loves you. It is not anything so wicked nor is it a transgression so great that the Lord would reject you because of it, but it can quickly lead to that kind of transgression. It is not pleasing to the Lord, nor is it pleasing to you. It does not make you feel worthy or clean.

    There are ways to conquer such a habit. First of all, you must leave that factory alone long enough for it to slow down. Resisting is not easy. It will take weeks, even months. But you can get the little factory slowed back to where it should be.

    I have other suggestions. The power to prevent such habits or to break them rests in your mind, not in your body. Don’t let that physical part of you take charge. Stay in control. Condition your body to do the will of your mind. To do this you must keep your mind on worthy thoughts. Divert your thoughts from things that lead you into mischief. Vigorous physical exercise helps young men in many ways. You are most vulnerable when you are idle or when you are discouraged. This is the time to be on guard.

    I know a way to keep your thoughts worthy. It has helped me, and I explained it to on one occasion in a general conference talk. Let me repeat it for you.

    Probably the greatest challenge to people of any age, particularly young people, and the most difficult thing you will face in mortal life is to learn to control your thoughts. As a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7.) One who can control his thoughts has conquered himself.

    When I was about ten years old, we lived in a home surrounded by an orchard. There never seemed to be enough water for the trees. The ditches, always fresh-plowed in the spring, would soon be filled with weeds. One day, in charge of the irrigating turn, I found myself in trouble. As the water moved down the rows choked with weeds, it would flood in every direction. I raced through the puddles trying to build up the breaks. As soon as I had one break patched up, there would be another.

    A neighbor came through the orchard. He watched for a moment and then with a few vigorous strokes of the shovel he cleared the ditch bottom and allowed the water to stay in its course. “You’ll have to make a place for it to go,” he said.

    I have come to know that thoughts, like water, will stay on course if we make a place for them to go. Otherwise, our thoughts follow the course of least resistance, always seeking the lower levels.

    I had been told a hundred times or more as I grew up, that thoughts must be controlled, but no one told me how. I want to tell you young people about one way you can learn to control your thoughts, and it has to do with music.

    The mind is like a stage. Except when we are asleep, the curtain is always up. There is always some act being performed on that stage. It may be a comedy, a tragedy, interesting or dull, good or bad; but always there is some act playing on the stage of the mind.

    Have you noticed that without any real intent on your part, in the middle of almost any performance, a shady little thought may creep in from the wings and attract your attention? These delinquent thoughts will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all thoughts of any virtue will leave the stage. You will be left, because you consented to it, to the influence of unrighteous thoughts. If you yield to them, they will enact for you on the stage of your mind anything to the limits of your toleration. They may enact a theme of bitterness, jealousy, or hatred. It may be vulgar, immoral, even depraved. When they have the stage, if you let them, they will devise the most clever persuasion to hold your attention. They can make it interesting all right, even convince you that it is innocent –for they are but thoughts.

    What do you need to do at a time like that, when the stage of your mind is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking, whether they be gray ones that seem almost clean or the filthy ones which leave no room for doubt? If you can control your thoughts, you can overcome habits, even degrading personal habits. If you can learn to master them, you will have a happy life.

    This is what I would teach you. Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a favorite hymn, one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent, one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. Go over it in your mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you can think through a hymn.

    Now, use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to go. Make it your emergency channel. Whenever you find these shady actors have slipped from the sidelines of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this record, as it were. As the music begins and the words form in your thoughts, the unworthy ones will slip shamefully away from your mind. Because it is uplifting and clean, the baser thoughts will disappear. For while virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, evil cannot tolerate the presence of light.

    In due time you will find yourself, on occasion, humming the music inwardly. As you retrace your thoughts, you discover some influence from the world about you encouraged an unworthy thought to move on stage in your mind, and the music almost automatically began.

    Once you learn to clear the stage of your mind of unworthy thoughts, keep it busy with learning worthwhile things. Change your environment so that you have things about you that will inspire good and uplifting thoughts. Keep busy with things that are righteous.

    Another thing will help both to prevent and to overcome such habits. At times of special temptation skip a meal or two. We call that fasting, you know. It has a powerful effect upon you physically. It diverts some of that physical energy to more ordinary needs. It tapers desire and reduces the temptation. Fasting will help you greatly. In the scriptures, fasting and prayer are generally mentioned together. Prayer is a powerful instrument to bless young men. If a missionary, for instance, indulges in these unworthy practices, the Spirit of the Lord will leave him. When he is prayerful and will fast, the Spirit of the Lord sustains him. He soon develops a manly restraint and worthiness.

    Resist those temptations. Do not tamper with your body. If you have already, cease to do it–now. Put it away and overcome it. The signal of worthy manhood is self-control.

    This power is ordained for the begetting of life and as a binding tie in the marriage covenant. It is not to be misused. It is not to be used prematurely. It is to be known between husband and wife and in no other way. If you misuse it, you will be sorry.

    Now a warning! I am hesitant to even mention it, for it is not pleasant. It must be labeled as major transgression. But I will speak plainly. There are some circumstances in which young men may be tempted to handle one another, to have contact with one another physically in unusual ways. Latter-day Saint young men are not to do this.

    Sometimes this begins in a moment of idle foolishness, when boys are just playing around. But it is not foolishness. It is remarkably dangerous. Such practices, however tempting, are perversion. When a young man is finding his way into manhood, such experiences can misdirect his normal desires and pervert him not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well.

    It was intended that we use this power only with our partner in marriage. I repeat, very plainly, physical mischief with another man is forbidden. It is forbidden by the Lord.

    There are some men who entice young men to join them in these immoral acts. If you are ever approached to participate in anything like that, it is time to vigorously resist.

    While I was in a mission on one occasion, a missionary said he had something to confess. I was very worried because he just could not get himself to tell me what he had done.

    After patient encouragement he finally blurted out, “I hit my companion.”

    “Oh, is that all,” I said in great relief.

    “But I floored him,” he said.

    After learning a little more, my response was “Well, thanks. Somebody had to do it, and it wouldn’t be well for a General Authority to solve the problem that way”

    I am not recommending that course to you, but I am not omitting it. You must protect yourself.

    There is a falsehood that some are born with an attraction to their own kind, with nothing they can do about it. They are just “that way” and can only yield to those desires. That is a malicious and destructive lie. While it is a convincing idea to some, it is of the devil. No one is locked into that kind of life. From our premortal life we were directed into a physical body. There is no mismatching of bodies and spirits. Boys are to become men –masculine, manly men –ultimately to become husbands and fathers. No one is predestined to a perverted use of these powers.

    Even those who have been drawn into wicked practices and are bound by almost unyielding habits can escape. If one of you seems trapped in that, escape. Go to your father or bishop, please. Your parents, your bishop, the servants of the Lord, the angels of heaven and the Lord himself will help redeem your from it.

    Young Latter-day Saint men, do not tamper with these powers, neither with yourself alone nor with one of your own kind. Never let anyone handle you or touch those very personal parts of your body which are an essential link in the ongoing of creation.

    Many in the world would, I’m sure, be amused by this counsel. Let them be amused. They live by another standard, a lower one. We live by the Lord’s standard and continue to teach it.

    It is normal and proper for a young man to become interested in young women, to begin to date, eventually to pair up. We encourage that, but be careful. Keep your relationships with young women pure and chaste. Reserve those life-giving powers for marriage.

    Then you can enter into the new and everlasting covenant. You and your sweetheart will be sealed together for time and for all eternity. These sacred life-giving powers will then be released for your use. They will become a binding tie in your marriage. Through them you will become a father.

    But for now, you prepare and follow the instruction in the scripture: “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.”(D&C 133:5.)

    God bless you, our young brethren, as you strive to be clean. In doing so, you will please the Lord and his prophet, of whom I bear witness, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. [an error occurred while processing this directive]”

  • Life

    Life

    Editorial Thoughts by LDS Apostle George Q. Cannon published in the Juvenile Instructor, January 15, 1895: 1

    Membership in the Church should be Valued.

    It should be the aim of every parent, and of all the teachers among the people, whether Apostles, Presidents of Stakes, Bishops or Elders, to impress upon the members of the Church the great value of a membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every one should be taught to appreciate the communion of the Holy Ghost and the fellowship of the Saints.

    There is too little attention paid to this in many quarters. A standing in the Church is not viewed as of very great moment by many people. They think too lightly of it, and the line of distinction between those who are members of the Church and those who have lost their fellowship is not ‘drawn with sufficient plainness to impress the people concerning it. This is especially the case with many young people. They cannot perceive as they should do the great difference between a membership in the Church and being outside of the Church. Where this state of feeling exists, and men and women, or boys and girls, are indifferent concerning their standing, they are liable to take steps that may endanger their fellowship and be a means of losing their connection with the Church. It is this indifference that frequently causes young people to lose their standing, and they take no particular pains to avoid the evil consequences which follow a course of life that is improper.

    However charitably disposed we may be to those who are not believers in our religion, it should be perfectly plain that it is imprudent for the members of the Church of Christ to mingle with and to become boon companions of those who have no faith in the principles of the Gospel. There is no necessity for the members of our Church to mingle with the world, beyond an extent which relates to the pursuits of ordinary business with them; for there is society enough inside the Church for all. In saying this we do not wish to be understood as suggesting that there shall be no intercourse or association between persons of our faith and those who do not believe as we do; but we do most earnestly maintain that intimacies and close companionships should not be cultivated to any extent. Every one should be treated with courtesy and kindness; but no course should be taken nor any association formed that will have a tendency to weaken the attachment of any individual to the religion that the Lord has revealed, or to the importance of a standing in the Church of Christ.

    Hence there should be no marriages between people of different faiths. In almost every instance such alliances lead to unhappiness. To state this in relation to Latter-day Saints is only to state that which is the experience now of nearly fifty years in this country. Those who can look back to early days and recall instances where young women of our faith married those not of us, can testify that in the greater number of cases either the girls have had to abandon their faith and become apostate to it, or they have led lives of unhappiness, and in a great many cases separation has resulted. It people could but profit by the sad experience of others, sufficient has been known in relation to such connections to warn forever young people against them; but the experience even of hundreds does not seem to be of much profit to others; for marriages of this kind continue to be formed among us with a frequency which clearly shows that the lessons of the past are unheeded by the present.

    In former ages men have died for their religion by hundreds and thousands. In our own day very many have laid down their lives for their religion. Thousands of people have been driven from their homes, robbed of almost everything they possessed, treated with the utmost cruelly, forced into the wilderness and to endure indescribable hardships and privations, all for their religion. Hundreds of men have gone to prison rather than renounce a single principle of their belief. Why has this been the case? They valued the truth which they had espoused more than they did their own lives. What is the lesson which this teaches? It is that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is worth dying for. It is that a membership in the Church which the Lord Jesus Christ has organized is to be more appreciated than life.

    Ought not our children to be taught this? Ought not the lesson to be impressed upon every heart, so that all will shun the commission of acts that will endanger their standing in the Church of Christ? Apostasy is a dreadful crime. No matter who it is that apostatizes from the truth, breaks the commandments of God, violates the covenants that he or she has made with the Almighty, and denies the faith, it is a dreadful crime. It cannot be glossed over; it cannot be made light of; it is a serious offense, upon which God has set the seal of His condemnation. Children should be taught this in their early life. The mother, when she gathers her children around her knee and teaches them to pray, should teach them to pray that they may be preserved in the truth, that they may be kept from sin, that they may be enabled to maintain the faith; and she should impress upon them the greatness of the blessing they enjoy in being permitted to be members of the Church and to be in covenant with their Father in Heaven.

    If proper pains were taken in teaching the rising generation these truths our children would dread apostasy; they would shun the commission of sin, and would view with horror anything that would be likely to endanger their standing in the Church of Christ. They would avoid quarrels; they would suffer wrong rather than to do wrong, because in so doing they would be more likely to preserve the fellowship of their brethren and sisters. This feeling would grow with their growth and strengthen with their strength; and if it ever should become necessary for them to face death for their religion, they would do so, if not gladly, at least with resolute determination rather than deny the faith. Every member of the Church—young and old— should be taught to appreciate the fact that to be admitted to covenant with God, to have the communion of the Holy Ghost, to have the fellowship of the Saints, is the greatest honor and blessing that can he bestowed upon mortal man; and their daily prayers should contain thanksgivings to God that they have been permitted to enjoy this exalted privilege.

    References

    References
    1 Juvenile Instructor, January 15, 1895 – https://archive.org/stream/juvenileinstruct302geor#page/54