Temple Garments

I am glad that the church produced this video about our sacred temple clothing. It is an authoritative and respectful resource for curious people.

Truth Will Cut Its Own Way

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William Wilberforce applied Christian ethics to abolish the slave trade in Great Britain. Abraham Lincoln drew on the truths of the Bible to heal a divided nation. Mahatma Gandhi spread the religious principles of nonviolence to lead India to independence. And the list goes on. These individuals resisted the grain of their times, and heralded something new.

Being a voice of religious conscience may not lead to popularity, but society is better served when all are allowed to pursue their highest good. We can disagree about important things with good will. It is unwise to stamp rivals as enemies. Indeed, they can prove to be helpful collaborators where social goals align. It feels uncomfortable to listen to critics call our cherished beliefs into question, and yet we show strength by engaging in sincere conversations with those who oppose our views. After all, we trust that “truth will cut its own way” and love will eventually win out in the contest of ideals. 

("The Voice of Religious Conscience", Mormon Newsroom Commentary, 25 Nov 2014)

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Why and How do Mormons Give Blessing for the Sick?

I have a friend who is not Mormon that I am going to give a blessing of health to. I thought I would write down some thoughts in a way that would convey what I believe and why.

Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk in April 2010 called "Healing the Sick". It encompasses what I believe about blessings for the sick. He said:

There are five parts to the use of priesthood authority to bless the sick: (1) the anointing, (2) the sealing of the anointing, (3) faith, (4) the words of the blessing, and (5) the will of the Lord.

Here is my short summary of them
1- The Old and New Testament spoke of anointing with olive oil. It is a symbol of purity and power.
2- Dallin H. Oaks said, "To seal something means to affirm it, to make it binding for its intended purpose." Usually another man seals the anointing after the first anoints.
3- Both the faith of those blessing and those being blessed are required. The faith of those being blessed is more important.
4- The words of the blessing are ideally in perfect harmony with the Lord's will. But it is not necessary in order for the Lord to bless.
5- The Lord knows best what will help us to live the happiest lives. Sometimes our will is not the Lord's. Trust in the Lord can bring us peace even when things happen that we do not want to happen.

My father in law mentioned how he talked about how we use the Melchizedek priesthood to give blessings for the sick. Hebrews 6:20 and Hebrews 7:1-2 talk about the Melchizedek priesthood. We believe that Jesus held this priesthood. That he gave it to his twelve apostles and that Peter, James and John restored this priesthood to Joseph Smith. And that it has been passed down since that time to us.

Why do I Believe?

A Facebook conversation snippet I thought was worth saving.

Randy Galbraith:

After a careful consideration of the evidence, your conclusion is: "Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. He restored the true church of Jesus Christ. And he was faithful to the Lord throughout his life." But could not the same form of reasoning be applied to Wayne Bent? If not, why not?

Richard Alger:

I had not heard of Wayne Bent. I just looked up a bit of info from him. I believe that God, or the Universe or Good shows up in all places. In all religions, in those with no faith at all in Deity.  

President Hinckley said, “Let me say that we appreciate the truth in all churches and the good which they do. We say to the people, in effect, you bring with you all the good that you have, and then let us see if we can add to it. That is the spirit of this work. That is the essence of our missionary service” (meeting, Nairobi, Kenya, 17 Feb. 1998, "Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley").

"whatever is true is a part of the gospel" ("My Father’s Formula",  Dr. Henry Eyring, Ensign, Oct 1978)  

"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion." Abraham Lincoln

I have also found that the analogy of the word of God as a seed works well for me. I have found that the seed has swollen within me. It has sprouted and I have nurtured its growth for years. I have tasted of the fruit and I tastes good to me. It gives me life. (Alma 32:26-43) 

"O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good;" Verse 35 

I have seen in my life that as I have given it to Jesus, that I have no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually. I have felt the beginnings of the fruits of the Spirit. (Moroni 7:45-48)

So, in my long winded answer to your question, "could not the same reasoning be applied to Wayne Bent?" It is possible that Wayne has truth and is leading his followers in Good. I have not looked into it. I believe that there are many, many manifestations of God's goodness and truth. I do not believe that Wayne restored the true church of Jesus Christ. 

I believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only organization authorized to make binding covenants between God and humankind. That baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and other ordinances unlock a particular gift to us. To be faithful to what we are taught. That a weekly renewal of this covenant serves as a continual way to rededicate ourselves to what we believe is good and right. 

If we follow these patterns of God in our lives, the calculus 1 of good means that we eventually, through the grace of God, become even as God is. To live the kind of life He lives. That we can begin to receive the joy this kind of life brings starting today.

Why not? Because I feel such a manifestation of the Spirit as I live the gospel as restored in the LDS church. 

I have not found anywhere else teachings that expands my mind and helps me to reach to God. Doctrines like agency and our unique view of the choices of Adam and Eve. 

Our teachings of becoming like God (or theosis) is unique in its centrality of teaching.
The balanced view of justice and mercy that I have not seen in any other teaching. 

And I am sure I could go on. 

I have seen the goodness in my local leaders and members of my congregation. People that I admire and want to be more like. 

The opportunities that I have had to serve and by so doing, to become better than I would have. 

That is why, does that answer your questions, Randy Galbraith?

Randy Galbraith:

The reason that I asked, is because I believe the key point is commitment. Wayne Bent (modern living religious leader) and Joseph Smith (historical) present similar models and similar claims. Above is the quote: "I am not a committed Latter-day Saint in spite of my careful study of LDS history, but because of it." 

It is because of commitment that one does not easily discard beliefs at the first sign of trouble. Understanding this can help us understand folks in various faiths. 

In contrast neither you nor I have made commitments to Bent's group, thus it is relatively easy for us to dismiss his claims as not from God. The flip of this is such can generate a deeper/sympathetic view of former members of a faith. Former JWs (and likely former LDS members) don't give up their faith easily. 

The other area of thought I've been pursing lately is the differences between historical fact, claims made by a faith and personal belief and social interactions such creates

Richard Alger:

I don't doubt that my investment and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored in the LDS church makes it easy for me to remain associated with the church. And committed to it.  

This is human nature. I do not deny my bias.  

I have found it helpful to associate, especially online, with people that have a different point of view than I do. In politics, religion, in nationality. 

I find that their earnest dialog with me helps me to better understand my own views. I have discarded some of my beliefs that I have had as a child. and even as an earlier adult. I am under no allusion that I have the most complete and accurate understanding of how things really are and how they used to be and how they will yet be. 

It seems to be an attribute of this life that we cannot know, with surety the correct path to take. I believe this is by design. Just as with the traveling salesman problem, the best solution sometimes is to make our best approximation and then correct our path with repeated iteration. 

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Wilderness Disguised as Civilization

"The work that faces your generation is no less arduous [than the pioneers]. The deserts you must bring to blossom are no less arid, but your mission may demand even more of you, for unlike the early pioneers of this state you are confronted by a wilderness which is subtle and fluid and elusive. Indeed the wilderness which you must conquer is disguised as a civilization so that there is the double necessity to unmask the deceit, to distinguish between what is authentic and what is counterfeit, and to labor to support the one and oppose the other."

Discourse to BYU Students by Dr. John A. Howard, president of Rockford College, Illinois, as quoted by President N. Eldon Tanner, Oct 1976.

Perfecting the Church

I believe that God will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God. As Moroni said, "if there be faults they be the faults of a man." (Mor 8:17) I think that wrong practices and beliefs of humankind generally need to be removed in order to have a church that is acceptable to God.

I have found understanding and comfort in a passage in Jacob 5 that says,

And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard. (Jac 5:65)

Part of receiving many great and important things, is pruning out the branches that produce bitter fruit. That the church collectively will be perfected even as we are individually. The scales will fall from our eyes and we will not longer see through a glass darkly.

We will see things as they really are. Until that day, we must forge forward, making the best approximation of what we understand God wants us to do. And then move forward trusting our connection with the Spirit to guide us, as well as our intellect to understand and do and be what God has in design for us.

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Nov 2015

When I talk of clearing the most bitter branches, I am talking about clearing the traditions that are false. Peter in the New Testament had a vision where the gospel was freed up to be taught to all peoples. Does that mean that the church policy before that was wrong? I think it was as correct as the membership allowed it to be. The traditions of the members of the church.

I do not pretend to know what the future policy changes, the future revelations are for the church. I have faith in the prophets, seers and revelators as they stand and as they will stand.

I trust the work of the Lord in the perfecting of his church.

Another example of the perfecting of the church that I have seen in my lifetime is the emphasis and balance of justice and mercy. It is possible that this may only be my understanding going from a child to an adult. It does seem that the church emphasizes the power of grace in our lives. As an older teenager, I read Believing Christ. I also look to the parable of the piano practice. It seems to me that we have a more perfect understanding or that in practice that understanding is getting to our children better. I hope it is.

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Testimony Doctrine by Doctrine

A commenter mentioned how a testimony that is gained doctrine by doctrine is more resilient than

simply believing that “Joseph Smith was a legitimate [and by implication, righteous] prophet; ergo, the things he taught are all necessarily true”

This makes sense to me. I remember being taught that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. That if I gained a testimony of it, then I had a testimony of Joseph Smith and all the prophets that have come after him in the LDS church.

This approach to gaining a testimony worked very well for me. I remember teaching it often to others on my mission and elsewhere.

It seems that having a testimony teaching by teaching would hedge up a testimony in that, each teaching would have effort placed into it to understand it and why it is true and what it means to me as an individual. Instead of a monolith testimony, you can have a network of testimonies. Like the Internet, if a node goes out, the network does not fail. And it is possible for the node to get brighter again as we gain knowledge and inspiration or a change of perspective.

I have done this teaching my teaching method more rigorously since I have had my experience of being shocked by unsavory details of the church history. I feel more grounded and strong in my network of testimonies.

It is not that we don't teach this kind of testimony building. We often say how we gained our testimony of tithing, or the word of wisdom or of temples. Maybe we just need to extend that to all parts of the gospel.

Our leaders have often said that we need to find out about the truth of the restored gospel. It is time that we shore up our networks of testimonies for the time that they will be tested further than we can conceive now.


Testimonies grow (and diminish) gradually.

Let us acknowledge that most often gaining a testimony is not a task of a minute, an hour, or a day. It is not once and done. The process of gathering spiritual light is the quest of a lifetime.
...
If you seek God’s truth, that which now may appear dim, out of focus, and distant will gradually be revealed and clarified and become close to your heart by the light of God’s grace. Glorious spiritual vistas, unimaginable to the human eye, will be revealed to you. ("Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth", Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Oct 2014)

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Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light. 

From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation. ("The Spirit of Revelation", David A. Bednar, Apr 2011)

A Quiet Word

It started out as a feeling

Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry
I'll come back when you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the war
Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes
You'll come back when they call you
No need to say goodbye
You'll come back when they call you
No need to say goodbye

This song filled my heart this morning. As I thought about the lyrics, I could tell what she was singing about.

"It started out as a feeling" I can imagine for someone, this is how it began. A feeling that there is more. More than this flesh and blood and life and death.

"Which then grew into a hope" Then it became a hope. That maybe it is true. That God exists and lives and is wonderfully loving and powerful.

"Which then turned into a quiet thought" This one way the Spirit speaks to me. It is a thought placed in my mind. A seed if not rejected, swells.

"Which then turned into a quiet word" What is that word? It is Christ! He is the One. He is the Word.

He loves us more than we are capable to love in return. He is willing to forgive us. He will bless us, sanctify us, if we are willing, to live with him again in a glorious kingdom.

We will become like him. Be one with him as he is one with the Father.

"I'll come back when you call me
No need to say goodbye"
He has conquered death. We will rise because of him never to be separated from our glorious, perfect bodies. We will see our loved ones again. We have the opportunity to live with them forever.

"Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet"
It is now the day after you first recognized the spirit testifying of the name of Jesus. You wonder if it was all real. You hope it was. You immediately get a confirmation that is was real. But your friends have forgotten.

"Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes"
Keep the faith. Grow it. Feed it. Let its roots go down to the living waters. Until you stand before Him in the flesh.

He will receive you. He will embrace you. He will continue to bless you to the extent that you are willing.

Let Go and Let God

The most important thing is for us to love God and love our neighbor.

We must plant and nurture faith in Christ, practice repentance and forgiveness, make and keep covenants with God, and learn joy in sustaining it.

The rest of it will work its way out. Just like Pres Hinckley would say.

Sometimes we can get hung up on a teaching that is hard to understand, or we can doubt that God's mercy applies to ourselves. We can let go and let God.

Let go of doctrines that don't make sense or are hurtful to us. We can let go of doubt and despair. If we let his love reach us, and change us with our consent and effort, every thing else will work out.

Let His Love Reach You

There is hope,
for every soul that's lost.
There is a way back home,
no matter where you've roamed.
His love will heal you, will lead you there.

There's a place for every heart in pain,
A place where there's not hurt,
And there's no shame,
Let His love reach you and teach you every hour.



"Let His Love Reach You/From God's Arms to My Arms to You", Michael McLean, One Heart in the Right Place, 1990, Grooveshark, Last FM)

Easily Bondable

Is is interesting that most compounds contain carbon. That is because its valences allow it to easily bond with a variety of elements.

Being able to bond with other things around you is valuable. Computers became exponentially more valuable once they were connected in networks. Synergy comes about because the interactions of people add up to a much greater value than the sum of their indivudual results. 

Maybe this is God's way of telling us that our greatest value comes from our bonds with those around us. This is an evidence to me of the teachings of family bonds, temple sealings, and other covenants with God that bind ourselves to Him. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P1HkloLKyvs

Do you think I care for you so little?

I have been thinking of a recent episode of Doctor Who. This is where the Doctor shows how much he cares for Clara. She had betrayed him and he returns the favor by going to a very dangerous place to help her.



Clara: You're going to help me?
Doctor: Well why wouldn't I help you?
C: Because if what I just did. I just..
D: You betrayed me... You betrayed my trust. You betrayed our friendship. You betrayed everything that I ever stood for. You let me down! ...
C: Then why are you helping me? ...
D: Why?    Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?
("Dark Water", Doctor Who (2005) S8e11)

I thought of my relationship with God. He loves me. The darkest, most secret parts. He knows me and as long as I continue to have faith in Him. Faith enough to follow His example. To continue to renew my covenants with him and incrementally strive towards Him. He in His infinite power reaches for me and lifts me to where He is. His light shines on me to warm and encourage me so that I, in his light, become like Him.

The Terrible Questions

Hugh Nibley:

Last week I received two letters that introduce us very well to the "terrible questions." One was from a gentleman in Colorado, a long, long, extremely indignant letter with ninety-eight questions… 

In questions on epistomology our correspondent asks fifty-four questions. For example, "If God is a junior god in the universe, and there are more senior gods, why shouldn't I put my faith in a senior god? 

Next are questions on ontology, the nature of being. For example, "How is Mormonism different metaphysically from ancient pagan concepts?" (We could write a long book on that question!) "What about autonomy of the human will, and free agency?"  

Then come eighteen questions on ethics, or "ethica," as he calls it… 

In the hereafter, what difference will these questions make? The real question, of course, is, Is this all there is? This is what everybody wants to know, the only question that bothers us. If you can answer that definitely, then our troubles are over; there is nothing left to worry about.

To expand on that question, he tells the story of Clement and his questions:
-"I wondered…if I didn't exist before I was born."
-"When was this world made, or what was there before it was made, or did it always exist?"
-"Whether there would be a life for me after death or whether I wouldn't be anything at all afterward."

These remind me of when my son asked who created God? He was never satisfied. For weeks and even months off and on again these kind of questions would come up. To be honest I have never been satisfied by the answers I have gotten except for the question I got as an answer. "What difference does it make if I know exactly what the origin of God is?"

The more pertinent question are:
- "Is there really a God?"
- "Is He really all powerful, all knowing and perfect in every way?"
- "He really loves me knowing perfectly who I am in my deepest, darkest place?"
- "Is my life acceptable to Him?"

These really are the three things that are necessary for salvation.

Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God, unto life and salvation: 

First, the idea that he actually exists.
Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes.
Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing, is according to his will. (Lectures on Faith 3:2-5)

An Admission of Surrender to the Herd

 "Once the carnal in man is no longer checked by the restraints of family life and by real religion, there comes an avalanche of appetites which gathers momentum that is truly frightening. As one jars loose and begins to roll down hill, still another breaks loose....
[...]
Decadence is very demanding and dogmatic, and it is no friend of liberty. Decadence which grew in the soil of tolerance and permissiveness soon seeks to drive out all of these.
[...]
What is wrong is wrong, and trends do not make something right which is at variance with the laws of God.
[...]
Far from freeing those involved, sin is an admission of surrender to the herd. It is a capitulation to the carnal in man and a rejection of joy and beauty in this life and in the world to come."
("Listen to the Prophets", Spencer W. Kimball, Apr 1978)

This reminds me of weeds, that seek to drive out all other plants and do not bear good fruit.

The Mistakes of Men

There is an old saying, “Catholics say the pope is infallible but don’t really believe it; Mormons say the prophet is fallible but don’t really believe it.”

Pres Uchtdorf said in Oct 2013

And, to be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine. 

I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes. 

In the title page of the Book of Mormon we read, “And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” 

This is the way it has always been and will be until the perfect day when Christ Himself reigns personally upon the earth. ("Come, Join with Us", Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Oct 2013)

If the membership at large were more realistic in their expectations of their leaders, less would have their faith shaken when leaders inevitably disappoint us.

We must have our tap roots deep down to the gospel of Jesus Christ, proven through our hearts and minds. We must work together according to the dictates of our consciences until we become one as Jesus has become one with our Father.

He Waits for Their Upreaching Hands

it is the sad truth that if prophets and people are unreachable, the Lord generally does nothing for them. Having given them free agency, their Heavenly Father calls, persuades, and directs aright his children, but waits for their upreaching hands, their solemn prayers, their sincere, dedicated approach to him. If they are heedless, they are left floundering in midnight’s darkness when they could have the noonday sun. ("Revelation: The Word of the Lord to His Prophets", Spencer W. Kimball, Apr 1977, start time 5:45)

The Error of the Ancients

President Kimball said,

I bear witness to the world today that more than a century and a half ago the iron ceiling was shattered; the heavens were once again opened, and since that time revelations have been continuous. … 

Since that momentous day in 1820, additional scripture has continued to come, including the numerous and vital revelations flowing in a never-ending stream from God to his prophets on the earth. … 

… We testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We testify also that there is, since 1830 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of the Lord. 

Now, a word of warning: Let us not make the error of the ancients. Numerous modern sectarians believe in the Abrahams, the Moseses, and the Pauls, but resist believing in today’s prophets. The ancients also could accept the prophets of an earlier day, but denounced and cursed the ones who were their contemporaries. 

In our day, as in times past, many people expect that if there be revelation it will come with awe-inspiring, earth-shaking display. For many it is hard to accept as revelation those numerous ones in Moses’ time, in Joseph’s time, and in our own year—those revelations which come to prophets as deep, unassailable impressions settling down on the prophet’s mind and heart as dew from heaven or as the dawn dissipates the darkness of night. 

Expecting the spectacular, one may not be fully alerted to the constant flow of revealed communication. I say, in the deepest of humility, but also by the power and force of a burning testimony in my soul, that from the prophet of the Restoration to the prophet of our own year, the communication line is unbroken, the authority is continuous, a light, brilliant and penetrating, continues to shine. The sound of the voice of the Lord is a continuous melody and a thunderous appeal. For nearly a century and a half there has been no interruption. ("Revelation: The Word of the Lord to His Prophets", Spencer W. Kimball, Apr 1977)

It seems that the error of the ancients was to believe the previous prophets over the living ones we have today. We must be cautious and prudent. We know that our living prophets are men. But they are 15 men that have been prepared for decades in a path they have not chosen. They were called of God. When the united voice of the brethren speak, it is up to us to seek the Lords confirmation of such statements. I can hardly consider the likelihood that I am correct and they have erred.