A Friend's Homily of Praise

Throughout Holy Week, many Christian's reflected on the events leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, His agonizing Crucifixion and His triumph over death with His glorious Resurrection. Because we all know Easter isn't about bunnies, sweets and coloured eggs, right?

On Easter I didn't go to church. Instead I read from the Four Gospels, from Romans and took in the message I found in the New International Version. This is my first Easter since my being born again and I read it like it was I was a child reading it for the first time. It reinforced the notion that we were saved with Grace because of Jesus willingly taking our sins upon him and suffering the separation from God and His death on the Cross. It was a beautiful experience.

I was also treated to another reading all together. Many of my readers are familiar with my friend JB who often blogs on issues regarding Mormonism as well as other branches of Theology. He just finished his four years of study at Asbury Theological Seminary and was recently interviewed for his Pastoral license. He was asked to preach at a Good Friday service in his hometown. He favored his readers, myself included, with his sermon on the subject. In my experience, preachers tend to favor John or Romans this time of years, so I had expected JB to do the same. However, he pleasantly surprised me with his sermon on Phillippians 2:1-12 which can be found and read here.

For those who are unclear what a Homily is. A Homily is a relatively short sermon regarding theological and moral matters. And this Homily in particular I recommend to my readers, Mormons and Christians alike, because it really drives home what Jesus did for us.

My favorite part of JB's sermon was when he spoke of how dark Good Friday was, because it's true. Christ's crucifixion was the darkest day in history. It was the day, He suffered the first time he was separated from God's presence because he took our sins from us. And it made Easter Sunday all the more glorious. I will close by quoting that part of his sermon. I heartily recommend anyone who has forgotten just how important Jesus' sacrifice is to read this. It will warm your heart as it has mine.



"But it came at such a cost, a cost greater than we may ever realize. Jesus walked down the darkest of roads for us. Out of love, the Creator let himself be broken by the broken creation. Out of love, the Light of the world let our darkness engulf him. Out of love, the eternal Word of God let himself be brought to silence. Out of love, the Lamb of God went quietly to the slaughter. Out of love, the Good Shepherd laid down his life for his lost sheep. Over eighteen hundred years ago, a bishop named Melito preached a sermon on the Passover, and here's how he described the paradox of Jesus on the cross:


Hear and tremble because of him for whom the earth trembled: The one who hung the earth in space, is himself hanged. The one who fixed the heavens in place, is himself impaled. The one who firmly fixed all things, is himself firmly fixed to the tree. The Lord is insulted! God is murdered! ... For this reason the stars turned and fled, and the day grew quite dark, to hide the naked person hanging on the tree - darkening, not the body of the Lord, but the eyes of men. Even though the people didn't tremble, the earth trembled instead. Although the people were not afraid, the heavens grew frightened. Although the people didn't tear their garments, the angels tore theirs. Although the people didn't lament, the Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.


For us. It was all for us, all for the forgiveness of our sins, and the breaking of sin's power over us and over our world! Good Friday was a dark day, darker than any day before it and darker than any day after it. But love suffered that day of darkness to bring us everlasting light. Love accepted that cruel death in order to raise us up to eternal life. Because even through Good Friday, death and darkness do not have the final word. God shouted the ultimate word to the world on Easter Sunday: "Arise, shine, for your light has come! Behold, I make all things new!" But Christ's resurrection revives us because, on that old rugged cross, love suffered obediently, love paid the price, love fought for us, even at the greatest cost."










ke7ejx.

Women in the Priesthood?

Recently in the papers and news, Americans have heard in some form about "Ordain Women", a group of active, good standing LDS women that are picketing for access to the Priesthood sessions at General Conference and the quarterly Priesthood meeting that are held at the Conference Center just off of Temple Square. For two GC's now, they have tried to gain access to these sessions only to be turn away by Priesthood members that were giving tickets in the "standby line". According to the Salt Lake Tribune, each of these women would wait in line until it was their turn, and when they asked for a ticket for the Priesthood session, they were refused. They also host demonstrations in hope that the General Authorities will acknowledge their goals and one day consider the possibility of ordaining women in the Priesthood. This upcoming General Conference that is taking place next month, the church may ban them from Temple Square and regulate them to designated "free speech" areas off of the block which is reserved for other groups that are "anti-mormon".

Since this news was published, I have seen various opinions on Facebook and other places on the Web. Some praise their efforts while others find it offensive and inappropriate. I chose to remain neutral as to the cause itself. However, I do feel that opponents to "Ordain Women" are too quick to bring those sisters to book. Some of them say it goes against the natural order or it goes against the Lord's doctrines in the church but does it? Anyone who has taken a history class knows that women occasionally rose above men in social prominence, but those occasions proved to be very few and far between. Natural order for the win, yes?

But in regards to the Priesthood and women being ordained.....against God's laws and doctrines? No, not really if you take a look at it. I mean, outside of Mormonism, female members of the clergy have risen to one in ten Protestant churches (USA Today 9/17/09). The Old Testament lists Miriam, the sister of Aaron as a prophetess, and one of three leaders that led Israelite tribes out of Egypt (Exodus 15:20). There was also Deborah in Judges 4 and 5: prophetess, judge and general of an army....as Phoebes would say when he nearly got decapitated by Esmeralda "What a woman!" There was also Hulda who was a prophetess who brought about religious renewal in the Jewish faith (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22). Girl power, Old Testament Style.

Then you turn to the New Testament. Women played important roles that have been studied and debated for centuries. Jesus had female followers, some of them also served others. Paul surrounded himself with what he referred to as female colleagues. Phoebe was ordained as a deaconess in Romans 16:1 and I doubt she was 12 at the time. Priscilla was a celebrated comrade as mentioned in Romans 16:3. Paul also named Junia as an apostle who was hailed as "outstanding among apostles" (Romans 16:7).

And that's just in the Bible. As some of my readers may be quick to point out, it doesn't mean the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints would follow along. But here's the fun fact: Emma Smith was ordained to the full priesthood in the early days of the church along with other women who all had authority to do works in the name of the Church. We're not talking like the women of today's Relief Society. These ladies could receive revelations, heal the sick and afflicted with their own authority, even without church elders. Joseph Smith told the Sisters that it was their duty and privilege to have full Priesthood authority (as recorded by Eliza R. Snow at the first Relief Society meeting). Even Brigham Young told women at a General Conference: "Why do you not live as to rebuke disease? It is your privilege to do so without sending for the Elders. You should go to work to study and see what you can do for the recovery of your children. If a child is taken sick with fever give it something to stay that  fever or relieve the stomach and bowels. So that mortification may not set in.......study and learn something for yourselves. It is the privilege of a mother to have faith and to administer to her child, this she can do herself." (Journal of Discourses 13:18)

Forgive me if I seem facetious, but by saying it goes against God's laws and doctrines seems to be somewhat...shall we say....incorrect? With this kind of logic, it is no wonder that the members of "Ordain Women" would like to join the Priesthood. They're not shirking their roles as mothers or as church members. They made it clear in their mission that they are faithful members and do not seek to go against the church. They merely wish to regain what has been lost to women, the ability to serve God with all the tools that they need.

c-ya

ke7ejx.

Ordain Women's website: http://ordainwomen.org/

Unveiling Grace: A BYU Professor's Journey That Changed My Life.

Many of us whom have had any sort of ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have at the very least heard of Dr. Lynn K. Wilder, former professor at Brigham Young University who left the church in 2008. I certainly remember hearing of her. The whispers and press statements filled with people trying to figure out how a BYU professor could go off the deep end and apostatize from the Church. Even I wondered for a couple of minutes before shrugging and going on with my life. I never thought about again.

Fast-forward five years later. I had been questioning church doctrine and studying controversial teachings, both present and past. The more I studied the more hot water I found myself in. From September to November of 2013, I was being bullied by different members who called me a spawn of Satan, a traitor of Christ, even a Daughter of Perdition. Texts, Facebook messages and even my Facebook page started consisting of accusations, anger and disdain. I have always dealt with depression and everything I was enduring from people I had looked up for almost a decade fed that depression until I began to not eat, sleep or interact with others. In October, a support group mentioned a book called Unveiling Grace by none other than Lynn K. Wilder. I purchased it on Amazon and for some weird reason it sat on my desk for a few days. After having an unpleasant conversation with another church member, I sat at my desk and saw the book. Need I go on….?

I read the first chapter of the book which honestly amused me because it described an ideal LDS family. In a way, it was almost like reading about the Mormon version of the Cleavers. Good parents raising wonderful, faithful children where every son served a mission, returned honorably, etc. And just as I got comfortable, her youngest son said two words: “it’s over” about three weeks before he was due home from his mission. My first reaction was “wait, what?” When I finished the chapter with this surprising turn, it was bedtime because I had an 8 a.m class the next morning. I said my prayers, complete with the “thee’s” and “thou’s” and went to bed. Three hours later, and I couldn’t sleep. My mind was going over that chapter over and over which eventually created an urgency to read more. So, on went the desk lamp, on went the glasses and away I go…

The more I read, the more I needed to continue. By the time I finished it was time to get ready for school. Just don’t ask me to tell you what the professors said that day. This family went through trial by fire, maybe not in the physical sense, but the emotional and spiritual sense. There was an excommunication, friends separating from one of the sons, and the moral dilemma of how to remain in the LDS Church and teach at the Church’s university when Christ is at work in converting one’s heart to true Christianity. This book took me step-by-step through the journey this woman and her family experienced. But, despite everything they suffered, their courage awes me and inspires me. After they decided to leave, they moved their family in Florida where they run a ministry and continue to praise God and bring people closer to Jesus.

The best part was the challenge that same man that said those two words that still stay with me gave his family. Read the New Testament, read the New Testament, read the New Testament! Readers, this is so important! Even my own Bishop said that when you read the New Testament, you’re sitting in Jesus’ living room and there’s no place better. I took this challenge and recently finished my favorite book of the New Testament, the book of Romans. It brought me closer to my Savior than I ever was before because it taught me about grace, as I spoke about in my previous post.

There is one story Dr. Wilder mentioned in the book that I admired and even took as an example. When she and her husband turned their hearts to Jesus, they both purchased crosses to wear to show their commitment to Christ. This was in my opinion, a brave thing for Dr. Wilder to do because wearing crosses at BYU is frowned upon, if not prohibited. So, of course she had to wear it under her clothing, but she kept it with her every day. On the days she didn’t have a high enough collar, she would keep the necklace in her pocket. On one of those days, she misplaced the cross. She looked in the places she had it and even had the nerve to go to the campus lost-n-found where they had four crosses (I had to chuckle at that note), but hers wasn’t among them. The person running it assumed it was a family heirloom, which in a way made me sad. It made me sad because there’s such a negative view on things like crosses that in her mind the only way a BYU professor would have such a sacred emblem is if she had inherited it. By a God-given miracle, Dr. Wilder’s cross was found and she swore she would never part with it again.

This inspired me because it must have taken a great deal of courage for her to buy a cross in the first place, let alone where it among members of the church. I myself had purchased a cross before I read this book and after I read it, I started openly wearing my cross, even to Sacrament Meeting. For me, it is a reminder of what is really important and what my salvation is credited to.

I love this book. I know my LDS readers are probably wondering why I read a book of a former member that is an account of her exodus out the church. I read it because a lot of the trials and strife mentioned in the book that was suffered by different members touched me. I could relate to a lot of those trials because I went through similar tribulations and God knew that. I think it was God’s way of saying: “See? You’re not alone in this. There are others that know what your shoes feel like. Take heart and follow me.” It was God’s way of tapping me on the shoulder and helping me see hope where I saw none. I am not being melodramatic when I say this, but I know God wanted me to read this. This book has literally changed my life.

Since reading the book, I’ve watched various interviews on Youtube and I did my research on Dr. Wilder. I’ve even had the privilege of speaking to Dr. Wilder. I can promise you; this isn’t a woman that left the church over petty reasons. Like me, and many others I’ve met, she did her homework and left for valid reasons.

I know my active member friend probably won’t want to read this, but I’d still recommend this book regardless. Dr. Wilder not only goes over the doctrines that troubled her, she backs them up with references from LDS canon and the Bible. This may be a story of a family that left the LDS Church, but the most important thing is that they left for something better.

God be with you. Christ be with you.

ke7ejx. 

God's Grace, Mormonism and Romans chapter 8

Last night the topic of Mormonism came up, A LOT. Dad and I had a discussion where he opened up to me about his thoughts on the religion. Mormonism creates doctrinal issues, like substituting Grace for Works and even created a different Jesus that required works other than faith in order to achieve God's forgiveness. A year or two ago, I would have steadfastly denied, quoted James and brushed off the possibility, as much as it embarrasses me to admit it. But in the last couple of months and especially last night, I found that I agreed with what my father was saying. He especially drove the point home by pointing at me and said "keep in mind, Kristyn, that there isn't a man on Earth that can do God's job for him."

"There isn't a man on Earth that can do God's job for him." That definitely got me thinking. Because, for the last seven or eight years I have followed a man that claimed to be God's mouthpiece, not necessarily blindly, but definitely with devotion. I believed in a man that restored God's word with plates of brass and gold that was full of supplications to repentance and even tried to mold my life according to the requirements. And it made me angry. When I asked dad why the thought of the last few years made me angry, hurt and sad; he said "because you thought it was true and you'll never be able to make up for the years you were being deceived." That is the thing, too. I have come to realize that Mormonism isn't true and that I had been living a lie. And while I have come under condemnation for slowly making my way to that conclusion, I have also realized something else and it is the most important: No man can judge my eternal destination, not even a prophet.

All of this is found in Romans 8:1- Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

No condemnation means that those who are in Christ are saved from Hell because we are acquitted from our sins. Because we are in Christ Jesus by accepting him as his personal savior. Which means we are saved by GRACE.

But what is Grace? Grace is mercy. According to the Bible dictionary, Grace is a favor in expression. The unmerited and abundant gift of God's love and favor of man, "particularly made effective in Jesus Christ".

One particular form of grace can be saving from a cataclysmic event, such as found in the Book of Genesis. Noah was saved from destruction because of his faith and God showed mercy: Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8

Another form of grace is found in the New Testament that is full of descriptions of God's tender mercies.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The word is alive! It came to us from a loving God so that we may behold HIS GLORY! Because of His eternal truth and his good grace we are saved.

John 1:15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out saying; "He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me."

John is referring to Jesus, his cousin. Even though John was born before Jesus, he recognized that Jesus is above him because Jesus is the savior of the world.

John 1:16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received on blessing after another.

Grace, it is all about grace. Every blessing God has given us comes from loving grace.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

While we were given laws by God, we are only saved by Jesus Christ. We can't work our way into Heaven.

Romans 5:15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 

Jesus' sacrifice covers all trespasses! God's grace cover us because His son has us covered! Jesus Christ is the only way we can be right with God. Because it's the love of God that forgives us and no amount of penitence will makes us right with Him unless we allow Jesus to cover us. Think of it like you go to dinner with Jesus and when the bill comes you both reach for it, but he says, "It's okay, I got it. The bill is on me." That, brothers and sisters is the grace that Jesus offered us on Calvary where he hung on a cross and took our sins. Why would we cheapen it by offering to pay the tip with penitence and constantly trying to earn our place in the Kingdom of God?

We are natural men! We are imperfect beings! I'm sure these thoughts are going through the minds of some. But to that, I offer 1 Corinthians 13:10 for your consideration:

But when perfection comes, the imperfection disappears. 1 Corinthians 13:10.

This means that we are imperfect, because we sin and we do it over and over and over and over. But Jesus is perfect. He never sinned and by immersing ourselves in his blood that was shed for us. Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as crimson, they shall be as wool." Jesus makes us perfect if we accept his eternal gift of grace.

2 Corinthians 6: 1-2 gives us warning when it comes to grace.

1. As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 

God's grace is truly a gift to us. We are the only creatures given this opportunity. We should never deny God. He wants us to accept this gift freely. He doesn't want us to reject him or worse cheapen His gift by trying to buy it with works. After all, Romans 4:4 says, "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due." When we work towards Heaven, if it were remotely possible, and we achieved it; God would give it out of obligation, not grace. Which is why Romans 4:5 says "And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." 

2. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." 

God helps us in our times of need and He is always there to help us. We just need to trust him to be there.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Jesus loved us enough to humble himself and allow our sins to taint him, thus cutting himself off from the presence of God. Jesus was so rich because he was in God and God was in him. But he loved us enough to give up his perfection, God's presence and his physical comfort just for us. That is perfect grace, brothers and sisters.

Ephesians 2:8-9

8. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. 

We are saved through faith, which is God's gift to us. We can't save ourselves.

9. Not by works, so that no one can boast. 

We enter the Kingdom of God because it is his gift for faith. We can't do it with works. The Book of Mormon says that we are saved with grace AFTER ALL WE CAN DO (2 Nephi 25:23). But Joseph Smith is wrong. While works are an act of faith, they cannot make us worthy of Salvation. And, frankly, it is arrogant of the church to teach that we have to do works to be worthy of forgiveness and salvation. When it comes to the grace of God, we have no bragging rights.

FAITH IS NOT A WORK!

2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and may the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

This is how we should fare people well. By letting them know of God's grace and wishing it upon them. This is how we glorify him and Jesus, by helping others see the wonders of God's eternal and majestic grace.

God be with you. Christ be with you.

ke7ejx

Merriam Websters Dictionary: Grace- unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. A virtue coming from God. A state of sanctification enjoyed through DIVINE GRACE. A disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy and clemency.

Lord, Open the Eyes of My Heart!

In 2012, I began to study church doctrine more closely. Whether it was doctrines like the Lorenzo Snow Couplet, the Adam-God doctrine, The King Follet Discourse, and doctrines discussing the nature of God to name a few. The more I read, the more confused I got. Thoughts became questions, questions became doubt and up until a few months ago, I was dealing with these questions privately. Since bringing my questions out of the cellar of my brain, I have been met with various responses, various reactions and little answers. I am blessed in the friends that have been supportive in my quest, no matter the religion or lack of religion they subscribe to. It all boils down to one question for me: Is Mormonism true? Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints the true Christian church? Having been a devout member for seven years, this is a rather disturbing pickle to be in. A couple of days ago, I shared my concerns on Facebook (for better or worse)  and was asked to share my questions and resources. I am doing it for two reasons: One, because I genuinely, truly, sincerely seeking answers to these exceedingly fundamental questions. Two, because I've been accused of using Anti-Mormon Literature. I wish to show that all of my resources are indeed teachings and literature made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I do want to make one thing quite plain: This is NOT an attempt to create a fight! This is a 24 year old's quest for knowledge and understanding. Please feel free to comment on this post. And without further ado, I present the questions:

·         If it's true that “God will never give [us] personal revelation that contradicts what has already been revealed in the scriptures” (Preparing for Exaltation: Teacher's Manual, page 85), and that personal revelation should never be accepted when it conflicts with “known facts, proven truths, or good common sense” (Doctrines and Covenants: Student Manual, Religion 324 and 325, page 416), why do so many members of our church discourage using scripture and other sure truths as a way to test our testimonies to make sure that they're from God?  Didn't Joseph Smith warn us, “Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil” (quoted by Francis M. Gibbons, sermon on 6 October 1991, in Conference Report, page 109)? 

·         The scriptures speak of Elohim and Jehovah.  Either Elohim and Jehovah are the same God, or they are different Gods.  Current Church teaching is that our Heavenly Father is Elohim, and that Jesus Christ his Son is “the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New” (“The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Twelve Apostles”, First Presidency statement from January 2000).  But there are sections of scripture where the Father is addressed as Jehovah.  For instance, the LDS Bible Dictionary agrees that, in the King James Version, 'LORD' in all-caps represents the name 'Jehovah'.  In Psalm 110:1, it therefore reads, “The LORD [i.e., Jehovah] said to my lord, Sit thou at my right hand”.  The New Testament repeatedly identifies the 'LORD' with the Father and the 'my lord' as Jesus (Mark 12:36; 14:62; Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:13).  If Jesus Christ is the God Jehovah, and if the Father is a separate God above Jehovah, then why does Psalm 110:1 present the Father as Jehovah?  Or, if both are somehow rightly called Jehovah, then since Deuteronomy 6:4 (the central tenet of the Jewish faith, and the basis for what Jesus called the Greatest Commandment in Mark 12:29-30) says that there is only one God who is Jehovah, how does that not mean that the Father and the Son are only one God, just like the other churches teach (the doctrine of the Trinity: three persons who are only one God) but our church rejects?

·         If the Godhead consists of “three Gods” or “three separate Gods” (as taught by Joseph Smith, sermon on 16 June 1844 quoted in TPC: Joseph Smith, page 42; Spencer W. Kimball, sermon on 5 April 1964, in April 1964 Conference Report, page 94; Boyd K. Packer, sermon on 7 October 1984, in October 1984 Conference Report, page 84), then why does God himself so frequently say that “there is no else, there is no God beside me” (Isaiah 45:5), that he is “God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else” (Deuteronomy 4:39)?  Why does he say things like, “I am the first, and I am the last; beside me there is no god.  …  Is there a god beside me?  Yea, there is no god; I know not any” (Isaiah 44:6, 8)? 

·         If Heavenly Father is a man who had to become God (as taught by Joseph Smith, sermon on 7 April 1844; Lorenzo Snow, sermon on 11 October 1857, as quoted in TPC: Lorenzo Snow, page 85; L. Tom Perry, talk on 20 August 2002 at BYU; and various church manuals [e.g., Achieving a Celestial Marriage (1976), page 4]), and who has had Gods and Fathers above him (as taught by Joseph Smith, sermon on 16 June 1844; Orson Pratt, The Seer, page 132; Brigham Young, sermon on 8 October 1854 at General Conference; Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:47 and quoted in the 1984 priesthood manual, page 152), then why does God himself say in the scriptures that “before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10-11), and that he is the “Most High God” (Genesis 14:22)? 

·         The scriptures teach that no one except for Jehovah was involved in the creation of the world, because he says, “I am the LORD [i.e., Jehovah] that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself” (Isaiah 44:24).  But if that's true, why do church manuals still teach – quoting Elder Bruce R. McConkie – that Jehovah was “aided in the creation of this earth by 'many of the noble and great' spirit children of the Father” who “played a part in the great creative enterprise” (The Pearl of Great Price: Student Manual, Religion 327, page 38)? 

·         If Brigham Young was a prophet of God, then when he taught the church publicly, he should have been listened to.  At General Conference, he taught that Adam was God the Father, saying that Adam is “our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do” (Brigham Young, sermon on 9 April 1852, in Millennial Star 15:769), claiming later that he received this teaching as one that “God revealed to me – namely that Adam is our father and God” (Brigham Young, sermon on 8 June 1873, in Deseret News 22:308), and he even inserted this teaching into the endowment ceremony in referring to Jesus Christ as “Father Adam's first begotten in the spirit world”, in that Adam had “come in the spirit to Mary and she conceived” (see L. John Nuttall, journal entry for 7 February 1877, BYU Special Collections).  Because of this teaching, many others in the Church embraced it in those days – but in more recent times, the Church has rejected it, with apostles numbering it as a 'deadly heresy' that is “contrary to the whole plan of salvation” (Bruce R. McConkie, talk on 1 June 1980 at BYU).  If Brigham Young was a prophet, then how can he spend decades teaching a 'deadly heresy' to the Church as a revelation from God and convincing many other church leaders to also teach it?  What more would he have had to do to not qualify as a true prophet of God? 

·         If the Apostle Paul refers to Adam as “one that sinned” (Romans 5:16), then why did Elder Dallin H. Oaks insist in General Conference that “the act that produced the Fall was not a sin” (see talk on 3 October 1993, in Conference Report, page 98), and why do manuals also insist that Adam's decision was “not a sin” (Preparing for Exaltation: Teacher's Manual, page 13)? 

·         If we all lived in an eternal pre-existence with our Heavenly Father as his spirit-children, and if we came to earth from our heavenly existence with him, then why does Jesus contrast himself with the rest of us by saying things like, “Ye are from beneath, I am from above” (John 8:23), and, “no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven” (John 3:13)? 

·         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to hold priesthood authority from God, divided into the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood.  In the Old Testament, priests in the Aaronic Priesthood were ordained when they laid hands on animals that were slaughtered, and then had their own ears, thumbs, and toes smeared with animal blood (Exodus 29).  If Hebrews 5:4 (“no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron”) means that ordinations have to follow the same form as Aaron's ordination, why don't we cover our young men with animal blood to ordain them, as was Aaron?

·         Also, if the New Testament says that even Jesus was ineligible to hold the Aaronic Priesthood because he was not descended from Levi (Hebrews 7:14), why does our church ordain people to the Aaronic Priesthood without paying attention to their ancestry if even Jesus couldn't be ordained to it?

·         The New Testament also says that, when Jesus came to be our Melchizedek Priesthood-Holder, the old Aaronic Priesthood was “changed”, that is, “abrogated” or “abolished” (Hebrews 7:12 – the word metathesis “implies not merely change but abrogation” [according to F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, page 164]).  It says that even the commandment that authorized the Aaronic Priesthood in the first place has undergone a “disannulling of the commandment”, because the Aaronic Priesthood is “weak” and “unprofitable” (Hebrews 7:18).  This is “an end to the Levitical priesthood” (Ken Schenck, Understanding the Book of Hebrews, page 78). Why does our church say that it has the Aaronic Priesthood when the New Testament says that the Aaronic Priesthood is now useless and abolished?

·         Why does our church say that its members hold the Melchizedek Priesthood when the only person in scripture who is described as a Melchizedek Priesthood-Holder is Jesus the Christ?  The New Testament draws a contrast between the many Aaronic Priesthood-Holders of the Old Covenant and the one and only Melchizedek Priesthood-Holder of the New Testament (Hebrews 7:23-24).  “While the priests of old are many, the new priest is, by implication, one” (Harold Attridge, The Epistle to the Hebrews, page 209).  In other words, it seems as if “the author is not arguing for a new line of priests according to the order of Melchizedek since the only priest he is interested in, Christ, exhausts that line” (Alan Mitchell, Hebrews, page 150).  If all this is true, why does our church say that its members hold the Melchizedek Priesthood? 

·         In the Old Testament, a temple was built in Jerusalem as a place to worship God through prayer and sacrifice.  There was only to be one place for concentrating this kind of worship (Deuteronomy 12:13-14; 16:15-16).  Later Jewish writers in the first-century said that “as God is one, his temple should also be one” (Philo, Special Laws 1.67), that “there ought also to be but one temple for one God” (Josephus, Against Apion 2.193).  For the Jews, the one and only temple “represented the unity of God and the unity of Israel” (Shaye Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, page 101).  Jesus and Paul both build on this sort of logic (John 4:21-24; 17:11; Romans 3:30; Ephesians 4:4-6).  They seem to suppose that there can only be one true temple on the earth.  But the New Testament says that the true temple is not a building at all (John 4:21-24), but instead is Jesus Christ and his extension on earth, his body, his church (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16).  Why does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call some of its buildings “temples” if the only true temple of God is the church itself?

·         Why do we have to go through interviews to prove our 'worthiness' for a temple recommend, when Jesus gives the most praise to people who say that they are sinners and unworthy servants (Luke 17:10; 18:13)? 

·         If there was a universal apostasy that totally destroyed the church of Jesus Christ for nearly two thousand years after the deaths of the apostles, then what did Jesus mean when he promised his disciples that, when he built his church through them, “the gates of Hades would not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18)?  Doesn't this mean that “the church universal will never be extinguished” (Craig Blomberg, Matthew, page 254)?  Or, what does Jesus mean when he promises that he will be with his church on earth until the very end comes (Matthew 28:20), if he wasn't going to have a church on earth for most of that time?

·         If Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and if he did receive a revelation to practice plural marriage (D&C 132), why did he break God's law in how he practiced plural marriage?  For one example, several pairs of his wives – such as Emily and Eliza Partridge, and Sarah and Maria Lawrence – were pairs of sisters; but Leviticus 18:18 forbids doing this while both women are living.  For another example, a number of his wives – such as Zina D. Huntington Jacobs (wife of Henry Jacobs), Sylvia Sessions Lyon (wife of Windsor Lyon), Sarah Kingsley Cleveland (wife of John Cleveland), Ruth Vose Sayers (wife of Edward Sayers), and others – were already married, which means that Joseph's involvement with them looks identical to adultery (forbidden in Leviticus 18:20) and also contrary to Joseph's own requirement that only virgins be taken as plural wives (D&C 132:61)  For another example, two of his wives – Patty Bartlett Sessions and Sylvia Portion Sessions Lyon – were a mother-and-daughter pair; but Leviticus 20:14 says that “if a man marries both a woman and her daughter, it is wickedness”, and the Old Testament punishment for that crime was to “be burned in fire”.  Why would Joseph practice plural marriage in a way that would make him guilty of such a serious sin? 

·         If the Doctrine and Covenants is correct in saying that David and Solomon did not sin in practicing plural marriage (D&C 132:38-39), why does the Book of Mormon saying that them having “many wives and concubines” was “abominable before me, saith the Lord” (Jacob 2:24)? 

·         Why does the revelation on plural marriage mention that Isaac was justified when he took “many wives and concubines” (D&C 132:1) when the Bible describes him as having only had one wife, Rebekah (Genesis 24:67)? 

·         Jesus lived on earth during a time when the Jews were debating whether plural marriage was really acceptable or not.  Some Jews favored it, others argued against it.  If plural marriage is what God planned for marriage to be, why didn't Jesus ever say so?  Why, when he argued for his vision of marriage in Matthew 19:4-5, did Jesus use and expand the Jewish argument against plural marriage (David Instone-Brewer, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible, page 140)? 

·         Joseph Smith claimed that the Book of Abraham (now included in the Pearl of Great Price) was a translation from Egyptian papyri he had bought that were literally “the writings of Abraham”. The heading to the book still claims it to be “the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus”.  But when the papyri were rediscovered, it was discovered that they date to around the earthly lifetime of Jesus (not the lifetime of Abraham), and that their actual translation (see, for instance, Ronald K. Ritner's translation in The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition) has no connection with the contents of the Book of Abraham.  If Joseph was empowered by God to translate ancient scripture into English, why did he claim that the Book of Abraham was a translation of Egyptian documents that actually turned out to be common funerary papyri? 

·         Joseph Smith also attempted to translate characters on six small plates found and brought to him in 1843, and Joseph told his private secretary that he had “translated a portion” and that “they contain the history of the person with whom they were found and he was a descendant of Ham through the loins of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (William Clayton, journal entry for 1 May 1843). Later on, one of the discoverers confessed to having forged these Kinderhook plates to trick Joseph.  When one of the original plates was rediscovered in the twentieth century, tests conclusively proved that they had been created in modern times.  Why did Joseph claim to be able to translate characters that were just meaningless symbols on forged plates?  If Joseph's 'translations' cannot be trusted with these plates, how can we trust that the Book of Mormon isn't a similar creative exercise without a basis in actual ancient records? 

·         If we sustain President Thomas S. Monson as a “prophet, seer, and revelator”, and if we sustain his counselors and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as the same thing, then why don't any of the fifteen ever report actual prophecies, visions, or revelations for the church as a whole? 

·         Given that language of 'meriting' or 'earning' God's blessings (salvation, exaltation, etc.) is almost non-existent in the New Testament, why does it show up so frequently in talks by General Authorities?  Or, if the concepts of 'meriting' and 'earning' are so crucial, why are they basically absent from the New Testament? 

·         If the Book of Mormon teaches us that we only receive the saving grace of God “after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), and if it tells us that 'all we can do' includes keeping every one of God's commandments perfectly (1 Nephi 3:7), and if repentance is cancelled out whenever a sin is repeated (D&C 82:7), what hope is there?  Wouldn't it be more 'good news' if, like other churches teach, we are given celestial hope – and motivation to works (Ephesians 2:10) just by trusting Jesus and his atonement to take care of everything, “not of works” (Ephesians 2:9), as an act of pure grace from God, since “if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace” (Romans 11:6)?  

ke7ejx.

Mother's Day

To all the mothers that read this, welcome! I thank you, I salute you and I definitely respect you. It takes a lot to be a mother. I'm not one myself, but I've watched my own mother through the years and have seen the many sleepless nights, tear soaked shirts and sacrifices that came with it. So with that in mind, Happy Mother's Day!

How many of us know our mothers? Do we have a relationship with her? Do we truly appreciate her and treat her with the utmost respect that she so richly deserves?

Honestly, I wish I could answer "Yes, of course! All the time!" But if I did, the Lord better strike me with the biggest lightning bolt He has, because I'd be lying through my teeth. Like many of us, I was the bratty teenager that spoke and treated my mother like she was the dog instead of the woman that gave birth and raised me. That acted in ways that really should have gotten me slapped. Now, that I am older, I have gained a fuller appreciation for my mother, not just in her role, but as a person. As a beloved daughter of God. I also treasure the things she taught me. She has taught me a love for God and family. To have charity for others.

President Gordon B. Hinckley once said: "How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if every mother regarded her children as the jewels of her life, as gifts from the God of Heaven, who is their Eternal Father, and brought them up in true affection in wisdom and admonition of the Lord." 

Almost every mother I've ever spoken to has told me that her children are her most prized possessions, that they are the joys of her life. My mother included. It's a wonderful feeling, knowing that the most important person in your life loves you more than herself. That she would do anything for you. That's a feeling I hope my children will one day feel. Knowing that their mother loves them with every fiber of her being. If my children could feel that and become the best they can be, my life would be worth everything.

President Thomas S. Monson said this: "May each of us remember this truth; 'one cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God.' Why? Because  these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one."

I love this quote because it speaks of the sacredness of women and motherhood. That women are divine. I can see that.

And then we often have surrogate mothers. The ones that are not our mothers in the biblical sense, but still treat us like we're one of her own. She encourages us, spoils us, gives us a "come to Jesus" talk when needed and never gives up or stops loving us... anyone who has such a woman in their lives is blessed beyond measure. My surrogate mother has been one of my greatest influences. She may not know it, but she has helped me through many storms with just the knowledge of her being a mere phone call away. Like my own mother, I have come to rely on her counsel, her opinion and especially her actions, and these help to mold the character I have today. Because I have at least two amazing women in my life.

I would of course be remiss if I didn't also dedicate today to the aunts in our lives. Like many, I have a few aunts hanging at my end of the family tree. All different, all wonderful. The aunts I have been blessed with have all touched my life in the best of ways. They have taught me about beauty, confidence and the importance of being myself. I don't know how my life would have shaped if I didn't have close relationships I have with them.

There is a poem that I see circulate the web once in awhile that has always made me think of my aunts with a grin:

Only an Aunt....

Can give hugs like a mother,

Keep secrets like a sister, 

And share love like a friend.

That's an aunt in a nutshell, wouldn't you say?

And then you have the grandmothers.These wise women that help raise us and teach us important things about life. My grandmother, Gwen taught me to read and introduced me to Opera and Classical music. She inspired me in learning music and drawing. Sadly, she died when I was very young, but her memory is still there. I have two other fantastic grandmothers that have taught me about humility, compassion and patience. It's still easier said than done for me, but they haven't given up on me yet.

I'll admit that I don't know much about motherhood, there's a lot to child-raising that I don't understand. But I do understand this much; it is a sacred responsibility that should be treated with respect and care. Respect your mothers, my dear readers. It takes a lot of time and energy to raise a person right. It's because of my mother that I do my best and I treat people like the Savior tells us to. Because I would never want to cause negative reflection on my goodly mother.

Happy Mother's Day, mothers. Thank you for your sacrifices and your raising of these precious spirits of God. You are blessed to have the opportunity. God be with you. Christ be with you.


ke7ejx.

Autumn Pleasures

I love Autumn...

I love the colours of the leaves as they turn from green to reds and yellows and browns.

I love the fresh crisp air when I go on morning walks.

I love the smell of burning wood that comes from the chimneys of homes near me.

I love being able to wear my favourite sweaters and be perfectly warm.

I love the seasonal recipes filled with warmth and safety.

I love the sound of the wind singing at night.

I love sinking into a hot bath after a long walk.

I love raking the fallen leaves into a huge pile and falling back into it like I did as a child.

These are the simple pleasures that I enjoy every year. The things that make each Autumn precious to me. I'll admit that I tend to busy myself with the less important things and forget the more meaningful. I believe there's a cliché that states we should stop to smell the roses. Easier said than done in today's day and age. We are all so busy with our everyday lives that we forget to slow down and enjoy things, most especially the little and simplistic things.

Maybe it's time to change that. These are uncertain times for the world and we never know what lies ahead. We also never know when we will be in our final day, and I know this also sounds cliché, but we must make the most of it. Let's all slow down a bit and enjoy the simple things.

Here's a small writing titled 'Brief Pleasures' for your reading pleasures:

• Splitting a hunk of cedar into perfect fragrant strips of kindling on a crisp autumn day and stacking it in neat piles.
• A sudden overwhelming awareness of the goodness of another person.
• Looking up a word in the dictionary and getting sidetracked by another word. In 1932 Webster's, in the list of New Words, one finds flivverboob: driver of a flivver.
• The sound made by a tennis ball when it smacks the sweet spot.
• Making a delicious and nutritious dinner that costs next to nothing.
• A cool hand on a fevered brow.
• The smell of wood smoke in my hair and clothes after and evening with friends around a beach fire.
• The lightness you feel after a long, snowy winter when you get up one morning and you don't have to put on long underwear.
• Being asked just the right question by a friend who knows what it is you really want to talk about and opens the way for you.
• Fanning out a bridge hand, finding it full of faces and aces and smiling inside while keeping a straight face.
• The momentary ruby flash of a hovering sunlit humming bird against green trees after a spring rain.
• Having the whole family in one bed on a Sunday morning.
• Climbing into cold sheets after a hot bath.
• The smell of dusty sidewalks after a spring rain, carrying so many exciting aromas I can imagine for a moment what it must be like to have a dog's nose.
• The first ride from the airport in a taxi in a strange city halfway around the world late in the evening.
• Peeling the wax off a round of cheese.

~ Autumn section from Simple Pleasures: Soothing Suggestions and Small Comforts for Living Well Year Round

Here's to a happy Autumn. Have fun with family and friend. And keep the pumpkin pie coming until you can't look at it until next Autumn!

ke7ejx.