A Lifetime of Being "Truly Converted"

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we talk a lot about being "truly converted." There seems to be a silent gradation of testimony among the members. Being converted is not the same as being "truly" converted. Being converted once upon a time is not sufficient to carry one throughout life in mortality. The quality of one's conversion is a lifetime pursuit, one never to be taken for granted or guaranteed for even a moment.

President Lorenzo Snow

Tomorrow's Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society lesson throughout the Church will come from the teachings of President Lorenzo Snow, who tells a moving story about how he initially acquired his testimony. He was baptized and confirmed in June 1836 at the age of 22. Later, he wrote: “I believed they [the Latter-day Saints] had the true religion, and I joined the Church. So far my conversion was merely a matter of reason.” He remembered, “I was perfectly satisfied that I had done what was wisdom for me to do under the circumstances.” Although he was content for a time with this understanding, he soon yearned for a special manifestation of the Holy Ghost. He said, “I had had no manifestation, but I expected one.”

The key element of his story that leaped from the page for me was "I expected one." Do we expect to have spiritual gifts in our lives today? Do we expect answers to our prayers when we offer up our petitions to a loving Father in Heaven? Do we expect to receive eternal life through our faithfulness? It is a common expression among prophets I have known personally to expect miracles when they lay their hands on someone's head. I include in my definition of "prophets" both those who are set apart specifically to lead the Church and those who are not leading anyone but their family members.

Lorenzo Snow continues: “This manifestation did not immediately follow my baptism, as I expected,” he recalled. “But, although the time was deferred, when I did receive it, its realization was more perfect, tangible and miraculous than even my strongest hopes had led me to anticipate. One day while engaged in my studies, some two or three weeks after I was baptized, I began to reflect upon the fact that I had not obtained a knowledge of the truth of the work — that I had not realized the fulfillment of the promise: ‘He that doeth my will shall know of the doctrine;’ [see John 7:17] and I began to feel very uneasy.

“I laid aside my books, left the house and wandered around through the fields under the oppressive influence of a gloomy, disconsolate spirit, while an indescribable cloud of darkness seemed to envelop me. I had been accustomed, at the close of the day, to retire for secret prayer to a grove, a short distance from my lodgings, but at this time I felt no inclination to do so.

“The spirit of prayer had departed, and the heavens seemed like brass over my head. At length, realizing that the usual time had come for secret prayer, I concluded I would not forego my evening service, and, as a matter of formality, knelt as I was in the habit of doing, and in my accustomed retired place, but not feeling as I was wont to feel."

Have you experienced the "indescribable cloud of darkness," doubt and even fear in your pursuit of the truth about God? Have you felt discouraged in that pursuit? Have you ignored the promptings you've felt to seek a higher path in spirituality, regardless of which of the many paths leading to religious endeavor you have pursued? This experience of Lorenzo Snow seems all too typical in the mortal realm. It is certainly reminiscent of what happened to Joseph Smith in another grove of trees in upper state New York on a spring morning in 1830. It seems consistent with everyone I have ever known who has confronted and overcome the powers of evil so prevalent in our lives today. That Satan would do all in his power to dismantle one's faith in the pursuit of the knowledge God has promised us should not come as a big surprise.

Then in that moment of despair, Lorenzo continues: “I had no sooner opened my lips in an effort to pray, than I heard a sound, just above my head, like the rustling of silken robes, and immediately the Spirit of God descended upon me, completely enveloping my whole person, filling me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and O, the joy and happiness I felt! No language can describe the instantaneous transition from a dense cloud of mental and spiritual darkness into a refulgence of light and knowledge, as it was at that time imparted to my understanding. I then received a perfect knowledge that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and of the restoration of the Holy Priesthood, and the fulness of the gospel.

“It was a complete baptism — a tangible immersion in the heavenly principle or element, the Holy Ghost; and even more real and physical in its effects upon every part of my system than the immersion by water; dispelling forever, so long as reason and memory last, all possibility of doubt or fear in relation to the fact handed down to us historically, that the ‘Babe of Bethlehem’ is truly the Son of God; also the fact that He is now being revealed to the children of men, and communicating knowledge, the same as in the apostolic times. I was perfectly satisfied, as well I might be, for my expectations were more than realized, I think I may safely say, in an infinite degree.

“I cannot tell how long I remained in the full flow of this blissful enjoyment and divine enlightenment, but it was several minutes before the celestial element, which filled and surrounded me, began gradually to withdraw. On arising from my kneeling posture, with my heart swelling with gratitude to God beyond the power of expression, I felt — I knew that he had conferred on me what only an Omnipotent Being can confer — that which is of greater value than all the wealth and honors worlds can bestow.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 3).

Unlike the "born-again" Christians, many of whom can point to a once-in-a-lifetime moment where they opened their heart to God and received a witness, Lorenzo Snow went forward growing in faith and light and truth from that moment on, never wavering in his formative experience with the witness he received from the Holy Ghost.

And so it is and must be with each of us. We do not believe in a "once and done" kind of conversion. True conversion is a lifetime pursuit. Our initial introduction to the power of the Holy Ghost is only a good beginning.

Later in his life, reflecting upon this early experience, President Snow said: "The foundation upon which we have placed our faith is grand and glorious. I know this for myself. I had been in this Church but a short time when I succeeded in securing the most perfect knowledge that there was a God, that there was a Son, Jesus Christ, and that Joseph Smith was acknowledged of God as His prophet. It was a knowledge that no man could communicate. It came through a revelation from the Almighty. That is a very good starting point for a Latter-day Saint, and it is something that every person, who has any ambition at all to advance in this path, will need at some time or other. He will come into circumstances of such a nature that he will need strength, and that strength will come from a knowledge of the fact that the path in which he is traveling will lead him to the possession of his highest and best desires." (Ibid., emphasis mine).

All who seek truth independently and sincerely are offered this promise at the end of The Book of Mormon:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5).

What person living on the earth today would not want to know and understand "the truth of all things?" In a world filled with contradictory voices seeking to influence others in so many disparate paths, who would not welcome the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide them unerringly back into God's presence? Who would not welcome the gift of discernment to be enabled to sift and distill truth from the chaff that blows in the wind of public opinion indiscriminately?

Lorenzo Snow believed spiritually what he came to know at first only intellectually. He believed the pursuit of light and truth was an ongoing endeavor. Said he, so long ago: "I feel that the Latter-day Saints are advancing; that they are receiving an education. We are getting up higher and higher. We are advancing to a higher condition and sphere and to a higher plane, and we are receiving such an education that the wisdom of the world with all its attainments and false doctrines and principles, will have no effect upon the Latter-day Saints, for they are rising above the theories and hypothesis of human inventions and soaring in things of truth that raise the mind, exalt the understanding, and establishing them[selves] more and more fully in the true principles of life and glory. We are filled in our hearts with these truths and we cannot tell the day or the hour in which our faith has been increased, but we feel, when we look back over the last week, month or year, that we have increased in faith and in the knowledge of faith and power of God; we know that we have got nearer our God and we feel that we are in fellowship with God our Father." (Ibid.).

So my question to all of us is this: How is it we can constantly "be soaring in things of truth" day by day? By what instrumentality is it possible? What is required on our part to make this a reality as we pursue our goals here in mortality? How is it our spiritual progress can be ongoing when our "mortality" constantly impedes our innate desires for spiritual growth?

President Snow has an answer: "Every man has got to learn to stand upon his own knowledge; he cannot depend upon his neighbor; every man must be independent; he must depend upon his God for himself entirely. It depends upon himself to see if he will stem the tide of trouble and overcome the impediments that are strewn in the pathway of life to prevent his progress. A man can get information by the operations of the Holy Spirit, and he approaches to God and increases in his faith in proportion as he is diligent." (Ibid.).

So what is required on our part is diligence. I believe it is inherent in our quest for truth that we become more consistent, more earnest, more inclined to be involved in spiritual pursuits. That includes our reading materials, our proximity to spiritual things, and the choice of our companions in life. Like singing, it is much easier to carry a tune when standing next to an accomplished singer in a choir. Our choice of what we permit into our lives to influence us is in direct proportion to the degree we rise in light and truth. If you want to know whether Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw, don't ask your local Catholic priest what he thinks about it. You can go to God personally in prayer and ask a simple question: "Heavenly Father, did you really call Joseph Smith as a latter-day prophet to restore the ancient church, and did you appear to him in a grove of trees in Palmyra, New York?" That might be followed by a sincere question, "Is The Book of Mormon really true?"

Too many times in life, I believe we do not really want to know the answers to difficult questions for fear we might learn the truth then have to actually do something about the knowledge we receive. And that involves change, something we humans seem loathe to undertake. As I grow older some things tend to go up with little or no effort required by me - my blood pressure, my cholesterol and my weight. Ignoring these vital risk factors with my family history is something I cannot afford to do. Not knowing those numbers actually CAN hurt me, just as not knowing the truth about God and our relationship to Him can hurt us when we are not diligent in seeking Him. Once we are on task, diligently involved in our own individual struggles with the aid of the Holy Ghost to guide us, we begin to accelerate in our spiritual quest. As with my charting my health risk factors which I desire to watch go down, down, down, the inverse relationship with spiritual matters must ideally look like a graph line going up, up, up. These are all individual matters and must be pursued diligently, as President Lorenzo Snow suggests.

In 1882, he would observe, "There are men among us upon whom the Spirit of the Almighty once rested mightily, whose intentions were once as good and pure as those of angels, and who made covenants with God that they would serve Him and keep His commandments under every and all circumstances. . . But how is it now with some of those Elders? They do not feel so to-day. Their affections are set upon the things of this world which the Lord has enabled them to acquire, that they wait now until they are called, and in many instances when called, they obey more out of a desire to retain their standing and position, than a real heart-felt love of the labor to which they may have been called.

"This is the condition of all men, no matter how well they start out, who allow their thoughts and affections to run after the world and its ways, and it is a plain and indisputable proof that when this is the case with men they love the world more than they love the Lord and His work upon the earth. Having received the light of the everlasting Gospel, and partaken of the good things of the kingdom, and being of the seed of Israel and heirs to great and glorious promises, we should labor with fidelity and diligence to accomplish what God has designed to do through us; we should be men and women of faith and power as well as good works, and when we discover ourselves careless or indifferent in the least, it should be sufficient for us to know it in order to mend our ways and return to the path of duty." (Ibid.).

True conversion, lasting lifetime conversion, consists not in making merely a good beginning. There were dozens of men who were close to the Prophet Joseph Smith and had many visions, manifestations, and visitations from heavenly messengers. How, one would ask, could such men then lose their way spiritually? Ask yourselves, if an angel were to appear to me, show me the gold plates from which Joseph translated The Book of Mormon, and then bear a solemn witness to me that God lives and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, would I ever depart from that sure knowledge? Yet many did, even some in the upper room of the Whitney Store in Kirtland who were eyewitnesses of a visitation from the Father and the Son. Some rebelled against Joseph's leadership, as President Snow attests. There truly is a witness more powerful than sight.

It behooves each of us to wake up if we are currently asleep spiritually. When all that we hold dear in this mortality is stripped away, what will we still possess? It will be the priceless witness of who we are as spiritually begotten sons and daughters of God, redeemed from our fallen condition by the Lord Jesus Christ. We must come to understand that absolute truth by the power of the Holy Ghost and know that Joseph Smith restored these precious truths in our day, that we are led by true prophets today, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church upon the earth today that is infinitely and eternally sanctioned by God. (D&C 1:30).

Concludes President Snow: "And if there is any man or woman that is not fairly awake, may the time soon come that the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost may be upon them, that it may teach them things past, present and to come, and by the assistance of the Lord, plant righteousness and the principle of truth in their systems, that they may be prepared for the storms that are coming." (Ibid.).

The storms will surely come. They will be more intense as time unfolds. Many of the storms of life have already battered us. We wonder how it could be worse than it has already been. But many more will follow. We can find our anchor in Jesus Christ. Said Nephi: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." (2 Nephi 31:20-21).

Elder John A. Widtsoe

Let me offer one final word to those who are troubled by all the political upheaval we are witnessing in America and around the world today. In the midst of the World War II, an almost unimaginable international conflagration the modern world had seldom known, Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled people who were worried back then. Nazism was on the march, there was war in the Pacific, and nation after nation seemed to be drawn into war. This is what Brother Widtsoe said in 1942:

"Above the roar of cannon and airplane, the maneuvers and plans of men, the Lord always determines the tide of battle. So far and no farther does He permit the evil one to go in his career to create human misery. The Lord is ever victorious; He is the Master to whose will Satan is subject. Though all hell may rage, and men may follow evil, the purposes of the Lord will not fail." (Conference Report, April 1942, 34).

We are reminded: "The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught. For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round. Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men." (D&C 3:1-3).

No matter what happens to America in the second term of President Barack Obama, the future is known in advance by God our Heavenly Father, and you may rest assured He has made ample provision for all the contingencies. Let your testimony of God's existence and His reality grow and flourish in the meantime, for He will never leave you comfortless if you are truly converted.

To the Mountain of the Lord's House

Much has been made in recent years of Mormon temple worship. Curiosity is beginning to build in this presidential election season, and will escalate going into November. Some wonder what goes on behind those seemingly secretive walls of Mormon temples. Rumors of grotesque practices like "baptisms for the dead" have people stirred up, even to the point recently of Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel reportedly being "outraged" that he and members of his family were found in the Church's expansive database for proxy temple ordinances.

For the most part, stories like these that make their way into the press repeatedly call for a public apology from the Church. In an attempt to clarify the Church always responds with an education piece on their official website explaining the policies associated with the proxy ordinances performed there for the dead. In the Mormon view there is no intent to anger the relatives of the deceased. In fact, the policy is that only names in one's direct genealogical history may be submitted for the proxy ordinances. In the spirit world after mortality, because our eternal spirit lives on when the body is buried awaiting resurrection, and may not have had a chance for hearing the fulness of the gospel during mortality, the spirits are taught and may exercise their agency in accepting or rejecting the temple ordinances including baptisms, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood ordinations, followed by initiatory ordinances of washings and anointings, then endowments and sealings performed on earth in their behalf.

Only those who have previously obtained a current temple recommend and received the temple ordinances for themselves may perform proxy ordinances for others in their families who are deceased. Sometimes the genealogical research to find the names of their ancestors takes years and years to discover. It is a selfless and spiritual work.

President Lorenzo Snow

It was President Lorenzo Snow who opined, "I believe, strongly too, that when the Gospel is preached to the spirits in prison, the success attending that preaching will be far greater than that attending the preaching of our Elders in this life. I believe there will be very few indeed of those spirits who will not gladly receive the Gospel when it is carried to them. The circumstances there will be a thousand times more favorable. . . I believe there will be very few who will not receive the truth." (Brian H. Stuy, ed., Collected Discourses, 5 vols. [Burbank, Calif., and Woodland Hills, Ut.: B.H.S. Publishing, 1987-1992], 3:  . Discourse delivered by President Lorenzo Snow at the Sixty-Fourth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church, held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Friday morning, October 6, 1893, reported by Arthur Winder).

President Wilford W. Woodruff

President Wilford Woodruff said essentially the same thing: "So it will be with your fathers. There will be very few, if any, who will not accept the Gospel. . . the fathers of this people will embrace the Gospel." (Ibid., April 8, 1894).

Sometime this month our youngest daughter will complete the circle of life in her generation by going to the Oakland Temple for the first time. She is the last of our children to go to the Mountain of the Lord's House. All her eleven brothers and sisters and their spouses before her have received the ordinances of salvation. Everything we do in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints points one toward the temple and the ordinances administered there. It is always a journey of faith for each soul who comes to the temple. In recognition of her decision to receive her personal ordinances in preparation for her pending mission to Washington D.C. South Mission, I wanted to share with all of the readers of this page what I would say to Merilee if she were here with me to better prepare her for what she will experience behind the temple doors.

Oakland Temple

It is necessary to make this bold statement at the outset: There are very few things we cannot discuss about the temple, since most of what happens there is scriptural and can be obtained in the public records, books, sermons and scriptures published by the Church for all to see. Indeed, every temple before it is dedicated is open to the public for tours and explanatory inspections by anyone who is curious enough to come inside. I love what Elder Neal A. Maxwell used to say, “Through the restitution of all things, God is actually giving away the secrets of the universe!” (That Ye May Believe [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, Inc., 1992] 164), for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Indeed, we are reminded, "And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." (Mosiah 3:20). That time is now.

President Henry B. Eyring

President Henry B. Eyring gave a wonderful Conference talk a few years ago, inviting all to "Come Unto Christ." He called it "the most important invitation we could offer to someone." We see the invitation throughout the scriptures, as in this reference: "Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness." (2 Nephi 9:50-51).

We are reminded, ". . .ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." (Mosiah 4:12). And Jacob encouraged us with these words: "O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life. O be wise; what can I say more?" (Jacob 6:11-12). The "strait gate" refers to the ordinances of salvation, first at the edge of the waters of baptism, then eventually at the doors of the temple. We learn all about eternal life when we go to the temple, and our experiences there buttress and flesh out more fully everything we learn in the scriptures. I believe the textbooks for eternal life are the scriptures and the classroom is the temple.

Seat time in the classroom, however, is no substitute for hands on experience and experimentation outside the classroom with the textbooks and living among all the contradictions of mortality that go with the celestial ideals. There are no such things as "cloistered" monasteries in the Church. We live in the world every day. We are buffeted and tested, tried and judged, bruised and broken. It is all part of our mortal probation, but we are shown the road map on our homeward journey. None is excluded. All are invited to make the discoveries necessary to guide them unerringly toward reunion.

Everything we do and learn in the temple points us homeward to God and His Son, Jesus Christ. The temple is all about "reunion," pointing us forward to that day when we regain our patriarchal heritage with God our Father, after being shut out of their presence for a season while we are here on earth in the "testing phase" of our eternal existence. (Abraham 3:24-26).

For reasons of propriety, I will briefly divide the temple ordinances here into three major parts written about and discussed extensively elsewhere.

Initiatory Ordinances

Following baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost and priesthood ordinations for men, the initial part of the temple ordinance is initiatory in nature and pertains to preparatory symbolic washings and anointings. These preliminary ordinances are a type and shadow of events yet to come when we have fulfilled our covenant duties to preach the gospel and administer its blessings to our fellowmen. (See Ezekiel 3:18-21; Acts 18:5-6; Jacob 1:19; 2:2; Ether 12:38; D&C 88:81-82).

Endowment

The second part endows God’s children with knowledge and spiritual power if we are faithful to keeping our covenants, and it pertains to the four priesthood keys in order to fulfill our covenant duties. Once admitted to the temple both men and women are freely given these keys of understanding, knowledge and wisdom we will need to regain our full fellowship with God.

Sealings

In the third part God’s children enter into sealing ordinances, the first being the conditional sealing ordinance of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage (see D&C 131:2, 19), that we might someday become kings and queens over our own family kingdoms in eternity IF we remain faithful to our temple covenants.

President Boyd K. Packer

President Boyd K. Packer makes it clear that both the man and the woman are involved together in all these sacred ordinances:

Those who tell you that in the kingdom of God a woman’s lot is less than that of the man know nothing of the love, akin to worship, that the worthy man has for his wife. He cannot have his priesthood, not the fulness of it, without her. “For no man,” the Prophet said, “can get the fulness of the priesthood outside the temple of the Lord” (see D&C 131:1-3). And she is there beside him in that sacred place. She is there and shares in all that he receives. Each, individually, receives the washings and anointings, each may be endowed. But he cannot ascend to the highest ordinances -- the sealing ordinances -- without her at his side. (“The Circle of Sisters,” Ensign, November 1980, 111).

Again, the fullness of the temple ordinance pertains to the second Melchizedek Priesthood key. These things are administered freely to worthy men and women and pertain to the spirit of Elijah and Messiah:

"The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the FULNESS of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth. . ." (TPJS, 337).

"The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Messiah last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Elijah is to come after, holding the keys of power, building the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready; then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all." (TPJS, 340).

In summary, each of the four priesthood keys is administered to men and women through the priesthood. Faith is administered through the priesthood, the preparatory gospel is administered through the priesthood, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, the First Comforter, is administered through the priesthood, and the temple ordinances pertaining to obtaining the blessings of the Second Comforter are administered through the priesthood in the temples.

With Scott Strong years ago, I wrote extensively about the priesthood keys, and have shared it here for anyone who would like a free pdf copy of the book's manuscript.

Salt Lake Temple

 As you prepare to go to the temple, Merilee, recognize that everything you will need to ensure your eternal exaltation in the presence of your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is administered to you there, subject of course, to your faithfulness. All the promised blessings are only efficacious IF we keep our covenants. If we do not, we are promised we will be in Satan's power. (Alma 34:34-35).

In my own extended family I have seen examples of each - those who were faithful and those who were not. I know the promises are true for each. I know we can remain faithful and inherit eternal life. I also know we can reject God and come under Satan's power, even to the destruction of our bodies in the flesh. The temple ordinances are designed to help us love, honor and serve God, sanctify our minds and bodies in this life and prepare ourselves for eternal life.

In the Mountain of the Lord's House (Isaiah 2:2) we receive all the promised blessings conditionally, based upon our individual faithfulness.

Signs of the Times and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

by Harry Anderson

Every year the course curriculum in the Church calls for these two lessons. I've taught both numerous times in my life in the Church. What never seems to disappoint whenever these topics come up is the number of Latter-day Saints who are clueless in their comments. Words like, "The Second Coming could happen any day." Or another favorite: "If we are more righteous, we will hasten the day." Or, "All the signs have been fulfilled, it's just a matter of how much longer the Lord waits."

These days I normally sit back and take it all in. I've all but given up trying to re-position the conversations back to the scriptures. It's just not helpful to the teacher.

Because we've been travelling around to various wards for events involving grandchildren, no one will guess the ward of which I speak here. The instructor opened the Gospel Principles manual, cited the lesson title, then closed that book and opened Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine, and proceeded to read the 51 signs of the times cited therein by the author. He got to number 19 before the time expired.

The pattern continues, much to my dismay. A few weeks ago, same experience. Topic: The Postmortal Spirit World. Approach: Cite the lesson topic, then turn to Duane Crowther and someone (a non-member of the Church), who claimed to have been to the spirit world and back. Amazing.

Only one single scripture was cited in last week's lesson on the Signs of the Second Coming, so let us begin there: "And unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of Man;" (D&C 68:11).

It would have been nice just to get the context of that one isolated verse, but it wasn't to be. The context is that the verse of scripture cited was a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith while the Church was still in its infancy (November 1831) -- only eighteen months after it was organized. It was a call for "all the faithful elders of my church" to be involved in missionary work. It was a clarion call to "Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. And he that believeth shall be blest with signs following, even as it is written." (D&C 68:8-10).

The "signs following" spoken of here include the signs that follow all believers in Jesus Christ -- they emulate the teachings and works of the Savior in their daily walk in discipleship. Those are perhaps the most compelling signs of the times: The miracle of the change of one heart at a time in the midst of all the wickedness is routinely undervalued.

Despite all the wickedness in the world today there are people who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and they not only talk the talk, but they walk the walk. Make no mistake, it is a daily struggle to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It is a daily walk in faith that He was who He said He was -- the Redeemer of Israel who is mighty to save because He alone atoned for our sins. Believing that, His disciples today mirror His image in their countenance. The evidence of the existence of His disciples is everywhere. That's a sign of the times you can take to the bank.

The sequel lesson tomorrow, "The Second Coming of Christ," is the one I get to teach. From the moment Christ was taken up into heaven in the company of many witnesses on the Mount of Olives forty days after He was resurrected, speculation about the timing of His return has abounded. The expectation was chiseled into granite by two angels standing beside the Apostles who queried, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go." (Acts 1:11). All through sacred writings since that moment the anticipation has been that at any moment He could return.

Many years ago I spotted a bumper sticker: "Jesus is coming and he's pissed." It was a six-word memoir before they were even in vogue. The righteous will welcome Him, the wicked will tremble in fear. A Great and a Dreadful Day. Another six-word anomaly.

The lesson tomorrow suggests He will do five specific things when He comes again:

by Del Parson

1. He will cleanse the earth. Whenever something bad happens, people immediately jump to the conclusion that the Savior's return is imminent. I've written before about the reaction to 9/11. Many in our community thought it was the trigger for the much-anticipated Battle of Armageddon. He will come in great power and great glory. There will be no mistaking His identity this time. He will be clothed in garments of red, suggesting He trod the wine press alone, drenched in His own blood for the sins of mankind. (D&C 101:24-25; 133:42-62, also given in November, 1831): "And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat. And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places. And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me; And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart." While artists continue to represent the Savior in white (see above), the scriptures are clear. When He comes again His garments will be stained with the blood of the wicked instead of His own as they were in Gethsemane. (See D&C 19:16-19). "The end of the world," is interpreted to be the "destruction of the wicked." (See JS-M 1:4).

2. He will judge His people. The separation of the sheep from the goats, as foretold in Matthew 25:31-46 and D&C 63:54 will occur. The time for dithering and fence sitting will come to an end in an instant. The separation between the righteous and the wicked will be complete, judgment will be rendered. The same thing happens when we die and go through the veil -- a partial judgment between light and dark, good and evil, and righteousness and wickedness. (See Alma 40:11-14). I suspect the anticipation for the Second Coming on this side of the veil might be akin to the anticipation of the resurrection on the other side. (D&C 138:50). In the destruction, some of the righteous will perish right along with the wicked, suggesting that how we live our lives determines our eternal inheritance, not the timing or whether or not we survive destruction that is coming. (See TPJS, 162).

3. He will usher in the Millennium. For 1,000 years after His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will come to reign upon planet Earth. Those who are alive on the Earth at the time of His coming will be "caught up" (meaning resurrected) to meet Him at His coming. This event is what is described as the "morning of the first resurrection" in sacred places. (See D&C 88:96, a revelation given the day after Christmas, 1832, known as the "olive leaf. . . plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord's message of peace to us"). It is really a continuation of the general resurrection that happened when He became the "first fruits" of the resurrection during his meridian ministry. Then those who have died and been faithful during their mortal probation between the time of His resurrection and the Second Coming, those who have become heirs of the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, will also be "caught up" to meet Him at His coming. In other words, the morning of the first resurrection will be here.

President Brigham Young

President Brigham Young captured the essence of what will be happening during the Millennium in these words:

In the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established on the earth in power, glory and perfection, and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued, the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their temples, and of entering into them, becoming, as it were, pillars in the temples of God [see Revelation 3:12], and they will officiate for their dead. Then we will see our friends come up, and perhaps some that we have been acquainted with here. If we ask who will stand at the head of the resurrection in this last dispensation, the answer is — Joseph Smith, Junior, the Prophet of God. He is the man who will be resurrected and receive the keys of the resurrection, and he will seal this authority upon others, and they will hunt up their friends and resurrect them when they shall have been officiated for, and bring them up. And we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them. Then man will be sealed to man until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene. (Discourses of Brigham Young, 116).

4. He will complete the First Resurrection. As we mentioned above, there is a specific order to resurrection. The faithful come forth from the graves first. (See D&C 88:97-98). The wicked who are destroyed at His coming remain in their graves until the end of the Millennium. Why? So they may have every possible opportunity to accept and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ and to repent fully of their sins. It is the merciful part of "the great plan of happiness." The keys of resurrection will be in the hands of faithful patriarchal heads to each family. Who more than they would want to allow for every chance for their posterity to accept and embrace the gospel? All of our Heavenly Father's children will be given ample chances to see things as they really are, and to pierce the fogs of deception that have held them bound. This quote from Gospel Principles (p. 260) sums up:

"After Jesus Christ rose from the dead, other righteous people who had died were also resurrected. They appeared in Jerusalem and also on the American continent. (See Matthew 27:52–53; 3 Nephi 23:9–10).This was the beginning of the First Resurrection. Some people have been resurrected since then. Those who already have been resurrected and those who will be resurrected at the time of His coming will all inherit the glory of the celestial kingdom (see D&C 76:50–70).

"After the resurrection of those who will inherit celestial glory, another group will be resurrected: those who will receive a terrestrial glory. [I suggest the word "after" is when they are "ready" and not before, perhaps also as long as at the end of the Millennium, having settled their eternal station in their own minds and their righteous fathers before them having done all they could to affect the outcome in love, persuasion and long-suffering]. When all these people have been resurrected, the First Resurrection will be completed.

"The wicked who are living at the time of the Second Coming of the Lord will be destroyed in the flesh. They, along with the wicked who are already dead, will have to wait until the last resurrection. All of the remaining dead will rise to meet God. They will either inherit the telestial kingdom or be cast into outer darkness with Satan (see D&C 76:32–33, 81–112, emphasis mine)."

5. He will take His rightful place as King of heaven and earth. The "intrigues between the nations," all the "wars and rumors of wars" were all foreseen in a revelation on Christmas Day, 1832, known as D&C 87. We learn "with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations." (Emphasis mine). It is a worthy goal to pray for "peace on earth," but there will be no peace on earth until He comes again. Peace has been taken from the earth because of the unrighteous exercise of moral agency among the inhabitants. When Christ comes again He will come in triumphant glory to rule and reign, a complete reversal of His first birth in an obscure manger in Bethlehem. He will come this time as "Lord of lords, and King of kings." The epic words of Handel's Messiah, taken from Revelation 17:14, will finally be fulfilled: "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6).

It is almost a "rite of passage" for members of the Church to speculate on the timing of the Second Coming. I know it was a passion of mine at one point in my life. When one is immersed in the study of the Word, it seems events could be accelerated and timing could be imminent. However, age, experience and hopefully some acquired wisdom along the way tempers such pursuits about timetables. I know I have been tempered in my life.

President Boyd K. Packer

We need look no further than the most recent General Conference to the words of the chief Apostle today, President Boyd K. Packer, for a clue about the timing of the Second Coming. Said he,

Sometimes you might be tempted to think as I did from time to time in my youth: “The way things are going, the world’s going to be over with. The end of the world is going to come before I get to where I should be.” Not so! You can look forward to doing it right — getting married, having a family, seeing your children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren. ("Counsel to Youth," Boyd K. Packer).

I would add one more valuable perspective for your consideration from President Lorenzo Snow, who stood in the Tabernacle over 100 years ago to open the 70th Annual General Conference. It was the first conference after the turn of the century in 1900, and it culminated a period of great trial and tribulation for the Church. Total Church membership then was approaching 300,000, with the majority of those members living in Utah.

President Lorenzo Snow

On Friday, April 6, 1900, President Snow said: “The Lord has prospered us amazingly, and we are doing large things at the present time. . .  Now that we are approaching our seventy-first year, the Lord expects that we will do something — something that will cause the nations to marvel, as what we have done has caused them already to wonder.”

Then this thought-provoking statement: “Now, Latter-day Saints, how is it with us? We have received the Gospel. We have received the kingdom of God, established on the earth. We have had trouble; we have been persecuted. We were driven from Ohio; we were driven from Missouri; we were driven from Nauvoo; and once we were driven for a time from this beautiful city. Many have lost thousands of dollars; lost their homes and all they had, and some of the brethren have seen their wives and children lay down their lives because of the hardships they had to experience. . . The people have looked with astonishment at the willingness of the Latter-day Saints to suffer these things. Why do we do this? . . . What is it that enables us to endure these persecutions and still rejoice?”

President Snow then answered his own question. I suggest his answer still reverberates in the hearts of all true disciples over 100 years later: “It is because we have had revelations from the Almighty; because He has spoken to us in our souls and has given to us the Holy Ghost. . .  This Church will stand, because it is upon a firm basis. It is not from man; it is not from the study of the New Testament or the Old Testament; it is not the result of the learning that we received in colleges nor seminaries, but it has come directly from the Lord. The Lord has shown it to us by the revealing principle of the Holy Spirit of light and every man can receive this same spirit.” (Conference Report, April 1900, 2–3, emphasis mine).

President Gordon B. Hinckley

President Gordon B. Hinckley, while touring the missions and stakes in Africa, made this assertion in 1998: "It isn't who we are and where we live. It is our attitude, our love and testimony, our faith and our conviction that make a difference in turning membership in this great and sacred Church."

He said that the membership [of the Church] will grow, "where there are now hundreds, there will be thousands, there will be tens of thousands. This gospel is true; it will spread over the earth.

"With 10 million members we've only begun. We've barely scratched the surface of what will come. I haven't the slightest doubt of that." (As reported 02/28/98 by John L. Hart, Church News staff writer, emphasis mine).

The take away from today's post? I hope it is this: You have time to live your lives in faith and anticipation for the Second Coming in the spirit of hope. There is still much to do before that day comes. So much, in fact, that it is a very long list of unfulfilled events waiting to transpire as we build Zion together.

Mormon eschatology is (or should be) clearly defined in our minds with no uncertainty.

Captured Prisoners and Triumphant Atonement

Matters of life and death have preoccupied me lately, and no, I'm not speaking about the future of America here. I am guessing the hearts and minds of many parents and brothers and sisters are weighed down with the burdens they carry for the sins of their family members.

I hope I can begin to offer more light and hope to such in this post.

The Great Plan of Salvation

The great plan of salvation, synonymous in The Book of Mormon as "the plan of redemption," "the plan of mercy," "the plan of happiness," "the great plan of our God," (see Alma 42), involves more than merely hoping for someday "being in a better place." In the covenant relationship there is work involved on our part too. However, when one we love was incapable of doing the work required here, let us be assured that life continues beyond the veil.

I don't know how many times we heard, "He's in a better place now," in the final farewells to my brother Drew, but they were many. However, the scriptures are clear on this point regarding our works in the flesh when we depart from this life:

Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection — Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil — for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house — and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.
. . . there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works. (Alma 40:11-14; 21, emphasis mine).

In that merciful "space" we know as the spirit world there is agency, progression, repentance and continuation beyond the grave. A better place? Perhaps, but there is only hope commensurate with the desires of one's heart, and that's a piece of judgment that is hard for us to measure. I would bet most of us desire to do better than we do. We know better, but we are routinely subject to the desires of the "natural man," aren't we? (See Mosiah 3:19). Works can be seen, but desires of the heart are God's business, as the Lord makes clear in D&C 137:9: "For I, the Lord will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."

On one occasion some years ago, we joined together as a family and cast out some evil spirits who were still habitating a home. It was pretty obvious some dark happenings had occurred there, and when we cast them out one in the group asked, "Dad, when you cast out evil spirits where do they go?" It was a good question, and as I thought about it the answer seemed obvious. Lost and disembodied spirits whose tendencies were to do evil during their mortal probation could be invited to seek out the missionaries in the spirit world who have the fulness of the gospel to teach. Since then, that's what I've done -- invited the evil spirits to learn the gospel. I'm not certain what that would mean for unembodied spirits, but I suspect disembodied spirits who are looking for truth can be helped on the other side. For these reasons, I suspect the spirits of those who chose to do good are the missionaries and those who chose to do evil are the investigators. In order for that work to proceed in the spirit world, there is little doubt they would interact with each other.

President Lorenzo Snow

President Lorenzo Snow offered this bit of consolation and insight into the condition of the souls of our family members who may stray in this life:

"God has fulfilled his promises to us, and our prospects are grand and glorious. Yes, in the next life we will have our wives, and our sons and daughters. If we do not get them all at once, we will have them some time, for every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. You that are mourning about your children straying away will have your sons and your daughters. If you succeed in passing through these trials and afflictions and receive a resurrection, you will, by the power of the Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God has, until you get all your sons and daughters in the path of exaltation and glory. This is just as sure as that the sun rose this morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn not because all your sons and daughters do not follow in the path that you have marked out to them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, and as kings and priests to our God, we will save our posterity. . . . God will have His own way in His own time, and He will accomplish His purposes in the salvation of His sons and daughters. . . . God bless you, brethren and sisters. Do not be discouraged is the word I wish to pass to you; but remember that righteousness and joy in the Holy Ghost is what you and I have the privilege of possessing at all times." (Lorenzo Snow, General Conference address given 6 October 1893, as quoted in Collected Discourses, 4 vols., comp. Brian H. Stuy [Sandy, Ut.: BHS Publishing, 1987], 3:364-65, emphasis mine).

We have before us the teachings of Amulek, who reminds us the same spirit or disposition we have in this life will be with us in the world to come (see Alma 34:31-35). Continuing in an evil addicted course would make it incredibly difficult to change, especially when the body and spirit are separated at death. But I would ask is it impossible? Too often, I believe, we tend to deny another the opportunity to change, but we all know people who do change here. Why would they be unable to change hereafter in the spirit world?

President Joseph F. Smith

During the past couple of weeks, I've been thinking and pondering, praying and reading about President Joseph F. Smith's vision of the post-mortal spirit world. I've been imagining how "the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel." I believe that word "all" is instructive.

Then I thought about this verse: "Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets." (D&C 138:31-32; emphasis mine). That's descriptive and non-restrictive.

This same principle is echoed in the words of President Wilford Woodruff: "I tell you when the prophets and apostles go to preach to those who are shut up in prison, thousands of them will there embrace the Gospel. They know more in that world than they do here." (Joseph F. Smith, "In the Presence of the Divine," as quoted in Messages of the First Presidency, 5:6-7; emphasis added).

I've thought about so many like Drew, weighed down by challenges and crosses, circumstances, injuries inflicted by others' abuse of agency, wrenching and difficult life situations that only God can see and comprehend. That is true of members of the Church as well as non-members without distinction. Our spectrum of knowledge of the true facts in people's lives is so limited. We see and smell with our senses what is obvious; the sweet aroma of cigarette smoke on someone's breath, drunken behavior, drug abuse and a thousand other behavioral shortcomings, but few if any of us know the back story.

Why does a person become addicted? Why do some reject the gospel? Why does a child rebel and stray from home? Can we discern accurately? Are we in a position to pass appropriate judgment and close the doors to future recovery and reconciliation? Any drug rehabilitation expert will tell you about the high recidivism rates among those they treat on this side of the veil. Could we hope for better results in the spirit world.?

I have been reconsidering my perspective over the years as I have witnessed the breakage in so many lives of good people. Based upon my personal observations and the word of scriptures and prophets, I believe when a person passes through the veil of death, one who has a sincere desire to rise above wickedness but was tormented by his sins in this life, they will see things differently and more accurately than they ever did here. All the impediments and challenges and crosses to bear that were beyond one's power to control — sexual abuse, drug addiction, neglect, immoral environment, false traditions of the fathers, etc. — all of it will dissolve. Then perhaps they shall, as President Woodruff suggested, see and feel things that they could not see and feel before. Remember, these spirits may be as old as this universe, (2.555 billion years, said Joseph), and to think our performance in this brief mortal probation is the only accurate data point in our eternal existence makes reason stare.

President Boyd K. Packer

President Boyd K. Packer offered this contemporary insight:

"It is a great challenge to raise a family in the darkening mists of our moral environment. We emphasize that the greatest work you will do will be within the walls of your home, (see Harold B. Lee, in CR, April 1973, 130) and that 'no other success can compensate for failure in the home.' (See David O. McKay, in CR, April 1935, 116). The measure of our success as parents, however, will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that now is not possible.
"It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons and daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should. It is my conviction that those wicked influences one day will be overruled. . . .
"We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them." (Boyd K. Packer, in CR, April 1992, 94-95).

While it is true Satan captures many prisoners these days in the battles for the souls of men, he will one day be overthrown and the captives will be set free. Jacob tells us about the ultimate victory:

Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him.
For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement — save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.
And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.
O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. (2 Nephi 9:5-10, emphasis mine).

Salvation, Exaltation, Eternal Life

Throughout the scriptures the various prophets have set forth repeatedly what it means to be "saved" and how men and women may qualify for exaltation or eternal life.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith taught:  "Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet." (TPJS, 297).

He said on another occasion: "Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies; for until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. A knowledge of the priesthood alone will do this." (TPJS, 305).

In his Seventh Lecture on Faith, the Prophet Joseph taught:

"As all the visible creation is an effect of faith, so is salvation also — we mean salvation in its most extensive latitude of interpretation, whether it is temporal or spiritual. In order to have this subject clearly set before the mind, let us ask what situation must a person be in in order to be saved? or what is the difference between a saved man and one who is not saved? We answer, from what we have before seen of the heavenly worlds, they must be persons who can work by faith and who are able, by faith, to be ministering spirits to them who shall be heirs of salvation; and they must have faith to enable them to act in the presence of the Lord, otherwise they cannot be saved. And what constitutes the real difference between a saved person and one not saved is — the difference in the degree of their faith — one's faith has become perfect enough to lay hold upon eternal life, and the other's has not. But to be a little more particular, let us ask — Where shall we find a prototype into whose likeness we may be assimilated, in order that we may be made partakers of life and salvation? or, in other words, where shall we find a saved being? for if we can find a saved being, we may ascertain without much difficulty what all others must be in order to be saved. We think that it will not be a matter of dispute, that two beings who are unlike each other cannot both be saved; for whatever constitutes the salvation of one will constitute the salvation of every creature which will be saved; and if we find one saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be, or else not be saved. We ask, then, where is the prototype? or where is the saved being? We conclude, as to the answer of this question, there will be no dispute among those who believe the bible, that it is Christ: all will agree in this, that he is the prototype or standard of salvation; or, in other words, that he is a saved being. And if we should continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved? the answer would be — because he is a just and holy being; and if he were anything different from what he is he would not be saved; for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else; for if it were possible for him to change, in the least degree, so sure he would fail of salvation and lose all his dominion, power, authority and glory, which constitute salvation; for salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses and in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one like him. Thus says John, in his first epistle, third chapter, second and third verses: 'Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' Why purify themselves as he is pure? Because if they do not they cannot be like him. . .

"These teachings of the Saviour most clearly show unto us the nature of salvation, and what he proposed unto the human family when he proposed to save them — that he proposed to make them like unto himself, and he was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings; and for any portion of the human family to be assimilated into their likeness is to be saved; and to be unlike them is to be destroyed; and on this hinge turns the door of salvation." (Lectures on Faith 7:9, 16, emphasis mine).

This is but one sample of the use of this word "salvation." In virtually all cases (there are only a few exceptions), salvation is synonymous with the words eternal life, exaltation, and eternal lives. Consider more examples:

In Alma 11:40, Amulek instructs: "And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else." 

In D&C 6:13, we read: "If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation."

In D&C 14:7, this passage: "And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."

If Joseph Smith meant to tell us something different than the precise usage of the words he used, he easily could have done it. Almost always, salvation and eternal life are equated; they are the same.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated:

"We are ofttimes prone to create artificial distinctions, to say that salvation means one thing and exaltation another, to suppose that salvation means to be resurrected, but that exaltation or eternal life is something in addition thereto. It is true that there are some passages of scripture that use salvation in a special and limited sense in order to give an overall perspective of the plan of salvation that we would not otherwise have. (2 Nephi 9:1-27; D&C 76:40-49; 132:15-17). These passages show the difference between general or universal salvation that consists of coming forth from the grave in immortality, and specific or individual salvation that consists of an inheritance in the celestial kingdom. All men will be resurrected and all men (except the sons of perdition) will thus be saved from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment. But only those who keep the commandments will "be raised [both] in immortality [and] unto eternal life." (D&C 29:43).

"Since it is the prophetic purpose to lead men to full salvation in the highest heaven of the celestial world, when they speak and write about salvation, almost without exception, they mean eternal life or exaltation. They use the terms salvation, exaltation, and eternal life as synonyms, as words that mean exactly the same thing without any difference, distinction, or variance whatever. Thus Amulek says that 'no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven,' and then asks: 'How can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven?' He teaches that men 'cannot be saved' in their sins; that Christ will come to 'take upon him the transgression of those who believe on his name;' and that 'these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.' Having thus spoken of the salvation which the saints seek, he also says: 'The wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death,' meaning they shall come forth in immortality. (Alma 11:37-41). Thus all men — except the sons of perdition who are cast out into an eternal hell — are saved, in that they become immortal and go to a telestial or terrestrial inheritance, but only those who believe and obey become inheritors of that celestial rest which the whole body of revealed writ speaks of as salvation." (The Promised Messiah, 129).

As we recognize our fallen condition and humble ourselves, we claim the merits of Christ's perfection in our covenant relationship. The brother of Jared understood perfectly and speaks of his weaknesses in the flesh because of his fallen condition: "O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires." (Ether 3:2).

Aaron taught these truths to King Lamoni  in Alma 22:13-14: "And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all whosoever would believe on his name. And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king."

If The Book of Mormon is ever accused of being anything, it should be accused of being "The Book of Deliverance," preaching nothing but the merits of Christ's atonement and His mercy and patience.

Abinadi challenged the priests of wicked King Noah's court with the question about how salvation comes. He asked them was it by the law of Moses? And then answered his own question in Mosiah 13:27-28:  "And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses. And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses."

Elder Bruce R. McConkie offers this explanation: "Now let us suppose a modern case. Suppose we have the scriptures, the gospel, the priesthood, the Church, the ordinances, the organization, even the keys of the kingdom — everything that now is, down to the last jot and tittle — and yet there is no atonement of Christ. What then? Can we be saved? Will all our good works save us? Will we be rewarded for all our righteousness?
"Most assuredly we will not. We are not saved by works alone, no matter how good; we are saved because God sent his Son to shed his blood in Gethsemane and on Calvary that all through him might ransomed be. We are saved by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20).
"To paraphrase Abinadi: 'Salvation doth not come by the Church alone; and were it not for the atonement, given by the grace of God as a free gift, all men must unavoidably perish, and this notwithstanding the Church and all that appertains to it.'" (Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie, 76).

The Apostle Paul reminds us, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:10-14, emphasis mine).

On occasions like Drew's funeral, we are reminded with a token down payment where we are transported momentarily and given a glimpse of the glories of eternity that lie ahead, that we are the "purchased possessions of Christ" when we claim Him as our Redeemer. Salvation is in Christ, which is eternal life and exaltation. There are few requirements beyond our best efforts to live the gospel, keep the commandments, repent when we don't, serve others and live so we may someday be comfortable in His presence. The truth is we are already in His presence, we just can't see Him (see D&C 38:7-8).

President Brigham Young

In the meantime, while we continue to toil here below, a word of counsel from Brigham Young in conclusion:

"It is present salvation and the present influence of the Holy Ghost that we need every day to keep us on saving ground. When an individual refuses to comply with the further requirements of Heaven, then the sins he had formerly committed return upon his head; his former righteousness departs from him, and is not accounted to him for righteousness: but if he had continued in righteousness and obedience to the requirements of heaven, he is saved all the time, through baptism, the laying on of hands, and obeying the commandments of the Lord and all that is required of him by the heavens — the living oracles. He is saved now, next week, next year, and continually, and is prepared for the celestial kingdom of God whenever the time comes for him to inherit it.
"I want present salvation. I preach, comparatively, but little about the eternities and Gods, and their wonderful works in eternity; and do not tell who first made them, nor how they were made; for I know nothing about that. Life is for us, and it is for us to receive it today, and not wait for the millennium. Let us take a course to be saved today, and, when evening comes, review the acts of the day, repent of our sins, if we have any to repent of, and say our prayers; then we can lie down and sleep in peace until the morning, arise with gratitude to God, commence the labours of another day, and strive to live the whole day to God and nobody else." (JD, 8:124-5).

Four Simple Ideas for the Unemployed

It seems a worthy topic for a Labor Day weekend, when the national unemployment numbers took another upward tick last week. 

In our voluntary assignment at the Employment Resource Center, we see again and again the principles of pure religion playing out in welfare service in 2010. 

The earliest foundations of the Welfare Plan of the Church were laid in 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression.  Harold B. Lee, a young stake president (age 32 when he was called) in the Pioneer Stake, is often credited with the earliest experiments to help his unemployed adult male population.  But there was never any doubt in his mind where the inspiration came from to create the Welfare Plan.

In his journal, under date of April 20, 1935, Harold B. Lee records: 

"I was called into the office of the First Presidency, where with President Heber J. Grant and President David O. McKay (President Clark then being in the East, but they had had some communications with him so that all members of the Presidency were in agreement) I discussed the relief situation in the Church and various methods of handling the same. President Grant said he wanted to take a 'leaf out of Pioneer Stake's book' in caring for the people of the Church. He expressed dissatisfaction with the then existent program of social service investigations. He said that there was nothing more important for the Church to do than to take care of its needy people and that so far as he was concerned, every thing else must be sacrificed [so that] proper relief [could be] extended to our people. I was astounded to learn that for years there had been before them, as a result of their thinking and planning and as a result of the inspiration of Almighty God, the genius of the very plan that was waiting and in preparation for a time when, in their judgment, the faith of the Latter-day Saints was such that they were willing to follow the counsel of the men who lead and preside in this Church. My humble place in this program at that time was described."

Many years later, when he himself was President of the Church in 1972, Harold B. Lee described what happened to him after that meeting by quoting further from his journal to the assembled General Priesthood meeting:

"I left the First Presidency's Office about noontime with an assignment to work out a program of relief for the entire Church based upon my experience with the relief problem in the Pioneer Stake, where perhaps the greatest problem of unemployment in the entire Church was to be found.
"Almost in a daze with the magnitude of this assignment over powering me, I drove my car up to the head of City Creek Canyon into what was then called Rotary Park, where I could meditate and determine upon a course that would realize the objective that had been set for me by the Presidency. After I had driven my car as far as I could, I got out and walked up through the trees. seeking a secluded spot, where I knelt in prayer and sought the guidance of an all-wise God in this mighty undertaking. I told the Lord to guide me to conclusions dictated by his will, and that, for the safety and blessing of his people, I must have his direction. "As I kneeled down, my petition was: 'What kind of an organization should be set up in order to accomplish what the Presidency has assigned?'
"Having sought my Heavenly Father, I sat down to pore over this matter, wondering about an organization to be perfected to carry on this work. There came to me on that glorious spring afternoon one of the most heavenly realizations of the power of the priesthood of God, that God had already revealed the greatest organization that could ever be given to mankind and that all that was needed now was that that organization be set to work. It was as though some thing were saying to me: 'There is no new organization necessary to take care of the needs of this people. All that is necessary is to put the priesthood of God to work. There is nothing else that you need as a substitute, and if you use it the temporal welfare of the Latter-day Saints will be safeguarded.'"

 If you are not reminded of those simple beginnings, you may be oblivious to the fulfillment going on around you today.  The priesthood of God is fully engaged.  The leadership of the Church has given the direction in our day about what we should be doing.  As never before, we are living in a volunteer Church.  We are serving one another, loving one another as we never have to answer the extremities in which we find ourselves financially and economically.  There are no government programs needed today, just as there were none needed in the 1930s when the Welfare Plan was launched.

Some of the "founding fathers" who were on the scene attest to its divine origins through the First Presidency of the Church at the time, Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark and David O. McKay:

"With the inspiration of this movement attested to by such witnesses as coming from divine sources, any Latter-day Saint who believes in the principle of continuous revelation cannot fail to heed the call of the prophets 'to set up a system where the evils of the dole will be abolished and where independence, thrift, industry, and self-respect can again be established among our people.'" (Heber J. Grant, October, 1936; "Church Security" by Harold B. Lee, as quoted in The Church Welfare Plan, by Henry D. Taylor, 37).

"I never heard President Grant say that he had seen the Master, that he had seen the Father, or that he had heard a voice about the welfare plan. But that does not mean that he did not have a revelation. . .
"But there is still another way in which revelation comes, and that way is through the ministrations of the Holy Ghost. . . Now I say unto you, that that kind of revelation, revelation of the Holy Ghost, did come to President Grant. Not only in this case, but in others. And through that revelation, inspiration if you wish to call it, from the Holy Ghost, President Grant launched this great welfare plan."  (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in an address to the Central Utah Welfare Regional Meeting at Brigham Young University, August 3, 1951).

"That Church Security Plan has not come up as a mushroom over night. It is the result of inspiration, and that inspiration has come from the Lord. . . Those who have selfishness in their hearts would like to see it fail, but it is not going to fail."  (David O. McKay at a meeting of the Salt Lake Region, February, 1937).

"I believe I have heard almost all the objections which have been raised against it, and also the labored arguments in justification for not living it. As I have listened to these objections and arguments, I have been painfully aware of the dull spirit in which they have been urged. . .  I believe I have made a rather complete study and I now testify to you that I do know beyond any doubt, by the same power that Peter knew that Jesus is the Christ, that the Church Welfare Plan in its inception was and now is inspired of the Lord; and that the great principles implemented by it are eternal truths, which the saints of God must abide if they are to purify and perfect themselves as the Lord has commanded." (Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, October 1945, 156).

The Lord's will had been made known and he had raised up the man to help solve the oppressive problems of the Saints. That Harold B. Lee was a magnificent innovator and a spiritually directed master organizer is abundantly attested by Church history, and those gifts were especially well-illustrated by his part in the development of the Church Welfare Plan.  But it was the leadership of the First Presidency, and their unflagging support that was key to its ultimate launch and subsequent development. 

Today, we are eyewitnesses of the law of consecration in action, as originally envisioned.

In 2010, there are still some misguided ideas about how things work in the Church's Welfare Plan.  Whether you are unemployed yourself or you know someone who is, here are four simple ideas to assist you:

1.  The Employment Resource Center teaches self-reliance in the job search. 

I am still surprised when people call me or e-mail me because they've heard I'm the guy with jobs at the Church.  They want me to hook them up with a job, tell them where to go to find it, and introduce them to all the people I know who are hiring.  I wish it were that easy and sometimes I wish it were true that I know all those people, but it isn't quite that simple.  Instead, the Church has prepared a marvelous resource called the Profession Career Workshop, a two-day revelatory experience designed to reveal the job seeker's skills and strengths to themselves.  Introspection, self-examination, and personal revelation are the key elements of the workshop.  Remember, no law the Lord has given is temporal, not even the job search:  "Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created. Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual."  (D&C 29:34-35).  For non-professionals without college degrees, the Career Workshop is likewise outlined in the same way with similar principles but different applications.  The job seeker is shown tools to develop power statements, resumes, and cutting-edge suggestions about how to find a job in today's unadvertised job market.  It is powerful and it works, but it is powerful because it reignites the job seeker in his own individual search, not because it hands them a job without effort on their part.

2.  Network or don't work. 

The Church provides the forum for a weekly association with other job seekers.  When I first attended, it resembled what seemed to me to be an AA meeting, everyone standing momentarily and giving something called "Me in 30 Seconds," and I was first amused, then engaged by it, then fully immersed in helping others around me connect with resources I knew with whom I was connecting them.  There is something very counter-intuitive about networking with people out of work to find work.  But a room full of out-of-work people who are seeking employment and having interviews on a regular basis is a very fertile field, it turns out, because they know people with whom they have networked and interviewed who know people who know others who know people who are hiring.  It may be counter-intuitive, but it works, and we provide that opportunity weekly on Monday morings at 8:00 a.m. at the LDS Business College for unemployed professionals who are serious about their job search.  Ours is only one of many networking meetings across the Wasatch Front from Logan to St. George on every day of the week in other centers.  There are 322 Employment Resource Centers worldwide doing the same things.  Find a meeting near you at the local Employment Resource Center, and learn for yourselves the power of networking into your next job.

3.  Support each other in your ward. 

Find out what services or products are being sold by others in your own wards.  Buy from those people you know in your wards and stakes.  If you are remodeling your home or building out your basement, look for people you can employ in your own neighborhood, rather than getting bids from strangers.  If your car needs repairs, turn to a mechanic in the ward.  Support each other, and sustain those who are either underemployed or unemployed.  It's always astounding to me how we come together each week on Sunday in a three-hour block of religious meetings, but few of us know the occupations of our ward members.  We know them only on a superficial level of Brother or Sister so-and-so.  Do you know what everyone does for a living in your ward?  Have you asked them for their help?  Or are you still suffering under the worn-out stigma that unemployment is a condition akin to adultery and unemployed people must have some kind of sickness or illness that is taboo and should to be avoided like one who has leprosy?  It was King Benjamin who offered valuable insight:  Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just — But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Mosiah 4:17-19).

4.  Bear one another's burdens. 

A week ago in our ward, Patsy and I presented a fifth-Sunday combined priesthood and Relief Society lesson about our mission and what we are doing to assist others find work.  I asked for a show of hands at the end in response to the question, "How many of you have family members who have lost their employment in the last two years?"  Nearly every hand in the audience went up.  This week several told me they have encouraged others in their family to contact me and learn more.  That's good.  It's exactly how it happened for me last year.  I told our ward members to go to http://www.ldsjobs.org/ and pass that website along to everyone they know who is looking for work, whether a member of the Church or not.  We are in an economic debacle right now that is NOT the fault of those who have been affected by its ravages.  Companies in survival mode have been laying off people routinely.  I have met many who are in their late 50s or early 60s who are out of work for the first time in their lives.  Company layoff decisions are not always fair.  In fact, they are rarely fair, since there is no such thing as "fair" in this life.  Several senior executives I have met have years of experience, but they represented high-priced salaries on the balance sheet that had to be jetisoned so their companies could survive.  Their jobs were eliminated to cut costs, in some cases only months within full vesting in their retirement pensions, and to say it was their "fault" for losing their jobs is grossly inaccurate.  As I have said before, sometimes there are no good answers to the "Why?" questions.  Some things just happen.  Instead of judging another's circumstances harshly in today's economy, we need to seek ways to bear one another's burdens.  Often all that is needed is a kind word, a friendly smile, and an accepting heart filled with encouragement and love unfeigned. 

President Thomas S. Monson suggested the antidote for our own suffering, when he said recently: 

The Apostle Paul admonished, “By love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13).  Recall with me the familiar words of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”  (Mosiah 2:17).
The Savior taught His disciples, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”  (Luke 9:24).
I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish — and in effect save their lives.  (President Thomas S. Monson, “What Have I Done for Someone Today?,” Ensign, November 2009, 84–87).

We are living in a day, perhaps as never before, when the law of consecration is very much in evidence, at least in the circles in which I travel.  I saw a young man the other day at our networking meeting who was engaging several of the participants with names and contact information of people he knew they should be talking to.  Two of our employers, recent graduates of the program, were there as recruiters for the companies they represent now. 

The ripples in the pond of helping and sustaining one another in consecrated service are widening. 

We are still seeing new people at our meetings who have never been there before.  Each week we greet about twenty-five or thirty new participants who have heard about what we do through word of mouth principally, sometimes from bishops, ward employment specialists, or friends who have come and then told them about it.  In each case, it takes extraordinary faith and courage to show up bright and early on Monday morning dressed in a shirt and tie or Sunday bandbox best for the women.  They are conducting their job search with faith and diligence, following the prescribed path the leaders of the Church have felt inspired to set forward for our day and time.  There is one pragmatic and proven reason:  It works!

We often see people who are not of our faith who come nevertheless because they have been assured they will find what they are looking for, and without cost to them.  About half the people who found employment through applying the program to their job search were not members of our Church last year.  While the unemployment numbers are still high nationwide, we are blessed here in Utah, as I have said before.  Our unemployment numbers are lower than the national average, and there are ample opportunities for those who are willing to put in the work to find the work they are seeking.

There are many in our program who voluntarily assist the job seeker, folks who themselves are looking for work.  The authenticity of the program is in clear evidence to those who come.  These are seasoned professionals who know whereof they speak because they are in the thick of it shoulder to shoulder with those they serve.

I've always loved what President Lorenzo Snow said:  “When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1899, 2–3).

Please take note:  These simple suggestions from prophets are in stark contrast to the TRILLIONS of dollars being squandered in Washington D.C. today.  The problem with having prophets among us is they are too simplistic, too humble, too true.

Only a conniving politician would attempt to give a convoluted and contorted explanation as the justification for the plethora of spending bills we are told are absolutely essential to our economic survival.  BIGGER AND BIGGER GOVERNMENT BORROWING TRILLIONS IS NOT THE ANSWER.

But a living prophet, like his predecessors, has the antidote.  He says, "Go find somebody to serve."

It's just way too simple.  I am a witness, however, that simple is good. . .  and it works.