Conflict and Peace

Note: This and the previous writing should be considered in tandem.

For more than three decades, I was privileged to teach an array of courses in which the subjects of war, peace, and diplomacy were integral topics. The struggle between the alternatives of war and peace is almost as old as written history itself. The art of diplomacy entered as a player in this competition with the rise of the nation-state system in early modern times and in its traditional form was successful in maintaining the peace on many occasions. Now early in the twenty-first century, noteworthy diplomatic successes are apparently on the wane, and the increased insecurity among the nation-states is resulting in a world experiencing heightened tensions and growing incidents of conflict and war.

This situation is consistent with scriptural prophecies pertaining to the last days. Consider one: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:6-13).

We live in that day as prophesied when nations and kingdoms have risen against their enemies to such an extent that wars in differing forms are being waged in every major portion of our world. Wars based on legal declarations are seemingly a thing of the past. Rarely does a nation or smaller political entity involved in a conflict today admit to being the aggressor. It is apparently more politically justifiable and morally satisfying for a nation or party to claim that it is fighting from a defensive stance. Of course, the opposition is portraying a similar position to its citizens and to the world community in the hopes of gaining domestic and international support for its cause. Almost always, not being branded the aggressive party is the intent of this ruse.

The Lord’s expressed will to His prophets both in Book of Mormon and in modern times is that offensive war or aggression is unjustifiable before Him. The armies of Alma and Moroni were taught God’s will that “[i]nasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies” (Alma 43:46). Thus they were justified in defending their families, lands, country, rights and religion (Alma 43:47) but were “never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives” (Alma 48:14). For a time, the Prophet Mormon refused to command the Nephite army because of its firmness of determination to take aggressive action against its enemy, the Lamanites (Mormon 3:9-11). The Saints in Missouri were unsuccessful in establishing Zion because of their disobedience to God’s will, and so they brought down upon their heads the wrath of God. Their response to the resulting persecution by their enemies was to begin looking for opportunities to retaliate. The Lord’s counsel to them was to “renounce war and proclaim peace” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:16). Not many verses later, the Lord outlined the very limited conditions upon which even defensive action has been justifiable to Him historically (D&C 98:32-38).

There is no national government in the world today that is seeking to do the will of the one true God in fact, and that does not bode well for the membership of His world-wide Church. We are no longer a relatively small band of Saints taking shelter from the abuses of our government in the shadows of the Wasatch Mountains. Our members are to be found in ever-increasing numbers in nations across the face of the earth. As more and more governments stray further and further from the principles of the gospel and God’s will as to the proper relationships that should exist among His children, the disparity in actions and beliefs between the righteous and the unrighteous will become more and more difficult for the righteous to reconcile. For as the Lord told the Saints who failed in Missouri, “when the wicked rule the people mourn” (D&C 98:9).

Looking to the last days, the Lord told His disciples in the Holy Land that some future Saints would be afflicted and killed by their enemies (Matthew 24:9). Thousands of Saints who lived earlier in this dispensation suffered those fates. We may take heart that most of our membership appears to be at least tolerated if not accepted or possibly even well received by their neighbors today, but what does the future hold for us, His Saints, given that we live in such desperately varied social, economic, and political circumstances scattered as we are as a minority among the world’s national and tribal populations?

Given the increasing wickedness upon the earth, we have little hope in the long run that the governments of the world will switch courses on their own and begin adhering to God’s will for His children. We must prepare ourselves as best we can for whatever trouble may come our way. Consistent with these circumstances, we ought to pray for patience in dealing with those who would do us personal harm. When the Saints in Missouri failed to establish Zion as they were commanded to do, the Lord explained why they were persecuted. They had not followed the Lord’s commandments and their leaders’ directions. Therefore, they were not worthy of His protection (D&C 101:1-8). In times ahead when worsening conditions may become more prevalent and some members of His Church may find themselves under personal duress, we may hope that they will have taken to heart the experiences of the Saints who lived in the Americas during Book of Mormon times as well as those who lived in nineteenth-century Missouri. God expects us to place our trust in Him and not upon an arm of flesh (2 Nephi 4:34).

There is no reason to hope that peace will reign generally on this earth at any future time until the wicked are destroyed at the Lord’s coming as He ushers in the Millennium. But we Saints should understand that peace is possible now within ourselves as well as within our families and the expanding Kingdom of God. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Why The Book of Mormon?

Note: This writing and the one to follow should be considered in tandem.

The purposes of the Book of Mormon set forth on its title page were written by the Prophet Moroni. An incomplete listing of these purposes might include the following: First, to inform the Lamanites living in our generation that they are a “remnant of the house of Israel.” Second, to convince both Jews and Gentiles in the last days that “Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.” Third, to affirm that the Savior “manifest[s] himself unto all nations.” And fourth, to remind the descendants of the House of Israel living in this era of the promises made to “their fathers.” An additional purpose that may be assumed from those given is that the Book of Mormon would serve as a second witness for Christ along side of the Bible. It is obvious that all of these purposes apply to our day or dispensation.

After some involvement with it, a reader of the Book of Mormon should begin to understand that the major intent of its contributors was not to write for their contemporaries or even for those of their dispensation. Their words did not appear in some serialized format in weekly or monthly publications of the day. Even the content of an entire book, for example the Book of Mosiah or the Book of Ether, was apparently not available for study and discussion by the general membership at anytime during the period covered by the Book of Mormon. So it appears that God’s overriding purpose in the production of what would become known as the Book of Mormon was to provide us in this last generation with an integral resource to assist us in the building of His Kingdom. From these writings, we are to gain insight into the successful and unsuccessful ways of those ancient peoples in order that we might avoid making some of their mistakes and be encouraged by their achievements. Of course, what has been said here is not intended to communicate that important leaders of the Lord’s work in Book of Mormon times were unaware of the writings of their predecessors. However, the sacred writings being passed from generation to generation were apparently not publicly broadcast to the people at large.

God’s intent that the writings of the Book of Mormon would be used primarily by those of the latter days is manifest, for example, in the writings of the Prophet Nephi. If we consider chapters twenty-eight through thirty of 2 Nephi, we have a mixture of God’s revealed word to Nephi as well as Nephi’s teachings to his people, all of which confirm many of God’s purposes for this book. “And the things which shall be written out of the book [the Book of Mormon] shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 28:2). The chapter setting for this verse is the latter-days. “But behold, there shall be many--at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel; And also that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; . . .” (2 Nephi 29:1-2). And lastly, “For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 30:2). This last quote refers to the last days when the gospel will be taken first to the Gentiles and then to the Jews.

In this dispensation of the fulness of times, God has set about to establish His Kingdom for the last time as a necessary preparation for the triumphal return of His Son to rule and reign upon the earth in glory. The establishment of His Kingdom requires the restitution of all things priesthood related that have been revealed since the days of Adam. It necessitates the final gathering of the House of Israel. God understood that the agents of Satan would abuse the holy writings of many of the ancient prophets as well as the writings of the apostles and the leadership of the Church in the meridian of time in a futile attempt to subvert His work in this most important generation. The Saints of this dispensation must succeed, and succeed we will if we are but true to God’s directions given both in ancient and in modern times. An integral part of this heavenly assistance comes in the form of the Book of Mormon that strengthens the workers in the Kingdom as outlined in its purposes. Very importantly, from this book comes much wisdom from the ancients as to the blessings that flow to God’s chosen people when they are obedient to His commands as well as the consequences that follow if His directions are rejected.

Temple Work is at the Center of the Gospel

After enduring three years of persecution following his vision in the grove and having committed many follies attributable to his youth during this same period, Joseph Smith retired to his bed during the evening of September 21, 1823 and prayed for forgiveness of his sins and for a confirmation of his standing with God, fully expecting an answer. The confirmation he awaited came in the form of a messenger from God who introduced himself as Moroni. Moroni’s teachings were important enough that he delivered his message to the wondering youth four times in a single day. How often do we rehearse his message during our own personal gospel study?

A portion of the angel’s message to the young Joseph consisted of a recitation of various scripture verses from the Old and the New Testaments. Only a portion of the third chapter of Malachi was quoted, but it is not hard to guess at least some of the verses that were quoted given that they deal with events in the latter days. The fourth chapter of Malachi was quoted in its entirety. However, interesting changes were made to the first, fifth, and sixth verses.

Moroni quoted the first verse as follows: “For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Joseph Smith - History 1:37). The words that they shall be left with neither “root nor branch” is not only interesting language but a confirmation of revealed truth in this dispensation. Having rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ and the sealing authority of the priesthood, the wicked will have in the eternities neither ancestors, that is “roots,” nor descendants, that is “branches,” since they will have no part in the patriarchal order.

The fifth and sixth verses of Malachi were quoted by Moroni as follows: “Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming” (Joseph Smith - History 1:38-39). The “promises made to the fathers” referred to by Malachi are, said Paul in the third chapter of his epistle to the Galatians, the elements of the Abrahamic covenant. We may read for ourselves the particulars of the covenant that God made with Abraham and subsequently with Isaac and with jacob in the book of Abraham 2: 8-11.

However, it should be obvious that the cleansing of the earth’s inhabitants will not be complete, as God had warned that it could be, given the work of legions of “saviors on mount Zion” (Obadiah 1:21) in the form of temple ordinance workers and temple patrons in this dispensation. Also important to this work are the many thousands of members and non-members of this Church who are gathering their family’s genealogy and family history as a result of the workings of the spirit of Elijah.

Moroni told the young Joseph that the events referred to in the eleventh chapter of Isaiah were about to be fulfilled. Let us consider briefly verses one and ten. “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” From the Doctrine and Covenants Section 113, we understand that the “stem of Jesse” is Jesus Christ. The rod is Joseph Smith, and the rod will become a branch. Now verse ten: “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” Again, according to Section 113, the “root of Jesse” is Joseph Smith and the remainder of the verse concerns the Lord’s Church which he would establish anew. We may only guess at the wonder and amazement the Prophet Joseph Smith must have experienced as he learned of the Old Testament prophecies concerning his earthly mission.

From the book of Joel, Moroni quoted the final five verses of chapter 2 with reference to the rise of the Lord’s Church, the restoration of the gospel, and other important events of the latter-days.

In his History, the Prophet Joseph Smith relates that Moroni’s quoting of these important and telling scriptures was but part of the message he received four times over. Concerning the total experience, he writes, “By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what I had both seen and heard” (Joseph Smith - History 1:46).

The spirit of Elijah is a very powerful force for good in the world today. Temple work which is the end goal of this spirit is working not only to save souls but also to hold back the forces of evil that otherwise would have a freer hand in their attempt to engulf the world’s inhabitants. To the extent that we are involved somehow in this great work, we will enjoy the excitement that comes from research successes, the feelings of accomplishment that come from the realization of temple ordinances completed, and the inexpressible joy that we will have as we receive expressions of gratitude from our ancestors and others when eventually we meet.

Do Latter-day Saints Believe in a Hell?

Do Latter-day Saints believe in a hell? Most definitely. Indeed, we believe a hell will exist in two identifiably different states or conditions. Lucifer and his minions have been cast out into the earth to tempt and torment humankind. Those who fall prey to the devil and work evil during their sojourn on the earth will be turned over to the buffetings of Satan beginning at death. However, like David, their souls will not be kept in hell forever. They will come forth from the grave at some stage of the millennium participating in a resurrection and being assigned to some degree of glory. As for Lucifer, a hell, a realm of not-glory, awaits him, his minions, and the sons of perdition, wherein they will be cast and exist for the eternities.

To me the clearest statement attesting to the existence of these two hells namely, the conditions of the one hell being temporary and the conditions of the other being permanent, is the statement David uttered upon finding himself consigned to hell for his, David’s, role in the murder of Uriah. “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; . . . “ (Psalms 16:9-10; see also Acts 2:25-27, 31). David’s condition is illustrative of those of God’s spirit children who will eventually inherit the Telestial Kingdom. “These are they who are thrust down to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work; . . . “ (D&C 76:84-85, 106).

The Prophet Jacob speaking on this subject somewhat more broadly confirms the point while discoursing on the power of Christ’s atonement. “And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 9:10-12). There is scriptural evidence that to some degree this will be also the lot of members of Christ’s Church who are judged to be not valiant in living the gospel before they are resurrected to inherit the Terrestrial Kingdom (D&C 76:79). “Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, to prepare and organize yourselves by a bond or everlasting covenant [the gospel of Jesus Christ] that cannot be broken. And he who breaketh it shall lose his office and standing in the church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption (D&C 78:11-12).

When Lucifer rebelled against Our Father’s plan pertaining to the creation and populating of this earth, he and his adherents were “ . . . thrust down and thus [be]came the devil and his angels; And, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell” (D&C 29:37-38). The hell spoken of here is the eventual and permanent abode of Satan, his minions, and those judged to be sons of perdition. For now, Satan and his angels have been turned loose on the earth to tempt God’s spirit children thus providing the necessary opposition to the gospel plan in order that as Abraham said, the Lord may determine if we “ . . . will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; . . .” (Abraham 3:25). As stated earlier, those who are not valiant in keeping their gospel covenants and those who work wickedness during their lifetime will be within Satan’s power during the time they are in spirit prison following their death. Thus after death, the righteous will experience peace and rest in Paradise, and the wicked will be in torment.

Some confusion may occur in a reader’s mind as to which of these hells certain of The Book of Mormon prophets have reference when they write of “everlasting hell” (Helaman 6:28) and “endless hell” (Moroni 8:13). The Lord clarified this point to the Prophet Joseph Smith in March, 1830. The use of these adjectives has reference to “Endless” being one of God’s names. Therefore, “Eternal punishment is God’s punishment. Endless punishment is God’s punishment” (D&C 19:11-12). The references then are to that hell which will have an end no later than the end of the Millennium. However, it is this writer’s opinion that while those who will eventually inherit a degree of glory for the eternities will be free of the buffetings of Satan in those spheres, they will still be enduring “endless punishment” to the extent that they will never be able to return to the presence of their Father in Heaven “worlds without end” (D&C 76:112).

The Ordinances of Baptism and Confirmation

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the ordinance of baptism is performed by immersion, and the ordinance of confirmation is performed by the laying on of hands for the bestowal of the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Both of these ordinances are required for admission into Church membership or, in other words, entrance into the Kingdom of God on the earth. Interestingly, these most basic of ordinances are at times misunderstood in their particulars by members of the Church as is also their proper relationship one to another often misunderstood. These two common errors are the subject of this writing.

After attending baptismal services for a major portion of my life, it is clear that a general pattern for these events exists. Typically, talks are given on the meaning or purposes of the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. A speaker addresses the subject of baptism. It is assumed that the remarks will conclude that if the candidate for baptism is properly prepared to receive this ordinance having submitted themselves to the steps of repentance, their sins will be washed away through baptism by immersion. This ordinance allows them to leave the font forgiven of their sins and with an opportunity to begin a new life. A speaker then addresses the subject of confirmation by outlining how by the laying on of hands the candidate for membership in the Church will receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost meaning, the new member will have the companionship of the Holy Ghost in their life as long as they are living worthily.

Thus the speakers tend to neatly bundle the importances of these two ordinances into two separate packages. By means of a proper baptism, we are forgiven of our sins, and by the laying on of hands, we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost to direct and enlighten us in our forward journey through life. If the speakers take this approach, a gospel error is taught to those present which has the effect of reinforcing a mistaken notion already accepted by many. The words of the Prophet Nephi are instructive here. “Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; . . .” (2 Nephi 31:16-18).

These two ordinances may not be separately bundled for they are unobstructively bound one to another. If forgiveness of sins is to be realized upon entrance into the Kingdom, it will be because an efficacious confirmation followed an efficacious baptism, and the sins were blotted out through the baptisms of both water and fire. So it is, the ordinance of confirmation is required for the forgiveness of sins as well as the receipt of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The other common error of perception concerns the notion that baptism is more important than the ordinance of confirmation. While the sources of this misperception must be numerous, possible reinforcement of this mistaken idea may be received in our temples. Young Aaronic Priesthood holders and the young women of corresponding ages as well as adults who have been members of the Church less than one year are encouraged to go to the temple as proxies to participate in the ordinances of baptism and confirmation on behalf of our kindred dead. The font area of a temple baptistry is large and imposing. A font of generous size rests on the backs of twelve oxen that represent the twelve tribes of the House of Israel. There is a viewing area for patrons and observers. There are places designated for the officiator and the two witnesses to perform their duties. There is room to spare for others to work who assist the bothers and sisters entering and exiting the font. These font rooms are tastefully decorated. The rooms in which the confirmation ordinance is performed are small and austere by comparison. Ten persons in such a room would constitute generally a crowd. From the sheer visual impact or lack thereof, it is possible to improperly perceived that the baptism ordinance is of greater importance than the ordinance of confirmation.

But this is clearly not the case according to the gospel. If either one of the two ordinances being performed for a single individual is deemed to be invalid, then both of the ordinances are worthless. The Apostle Paul understood this principle clearly. “ . . . Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:1-6).

Given the interrelatedness of these two ordinances, it would be well for us, Latter-day Saints, to more carefully recognize this relationship as we teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in every setting. For both of these initial ordinances must be performed properly if they together are to be honored in the world to come, and so it necessarily follows that neither one of them is inherently more important than the other.

The Hope of Israel

More than a year before the Church was organized in this dispensation, the Lord told the Prophet’s father “behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work” (D&C 4:4-5). Four months later, the Lord told the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer that if they did not have “faith, hope, and charity,” they could do “nothing” (D&C 18:19). And Alma, looking to the future in hope to the coming of the Savior in the flesh taught the importance of faith, hope, and charity (Alma 7:23-24).

It has been my experience, that speakers and writers in the Church are more prone to address the subjects of faith and charity, leaving hope a distant third. For this reason, hope, more specifically, the “Hope of Israel,” is the subject of this writing. The first verse of our hymn by the same name reads, “Hope of Israel, Zion’s army, Children of the promised day, See, the Chieftain signals onward, And the battle’s in array! Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right; Sound the war cry, ‘Watch and pray!’ Vanquish every foe today” (Hymns #259).

Hope plays a unique dual role in our gospel progression. Without hope, we cannot have faith. Without faith, we cannot have hope sufficient to receive eternal life. Hope and faith are uniquely bound to one another, and in a real sense, this union possesses the power to effect two rather different results.

Allow me to rephrase that idea. Faith is a gatekeeper to the Kingdom of God. Without faith, we cannot repent so as to make our baptism and our confirmation efficacious. These initial ordinances are required in order to place our feet upon the path to eternal life. Thus faith, repentance, baptism, and confirmation are the gatekeepers of the Kingdom of God, and we cannot satisfy the first of these namely, faith, if we do not have sufficient hope. However, once our feet are upon the path to eternal life, we cannot obtain that prize without hope.

This unique dual role of hope is confirmed in our scriptures. The prophet Mormon expounded on this relationship thusly, “And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope” (Moroni 7:40-42). And the prophet Nephi taught, “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. 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” (2 Nephi 31:19-20).

The hope of which we speak is powerful and capable of producing substantive results. Hope is the means by which the House of Israel has and does now carry on the struggle against evil, and by which means the evil one and his followers will eventually be conquered. Hope is that of which we sing. It is that with which we look to the time when Christ will usher in the Millennium and reign personally upon this earth. Hope is that with which the prophets of old looked to the future, as do we.

It was Paul who enumerated the acts of faith demonstrated by Abel, Enoch Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sara and then concluded, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (See Hebrews 11:8-16).

The Resurrection

It was Paul who wrote, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22). And so it is. Not one of our Father’s spirit children who makes his or her way into mortality will be left out. The resurrection of the dead does not apply to some, or to most, but to all. So, is there one grand event for all or will there be multiple events? If the latter, how many resurrections or stages of the resurrection will there be? The correct answer is either two or four with this understanding. The discussion here pertains to mankind only. In reality, there will be a renewing for all of God’s earth related creations (D&C 29:23-25).

An expanded quote of Paul’s writing might be considered here. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (I Corinthians 15:21-23). The last verse holds four significant truths. First, we will be resurrected in some pre-determined order. Second, the Savior was the first inhabitant of this earth to be resurrected. Third, those who belong to Christ will be the first to whom the resurrection is offered. And fourth, the resurrection of Christ’s followers will take on major proportions at the time He comes in His glory signaling the beginning of the millennium.

To begin with, there are two resurrections: the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust. While translating the Bible, Joseph Smith sought further understanding concerning John’s pronouncement on this subject. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29). The Lord responded to the Prophet’s supplication by giving him an inspired translation of these two verses (See D&C 76:16-17) followed by one of the most important revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants namely, Section 76.

While it is instructive to know that there are two major resurrections, recognizing that each of these has two parts brings greater clarity to the subject. There will be a resurrection appropriate in its details for each of the kingdoms of glory plus hell, thus four identifiable events are envisioned.

Jesus Christ, himself, was the “firstfruits” of the resurrection. Following Him, many of the Saints on at least two continents came forth from their graves and appeared to many of the living as a testimony to the truthfulness of the resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53; 3 Nephi 23:7-13). These events marked the beginning of the first resurrection or the “morning” of the resurrection of the just that has continued at some pace from that day to this. For we know that resurrected and translated individuals were responsible for providing Joseph Smith the plates from which The Book of Mormon was translated. They were also responsible for the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods as well as all of the priesthood keys necessary for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth in this dispensation. At His glorious coming ushering in the millennium, this resurrection will grow to a crescendo. Those who come forth at that time are those who will inherit the Celestial Kingdom (D&C 76:50-70).

As the events of the first resurrection are winding down, the second resurrection scheduled to occur in the “afternoon” of the resurrection of the just will commence. The events of the millennium will still be in their early stages, and those who come forth at that time will be those who are to inherit the Terrestrial Kingdom (D&C 76:71-80).

The resurrection of the unjust will occur as two of the several events bringing the millennium to a close. Those who will take part in the third resurrection are those who will inherit the Telestial Kingdom (D&C 76:81-90). The partakers of the fourth resurrection, the sons of perdition, will be consigned to hell to mingle with the devil and his followers for eternity.

The Apostle Paul bore testimony to the Corinthians in his day of these resurrections when he wrote, “ . . . There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. . . .” (See I Corinthians 15:39-44). As to the actions of men that will allow God to judge His spirit children concerning the nature of their reward and resurrection, that discussion will of necessity have to wait for a subsequent writing. But this can be said here in conclusion, each individual will be granted a resurrection commensurate with his or her worthiness in adhering to the principles of the Lord’s gospel. This does not mean that all will be content with their existence in eternity. Many will have come to recognize that while their reward was just, it was not what they were capable of achieving.

Personal Revelation

Late in the year of 2007, the Melchizedek Priesthood quorum and Relief Society instruction manual for the following two years was distributed. This course of study would allow the Church’s membership to study writings by and concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith that the average member most likely never would have read given their limited ability to access the documents used in the manual’s preparation. Many of its readers realized almost immediately the nature of the treasure that had been placed in their hands. They did not have to be encouraged to read the next Sunday’s lesson in advance, they were busy reading the material to be taught many weeks hence.

Early 2008 found my wife and I serving in the leadership of the Freiberg Germany Temple. These were the most challenging callings either of us had ever received. There were few hours in a day when the temple was open that we were not under obligation to make decisions that impacted directly the sacred work being performed there. If ever there had been a time when we needed personal revelation because of a calling, it was then.

It was under these circumstances that I had occasion to read in our priesthood manual a statement made by John Taylor “while [he was] serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve.”

“I well remember a remark that Joseph Smith made to me upwards of forty years ago. Said he, ‘Elder Taylor, you have been baptized, you have had hands laid upon your head for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and you have been ordained to the holy priesthood. Now, if you will continue to follow the leadings of that spirit, it will always lead you right. Sometimes it might be contrary to your judgment; never mind that, follow its dictates; and if you be true to its whisperings it will in time become in you a principle of revelation so that you will know all things’ ”

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church--Joseph Smith, 132-133).

Here in very few words were expressed in a coherent manner essentially the findings I had personally arrived at after most of a lifetime’s experience of trial and error with receiving personal revelation. If an individual reading this statement, I thought, had the sagacity to read, understand, and apply this counsel at a young age, how much they would be benefited by that knowledge in times to come.

Writing from my own experience over the years, the weakest link in the personal revelation process is casting out the inspiration I received because it was “contrary to [my] judgment.” All too often, I have been inclined to filter the inspiration I received through my own views and preferences. Often I have been too quick to think the inspired thought simply would not work or that this was not a convenient time or approach for taking this or that course of action. When we place ourselves in the position of second-guessing inspiration, we set ourselves up for failure.

This brings me to another personal lesson learned on this subject. If the Holy Ghost inspires us toward a course of action, and we reject the assistance, will not the Spirit be a bit more reticent to provide assistance in the near future absent our dedicated seeking for such? Possibly not, but I believe there is a point to be made here. Joseph Smith said, “ . . . if you be true to its whisperings it will in time become in you a principle of revelation. . . .” What I understand from this statement is that if we are consistently and positively responsive to the inspiration that we receive, we will be given more and more direction. This end logically follows because we will have demonstrated through our actions our willingness to exercise the faith required to be worthy of the further enlightenment we seek.

The hard times with which the faithful of this final dispensation must deal on a daily basis make it necessary that we not categorize our daily activities into those that appear to be secular and those that are religious. The gospel principles we know to be true cannot be placed on a shelf when we are engaged in “secular” activities and then taken down from that shelf when our activities are deemed to be “religious” in nature. In seeking to realize the full measure of our creation, we will eventually conclude that God does not make such distinctions (D&C 29:30-35). There is no righteous activity in which we may involve ourselves that is irrelevant to our beliefs and in which God does not have an interest (Alma 34:18-27). If we cannot ask God’s blessings and direction in a particular activity we are about to undertake, then that should be a certain sign that the activity is unworthy of our participation. As an educator, there were very few mornings in over thirty-three years that I did not pray in my office for assistance before entering the first classroom of the day. I know for a fact that I am not the only one who prays regularly for direction in the workplace. And this I know also, countless times I have received through inspiration the assistance I needed to be successful in a task at hand.

How much more successful might I have been in all of my pursuits if I had been willing to act upon the inspiration I did not follow?

Immortality, Salvation, Exaltation, & Eternal Life

At times, we may be uncertain as to what a gospel speaker or writer intended to communicate given their particular use of one of the following terms: immortality, salvation, exaltation, or eternal life. A brief review of these terms may be helpful here.

Immortality is a condition of not being subject to physical death. While we mortals will yet experience this death, we have the promise that at a future time our spirit will be reunited with our body in the resurrection. This blessing is an unconditional gift to every soul who will ever live upon this earth as a result of Christ’s atonement. Once resurrected, none of God’s spirit children will ever face a physical death again. Such a statement may cause some confusion since the scriptures speak of a “second death” (D&C 76:37). However, only the sons of perdition will experience this “spiritual death” retaining their resurrected bodies in hell but being separated from any contact with a member of the Godhead.

Salvation is a state wherein an individual is free of Satan's temptation. Salvation is the conditional gift resulting from Christ’s atonement that applies to all of the inhabitants of this earth who are not judged to be sons of perdition. Thus salvation comes in many degrees and spans the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial worlds of the future based upon the faithfulness with which any individual adheres to the gospel of Jesus Christ. While it is proper to use the term salvation as a synonym for exaltation or eternal life, such a use could be confusing for at least the following reason. All who inherit exaltation or eternal life will be saved or have salvation, but not all of those who enjoy salvation will be exalted or have eternal life. Thus, there will be those who inherit the celestial kingdom who will have salvation but not exaltation. All of those who inherit some degree of the terrestrial or telestial kingdoms will be the recipients of some quality of salvation also.

Exaltation and eternal life are synonymous terms. Eternal is one of Elohim’s names (Moses 7:35) and thus eternal life refers to the quality of life our Father in Heaven lives i.e., possessing the power to have “an increase” (D&C 131:4). This is the end to which the following verses have reference. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). “For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

To exalt is “to raise in status, dignity, power, honor, wealth, etc.” (New World Dictionary). In the LDS Church, exaltation is used to signify an individual’s future condition to be that which warrants the highest degree of the celestial kingdom (D&C 131:1-4). The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith what John the Baptist recorded concerning His, the Lord’s, role as the creator of worlds and His earthly preparations to be our savior. Having quoted these verses, He continued, “I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness” (D&C 93:19). To “receive of his fulness” is to inherit eternal life or be exalted.

Thoughts on Service

When individuals are baptized and confirmed as new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they make two covenants with God. First, they promise to serve Him, and second, they promise to keep his commandments (Mosiah 18:10). King Benjamin taught his people that the way we may serve God is by serving our fellowmen (Mosiah 2:17). This truth applies whether our fellowmen be members of Christ’s Church or not, whether they be living or deceased.

For the sake of emphasis, let us consider in this writing service opportunities in three possible areas: church callings among our fellow Saints; service among non-members with whom we are often related, befriended, or associated; and work in behalf of those of our kindred spirits who are deceased.

Members

We should accept the callings that come to us. We should not think of ourselves as being too busy or too old to serve. We should not stop growing and serving as long as we possess the necessary mental and physical faculties. We should always do our best to magnify our Church callings. We should study the scriptures or some gospel writing every day. Exaltation or eternal life should be our goal, and we should never stray from actively pursuing that objective.

Non-members

The second great commandment is that we love our fellowmen as we do ourselves (Matthew 22:39). The opportunities in this area are legion. In some cases, our employment may be relevant to this goal. Others may be involved in humanitarian roles within our communities in an effort to return some of the benefits the surrounding community provides to its members. Within the ranks of our relatives, our friends, our associates, and the community-at-large opportunities to strengthen, encourage, inform, and comfort are always present. We need only to exercise love and some initiative to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Those who are deceased

The opportunities to serve our kindred dead are so numerous that every one of us can and is obligated to be meaningfully involved in this work. With personal initiative and prayerful consideration of our opportunities, we will be directed toward some aspect of family history and temple work wherein we may satisfy our obligation to be “saviors on Mount Zion” (Obadiah 1:21) and enjoy the satisfying understanding that we are participating in a very important work.

Qualifying ourselves

In a revelation, Hyrum Smith was told to prepare himself before expecting to be called into the Lord’s service (D&C 11:21). For us, this preparation must be both religious and secular in nature. From our youth, we are taught the truth of our origins, the importance of mortality, our eternal possibilities, and our responsibilities towards others. Granted this understanding, we should prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically for our earthly labors both within the Kingdom and the world in which we live. As such, we will need a keen understanding of gospel principles, a maturing love for all of God’s children, a willingness to sacrifice ourselves in the service of others, and a working knowledge of such secular fields as history, language, the arts, technology, and human relations.

The blessings of service are also personal. If we lose ourselves in the Lord’s service, He does bless us. In fact, He is never in our debt. We are always in his debt because of the blessings He pours out upon us (Mosiah 2:20-25). If we are personally troubled by the challenges of mortality, the saving balm is to turn our attention to serving others. Our personal healing will follow.

Our Father in Heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ, know us personally, as individuals, and the priesthood and auxiliary work in which we are engaged is directed in fact by them, even at times in considerable detail. If we will trust in the Lord, we may rely on his divine assistance as we go about serving in our families and communities. Our professional, family, and church preparations will allow the Lord to use us in the building of his Kingdom on earth in places and in ways we never imagined.

The New and Everlasting Covenant

Recently, I was given the opportunity to teach a lesson on temple sealings, and more than a few participants seemed confused on the nature of the new and everlasting covenant.

We find references to this covenant in D&C 131:2 and in various verses of D&C 132, just to mention two relevant sections of The Doctrine and Covenants. The new and everlasting covenant is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ made available to the inhabitants of the earth in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times.

Thus it logically follows, and so it is, that the everlasting covenant is the gospel of Jesus Christ that predates the creation of this world. For example, consider the “Lord’s Preface” for The Doctrine and Covenants that we know as Section one. “. . . For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant; . . .” (verse 15). In verses 21 to 23, we read, “. . . That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established; That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.”

The saving ordinances of the gospel are baptism, confirmation, receipt of the priesthood, the temple endowment, and eternal marriage. These ordinances exist in every dispensation of the gospel. At the beginning of each dispensation when the gospel was restored to the earth, it was called a new and everlasting covenant i.e., the everlasting covenant newly restored to the earth. It follows that today we have the new and everlasting covenant of baptism, the new and everlasting covenant of confirmation, etc. So we should not be surprised to read that a temple sealing or the eternal marriage covenant is referred to in the scriptures as “the new and everlasting covenant of marriage” (D&C 131:2).

My Thoughts Concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith

The life and works of the Prophet Joseph Smith invoke in me thoughts and actions of humble gratitude. It is impossible for me to know what my life would be like in the absence of all the direction and meaning the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has and does provide to me. However, I can imagine some of the possible directions my life might have taken by looking about in this world at the range of existences most of our brothers and sisters are experiencing who remain outside of the gospel net either as a result of their conscious decisions or their lack of opportunity to hear and accept the gospel. In the face of what might have been, I thank my Father in Heaven regularly for the blessings of knowing the gospel and for my testimony of its truthfulness. Likewise, my prayers include a plea that I will have the strength to remain steadfast to his will and obedient to the teachings of his chosen servants.

Having studied the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith and having applied the lessons of some of his experiences to my own circumstances, I have come to possess a personal knowledge that our Father in Heaven is real and, that among other things, He hears and answers prayers. I knew this in an unsophisticated way while but a small boy. Through personal experiences so numerous that the vast majority of them have been long forgotten, I know that by means of His Spirit we may receive direction in the spiritual and secular matters that crowd our lives if we will but seek to obey his word and ask Him in faith. From a very early age and throughout my life, I have sought to have a close personal relationship with my Father in Heaven. To the extent that I have been successful, I have enjoyed his direction in my righteous endeavors and his comfort and solace in times of trial. Of both situations, there have been countless occurrences.

We learn from each of the Standard Works as well as the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that all we possess, even our very lives, we have received as gifts from God. A true understanding of this fact should deflate any propensity on our part to boast of our personal successes vis-à-vis our children’s accomplishments, our professional advancements, our accumulated wealth, or the recognitions and flatterings of men. Further, we are taught and should understand that we are stewards of all our gifts and possessions. As such, we will be judged on how well we have managed and enhanced that with which we have been blessed including the uses to which we have placed our resources for the benefit of not only ourselves and our families but very importantly of others.

I am very appreciative to the Prophet Joseph Smith for his translations of the Bible and of The Book of Mormon, the latter standing as an additional witness to the Bible’s truth. The companionship of these two books greatly facilitates our ability to teach the restored gospel to our families, friends, and the world at large. I personally revel in the revelations of this dispensation. In the books of Moses, Abraham, and most certainly the Doctrine and Covenants, the elements of the Plan of Salvation take on a significance, a level of detail, and a relevance the Bible and the Book of Mormon cannot provide. Also the Doctrine and Covenants contains revelations peculiar to our day. Of this book of scripture, President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, “It is our book. It belongs to the Latter-day Saints. More precious than gold, the Prophet says we should treasure it more than the riches of the whole earth. I wonder if we do?” (Doctrines of Salvation 3:199)

I am grateful to the Prophet Joseph Smith for the line upon line restoration of the gospel, the Priesthood, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which provide us not only with the knowledge of who we are in relationship to God but with the understanding and means to obtain eternal life and thus live with Him again and potentially become as He is. Integral to this process is the restoration of the instructions and ordinances of the temple endowment and the authority to seal eternally husbands and wives and their children, generation upon generation. The eternal family is a reality within our reach. Speaking personally, I cannot comprehend what the next life would be like if I did not have the possibility of the continued companionship of my very best friend, my dear wife.

On a very personal note, I am a great, great grandson of Hyrum Smith, the Prophet’s brother. So it is that these two martyrs are numbered among our family. During my growing years, the stories told concerning them were the same as those related by any Latter-day Saint parent to their children, but there is an additional emotional tie and relevance to their experiences when the subjects are your ancestors, not that far removed. During my life, I have felt an immediacy and a responsibility to live in accordance with their teachings and to be true to the work for which they gave their all.

The Purpose of this Blog

For years, my wife has suggested that I write a book related to my specialty fields as an educator or my most-favorite subject, the restoration of the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ in this the final dispensation or the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. Her suggestions have been quickly brushed aside with one response or another the intent of which was “that will never happen.” The process of publication in that form is fraught with more obstacles than I am willing to face. However, it occurred to me, that this Blog format lends itself to accomplishing what she has suggested that I do for so long.

From my days as a youthful deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood to this present moment, I have been given a wealth of opportunities to serve in a vast variety of callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of these callings have allowed me to teach or preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have also had or have taken the opportunity to be taught by some of the great teachers of this gospel through either their personal instruction or their writings. Much of what I have learned, I wish to share. To do so is to add my testimony to the multitude of others who have expressed their convictions on these subjects in one fashion or another. You will understand that some experiences are too personal and/or too sacred to share in such a venue as this.

In the months ahead, it is intended that additions will be posted to this Blog. Such a format allows you to respond with your comments. This is encouraged. Please note that for the present, I have not made my identity known. For those of you who know who I am, that is sufficient. I would ask that your responses be respectful of my anonymity.

The name of this Blog, Pillar, comes from the notion of “being a pillar of strength.” In my adult years, I have sought to be a source of support for the building of the Kingdom of God upon this earth. This willingness to serve has made possible a series of Church callings whereby I have been given many varied opportunities for service. Each of these callings in turn has given me experience that has aided me in subsequent callings. For this I know, our success in any calling we receive is dependent upon our initiative to magnify that calling in conjunction with the inspiration that we receive from God as a result of our worthiness and desires as well as His will concerning us individually.

Hopefully, the material presented in this format will be helpful to some individuals who read it with the proper intent.

The Restoration of Christ's Church

The events necessary for the proper restoration of Christ’s Church in this dispensation occurred over a span of approximately a year from the spring of 1829 to the spring of 1830. Concurrent with these actions, the translated Book of Mormon was readied for printing and became a finished product in early 1830.

Seeking increased understanding on the subject of baptism that was mentioned in the records with which they were working, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery decided to approach God in prayer. On May 15, 1829, they selected a wooded spot near the banks of the Susquehanna River and offered up their prayers. In response to their supplications, John the Baptist appeared to them and by the laying on of hands conferred upon each of them the Aaronic Priesthood. He then instructed Joseph and Oliver to baptize each other, which they did. Further, John the Baptist informed them that he had taken this action under the direction of Peter, James, and John.

The restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood to the earth came in due course when this Priesthood was conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery through the laying on of hands by Peter, James, and John, the Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood in the Dispensation of the Meridian of Time.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on April 6, 1830 in Fayette, New York in accordance with the laws of the State of New York governing such creations. Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery were sustained as its leaders.

While many who were participants in this work of restoration provided their testimonies of the divinity and truthfulness of these actions, there are several instances that deserve special consideration. After the translation of The Book of Mormon was completed, the plates were shown to three witnesses by an angel. Their combined testimony was published to the world. Although all three of these men eventually fell out of harmony with Joseph Smith and the Lord’s Church, at no time did any one of the three recant his testimony of the Book’s truthfulness. Joseph Smith showed the plates to eight additional witnesses. They in turn testified in a common document that they had seen and handled the plates from which Joseph Smith translated the holy record.

Near the end of their lives, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were co-presidents of the restored Church, Hyrum having been called to the position of second Elder subsequent to the fall of Oliver Cowdery. On June 27, 1844 these two brothers were martyred in Carthage Jail at the hands of a mob thus sealing their testimonies of the truthfulness of the restoration of Christ’s Church, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Melchizedek Priesthood with their blood.

The Schooling of a Prophet

Between the vision he saw in the grove during the spring of 1820 and the evening of September 21, 1823, we have no evidence of Joseph Smith being visited by heavenly messengers. However, on that latter date after praying and retiring to bed, he found his bedroom becoming lighter. As the light grew in intensity, an angel appeared before him introducing himself as Moroni. He told the young man that he had been sent to deliver a message from God.

Joseph Smith was informed by Moroni that a book of golden plates bearing a history of earlier civilizations that had lived in this Western Hemisphere was buried not far from his family’s home. Also buried with these plates was a Urim and Thummim, a device used by prophets in ancient times to assist them in accomplishing various aspects of their callings. At some point, Joseph Smith learned that the final prophet to record his words upon the golden plates and bury the record until its coming forth in the latter days was Moroni himself. Further, Moroni quoted to Joseph Smith many verses of ancient Bible scripture for the purpose of increasing his understanding of the prophetic nature and the dimension of his calling.

Before noon the following day, Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith a total of four times. The substance of his message was repeated each time with varying additional information being given. While Joseph Smith was then shown the location of the buried records, he was not to receive them for an additional four years. However, he was instructed to return to the location of the buried records each year on the anniversary of this initial visit for the purpose of receiving further instructions as to his life’s mission. On September 22, 1827, Moroni entrusted the record and the interpreters into the young man’s possession. Once Joseph Smith had completed the translation of The Book of Mormon from the plates, he returned the record and the interpreters into Moroni’s hands.

These events gave Joseph Smith invaluable experience and were important preparation for his mission to restore Christ’s Church to the earth.

Joseph Smith, the Calling of a Prophet

The question posed at the end of Post #1 was in the mind of a fourteen year old boy living in the “burned over” district of Western New York in 1820. Joseph Smith was reared in a Christ-believing family that was itself not united on the question of which church in their vicinity was true? The members of his family after investigating the existing churches had answered the question variously. While reading in the Epistle of James chapter one verse five, he found this counsel: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Impressed that he needed personal direction in order that he might determine which church was the one he should join, he went into the woods near his home in the spring of 1820 and prayed. In response to his humble plea for understanding, he was visited by God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ. In this vision, the Father introduced his Son. In turn, the Lord informed the young lad that he was to join none of the existing churches, for they were all false. He was told “many other things” including, apparently, that he was to be patient until he received further direction as to the nature of his life’s work.

As he left the woods that morning and returned to his home, Joseph Smith knew at least two things of which apparently all of the clergy and professors of religion at that moment were ignorant. First, God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ are individual and separate beings. Second, none of the existing churches on the earth were Christ’s Church for He rejected all of them while instructing Joseph Smith. Of their clergy, Christ said, “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith--History 1:19).

It would be years before Joseph Smith would again be approached by a heavenly visitor sent for the purpose of instructing him concerning the role he would eventually play in the restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth.

Pseudo-Christians

Apparently, not everyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ, even some who during their lifetime worked miracles in His name, will be accepted of Him at their judgment. Please consider St. Matthew 7:21-23:

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

As such, it behooves believers in Christ to be certain that their works will be acceptable to Him. Thus by which means may we distinguish between the true and false institutions and believers professing to be engaged in the building of Christ's kingdom on earth?