Mormon Bloggers

If you look around in a typical LDS ward, you will see people who are striving to do the right thing. We come to church in right attire, men in white shirts and suits, women in modest dresses. We present the right image of being clean and pure. On occasion, we talk of repentance as [...]  Read More →

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony for the UC Berkeley school of Molecular and Cell Biology. The invited speaker was Dr. Bruce Ames, a noted scientist, who for decades has produced ground breaking work in genetics and how various substances impact our health at the molecular level. Dr. Ames provided a [...]  Read More →

I believe that there are still many more insights that can be gained from the correspondence received and given to the Prophet Joseph Smith while in Liberty Jail. Another one of my favorite teachings is found in Section 121, starting at verse 34, wherein the Lord describes those who are “called and chosen.” At the time the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the letter from Liberty Jail to the Saints who had fled to Quincy, Illinois, there were many people, in and out of the church, which were of questionable character. Some of the most seemingly loyal followers of the Prophet were exposed as bitter enemies to the Church. It was a time when the Saints had to exercise much caution when deciding who to follow in the absence of their beloved leaders. I believe that those in jail were trying to discover who might still be on their side or who might have fled with the opposition. Joseph writes: We feel to inquire after Elder Rigdon; if he has not forgotten us, it has not been signified... Read the rest of this entry »

Despite what some may believe, I have always had a firm belief that the Law of Consecration has never been rescinded, or taken away, and the command of the 10% tithe given instead. It is comforting to know I am not alone in my thoughts. A wonderful article written by Steven C. Harper, called “All Things Are the Lord’s: The Law of Consecration in the Doctrine and Covenants” shares many of the same observations I have had. I highly recommend that you read it in its entirety. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that “the law of sacrifice and the law of consecration were not done away with and are still in effect.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated, “Many ignore consecration because it seems too abstract or too daunting. The conscientious among us, however, experience divine discontent.” I certainly believe both of these statements are true. Steven C. Harper addresses an issue he calls “folk memory” among Latter-day Saints in the above mentioned talk. This “folk... Read the rest of this entry »

I must add one last post to the “visions in the Kirtland Temple” series I have posted over the last week or so. I found an interesting article written by Larry Barkdull, an author who has written a book titled “The Three Pillars of Zion”, which explains the blessings that are received because of this great endowment of power, given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in Kirtland, very succinctly. I have included a portion of it here. Imagine Moses, Elias and Elijah laying their hands upon your head to give you a blessing. First, Moses blesses you with the ability to gather with your family to the Kingdom of God and the holy temple. Then Elias blesses you and your spouse and children to organize into an eternal family. He offers you the same covenant of the gospel that Abraham received-the New and Everlasting Covenant. When you agree to its terms, Elias blesses you with everything that was promised to Abraham: you and your posterity will have the eternal “right to the priesthood,... Read the rest of this entry »

For as long as I can remember I have pondered the question, “Why Elijah?” I have never really figured out why Elijah was chosen as the prophet to be the Elias to the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I have wondered exactly why Elijah was given the responsibility of the keys of the Sealing power and the job of restoring them in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836. Perhaps I will never really know for sure, but I have gained some insights through study that I would like to share. The final vision that occurred in the Kirtland Temple was one that was anticipated from the very beginning of the restoration process. As early as September 21, 1823 the angel Moroni appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith and quoted the prophet Malachi who was referring to Elijah’s role in the latter days. Joseph Smith History 1:38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful... Read the rest of this entry »

Joseph Smith described the third vision that he and Oliver Cowdery witnessed in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836 in a more cryptic manner. It simply states: Doctrine and Covenants 110:12 After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed. Many people get side tracked at this point with who Elias is, the opinions on this are varied and diverse, but I feel it is more important to talk about what Elias did. It is interesting to me that there is no mention of “keys” in this portion of the vision, the word “dispensation” is used to describe the interaction that took place. A definition of dispensation is “a general state or ordering of things; specifically: a system of revealed commands and promises regulating human affairs.” I love this definition because when I hear the word order, I automatically think of ordinance. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains how the... Read the rest of this entry »

As I was studying the great visions that were received by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as recorded in Section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I could not help but contemplate the simple logistics in which they were received. It is recorded that the two men “retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed… in solemn and silent prayer.” This description is loaded with symbolism in itself. The Kirtland Temple has a completely different construction from any of the other LDS Temples in operation today. In its simplicity, I believe it is arranged similarly to that of the tabernacle that Moses constructed. The tabernacle was organized in a way to reveal the progression necessary to come back into the presence of the Lord. The Kirtland Temple also teaches this theme through the placement of the pulpits and veils. Originally the Kirtland Temple had four pulpits which stood, one above another, in the centre of the building, from north to south, both on the east... Read the rest of this entry »

I love Section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is such a beautiful illustration of how the Lord specifically listens to, and answers our petitions. In Section 109 during the dedicatory prayer, the prophet Joseph Smith pointedly asked for three things concerning the House of the Lord: 1) for the Father to accept the house as His 2) for the house to be a place where He could put his name 3) for His house to be a place where He could manifest himself to his people. All three of these requests were answered one week later during the Sunday service held on April 3, 1836 in the Kirtland Temple. The Lord appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and answered them saying: Doctrine and Covenants 110:6 Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. 7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.... Read the rest of this entry »

The Book of Mormon teaches us that the restoration of the gospel in the latter days would be given to the Gentiles. As we read, after many generations, ‘then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles and from the gentiles unto the remnant of our seed.’ (1 Nephi 15:13) Shortly [...]  Read More →

Although the Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect, the application of it by members of the Church is, at times, less than perfect. Perhaps it is simply my “wicked” disposition shining through but I can see a wonderful lesson being taught to us by the Lord in Section 108 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 108 is a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to a member of the Church named Lyman Sherman. After doing some further research on Lyman Sherman, I have decided he is a man I would love to actually meet someday. Lyman Sherman was living in Kirtland during the period of time when the Kirtland Temple was being built. He was a faithful member of the Church who, in my estimation, was just that, faithful. In attendance at the general priesthood meeting of the Church in which the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Quorum of the Seventies were organized in this dispensation, Lyman was called to be a President of the Seventies. Unfortunately, he had previously... Read the rest of this entry »

This week as I was studying the material for my Institute class on Section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I literally stumbled upon a resource that I want to share. The information is taken from excerpts of a talk given at a training session of the General Authorities at general conference, April 1992, by Elder Boyd K. Packer. It was later published in the Ensign Magazine in February, 1993. It is titled, “What Every Elder Should Know- and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government.” I love the opening statement of the address, “Because elders cannot receive the fulness of the blessings of the priesthood without the sisters, it was thought the sisters, too, could benefit” from the information contained in the training session. I (with the help of my mom and her fancy printer) actually made this talk into a “scripture” size pamphlet so it could be easily added to a set of scriptures. My hope is that my students will use it as a reference,... Read the rest of this entry »