The First Photo of Joseph Smith Jr. - Mormon (LDS) Prophet

I have found a photo that is purported to be the first (and one of the only)  photographs of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  He was the one through which the Lord, Jesus Christ restored His gospel in our day.  I know he was a prophet of God and I know that the gospel that was restored through him is that of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  

If this is Joseph Smith Jr. then it would be a photo of him in his younger years, because we know that as he aged he gained some weight and had a receding hair line (partially due to poisoning).  Either way, his eyes look as though they could pierce you to the very core.  

This is supposedly one of the last images (though not a direct photo) of the Prophet before his death.

While there has been much good and bad said of this man, it is my testimony that he was an honest man who loved his family and gave his life in the service of God.  Whether you believe that or not doesn't make any difference.  What has happened cannot be changed, and according to his prophetic word, "no unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing."  The Lord, through revelation told the Prophet Joseph Smith, "Your people will never be turned against you by the testimony of traitors."  God be thanked for sending prophets into the world because we need them now more than we ever have.  

HW

LDS General Conference Topics Since 1975

For those of you interested in easily finding LDS General Conference Talks I have found a website that has every talk since 1975 listed by topic.  It is a fantastically easy way to find talks.  Here is the link:  LDS Conference Videos

Our Creator's Cosmos - Neal A. Maxwell

One unique teaching of my faith is that God is the God of the entire universe and that He is not only the Father of the people of this planet but of all inhabited worlds in the cosmos.  Some faiths, at least recently, have become more and more accepting of this idea yet I have yet to find a Christian faith (aside from my own) that has embraced this doctrine from the early days of the church's inception.  In fact, many of the scriptures unique to my church openly teach of this thing, not in a mystical sense but in a real sense in that God is the grand parent of all inhabitants of the universe.  

Here are a few of the most poignant examples;

• And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him (Christ), this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!  For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father- That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.  (emphasis added) Doctrine and Covenants 76: 22-24
• And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.  Moses 1:33

It is no wonder then, that if the Lord, who is the God of the entire universe, speaks to men in our day, that he would allow us to know these things in order that we may both understand his greatness and power but also to understand the infinitesimally short nature of our time on the Earth so that we may be more compelled to keep His commandments.  The knowledge of how small the Earth is in light of the vast creations of God does not diminish my faith and it fact serves to strengthen it because I know that I am still important to God even though I am just one soul in an endless cosmos.  He is concerned enough about me to answer my prayers and to bless my life even though there are countless other things that could occupy His attention elsewhere in the Universe.  This is a humbling thought.  

As I have said before, the Lord speaks to men in our day.  He has called prophets and apostles, has given them Priesthood Authority and has inspired them though revelation so that we may know the will of the Lord for us in these days.  One of these apostles was Elder Neal A. Maxwell and he had a particular fondess of pondering on the vastness of the universe.  I found this video that gives a small overview of our position in creation and wanted to share it.  

My testimony is that no matter how small we are we are important to God and we can make a difference in the lives of many.  The size of our universe is a humbling idea but with that humility it is my hope that I will strive to make the best of the time I have here.  I know that the Lord, Jesus Christ lives and loves us all.  

Truth Filling The Earth - The Vision of Daniel

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Forasmuch as though sawest that stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.  (Daniel 2:44-45) 

We live during a unique time in the history of the Earth.  Most people will not deny that, whether they believe in God or not.  However, for those that do believe and that also believe in modern prophets and modern revelation, this time is particularly important.  These are the end times of the world as we know it.  Someday the Lord, Jesus Christ will return to the Earth and usher in an era of peace for both the Earth and it's inhabitants.  However, to prepare for this era of peace (and judgement) it is necessary that the knowledge of the gospel be spread throughout the world.  God has an established pattern of calling prophets and apostles to spread His kingdom on the Earth.  Sometimes the prophets are rejected and there are none for a time, however we live in a time where there are prophets.  Since 1820 there has been a living prophet, called of God by revelation, on the Earth.  The gospel of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the world and continues to gain momentum despite those that oppose it.  This kingdom will continue forward until it fills the Earth and the inhabitants thereof have the opportunity to learn of and either accept of reject the teaching of Jesus Christ.  


The prophet Joseph Smith once gave the following statement in the Wentworth Letter, a document about the church and it's teaching that he prepared for a newspaper called the Chicago Democrat.  It is now called the Standard of Truth and has been very prophetic thus far in predicting the rise and progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Here it is:

The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, and calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say, 'the work is done.'   (Joseph Smith - The Wentworth Letter)

The gospel will continue to spread, even to areas where it currently is not allowed such as the middle east and mainland China.  One place where the church is relatively new is India, which has a population of nearly 1.2 Billion people.  Recently Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had the opportunity to travel to India and establish the first Stake of the Church there (Read this news article here).  A stake is one of the fundamental units of the church, which consist of multiple smaller local congregations called wards.  (For reference sake there are around nine stakes in the town in Idaho that I am from).  However, this news means that the Church is growing in India and that the knowledge of the Lord is expanding to more of the Earth.  

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The total membership of the Church as of December 31, 2011 was 14,441,346 (source), with just over 3 million of those in the United States (as of 2008, source).  The Church also has more members outside of the United States than they do in it, which hasn't always been the case.  Now take this into perspective for a minute; if the US, with a population of roughly 312 million people, has about 3 million members of the Church, imagine what a country like India could do for Church membership if the same ratio of members to total population were reached (the US population is roughly 0.0097% Latter-day Saints).  There would be 11.5 million members of the Church in India (based on a population of 1.2 Billion x 0.0097%).  That would nearly double the membership of the church. 


Now before you think that I only feel that numbers are important I want to assure you that they aren't, so to speak.  The only reason why the larger numbers in Church membership excited me is because it means that that many more people have had an opportunity to hear the gospel, accept it and decide to become a part of it.  That is what is important.  Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10) and the more that can come to Him the better.  


We are living in a time and seeing the prophecy of Daniel coming to pass.  The kingdom of God has begun to fill the Earth and this Kingdom will never be destroyed because it is the truth and God is at the helm.  

The Patriarchal Blessing - Requesting a Copy

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who live worthily have the privilege of receiving a Patriarchal Blessing when they are old enough to appreciate such a blessing.  A patriarchal blessing is a special blessing, given by the ordained patriarch and authorized by using the Melchizedek Priesthood, that a person receives for their own guidance and benefit.  These blessings give counsel as well as promise blessings that can be those of the recipient if they keep the commandments of the Lord.  These blessings also reveal which tribe of Israel the person belongs to; Ephraim (Joseph), Judah, Levi, etc.  While such a declaration does not necessarily have any bearing on that person's position in the church it can help the person to understand the blessings that can be theirs if they are faithful.  The blessings are those that were promised to the sons of Isaac (Israel) in Genesis Chapter 49, as well as other blessings promised those the children of Israel from the Lord.  


A person only receives one patriarchal blessing from the patriarch during the course of their lives, however it should also be noted that any blessing given to a child by their father, by the Melchizedek Priesthood, is also considered a patriarchal blessing, although these blessings are not kept as official church records.  


These blessings are also considered sacred and are not to be generally shared with others, with the occasional exception of close family members or someone of a similar closeness.  Often, as is with most personal inspiration, the things revealed in the blessings are for the receiver only and would generally not benefit anyone else.  The Lord's house is a house of order and he does not give revelation to someone regarding someone else who they have no stewardship over.  


For those in the church who have received their Patriarchal blessing and are in need of another copy of it (for whatever reason), the church has enabled you to request another copy directly from the home page of LDS.org.  You can see a photo of the page below and the link to the site will also be posted below. 

Click "tools" and select "patriarchal blessing."

LDS.org

The Meaning of the Temple

"The temple is there to call us back to our senses, to tell us where our real existence lies, to save us from ourselves.  So let us go there often and face the reality, brethren and sisters."   - Hugh W. Nibley in Temple and Cosmos, vol. 12

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have a fond admiration for the lessons learned in the house of the Lord.  The teachings of the temple center around Jesus Christ and those lessons teach us how to arrive back in the presence of our Heavenly Father.  However, despite my admiration, it is no secret that many in the contemporary Christian world despise the necessity of ordinances in order to obtain this blessing.  Many mock the temple as a foolish teaching of Mormonism, ignoring the fact of the importance that the symbolism of a temple has played in all eras of Christianity, dating back to Moses and continuing after the resurrection of Jesus Christ himself.  Many are unaware that (in both apocryphal writings, and otherwise) the Apostles gathered themselves together to fast and to pray after the Lord had once again ascended into heaven (see The Early Christian Prayer Circle by Hugh W. Nibley - FARMS at Brigham Young University, also The Acts of John apocryphal writings from the 3rd century AD).  If temples were needed by the Apostles after the ascension of Christ then we can rest assured that they are needed now, for God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  


Clearly the modern day temples are mysteries to those who are not enlightened by the Spirit of the Lord, but that does not destroy their importance nor the beauty of the revelations found in them.  In fact, Elder John. A Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the following about the temple teachings in our day.

"The endowment is so richly symbolic that only a fool would attempt to describe it; it is so packed full of revelations to those who exercise their strength to seek and see, that no human words can explain or make clear the possibilities. . . . the endowment which was given by revelation can best be understood by revelation."  - John A. Widtsoe in Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine (April 1921)

The temple and its ordinances are designed to be mysterious to those who are not ready for the teachings, which are only understood by revelation.  So, it becomes the responsibility of every man and woman to learn about revelation from God and learn how to receive it for themselves before they will be ready to enter such a place that is so fundamentally  designed around receiving revelation.  In no other way can it be understood and it is foolishness to try and go about it any other way.  


Even without the understanding of what goes on in the temples, it is possible to understand why there are temples and why there have always been temples on the Earth.  In the following document by Hugh W. Nibley, we are taught about the history of temples from the beginning of the world to our present day.  And while specifics about the temple ceremonies are not given here (for this isn't the proper place for it) there is enough information given for someone to understand the reason why temples are, and have always been, so fundamental to civilization.  


While there is much that must be learned in order to understand the "why" of temples, do not be discouraged.  The prophet Joseph Smith taught

"There is nothing made known," said Joseph Smith, speaking of the day he taught the Twelve the ordinances of the temple, "but will be made known to all saints of the last days as soon as they are prepared to receive."But, know this, he said, they are only to be received by the spiritually-minded.  - Truman G. Madsen in The Temple and the Atonement

The following 10 pages contain the full text of the document "The Meaning of the Temple" by Hugh W. Nibley.  The citation for the document is given on the first page.

And It Came To Pass - Authenticity of the Book of Mormon

The phrase, "And it came to pass" occurs in the English translation of the Book of Mormon 1,381 times.  It is found in all books except the book of Moroni (the last book).  It can vary in how it is recorded, sometimes being used as "now it came to pass" or "for behold it came to pass" or "but behold, it came to pass" or "and it shall come to pass" but all variations contain the same root meaning.  


The phrase is not unique to the Book of Mormon, however.  The Bible uses the phrase, or one of its derivatives, some 613 times (526 in the Old Testament and 87 in the New Testament).  This supports the fact that the phrase "and it came to pass" is Hebrew in origin, which correlates well with the statement from Nephi, "Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians" (1 Nephi 1:2).  


It has been discovered that the Maya people, who lived in the Southeast part of Mexico and in Guatemala, may have adopted the phrase " and it came to pass."  Recent discoveries in the translation of the glyphs of the 7th Century Mayan ruins of Palenque show the phrase "and then it came to pass" and "it had come to pass" both used frequently.  Even more recently, another glyph has been directly interpreted as "and it shall come to pass."  This glyph has been named "Utchi" and it comprised of three separate glyphs; (U)T, CH and I.  Combined the three glyphs mean "and it came to pass."    

Three parts of the Utchi glyph

Here is a brief explanation of the glyphs history from "Things Mormon."

In 1985, a Mayanist scholar, Davit Stuart, observed that the Anterior Date Indicator (ADI) and Posterior Date Indicator (PDI) named by Eric Thompson functioned as a grammatical and literary feature both in colonial and modern Maya languages.  He speculated correctly when he interpreted the sound of the glyph as "Ut" in the Chol language and "Utchi" in the Maya language, meaning "to happen, or to come to pass." (Schele 1987:26)  Two years earlier, John Justeson and Will Norman found a consistency in an event indicator that appear as the word "IWAL," which means the action is ongoing at the time, such as "and" or "and then."  Together, UT_IWAL in the PDI in Maya glyphs read "and then it came to pass" or "and now it came to pass."   

It is interesting, and kind of ironic, that one of the things used to criticize the Book of Mormon has actually become one of the means to help prove its authenticity.  It is my testimony that the book is true and I am confident that as time goes on many other things will come to light to help further help the case of the authenticity of this great book.

Mapping the Book of Mormon

I am not sure how accurate this is, so take it with a grain of salt but I found a site that talks about the geography of the Book of Mormon and estimated locations of where certain cities and places in the Book of Mormon could exist in real world locations of today.  Most of it is in Central America and some of the dates correspond to the Book of Mormon pretty well.  For instance, the Olmec culture has been considered to be the Jaredites spoken about in Ether in the Book of Mormon.  The dates are fairly close to one another.  But you can go see for yourself and decide how accurate this is.  Just remember though, the geography won't prove or disprove anything and it shouldn't be used as a measuring rod of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon because that can only come by a witness from the Lord.  Here is the Link

Jot and Tittle - What Are They?

In the scriptures Jesus said that he was come to fulfill the law and that one jot nor tittle would pass away without being fulfilled (Matthew 5:18, 3 Nephi 12:18).  The words jot and tittle are somewhat strange to those of us who are unfamiliar with the context in which they are used.  For reference it is important to note that both the Jews and the Nephites were followers of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to the Israelites by commandment in order that they might look forward to the coming of the Son of God into the world and of His great Atoning sacrifice for all mankind.  Moses, by all accounts, spoke and wrote Hebrew, which means that the Mosaic Law was originally written in Hebrew.  The words Jot and Tittle are basically transliterations of Hebrew words and they refer to the smallest parts of the Hebrew alphabet.  The following reference will help explain why they are significant in the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law by Jesus Christ.  

Golden Plates From 600 BC Found In Bulgaria

This is the second post in the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon series that I have written about.  Those familiar with Mormon history will know that Joseph Smith claimed that he was given golden plates from which he translated the writings which now comprise the Book of Mormon.  Many disbelieve this claim and it is often a stumbling block for people who try to believe in the Book of Mormon.  However, an ancient record, recorded on golden plates has been discovered in Bulgaria.  This record has been dated to around 600 BC and is considered the oldest complete book in the world.  

Joseph Smith described the plates, from which he translated the Book of Mormon, as follows; 

These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. (History of the Church, 4:537)

 While the plates found in Bulgaria do not contain the same information as the Book of Mormon it is still a fascinating find in the fact that it shows plates existed as a means of preserving records around 600 BC, which is the time that Lehi and his family left Jerusalem.  


Here is the source link if you would like to read more: Maxwell Institute 

The Book of Mormon - Translated Back to Egyptian

There have been many critics of the Book of Mormon over the years, including those who doubt its authenticity based on the fact that it was produced by an uneducated farm boy from upstate New York.  This post is the first in a series regarding the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.  

Elder Russel M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles related the following account regarding a man translating the Book of Mormon back into Egyptian and becoming converted to the gospel.  In the Book of Mormon we read that the record had been written in the "characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech."  (Mormon 9:32).  Since the record was originally written in a form of Egyptian, it would seem natural for it to follow some of the literary styles of the language.  The following document will cover several of the literary artifacts that confirm it is a true record.  

It is my testimony that the Book of Mormon is not only a true historical artifact, relating the history of the inhabitants of North and South America but also that it is another witness of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  It has been a confirmation to me that he is our Savior and that he is the Savior of the entire world, not just the Jews who lived in Jerusalem during his mortal ministry.  

The Temple - Ancient and Modern Houses of the Lord

Anciently God commanded his people to build holy places of worship; places separate from the world.  He commanded Moses and the Children of Israel to build a Tabernacle (Exodus 26) and this served as the holy place until the building of the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6).  Both the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon were unique in the fact that they were dedicated houses to the Lord, designed for special rituals and worship.  They were places so holy that the Lord himself could literally come to them and dwell. "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them," (Exodus 25:8).

The Tabernacle was a portable temple in the fact that it could be moved around from place to place.

Solomon's Temple was in a fixed location, although it too had the same features as the Tabernacle did.

Likewise, in our day we have dedicated temples to the Lord.  They are set apart from the world and special ordinances are performed there, both for the benefit of ourselves and for our family members that have passed on.  Just as the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon in ancient days had ordinances and rituals that helped Israel look to the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ, the temples in our day help us remember the sacrifice of the Lord.  While the ordinances are different because the Lord fulfilled the Law of Moses and no longer requires the shedding of blood as a sacrifice (see Matthew 5:17 and 3 Nephi 12:17-18) they are still rich in symbolism just as the ancient rituals were.

The reason temples exist, then and now, is to remind us of the Atoning sacrifice of the Son of God.  Each time I go to the temple I feel peace and I always leave with more resolve to follow the Lord than when I entered.  As the world gets more and more wicked the Saints of the Lord will need the temples more than ever.  President George Q. Cannon, then a member of the First Presidency of the Church made this statement:

"Every foundation stone that is laid for a Temple, and every Temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence."  (In "The Logan Temple," Millenial Star, Nov. 12, 1877, 743).  

Other leaders of the church have also spoken and written on the importance of the power of the temple in overcoming the evil of the world.  Here is a link to an article by President Boyd K. Packer relating to temples: The Holy Temple.

Each modern Temple displays the inscription; "Holiness to the LORD, the house of the LORD."

With these things said I am going to post a note written by Vaughn J. Featherstone who is an emeritus general authority in the Church.  It is titled, "A Haven In A World Of Turmoil," and was written June 1, 1987.

My testimony is that the Lord loves his people enough that he commands them to build temples, not only to perform required ordinances for salvation, but also as a place of safety and security in an ever darkening world.  He loves us and has not forgotten any of us.

The Pre Mortal Existence of Mankind

I believe in the pre mortal existence of mankind and that we lived as spirit sons and daughters of God before our births here on the earth.  We lived for many ages of time in the presence of our Heavenly Father and we learned, grew and progressed in an attempt to become like Him.  In due course of time many had advanced as far as they could while in a spirit state and thus it was necessary for God to create a plan in order for us to continue forward.

To be sure, this is a doctrine that is not accepted by most of Christendom, yet it does not alter the fact that it is a common theme found not only in our scriptures but in writings and tradition from many cultures all over the world.

While the Bible and The Book of Mormon are not saturated with references to this pre-mortal state of existence, there are definitely some references to it.  Here are a few of my favorite;

Bible

• Job 38:4-7 The sons of God shouted for joy before the Earth was formed
• Ecclesiastes 1:11 No remembrance of former things
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 Return to that God
• Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee
• John 20:17 My Father and your Father (Jesus has a Father)
• Hebrews 11:13 We are strangers here on the Earth

Book of Mormon

• Alma 40:11 The spirits will return to God after death

The Pearl of Great Price

• Abraham 2:22-23  Abraham was chosen before he was born

While this is not even close to being an exhaustive list of scriptures it does clearly indicate that a condition of life before our mortal births existed and is references in many books of holy writ.  

It is important to note that those who are opposed to this doctrine often say that it is just a Mormon interpretation of the scriptures. Yet, writings have come forth in recent years that were not available to any of the leadership of the church when the doctrine of pre-mortality was revealed.  In a talk given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, then a Member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we are given insight into apocryphal writings that indicate that our lives here are but a short time of our total existence thus far. 

A few ancient writings, unavailable to Joseph Smith or anyone else at that time, have since appeared. Apocryphal writings may contain truths to be discerned, for “whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom.” (D&C 91:5.) This is an example from the Nag Hammadi Library. In the Apocryphon of James, Jesus reportedly told an afflicted Peter and James, “If you consider how long the world existed before you, and how long it will exist after you, you will find that your life is one single day and your sufferings one single hour” (“The Apocryphon of James,” in The Nag Hammadi Library in English, ed. James M. Robinson, San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1978, p. 31.) (1985 October General Conference, Premortality, a Glorious Reality, Sat. Morning Session - Neal A. Maxwell)

We have existed for ages and ages since before the world was created.  We lived, grew and were able to choose between good and bad.  This sheds much light on the reasoning behind why all of us are born into different conditions.  If God is no respecter of persons, how is it fair that some of His children are born into favorable conditions while others are born into poverty and sickness?  The answer to that is we have been placed here according to how we acted and who we chose to follow prior to our coming into mortality.  From the same talk I relate the following.

"Everything in our life happens as though we entered upon it with a load of obligations contracted in a previous existence ... obligations whose sanction is not of this present life, [which] seem to belong to a different world, founded on kindness, scruples, sacrifice, a world entirely different from this one, a world whence we emerge to be born on this earth, before returning thither."  (Marcel Proust, in Gabriel Marcel, Homo Viator, New York: Harper and Row, 1963, p. 8.)

Knowing this helps us to understand that, despite our circumstances, we are all brothers and sisters and ought to treat one another with love and mercy.  In fact, those who were born into better conditions than others may be under more scrutiny as to their behavior while in mortality than those who are born into less favorable conditions.

Premortality is not a relaxing doctrine.  For each of us, there are choices to be made, incessant and difficult chores to be done, ironies and acversities to be experiences, time to be well spent, talents and gifts to be well employed.  Just because we were chosen "there and then," surely does not mean that we can be indifferent "here and now."  Whether foreordination for me, or foredesignation for women, those called and prepared must also prove "chosen, and faithful."  In fact, adequacy in the first estate may merely have ensured a stern, second estate with more duties and no immunities!  Additional tutoring and suffering appears to be the pattern for the Lord's most apt pupils.  (1985 October General Conference, Premortality, a Glorious Reality, Sat. Morning Session - Neal A. Maxwell)

A final item I want to discuss is a document written by John Taylor, who was the third president of the Church.  It is titled "The Origin and Destiny of Women."  Although it was written to a woman, the underlying principles can be applied to men as well.

It is my testimony that we are brothers and sisters, here in the attempt to prove faithful to all the commandments of God.  When we see one another as literal children of God and literal brothers and sisters we cannot help but become more disposed to kindness, love and understanding for all the short-comings and foolish mistakes of those around us.  Let us ever be filled with charity.

Keys For Avoiding Deception

It seems proper that in the course of my writing I should attempt to be as correct as possible.  With that in mind I want to reiterate that I am merely human and I make mistakes.  That being the case I think it may be profitable to post some information from a document I received in October, 2006 from my mission president.  It is titled "Keys For Avoiding Deception" written by Elder Marion G. Romney is an excellent guide on seeking out true doctrine.  Elder Romney was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as a member of the First Presidency of the Church. 

I will post the document in its entirety as attached photos to this post but before that I will list the four basic ways one can determine a true doctrine against a false doctrine.  

Elder Marion G. Romney listed the following guidelines to assist one to distinguish between divine truth and its counterfeits:

1. Does it purport to originate in the wisdom of men, or was it revealed from heaven?  If it originated in the wisdom of men, it is not of God.
2. Does the teaching bear the proper label?  If any teaching purporting to be from Christ comes under any other label other than that of Jesus Christ, we can know it is not of God.  
3. The teaching must not only come under the proper label, but it must also conform to the other teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. Does it come through the proper Church channel?

I can tell you that these guidelines have always kept me in the right path when I have studied the gospel and tried to learn or understand new things.  

Along with these guidelines it is important to remember that one must have the Spirit of the Lord as their companion in order to gain any kind of edification during learning.  The prophet Brigham Young stated, 

"...I want you to remember that you ought not to teach the alphabet or the multiplication tables without the Spirit of God."  - Brigham Young University Mission Statement -

 So, dear reader, live so that you may have the Spirit of the Lord as your guide and follow the guidelines from an apostle of the Lord and you will surely fall into correct paths as you endeavor to study the word of the Lord.