I am seeing free will (with a high level of frustration and intense, unrelenting determination) in action. The emotional display of fireworks ranges in intensity with different personalities, but the desire to progress is universal.

Our children learn new things every day: how to put on their shoes, ride a bike, do a math problem, spell a word, date, drive a car. Every day, the driving force of free will gives them the motivation to keep moving forward. Struggle goes with the territory of new experiences.

Most people I know are comfortable with their own free will. They love the ability to make choices and learn from their decisions. For most parents, free will is like fire. It is both thrilling and scary. It is thrilling because we know our children need free will to grow. Freedom to choose is exhilarating and empowering. Without free will, we would still be spoon feeding them at 9, tying their shoes at 17, and carpooling for the remainder of our days. With free will comes learning and progression. If the fire of free will is contained and directed, it can be a rocket of progression.

This unbelievable gift is described by the ninth prophet called in these modern times, David O. McKay:

“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. … Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the spirit of man. It is a divine gift. … Whether born in abject poverty or shackled at birth by inherited riches, everyone has this most precious of all life’s endowments—the gift of free agency; man’s inherited and inalienable right” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, “Chapter 22: Agency and Responsibility,” 205).

Democratic countries are founded on this inalienable right. Slavery was abolished because of this right. Many have died to retain the right to remain free.

Free will, also called “agency,” is powerful — and this is why parents also find free will a bit scary. Children combine free will with inexperience and immaturity. That same fire, unrestrained, can burn out of control and create severe damage.

My husband was in charge of a large youth group who spent time in the summer reenacting a pioneer trek. He watched as some teenage boys grabbed hard reeds and were hitting each other on the back for fun to see if they could make welts appear. The leaders were discussing this not-so-smart behavior and one leader commented, “In our family, we call this green brain. A youngster’s brain is green when displayed on a brain scan. As they grow, the color changes. Their brain is fully developed by their 20s and the scan shows a totally different color.” She looked over at the boys. “Definite green brain,” she said.

With choice comes a balancing tagalong: responsibility.

As President Brigham Young, the second prophet of the restored Church, said on one occasion:

“If Brother Brigham should take a wrong track and be shut out of the kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame but Brother Brigham. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell, that can be blamed. This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint. Salvation is an individual operation. … When salvation is sent to me, I can reject or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and submission to its great Author throughout my life, and to those whom he shall appoint to instruct me; in rejecting it, I follow the dictates of my own will in preference to the will of my Creator” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, “Chapter 40: Salvation through Jesus Christ,” 294).

Our children are free to choose, but have the responsibility of owning the consequences. It is important that they know choice is not the end destination, but the vehicle that moves us forward.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks noted:

“Few concepts have more potential to mislead us than the idea that choice, or agency, is an ultimate goal. In mortality, choice is a method, not a goal” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Weightier Matters,” Ensign, January 2001).

Our challenge as parents is to allow our children to use the vehicle of choice, point them in the right direction of obedience to commandments of God, and let the fire of free will propel them to success and safety.

This article was originally published in March 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Jenny A

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

 

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.)

Everyone, male and female, can receive spiritual gifts. The scriptures list many of these gifts and it can be interesting, as we read, to highlight each gift mentioned. The gifts bless the holder of the gifts if he uses them wisely, but they can also be used to bless others. A person who has the gift of faith can use it to find the truth among conflicting and confusing choices. This gift can be used to help that person become a member of the Savior’s Church. It comes to her through the Spirit of Christ. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, her faith grows even more. She might then choose to use that gift to pray for others or to share her faith with those who were not given as strong a gift as she received.

We’re taught that it is appropriate to pray for certain gifts if we are prepared to use them wisely in the service of others rather than to glorify ourselves. A person who is invited to teach a class but lacks the gift to teach can begin to pray for it. In addition to praying, of course, she must do what she can to improve her teaching skills, but God will step in and honor righteous requests if they are part of His plan for us. A prayer to become the greatest teacher in the world is not likely to be honored because this is a prideful request, but a prayer to have the ability to teach the class one has agreed to teach will likely be honored.

The diversity of the human race is one of God’s best ideas! If we all had the same talents, gifts, and assignments, most things wouldn’t get done. The world needs writers, but it doesn’t need everyone to be a writer. It needs gardeners, but everyone doesn’t need a talent for gardening. Because each of us has different talents and passions, everything that needs doing gets done. If we each had all the talents possible in equal proportion, we might find ourselves spread too thin and most things wouldn’t get accomplished. We’d all be doing whatever was easiest or created the most wealth, given human nature.

In the same way, God divided up certain tasks and assigned them to specific genders. Only women were given the ability to give birth. This doesn’t mean God loves men less; it only means that doesn’t happen to be one of the tasks assigned to them. Only men hold the priesthood, but that does not say women aren’t worthy or capable of holding it. Priesthood is an office, not a gender, but assigning it to men keeps it focused, just as assigning childbirth only to women keeps that aspect of life focused.

Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are a great many tasks to be completed because we have a lay religion and very complex programs. Everyone is asked to take on his or her share of the work. Tasks are assigned in various ways that make the Church run more smoothly. Some are assigned by age: only an eleven, twelve, or thirteen-year-old old girl may serve as a youth leader in the Beehive Program. (Beehives are girls of that age in the Young Women’s program for teenagers.)

Other callings and responsibilities are assigned by gender. For example, only women can serve as Primary or Relief Society presidents. (These are, respectively, the organizations for children and women.) Some tasks are open to anyone who is an adult: anyone may teach the children or the literacy classes, even though only women can lead those programs. Some tasks are assigned by office: only a person who holds the office of a high priest can serve as a bishop (the leader of a congregation). It might appear that the rule is that only men can be bishops, but actually, the rule is that only high priests can be bishops. A good and worthy man who does not hold the office of high priest in the priesthood cannot be a bishop, no matter how qualified he is otherwise.

While it’s true that only men are to hold the priesthood (as we see from even a casual study of the Bible), this does not limit a woman from serving God anymore than not being able to be the Primary president limits a man’s ability to serve God. There are many ways to serve and God does not love the priesthood holders more than the Primary president—or the door greeter. We don’t get bonus points for serving in certain kinds of positions. God asks us to serve wherever He needs us, and, if we do this well, we are blessed for our attitude and willingness to serve, not for the specific task accomplished.

Men holding the priesthood receive no special blessings over the women. It isn’t about power, blessings, or God’s love. Rather, it is about our trust in God and His plan. If we have a testimony that the Savior is at the head of the Church and that He sees with a vision greater than our own, we won’t waste valuable hours of our mortality fretting over what gifts or offices we don’t have. Instead, we’ll work hard to develop those gifts and talents that God has asked us to take on.

As with every other aspect of the gospel, it really comes down to a testimony. How much do you trust God?

When I was first investigating the Church, the priesthood concerned me. As a teenager raised in the 1970s, I thought women’s liberation was what I was supposed to be living (even though I was known for my love of taking care of children). In other words, my nature was fairly traditional—if you leave out housework. The missionaries teaching me, when asked about priesthood during the first lesson, told me they’d be happy to discuss it with me but that I needed more background and training in prayer first.

They asked me to learn to pray and to continue to study, and then we’d discuss it. By the time I was able to understand the answers, I no longer needed to ask the question. I had learned to get my own answers through prayer and I had come to see how much God valued the woman’s place in His kingdom. I understood that being told I had to turn into a man was degrading to women and insulting to God, who created gender. It was no longer a problem for me. I had become proud of the person God created in me.

Over the years, I’ve longed for certain gifts. Some I’ve been able to receive, such as an improved ability to teach, while others were not my calling, such as a desire to sing. Over the years, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve stopped wasting time fretting over what I don’t have and have begun to be thankful for what I do have. God gave me a most interesting gift box of traits, talents, and experiences. I would be ungrateful and unworthy of those gifts if I wasted my life whining that they weren’t good enough.

This article was originally published in October 2009. Minor changes have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Albuquerque LDS Temple

So often my good plans of temple attendance were derailed or sidetracked. Why was it that months passed between trips to the temple? Often at the end of the year, I would look back and realize that I had only attended a handful of times. For a while, the nearest temple to me was in Dallas, Texas, a five-hour drive away. Then we received the wonderful announcement that we would have a temple in Oklahoma City in the year 2000. This cut our driving time to less than two hours, but unfortunately my temple attendance did not improve.

This really started to bother me as I listened to lessons at church and heard talks in general conference reiterating the importance of temples. It was obvious that temples are important to the Lord and I wanted them to be important to me.

I came across the following words spoken at the funeral of Joseph Smith Sr., father of the prophet Joseph Smith Jr.

“To dwell in the house of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple, was his daily delight; and in it he enjoyed many blessings, and spent many hours in sweet communion with his Heavenly Father. He has trod its sacred aisles, solitary and alone from mankind, long before the king of day has gilded the eastern horizon; and he has uttered his aspirations within its walls, when nature has been asleep. In its holy enclosures have the visions of heaven been opened to his mind, and his soul has feasted on the riches of eternity.” (History of the Church 4:194)

Why weren’t my visits to the temple a “delight” and why hasn’t my “soul feasted on the riches of eternity”? I decided to take my desires to my Heavenly Father. I knew He would answer my prayers, but as a wise man once said, “You can’t steer a parked car.” I knew I needed to get to work and “must study it out in [my] mind” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8). I needed to see what more I could learn about temples.

I decided to start learning about the temples of old. I read about the tabernacles that the Lord commanded the Israelites to build as they journeyed through the wilderness. I read about the temple of Solomon in all of its glory. The temple of Zerubbabel was next followed by the temple of Herod, which was visited by the Savior during His earthly ministry.

In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, near the beginning of its history, a prophet named Nephi built a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things” (2 Nephi 5:16). Then I read in Mosiah about the great speech King Benjamin made from the temple in the land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 2:1). Of course, who could forget the climax of the Book of Mormon where the resurrected Savior visited the people who were gathered at the temple in the land Bountiful (3 Nephi 11:1)?

Mount Timpanogos Temple

Moving my focus to the latter-days, I learned about the commandments of the Lord “to build a house to me” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:33) and the intense struggles the early members of the Church had to fulfill that commandment.

It was evident that temples were central to the people of God in all ages. It seemed to me that there had to be additional benefits of temple attendance for the living—more than I currently understood.

A large piece of the puzzle fit into place as I read the words of George Q. Cannon at the Logan Utah Temple cornerstone dedication:

“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” (Millennial Star, 12 Nov. 1877, p. 743).

President Gordon B. Hinckley obviously understood this principle. Looking back to the October 1997 General Conference when President Hinckley announced the plan to build smaller temples around the world, there were 50 temples in operation. By 2009, there were 146 temples announced, under construction, or operating across the world. What an amazing and miraculous accomplishment in 12 short years! Now, in 2019, there are 209 temples that fit that description.

I was beginning to understand. We live in a time that is becoming exponentially more evil. Heavenly Father knew this and instructed President Hinckley to build more temples. He almost tripled the number of temples, in fact! I realized this was to provide the power and protection for us spiritually as well as lessen the adversary’s effect and power on the earth.

As I continued my studies, I noticed three blessings of the temple that I had not noticed before: power, protection, and spiritual refinement.

John A. Widstoe taught that temple service not only strengthens us personally but affects the entire community. He said:

“Men grow mighty under the results of temple service; … the community increases in power; until the devil has less influence than he ever had before” (“Temple Worship,” The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, pp. 51).

Star Valley Wyoming Temple

President Boyd K. Packer explained why attendance can be so difficult at times when he said, “Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints, and to the entire Church” (The Holy Temple, p. 178).

Continuing to teach about power, protection, and spiritual refinement, President Packer stated:

“No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work and the genealogical research which supports it. No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness.

 

Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.

 

If we will accept the revelation concerning temple ordinance work, if we will enter into our covenants without reservation or apology, the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life” (The Holy Temple, p. 265).

“We are bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don’t want or need. More information is generated in a single day than we can absorb in a lifetime. To fully enjoy life, all of us must find our own breathing space and peace of mind. How can we do this? There is only one answer. We must rise above the evil that encroaches upon us. We must follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, “It is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places (Doctrine and Covenants 101:22)” (James E. Faust, “Standing in Holy Places,” April 2005).

I know I am “bombarded on all sides” and that I need a “shield and a protection.” I see the world around me and I know that we need to “lessen the power of Satan on the earth.” All that I hold dear depends on my ability to withstand the temptations of the world and endure to the end. I have often worried about how to best prepare my young children to succeed in this world. I know if they understand the power and protection the temple affords, they will be more apt to make temple worship a high priority.

I know a lifetime of study may not be enough to fully understand everything about the temple, but now I understand enough to help me realize how important it is. We have many tools to help us on our journey and the temple is a very powerful one.

Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple

Now as I prepare myself to attend the temple, I am filled with excitement. I eagerly mark our ward temple dates on my calendar. The temple has become a top priority for me and attendance has become regular. The old excuses and roadblocks melt away as my priorities shift and I can see Heavenly Father’s hand helping me accomplish my righteous desires. My time in the temple has become a “delight” and I am beginning to see the “riches of eternity.” I feel more help and guidance in all aspects of my life as I worthily and regularly attend the temple.

I know Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I know He loves me and wants me to succeed. I know the things I learn and the covenants I make in the temple will provide the power, protection, and spiritual refinement essential to “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23).

This article was originally published in February 2009. Minor changes have been made for timeliness and consistency.

Ben

The angel asked young Nephi if he knew the meaning of the tree in his father’s vision. Nephi responded that it represented God’s love, “which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.” (1 Nephi 11:22) The angel agreed and added, “Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.”

There are millions of articles in magazines and on the Internet, thousands of books, hundreds of television programs devoted to the theme of how to get someone to love you. Do you ever long to have someone who will love you even on the days you’re less than perfect? You already have two such people—God the Father and Jesus Christ.

We are all children of a Heavenly Father and He loves us. He is able to love us because we lived with Him as spirits before we came here—when people talk poetically of babies coming from Heaven, we can know this is literally true. While there, we enjoyed His presence and His teachings, and we learned to make choices. He watched us, learned about us and interacted with us—and loved us as we grew in our ability to choose.

One choice we made was to follow the Savior when we came to earth. Not everyone made this choice. One third of those in Heaven preferred to follow Satan, and those were denied the opportunity to come to earth. Just by being here, we know we made the critical decision at a critical moment in eternity. We chose wisely, and so we came to earth, bringing God’s love with us.

Because memory of that time is largely erased, except for small flashes of remembrance, we operate here on faith. We have to rediscover God’s love for us, and learn to feel it even though He is far away, just as we remember our earthly parents’ love for us when we live across the country or across the world.

We can’t intentionally ignore God and His teachings and expect to feel His love with us all the time. While God certainly does not expect that we’ll be perfect here on earth, He does expect us to give it our very best effort. The Savior, representing God, said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Further down the page, in verse 23, Jesus added, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

So we can see that although God sent us here in love, we who know of Him have a responsibility. If we’re not doing what He asks of us, when we know what He asks, then perhaps we don’t love Him enough. Jesus put a gentle condition on one’s ability to experience the fulness of God’s blessings and the capacity to feel His love: “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him.” Again, this isn’t to say we must be perfect or that if we make mistakes, we don’t love God—but we must always be working on becoming better and, ultimately, toward perfection.

Our current prophet, Russell M. Nelson—then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—helped us to understand this concept:

“Does this mean the Lord does not love the sinner? Of course not. Divine love is infinite and universal. The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle John affirmed, “We love him, because he first loved us.” And Nephi, upon seeing in vision the Lord’s mortal ministry, declared: “The world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.” We know the expansiveness of the Redeemer’s love because He died that all who die might live again.” Russell M. Nelson, “Divine Love,” Ensign, Feb 2003, 20

Although he speaks of the Savior, we know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are exactly united in their teachings. President Nelson carries this further, to help us understand the eternal consequences of this teaching:

“God declared that His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Thanks to the Atonement, the gift of immortality is unconditional. The greater gift of eternal life, however, is conditional. In order to qualify, one must deny oneself of ungodliness and honor the ordinances and covenants of the temple. The resplendent bouquet of God’s love—including eternal life—includes blessings for which we must qualify, not entitlements to be expected unworthily. Sinners cannot bend His will to theirs and require Him to bless them in sin. If they desire to enjoy every bloom in His beautiful bouquet, they must repent.”Russell M. Nelson, “Divine Love,” Ensign, Feb 2003, 20

And so, we can depend on God to love us and to help us through this mortal challenge He has offered us. In return, we must do our part and demonstrate the depth of our love through the depth of our commitment to live His teachings.

This post was originally published in June 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Just what does “mercy” mean? If we go to most dictionaries, they will tell us traditional definitions of “mercy.” The explanation would go something like this:

“Mercy means to give kindness when it is not deserved.”

And that definition is indeed an accurate one. But I feel that mercy – at least when we speak of the goodness of God – is so much broader.

Just as a judge has the power to stop a pending punishment or to actually pardon someone for an earthly crime, so too does God have the power to pardon us for greater offenses than even earthly tribunals might consider.

But He only does this because His Son was willing to come and pay for our sins. Jesus Christ was whipped, scourged because we have sinned. He bled and suffered deeper than eternity can tell, in the Garden of Gethsemane, because of our indiscretions. He was nailed to a cross because He loved us enough. He loved us enough to cross the threshold of death and then return, so that we might do the same.

So does a simple definition of “mercy” suffice for me? It can’t come close.

For all the times my God has given me evidence of His divine caring, my heart soars. And yet in the same moment, I am overcome with grief that because of me and my mistakes, His Son suffered.

Yet this was the eternal plan. God would create an earth for us so that we, as His children, could be tested. We would prove that we indeed valued the things of God greater than the dusty things of mortality. But walking here, we (and He) could see that we would make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes would be grave ones, ones called sin because of their serious offensive nature before Him.

It was because of this that there was a need for a Savior to compensate for our shortfalls. This is why the Savior Jesus Christ is so often called the Redeemer of the world.

Christ atoned for us so that we could each have the opportunity to return to our Father in Heaven.

Think of the word “redemption” like this: when you receive a coupon in the mail, you have the option of returning it to a store to “redeem” the item offered. But it is all choice-based. The offer of Jesus Christ to us from God Himself is very similar. The intensely priceless “coupon” of eternal life is given freely to us. It is up to us to decide whether we grasp that coupon and effectuate the offer, or whether we throw it away carelessly.

This is why, when I hear the term “mercy,” for me it is so much greater than a simple act of kindness, like so many assume. For me, the word mercy has such depth it is difficult for me to articulate its meaning. The goodness of God is manifest by the gift of His Son; what an amazing extension of God’s goodness that is!

This post was originally published in January of 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Cindy B

On one hand, there is the group that says we evolved slowly over eons of time from a one-celled creature that came ashore from the oceans billions of years ago. Gradually, that creature evolved or grew upward, step-by-step, through all phases of development and became the men and women we are today. There are many sources of evidence that might suggest this to be true, at least in part. Numerous museums and universities are filled with archaeological remnants of species and findings from the past that are purported to give proof to this theory of biological evolution. But no archaeologist or anthropologist can really prove, without doubt, that this theory is unequivocally true.

On the other hand, there are those who live by faith and accept the definition, though very basic, that man is the creation of God as stated by Moses when he wrote, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (1 Genesis 1:27)

Surely, there is much more to be learned before either theory can be accepted as totally true or that a combination of the two satisfies our quest. Men will continue digging in the ground to find more physical proof to support their theories that we came about in a natural, self-guided manner without the interference from God or any other outside directing forces.

The faithful, however, quietly wait until the coming day when the Lord will reveal to us the workings of our all-wise Father in Heaven regarding our creation. He is testing our patience and faith now by not revealing too much on the subject. But someday, He will explain all He has done to create us “in his own image.”

While we wait to have all the missing blanks filled in concerning our creation, it would do us well to consider an old Jewish tale of two brothers who spent their entire life living in the city, never once going out into the countryside.

One day, one of the brothers out of curiosity said, “It’s time for us to see what there is outside our home. It might prove interesting. We might even enjoy such an outing.”

So they began their expedition by hiking out on an old country road. They were amazed at the beauty all around them that they had never seen before. For the first time, they saw beautiful trees, streams and rivers, all sorts of flowers, and rich, fertile fields running as far as the eye could see.

After a while, they turned to see a lovely fenced-off field filled with grass and wild flowers.  As they watched, an old man entered the field with some sort of steel implement. He climbed up onto it and had his horse pull him back and forth over the field. As they looked on, the young men were aghast—the old man was destroying all the grass and flowers! Back and forth, he rode, over and over again. When he finished, there wasn’t one blade of grass or a single flower left. They saw only a dirty gray field with small rocks and clumps of dry ground. All the beautiful things had been destroyed.

The two brothers were very upset. One said to the other, “Look at what that stupid old man has done. He has destroyed everything.”

As they continued to watch, the old man came back into the field holding a large bag of what looked to be grain over his shoulder. He reached into it and started to throw it all over the field.  This incensed them even further. One brother cried out, “Not only has he ruined the field, but now he is throwing perfectly good grain away! I have had enough. I am going back home.” He stamped his feet, turned around, and huffed his way back home.

The other young man found the old man’s behavior very interesting, and was eager to see more, so he stayed in the country a season. As time passed, he saw something wonderful happen to the once “ruined” field. Slowly, it came back to life. It was now covered with beautiful and tall grass. Excited, he ran to get his brother again to share in this change with him. They both marveled at the new growth until the farmer returned with a scythe in his hand. All at once, he thrust it into the new grass. Before long, he had cut every blade down.

The impatient brother cried out once again. “There that fool goes again! He has destroyed the beautiful field a second time. Now I really have had enough of this stupid old man. I am going home again and hope never to return.”

Again, the other brother remained to see what would happen next. He saw the farmer carefully rake up all the grass and bundle it. He then took it to a building not far away. There, he beat it with a heavy stick until it was divided into two parts: the chaff and the grain. He blew away the chaff and bagged up the remaining grain. The old man had been growing wheat. He bagged up enough grain to fill his whole wagon and left for home.

Suddenly, it all became very clear to our young man. He cried out, “How naive and ignorant we have been! This good old farmer by his labor, wisdom, and faith has turned one bag of wheat into a hundred bags for his family. He never destroyed the field but used it for his benefit.” As he rejoiced at what he had learned, he ran back to the city to tell his brother all about this now wise old farmer.

The time will come when all of our questions on the origin of man will be answered. Everything will fall into place. At present, we have only bits and pieces of knowledge about our creation. We will feel as humbled at the answers to our questions as these two young men were about the origin of the wheat.

God the Father has said, “For behold this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39)

When we grow enough spiritually to grasp the depth of love that our Father in Heaven has for us, He will reveal all the missing pieces we need to have a perfect understanding of the story of our creation. Everything will fall into place and at last we will know the true origin of man.

By George Domm

George Domm

George Domm was born and raised in upstate New York around historical LDS sites such as the Hill Cumorah and Palmyra. He was very familiar with the Church long before he was baptized in 1959. Soon after joining, he found himself serving a full-time mission for the Church in Berlin, Germany. That was his first of four missions! George currently lives in American Fork, UT with his wife, Margaret, and busies himself trying to keep up with their 11 children and 42 grandchildren. He loves to do family history and play golf with “all the old men in our neighborhood.” His goal is to one day shoot his age, 74.

There are many people who don’t believe in God, and there are many others who believe in Him, but believe that once Jesus’ earthly ministry ended, God decided His work was done and lost interest in the people yet to come until after they died.

Nephi, an early Book of Mormon prophet, talked about this to his people:

3 For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord’s; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord’s; and thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord—
 

4 And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.
 

5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men;
 

6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. (2 Nephi 28)

At no time has God ever turned His back on His children. He’s our Father in Heaven and He loves us. There have indeed been times when the fullness of the gospel wasn’t on the earth and there were no prophets to guide us. For instance, after the Savior and his apostles were gone, there were no more prophets for a time, due to the way the world had treated the Savior and His followers. They killed the Savior and those who tried to carry on His work, so God stopped calling prophets. Had they reacted differently, an apostasy wouldn’t have occurred.

However, even during this time, God didn’t abandon us. We’ve always been able to turn to God on a personal level. People throughout history have prayed at critical moments in their lives and in the history of the world. Through the Light of Christ, God could allow even those without the gift of the Holy Ghost or access to a prophet to know what was true and right if they chose to ask.

The late Joseph B. Wirthlin, who was a high-ranking church official known as a General Authority, said:

“As the sun gives life and light to the earth, a spiritual light gives nourishment to our spirits. We call this the Light of Christ. The scriptures teach us that it “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” 2 Thus, all mankind can enjoy its blessings. The Light of Christ is the divine influence that allows every man, woman, and child to distinguish between good and evil. It encourages all to choose the right, to seek eternal truth, and to learn again the truths that we knew in our premortal existence but have forgotten in mortality.

 

The Light of Christ should not be confused with the personage of the Holy Ghost, for the Light of Christ is not a personage at all. Its influence is preliminary to and preparatory to one’s receiving the Holy Ghost. The Light of Christ will lead the honest soul to “hearkeneth to the voice” 3 to find the true gospel and the true Church and thereby receive the Holy Ghost.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Unspeakable Gift,” Ensign, May 2003, 26)

God knew we needed prophets to get us through the first days of the world and to prepare us for the arrival of the Savior. The final days are equally important and also require the guidance of prophets. God has restored the fullness of His gospel to help us prepare for the return of the Savior to the earth and is actively guiding His church.

While in the past, we had to seek out all answers from God on a personal level, we can now turn again, as did the people of the Bible and the Book of Mormon, to the prophets for guidance.

Our current prophet, President Russell M. Nelson

Of course, we are still free to turn to God individually, and in fact, He has instructed us to do so. He expects us first to find out who the prophet is and to know for ourselves what is true. Then He asks us to continue our personal relationship with God, integrating that with our willingness to follow the prophets He has lovingly sent us.

Would you like to find out how you can personally confirm the identity of God’s own prophet, receiving the answer from God Himself? Visit How Can I Know This is True?

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

“Eternal marriage is a principle which was established before the foundation of the world and was instituted on this earth before death came into it. Adam and Eve were given to each other by God in the Garden of Eden before the Fall.

The scripture says, “In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them” (Gen. 5:1–2; emphasis added).” Elder F. Burton Howard, “Eternal Marriage,” Ensign, May 2003, 92-94

It is the nucleus, the strength of which forms the family unit – ” until the wickedness of men turned from God and began their own way of living without the promises, religion, and ordinances of God.

“To those who keep the covenant of marriage, God promises the fulness of His glory, eternal lives, eternal increase, exaltation in the celestial kingdom, and a fulness of joy.” Elder F. Burton Howard, “Eternal Marriage,” Ensign, May 2003, 92-94

In the world today we have men and women who spend tens of thousands, even millions of dollars on lavish wedding ceremonies. With all their pomp and circumstance, with extravagant decorations and flowing gowns . . . nothing compares to kneeling across the altar in a temple of the Lord and making sacred covenants to one another which are bound by the Holy Priesthood held by the sealer.

You may be asking why Latter-day Saints feel as we do. Let me try to explain the sacredness and beauty of an eternal marriage.

To us, marriage is eternal. When we fall in love, it is not only until we get a divorce or one of us dies. When that love begins to develop it is with the understanding that this is a union intended to last through eternity. I would hope that makes us a little more careful in the choosing and falling in love department.

President Spencer W. Kimball stated in a First Presidency Message,

Civil marriage is an earthly contract, completed in the death of either party. Eternal celestial marriage is a sacred covenant between man and woman, consecrated in the holy temple by servants of God who hold authoritative keys. It bridges death; transcends time, stretches unbreakable into eternity. . . it includes both time and eternity.

I know as my husband lay near death’s door my heart would have shattered into irreparable pieces had we only been married for Time, or in other words, till death. When Alvin and I met we were instantly attracted to one another. But we didn’t start dating for a year. He proposed within three dates, that was in 1984, and we did not marry until 1995.

We were apart for 11 years. When the day came that we knelt across the altar of the Bountiful Temple, I was never more grateful than I was at that moment that the Savior had provided a way for us to be married throughout the eternities.

How dismal life would be if I had to say goodbye to my sweetheart forever? To have spent decades building a strong, loving relationship to have it end at death? That makes no sense. Truth is reason, and reason states that when married with the proper authority, within the walls of God’s holy temple, this marriage will last.

This is the purpose of Temple Marriage . . . a single familial chain formed from you and yours back to Adam and Eve, including all the children of God who choose to follow this path.

So my question to you is this: How much do you love your husband? Your wife? Your children? Do you want to be with them for eternity? The Lord has provided the way. Will you follow Him?

Candace

The Mormons saw the federal government take over their state, even sending in an outsider to be the governor without allowing them to vote. Imagine if such a thing happened today. They took away the rights of the women, who had enjoyed complete suffrage until then.

You would expect a people with such a history to be rebellious, always planning protests and riots. Not the Mormons. Mormon is a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they feel an obligation to behave as Jesus would. With this in mind, and with commandments from their leaders, they are noted for their patriotism to whatever country they belong. There are more Mormons outside the US than inside.

Mormons believe the Constitution is divinely inspired. This does not mean they think it should never be changed from the way it started, since no one really wants to return to the days of slavery or take away voting rights from women and blacks. It does not even mean they all believe every word is inspired. There is, in fact, disagreement by various leaders on which portions are inspired. Joseph Smith, the church’s first prophet, mourned the lack of what became the fourteenth amendment. This amendment allowed the federal government to enforce the Constitution in the states and did not become law until after the Civil War.

Dalllin H. Oaks offers enlightening discussion on this topic in his talk, “The Divinely Inspired Constitution.” Speaking as a constitutional expert, rather than as a church leader, he offered insights into Mormon views and his own views on the subject. Oaks, now a Mormon apostle, was once a state supreme court justice and helped to draft a Bill of Rights for the Illinois Constitutional Convention.

“Reverence for the United States Constitution is so great that sometimes individuals speak as if its every word and phrase had the same standing as scripture. Personally, I have never considered it necessary to defend every line of the Constitution as scriptural. For example, I find nothing scriptural in the compromise on slavery or the minimum age or years of citizenship for congressmen, senators, or the president. President J. Reuben Clark, who referred to the Constitution as “part of my religion,” also said that it was not part of his belief or the doctrine of the Church that the Constitution was a “fully grown document.” “On the contrary,” he said, “We believe it must grow and develop to meet the changing needs of an advancing world.” ^“

Elder Oaks finds five fundamentals in the Constitution to be inspired: separation of powers, the Bill of Rights, division of powers, popular sovereignty, and the rule of law. He noted that J. Reuben Clark had found three inspired fundamentals.

Elder Oaks noted:

“I have always felt that the United States Constitution’s closest approach to scriptural stature is in the phrasing of our Bill of Rights. Without the free exercise of religion, America could not have served as the host nation for the restoration of the gospel, which began just three decades after the Bill of Rights was ratified. I also see scriptural stature in the concept and wording of the freedoms of speech and press, the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, the requirements that there must be probable cause for an arrest and that accused persons must have a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, and the guarantee that a person will not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. President Ezra Taft Benson has said, “Reason, necessity, tradition, and religious conviction all lead me to accept the divine origin of these rights.”

Elder Oaks said that Mormons are encouraged to study the Constitution and to protect the inspired fundamentals. They are taught to obey the law and to be supportive of their governments at all levels. They are also expected to protect morality and to practice civic virtue. This includes serving jury duty, voting, and participating in other legal requirements of government:

“The single word that best describes a fulfillment of the duties of civic virtue is patriotism. Citizens should be patriotic.”

To read more articles by Terrie Bittner, please click here.

Mormons in the United States celebrate Independence Day. For them, the country provided a means for the restoration of the gospel. Although its history did not always protect the religious freedoms its constitution promises, and although the government is not perfect, they know its basic foundations are inspired. They understand they have the right and the ability to improve it and to protect those freedoms they celebrate each July 4^th. For many Mormons it is not just a day for picnicking, but for celebration of the history, present, and purpose of the nation.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Baptisms Declining

Deseret News reports that Baptist baptisms are at their lowest point since 1948, with just 314,959 in 2012. Mormons, a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are one of the few churches still experiencing growth in number of baptisms. They are reported to be the second fastest growing religion in America by the National Council of Churches, although the Mormons themselves do not make that comparison, noting that churches count their members in different ways. Membership in the Mormon faith recently reached 15 million people.

Deseret News notes that the decline most churches are facing comes from a general reduction in religious interest overall. Fewer people attend church or consider membership in a religion important, even if they consider themselves spiritual. (See Herb Scribner, Royal christening comes despite drop in baptisms, Deseret News, Oct. 23 2013.) In addition, more people are married outside of their own religion and so avoid baptizing a child into a church until the child is older and can make a personal decision. Fewer people are married in churches, making them less motivated to follow through with other sacraments.

Prince George’s baptism was carried out in a fairly traditional manner without a great deal of press and fanfare. Only family attended. He was dressed in an elegant white gown that was a replica of the one used by every royal infant since Edward VII. Six godparents were named and parental advice was offered by officiating clergy. The infant is three months old.

Do Mormons Baptize Infants?

Mormons do not baptize infants, but they do give newborns a name and a blessing in a brief ceremony held at the start of regular church services (in most cases). This is normally done within a few months of the child’s birth. An authorized Melchizedek priesthood holder acts as voice (speaks the blessing) and other priesthood holders are invited to participate. The men stand in a circle holding the baby with one hand and placing their hands on the shoulder of the man next to them while another priesthood holder, usually a teenage boy, holds the microphone. The Mormons have a lay ministry and any worthy man who is eighteen or older can hold this priesthood.  Because of this lay priesthood, babies are often blessed by their own fathers or grandfathers.

The child is given an official name that will be entered in the church records and is the same name used in legal records. Then the priesthood holder gives the child a blessing as inspired by the Holy Ghost and closes in the name of Jesus Christ. Generally, the father or person speaking the blessing will hold the baby up so members can see the infant, although this is not required.

Mormon Baptisms at Age Eight

Baptisms are not performed until the child is eight years old. This is when Mormons teach that children become accountable for their sins. Until that time, Satan has no control over them and the mistakes they make are just that—mistakes of a child who is still learning right from wrong.

Mormons believe the atonement of Jesus Christ covers the sins of Adam and Eve and also the mistakes of young children. There is, therefore, no risk to a child who dies before age eight, and he or she returns home to God as pure as when the child was first born. This information is extremely reassuring to parents whose child dies very young—sometimes even before baptism would have been possible.

For Mormons, the innocence of young children is further proof of the love and fairness of God. He knows where and when each child is born and knows even before the child is born whether or not the parents will have him baptized. It would be extremely partial of God to intentionally place one of his beloved children into a setting in which he can receive a baptism and another into a setting in which he cannot.

In many religions, a child who happens to die before the baptism can occur is considered unable to be saved. This would mean he is punished for a situation over which he has no control, and that would be unjust. God is never unjust.

What Happens to an Unbaptized Child Who Dies?

While some faiths, struggling to explain their view, suggest that perhaps because God knew the child would never have chosen baptism anyway, it didn’t matter where he was sent in mortality. However, Mormons believe that God did not send anyone to earth to fail. Even though He does indeed know everything, He loves us and wants us to succeed. He longs for us to make the right choices in life. As a result, he gives us the opportunity to do that. Even those who die without having received a proper witness from the Holy Ghost after age eight will have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ after death.

If a Mormon child reaches age eight and his parents choose not to have him baptized, the child is not held accountable. We are accountable only for those things we can control. The parents will be held accountable for their choice, and the child is accountable only for those things he knows and is free to do.

Mormon baptisms are done by immersion, as was the baptism of Jesus Christ. They are performed by a priesthood holder—often a relative of the child—who immerses the child entirely under water for a moment after saying the baptismal prayer. Following the baptism, the child changes out of the white baptismal clothing and into dress clothing. He or she is then confirmed a member of the Church and can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.

How Mormons Prepare Children for Baptism

Preparation for baptism begins when a child is very young. Children learn to pray in their families and participate in family scripture study. Each week, the family holds a weekly Family Home Evening as well, in which a brief gospel message is presented, followed by family activities.

Children also learn the gospel in their church classes, which begin with “nursery” at eighteen months. In increasingly challenging classes, they learn everything an older convert would be taught. They also learn how to pray to know whether or not the Church is true and whether or not God wants them to be baptized. They are taught to do this before their baptisms, and while they might seem very young to receive such an answer, Mormons have faith in their children—as does God. They are also encouraged to pray for a testimony of Christ as needed throughout their lives. Mormons believe baptisms must be performed of a person’s free will after receiving confirmation from God that it is the right thing to do.

While Mormons do not perform infant baptisms, they often attend the ceremonies of friends of other faiths. They don’t normally assign godparents to their children but many do serve as godparents for children of other faiths. There is no opposition to this; it simply isn’t part of their tradition.

Mormons, like people of many faiths, were very interested in the infant prince’s baptism and appreciated the family’s desire to keep it a spiritual and essentially private event. For Mormons, baptisms of any faith are sacred events to be honored and cherished.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.