A Zion People

A scriptural favorite of mine is the seventh chapter in the book of Moses wherein the prophet Enoch receives a powerful vision of the Earth and its inhabitants. Multiple times in this chapter, Enoch asks, even pleads with the Lord, "When will the Earth have rest?" referring to the great wickedness that was rampant in his day and up through the ages. In response to his cry, the Lord showed him the coming of Jesus Christ and then on to the end of the world. Enoch was told,
"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten...and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City...and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem" Moses 7:62

Throughout the ages the idea of Zion has been cherished in the scriptures as the place where the saints dwell. The psalmist described it as "the perfection of beauty" (Ps. 50:2) and the prophet Isaiah called it, "The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 60:14)." While Zion can be considered an actual, geographical place, it also can refer to the state of heart in which the people of God live on this earth and because of its state of purity and unity of purpose before the Lord, it is the goal and dream of all the righteous to this day.

"And the Lord called his people ZION because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." Moses 7:18

As it was their desire of old, it is our desire today to attain such unity. The Lord requires His people to be undivided; how else can they accomplish the great tasks He has in mind for them? Their hearts must be knit together and they must love and care for one another. How is it that we can accomplish this in our own lives? It is when we serve our God and our neighbor and are charitable toward them. Remember, the first great commandments are to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is crucial for this creation of Zion out from Babylon (or the world). It is through the application of gospel truths that people will be changed individually and collectively to be able to live harmoniously as God desires for us. To this end, missionaries around the world are teaching this gospel and inviting people into Christ's fold.

This endeavor will not be fully accomplished before the second coming of Jesus Christ but the growth will continue and fill the whole world until we are prepared to be blessed with the presence of Jesus Christ.

One of the wonderful talks given this past general conference was by Elder D. Todd Christofferson entitled, "Come to Zion." and is very much worth reading.

"Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion - The pure in heart; therefore, let Zion rejoice." D&C 97:21

Marriage: Between a man and a woman

If you're anywhere near the state of California, and maybe even if you're not, you probably recognize this hot topic: Proposition 8, establishing the legal definition of marriage.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made its position on this issue very clear. In fact, the Church has held a strong stance on this point for many years, even before it became an issue in the courts of our country. In 1995, the Church issued The Family: A Proclamation to the World as its official position emphasizing the importance of the family as the basic unit of society and its role in God's plan.

God has ordained marriage between a man and a woman. This is a central part of God's plan for his children. The First Presidency has explained how closely marriage and procreation go together: "Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations. Rather, marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults." (The Divine Institution of Marriage) Obviously, a couple does not have to be married to employ their procreative powers, but it is much more preferable that children be born to parents who have made a commitment to one another and are thus more likely to raise their children within the loving circle of a stable family. And of course, there are couples who marry who do not have children. But, it is the Lord's will that children be born into families, with a mother and a father united in the bonds of matrimony.

The government traditionally recognizes marriages not because two people love each other but because, in most cases, they become a family (see article by Adam Kolasinski for more information). Were love the only issue, would we extend the same benefits to every boyfriend and girlfriend? The best environment for children to grow is one in which they have both a mother and a father, with their inherent differences that complement one another. Of course there are single parents out there, but I emphasize that a child's emotional, physical, and psychological needs are best met when they are raised by a loving mother and a responsible father. As a society, we should not encourage or foster anything but the best environment possible for our posterity.

Church leadership encourages voters to be active in politics, but does not advocate one party above another. We believe strongly that everyone can and should make an informed decision for themselves. I believe the Church supports Proposition 8 for a number of reasons, one of which is the protection of freedom of religion for those churches that do not believe the legal definition should be expanded to included same-sex marriages.

If the government recognizes same-sex marriages, churches which believe such marriages are not ordained of God could well lose their tax-exempt status. Furthermore, if a church or its minister believes homosexual marriages are wrong and refuse on that basis to perform same-sex marriages, it is likely that they would be subject to lawsuits alleging discrimination. Isn't it the right of every U.S. citizen to exercise their freedom of religion? We feel that it is our right to recognize marriage according to our doctrine, and don't want the government to have power to interfere with that right. Legally, failing to pass Proposition 8 has huge consequences.

The social consequences would be even more widely felt, as it's almost inevitable that homosexuality would be added to elementary school sexual education curricula, as has been done in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Many people believe such actions involve much more than just sexual education or teaching children about socially acceptable types of family relationships. These matters are also part of religious beliefs and, yes, family values. Are we really ready to allow our government to refuse to allow parents the right to decide what their children should learn about these issues, or when their children are mature enough and have the prior understanding necessary for such information to be presented to them?

For those who argue this is a hugely intolerant position to take, let me emphasize that Proposition 8 is not an offensive measure: it's a defensive measure. It is not intended to root out an evil in our society, but to defend the divinely established institution of the family from being politically disenfranchised. Passing Proposition 8 is not going to strip away rights from homosexuals, who are still allowed the rights of civil unions and domestic partnerships. I'd also like to share a quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the twelve apostles, regarding tolerance. He says,

"Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on political or public policy choices. Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination."

You see, being tolerant and holding certain standards are not mutually exclusive of one another. We do not want to be misunderstood here: the gospel message is one of unconditional love. But we claim the right to remain a people who stand for values that we believe to be right and consistent with God's will.

There are numerous economic, financial and legal reasons to support the traditional family, but I do not want to stray from the purpose of this blog (providing information about Mormonism to non-members) and turn it into a political arena. Rather, I feel that this is a strong stance taken by the Church because it pertains to our doctrine. The family and its inherent nature are a core part of our beliefs. I hope that this article clarifies our position and reasoning.

It is our duty as citizens to tell our government what our standards are and determine what our society accepts. We live in a republic where the will of the people is carried out by their elected representatives. If most people in California want to protect the definition of marriage in their state then it ought to be upheld. A handful of judges do not have that right. If you live in California, be sure to register to vote and protect the traditional family. Encourage friends and family in California to do the same.

Resources for this topic:
http://www.preservingmarriage.org
http://www.protectmarriage.com
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage
http://tech.mit.edu/V124/N5/kolasinski.5c.html

The Prophetic Calling

Q. Respectfully, what makes Mr. Monson the modern day living prophet? Is it blood lines? Is he descended from the original prophet? In other words, how was he chosen to be your prophet? Thank you. -Patricia

Thank you for your question, Patricia. This is a very important topic, and I'm glad you asked about it. In any kind of leadership role, leaders ascend to their position through some kind of process. In a monarchy, the title is held by the royal family. Some governments are headed by military commanders, having taken control through force and intimidation, and others enter their reign through buttering up the bourgeoisie, etc. In a democracy, they are elected by a majority-vote of the people.

Democracy works pretty well, so we give it high props in America, but it isn't perfect, since it often turns into a popularity contest. Instead of being led by the most popular candidate, what if we were led by the best or most qualified individual? Someone who has every citizen's interest at heart, doesn't care for the throne, and isn't worried about re-election. Unfortunately, these people are rarely found in modern politics, and even if they were how would we collectively and reliably identify them?

In the LDS Church, our leader is Jesus Christ. He is active and involved in making decisions and developing policies. He wants what is best for us and we trust Him in this role. We don't believe He will abuse His power. Ever. This is called "having faith in Christ."

One of the most crucial decisions He makes is whom He should call to lead the Church on earth. Anciently, he called Moses through the spectacular vision of the burning bush. But we know He had been preparing Moses long before then. As an infant, Moses was rescued from Pharaoh's execution order. Before Moses was even born, we believe he had been foreordained in the pre-mortal realm to become a great prophet to the children of Israel. We believe every prophet was called and foreordained prior to birth (see Jeremiah 1:5).

Joseph Smith was similarly prepared to reinstate the gospel in its fullness in the 1830's and 40's. The visions and visitations he received (from age 14 on) were no less remarkable than Moses' were, and we can be assured of his calling through study and prayer. The Holy Ghost will always testify of the truth, and you may learn from Him whom the Lord has chosen as prophet if you will make it a matter of devoted prayer.

After Joseph was martyred, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who all held the requisite priesthood keys, became the governing body of the Church until a new prophet and president of the Church was revealed by God to the Twelve: Brigham Young. This same process is used every time a prophet dies.

Last spring, President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away at the age of 97. He was loved by all, having served as president for nearly 13 years. Upon his death, the First Presidency (i.e. the executive head of the Church comprised of the prophet and two trusted counselors) was dissolved and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assumed responsibility. Shortly after the funeral, they all met together in fasting and prayer in the Salt Lake City Temple and after requesting revelation from the Lord, unanimously selected Thomas Spencer Monson to lead the Church as the next prophet. We have faith that this was Christ's own decision made manifest to the Apostles of the Lord. (For a similar example, see the calling of Matthias in Acts 1:23-26)

We understand that nobody the Lord calls is perfect. President Monson doesn't know everything and he isn't error-free in his judgment, but he is among the best we have on earth right now. We look to him as a watchman on a tower. He is a seer. Because of his calling and his close relationship with the Savior (developed over a lifetime of discipleship and preparation), he can see things past, present, and future that are not obvious to us. There is safety in following the prophet, and we hope you will take the opportunity to listen to his wise counsel.

The Abrahamic Covenant

Covenant: A two-way promise, a conditional agreement.

About 4,000 years ago, the Lord made a covenant with a shepherd named Abram. He promised Abram that he would have a particular land to live on, that he would have posterity as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, and that through him the nations of the earth would be blessed. In order to get these great blessings, Abram had to carry the gospel to the earth through bearing the priesthood of God, and live righteously.

So Abram agreed to this covenant (of course), and his name was changed to Abraham. Eventually he had a son named Isaac and the Lord renewed this same covenant with Isaac—he would inherit the land promised to his father, he would have children as numerous as the sands of the sea and through him would come salvation for the earth. Isaac also received the Priesthood and the commission to preach the gospel. He had twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and the covenant was renewed with Jacob. Finally, with Jacob we see some major posterity. He had 12 sons and one daughter. His sons were Reuben, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Simeon, Levi, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Joseph and Benjamin. Each of these sons bore lots of children, and they had children and they had children (as it always happens) and eventually they were so numerous that the Egyptians enslaved them to keep them from taking control of the kingdom. So this is where Moses comes in, and he leads them out of Egypt to “the promised land”, as in the land promised to their fathers.

Eventually, the children of Israel were separated, and then scattered. They drifted into anonymity through intermarriages, and abandonment of their traditions and religion. The house of Judah stayed pretty cohesive and defined by their covenant, which is why the Jews are known as a chosen people. But Judah was only one of the 12 brothers—the people of Joseph, of Dan, Levi, Asher, etc. are all "chosen" as well. (When we talk of being "chosen" we are talking of their great potential because of the covenant made with their ancestors--not that they are automatically saved).

This covenant really drives the Old Testament narrative. God promised this group of people some special blessings if they remain faithful to Him. He followed through with His promise throughout the generations. We believe that He continues to seek out the children of the House of Israel. Even if they don’t know who they are, He does, and His promise is just as valid with them as it was with the descendants of Israel in Moses’ time. The earth is literally swarming with Israelites, and they have the promise of eternal blessings – land, posterity and priesthood power.

We don’t all need to move to the land of Canaan to claim our blessings, of course (there are enough people claiming it right now anyway, so stay put). This covenant extends into the next life. We are promised a place in heaven (land), an eternal increase of spiritual children (posterity), and priesthood power to act in God’s name. We are promised Eternal Life, or life like God and with God. What we have to do in return is live righteously and spread the gospel throughout the world.

So how does the LDS church figure in to this narrative? We’re the last chapter. Our missionaries are working all over the world sharing the gospel, teaching and baptizing people who are inheritors of this covenant. This is the spiritual gathering of Israel—they reconnect with God through the covenants of baptism and the ordinances of the temple. God knows who they are and where they are, and even if a person isn’t a direct descendant of Israel, if they accept the covenant, they are adopted into the house of Israel as if they had been born there.

So, are you a member of the house of Israel? You probably are. God has some special blessings ready for you if you want them. To find out about making covenants with God, contact your local LDS missionaries (or let them in the door when they come around...)