Brigham Young's Revelations: August 9, 1874

Revelation concerning the Order of Enoch, otherwise known as the United Order of Enoch, given at Lehi, Utah Territory on August 9, 1874.  (Fred C., comp. Collier, Unpublished Revelations of the Prophets and Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, volume 1, (Salt Lake City: Collier's Publishing Company, 1979), 113):

1. Thus saith the Lord unto my servant Brigham,
2. Call ye, call ye, upon the inhabitants of Zion, to organize themselves in the Order of Enoch, in the New and Everlasting Covenant, according to the Order of Heaven, for the furtherance of my kingdom upon the earth, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the salvation of the living and the dead.

Brigham Young's Revelations: January 30, 1846

Revelation through President Brigham Young to Reuben Miller, concerning the false claims of James J. Strang, who was at the time vying to lead the Church after the Martyrdom.  (Fred C., comp. Collier, Unpublished Revelations of the Prophets and Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, volume 1, (Salt Lake City: Collier's Publishing Company, 1979), 104):

1. Thus saith the Lord unto Reuben Miller through Brigham Young -
2. That [James J.] Strang is a wicked and corrupt man and that his revelations are as false as he is -
3. Therefore turn away from his folly - and never let it be said of Reuben Miller that he ever was led away and entangled by such nonsense.

A warning voice to the United States

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that California's Proposition 8 (the voter-approved measure that outlawed gay-marriage there in 2008) was unconstitutional on the grounds that it "lessen[ed] the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California" (Michael De Groote, "Reaction swift to latest Prop. 8 ruling", Deseret News, Wednesday 8 February 2012, A1).  In view of the above statement made by Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th Circuit, The Mormon Eagle feels to raise a warning voice to the people of the United States at large concerning the decrees of God on the subject of homosexual activity, and the fate of the United States of America if she does not keep the commandments of God as revealed through ancient and modern Prophets and Apostles.

Homosexual Activity Wrong

The Eagle must first here state that God views all individuals as His children, and has an infinite love for them.  However, He has given commandments through His Prophets against certain actions, homosexual activity being one of them.


The Lord said through His servant Moses, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Lev. 18:22).  1,500 years later, the Apostle Paul taught, "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet" (Romans 1:26-27).  The Apostle Jude taught, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7).  Lastly, President Boyd K. Packer explained that "there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature. . . . To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day" ("Cleansing the Inner Vessel", October 2010 General Conference).

Now, before one calls me a bigot, I must here state that I am not a bigot.  I try to love all people, no matter their sexual orientation, for that is what the Savior Jesus Christ did.  However, my stating what Prophets and Apostles in both past and current dispensations have said does not make me a bigot.  One is free to do as he will, but neither he nor the United States can escape the consequences, both here and in the hereafter.

Fate of the United States on her present course

The United States of America faces a dreadful fate if she continues rejecting the words of God's Prophets and Apostles.  The Prophet Moroni taught, "And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath" (Ether 9:20).  Elder Mark E. Petersen warned that "no people can fight God and live!  Every nation will feel a chastening hand if it turns its back upon the Ruler of Heaven and violates his eternal precepts" ("O America, America", October 1979 General Conference).  President George A. Smith gave the most stern warning of all.  Said he, "When God has a Prophet on the earth, and that Prophet tells the people what to do, and they neglect to do it, they must suffer for it.  I bear witness before you, this day, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, that no people can treat lightly the sayings of a Prophet of God, whom He places on the earth to direct His people, and prosper. I know it is impossible" (Journal of Discourses 1:193).  President Brigham Young said of America and the Civil War, "If [the United States] had hearkened to the counsel of [the Prophet Joseph Smith], this nation would have had no wars; there would have been no division in the Government, but it would have gone on in harmony and prosperity" (JD 12:120-121).

The actions of the people of the United States will turn to her destruction unless the people repent and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed through Joseph Smith the Prophet and currently taught by President Thomas S. Monson, the Lord's representative on Earth today.  I know this is hard to hear, but it is true.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Strong, Elder Walker, and their Ministry beyond the Veil

At the funeral service for Elder Strong, who was killed last week in a hit-and-run accident in Texas, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles comforted the family of the slain Missionary by saying, "To get through this we need to couple forgiveness with faith . . . be faithful . . . live our religion . . . and one day you will see Trevor as he is: a brother, a saint and a son of the living God" ("'He is still a missionary'", Deseret News, Tuesday 15 November 2011, B5).  Also, during the funeral services for Elder Walker up in Idaho, Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy remarked, "[Elder Walker] loves his family, but he wants them to know he is happy, engaged in the work on the other side" (Ibid.).

Location of the Spirit World
Many have wondered where the spirits of the disembodied go after death.  President Ezra Taft Benson taught, "Sometimes the veil between this life and the life beyond becomes very thin. Our loved ones who have passed on are not far from us” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 18; or Ensign, June 1971, p. 33).  President Brigham Young taught, "How frequently the question arises in the minds of the people—‘I wish I knew where I was going!’  Can you find out?  Well, you will go into the spirit world" (Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, 28 July 1874, p. 1).  He further taught, "Where is the spirit world?  It is right here. . . . Do [spirits of the departed] go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth?  No, they do not. . . . Can you see it with your natural eyes?  No.  Can you see spirits in this room?  No.  Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits?  Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies" (DBY, p. 577).

Duties of the Righteous Dead
President Young was a masterful preacher on things of the Spirit.  He taught concerning the righteous in the Spirit World, "What are they doing there?  They are preaching, preaching all the time, and preparing the way for us to hasten our work in building temples here and elsewhere" (DBY, p. 378).  President Wilford Woodruff taught, "The same Priesthood exists on the other side of the veil. . . . Every Apostle, every Seventy, every Elder, etc., who has died in the faith as soon as he passes to the other side of the veil, enters into the work of the ministry” (Deseret News, Jan. 25, 1882 p. 818).  This is exactly what Elders Strong and Walker are doing - preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who desire to hear them.  Their success will be far more than they ever had in Texas, because the only Church in the Spirit World is The Church of Jesus Christ.

The revealed word has come to the Latter-day Saints upon this subject, and to no other religion.  Only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the Authority to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Elders Strong and Walker knew this, and are continuing their missionary labors diligently in the Spirit World, eager to serve Him who so loved them unto death.  I know this is true.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

"I'm a Mormon" Campaign Spreads Through Cities - and into Our Lives

The "I'm a Mormon" media campaign by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is expanding into fourteen US cities.  According to Friday's Deseret News, the campaign will now open in the following cities:

Austin, TX
San Antonio, TX
Atlanta, GA
Phoenix, AZ
Omaha, NA
Lincoln, NE
Hastings, NE
Spokane, WA
Seattle, WA
Tacoma, WA
Denver, CO
Indianapolis, IN
Fort Wayne, IN
South Bend, IN
("'I'm a Mormon' ad campaign to expand", Deseret News, Friday 30 September 2011, A13)

A newsroom.lds.org article announced Monday 3 October 2011 that, "The campaign is also spreading internationally with ads in Brisbane, Australia."

This campaign is wonderful news, a sign that the Church is "rising up and . . . coming forth . . . out of the wilderness—clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (D&C 5:14).  The Latter-day Saints must not get ahead of themselves, however.  This publicity will bring hundreds of thousands of new converts into the only true and living Church, but will also bring many watchful eyes upon the individual Latter-day Saint.  Therefore, The Mormon Eagle admonishes all - but especially the Latter-day Saints - to follow the words of President Brigham Young.  Said he, "Every moment of my life must be holiness to the Lord, resulting from equity, justice, mercy and uprightness in all my actions, which is the only course by which I can preserve the Spirit of the Almighty to myself" (Deseret News, 2 April 1862, p. 313).  I know if we do as President Young counsels, the Lord will bless us with the greatest of all blessings both in this life, and in the life to come.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Church History no. 4 - The Seventies Hall

Seventies Hall in Nauvoo, Illinois

The Seventies occupy a special place in Church hierarchy, namely firstly and foremost as missionaries.  As such, it is the only Priesthood office to have it's own specific building in any city in any era of Church history.  For example, both the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency have offices in the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, but the Quorums of the Seventy are the only Quorums to have a building specifically for them.

This building - the Seventies Hall in Nauvoo, IL - was completed in July 1844, and was dedicated in December of that same year by President Brigham Young.  It is also interesting to note that it was in this building that the famous meeting on 8 August 1844 took place, where Sidney Rigdon, devoid of the Spirit of the Lord, claimed guardianship of the Church, but was rejected (see Stanley B. Kimball, "Heber C. Kimball and Family, the Nauvoo Years," BYU Studies, Vol. 15, Number 4, Summer 1975, p. 471).

The main floor was used as a lecture hall and Chapel for Church meetings, as it is still used today.  The pulpit is curved, you will notice, because in those days it was more common for speakers to speak off-the-cuff, whereas today one needs a place for notes; hence today's rectangular pulpits.

The upper floor housed a library and museum containing artifacts brought back by missionaries returning from their missions, but now houses a museum of artifacts found during archeological digs.

During the dedicatory prayer, President Brigham Young stated,

We ask thee, our Father, to accept the dedication of our hearts this morning, and may we feel the prelude of that power and authority with which thy servants shall be clothed, when they shall go forth and open the door of salvation to the nations and kingdoms of the earth; even thy servants, the Seventies, upon whom the burden of thy kingdom does rest, and to whom the keys of the same shall be committed from time to time. (Dean C. Jessee, “The John Taylor Nauvoo Journal: January 1845–September 1845” (1983), BYU Studies, Vol. 23, Summer 1983, 7-9). 

As I read this, I feel a twinge of guilt because I only listen to the Quorum of the Twelve or the First Presidency during General Conference, but I feel to repent of all my sins.  I will make it a habit to listen to all the Brethren, including and especially the Seventies, because they are they key to this work; it is they to whom the Twelve and First Presidency go to for ministerial help, and none else.  They, therefore, hold a special place within the Lord's Church and in His sight.

President Young also said, "Help us, O Lord to separate ourselves from all iniquity, that evil doers may
not exist in our midst, but may this people become a holy people, peculiar to thyself, to show forth thy praise in all the world" (Ibid.).  This is my prayer.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Church History no. 3 - Brigham Young Home, or "Let Us Be Up and Doing"

In an epistle of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, written in Nauvoo, Illinois, dated 12 October 1841, we read,

Let us be up and doing. . . . Deal gently, love mercy, walk humbly before God, and whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might, keeping all the commandments, and then, whether in life or in death, all things will be yours, whether they be temples or lands, houses or vineyards, baptisms or endowments, revelations or healings, all things will be yours, for you will be Christ's and Christ is God's.

Brigham Young,
Heber C. Kimball,
Orson Pratt,
Lyman Wight,
John Taylor,
Wilford Woodruff,
George A. Smith,
Willard Richards.
("An Epistle of the Twelve Apostles, to the Brethren Scattered Abroad on the Continent of America", HC 4:438)

President Brigham Young was acutely aware of this counsel and heeded it.  He built the below home after returning home from his mission to England.

President Young lived in this home until he, under direction from the Lord, led the Latter-day Saints on the Exodus to the West.  This is a beautifully furnished home.  If Brother Brigham can "be up and doing" and build a home this beautiful in the midst of poverty, we can do likewise, even to the accomplishment of anything the Lord asks of us, whether temporal or spiritual.  I know this is true, and no true Latter-day Saint will reject this counsel to "be up and doing" without losing the Spirit of the Lord.

Next, we go inside to the Council Room of the Twelve Apostles in the east wing of the home (to the right of the above picture).  Here we see the Council Room as Brigham Young knew it:

I love the way this room is laid out.  It speaks of order, uprightness, and openness to opinion.  President Young would have no doubt been seated at the head of the table, closest to the door.  I imagine, as is customary today in the Church Office Building, the Council of the Twelve would be seated by seniority.  All would be allowed to speak in turn, and express opinions, give counsel or advise, and generally "be up and doing" in the Lord's work, which is only found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Let us, therefore, as Latter-day Saints, council with the Lord and also take council from His hand, as the prophet Jacob admonishes, when he saith, "Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from His hand.  For behold, ye yourselves know that He counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works" (Jacob 4:10).

Lastly, we come to the below picture of President Young's root cellar:

This was the refrigerator of the nineteenth Century.  I, having had the opportunity to enter therein, opine it is of a satisfactory temperature to keep food stuffs cool, and preserve freshness.

This root cellar of Brigham Young may also have a spiritual undertone.  Notice in the above picture that one must step down to go inside and procure needed food to nourish the body.  It is thus and so also with things of the Spirit - when one is malnourished spiritually, or if the heat of the world causes us to loose our temper, or to become overwhelmed in our daily tasks, let bring ourselves lower in humility, cool off and take nourishment, and then the Lord will lift us out of the mire of our troubles.  Indeed, the Holy Ghost is the greatest nourishment one might receive in this wonderful world we live in.  God be praised for His giving us His Spirit.

I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God, even His mouthpiece on Earth today.  If we heed his counsel as the Saints in Nauvoo heeded President Young, we will be led aright, and the fiery darts of the adversary shall not overcome us.  We must counsel with the Lord and take counsel from His hand, enter into our "root cellar" and cool off, and "be up and doing", and I know the Lord will give His approbation, guidance, and strength.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Self Reliance and Industriousness

Of all that President Brigham Young in known for, self-reliance and industriousness is probably his legacy.  We will discuss self-reliance and industriousness using Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution (or ZCMI) as the prime example.

Founded in 1868, Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was put in place by President Brigham Young so the Latter-day Saints would no longer have to worry about buying from Gentiles (non-Mormons), who would price-gouge when the Mormons wished to purchase from them.  He taught, "Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves.  If you cannot obtain all you wish for today, learn to do without that which you cannot purchase and pay for; and bring your minds into subjection that you must and will live within your means" (Discourses of President Brigham Young, 293).  For this reason was ZCMI established - that the Latter-day Saints might sustain themselves.  What better way for the Latter-day Saints to be able to sustain themselves, then to be able to find the same products - whether corn, wheat, boots, tools, etc.- in Salt Lake City as in Ephraim, or in Provo as in Logan?

As seen in the picture above, all ZCMI store-fronts had "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed thereon.  But why "Holiness to the Lord"?  Because, according to President Young, "Is not the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God on earth a temporal labor all the time?" (DBY, 290–91).  Indeed it is, because the upbuilding of the Latter-day Saints consists of hard industriousness, the which, if pressed upon, leads to the Spirit of the Lord in our lives, because physical labor is a command of Him who is Holiness, even the Lord and Savior.  Said He to Adam and Eve immediately before their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground" (Gen. 3:19).  Indeed work, or self-reliance and industriousness, is a command of God.

Lastly, President Brigham Young taught, "Idleness and wastefulness are not according to the rules of heaven.  Preserve all you can, that you may have abundance to bless your friends and your enemies" (DBY, 290).  Let us not be idle, but the rather act in all holiness to the Lord by working to support ourselves and our loved ones, both in temporal as well as spiritual labors.  Let us be better people, and work all the days of our lives, that idleness and slothfulness be not found in us.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 40 - Keys of the Priesthood Only in LDS Church

In this post, I will show that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church acknowledged by Heavenly Father as His Church.

We must always remember that Joseph Smith said, "I will give you a key that will never rust - if you will stay with the majority of the Twelve Apostles and the records of the Church, you will never be led astray." (Young Woman’s Journal, Dec. 1906, p. 543).  Therein lies the key of the subject.


Before President Joseph Smith died, he gave the Keys of the Priesthood to the Twelve Apostles, and it is they who had a right to lead the Church, simply because they had all the Keys, and all the men who formed the splinter groups never rose higher than Seventy, which office of Seventy were only Elders - not High Priests as the Twelve Apostles were.  Also, President Joseph Smith knew that the Latter-day Saints would one day go to the Rocky Mountains.  Said he, 

I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. (History of the Church 5:85)

Law of Witnesses
There are at least six witnesses testifying to whom the Keys of Priesthood were given.  President Brigham Young bore witness, "Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging to the Apostleship which he himself held before he was taken away, and no man or set of men can get between Joseph and the Twelve" (Essentials in Church History, p. 320).

 President Wilford Woodruff said, "I bear my testimony that . . . in Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith called the Apostles together and he delivered unto them . . . all the keys and powers that God had bestowed upon him. . . . (Statement, 19 March 1897, Church Archives)"  

President John Taylor wrote, "A special conference of the Church was held in Nauvoo on the 8th [of August 1844], and it was carried without a discenting [sic] voice, that the 'Twelve' should preside over the whole Church" (Times and Seasons, 5:632, 2 September 1844).

 Elder Orson Hyde recalled, "We were in council with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks. . . . He conducted us through every ordinance of the holy priesthood . . . and said, 'now if they kill me you have got all the keys, and all the ordinances'" (Times and Seasons, 15 Sep. 1844, p. 651). 


Elder Parley P. Pratt testified, 


This great and good man [Joseph Smith the Prophet] was led, before his death, to call the Twelve together, from time to time, and to instruct them in all things pertaining to the kingdom, ordinances, and government of God.  He often observed that he was laying the foundation, but it would remain for the Twelve to complete the building.  Said he, ‘I know not why; but for some reason I am constrained to hasten my preparations, and to confer upon the Twelve all the ordinances, keys, covenants, endowments, and sealing ordinances of the priesthood . . . for, said he, the Lord is about to lay the burden on your shoulders and let me rest awhile; and if they kill me . . . the kingdom of God will roll on, as I have now finished the work which was laid upon me, by committing to you all things for the building up of the kingdom according to the heavenly vision, and the pattern shown me from heaven.’ (“Proclamation,” Millennial Star, 5 [March 1845]: p. 151).

Lastly, President Joseph Smith testified, "I have lived until I have seen this burden, which has rested on my shoulders, rolled on to the shoulders of other men; . . . the keys of the kingdom are planted on the earth to be taken away no more for ever. . . . No matter what becomes of me" (Deseret News, Dec. 21, 1869, p. 2).  Thus we see that the LDS Church has the keys, and not any other Church.

I say boldly that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church God acknowledges.  I know with all the fervor of my soul that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he gave all the keys bestowed upon him to the Twelve.  I have a witness of the Holy Ghost.

The real issue lies in the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith.  If he was a prophet, what greater mission had he than to establish the Kingdom of God, never again to be thrown down?  This he did by giving the temple Endowment and the fullness of the Keys of the Priesthood (which is only found in the House of the Lord) to the Twelve.  President Brigham Young taught, "All that want to draw away a party from the church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper" (History of the Church, 7:232; also Millennial Star 25:216).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church that:
1. Is acknowledged by Christ as His own (D&C 1:30-31; 115:4)
2. Was established by Joseph Smith himself, through revelation (D&C 115:4).  The only Church the Prophet was a member of was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
3. Teaches all the doctrines Joseph Smith taught (Endowment of the Holy Priesthood, Baptism for the Dead, tithing, the Word of Wisdom, continual revelation through the President of the Church, eternal marriage, the proper mode and manner of baptism and bestowing the Gift of the Holy Ghost, temple work for the dead, the three degrees of glory, the need of the Sealing Authority, missionary work, gift of tongues, the importance of the Fall, the infinite reach of the Atonement, the age of accountability, the innocence of little children, etc.)

If a church is missing any one of the above criteria or doctrines, it is not the Church of Jesus Christ, but the church of the devil.

Also, the fact that those who broke off from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to form their own church were never sustained in an open conference by the regular membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is further evidence of their lack of Authority. The entire Quorum of the Twelve were unanimously sustained by the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an open conference (meaning, as Paul says, "this thing was not done in a corner" (Acts 26:26)).

I know what I have said is true, and that God knows it is true. God is a God of order, and had everything in order (through revelation), so that when Joseph Smith died, the Twelve could lead the Church.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 27 - Fasting and Prayer

From the Connect2Utah website, we read, "Some people skip meals for religious reasons, diets or political protest. But now, new research suggests fasting is good for your health.  Research cardiologists at Intermountain Medical Center are reporting that fasting periodically lowers one's risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes."

Notwithstanding that fasting is good for your health, what are the reasons Mormons fast?  How often?  Is it necessary?  We shall see.

Why a Fast?
It is recorded in Scripture that Moses fasted; that for "forty days . . . he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. (Ex. 34:28)"  In this instance, Moses was in the Mountain of the Lord in Sinai, and he needed not only revelation, but he also needed to purify himself before God.  Fasting is a way to do that.  During the April 2001 General Conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve said, "Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit."  Who can doubt that during Moses' seclusion atop the Mountain of the Lord he received revelations from the Lord?  Any student of the Bible can see from this event that fasting brings revelation.  This is also shown during the mortal ministry of Jesus, "when He had fasted forty days and forty nights (Matt 4:2)".  That Jesus drew upon the power of fasting and prayer is evident when Christ refuted his fallen brother Satan's temptations by quoting from Scripture, the knowledge of which no doubt came to the Master through study and fasting and prayer.

When I am feeling tempted more than I can bear, or need answers I know I cannot find on my own, I fast one meal.  More often than not, the answers do not come immediately, but they do come.  I know fasting is a principle laid down by the Lord that His children might draw closer to Him.

How Often Must We Fast?
Elder Wirthlin taught, "In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members are encouraged to fast whenever their faith needs special fortification and to fast regularly once each month on fast day. On that day, we go without eating or drinking for two consecutive meals, [and] commune with our Heavenly Father."  President Howard W. Hunter taught that "there are records that indicate that some fast meetings were held in the Kirtland Temple on the first Thursday of each month in the year 1836. (Ensign, November 1985)"  President Brigham Young elaborates,

You know that the first Thursday in each month we hold as a fast day.   How many here know the origin of this day?  Before tithing was paid, the poor were supported by donations.  They came to Joseph and wanted help, in Kirtland, and he said there should be a fast day, which was decided upon.  It was to be held once a month, as it is now, and all that would have been eaten that day, of flour, or meat, or butter, or fruit, or anything else, was to be carried to the fast meeting and put into the hands of a person selected for the purpose of taking care of it and distributing it among the poor (JD 12:115)

The first Thursday of every month was Fast Day until, as President Hunter states, "the first Sunday of December, 1896, was the date set for the change.  From that time to the present—nearly a century—the fast day has been observed, in most instances, on the first Sunday of the month as a religious practice."

I know that fasting is a commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I know that if anyone on Earth has a question, burden, or spiritual or temporal need, fasting will alleviate that need.  I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church on the earth; that God established it for the eternal salvation of man, both living and dead.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Church and the "Blood Atonement" Doctrine

According to an article on the Salt Lake Tribune's website,

"After convicted killer Ronnie Lee Gardner announced last month his intention to be executed by firing squad, national and international reporters suggested it was a throwback to the wild, wild West.  Some Utahns, though, had a different explanation for why such an anachronistic execution technique remained an option in the 21st century: blood atonement.  The term refers to an arcane LDS belief that a murderer must shed his own blood -- literally -- to be forgiven by God."

In this post, we shall discuss where this doctrine came from, and what the LDS Church says about it today, in order to set the record straight.

President Brigham Young said on 8 February 1857,  

"Suppose [one] is overtaken in a gross fault, that he has committed a sin that he knows will deprive him of that exaltation which he desires, and that he cannot attain to it without the shedding of his blood, and also knows that by having his blood shed he will atone for that sin, and be saved and exalted with the Gods, is there a man or woman in this house tbut what would say, 'shed my blood that I may be saved and exalted with the Gods? (JD 4:219)'" 

This so-called doctrine was basically the Theocratic equivalent of the death penalty.  This was voted upon numerous times by the then-State of Deseret.  What does LDS scripture have to say on the topic?  Let's find out.  We shall highlight scripture from the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon.  My personal opinion will be bolded.

Genesis 9:6 reads, "Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed."  Numbers 35:16 says that "the murderer shall surely be put to death."  2 Nephi 9:35 reads, "Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die."  Within the Nephite government, which was essentially a republic run by popular vote, laws were established that made murder illegal.  Here are the words of Mormon on the subject of murder and capital punishment: "he that murdered was punished unto death (Alma 1:18)."  Amulek says in Alma 34:12 that "the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered."  Capital punishment was approved of the Lord, of the Israelites, of the Nephites, and is approved of by the laws of the United States of America.

I believe that those convicted of murder should be put to death, especially where copious evidence is shown to merit the conviction.