Statements on the US Constitution to "hang by a thread"

The following are direct prophecies given by LDS Church leaders about the fate and destiny of the Constitution of the United States of America.  The Mormon Eagle shall quote prophecies made in public meetings, and shall quote from the speakers' mouths.  Second-hand accounts (such as "I heard so-and-so say such-and-such") will not be used.

The Prophet Joseph Smith
"Even this nation will be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction” (Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Historical Archives, Box 1, March 10, 1844). 

President John Taylor
"When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men" (Jornal of Discourses 21:8).

President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.

"You and I have heard all our lives that the time may come when the Constitution may hang by a thread.  I do not know whether it is a thread, or a small rope by which it now hangs, but I do know that whether it shall live or die is now in the balance" (Conference Report, October 1942, 58). 

President Brigham Young
"When the Constitution of the United States hangs, as it were, upon a single thread, they [the people of the United States of America] will have to call for the 'Mormon' elders to save it from utter destruction; and they [the Elders] will step forth and do it" (JD 2:182, February  18, 1855). 

An Aware God

Christmas can be a stressful time of year.  Shopping for presents, setting up the decorations, buying those ever-so-cherished ugly sweaters, making the hot cocoa, and shoveling the snow can almost make one forget how aware the Father and the Son actually are of all that we think, do, and say.

President Joseph Smith taught that "the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; He views them as His offspring" (History of the Church 4:595).  Additionally the Prophet taught, "God sees the secret springs of human action, and knows the hearts of all living" (History of the Church 1:317).  So, as the offspring of Deity, one's actions, thoughts, and words are known of the Great Jehovah.  If we wish to know our standing before God, we need only ask Him in humble prayer, and He will answer.  To the downtrodden soul who thinks their efforts in preaching the Gospel of the Redeemer go unheeded by others, we have the words of the Lord to Nephi III in the Book of Mormon: "as [Nephi] was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people.  And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments" (Helaman 10:3-4).  As the scriptures teach us to liken them unto our own lives, this is sufficient to show God is aware of our efforts (even unheeded by others) to preach His Word.

The Lord Christ has borne these fears upon His shoulders before us.  All He asks is for us to put our fears, doubts, and troubled upon His back.  Saith He, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

The world's current Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, testified on 4 December 2011, 

As we face the temptations of our times, the confusion of choice, the embarrassment of error, the pursuit of perfection, our Heavenly Father is there to listen, to love, to inspire.  Our Father to whom we earnestly pray is not an ethereal substance or a mysterious and incomprehensible being.  Rather, He has eyes with which to view our actions, lips with which to speak to us, ears to hear our plea and a heart to understand our love" (Teachings of Thomas S. Monson, p. 260).

I know God is acutely aware of all our actions, and stands with outstretched arms to receive us and help us if we will but ask.  We Latter-day Saints are a lot better than we think we are.  We can always do better, it is true, but we must not beat ourselves up because of our lack of perfection, for only One is called Perfect.  He will help us when we ask, and is ever aware of our righteous actions, thoughts, and desires.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

"Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things"

Doctrine and Covenants 59:7 reads, "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things."  As today is our National Day of Thanksgiving, The Mormon Eagle feels disposed to list three things one should always be thankful to God for.

1. Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ
Neither the Bible nor the Book of Mormon ever take any effort to prove the existence of God or Jesus Christ; rather, they acknowledge Their existence as an absolute.  Thus it is so.  We should be ever grateful to God for His bountiful gifts to us: the gift of sight, that we might see the Word of the Lord on the pages of scripture; the gift to hear, that we might learn the word of the Lord from the mouths of His living Prophets and Apostles; the gift of touch, that we might hold the Bible and Book of Mormon in our hands and turn their pages as we learn of Him whose Church it is; the gift of taste, that we might taste with sweetness the many foods He has given us for nourishment; and the gift of smell, that we might with reverence bask in the fragrances of the flowers at the Houses of the Lord.  I know the Lord Jesus Christ is real, that His love is infinite and all-encompassing, and that He calls Prophets and Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ in this day, as He has in the past.

2. The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a supernal volume which, when read humbly, deliberately, and thoughtfully, opens the mind to the correct doctrines of Jesus Christ and His Gospel as found in His Church, both ancient and modern.  Well did President Joseph Smith say, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Book of Mormon Introduction).  No other volume has caused the author to weep as the Book of Mormon; no other volume will open one's eyes to how much the Lord loves him, and to how much the Lord has done for him, as the Book of Mormon.  I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know the Book of Mormon is true and that it truly brings the sincere reader closer to God than by any other book.

3. The Prophet Joseph Smith
Well did President John Taylor write,


Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.  In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain.  He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum.  In life they were not divided, and in death they were not ^fseparated (D&C 135:3)!

Joseph Smith the Prophet was the man, under the Lord Jesus Christ's direction, who restored the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth after the Great Apostasy spoken of by Paul and Amos (see 2 Thes. 2:3 and Amos 8:11-12 respectively).  He was a Prophet, and the Book of Mormon is the fruit of his labors.  As Jesus hath told us we shall know a false prophet from a true prophet by his fruits, it is to the Book of Mormon we must look to discern truth from error.  If, as Jesus saith, "every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matt. 7:17), then it stands to reason that if the Book of Mormon is what it purports to be (scripture in companion to the Bible), it will testify of Jesus Christ; if the Book is false, it will bring forth no good feelings to the soul.  Because the Book of Mormon is true, and is what the Lord commanded Joseph Smith the Prophet to bring forth by His power, President Smith is a Prophet of the Lord, and President Monson is God duly-ordained representative in our day.

I know what I have said is true.  If hearkened to, the Lord will bring peace to the heart, joy to the soul, and salvation to the body.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

To Follow Jesus

The following was published on 3 November 2011 on newsroom.lds.org:

Anyone familiar with the history of Christianity knows that it has been quite a complicated matter. The word “Christian” was first used during New Testament times (see Acts 11:26) to describe the disciples who accepted the message and redemption of Jesus Christ.  Now after two millennia, Christianity has weathered centuries of change and experienced periods of growth, persecution, reformation, schism, globalization and more.  While inspiring believers of every race and nationality, Christianity has taken a multitude of forms and advanced a diversity of doctrines.  As a result, questions about who should be called a Christian and who should not continue to be discussed by some within the religious world.

Religious beliefs are no light matter, and it’s only right that they are taken seriously.  Yet, earnest and well-meaning interlocutors have sometimes, in the words of the president of Fuller Seminary, Richard J. Mouw, “talked past each other,” due to their differing doctrinal lenses.

For some in the Christian tradition, an individual’s Christianity is defined primarily by theological boundaries.  Accordingly, one must adhere to a theological tradition stemming from formalized creeds or statements of belief (such as the Nicene Creed and the Chalcedonian formulation) composed several centuries after Jesus Christ died and the New Testament was written.

There are differences between the post-biblical creeds and the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most notably, Latter-day Saints believe God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in will and purpose, but are not literarily one being, as the creedal conceptions of the Holy Trinity suggest.  Also, members of the Church believe in living “apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20) and a more open canon of scripture, which includes both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ.

To describe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a non-Christian church to any audience spreads a misconception that there is something other than Jesus Christ at the heart of the Mormon faith.
For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is the Savior of all people, the divine Son of God. He is the same Jesus Christ of the New Testament, who taught about faith and about love for God and mankind.  Jesus Christ — not Moses, Paul or Joseph Smith — is the object of Mormons’ devotion and worship.  As the Prophet Joseph Smith himself taught, “The fundamental principles of our religion are … concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

This is indeed the daily reality for Latter-day Saints.  Jesus Christ is perpetually front and center in the lives of practicing members of the faith.  Whenever Mormons pray to God, for instance, they do so in the name of Jesus Christ.  Baptism by immersion, according to the symbolism of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, marks a person’s entrance into the faith.  The sacrament (what other Christian traditions call communion) is administered weekly in Sunday services for members to reflect on the mercy of Jesus Christ.  When Latter-day Saints seek forgiveness, they do so through Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice.  They serve the poor and needy and give of their time and money to numerous humanitarian aid efforts in order to follow Christ’s teachings.  Images of Christ adorn the faith’s meetinghouses and temples.  Church leaders and members testify of Jesus Christ’s reality and divinity.  The Son of God appears in the Church’s official name: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”  While some outsiders know Latter-day Saints as Mormons, members know themselves as part of Christ’s Church.

At their best, Latter-day Saints’ behavior, speech, thoughts and identity all reflect Christ and His teachings.  If you ask a member what it means to belong to the Church, he or she will tell you that most fundamentally it means to believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world and to follow Him.

For Latter-day Saints, being a Christian means being a disciple of Jesus Christ, loving and worshiping Him above all.  It means prizing Christ and centering one’s life on His teachings from the New Testament.  It means striving to live the kind of life that Christ commanded, honoring Him in word and deed. This is the meaning of a Christian, and there is no doubt that Latter-day Saints — who pattern their lives after all of these things — belong to Christ’s fold.

The Most Correct of any Book on Earth

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Book of Mormon, Introduction).  Herein we shall examine this claim, and deduce its veracity.

The Book of Mormon is the most correct book on Earth because it teaches the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every page in the Book of Mormon has at least one mention of the proper title of Deity in one form or another (God, Father, Lamb of God, Son of God, Holy One of Israel, etc.), with a total of 4,032 proper titles of Deity used throughout the book (not including the words "he", "his", "him", etc.  It only includes the proper titles, meaning those capitalized).  Moroni wrote of the purpose of the Book of Mormon.   He said it is "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS IS THE CHRIST, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon, Title Page).

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve taught, "Indeed, in its role of restoring plain and precious biblical truths that had been lost, while adding scores of new truths about Jesus Christ and preparing the way for the complete restoration of his gospel and the triumphant day of his millennial return, the Book of Mormon may be considered the most remarkable and important religious text ever given to the world” (Christ and the New Covenant, p. 9–10).


The reasons why the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth is simply that it teaches a fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  President Ezra Taft Benson said, "If we really do our homework and approach the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we can expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories and philosophies of men" (“Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” Ensign, Dec. 1988, p. 4). 

Indeed, the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on the face of the Earth because the doctrines of Christ found within its pages anchor one to the Spirit of the Lord, and confirm correct teachings found within the Bible, while sifting out the false teachings of men, both in the world and within the Bible (which was translated by men, and not by a Prophet of God).

I know the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth because I have read it.  I have studied it, comparing it meticulously with the Bible, and have found the teachings of the Bible are corroborated by the Book of Mormon, and the doctrines taught in the Bible are agreed upon by the Book of Mormon.  To put it another way, if one has a plank of wood, and nails one end to the floor, the plank can still be turned about a full 360 degrees.  However, nail both ends of the plank to the floor, and it is immoveable; such is the case with the Bible and Book of Mormon - they anchor each other and the doctrine of Christ to the floor of revelation, never to be moved.  I know this is true, and all may know through study of the Book of Mormon, and a prayer to God to know of the veracity thereof.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Angel Moroni's Appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith

The Angel Moroni appears to Joseph Smith

 Today is 21 September 2011 - another Anniversary of the appearing of the Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith the Prophet from 1823-27.  The events will be discussed herein.

As Joseph was retiring to bed for the night, he, as all good Christians are taught to do, prayed unto the Lord that evening.  He no doubt gave an account of his activities during the day to the Lord, but also expressed to the Lord a desire for forgiveness of sins, and a willingness that the Lord tell him of his standing before Him.  Joseph writes:

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. . . . He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.  He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.  He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. (JS-H 1:30,33-34)

This account brought forth from the ground is now known as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  The Book of Mormon is true, for the Holy Ghost has borne witness to me that it is so.  However, at this point I feel led to answer critics on the matter of the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith, using one simple objection I heard thousands of times during my mission to California: namely, the Bible is all we need, and therefore anyone claiming an angelic ministration is deceived by Satan.

Angels in Unenlightened Times
This claim, however, is silly and false, and I will show it through scripture.  Keep the following question in mind: If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why would He stop sending angels to give messages to His children?  The answer is He has not stopped sending Angels to speak to His servants, as evidenced by these references in Holy Writ:

1. An angel instructing Adam about the coming Redeemer and Atonement (Moses 5:6)
2. An angel of God coming to Hagar the Egyptian (Gen. 21:17)
3. Angels of God ascending and descending Jacob's Ladder (Gen. 28:12)
4. Angels ministering unto the Savior of the world (Matt. 4:11)
5. An Angel coming to Cornelius (Acts 10:30)
6. An Angel sent by Jesus Himself unto John to reveal the vision known as the Book of Revelation (Rev. 22:16)
7. An Angel protecting Nephi and rebuking Laman and Lemuel (1 Ne. 3:29)
8. An Angel proclaiming Jesus Christ to King Benjamin (Mosiah 3:2)
9. An Angel rebuking Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah (Mosiah 27:11)
10. An Angel instructing Alma the Younger to preach against the city Ammonihah (Alma 8:14-18)

Angels in Enlightened Times
Those are just ten examples proving that God speaks to His children, both in the Old and New World.  If then, why not now?  Why in this age of enlightenment, can we not be privileged to see and converse with Angels?  Who are we to say, "God, thou hast revealed Thyself through thine Angels, but no more; not in this day of enlightenment and technology!  Thou hast enlightened us enough, and for that we thank Thee, but send Thou unto us no more of Thine Angels, for we have had enough!"  I say that Angels still visit God's Authorized servants on this Earth, which Authorized servants, holding the Priesthood of God, are only found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Church History no. 5 - Loss of the 116 Manuscript Pages

The loss of the 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Lehi by Brother Martin Harris are a tragedy of untold heights and depths.  What the circumstances are surrounding these events are examined herein.

President Joseph Smith, Jun. states,

Some time after Mr.Harris had begun to write for me [in 1828], he began to importune me to give him liberty to carry the writings home and show them; and desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord. . . . The answer was that he must not.  However, he was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should inquire again.  I did so, and the answer was as before.  Still he could not be contented, but insisted that I should inquire once more.  After much solicitation I again inquired of the Lord, and premission was granted him to have the writings on certain conditions; which were, that he show them only to his brother, Preserved Harris, his own wife, his father and his mother, and a Mrs. Cobb, a sister to his wife. (HC 1:21)

Brother Harris bound himself by solemn covenant with President Smith that he would abide by the instructions set down by the Lord.  But alas, Brother Harris showed them to others, who then used cunning devices to get the papers away from him, and they are lost unto this day.   

At a breakfast prepared by Joseph Smith, Sen. and his wife Lucy Mack in New York, where Joseph Smith the Prophet had gone in search of Martin, Martin Harris came, hours late, and without the manuscript pages.  The account reads thus, from the pen of Lucy Mack Smith:

He [Brother Harris] took up his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them.  Hyrum, observing this, said "Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick"  Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, "Oh, I have lost my soul!  I have lost my soul!"

“Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, "Martin, have you lost that manuscript?  Have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?"

“Yes; it is gone," replied Martin, "and I know not where."

[Joseph cried,] “All is lost! all is lost!  What shall I do?  I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God.  I should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession."  He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually.

At length he told Martin to go back and search again.

“No; said Martin, "it is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows [looking for the manuscript]; and I know it is not there."

“Then must I", said Joseph, "return with such a tale as this?  I dare not do it.  And how shall I appear before the Lord?  Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?" . . .

The next morning, he set out for home.  We parted with heavy hearts, for it now appeared that all which we had so fondly anticipated, and which had been the source of so much secret gratification, had in a moment fled, and fled forever.

(History of Joseph Smith, p. 128–29)

Because of the loss of the 116 pages, President Smith was commanded by the Angel Moroni to give back the plates and the Urim and Thummim.  This he did, and after sincere repentance, the Angel returned them to him.  Joseph later remarked about receiving the Plates again, "The angel seemed pleased with me . . . and he told me that the Lord loved me, for my faithfulness and humility" (History of Joseph Smith, p. 135).  Later on, President Smith said, "I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it"  (History of the Church, 2:170).

We can learn a lot from Martin Harris and Joseph Smith.  We can learn that the Lord has strict commands, which must be obeyed without question; also that the Lord's wisdom and knowledge and foresight is better than man's.  Let the Latter-day Saints, therefore, always follow the Lord and His Prophet, which at this time is President Thomas S. Monson.  I know this as fact, for I have asked the Lord in prayer.  All who likewise ask Him in faith with receive a like answer.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 45 - Overcoming the World

This article is actually the text of my talk given in the Bonneville 12th Ward of the Bonneville Utah Stake on Sunday, 10 July 2011.

Overcome the World
To overcome the world is to surpass all trials, temptations, and tribulations sufficient to sit in the Celestial Kingdom, there to reign as an heir of Godhood.  In short, it is to abide in God’s covenant.  “I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.  For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me. (D&C 98:14-15).  President Joseph Smith taught, “God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God' (Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, 21 Aug. 1883, p.1).


Examples in Scripture
There are many examples for us to look to in the pages of Holy Writ.  The surest is none other than Christ Himself.  The Apostle Peter said of Him, “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:21-22).   “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:41-43, JST Luke 2:44).  President Joseph Smith said something which could be connected to the Savior’s agony during His Atonement: “All difficulties which might and would cross our way must be surmounted. Though the soul be tried, the heart faint, and the hands hang down, we must not retrace our steps; there must be decision of character" (History of the Church 4:570).

Abraham is at the peak of this topic (no pun intended) when he, climbing a mountain, placed Isaac on an altar and gave his all, literally, to be found within God’s covenant; but not only within God’s covenant, but at the beginning thereof, even to having the apex of God’s promises named after him, which are now experienced in full only in the House of the Lord.  Abraham’s offering of his all - his one promised son - is so important to the rest of humanity that God promises each of us His all, as He did Abraham, if we give our all.

Examples in Church History
I will now quote a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley, given at the October 1981 Semi-Annual General Conference:

“I should like to tell you of three eighteen-year-old boys.  In 1856 more than a thousand of our people, some of them perhaps your forebears, found themselves in serious trouble while crossing the plains to this valley.  Because of a series of unfortunate circumstances, they were late in getting started. They ran into snow and bitter cold in the highlands of Wyoming.  Their situation was desperate, with deaths occurring every day."

"President Young learned of their condition as the October general conference was about to begin.  He immediately called for teams, wagons, drivers, and supplies to leave to rescue the bereft Saints.  When the first rescue team reached the Martin Company, there were too few wagons to carry the suffering people.  The rescuers had to insist that the carts keep moving.

"When they reached the Sweetwater River on November 3, chunks of ice were floating in the freezing water.  After all these people had been through, and in their weakened condition, that river seemed impossible to cross.  It looked like stepping into death itself to move into the freezing stream.  Men who once had been strong sat on the frozen ground and wept, as did the women and children.  Many simply could not face that ordeal.

"And now I quote from the record: 'Three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue, and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of the ill-fated handcart company across the snowbound stream.  The strain was so terrible, and the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it.  When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, ‘that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.’'" (Solomon F. Kimball, Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.) (“Four B’s for Boys”, Ensign, November 1981).

I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth.  I know that we all can overcome the world if we look to the prophets, both ancient and modern, and to our heritage.  I know Jesus is the Christ, and that He is our greatest example in this effort. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Reality Check

Throughout this world, there are certain absolutes that in no way can be changed, no matter what one thinks.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declares these absolutes to the world.

1.  God Exists
There is a God in the Heavens who loves all His children.  He is the great Elohim, He who created this earth and all things thereon.  He is the great Father of the human family, and decrees His doctrine through Prophets in every dispensation, including this the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.

2.  Jesus Christ is the Savior
Jesus Christ is God's Son, and the only name whereby anyone can receive salvation and exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom.  His life is an example to all the world how one should conduct his life, what one must do to inherit eternal life, and how one should react in all situations.  Ineed, He said in the Intercessory Prayer, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).  Although skeptics say that both He (Jesus Christ) and His Father (God) do not exists, yet it is so.  They exist in spite of the gainsayers.

3.  Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God
When the Angel Moroni came to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he told him that Joseph's name would be had for both good and evil.  Truly this prophecy has come to pass.  Joseph Smith has indeed "has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it" (D&C 135:3).  President Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God, which contains the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and with the Bible convinces one of Jesus Christ's reality clearer than anything else.  Joseph Smith also was the instrument on whom the Keys of the Priesthood were conferred by John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, Moses, Elias, Elijah, and Gabriel.  These Keys are only held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in no other religion.

4.  The Book of Mormon is True
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is as true as the noon-day sun.  It shines resplendent to all the world, that they might know that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.  It is the only book to which the Lord has personally given His own testimony.  Thus saith He, "And he [Joseph Smith] has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true" (D&C 17:6).  Scientific fact is not needed to prove it's veracity, for the Holy Spirit beareth record.  Those who say it is not true, whether having read the Book of Mormon or not, do not and cannot have the Spirit of the Lord in its fulness, for the Church connected therewith is the only Church which has the Authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost.

These four criterion must be believed in order to find salvation peace in this life, salvation in the next life, and exaltation with God the Father and Jesus Christ.  This I know to be true.  I add my testimony with God as my witness, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

"I'm a Mormon" Campaign Huge Success

2011 is surely the year of the Mormon, with former Governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and John Huntsman of Utah on the ticket for the Republican Presidential nomination, Democratic Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid in the United States Senate, and the Tony Award-winning "Book of Mormon Musical" the talks of the town, as they say.  The "Book of Mormon Musical" being the only blight to a really good publicity-laced year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "I'm a Mormon" ad campaign has been conceived to stifle prejudice and let the public know who the Latter-day Saints really are.

Tested in nine cities in the summer of 2010 and launched two weeks ago in New York City, people of the United States can now meet the Mormons.  In the 29 June 2011 issue of the Deseret News, the official spokesman for the LDS Church, Scott Trotter, remarked, "Since the launch of the New York campaign, we've noticed a significant increase in visitors to mormon.org.  Most of the recent traffic to the site is coming from mobile devices.  This change suggests people 'on the go' are visiting the site after encountering the ads."  Elder Richard G. Hinckley, son of the late President Gordon B. Hinckley, and current executive director of the Church's missionary department, said, "This is one way to get to know us - through the lives of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It's one thing to read a list of beliefs and to try to determine what it all means.  It is quite another to see those beliefs in action in an individual you know."

We here at The Mormon Eagle agree with Brother Scott and Elder Hinckley.  Our motto says it all: "It is better to represent ourselves than to be represented by others."  Indeed it is.  I, Clark LeRay Herlin, am a Mormon, and proud of it.  I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and the only true source for mankind to find peace in this life and eternal exaltation in the life to come.  Facebook me or other Mormons you know, and they will be glad to help you find out more.  As President Joseph Smith said, "We don't ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more" (History of the Church 5:259).  So, all ye people of the United States, come and get more Truth - even a fulness, which only the Mormons can offer.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

27 June - A Day of Solemnity

Today is 27 June 2011.  Two things of vast interest happened today.  One is the murder of Joseph Smith the Prophet and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch in 1844, and the other is the dedication of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple in 2002.

Joseph and Hyrum
Joseph and Hyrum died for the Truth of God.  Joseph Smith has indeed done more in the world for the salvation of mankind than any other person, Jesus Christ excepted.  Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God into English, that it might stand as a second witness to Jesus Christ the Redeemer, along with the Bible.  The Book of Mormon also stands as a testament to the world that Joseph Smith was in fact a Prophet, because the only way it could have been brought forth is how Joseph Smith said it was - by revelation, nothing more nor less.  Hyrum Smith stood by his brother's testimony of the Book of Mormon no less quietly, for he also knew it is true, for the Holy Ghost told him so.

I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that the Church he was an instrument in restoring is the only true and living Church upon the face of Earth, for the Lord God hath spoken it: "And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually" (D&C 1:30).  Also, "For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (D&C 115:4).

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple
This House of the Lord was built on the same spot of ground of the original.  This House of the Lord is a second witness (along with the Book of Mormon) to the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, in that the only Church on Earth to teach the fulness of the ordinances of the Priesthood is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The covenants within the Endowment ceremony have not changed since Joseph Smith gave the ordinance in the second story of his Red Brick Store in Nauvoo on 4 May 1842, which building is now owned by a church who believes in Joseph Smith in name only - they have rejected him as a Prophet of God, as has the rest of the the world.

Conditional Salvation For Men in this Age
The only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ the Son of God.  He, and He alone, is the Author of Salvation and Exaltation.  However, for mankind now living, one must accept Jesus Christ as the Savior of the World and also Joseph Smith as a Prophet of God (whether in this life or the next), or they cannot be saved.  Jesus Christ must be accepted because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Joseph Smith must be accepted because he was the humble instrument Jesus Christ used to restore His Church to Earth again.  Through Joseph Smith the Priesthood Authority was brought from the Heavens and given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and only to that Church.  All others are pretenders.  This I solemnly proclaim in humility and by the power of the Holy Ghost, for He is my witness that I speak the truth.  Search the revelations and commandments that have been given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and you will find I speak the truth.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 44 - The Gift of and Interpretation of Tongues

An important doctrine to Latter-day Saint theology is the gift of and interpretation of tongues.  The most famous Biblical instance of this is when the Apostles Peter and John speak to the crowd in Jerusalem in Hebrew, and all the people hear what they say in their own respective languages.  This, then is the key to the gift of and interpretation of tongues - to understand things of God in one's own language.

President Joseph Smith taught, "As to the gift of tongues, all we can say is, that in this place, we have received it as the ancients did: we wish you, however, to be careful lest in this you be deceived. . . . Satan will no doubt trouble you about the gift of tongues, unless you are careful; you cannot watch him too closely, nor pray too much. (History of the Church, 1:369)"  The Prophet goes on to state the purpose for the Gift of Tongues as, "given for the purpose of preaching among those whose language is not understood. (History of the Church 3:379)"  However, the Prophet Joseph gives this warning, "Be not so curious about tongues, do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present; the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence, let them speak to such in their own tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their place, but when they are applied to that which God does not intend, they prove an injury, a snare and a curse instead of a blessing. (History of the Church 5:31-32)"

To put in simply, when a person preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a different language than their own, they are using the Gift of Tongues.  There is, however, a false manifestation of this gift we must be wary of.

False Manifestations of the Gift of Tongues
President Joseph Smith also taught, "We have also had brethren and sisters who have had the gift of tongues falsely; they would speak in a muttering, unnatural voice, and their bodies be distorted … ; whereas, there is nothing unnatural in the Spirit of God. (History of the Church 4:580)"  Lastly, the Prophet says, "If you have a matter to reveal, let it be in your own tongue; do not indulge too much in the exercise of the gift of tongues, or the devil will take advantage of the innocent and unwary. You may speak in tongues for your own comfort, but I lay this down for a rule, that if anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be received for doctrine. (History of the Church 4:607)"  Thus those called "Holy Rollers" are left in the dark, because their version of the Gift of Tongues is a false variation, so saith the Prophet Joseph.

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and that it is the only Church to correctly teach the Gift of Tongues and interpretation of tongues.  I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Lies of Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and "The Book of Mormon Musical"

The Tony awards were Sunday night, and "The Book of Mormon Musical" won nine, including Best Musical.  It was written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of the profanity-laced South Park, which takes great pains in lampooning and defacing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and all connected thereto.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone must remember the words of the Lord through Jacob, "Wo unto the lair, for he shall be thrust down to Hell" (2 Nephi 9:34).  The Deseret News wrote a great expose' called "Is This Musical Accurate Satire?" about the lies of these two liars and their "Book of Mormon Musical".  We will here examine the lines from the musical quoted within the Deseret News article, and set the record straight concerning what Mormons actually believe.  We will be proceeding from the beginning of the Deseret News article to the end.  No man need err when searching for the truth, especially when searching for the only correct Truth known as Mormonism.

"All American Prophet"
In the song "All American Prophet", the Angel Moroni sings, "Don't let anybody see these plates except for you (Joseph)."  This is nothing close to what the Angel told Joseph Smith.  President Joseph Smith said, "[The Angel Moroni] told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken—for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled—I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed" (JS-H 1:42, emphasis added).  Now, this is clear enough to illustrate one lie of the wicked twosome known as Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Near the end of the same song, wherein the Prophet's death is depicted, the Prophet Joseph sings, "Oh God, why are you letting me die without having me show people the plates?  They'll have no proof I was telling the truth or not they'll have to believe it just 'cuz.  Oh, I guess that's kind of what you were going for."  Now, this is not only a bold-faced lie, but an easily refutable one at that.  Joseph Smith was allowed by the Lord to show the plates to eleven other men.  We will include their testimonies herein in full, in order that the lies of Matt Stone and Trey Parker might be more fully exposed:

The Testimony of Three Witnesses
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken.  And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true.  And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man.  And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true.  And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things.  And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens.  And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.  Amen.

Oliver Cowdery

David Whitmer

Martin Harris

The Testimony of Eight Witnesses
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.

Christian Whitmer

Jacob Whitmer

Peter Whitmer, Jun.

John Whitmer

Hiram Page

Joseph Smith, Sen.

Hyrum Smith

Samuel H. Smith

"I Believe"

In this song, the missionary Elder Price sings, "I'm a Mormon and a Mormon just believes."  This also isn't true, and is a misconstruing of Latter-day Saints saying, as I say, that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet; that the Book of Mormon is true; that Jesus is the Christ; and that I know these things without doubt.  They misconstrue those words into thinking that we Latter-day Saints aren't allowed (or aren't able) to think for ourselves.  This is not only a misinterpretation of Mormonism's doctrines, but the doctrine Christ Himself taught when he said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).  The Book of Mormon also admonished one to think for himself, and this in many instances.  Alma testifies, 

Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?  Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.  And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.  And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God. (Alma 5:45-47)

Moroni also admonishes critical thinking (yes, it is possible to do that through scriptures, correct historical evidence, and revelation).  He writes, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:4-5).

The Lord explains how this knowledge is truly made manifest to the sincere reader of the Book of Mormon, "But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record.  For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good" (Ether 4:11).

And thus we see . . .

And thus we see the liars (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) are brought into the open naked, as it were, and their lies as well as their secret parts are made manifest to all, male and female, both the wicked and the righteous.  I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know for a surety that the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by the Gift and Power of God by Joseph Smith.  I also know by the power of the Holy Ghost that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, and my Savior.  I know that only the sincere will take Mormonism for what it is - truth.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Addendum

I say now boldly as a warning - the Latter-day Saint that sees "The Book of Mormon Musical" is flirting with damnation because Satan is in it.  I also warn that the so-called active Latter-day Saint who sees "The Book of Mormon Musical" and says he likes it, that person is on the road to apostasy, and entrapped in the chords of sin.  I say this boldly and humbly, being led by the Spirit of the Lord, in the Name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Official Organization of the Moscow Russia Stake Announced

From the 6 June 2011 issue of the Deseret News, it has been announced that Elder Russell M. Nelson organized the Moscow Russia Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday 5 June 2011.  I feel not to discuss this announcement any further than informing The Mormon Eagle's readers who the Stake Presidency is over there: Yakov Mikhaylovich Boyko, President; Vladimir Nkolaivich Astashov, First Councilor; and Viktor Mikhaylovich Kremenchuk, Second Councilor, with Vyacheslav Viktorovich Protopopov the new Stake Patriarch.  I will now talk about the history of the Church in Russia.

As early as 1 October 1843, Joseph Smith called Elder Orson Hyde of the Twelve Apostles and George J. Adams on a mission to St. Petersburg, Russia.  The Prophet Joseph Smith said for Elders Hyde and Adams "to introduce the fullness of the gospel to the people of that vast empire . . . to which is attached some of the most important things concerning the advancement and building up of the Kingdom of God in the last days, which cannot be explained at this time. (James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Volume 1, p. 190)"  This mission never materialized, however, because of the Prophet's martyrdom in June of the next year.

Not until 1895 was another missionary sent to Russia, an Elder August Joel Hoglund.  He arrived 9 June 1895, and two days later (11 June) baptized two converts in the river Neva.  In 1903, President Francis M. Lyman, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, came to St. Petersburg to dedicate Russia for the preaching of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He repeated the prayer again in Moscow.  In between 1903 and the end of World War 1 in 1918, the missionary work continued.  Andre Anastasion joined the Church in 1917 and became instrumental in translating the Book of Mormon into the Russian language. In 1915, the first baptism was performed in Siberia in a lake near Vladivostok. (Russia Novosibirsk Mission website).  Unfortunately, not until the early 1990s, with the collapse of the former Soviet Union, were Mormon Missionaries again allowed in Russia.  On 26 April 1990 Elder Russell M. Nelson rededicated Russia in the Summer Gardens, the same place President Lyman had knelt in 97 years earlier.

As of 2005, Russia has 19,946 members, eight Missions, fifteen Districts, and 129 Branches,

I cannot find which Apostle rededicated Russia after the collapse of the USSR, so if anyone knows, let me know.

Mormon Theology no. 38 - The Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist

The foundation of the Latter-day Saints' claim, which is legitimate, of being the only Church on Earth recognized by God as having proper Priesthood Authority, is laid by John the Baptist.  This is the same John the Baptist who baptized Jesus of Nazareth in the river Jordan.

The event occurred on 15 May 1829.  The Prophet Joseph Smith had continued to translate, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon, and Oliver Cowdery had continued to write for Joseph.  I now quote from Joseph Smith's own account:

We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates.  While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying: Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. (JS-H 1:68-69)

Now, this event, according to the Law of Witnesses, actually occurred, because there is more than one witness attesting to the truth thereof.  Oliver Cowdery wrote, 

On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the veil was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the Gospel of repentance. What joy! what wonder! what amazement! While the world was racked and distracted—while millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld, our ears heard, as in the ‘blaze of day’; yes, more—above the glitter of the May sunbeam, which then shed its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then his voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, ‘I am thy fellow-servant,’ dispelled every fear. We listened, we gazed, we admired! . . . we received under his hand the Holy Priesthood as he said, ‘Upon you my fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the Sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!’ . . . The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel, the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me past description, and I shall ever look upon this expression of the Savior’s goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while I am permitted to tarry. (Messenger and Advocate, vol. 1 (October 1834), p. 14–16)

To further illuminate the necessity of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, and to also further prove that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only authorized Church of God on the earth, I quote President Joseph Fielding Smith.  Said he, "It is contrary to the order of heaven for those who have passed beyond the veil to officiate and labor for the living on the earth, only wherein mortal man cannot act, and thereby it becomes necessary for those who have passed through the resurrection to act for them. (Essentials in Church History, 27th ed. (1974), p. 58)"  

President Oliver Cowdery further testified, 

He [Joseph Smith] was ordained by the angel John, unto the lesser or Aaronic priesthood, in company with myself, in the town of Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, on Fryday, the 15th day of May, 1829. . . . our souls were drawn out in mighty prayer—to know how we might obtain the blessings of baptism and of the Holy Spirit, according to the order of God, and we diligently sought for the right of the fathers and the authority of the holy priesthood, and the power to admin[ister] in the same: … the Lord … answered us out of the heavens, and while we were in the heavenly vision the angel came down and bestowed upon us this priesthood. (Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, p. 8–9, Historical Dept., Archives Division, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City)

The foregoing quotations seem sufficient enough to give credence to the Latter-day Saint argument concerning Priesthood and the rightful claim thereto.  I add my witness that I know the Priesthood of Aaron was restored by John the Baptist on the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.  I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and testifies of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Mormon Theology no. 37 - Godhood

Throughout the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, the principle of exaltation is taught by the Lord Jesus Christ, His Apostles, and His Prophets.  We will discuss the true meaning of the sayings of Jesus and His Apostles appertaining thereto.

The most cited scripture relating to exaltation is Romans 8:16-17.  Here Paul states a universal fact - that all are children of God.  He states therein, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."  The Prophet Joseph Smith explained what verse 17 actually means.  He said, "What is it [to be heirs of God]?  To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before" ("King Follett Sermon", Ensign, April 1971).  Even Jesus stated such glorious doctrines.  He admonished His followers, both on the American Continent and in Israel, to be perfect as He and His Father are (see 3 Nephi 12:48 and Matt 5:48). 

John the Revelator also taught this doctrine in his Epistles.  He said, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).  This Apostle tells us that we shall see Christ as a God, and as such, if we keep the commandments of God found only in His Church, we will be like him - that is, a God.

In a vision givin to President Lorenzo Snow in 1840 in Nauvoo, Illinois,

The Spirit of the Lord rested mightily upon me—the eyes of my understanding were opened, and I saw as clear as the sun at noon-day, with wonder and astonishment, the pathway of God and man. I formed the following couplet which expresses the revelation, as it was shown to me . . . :  As man now is, God once was:  As God now is, man may be.  I felt this to be a sacred communication" (LeRoi C. Snow, Improvement Era, June 1919, p. 656). 

Additionally, President Snow prophesied that "the time will come when some . . . through their faithfulness to the gospel, will progress and develop in knowledge, intelligence and power, in future eternities, until they shall be able to go out into space where there is unorganized matter and call together the necessary elements, and through their knowledge of and control over the laws and powers of nature, to organize matter into worlds on which their posterity may dwell, and over which they shall rule as gods” (LeRoi C. Snow, Improvement Era, June 1919, 658–59).
I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church on the face of the earth.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that is goes hand in hand with the Bible in testifying of Jesus the Christ, our Savior.  I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of the Lord today, and that he receives revelation from the Lord to lead His Kingdom.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Mormon Theology no. 34 - The Role of the Prophets

As it can be seen that many non-Mormons seem to misunderstand the role of the Prophets in Latter-day Saint teachings, it will be elucidated herein.

It must first be understood that Latter-day Saints worship the Father and Him only.  We pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ His Son, because Christ is the Mediator between us and God.  The Prophets' role in the equation is simply to teach the people of God the way of Salvation.

 I will have Moses illustrate for us.   

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.  And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.  And Moses prayed for the people.  And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:5-9)

It is seen that Moses, as the Prophet, was the mouthpiece of God.  When the children of Israel murmured because of the Manna in the wilderness (which was commanded of God to be picked up every morning, and that twice on Fridays), God smote them with poisonous snakes.  The only way they could alleviate this curse was to go ask the Prophet what the Lord wanted.

The Lord, knowing all things, gave Moses (through revelation) a way to both heal the people and to instruct them about the Messiah.  The brazen serpent event as quoted above was the result.

There is another example I can pull from modern events - the march of Zion's Camp from Kirtland, Ohio to Missouri.  In 1834 the Saints in Missouri were being persecuted severely, and the 200-man Zion's Camp marched to their rescue.  However, disunity was rampant between the men.  For this reason President Joseph Smith, Jun. wrote,  

I said the Lord had revealed to me that a scourge would come upon the camp in consequence of the fractious and unruly spirits that appeared among them, and they should die like sheep with the rot; still, if they would repent and humble themselves before the Lord, the scourge, in a great measure, might be turned away; but, as the Lord lives, the members of this camp will suffer for giving way to their unruly temper. . . . Previous to crossing the Mississippi river I had called the camp together and told them that in consequence of the disobedience of some who had been unwilling to listen to my words, but had rebelled, God had decreed that sickness should come upon the camp, and if they did not repent and humble themselves before God they should die like sheep with the rot; that I was sorry, but could not help it.  The scourge must come; repentance and humility may mitigate the chastisement, but cannot altogether avert it. But there were some who would not give heed to my words. (HC 2: 80, 106-107)

The above is a perfect example of the role of the Prophet: to declare repentance from sin and iniquity, bu also to warn of immanent danger, plague, calamities, etc.

I know that following the President of the LDS Church is the only way to achieve personal spiritual safety and avoid the calamities foretold by ancient and modern Prophets.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet today.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

The Declaration of Easter

Today being Easter Sunday, I will promote the Mormon views on Easter and the Christ.

Nothing but joy can emanate from my heart on a day like today.  It was a warm day in Provo, UT, and testimony rang from the sermons at Church regarding the Christ.  Still, many outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wonder of our declaration of the Christ on Easter, and I feel to give it here, as spoken by the Prophets and Apostles, both of old and of modern origin.  Then I will give my own knowledge pertaining thereto.

It is amazing to me that One so pure and undefiled would be willing to put His life on the line - both His physical and spiritual life - to expiate my every sin.  But, not only did Jesus do that for me, He did that for you - He took upon Himself every pain, sorrow, heartache, sadness, loss, difficulty, blemish (physical and otherwise), inadequacy, trauma, etc. - for you and me and everyone who has, does now, or will yet live upon the earth.  "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. . . . Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit. (D&C 19:16-18)"  This suffering took place in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The Master was then taken to a mock trial, and afterward crucified between two thieves.  Elder McConkie tells us that whilst Messiah was hanging on the cross "all the infinite agonies and merciless pains of Gethsemane recurred" ("The Purifying Power of Gethsemane", Ensign, May 1985).

After three days, a most marvelous, miraculous, and transcendent event occurred.  As prophesied by many ancient prophets, "now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20).  Because of this Resurrected Christ, we need not fear with the lowering of the body into the cold and silent grave, but rather rejoice evermore in that Christ hath swallowed up death in Himself, He having the key to the bottomless pit.  

We need not trust in just the written word alone for this knowledge, for it has been given anew by modern Prophets and Apostles that Christ is indeed risen again from the dead.  Joseph Smith taught, 

The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father. (D&C 110:1-4)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, 

And now, as pertaining to this perfect Atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that He is the Son of the living God and was crucified for the sins of the world.  He is our Lord, our God, and our King.  This I know of myself, independent of any other person.  I am one of His witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in His hands and in His feet and shall wet His feet with my tears.  But I shall not know any better then than I know now that He is God’s Almighty Son, that He is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through His atoning blood and in no other way ("Purifying Power", Ensign, May 1985).

President Gordon B. Hinckley testified boldly, "He is our triumphant Lord. He is our Redeemer, who atoned for our sins. Through His redeeming sacrifice all men shall rise from the grave. He has opened the way whereby we may gain not only immortality but also eternal life.  As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bear witness and testimony of these things this Easter day. I speak in solemnity and reverence and gratitude" ("He Is Not Here, but Is Risen", Ensign, May 1999).

I also bear record that I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know with assurance, that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead.  This doctrine taught I in California for two years, and have been teaching the doctrine online for the past two also.  I know that Christ lives and that we will see our loved ones who have died again, and that in our own bodies - all because of One single life - that of Jesus the Christ.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Mormon Theology no. 32 - The Whisperings of the Holy Ghost

President Joseph Smith taught, "Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach you what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom.  Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. (Manuscript History of Brigham Young 1846–1847, comp. Elden J. Watson (1971), p. 529)"

The most challenging thing for Christiandom to realize is how to recognize the Holy Ghost's influence.

The Influence of the Holy Ghost
The Apostle Paul taught what the influence of the Holy Spirit feels like.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. (Gal. 5:22)"  Likewise did the Prophet Joseph Smith teach, "It will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. (Manuscript History of Brigham Young, p. 529)"

The Holy Ghost will bear witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the Bible, because the Spirit of Truth cannot be restrained.  Every time I read the Book of Mormon, the Spirit reconfirms the truth of that Book and the reality of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  It also confirms the prophetic mantle that was on Joseph Smith and that is currently on Thomas S. Monson.

Now, dear reader, the Spirit speaks in different ways to different people, and one must find and learn to recognize the way it speaks to him.  For me, it is a tangible feeling of warmth and joy unspeakable.  This warm, joyous feeling lifts my mind to a higher plain.  My thoughts are clear, my hear rejoices.

Modern prophets can help describe the Spirit's workings better than I.  In the May 2000 issue of the Ensign, President Boyd K. Packer taught, "The voice of the Spirit is a still, small voice—a voice that is felt rather than heard.  It is a spiritual voice that comes into the mind as a thought put into your heart."    President Joseph Smith taught, "A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus. (History of the Church, 3:381)" 

When the Holy Ghost speaks, sometimes words cannot describe its influence, although they are helpful.  President James E. Faust said, "The Holy Ghost bears witness to us of the truth and impresses upon our souls the reality of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, so surely that no earthly power or authority can separate us from that knowledge. (April 2001 General Conference, "Born Again"; see May 2001 Ensign)"  When the Holy Ghost speaks, although one may not know how to explain it, one knows the Spirit is speaking.

I know that the Holy Ghost is real and does speak to man.  I know that it will testify to the veracity of the Book of Mormon and to Joseph Smith's calling as a Prophet.  If one works at it hard enough with a sincere heart, God will answer him through revelation from the Holy Ghost.  In the name of Jesus the Messiah.  Amen.

Mormon Theology no. 31 - The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage

A commentator to The Mormon Eagle (Tim) wonders whether or not Plural Marriage is the New and Everlasting Covenant or not.  Therefore, this essay will define it from a scriptural and doctrinal point of view.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:3-4 state, "Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.  For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. (italics added)"  Here the Lord uses the phrase "the new and everlasting covenant", and decrees damnation if not entered into.  Said President Spencer W. Kimball, "Though relatively few people in this world understand it, the new and everlasting covenant is the marriage ordinance in the holy temple by the properly constituted leaders who hold the genuine, authoritative keys.  This glorious blessing is available to men and women on this earth. (“Temples and Eternal Marriage,” Ensign, Aug. 1974, p. 5, emphasis added)"  It is called new because it is revealed anew in every Gospel dispensation.  It is called everlasting in that it has been enjoyed by God's people since the beginning of the world, even since Adam and Eve.

Joseph Smith taught, "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.  He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase. (D&C 131:1-4)"  Joseph Smith also taught, 

Except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrection. But those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory. (History of the Church, 5:391)

Thus we see that the New and Everlasting Covenant is marriage, although the Lord connected Plural Marriage with it for a time, but no longer does so.  

There are certain blessings only available to those who are married by the Priesthood Authority only held in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In regards to these blessing the Lord has stated, 

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.  Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them.  Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them (D&C 132:19-20).

President Spencer W. Kimball taught, "It matters not how righteous they may have been, how intelligent or how well trained they are.  No one will enter this highest glory unless he enters into the covenant, and this means the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. ( “The Importance of Celestial Marriage,” Ensign, Oct. 1979, pp. 5–6 )"

The Lord taught this doctrine to His ancient Apostles when He said, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. 16:19)"  

I know that only marriage in the Houses of the Lord of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can assure the perpetuation of the marriage relationship.  If one is married in any place other than a Mormon Temple, he cannot enter into God's presence and dwell with his family forever.  I know this is true, and I defy Earth and Hell to say otherwise.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!