Messenger
Volume 4, Issue 1 – January 2010
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Contents
The One Mighty and Strong
The Tree of Life
Our Rights
Convictions or Preferences
Poetry -
The Spirit
Out of Myself
Two Spirits
Two spirits in Celestial world
Stood apart from the heavenly throng;
A mighty love shone on each face,
In each heart was a heavenly song,
“Sister,” he said with a look of love,
“The hour at last has come,
That I may take the glorious step,
And have a mortal home.
Our love and association here,
Will bind our hearts below,
And, Darling, when I meet you there,
I’m sure our hearts will know.” Read the rest of this entry »
Rules of Celestial Marriage
Inasmuch as the saints in Utah consider it moral, virtuous, and scriptural, to practice the plurality system, they should seek by every means to eradicate, not only from their own minds, but from the minds of their children, every erroneous improper prejudice which they have formerly imbibed, by their associations with the nations of modern Christendom. Parents who have daughters should seek to instill into their minds, that it is just as honorable for them to be united in marriage to a good man who is already a husband, as to one that is single: they should be taught to reject the society and proposals for marriage of all wicked men, whether single or not. A father should be impartial to all his children, and cultivate the same love for them all; while each wife should instill into the minds of her own children the necessity of loving the children of each of the others, as brothers and sisters. Each wife should not only care for the welfare of her husband and her own children, but should also seek the happiness of each of his other wives and children. And likewise, the children of each wife should not only represent, honor, and love their own mother, but also the mothers of all their brothers and sisters. By observing these precepts, peace and tranquility will reign throughout every department of the family, and the spirit of God will flow freely from heart to heart. Read the rest of this entry »
Dream of the Pre-Mortal World
Mosiah Hancock related the following dream:
When about twenty-one years of age, I was permitted by the power of God, to go into His presence and into my former abode. I saw the Eternal Father on His throne and His wives on His left side, [I have no idea of their number,](1) all shining in glory, I saw the Savior and knew Him. It takes the power of the Holy Ghost to tell the difference between the Father and the Son, they look so much alike. Jesus said: “Mosiah, I have brought you here to show you how it was before you went to the earth.” I had been to the earth; everything looked so natural and familiar. I seemed to have been a companion of the Savior and talked with him like a friend. Again, He spoke to me and said: “Look and see man as he came forth.” I looked in the direction indicated and saw an innumerable line of God’s children extending further than I could see. They were arranged in pairs, male and female, and passed in front of the Eternal Father who named them; and they were clad in long white robes with girdles tied around their waists; each pair seemed to have been created mates. Read the rest of this entry »
The Story of Moses & Fromet
33 year old Moses Mendelssohn, the grandfather of the well-known German composer, was far from being handsome. Along with a rather short stature, he had a grotesque hunchback. In 1762 he visited a merchant in Hamburg who had a lovely daughter named Fromet Guggenheim. Moses fell hopelessly in love with her. But Fromet was repulsed by his misshapen appearance.
When it came time for him to leave, Moses gathered his courage and climbed the stairs to her room to take one last opportunity to speak with her. Upon seeing him she burst into tears.
“Is it my hump?” he asked.
“Yes.” she hesitantly replied.
She was a vision of Heavenly beauty, but he felt deep sadness by her refusal to look at him. After several attempts at conversation, Moses shyly asked, “Do you believe marriages are made in Heaven?”
“Yes,” she answered, still looking at the floor. “And do you?”
“Yes I do,” he replied. “You see, in Heaven at the birth of each boy, the Lord announces which girl he will marry. When I was born, my future bride was pointed out to me. Then the Lord added,” “But your wife will be humpbacked.”
“Right then and there I called out, ‘Oh Lord, a humpbacked woman would be a tragedy. Please, Lord, give me the hump and let her be fair and beautiful.’”
Then Fromet looked up into his eyes and was stirred by some deep memory. She reached out and gave Mendelssohn her hand and later became his devoted wife. They had six remarkable children together.
“When love has blended and molded two beings
in an angelic and sacred union,
they have found the secret of life;
henceforth they are only the two terms of the same destiny,
the two wings of one mind.”
(Victor Hugo)
The Origin and Destiny of Woman
The Latter-day Saints have often been ridiculed on account of their belief in the pre-existence of spirits, and for marrying for time and all eternity, both being Bible doctrines. We have often been requested to give our views in relation to these principles, but considered the things of the kingdom belonged to the children of the kingdom, therefore not meet to give them to those without. But being very politely requested by a lady a few days since (a member of the Church) to answer the following questions, we could not consistently refuse, viz.:
“Where did I come from? What am I doing here? Whither am I going? And what is my destiny after having obeyed the truth, if faithful to the end?”
For her benefit and all others concerned, we will endeavor to answer the questions in brief, as we understand them. The reason will be apparent for our belief in the pre-existence of spirits, and in marrying for time and all eternity.
Lady, whence comest thou? Thine origin? What art thou doing here? Whither art thou going, and what is thy destiny? Declare unto me if thou hast understanding. Knowest thou not that thou art a spark of Deity, struck from the fire of His eternal blaze, and brought forth in the midst of eternal burning? Read the rest of this entry »
Volume 4, Issue 1 – September 2009
Contents
Chosen Before the Foundations of the World
Two Spirits (poem)
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Editorial
Modern Latter-day Saints have been counseled by the Church leaders to pray about those whom they marry. President Kimball gave this counsel:
“In selecting a companion for life and for eternity, certainly the most careful planning and thinking and praying and fasting should be done to be sure that of all the decisions, this one must not be wrong. … Emotions must not wholly determine decisions, but the mind and the heart, strengthened by fasting and prayer and serious consideration, will give one a maximum chance of marital happiness.”(1)
But, as a recent survey from Brigham Young University shows, the majority of Mormons reject this advice, with 78% of men and 71% of women not considering spiritual confirmation to be an important factor in deciding who to marry.(2)
Considering the fact that to attend B.Y.U. a person must be in full standing with the Church and maintain certain moral and religious standards, the number of Latter-day Saints in general who pray about who they will marry is probably much lower. But this issue asks “what does God expect of us in selecting our spouses?”
Over the years most of our issues have focused on topics related to history and authority. Very little has been written on how the Gospel relates to relationships, and nothing has been said about the part human love plays in God’s plans. With this issue it is hoped that balance will be redressed.
This issue is dedicated to the spouses we have and the ones we have yet to marry. May we always remain true to each other.
We float our hearts upon the water
and see them floundering in the surge
but if they hold fast and do not falter
into another’s heart they will merge
And by this journey we are strengthened
as along the way our weakness we meet
for no other route can there be taken
to make our love last and be complete
Footnotes -
1. Spencer W. Kimball, “Oneness in Marriage,” Ensign, Mar. 1977, p. 3.
2. B.Y.U. Studies 46:3, “A Survey of Dating and Marriage”, 2007.
Bruce R. McConkie remarked:
“How do you choose a wife? I’ve heard a lot of young people from Brigham Young University and elsewhere say, “I’ve got to get a feeling of inspiration. I’ve got to get some revelation. I’ve got to fast and pray and get the Lord to manifest to me whom I should marry.” Well, maybe it will be a little shock to you, but never in my life did I ever ask the Lord whom I ought to marry. It never occurred to me to ask him. I went out and found the girl I wanted; she suited me; I evaluated and weighed the proposition, and it just seemed a hundred percent to me as though this ought to be.” (BYU Devotional Address, 1973)
Volume 3, Issue 6 – December 2008
Contents -
Keeping Eternal Laws and Fulfilling Prophecies
Jesus – Savior of Other Worlds?
Brigham Young’s Teachings on Adam
Keeping Eternal Laws and Fulfilling Prophecies
Judging the 1886 Meeting
Tens of thousands of Mormon Fundamentalists believe that in 1886 Joseph Smith came to John Taylor and instructed him to set apart a group of men to keep alive plural marriage even when the Church should reject that principle.
Just like the visitation of God to Joseph Smith there were no visual means to record what happened, and although – like the visit of Moroni to show the gold plates – there were witnesses, they also didn’t record it or share what had happened until after the event, as is the case with many of the greatest scriptural and spiritual events.
However, this does not mean that there are no indications of the truthfulness of what went on at that time. God has given us principles by which to judge the truth, history gives us precedents so we can see what is possible, and Prophets foretell the future, so that when it comes to pass we can know it is from God. Using these tools we can judge what someone claims, to see if it contradicts principle, follows precedent, and fulfills prophecy. By seeking the Spirit as we study we can also obtain a divine confirmation.
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Jesus – Savior of Other Worlds?
It has become a common belief amongst many Latter-day Saints that the atonement of Jesus extends to other earths like ours. This teaching is common in wards throughout the world, and is mentioned in books about the Savior by several by modern Mormon authors. But is this a revealed doctrine or just a popular theory, and what have the scriptures and prophets had to say on this subject?
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