House of God

Readings:a. 

Doctrine and Covenants 95; 109; 110.

Another peculiarity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the use of temples in worship and work.  While temples are symbols of belief and faith, their purpose is to help members make and keep sacred covenants with God and to help those who have died have the opportunity to receive these important covenants by proxy.  There are140 temple currently in use throughout the world.  Map of temples.

Here is a short clip entitled: Why Mormons Build Temples

Sections 109 and 110 comprise the dedicatory prayer and answer to that prayer of the first temple built in modern time, in Kirtland, Ohio.  The pleadings and requests and expressions of gratitude are as relevant today as they were then.

The prayer is voiced by Joseph Smith, but he said the words were given to him by the Lord.  This would seem a little odd for a prayer, but when you consider who the prayer is to: God, the Father, then it makes sense that God, the Son, Jesus Christ, is offering the prayer to His father, using Joseph as voice.  Joseph would then close in the name of Jesus Christ, as all prayers should be to invoke the power granted to the Savior by way of who he is and the atonement he wrought for us.

The beginning of the prayer is a reminder of the command the people received to build the Kirtland Temple:

6 And as thou hast said in a revelation, given to us, calling us thy friends, saying—Call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you;
 7 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;
 8 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
 9 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High—

This is a work WITH the Lord not just a work by the hands of man saying 'look what we have done for you, what a great job we've done, since we've done such a great job, you should accept it and us'.  It is symbol of how man works with God and God works with man to accomplish the same work, the work of bringing to pass "the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:30), italic added.  Very relevant to today's worship as we certainly need the assistance of the Lord in whatever situation we find ourselves in.

 10 And now, Holy Father, we ask thee to assist us, thy people, with thy grace, in calling our solemn assembly, that it may be done to thine honor and to thy divine acceptance;
 11 And in a manner that we may be found worthy, in thy sight, to secure a fulfilment of the promises which thou hast made unto us, thy people, in the revelations given unto us;
 12 That thy glory may rest down upon thy people, and upon this thy house, which we now dedicate to thee, that it may be sanctified and consecrated to be holy, and that thy holy presence may be continually in this house;
 13 And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that thou hast sanctified it, and that it is thy house, a place of thy holiness.

A wonderful part of temple worship is remembering the atonement of the Lord.  In verse 21 there is reminder that while those who go to the temple should be worthy to be there, perfect people are not required, only those seeking to eventually be perfect.  It says not "if" but "when" thy people transgress.  I take this to mean that the Lord knows we will transgress, he has placed temples on this earth to help us remember to repent and return to him.  Some people mistakenly believe that if you are not perfect in obedience, you cannot enter the temple.  While you must qualify by being morally clean, paying tithing, being physically clean and such, the Lord recognizes your life is a work in progress and the temple will help you with that progress:

 20 And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to pollute it;
 21 And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.

Prayers in the temple often include protection for those who are serving as missionaries or in other capacities of the church.  I believe that these people are protected by these prayer, according to the will of God, which means that sometimes there will be rough patches and still persecution but there will be protection. This prayer comes at a time when the saints were being heavily persecuted for building the temple and their belief.

24 We ask thee, Holy Father, to establish the people that shall worship, and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy house, to all generations and for eternity;
 25 That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;
 26 That no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house;
 27 And if any people shall rise against this people, that thine anger be kindled against them;
 28 And if they shall smite this people thou wilt smite them; thou wilt fight for thy people as thou didst in the day of battle, that they may be delivered from the hands of all their enemies.
 29 We ask thee, Holy Father, to confound, and astonish, and to bring to shame and confusion, all those who have spread lying reports abroad, over the world, against thy servant or servants, if they will not repent, when the everlasting gospel shall be proclaimed in their ears;
 30 And that all their works may be brought to naught, and be swept away by the hail, and by the judgments which thou wilt send upon them in thine anger, that there may be an end to lyings and slanders against thy people.
 31 For thou knowest, O Lord, that thy servants have been innocent before thee in bearing record of thy name, for which they have suffered these things.

However the cry for protection was followed by this:

 43 O Lord, we delight not in the destruction of our fellow men; their souls are precious before thee;
 44 But thy word must be fulfilled. Help thy servants to say, with thy grace assisting them: Thy will be done, O Lord, and not ours.

Temples are a symbol and blessing of the gathering of Israel as prophesied in the Old and New Testaments, as well as The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants:

59 We ask thee to appoint unto Zion other stakes besides this one which thou hast appointed, that the gathering of thy people may roll on in great power and majesty, that thy work may be cut short in righteousness.
 60 Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.
 61 But thou knowest that thou hast a great love for the children of Jacob, who have been scattered upon the mountains for a long time, in a cloudy and dark day.
 62 We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed;
 63 And the yoke of bondage may begin to be broken off from the house of David;
 64 And the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands which thou didst give to Abraham, their father.

The temple is a place of personal reflection, rededication, education and request.  The Lord gives these words to Joseph about himself and his situation, which must have been a very humbling and intimate experience for Joseph to voice:

68 O Lord, remember thy servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., and all his afflictions and persecutions—how he has covenanted with Jehovah, and vowed to thee, O Mighty God of Jacob—and the commandments which thou hast given unto him, and that he hath sincerely striven to do thy will.
 69 Have mercy, O Lord, upon his wife and children, that they may be exalted in thy presence, and preserved by thy fostering hand.
 70 Have mercy upon all their immediate connections, that their prejudices may be broken up and swept away as with a flood; that they may be converted and redeemed with Israel, and know that thou art God.

Section 110 in response to the dedicatory prayer, in which Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery saw the Lord, Jesus Christ himself in the temple, who accepted the dedication of the building and the building itself.  Following the visitation of the Lord, Moses and Elijah came to restore the keys of the priesthood that allow the gathering of Israel and the sealing power, as prophesied in the Old Testament (Mal 4:5-6):

1 The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened.
 2 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.
 3 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:
 4 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.
 5 Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice.
 6 Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name.
 7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.
 8 Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.
 9 Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house.
 10 And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.
 11 After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.
 12 After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.
 13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:
 14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—
 15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—
 16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

My life has been blessed by going to the temple to make covenants with God.  I try harder to be good and try harder to understand God and my life. One of the things I enjoy most about the temple is that when I go, proper perspective in life is restored. The things that are really important are restored to the top of my list and the less important things move down the list.  As my perspective changes, my life is more balanced.  I am grateful to God for commanding there be a place of refuge from the chaos and confusion of so many other information outlets of life.

The Law of Tithing and the Law of the Fast

Reading: a. 

Doctrine and Covenants 59:13–14, 21; 119; 120.

The subject of tithing and fast offerings may be considered another one of those crazy Mormon things.  I suppose it's crazy when you think about the bottom line of your checkbook.  We are asked to give 10% of our annual income.  We are also encouraged, the first Sunday of every month to give a fast offering.  This Sunday we fast for two meals (where health permits) and give the equivalent of the two meals to the church, where the funds will be used to help those who cannot afford food or other basics in life.

But it's not such a crazy principle if you really want to help in places where you cannot go yourself.  There were two talks in the last General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which highlighted where the money from tithing and offerings are used: Followers of Christ, by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, and also Redemption, by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

From Elder Oaks:

Most Christians give to the poor and the needy, as Jesus taught (see Matthew 25:31–46; Mark 14:7). In following this teaching of our Savior, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members excel. Our members make generous contributions to charities and give personal service and other gifts to the poor and needy. In addition, our members fast for two meals each month and donate at least the cost of these meals as a fast offering, which our bishops and branch presidents use to help our needy members. Our fasting to help the hungry is an act of charity and, when done with pure intent, is a spiritual feast.
Less well known is our Church’s global humanitarian service. Using funds donated by generous members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends food, clothing, and other essentials to relieve the suffering of adults and children all over the world. These humanitarian donations, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in the last decade, are made without any consideration of religion, race, or nationality.
Our massive relief effort following the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami provided $13 million in cash and relief supplies. In addition, more than 31,000 Church-sponsored volunteers gave more than 600,000 hours of service. Our humanitarian assistance to the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the eastern United States included large donations of various resources, plus almost 300,000 hours of service in cleanup efforts by about 28,000 Church members. Among many other examples last year, we provided 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of clothing and shoes for the refugees in the African nation of Chad. During the last quarter century we have assisted nearly 30 million people in 179 countries.6 Truly, the people called “Mormons” know how to give to the poor and needy.

From Elder Christofferson:

Because of our humanitarian efforts, mentioned by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, specifically this past year, 890,000 people in 36 countries have clean water, 70,000 people in 57 countries have wheelchairs, 75,000 people in 25 countries have improved vision, and people in 52 countries received aid following natural disasters. Acting with others, the Church has helped immunize some 8 million children and has helped Syrians in refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan with the necessities of life. At the same time, members of the Church in need received millions of dollars in fast-offering and other welfare assistance during 2012. Thank you for your generosity.
All of this does not begin to count the individual acts of kindness and support—gifts of food, clothing, money, care, and a thousand other forms of comfort and compassion—by which we may participate in the Christlike work of redemption. 

I don't believe these things are reported or listed as a bragging right, but rather to remind people that the faith they exhibit in paying tithing and offerings, really does go to help people.  It absolutely does not go to pad the pockets of the leaders of the church.  While there is a portion that does go to overhead in operating buildings, paying employees, public relations, historical sites, bear in mind that all, and I mean ALL of these expenditures are directed by the Lord and are used to help people spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.  The use of these funds are determined by the First Presidency of the Chruch for general use, and each congregation is given when they need, dictated by the needs of the people in the area.  Bishops of these congregations are tasked with the difficult burden of judging who needs help, when and where.  Most people who receive such assistance are asked to contribute service hours of some sort to help them be self-reliant and help give back.

The payment of tithing is a serious matter.  It is one of the requirements of entering the temples of the church. While it may seem that it is a purely financial endeavor, it is really mostly a spiritual endeavor.  It represents a number of things:
1. Realizing all that you have comes from the Lord, so you can give a little back
2. A true follower of Christ will do what he/she can to help others in need
3. It is a principle of obedience and love of the Lord
4. Money doesn't equal happiness.  While the world really does revolve around how much or how little money is in your pocketbook, or that of other's, the true purpose in life has little to do with it.

There is also promised blessings of paying tithing, as recorded in Malachi 3:8-12:

 8 ¶Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

The Lord is bound to bless you if you pay tithing.  The use of the word bound here means He is under obligation to bless you.  Not that He probably will.  He will.  He will bless you with what he knows you need.  This may not be what you think you need, but since He knows better what we need, you really can't argue with that.  Part of having faith in paying tithing is having faith in his timing and will in blessing you.

The Sabbath Day

Reading:  

Doctrine and Covenants 59 

Again, the heading of section 59 helps me to put the directions we receive in it in context:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, August 7, 1831. Preceding this revelation, the land was consecrated, as the Lord had directed, and the site for the future temple was dedicated. On the day this revelation was received, Polly Knight, the wife of Joseph Knight Sr., died, the first Church member to die in Zion. Early members characterized this revelation as “instructing the Saints how to keep the sabbath and how to fast and pray.”

The beginning of the section seems to be a comfort to those who were close to Polly Knight (who I assume was almost everyone in the community), because she was a faithful woman, that she would receive a crown in the mansions of the Father.  So the Lord reminds the Saints that they also need to be faithful in keeping the commandments in order to receive the same crown. To help them, He lists some of the ten commandments (also adding some, as well as clarifications)  and elaborates on the commandment to keep the sabbath day holy.

7 Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.
 8 Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
 9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
 10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
 11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;
 12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
 13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.
 14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.
 15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—

This was very helpful information and direction for the Saints in an infant church.  He affirms that Sunday is the Lord's day. In thinking about this topic, I remember all the lessons I've had concerning how to keep the Sabbath Day holy.  There are definitely differences of opinion, within and without of the church.  I think there are definitely things that go under a column headed: "Ways to keep the Sabbath Day Holy," which the Lord defines and are therefore unequivocal: go to church, partake of the sacrament, pray, repent, fast, be thankful, etc.  There are also things that would definitely go under "Ways to break the Sabbath Day," but they are definite in my mind.  They are perhaps grey areas in someone else's mind.  I've been thinking about what sort of standard one could use to determine Sunday appropriate activities. But it just seems so subjective and all subject to rationalization.  But here's a question that might help. "Am I more likely or less likely to remember the Lord while doing this activity?"  It's not a hard fast rule, but just something to consider if you truly believe that Sunday is to be dedicated to the Savior.

What makes the world go 'round - spiritual gifts

Readings:  

Doctrine and Covenants 46; Articles of Faith 1:7. ;

 

1 Corinthians 12–13; Moroni 10:8–18 

I used to read the lists of spiritual gifts as a list of possibilities.  It is still that I suppose, as we are counseled to seek the best gifts and to pray for spiritual gifts.  But recently I've read this information as a reminder that everyone has something to contribute.  There aren't very many people who have ALL of the spiritual gifts (except the head of the church, as designated in v 29) listed in Corinthians, Moroni and the Doctrine and Covenants.  I started thinking of the gifts this way because of the heading to section 46:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 8, 1831. In this early time of the Church, a unified pattern for the conducting of Church services had not yet developed. However, a custom of admitting only members and earnest investigators to the sacrament meetings and other assemblies of the Church had become somewhat general. This revelation expresses the will of the Lord relative to governing and conducting meetings and His direction on seeking and discerning the gifts of the Spirit.

There seemed to be an issue where the saints were only letting certain people into church services.  The Lord makes it clear in verse 3:


 3 Nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings, which are held before the world.

He repeats this again in verse 5.  You do have to be careful and eventually discern real intent (IF it is your calling to discern) by using the gifts of the Spirit. The Spirit will help you with real intent to know who the true followers of Christ are:

 8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;
 9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.
 10 And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church.

But then He goes on to say that not all people have all gifts.  Some have one, some have many, but all work together (v 12):

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.

So far, the purpose of gifts is to help discern and not be deceived, and also that all may benefit from one another.


Then we are to give thanks for whatever gift we have, be it one or many.  So the trick here is to be grateful that you have a gift AND to be grateful that you friend or neighbor or enemy has a gift, or many, and understand that if we work together, we will all benefit.  It is fitting then, that spiritual gifts are discussed in the section where the Saints are told to accept any who are, or may be willing, to follow Christ into their church service.  Because maybe that person has something you need to help you in your progression.

I really love how Paul put it in 1 Corinthians, while trying to help the people understand that both Jew and Gentile can and should work together in the cause of Christ:

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

We all have different gifts, and some of the same gifts.  And that's what makes the world go 'round.