Instead of explaining it, I will simply copy over 1 Nephi 18.
1 And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of aseeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.

2 And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have adreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have bseen a cvision.

3 And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of aNephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.

4 But behold, aLaman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.

5 And it came to pass that I saw a aman, and he was dressed in a white brobe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have amercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious afield.

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a atree, whose bfruit was desirable to make one chappy.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the afruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the bwhiteness that I had ever seen.

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great ajoy; wherefore, I began to be bdesirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was cdesirable above all other fruit.

13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a ariver of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and aNephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.

15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.

16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would anot come unto me and partake of the fruit.

19 And I beheld a arod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

20 And I also beheld a astrait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a bworld.

21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were apressing forward, that they might obtain the bpath which led unto the tree by which I stood.

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a amist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were blost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, aclinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the bfruit of the tree.

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were aashamed.

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the aother side of the river of water, a great and bspacious building; and it stood as it were in the cair, high above the earth.

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the aattitude of bmocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

28 And after they had atasted of the fruit they were bashamed, because of those that were cscoffing at them; and they dfell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak aall the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the arod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

31 And he also saw other amultitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the adepths of the bfountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of ascorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

37 And he did aexhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

2 Nephi 12

1 The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it.

Isaiah foresaw the Salt Lake City in the last days and people flowing into Salt Lake City not just to see the temple but all that the headquarters of the church brings. Semi-annual conference is most definitely a time when all nations flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

When Christ comes, he will judge the nations and put an end to war.

5 O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways.

The church will be a beacon in the last days where wickedness prevails.

6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

The children of Israel worldwide have strayed from God and follow not after him.

7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.

The nations of the seed of Abraham prosper. Militaries are strong.

8 Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.

But children of Israel are caught up in the riches of the world.

9 And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not.

10 O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty shall smite thee.

I am not certain of this one and the cause. It seems to match with Revelations 6:15-16. This may be a future event that ends the 6th seal. I am starting to think maybe the 6th seal is not passed and we are still in it as this verse seems to indicate it.

11 And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

The plagues of the 7th Seal will come and the circumstances of man will be lessened.

12 For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.

13 Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the oaks of Bashan;

Great things will be brought low.

14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills, and upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people;

15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall;

16 And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the aglory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?

14 to 22 are all about the plagues and fears that will come upon man. What seems apparent to me is that the hiding in the rocks and the mountains will be a sign that the plagues and the seventh seal are upon us. There may be one event that begins the hiding in the mountains and rocks, but it will be in conjunction with the plagues of the last days that will soon come upon us.

As for today, I am beginning to change my tune about us being in the seventh seal. It may be soon upon us but we are not there yet. Boyd K Packard in his talk to the Youth in October of 2011 made that pretty clear. For he too once thought when he was young that we were going into the seventh seal, but he was premature. Look for everyone hiding in the mountains and the rocks. The Cuban missile crises was not it. Nuclear weapons from Iran? Maybe….

As for some background for those who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there is a general belief that the 7 seals spoken of in the Book of Revelations refer to the 7,000 year span that man will dwell on the earth beginning with the times of Adam.  Each seal represents a roughly 1,000 year time span.

If the sixth seal began approximately about 1000 AD, then just think about what the earth was like then and what it is like today, and it all falls into perspective.  1000 years ago, the world was run by monarchs.  Most all people throughout the world were either royalty, slaves, freemen, or bondsmen.  Very few had an education.  No one but a few read from the scriptures.  The European world was in the dark ages.  The Americas had Incan’s, Mayans, and Azteks as conquerors.  Rome controlled most of the free world.  The Muslum world was also strong.

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake;

Was there a physical earthquake?  Or were there great movements in the earth.

What movements took place?
1.  The Bible was translated into modern language and made available to all.
2.  Religious freedoms were granted.
3.  Tolerances of differences became accepted as the norm rather than persecuted to death.
4.  Kingdoms were toppled or at least stripped from power and freedoms were set up on all lands.
5.  People throughout the world are educated.

and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood

Gunpowder became available as a tool of destruction during wars.  Terrible smoke became prevalent during the fighting of these wars of the past 300 years.  During the civil war and all wars ever since, all fighting was changed due to the improvements of weapons making strategies more important.  During the fighting, the sun is darkened.  As the nights come, the smoke would clears; yet the moon is turned to blood, just as it does when we have forest fires and the smoke is in the air.

In the later 1800, many nations went through an industrial revolution.  With no environmental regulations, great pollutions were in the air blackening the sun and changing the color of the moon. The newly industrialized countries such as China and India experience this today.

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

In the early 1900’s electricity was used to power the cities and towns of the world.  Today, many people have never seen the milky way.  Comparing the skies during the times of Christ and today, it is as though the sky threw down the stars.  They seem to be no longer there unless you are on the tops of the mountains or in the deserts far away from civilization.

And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together.

D&C 88 states that at the coming of Christ it will be a scroll opened up and let loose.  All things of God will be made known to us.  So the gospel will be as a scroll is rolled up.  To those listening and watching, it is available, but is to preparing for the final coming of the savior, waiting to be released open.

and every mountain and island were moved out of their places

While they may not have physically moved much, we put up a web page in the US with a streaming video from the prophet and it can be viewed instantly around the world.  Calling international is simple.  Products we purchase in the stores are no longer made from factories down the street.  Flying anywhere around the world can be done in 24 hours either direction.  As far as I am concerned, China, Russia, India, and England are real close in ways unimaginable even 150 years ago.  The landscape of the world has certainly moved drastically.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Today, there are no kings, bondsmen or freemen.  We have only men and women and children.  Some are great and rich, others are not.  During the past 200 years or so, we have experienced great wars – the civil war, WWI, WWII.  The kings hid themselves to not be put to death during revolutions from people seeking freedom.  People fled all over the world hiding themselves from the man-made disasters of war and fleeing religious, political,  and racial exterminations.  The last to hide themselves in the dens of the mountains were the fugitives of Osama Bin Laden speaking about the wrath of God kindled against the United States and Isreal.

Yes brothers and sisters, I believe the 6th seal has passed us.  It is time to look at the seventh seal and the 30 minutes of silence.  For we may be in the early portion of that time period.  You think things are bad now? They are going to get worse.

Stand ye in holy places – the temple, the stakes of Zion, and homes purified with the teachings of Christ.  Teach the word of God to everyone you know.  Prepare now for the second coming.  It may or may not happen during your life time, but the time is not far distant.

Doctrine and Covenants 89:4
Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation.

It later states in verse 9:

And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

It has been accepted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that hot drinks refer to coffee and tea.

Other items specified to be not consumed in the revelation are alcoholic beverages.  Smoking and chewing tobacco were also banned.  Today the church places illegal drug abuse in line with not living up to the standards of the Word of Wisdom even though they were not specified in the letter of the law when it was given.  If a member of the church wishes to enter the temple, they must abide by this law.

The Word of Wisdom comes with a promise:

And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.

Now one may wonder what is meant by the destroying angel.  I believe he is referring to the future plagues that will come to the earth during the time when the seventh seal is opened up as spoken by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelations.

What most people don’t realize is that the seven seals each represent a one thousand year period on the earth beginning with the times of Adam.  If this teaching is correct, then I give as my opinion that we are at the very beginning of the seventh seal and the plaques prophesied to occur during the 30 seconds of silence are right around the corner.  When I look at the six seal, every last item listed has already occurred.  And now, earthquakes and other natural disasters are on the rise.  Now is the time to be ready.

Revelations 8
5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Happening now)
6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

When verse 7 is fulfilled, the people of the earth will want for food.  It is time to store food for such a disaster.

Now back to the Word of Wisdom, here is the plague I find intriguing.  I believe John is talking about cigarettes.

Revelations 9:
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those amen which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. (perhaps billboard and commercial ads?)

9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the asound of chariots of many horses running to battle. (Sounds like the description of a truck used to transport the cigarettes)

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

If interpreted correctly by me, then simply obey the Word of Wisdom and you may be stayed from this plague.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  I hope you found it interesting.  Let me know if you would like to talk more on the subject.

Dallin Oaks is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This talk was given on the Sunday morning session of General Conference in April 2007. You can find the talk here and I highly recommend watching it.

Dalin Oaks on Divorce

The transcript of this talk is found on the LDS.org website.

Interesting points that I got out of this talk are as follows:

1. Because of the hardness of our hearts, the Lord does not currently enforce the consequences of the Celestial Standard found in the higher law. He permits divorced persons who have not committed serious transgressions to become eligible for a temple recommend.

2. There are many good members of the church who have been divorced and many of them are innocent victims–members whose former spouses persistently betrayed sacred covenants or abandoned or refused to perform marriage responsibilities for an extended period. Members who have experienced such abuse have firsthand knowledge of circumstances worse than divorce.

3. We know that some look back on their divorces with regret at their own partial or predominant fault in the breakup. All who have been through divorce know the pain and need the healing power and hope that come from the Atonement. That healing power and that hope are there for them and also for their children.

4. I strongly urge you and those who advise you to face up to the reality that for most marriage problems, the remedy is not divorce but repentance. Often the cause is not incompatibility but selfishness. The first step is not separation but reformation. Divorce is not an all-purpose solution, and it often creates long-term heartache.

5. A couple with serious marriage problems should see their bishop. As the Lord’s judge, he will give counsel and perhaps even discipline that will lead toward healing. Bishops do not counsel members to divorce, but they can help members with the consequences of their decisions. Under the law of the Lord, a marriage, like a human life, is a precious, living thing. If our bodies are sick, we seek to heal them. We do not give up. While there is any prospect of life, we seek healing again and again. The same should be true of our marriages, and if we seek Him, the Lord will help us and heal us.

6. Even those who think their spouse is entirely to blame should not act hastily. One study found “no evidence that divorce or separation typically made adults happier than staying in an unhappy marriage. Two out of three unhappily married adults who avoided divorce reported being happily married five years later.”

This video was actually me when I was working on the Mormons Anonymous project. The project is abandoned as I do not wish to be anonymous in any way.

Top Five Needs For Women:
1. Affection
2. Conversation
3. Honesty and Openness
4. Financial Support
5. Family Commitment

Top Five Needs For Men:
1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. Attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration

The seriousness of each of these sins varies. The repentance process for each depends on the severity of the sin. Also taken into consideration for the repentance process is the level of commitment the individual has made in the church. While such a concept may sound foreign to people not familiar to the church, it makes total sense to those who are well aware of the churches teachings. An example is that a high school student that engages in premarital sex will likely be disfellowshipped from the church meaning that they are given a period of time to repent while being denied the opportunity to partake of the sacrament or say prayers in church meetings. Whereas someone who has attended the temple who engages in premarital sex will likely be excommunicated and be required to be rebaptized after a more extended period of time. If a priesthood holder has been excommunicated and desires to once again hold the priesthood, the reinstatement may even require approval from the general authorities of the church – the 12 apostles. This is not something taken lightly and often takes several years for approval.

Modest Dress
While it may be fashionable to look sexy in the way you present yourself, men and women who respect the Lord’s teachings will dress in ways that will not draw attention to themselves in inappropriate ways. Dressing sharp and well is appropriate especially when done in good taste.

For the Strength of Youth states as follows:
Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?”

Clean Speech
Clean speech can range from the use of profanity to the use of telling inappropriate jokes that are sexual in nature. Our speech is a reflection of the heart. When we use profanity, we demean ourselves and we desensitize the feelings of those around us who are striving to live their lives pure in the site of God. When we tell or even engage in the laughter of jokes that are sexual in nature, we offend those who do not wish to hear them and we offend God. The Holy Ghost immediately withdraws. We find ourselves in need of repentance.

Masterbation
Masterbation is a sin.

Outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can find discussion forum and after discussion forum of individuals rationalizing the act of masterbation saying that it is not a sin. The guidance from the leaders of the church do not see it this way. All young men desiring to serve a mission must attain self mastery and overcome this self defeating act prior to receiving their mission call. Individuals who find themselves engaging in this act are recommended to consult with their bishop to receive guidance on overcoming this sin.

If you are engaging in masturbation, you should not partake of the sacrament and should not attend the temple. You should first repent of the sin prior to once again engaging in these sacred ordinances.

Pornography
Pornography is one of the greatest challenges facing the church today. With pornography being found right at the fingertips of a Google search, Bishops all over the world are bombarded with members coming to them confessing their sins of either having a pornography addiction or simply having one instance of indulging in the viewing of Satan’s greatest tool. Pornography destroys marriages, deceives people into thinking they can have that which is forbidden, and touches a man’s senses in a way that controls them and drags them down to hell. Pornography must not be touched in any way if one wishes to feel the sweet presence of the Holy Ghost. Confession to your bishop may be the only way to obtain repentance and once again feel the sweetness of the Spirit of God dwelling with you.

And don’t even think about attending a so-called Gentleman’s Club. I really don’t know what the church’s disciplinary policy is on this topic. Needless to say, I would not expect it to be well. Would it be seen as the same thing as fornication or adultery? I doubt it. But I expect it would be worse than the viewing of porn pages on the internet.

Proper Conduct while Dating
I don’t believe that I can cover this topic any better that what is already spelled out in the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet published by the church.

For the Strength of Youth:
Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must be expressed only in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person’s body, with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body.

In cultures where dating or courting is acceptable, always treat your date with respect, never as an object to be used for your lustful desires. Stay in areas of safety where you can easily control your physical feelings. Do not participate in talk or activities that arouse sexual feelings.

Fornication and Adultery
1 Corinthians 6
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

Sex outside of marriage is practiced so heavily outside of the church, it is easy to wonder if it is even a sin. For faithful members of the church, we know that it happens as well. We also know that disciplinary action is taken on the individuals who engage in it. Today, if a young man engages in it while in their youth, it is very difficult to ever be allowed to serve on a mission. Once again, approval from a general authority is required. For those who have made temple covenants and then engage in fornication, the result is most always excommunication from the church.

Outside of blasphemy to the Holy Ghost, adultery is next to murder as being of the most treacherous sins a person could engage in. Adultery rips families apart. It breaks the tender hearts of the innocent, destroys families, creates hardships on spouses and children affected by the selfishness. It is deceptive. It is hurtful. A man or a woman who has engaged in adultery will not stand before God without shame unless a serious and sincere repentance is made. True repentance includes restitution. How do you bring back the trust and love that once existed prior to this serious act of betrayal?

Let the Spirit of God Guide You
While black and white principles may be a guiding factor for many people, what is really important is the relationship that you have with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. If you strive to obey their commandments and live your life according to the principles taught by the savior, he will guide you in your decisions and bless you with his spirit. You will recognize his spirit as it whispers peace to your soul. The closer you come to him, the stronger and more common will that peace be felt. It is a very personal thing. If you are guilty of sexual sin, you may need to see the Bishop to be placed on a path to repentance. If you are having difficulty feeling the closeness to the spirit, then stop and listen again. He may send a prompting to you reminding you of exactly the reason for the void. He will help guide you as you sincerely seek the path to return to him.

The reality is that she is absolutely correct. Jesus’ first miracle in the New Testament was to turn water into wine at a marriage feast. So if Jesus thought it was okay to drink wine is his day, then why do the Mormons, who profess to be the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, teach that it is not okay to drink alcohol?

My answer is that is has nothing whatsoever to do with any teaching that is found in the Bible. This strictly came as guidance for us in this day in age.

I recently heard one of our church leaders – Richard G. Scott – speak at our Stake Conference and he quoted “if these people will show that they love me, then I will bless them by giving them more commandments.” If anyone knows where this quote came from, then please let me know. Nevertheless, the “Word of Wisdom” is an example of this principle. Commandments are given to us as we humble ourselves and submit ourselves to his will. He gives us commandments to bless us and enrich our lives.

Surprisingly, the commandment to not smoke or drink was not originally given as a commandment, it was given as a guideline – as a “Word of Wisdom”. It is found in the Doctrine and Covenants in Section 89 dated February 27, 1833. The first 8 verses of the revelation are given as follows:

1. A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and of the church, and also the saints in Zion –
2. To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days–
3. Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
4. Behold verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation –
5. That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
6. And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
7. And again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.
8. And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

There were actually events that led up to Joseph Smith receiving this revelation. Joseph Smith use to conduct training sessions to the other church leaders in a setting known as the School of the Prophets. This first School of the Prophets took place in a small room situated over Joseph Smiths’ kitchen in a house which belonged to Newel K. Whitney. Brigham Young described the setting as follows:

When they [the brethren] assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom, and spit all over the room, and as soon as the pipe was out of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions, he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor, made the prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry.

In the early days of the church, any person serving in leadership positions were required to comply with the Word of Wisdom. In 1913, Joseph F. Smith – the existing prophet and nephew of Joseph Smith – wrote: “The reason undoubtedly why the Word of Wisdom was given – as not by commandment or restraint was that at the time, at least if it had been given as a commandment, it would have brought every man addicted to the use of these noxious things under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before he brought them under the law.” A few years later in the early 20th century, when Heber J. Grant was the living prophet, this law was made binding on all of the members of the church. Today, if you desire to have the privilege of entering the temple or to participate in Priesthood ordinances, you must be complying with the Word of Wisdom.

Of course there are many members of the church who do drink alcohol and smoke tobacco (or other items as well). Often, those who are caught in this snare of addiction stop attending church because they feel unworthy or inadequate. However, the church does not discourage them from attending. We very much want to see them at the place of worship. They are, however, requested not to partake of the sacrament.

Personally, my heart saddens when I hear of people who cease their activities in the church because they feel unworthy. I believe that our Heavenly Father gives all of us weaknesses. Part of our challenge in life is to overcome our weaknesses and gain self control over the body. I do have my weaknesses which have posed great challenges of worthiness to myself. However, for me, the Word of Wisdom has not been one of them.

I grew up as a member of the church. From the time I was young, I was taught not to smoke, drink alcohol, drink coffee, drink tea, or to take illegal and harmful drugs. I fortunately listened to my parents as they taught this to me. I have never in my life drank an alcoholic beverage, smoked nor chewed on tobacco, nor drank a cup of coffee or tea. And because I have never partaken them, I do not know firsthand the effects that they would have on me. It is quite possible that if I had a beer, I would really like the way it felt. But since I do not know what I am missing, it is not a temptation. That does make it a lot easier for me.

I have a good friend from work who really struggles with an alcohol addiction. He knows that drinking not only has harmful health effects, he also knows that his actions when drinking are not desirable. He is much more easily irritated and tends to fight with his girlfriend – especially when she has been drinking as well.

I have an uncle who was an alcoholic. The alcohol destroyed his life. It led to divorce. It affected his work. His health declined. He eventually died a bitter drunk man.

I worry for my children in that right now they are young but will not always be. Especially when they get into thier teenaged years, they will then be thinking for themselves. I want them to experience the love of God while they are young so that as they grow older, they will not depart from his ways. And if his ways are foreign to them, then they will have no reason to give themselves to him.

At my church, there has been a lot of encouragement that we read the scriptures together with our children. I started with the childrens’ versions. Now I have moved to the real deal. On normal nights, I get the children to their room about 8:00 pm, we open up the scriptures, and read from them. Quite often, I will read about two chapters and intend to stop; however, I will have a ten year old beg me to continue. I know the reason and she will tell you. She feels the Spirit of God burn from within while the words of the pages are being read.

I encourage everyone to read the scriptures with thier children. Although they are young, they know more then others may give them credit. Also, you will benefit yourself as the Lord blesses you for taking the time to acknowlege him, learn of his teachings, and for teaching your children his ways.

8. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.
9. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
10. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

It was very evident that in the Days of Christ, the Jewish leaders were very strict on the adherance of the sabbath day. For Jesus was criticized for doing something as simple as plucking corn on the sabbath day and was accused of breaking the sabbath for such an act (Matthew 12). Jesus response in verses 5 and 6 are as follows:

5. Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless.
6. But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple.
….
8. For the son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

In Mark 2:27, the same incident records that Jesus also said at this time:

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

The savior did not take the sabath day lightly. Nor did he do away with it with the coming of the new covenant which did away with the Law of Moses. Did he lighten up the strictness that was being upheld by the Jewish leaders of the time? Yes, I think that would be a valid statement.

I have wondered since I was a child, why it is that many Christians exit their churches on Sunday and head straight to the restaraunts. Sure, they are not working themselves, but by promoting this practice, they are undoubtedly going against the concept of:

in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor they stranger that is within thy gates.

For I have heard statements from individuals who wanted to keep the sabbath day holy; however, out of financial distress, choose to take work in those restaraunts feeding those individuals who half heartedly practice thier religion by attending church then immediately break the Lords commandments within ten minutes of exiting their walls.

Why is it that so many Christians take this commandment so lightly. Do they not believe that they have to obey all of the Lords commandments? Do they really believe that if they say a prayer at one time accepting Jesus into thier hearts then they are exempt from the law?

Or do people justify breaking the sabbath by taking the Saviour’s latest quote as saying “the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath” so as to mean that we can now do whatever we want on this day? I don’t buy it. When you go to a restaraunt on the Sabbath Day, or go to the store on this day, you are making your servant work.

No one is exempt from the law. Why push the law to the edge hoping that you will not be punished in the end. If this is your attitude, then have you really accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? I really question it.

So what did the Savior mean when he said “Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” He meant that this is a day to do his work. This is the day to visit the sick, care for the hungry and naked, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and find beneficial ways to promote the Kingdom of God on this earth. That is what he meant by doing well. He healed a man who could not walk immediately after making that quote.

Today, I had to work on Sunday. I end up doing it periodically. I do not make it a habit. If the job required it every Sunday of me, it probably would not be long before I would begin looking for another job that does not require it. So why do I justify doing it from time to time?

Matthew 12:
11. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12. How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Sometimes it is necessary. What justifies necessary is an individual personal decision. You keep your heart and mind single to the glory of God, strive in every way to keep his commandments, and follow the guidance of the spirit. If it is wrong, he will whisper it in your heart.

As individuals, we make decisions daily. If our heart is single to his glory, our actions will consistently improve and bring us closer to him. We will strive to obey all of his commandments. When we choose to break his commandments, the spirit will leave us until we decide to change or repent. We will be left alone and we will have to bear our own burdens…he will not be able to step in and make our burdens light.

I have a testimony of the importance of the Sabbath Day. It is a day to recover from the things of this world. It is a day to sit back and ponder on the events of the week and help us to once again focus on what is really important–strengthening our relationship with our Savior and with our family.

As you strive to obey his commandments, all of them, may the spirit of God rest upon you more and more abundantly guiding you and teaching you, bringing you closer and closer to the truth. And may this continue until you are standing before him on the final day of judgement with your hands clean and your heart pure. And if this is the case, all will be well with you an that final day of judgement.