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Elizabeth Smart married her Scottish fiancé, Matthew Gilmour, last Saturday (February 18, 2012) in a private ceremony in the Laie, Hawaii temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes misnamed the “Mormon Church” by the media). Elizabeth and Matthew, who are both Mormons, chose the Hawaii Mormon Temple because of the time Elizabeth spent on Oahu with her family recovering from her 9-month kidnapping ordeal as a young teen. Elizabeth, who was only 14 years old at the time, was abducted from her home at knife-point and forced into a polygamous “marriage” by Brian David Mitchell, a deranged man who raped Elizabeth repeatedly during the time he held her prisoner. After being rescued and reunited with her family, Elizabeth spent several months in Hawaii with them, and it has become a special place to her that she wanted to share with her new husband.
A Wedding for Time and for All Eternity
It is a wonderful thing... Read the rest of this article »
Yes, for just as Jesus empowered his apostles that “whatsoever ye bind (seal) on earth shall be bound (sealed) in heaven,” so too he declared “and whatsoever ye loose (unseal) on earth shall be loosed (unsealed) in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).
Marriages in Mormon temples are meant to be eternal covenants. Children born into those marriages are meant to be sealed to their parents for eternity. Mormon temple sealings are also meant to seal the participants into God’s eternal family. Those who continue in worthiness and charity (defined as the “pure love of Christ”) may inherit the highest kingdom of heaven, where God dwells, and where marriages and families can continue.
The divorce rate for Mormon temple marriages is about 7%, too high, but much lower than the divorce rate for religious people of all faiths (25%) and the general American population (about 50%). Any divorce is lamentable, as the break-up of families causes... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Mormon belief. Joseph Smith said, “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, 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.” 1
Mormons believe that the Father is “the personal and literal Father of a mortal Offspring born of mortal woman” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., 155). Born to Mary in the city of Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ had both godly and mortal characteristics while on earth. Mormonism teaches that this means he could fulfill His mission as Savior of the World, which mission was laid out by the Father. He would suffer all physical, emotional, and spiritual afflictions possible for man to experience and then would be put to death. He... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about baptism?
The fourth Article of Faith of Mormonism, which Articles were authored by Joseph Smith, states that “the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
The third principle/ordinance of the Mormon Church is, thus, baptism. This ordinance is not taken lightly; in fact, Mormons believe baptism is essential for entrance into the highest degree of glory after this life. Being baptized is necessary for salvation and exaltation.
The Mormon Church practices baptism by complete immersion, just as Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist as recorded in the New Testament. Baptism is symbolic of the death and burial of the carnal body and the rebirth of the person as a disciple of Jesus Christ and a member of His Church. Mormons believe that... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about the sacrament?
The Mormon Church holds that each member makes a covenant with the Lord at baptism. In doing so, the person being baptized promises the Lord that s/he will take His name upon them, remember Him always, and strive to keep His commandments. In return, Mormons believe He will bless them with His Spirit. The blessings of the atonement—peace, forgiveness, a promise of eternal joy—will be theirs when they abide by the baptismal covenant.
But we all make mistakes after we are baptized. Though we are perfectly clean when we come up out of the water, none of us remain that way forever. Mormons believe that partaking of the weekly sacrament is a way to renew the baptismal covenant and start out fresh for another week. As long as a person is repenting and striving to keep the commandments, the taking of the sacrament will indeed renew that covenant and make them clean again.
For Mormons, the sacrament is constituted of eating... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about life after death?
At the end of our mortal lives on earth, we all die. Mormons believe that life does not end with death. Mormons believe death is the departure of the spirit from a body that is no longer inhabitable. The spirit leaves the body and enters the spirit world, where he or she waits for resurrection and judgment. Mormon prophet Joseph F. Smith saw a vision of the Spirit World. His account, and the revelations of Joseph Smith, reveal that we enjoy felicity with our families and friends in the Spirit World, but that we also long to be resurrected, for only in the perfect union of our spirits with our bodies can we experience true joy. Joseph F. Smith saw that Christ Himself taught the spirits of the righteous during the three days that His body lay in the tomb. He saw that Christ ordained prophets who were already deceased to also go among the spirits of the rebellious to teach them the gospel, a... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about the purpose of life?
Mormons believe all men and women are children of Heavenly Father. We lived with Him in heaven in a happy state before we came to earth. God’s work and glory is to bring His children home to Him after their mortal lives have ended. This is a plan of progression, and mortal life is a time of learning and testing that can enable us to progress to a kingdom of glory as resurrected beings in the eternities.
In our pre-mortal existence, we were spirits–spirit-children of Heavenly Father. On earth, we are born to earthly parents. We obtain physical bodies and have experiences that help us learn and grow. The Lord knew that none of His children would live sinless lives. The atonement of Christ provides us with the grace that can cleanse and perfect us, after all we can do to repent and draw unto Christ. We can come to know our Savior Jesus Christ through trials and through trying our best to... Read the rest of this article »
Polygamy in Mormonism
In 1843, the principle of plural marriage was given by God through Joseph Smith. The Prophet and some of the leaders in the Mormon Church were commanded to enter into this practice. After President Brigham Young, the second president of the Church, led the saints to the Salt Lake Valley, plural marriage was taught and practiced until the year of 1890.Mormon polygamy was practiced because the Lord commanded it. Sometimes, we do not know why God has asked us to do certain things, but we do it because of our faith in Him and our desire to be obedient. Why was Abraham asked to sacrifice his son Isaac? Abraham did not know, except that the Lord required it of him; the Lord required his obedience. Practicing plural marriage was a sort of Abrahamic sacrifice for the early members of the Mormon Church. It increased the persecution against them, and was so foreign to their western, Victorian culture, that only the desire to be completely... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about the Word of Wisdom?
Mormons believe the physical body is a sacred gift from God. As such, we are to treat it with respect, understanding that Jesus Christ has bought our bodies for a price, through the atonement.
Mormons believe that we lived in heaven before coming to earth. In this state we were spirit-children of Heavenly Parents; we had no physical bodies. We understood that in order to attain complete eternal joy, we would have to go to earth to receive physical bodies and be tested. Mormon belief teaches that our bodies are made in the image of the Lord and that the Spirit of the Lord can reside in our bodies when we live worthy of that blessing. The mortal body is corruptible, subject to disease and injury. It is also the vehicle through which men and women are tempted. It is also the tabernacle for the spirit, and a dwelling place for the Holy Ghost. We are to control our human appetites within the bounds... Read the rest of this article »
What do Mormons believe about God?
Mormon belief teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct personages. God the Father and Christ have perfect bodies of flesh and bones, which are so glorious that man cannot be in their presence and live, unless he is quickened first. The Holy Ghost is a spirit son of the Father who confirms truth to all those who strive to listen to his promptings. Mormons often refer to God the Father as “Heavenly Father,” for Mormons believe that He is the Father of our spirits, and that we dwelt with Him in a pre-mortal existence before being born onto the earth.
Psalm 82:6: “I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”
God the Father is the Creator of the Universe, and He created all things through “The Word,” or Jesus Christ. God the Father has created worlds without number. As He spake unto Moses:
And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses,... Read the rest of this article »
