The Ressurrection

The word Gospel means good news. The best of the good news of the gospel is the Resurrection.  

After Jesus resurrected, he spent 40 days with His disciples. They had suffered through watching him be crucified and were devastated, but their sadness turned to exquisite joy when He resurrected and were able to spend more than a month with Him. After that experience they were able to travel all over as eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Not all Christian faiths believe in a physical resurrection. They believe in the spirit living forever, but not the body living forever.

When we are resurrected we will have spirit fluid instead of blood running though our veins.  Modern scriptures say that God’s body is as tangible as man’s. Our mortal body is a practice body – it is temporary – just a means to an end. We wanted to be like God because we could see that our Heavenly Parents were the happiest in the universe. We knew that having a physical, eternal body is one of the most important parts of our joy. D&C 138; 17 Their sleeping dust was to be restored unto its perfect frame, bone to his bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided, that they might receive a fulness of joy. – We need to have a physical body to have the fullness of joy. We couldn’t just go from a spirit to a resurrected body; we had to live in our bodies for a time.

President Eyring said the best way to help others want to stay on a path or to return to a path is to MODEL happiness.

Jesus was uniquely different to be able to bring about the resurrection because of being half divine. John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

All living things will resurrect – all animals, plants, etc. The earth will change to a Celestial glory; it will be a huge Urim and Thummim. We will be able to look in the earth and ask it any question we want and receive pure truth. Better than Google.

Lucy Mack Smith gave best description of the Urim and Thummim. She said it was like crystal, like a diamond in the sky.

Joseph Smith said the stars are resurrected earths.

Our bodies will be resurrected to whatever glory we will receive – a celestial body for the celestial glory. The differences in appearance of the Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial bodies after being resurrected is a difference of light. The Sons of perdition have no light. The biggest difference is that Celestial bodies can procreate. There will be no homely people and no single women.

The resurrection is after the final judgement. All celestial people who died before Christ resurrected with him. All others have to wait until the 2^nd coming to resurrect. It is like a graduation. John the Baptist resurrected with Christ because he died right before Christ

The ones who were resurrected out of order were Peter, James, John, Moroni because they had special missions to perform.

If we are alive when Christ comes, we will continue to live and then be resurrected when we turn 100, in the twinkling of an eye. The first to be resurrected when Christ comes will be Joseph Smith.  

Just as birth is a miracle and an amazing transformation from a spirit to a spirit with a body, the resurrection will become just as commonplace as birth. Like we say, “Oh, Susan had a baby yesterday”, we will say, “Oh, Susan resurrected yesterday.”

The first resurrection (morning of the first resurrection) will be all Celestial beings – the resurrection of the just, and also all Terrestrial beings.

The Telestial resurrection will be at the end of the millennium – the afternoon of the first resurrection.

The Sons of perdition will be after the Telestial.

During the millennium the Telestial beings will be in a learning phase. They will have to pay for their sins and learn what they need to know.

Melvin Ballard wrote book called 3 Degrees of Glory. Read it..

Children and babies come out of the grave at the physical age they died, looking the same as before they died. Old people will look younger; the body will perfect itself almost immediately – wrinkles will fade away, hair grows back, etc., The body will conform to the likeness of the spirit. Children will grow up at a normal rate until the body is grown to the stature of the spirit at it’s prime, whatever age that was/would be.

Children will be raised by righteous parents. If their own parents don’t qualify, they will be raised by another righteous couple.

Resurrected beings can eat, pass through walls. Jesus walked through a closed door to the “upper room”. His first word to the disciples was “peace”. (Shalom)

Resurrected bodies are incorruptible meaning they don’t age or have pain or age or go downhill in any way. They also have no waste – mucus, seat, etc. No blood.

Resurrection is an ordinance like baptism. Right now the keys of the resurrection are not on the earth. Resurrection has to be performed by a holder of the Melchizedec Priesthood who has already been resurrected. It will be done according to the patriarchal order. The father will resurrect his wife, his sons and unmarried daughters. (She said she hasn’t found a source for this belief yet)

The only thing that will rise with us in the resurrection is our knowledge 2 Ne 9:14 and we will have perfect recollection.

Elder Nelson said someone asked how he, as a scientist could believe in the resurrection. He said that because of his background, knowing DNA, he knew that God could command all the elements to back to their original form.

All things in nature testify, or are evidence of the resurrection. Like how butterflies come about, trees that look dead and turn green, a swan who goes from ugly duckling to a swan; all of spring is evidence or type of the resurrection. 1 Cor 15 talks about the sower (farmer), when you plant a seed and it grows, you see a miracle – that is an example of the resurrection. We are sown in corruption, raised in incorruption.

Of the three – Faith, Hope, and Charity, hope is of the hope of the resurrection.

Post Mortal Life

Neal A Maxwell said something like, “Life on earth is like a parent dropping off a child at school for the day. But oh, what a day!” That’s how short our life is compared to eternities.

This life is like a laboratory, and one of the most important things about it is that we are put in families. The family experience is most important for preparing us for eternities.

We are promised that we will never be tested more than we can bear. We are actually much stronger than we think.

There is a reason Mormon funerals are more like a graduation ceremony. We know that death is like walking through a door. We continue much like we are on the other side of the door.

D&C 42:46 says 46 And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them;

47 And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for their death is bitter.

To the righteous, death will be sweet. We are promised that no righteous man will ever be taken before his time.

So where is the Spirit world? It is right here, in a different dimension. As our spirit is inside our body, the Spirit world is in the heart of the world – Joseph Smith. The spirits are like next door neighbors. As soon as we die, we are shaking hands with family.

The spirit world is separated into different groups, according to their progression.

Alma 13 talks about pre-mortality; Alma 40 talks about the post-mortal life, but it is very outdated because it was written 100 years before Christ resurrected and began the first resurrection. After Christ died, he went to the spirit world and taught there - D&C 1:38.  After his resurrection, He visited all the House of Israel and taught about work for the dead. 1 Cor 15:29 proves the early saints did work for the dead.  There was no temple work done before Christ resurrected. If the people in spirit prison accepted the gospel they couldn’t leave spirit prison until their temple work was done. So now Alma 40 is outdated because now, as soon as spirits accept the temple work and the gospel, they can cross over to paradise.

In the spirit world, there are 2 divisions: Paradise where the righteous are, and spirit prison where the wicked are. The “wicked” includes good people who were not baptized and people who were baptized but didn’t stay true to their covenants to the end. Paradise includes all children who died under the age of 8 and those who kept their covenants. Spirit prison is divided between a school area where people can be taught, and a temporary hell. D&C 19 says it includes the disobedient who knew better. 

When Christ said to the robber on the cross, “today I will be with you in paradise” that’s a wrong translation. Joseph Smith said it actually says, “today I will be with you in the world of spirits.”

Alma 34:32-35 talks about death bed repentance and how we can’t wait to repent at the end because we will be the same person and won’t want to repent any more then than we do now. Repentance takes time. It isn’t just saying, “I’m sorry for all I did.” Repentance requires a change of who we are. It can’t be done on your death bed.

Upon death, there is a partial judgement and you are sent to either paradise or spirit prison. 

Alma the younger called himself the “vilest of sinners” but later became a prophet. This is a proof that repentance can completely change you, but it takes suffering, effort, and time.

We are all accountable – Moroni 7:16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man.  Everyone is guided by the Spirit of Christ to know good from evil. Members have the greater light, the Holy Ghost. If we sin, we are sinning against the great light and therefore have greater condemnation – Alma the younger.

It is much easier and quicker to repent now while Christ can help us than after we die.

The spirit world is sort of like Los Angeles – it’s a huge place with millions/billions of people, who are divided into areas. There’s a temple where the righteous are working, a university area where people are being taught the gospel, and an area with prisons.

On the Paradise side of the spirit world are the faithful saints. When we get there, we are given an assignment, like a calling, so that we continue to progress and are able to help others progress.

Elder Nelson was able to talk to his father who had died. He saw his father sitting on his, Elder Nelson’s, bed.

*The father said he got permission to visit him.

*He said 3 days after he died he received a commission (assignment or calling) to preach the Gospel. His companion was Erastus Snow.

*Elder Nelson asked if all believe when they are taught. The father said no. 

*Elder Nelson asked if the spirits could see us all the time. The father said No – we are busy.

*Elder Nelson asked if it is natural to die. The father said it is just as natural as walking through that door. He said it was way more organized there than on the earth; The Priesthood leaders keep everything very organized and orderly.

One sister in our class said her husband visited her after he died. He told her he was so happy with the work he was doing. (but didn't say what that work was.)

Another sister in the class said her mother died when (the sister) was 9. One year later her grandma died. Shortly after, she had a dream that her mother and grandmother came to her and were so busy and happy. They told her their deaths were part of the plan and that they were ok and she would be ok. As an adult she had forgotten that dream until her father reminded her. She said it was a great consolation to her when she was little.

Alma 5 says if ye were called to die now, are ye sufficiently humble? (We need to be ready spiritually to die at all times.)

Harold B Lee said “If you were called home now, would you want to stay her any longer? No. If you have any sense, you would want to go.”

In the spirit world, righteous men and women are called to do missionary work, but not everyone. Some are called to keep records, to record priesthood blessings and make sure they are fulfilled.

President Joseph F Smith (D&C 138) said spirits are given (and have to have) permission to visit earth to bring messages. He experienced visiting angels when his mother died when he was 13. He and his sister were given sacred experiences telling them that their parents were watching over them.

Brigham Young taught that the righteous are in a state of rest, but that doesn’t mean they are lying around, relaxing. Their rest is from Satan’s temptations and power. Once a righteous person dies while keeping covenants, the devil can never tempt them again. We are safe. That’s why it’s so important to stay righteous all the time, so we are on the path when we die. Then the devil has no influence more over us. All others are still subject to the devil and his legions. The righteous that have been baptized and stayed faithful cannot be bothered by the devil again.

Those in spirit prison not baptized or not faithful to their covenants, still have temptations from the devil.

Ezekial 3:20 says: Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

That’s why it’s so urgent to rescue the inactive members, or else all the good they did will not count. Enduring to the end means enduring until death. This is the day and age of the rescue. We need to rescue inactives before they die so they can be on the path at death and escape spirit prison. That’s also why temple work is so urgent for those in spirit prison. When they accept the work and the gospel, they are released to Paradise and immediately Satan can’t influence them any more.

There is a man from Madera who was Sheriff. Sheriff F Bates (?) was a non-member but a very good man. After he retired, his wife died. One day when getting ready to go to the dentist, he turned to see his wife sitting on the couch. She said, “I’ve found great true joy and happiness. Will you do the same?” then she was gone. Two weeks later the missionaries found him and said, “We have a message for you that will bring great true joy and happiness.” He lived outside of Madera, in an area where missionaries didn't tract. When they knocked on his door, he asked them how they found his house.

He got baptized and as soon as he could go to the temple, he wanted to do his wife’s work, but he found it had already been done by a distant relative. When he checked the date it was done, he realized it was the same day that she had appeared to him. A date he remembered because he had a dentist appointment. So he could see that as soon as the relative did his wife's work, she was released from spirit prison and immediately got permission to visit him with the happy message. Now he’s 92 and lives in Oakhurst. Many in the class know him personally.

All the children who died under the age of I will be in Paradise, but they will be in the form of young adults.

How do spirits in the spirit world find out how we are doing? They ask someone who recently died for reports on their loved ones.

President Hinckley, when a reporter asked him how he felt when he was sustained as president and prophet by millions of people. He said, “I was thinking about what my mother. I hope she’s pleased.”

George Q Cannon (apostle) said when we die, our memory will be quickened and expanded.

Jedediah Grant, father of Heber J Grant and counselor to Brigham Young wrote a book called Mormon Thunders. He passed back and forth from the spirit world. He said it is very organized and orderly. The buildings are more beautiful, the flowers are more beautiful, with many colored flowers on a single branch, the houses, etc. are more beautiful.

There was a sister named Nellie who crossed the plains. Her toes were frozen and had to be amputated. She married one of the rescue party and had children,but her husband died and she was left to raise the children alone. She was inconsolable.  One day a man came and told her husband’s death was the will of the Lord. She chased him out of her house with a broom. She was terribly devastated by his death. Later her husband was given permission to appear to her to show her the mansion he was building for her. 

(so we will have homes/mansions to live in.)

Brigham Young talked about how we get around in the spirit world. He said spirits move easily there – like lightening – but only with permission, they can be anywhere immediately, at the speed of thought.

Here on earth we have opportunities to listen to the general authorities in general conferences or when they come to visit our area. In the spirit world we will have the Father, Jesus, and angels speak to us. There will be amazing opportunities to hear from them even though they don’t live there.

After the resurrection, all spirits will be resurrected and the spirit world will empty out. If we die before the 2^nd coming and resurrection, we could meet all those great ones who are waiting for the resurrection – past prophets, leaders, etc.

What language will we speak? We will speak thought to thought.

Harold B Lee lost his wife of 39 years. He said the death of a loved one is the most difficult of any trial. If you can continue faithful after the death of a loved one, you can handle anything. Nothing will be more difficult than that.

President Monson said spirits can attend their own temple ordinances.

Those who resurrected at the 1^st resurrection don’t live in the spirit world – the universe is their campus, but they can go to the spirit world. Scripture: flesh and bones (resurrected being) can go where flesh and blood cannot. (like  through walls, to Paradise.)

Brent Top has written some books on the spirit world – Journey beyond Earth’s door and others. You can see videos of his Ed week talks on You tube.

He says that those who die and come back from the spirit world come back changed. They want to learn more and love more.

There was a man working on the Salt Lake City temple whose brother had died. That brother appeared to him and told him, “I didn’t listen to you while I was alive, but I heard there was a meeting with the Mormon Elders, so I went and now I want my work done.”

Spirits want their temple work done so they can be set free from spirit prison and pass to Paradise.

President Hinkley was so concerned about temple work that every morning he would call the temple department and ask, “how many did we set free yesterday.”

Imagine the warm reception we will receive by those whose work we have done. Thelma King decided she wanted to do 20,000 endowments before she died. She died 1 week after she finished the 20,000. Imagine the reception she will receive.

It was a wonderful class. There were many tears.

Pre-earth life

I went to another wonderful class by Laurel Lawrence. She is so knowledgeable and seems to have a fantastic memory for scriptural references and quotes. This week’s lesson was on Pre-mortality.

10/26     Larry Lawrence is a convert and joined the church as an adult. When he investigated, the teaching that most interested him was the concept of a pre-earth life. He said, “the idea of pre-mortality makes life more fair.”

We believe in reward systems – extra pay for overtime, higher paying job for higher education, time off for good behavior, etc., and heaven works that way too. We are rewarded for the good we do.

Harold B Lee said we would be judged at the end of this life for our accomplishments. The same is true for our pre-earth life – we are rewarded in this life for our knowledge gained and good choices there.

We are the only Christian church that believes in the pre-earth life. Many churches believe Jesus was pre-mortal but not us.

It was taught and believed in Old Testament times (Jeremiah 1:4-5), and throughout the New Testament (2 Timothy – God called us before the world began; story of man born blind and asking who sinned before birth; John the Baptist leapt in the womb when he recognized Jesus – how could he recognize him if he hadn’t known him before?; Jude, brother of Jesus, in Jude 1:6 talks of angels who kept not their first estate; Revelations 12 talks of war in heaven), but 500 AD a group of Catholic Bishops removed that teaching from the church. Jews have always believed in a pre-earth life.

In Revelations 12, dragon is Satan.

The restoration of the Gospel brought back the teaching of a pre-mortal life. Moses 3, Abraham 3, Book of Mormon – Alma 13 says men were called to the Priesthood before they were born.

Christ was the firstborn but other than that we don’t know our spirit ages. Since He was the firstborn spirit, we know he was older spiritually than his mother and that could be the case with others. Intelligences are eternal. God took our intelligences and organized us into spirits. Our spirits look just like us. Christ in Spirit said the body of my spirit…. Ether 4:16

All Spirits are in adult form

We wanted to come to earth to become like our Heavenly Parents with the resurrected bodies, all wise, happy, etc. They also began as Spirits, went to an earth and the school of hard knocks, learned and grew. We knew we couldn’t have a fullness of joy without a resurrected body.

There was a council in heaven, much like the councils we do here. Heavenly Father presented His plan. He said it would not be easy but provided the way and showed us how He could satisfy justice. Jehovah volunteered to be the Savior. He was already so advanced in progression that He was already a member of the Godhead.

Bruce R McConkie said, “Spirituality is when you recognize truth and act on it.

Joseph Fielding Smith said the First Presidency of heaven gathered together and concocted a plan and gathered us in council to accept or reject it.

The name Lucifer means light bearer; he used to be an angel in authority. D&C 76

Perdition means destruction – Satan’s whole intent is to destroy us spiritually.

Revelations 12:10 – The name Satan means accuser – he spends all his time accusing innocent people

“Son of the morning” means he is an older spirit. “He is not smart because he’s the devil; he’s smart because he’s old.”  Faust

The war in heaven was a war not of weapons but of reasoning, words, ideas. Michael lead the side of Christ and Satan lead the others.

Ezra T Benson said, Beware of pride; that was Satan’s downfall.

The war was like a political campaign. We fought in it like we helped campaign for Prop 8 – here we knocked on doors, held up banners in intersections, made phone calls, etc., there we preached and taught with all energy.

When we won with a 2/3 majority, we shouted for joy.

God rewarded those who shared testimonies by sending us to the House of Israel.

Our patriarchal blessing states if we are direct descendent and through what line. If we are not direct blood lineage, the blessing will say, “You will receive blessings through Abraham.”

In the pre-earth life each spirit developed at its own pace. We each had our strengths and talents like art, science, music, etc.

Another strength may have been being able to recognize truth and act on it – Joseph Smith.

Israel is scattered all around the world so we can be a light to the whole world in all nations. If not, the world would now have been like Sodom 7 Gomorra.

D&C 76 says the Lord saves all the house of Israel except the sons of perdition.

We are a remnant of Jacob who reside among gentiles

2% or less in the world have Israelite blood – or about 120 million. The missionaries are looking for that 2%

Of Noah’s sons, Shem – was Jacob’s 13^th descendent

 Ham & Japeth are not part of Israel.

The reason there can be some from Ephraim and some from Manasseh is that we are all descendants from Joseph. The Lord decided which tribe you will receive the blessings from. Ephraim is over building temples and missionary work. Having all children from Ephraim and one from Manasseh is like getting one red-headed child, only instead of genes being the reason, it is the Lord’s assignment, or the partial blood of Manasseh that came through the blood lines.

The Jews will be taught last of all, after all other tribes have been taught. They were the first, the chosen now they will be the last.  (The last shall be first and the first shall be last.)

Abraham was one of the noble and great ones. Your Patriarchal Blessing can list your talents and abilities because God knew you way before you came here.

Whitney said if we were allowed to look in the archives of heaven, we would find our name and what we agreed to do in this life.

Satan’s headquarters are here – Revelations 12:12

After the millennium Satan will be cast out to outer darkness forever and he wants to take as many as he can with him. He has a very short time to gather as many as possible.

Earth is Jesus’ headquarters, too. This is the wickedest planet but we also have a great portion of the Holy Ghost here. It wouldn’t be very impressive if He had gone to a more worthy earth to sacrifice. He had to have the worse around Him to descend below all so that he could understand all suffering and be able to help us through our trials.

Harold B Lee said we were schooled before we came here to know how to take care of our bodies.

There is probably something like a funeral service when spirits leave to come to earth, knowing the trials that we would have to face.

Our future posterity is rooting for us and praying for us because what we do affects their lives.

No 2 spirits are alike. There may be twin bodies, but there are no twin spirits. We’ve existed a long time.

Some of those you teach, you knew in the previous life.

1,000 years = 1 day of God’s time

1 lifetime of 90 years = about 2 hours in God’s time

A 2 year mission i= about 3 minutes in God’s time.

To know how long you’ve been away from Heavenly home in God’s time, take your age plus half your age. Example 30 years old, plus 15 = 45. That’s how many minutes you’ve been away.

There is not a minute to waste. Our lives pass as a dream – Jacob.

Missionaries teach God is our Father and this life is to learn and grow. It might sound revolutionary to some investigators, but it also sounds true. People of the house of Israel remember it like Déjà vu.

President Benson said, “ Nothing wills startle us more than when we die and see God and realize how very familiar His face is and how well we Know Him.”

Rev 12 – even in the pre-existence the blood of the Lamb saved us.

Muslims

Muslims believe, “No one truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. It accounts for 20% of the world population. It is growing so fast mostly because they have large families and they pass on the religion.

The Church has a focus on the Muslim outreach. The future of the Church will include Muslims.

They use the Koran as their Bible.  It has been translated many times and meanings changed. Isis uses a twisted version of the Koran

What we have in common: The Church is putting out a new pamphlet called What Mormons and Muslims have in Common.

The Muslims are mostly in North Africa, India and Indonesia.

Feroz Hussain is a man born in India who attended BYU, studied engineering, and now lives in Fresno. He built all the Costcos and has built much of the new construction of BYU. Laurel taught his son, Raj, in Seminary. She asked Feroz to teach her children what Muslims believe.

He started with the story of Abraham and Sarah, how they waited and prayed for a child. This was a few centuries after the flood. When a couples married in those times, part of the dowry the wife brought to the marriage was a handmaiden. The handmaiden would serve as a 2^nd wife (also called concubine). The husband was married to the handmaiden as well as the wife. (Which gives more understanding to the phrase from Mary to the Lord, (“behold the handmaiden of the Lord.”)

So after Sarah didn’t conceive, like 40 years later, she gave Hagar to Abraham and she conceived Ishmael. (the name Ishmael means God hears our prayers.)

When Sarah was past 90, she conceived Isaac. Hagar, the handmaiden was from Egypt. After Isaac was born, Hagar hated Sarah and ran away from home. An angel appeared to her and told her to go back

When Isaac was weaned at about 2 years old, it was customary to do a big celebration. By then Ishmael was about 16. (Gen 16). Ishmael was mocking and making fun of Isaac. Sarah got mad and told Abraham he needed to cast him out because he would be a bad influence on Isaac. Abraham prayed about it and the Lord told him he would take care of Ishmael and his descendants would become a great nation.

Muslims believe that Abraham was told to kill Ishmael, not Isaac. The whole thing about being saved by an angel is about Ishmael, not Isaac, according to Muslims.

The place where Isaac was sacrificed is now a historic site. Muslims want to own the site because they believe it was about Ishmael. They also believe Allah ascended from the same site. This is one of the main reasons for all the conflict in the area. They want the site back from the Jews but the Jews won’t give it up. There has been thousands of years of contention over it.

During the dark ages, Muhammed was born in Mecca, a very wicket city filled with idols. He was orphaned at 6 and sent to live with an uncle. He became a camel driver and a widow proposed to him.

Later he began to spend a lot of time in solitude, in a cave, studying and reading. He says that the angel Gabriel (who we believe to be Noah) appeared to him at about age 40 and visited him for 23 years. He hired scribes to write what he received and that became the Koran. He began teaching others and that’s where Muslims came from. The word Muslim means “One who submits to God”.

The Muslims are faithful followers of Muhammed. They love Muhammed the same way we feel about Joseph Smith.

They believe in the first 5 books of the Old Testament. They believe that Muhammed was the last and greatest prophet.

Here is some of their beliefs form the Koran:

They believe in one true God – Allah, who is without body or form

They don’t believe in the millennium

They do believe in the 2^nd coming – that God (Allah) will come down, there will be a great judgement, and we will go to heaven or hell.

They believe Jesus was one of the prophets – a great prophet and they believe in the moral teachings of the New Testament.

They believe the Bible has been changed a lot with translations and that plain and precious parts have been taken out. (so do we)

They believe that Christ didn’t resurrect, but was taken up by Allah and the whole crucifixion was a hoax.

They believe that Jesus had no father, but was like Adam.

They believe in the 10 commandments except the one about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. They don’t believe God rested on the 7^th day because God doesn’t need to rest. That’s silly.

These are the 5 pillars of Islam. These are necessary to achieve heaven.

1.       Testimony bearing ( they call it a declaration of faith

2.       Pray always (they believe in praying 5 times a day and in their societies they stop everything when the bell rings to pray.

3.       Fast offerings  – they call it an offering to the poor and pay 2.5%

4.       Fasting - they fast every day during Ramadan.

5.       Going to the temple – they make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once a year. Mecca is in Saudi Arabia.

6.       They don’t believe in the Holy Ghost. They think all references to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament refer to the angel Gabriel.

7.       They do believe in Satan, called Iblis) who is a fallen angel because he refused to bow down to Adam and now works to tempt us to do wrong. It is almost true because Adam is the head of the angels.

Teachings in the Koran:

Should submit to one true God

Be grateful for everything

Talk kindly and be gracious.

Don’t start ward but defend your families

Don’t make alliances with Christians or Jews

Don’t eat pork

Don’t drink alcohol

Don’t gamble

Avoid fortune tellers

Marriage between a man and a woman is approved of God

The secret of a happy marriage is unselfishness

There should be no sex outside of marriage

Guard your private parts

Abortion is forbidden

Modesty is very important. Heads should be covered

Divorce is allowed twice

God does not love the conceited

Children are a great blessing, Believe in large families.

Polygamy is ok, up to 4 wives to provide for women who don’t have families.

If you don’t accept Islam after being taught it, I will havd to kill you.

Only 1% of muslims ae radicalized.

Al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than Christians

Some think the judgement can’t come until they wipe out all the Jews.

Resurrection day is actually the day of judgement.

The trial of the grave is that we have to remain in the grave until until judgement day.

In hell there will be no food, but scum

To be lifted up when Christ comes we have to be honest, morally clean and do good to our fellow men.

We will have perfectly matched spouses in the next life (not the same ones we have now.

There are two factions in Muslim between who should have been the leader after Muhammed, his son or a chosen replacement. The Shiites wanted to follow Muhammed’s son, the Soonies wanted a new appointed leader.

The Muslims biggest problem is that there is no central leadership, no central government. Members just study and live by the Koran and the old testament and try to do the best they can and pass it on to their families.

There is nothing in the Koran about the atonement, but there is much truth in it.

There is a different policy in our church for teaching and baptizing converts from Islam to our church, depending on what country they are in. Here we have to be sure there is no danger to their lives if they convert.

In other countries they aren’t allowed to go to church; there is no religious freedom there so they create small compounds where other religions can practice quietly.

There are 2 stakes in Abu Dhabi. They have to meet in small numbers and the government leaves them alone, but the members are always in danger. Where there is religious freedom, many Muslims are being baptized.

Elder Holland said he is perfectly comfortable accepting Muhammed as a prophet.

Zion

The pure Adamic language is what Adam spoke. He learned it from God. It was pure and undefiled meaning it didn’t have any swear words or in-appropriate words or meanings. It was not vulgar in any way.

It was what was spoken on the earth until the tower of Babel, 100 years after the flood, when languages were confused.  The Jaredites were able to keep the Adamic language even after they came to the Americas, but were killed off.

We know some words from the Adamic language –

1.       Deseret

2.       Ahman (which is a name for God. It means Man of Holiness. One of Christ’s names is Son of man of Holiness.

3.       Zion, which means Pure in heart.

We will speak the Adamic language again in the Millennium.

In Enoch they were of one heart.

The dispensations are periods of time when a new prophet was is called and God dispenses truth and authority. The main dispensations have been Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Apostles (or Christ’s time), and Joseph Smith.

Each dispensation had a period of apostasy between them. The dispensation of the apostles to Joseph Smith was 100 AD to 1820 AD.

Remember the dispensations with Adam Eats Nuts And Melon And Jam

Enoch was before the flood, born in a righteous family but in a wicked world all around.

Cain beame the first son of Perdition. Seth replaced Abel – the name Seth means replacement

Seth was 69 when called to be prophet

Enos was 134

Cainan was 187

Mahalaleel was 496

Jared was 200

Enoch was 25 – the youngest to be called. Enoch was a child prodigy. His name means “walk with me” God said he would protect him. When he started preaching to the people, they said, “A wild man has come upon us.” But some believed and others tried to hurt him. Enoch has the sealing power to make the earth tremble, mountains flee. (Moses 6 & 7) He was commanded to build a city to where they could be protected and safe. They lived and improved thee 365 years before they got to the pont that they were taken up.

Neal Maxwell wrote a book, “Enoch’s Letters” showing what it might have been like in the City of Enoch living the law of consecration. All deeded their property and belongs to the Bishop and then were given back just what they needed. It can be compared to a really good pot luck dinner.

There are other times when people lived the consecrated lives, Acts 2:44 and 4 Nephi.

Enoch wanted others to be happy. No cheating, lying, no cutting in line. The city was moved to a terrestrial neighborhood. All were translated, meaning they are immortal but weren’t resurrected until Christ resurrected. That means they were changed in the twinkling of an eye. In the mean time they are ministering angels to other planets and will return in the millennium. Their city was where the Gulf of Mexico is and it will be put back in that place.

The city of Enoch is a type and shadow of things to come. The New Jerusalem will be in Independence, Missouri which is where the Garden of Eden was. It was a temple in that God walked and talked to them there and taught the Plan of Salvation. Thanks to Satan, Independence became the bloodiest place when the extermination order was given.

The saints wanted o build the New Jerusalem but weren’t ready – they still had too much contention.

The Arc was built in North Carolina & landed in the Middle East.

D&C 58:44  says the time has not come for many years for the New Jerusalem to be built. Part of the reason they weren’t ready was that they hadn’t yet been endowed and didn’t have the protection of their garments against Satan.

Joseph Smith’s code name was Enoch whenever he needed to hide. In D&C sometimes it refers to him. as Enoch. He is like the next Enoch.

A good object lesson:

Get a punch bowl or glass bowl. Fill with water, then add a lot of dirt which represents the temptations of mortality. When you add a peeled orange, it will sink and get dirty. But if you add an orange with a peel, it will float, keeping it unspotted from the worldly dirt. The peels represent wearing garments.

To build the City of Zion, The Army of Israel has to be

Endowed: Now we have 150 temples so there are many people with their endowments.

We have to be a tithing paying people, which we are

We have to be ready to live the Law of consecration.

We have to be ready to serve – we are being tested now to see if we will serve – there are 70,000 missionaries

We are more generous than ever. She said we should go to Welfare Square – it is the most inspirational place to visit. It is a light to the world

The church changed the 3-fold mission of the church to a 4-fold mission. They added “care for poor”

They changed “missionary work” to “Gather Israel.

10 times in the D&C the saints were told to buy land. Now the Church has been buying lots of lands for farming, cattle, orchards, vineyards to grow food for our people.

Isaiah said “Enlarge the place of thy tent.” Which means the church. The tent (church) is for shelter and safety. We have stakes set up everywhere. After the stakes are strong, then the center stake (the pole in the middle) will be set up. That will be the New Jerusalem.

Moses 7 says my people will prepare a New City before the 2^nd coming.

The Savior will lead us to the New Jerusalem (before His coming), through inspiration.

It is a myth that we will have to walk to the New Jerusalem. That's why airplanes, cars and trains were invented.

The younger people now ay see it being built in their lifetime.

People will be called to build the city. We already have lots of land there. The center will have a 24 complex temple (Journal of Discourses)

D&C 45 talks about the New Jerusalem. It will be the only place where people won’t be at war with each other. There will be so much light and glory that the wicked won’t be comfortable there. It will be protected by a cloud of smoke by day and fire of flame by night.

The New Jerusalem will be prepared as a bride for her bridegroom. In the New Jerusalem Zion will be again rise like the City of Enoch and will be taken up to meet Christ in the 2^nd coming. Hymn #41

The temples now are built to last through the millennium.

The purpose and goal of the Church is to build up Zion. We need to serve, and pray for Zion ot come. We need to be a Zion person – one who could live the United Order. We need to want to serve others. In family council we can ask “How can we help --- family?” A family council is basically family around the dinner table where someone asks the discussion question.

Laurel prayed in family prayer one night, “Help us not to have contention.”. the kids asked what “contention” was and started praying for that in every prayer.

We need to become a Zion family and be ready to live in Zion.

Angels

From class by Laurel Lawrence

There are two types of angels:

1.     Ministering spirits, who are people who know and love us. They are not clothed in a body - they are either not yet born or deceased. 

a.      In the Pearl of Great Price, an angel talked to Adam. That angel had not yet been born.

b.     Moses 5 says the Gospel will be declared by holy angels not yet born.

c.      Deceased – Angel Gabriel (Noah) appeared to Mary and Zacharias.

d.     Joseph Smith appeared to Brigham Young

2.     Resurrected beings can appear in glory or can hide their glory.

a.       On the road to Emmaus, Christ hid his glory

b.      Moroni appeared glowing to Joseph Smith.

Be not afraid to entertain strangers because they may be angels.

Ministering spirits have no body; they are just light, but don’t have as much light – D&C 129

Michael (Adam) is the head angel or archangel. There has to be a leader, same as Elder Nelson is the head of the Quorum of the Twelve. Cherubim & Seraphim are ranks of angels.

Does everyone have a guardian angel? No, but when we need them they are sent.

Joseph F Smith was orphaned at 14.  Mary Fielding & Martha saw their deceased parents riding horses. Their heads were veiled to hide their glow.

It is a gift of the spirit to be able to see angels & ministering spirits – Moroni 10:14. We can receive the spiritual gift if we seek it.

Angels have special assignments to watch over children.

They watch over our children while we are at the temple.

We should keep our house clean so angels can visit. They will not go in unclean places.

David Whitmer wanted to take in Joseph Smith but had to finish his harvest work first. During the night the work got finished so he could leave 3 days sooner.

Martin Handcart company said sometimes they could feel angels pushing their carts.

Harold B Lee was in a plane and felt someone put hands on his head. When he landed they found he had suffered a brain hemorrhage, but was saved because of the blessing.

When Pat Holland (from book “On Earth As it is in Heaven”, was a child when her parents were called to serve in the temple. She had to care for her siblings. They were promised that “angels would come”. The grandmother came by once and as she was leaving, she ran over the baby, panicked and pulled back forward, running over her the 2^nd time. The baby was rushed (2 hours) to the hospital and lived. She remembered feeling the car being lifted off her.

When Lawrences were in Russia, she had a deep desire to study the history of the people. She looked and looked for a book in English of their history but couldn’t find one anywhere. One day, when Larry left she was home alone. She made sure all the doors were locked. They lived on the 7^th floor. She went to bed and in the morning found a book on the table, Concise history of Russia, in English.

When we take the Sacrament worthily, we are promised the right to the ministering of angels. The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys to the ministering of angels.

Oaks said by patient covenant keeping, answers are revealed.

Second Coming

2^ND COMING                      

Teachings by Laurel Lawrence, wife of Larry Lawrence, Seventy

BEFORE the 2nd coming:

War: In the Middle East will be the battle of Armegggedon and the whole world will be fighting, protesting, etc. Those who don’t want to fight will come/gather to New Jerusalem. The saints will be gathered so we won’t fear; we will be praying nonstop for Christ to come.

Christ will appear 3 places as part of the 2^nd coming:

1.       HERE: At Adam Ondi Ahman, Adam will return the keys to Christ

2.       THERE: during the Battle of Armageddon Christ will appear at the Mount of Olives to the Jews and they will recognize He is the Christ. He will also appear to the saints in New Jerusalem.

3.       EVERYWHERE: then He will appear to the whole world. Everyone will see Him descend. There will be a “SIGN” in the sky. (This will be later)

1^st event of the 2^nd coming: When Adam fell, the earth also fell – from Kolob into this solar system. Before the 2^nd coming, it will be changed to a terrestrial world and moved/ returned to the Kolob neighborhood. Of all the prophesies of the 2^nd coming, the last sign is to be that the moon turns to blood and the stars fall from heaven. This prophesy is given 10 times in the scriptures. When the earth moves back to Kolob, the sun won’t be shining – or the brilliance will lessen as we move away from it. The move will make the moon look red (my note: I think the moon will look red because of all the fires and smoke and dust in the air.)  and moving so fast will make it look like the stars are falling. Isaiah 13:13 says the earth moving will be like a chased deer. Being on the earth while it moves will be like riding in an airplane with turbulence.

When Christ appears to all,

1.       The dead will be resurrected

2.       The Rapture of the living

3.       The wicked will be burned

As Jesus descends and the righteous are taken up to meet him: those who are celestial or terrestrial will be lifted up - the good, kind, peaceable, honest, and all children under 8 but no telestial people.

After all those are taken up, the rapture will happen. Those taken up will be according to how much light they have gained.

D&C 45:56-58 says of the members of the church: not all will be taken up – only the ‘wise virgins’ who are prepared for the 2^nd coming. Those who pay tithing keep the commandments, covenants. The whole city of Zion with the land, animals, people, houses, etc. will be taken up. (The location of where the city of Enoch used to be is now the gulf of Mexico. All the land and everything that was on it was taken up.)

How will we be able to endure God’s glory when we are still mortal and are taken up with Him? We will be transfigured. Every prophet who has seen God has been transfigured. (Shadrac, Meshach, and Abed-nigo were transfigured when they were put in the furnace.)

The earth will be purified: mountains will melt, oceans will boil, and continents will be re-joined to one land-mass like it was before the days of Peleg. 

While it is purified, we will be watching from the clouds. There will be huge reunions in the clouds – the City of Enoch and the City of Zion will be so happy to see each other.

Christ will descend with his apostles. The millennium will begin as soon as Jesus returns to the earth. We will remain transfigured, meaning we will have more light. Thessalonians 4:16 says we will cheer.

RESSURRECTION

The righteous will be resurrected along with all children who died

Joseph Smith will be the first to be resurrected then he will resurrect others. Resurrection is a Priesthood ordinance like baptism. A priesthood holder has to have it done to him before he can do it to others – one at a time.

MILLENNIUM

During the millennium, the earth will have its paradisiacal glory. It will be like the Garden of Eden was.

Satan will be bound. There will be no wars, no weapons, no killing. No meat eaters because we won’t kill animals. No pain. “Every time we feel pain or sickness, it’s from Satan” Brigham Young

We will raise our children.

There will be two world capitals, the New Jerusalem, and Zion. The church leaders will be the judges.

There will be only 1 language, the pure Adamic language.

(In the Journal of discourses Vol 24, p. 24 it says that there will be 24 complexes in that temple in the New Jerusalem.)

All questions will be answered – D&C 101. All prayers will be answered. Some resurrected people will visit, and some transfigured. Translated means transfigured permanently.

Little children who died before age 8 will be resurrected the same age they died and will grow until their physical body is at the age of the spirit.

We will plant, harvest, build, etc.

People will live to the age of a tree, or 100 years, then changed in the twinkling of an eye we will be resurrected. There will be no death, no graves.

Missionary work will be greatly enhanced because there will be no language barrier, no distance barrier, no Satan whispering in their ears. All the people will need will be to be taught truth.

Brigham Young said “We will have revelations and see our ancestors all the way back to Adam” so family history work will be way easier, but we can’t wait until then to do it because they need it done to be able to be resurrected – all the ordinances must be done to be resurrected.

There will still be people in the spirit world; resurrected people will go to the spirit world to see who is ready for their temple work to be done. People in the spirit world can’t be resurrected unless their ordinances are done. That’s why temple and family history is so urgent.

Order of the resurrection:

1.       Morning of the first resurrection: Celestial people

2.       In the afternoon: Terrestrial people

3.       Telestial people

4.       Sons of perdition