Leaders

Baptism is something that is common to many Christian factions across the globe. Many favor the "sprinkling" method, while other Christians, like Mormons, use the "immersion" method as was the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Baptism by immersion in water by one having authority is the first saving ordinance of the gospel and is necessary for an individual to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to receive eternal salvation. All who seek eternal life must follow the example of the Savior by being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org - Definition of Baptism)

In other words, when you are brought up out of the water you are clean from every sin and are as a newborn baby, fresh and new. It is at that moment in time you will be the most perfect you will ever be since your birth. It is an exhilarating feeling, although the occurrence in my life took place in a distant time.

President Lorenzo Snow, the fifth called prophet in these modern times, spoke of his baptism and the expectations which existed within him:

I was baptized by Elder John Boynton, then one of the Twelve Apostles, June 1836, at Kirtland, Ohio. Previous to accepting the ordinance of baptism, in my investigations of the principles taught by the Latter-day Saints [Mormons], which I proved by comparison to be the same as those mentioned in the New Testament taught by Christ and His Apostles, I was thoroughly convinced that obedience to those principles would impart miraculous powers, manifestations and revelations. With expectation of this result, I received baptism and the ordinance of laying on of hands by one who professed to have divine authority; and having thus yielded obedience to these ordinances, I was in constant expectation of the fulfillment of the promise of the reception of the Holy Ghost. The manifestation did not immediately follow my baptism as I had expected. (Lorenzo Snow as quoted by Preston Nibley, "The Presidents of the Church, Deseret Book 1945)

This is not an uncommon response, even for a future prophet of God. Sometimes it takes awhile before we feel the full manifestation of the Holy Ghost in our lives. In a moment when we are earnestly seeking truth in sincere prayer, oh yes, the influence of the Holy Ghost can be felt as a soft whisper in your heart that sweeps through your entire body. Or it can be felt as a sense of certain rightness and truth. The Holy Ghost manifests itself in many, many ways . . . but all of them identifiable.

President Snow goes on to say:

Some two or three weeks after I was baptized, one day while engaged in my studies, I began to reflect upon the fact that I had not obtained a knowledge of the truth of the work-that I had not realized the fulfillment of the promise, "he that doeth my will shall know of the doctrine," and I began to feel very uneasy. I laid aside my books, left the house and wandered around through the fields under the oppressive influence of a gloomy, disconsolate spirit, while an indescribable cloud of darkness seemed to envelop me. I had been accustomed, at the close of day, to retire for secret prayer, to a grove a short distance from my lodgings, but at this time I felt no inclination to do so. The spirit of prayer had departed and the heavens seemed like brass over my head.

At length, realizing that the usual time had come for secret prayer, I concluded I would not fore go evening service, and as a matter of formality, knelt as I was in the habit of doing, and in my accustomed, retired place, but not feeling as I was wont to feel. I had no sooner opened my lips in an effort to pray, then I heard a sound, just above my head, like the rustling of silken robes; and immediately the spirit of God descended upon me: completely enveloping my whole person, filling me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and O the joy and happiness I felt.

No language can describe the almost instantaneous transition from a dense cloud of mental and spiritual darkness into a refulgence of light and knowledge, that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and of the restoration of the Holy Priesthood, and the fulness of the Gospel. It was a complete baptism. (Ibid)

And so President Snow described his own experience of feeling the Holy Ghost for the first time. The specific responsibility of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth, all truth. And as Lorenzo Snow reluctantly knelt to pray, the heavens opened and truth was testified of in a tangible and sweeping manner.

Sometimes, when we expect the burning bush or the parting of the Red Sea in order for God to prove himself we shall receive nothing. For they who seek signs have no real testimony of God or understanding of His mission and purpose in the eternities. But . . . there is one manifestation of the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, which is almost felt each time we seek acknowledgment of truth. For me, it is a warmth and surety which sweeps over my body and my brain's acceptance of truth as it is testified to me without conscious thought. Meaning, I don't say to myself:

"Okay, I'm ready. Hit me."

My spirit hears the testimony of the Holy Ghost and consciously recognizes that spiritual transaction of knowledge with sure realization of truth.

As the prophet Moroni promised in the last chapter he wrote before burying the plates and fleeing his enemies:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:3-5)

At all times and in all things the Holy Ghost will testify of truth. After baptism, performed by one in authority, the gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed upon you. At this time you make a choice, will you live your life in such a way that you may have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, live up to the covenants you've made with Christ and begin your first steps on that journey to our heavenly home, or revert to your old ways turning from all you've just been given.

The Holy Ghost will be your companion and comforter, as described by Jesus Christ, guiding you through this treacherous journey we call mortality. You may not received a sudden and magnificent manifestation of his presence, but if you pray and listen quietly, asking for clarification or testimony of a truth, you will feel him as he testifies to you.

It is a precious, precious gift the Lord left with the early saints when He ascended to heaven. President Joseph F. Smith said of his own experience:

. . . the influence and power of the Holy Spirit that I experienced when I had been baptized for the remission of my sins. The feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned-and surely I was not without sin-that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched, and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as though I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. (Joseph F. Smith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Conference Report, April 1898 66)

And so it is, the Holy Ghost, the third member of the godhead, testifies of truth . . . even to the recognition of the purity of our spirits living in this physical reality. He is a gift from God, a compass as it were, that we may be carefully guided on our journey home.

Emma Smith: Wife, Mother, Helpmeet - Part 1

Joseph Smith and Emma Hale met while Joseph was rooming with his employer, who was an acquaintance of Emma's parents. During the two years Joseph lived there, he asked for Emma's hand in marriage more than once before they finally eloped on January 18, 1827. She was disowned by her family, her father saying to Joseph,

“You have stolen my daughter. I would have rather had followed her to the grave.” (Gracia Jones, Emma and Joseph, Covenant Communications, American Fork, 1999 50)

Known to have a quick wit, sense of humor, a deep compassion for her fellowman, loyalty to her husband, family and God, a fierce sense of temerity and determination, cheerful and hard-working, Emma was aptly suited to be the wife, sweetheart and helpmeet of the Prophet of the Restoration.

On September 22, 1827, Emma accompanied Joseph to the Hill Cumorah where the precious gold plates the Angel Moroni had told Joseph about were given into his care. From that day forward life took on a dangerous and desperate bent, at times, while Joseph and Emma tried to protect and preserve the ancient record given to Joseph for translation.

Deeply in love with one another they tried to form a life together despite the constant persecution. A teacher and scriptorian, Emma served, until she became pregnant and too sick to do so, as a scribe for her husband in the translation of the Book of Mormon. At one point, when Joseph was in the process of translating, he paused and then asked,

"Emma? Did Jerusalem have walls around the city?" When she answered in the affirmative, he replied, "Oh, I thought I was mistaken. (Ibid)

To me this indicates such trust in her; Joseph loved, honored and admired her tremendously. Martin Harris, one of the eventual three witnesses, became the replacement scribe for Emma.

While Emma lay sick, both physically and at heart, after the birth and death of her first son, Joseph cared tenderly for her while grieving the loss of his child at the same time. Coming to the surface after a few weeks, he noticed Martin Harris had not returned with the 116 pages of translated manuscript he'd taken to show his bitter and angry wife. As soon as Emma was well enough, he left for Martin’s home in New York to retrieve the pages.

This was the beginning of a pattern that continued throughout their entire marriage. While Joseph tended to the details of restoring the kingdom of God upon the earth, no small task, Emma was left to keep the home fires burning, doing her part, as well as Joseph’s.

Of the gold plates, eventually translated and published as the Book of Mormon, Emma said:

“The Plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth which I had given him to fold them in. I once felt the plates as they thus lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the pages of a book.” (Gracia Jones, Emma and Joseph, Covenant Communications, American Fork, 1999 37)

This shows the integrity of the woman who was a helpmeet and companion to the prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith, Jr. She was commanded to not look at the plates, and she did not. Together, Joseph and Emma fought all who came against them, pushed forward with the work of the Lord and loved each other through it all.

I travel across America speaking on a variety of topics, some religious, some not. But this year, I've been scheduled to speak about Joseph Smith and his beloved wife, Emma to several wards in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to as Mormons. Last night was one of those nights.

I am almost 45 years old. For the first 42 years of my life I'd been taught many negative things about Emma Smith. Not by my mother, and I cannot identify who taught this to me, but I know that throughout the years I developed a very negative attitude toward her. As I began an indepth study of her life I came to the realization that she was a horribly misunderstood woman. It wasn't long before I was on my knees to my Heavenly Father begging forgiveness for my attitude and asking that He pass on my most profuse and abject apologies to Emma. It is my hope that she has forgiven me.

In D&C 25: 2-3 we read,

A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.

Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

The Lord Himself described her as an elect lady, and indeed she was.

Joseph called her "My beloved Emma—she that was my wife, even the wife of my youth, and the choice of my heart." (History of the Church, 5:107)

There is no question in my heart and mind that the Lord would not have chosen a lackluster woman to be the helpmeet of the Prophet of the Restoration. The Lord chose a woman of equal stature in life, heart, mind and spirituality to walk this mortal path with His chosen prophet.

Born July 10th of 1804, Emma Hale grew up in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Somewhat of a tomboy, she enjoyed canoing on the Susquehanna River amongst other activities common to children at the turn of the 19th century:

“Emma was well educated for a girl of her day, and was also a skilled horsewoman. She was well accomplished in the arts of spinning, weaving and sewing. She was fond of her brothers and sisters, throughout her tempestuous life she tried to maintain contact with them. She and her father had enjoyed an especially close bond since she was a little girl. According to Michael Bartlett Morse, husband to Emma’s sister, Tryal, Isaac overhead six-year-old Emma praying for him and was moved by her childish faith, that he forsook deism and embraced Christianity.” (Anderson, Ancestry and Posterity of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale, pp. 300-304)

Even at the early age of six, Emma knew that salvation could be found in the following the path of Jesus Christ, not the path of deism or atheism. By the time she met Joseph she was a knowledgeable student of the scriptures who could read and write, not a common accomplishment of women in her day. She was skilled in all the arts of cooking, cleaning, weaving, sewing, gardening and more. She had a cheerful and helpful disposition and was the apple of her father's eye. The day Joseph met her was the day her life took a turn toward mortal horror and eternal salvation.

She was true to her prophet-husband until the day she died, which is not common knowledge amongst Mormons. Yes, after Joseph's assassination, she did eventually marry another man. But she loved Joseph until she died and was anxious to be reunited with him.

President Thomas S. Monson, the sixteenth called prophet in these modern times, teaches the children of God through stories. With an unfailing gentle voice, sweet and tender spirit, a godlike love for each of our Father in Heaven's children, he teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ through story.

In teaching of the hope that Jesus Christ represents to mankind, he shared this story:

First, may I tell you about Arthur. He had blond, curly hair and a smile as big as all outdoors. He stood taller than any boy in the class. I suppose this is how, in 1940, as the great conflict which became World War II was overtaking much of Europe, Arthur was able to fool the recruiting officers and enlist in the navy at the tender age of 15. To Arthur and most of the boys, the war was a great adventure. I remember how striking he appeared in his navy uniform. How we wished we were older or at least taller so we too could enlist.

Youth is a very special time of life. As Longfellow wrote:

How beautiful is youth! how bright it gleams
With its illusions, aspirations, dreams!
Book of Beginnings, Story without End,
Each maid a heroine, and each man a friend!2

Arthur’s mother was so proud of the blue star which graced her living room window. It represented to every passerby that her son wore the uniform of his country and was actively serving. When I would pass the house, she often opened the door and invited me in to read the latest letter from Arthur. Her eyes would fill with tears; I would then be asked to read aloud. Arthur meant everything to his widowed mother.

I can still picture Mrs. Patton’s coarse hands as she would carefully replace the letter in its envelope. These were hardworking hands; Mrs. Patton was a cleaning woman for a downtown office building. Each day of her life except Sundays she could be seen walking along the sidewalk, pail and brush in hand, her gray hair pulled back into a tight bob, her shoulders weary from work and stooped with age.

In March 1944, with the war now raging, Arthur was transferred from the USS Dorsey, a destroyer, to the USS White Plains, an aircraft carrier. While at Saipan in the South Pacific, the ship was attacked. Arthur was one of those on board who was lost at sea.

The blue star was taken from its hallowed spot in the front window of the Patton home. It was replaced by one of gold, indicating that he whom the blue star represented had been killed in battle. A light went out in the life of Mrs. Patton. She groped in utter darkness and deep despair.

With a prayer in my heart, I approached the familiar walkway to the Patton home, wondering what words of comfort could come from the lips of a mere boy.

The door opened, and Mrs. Patton embraced me as she would her own son. Home became a chapel as a grief-stricken mother and a less-than-adequate boy knelt in prayer.

Arising from our knees, Mrs. Patton gazed into my eyes and spoke: “Tommy, I belong to no church, but you do. Tell me, will Arthur live again?” To the best of my ability, I testified to her that Arthur would indeed live again.

In general conference those long years ago, as I related this account, I mentioned that I had lost track of Mrs. Patton but that I wanted to once more answer her question “Will Arthur live again?”

I referred to the Savior of the world, who walked the dusty paths of villages we now reverently call the Holy Land; who caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the dead to live; to Him who tenderly and lovingly assured us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”3

I explained that the plan of life and an explanation of its eternal course come to us from the Master of heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ the Lord. To understand the meaning of death, we must appreciate the purpose of life.

explained that the plan of life and an explanation of its eternal course come to us from the Master of heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ the Lord. To understand the meaning of death, we must appreciate the purpose of life.

I indicated that in this dispensation, the Lord declared: “And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn.”4 “Man was also in the beginning with God.”(Thomas S. Monson, “Mrs. Patton—the Story Continues,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 21–24)

President Monson went on to talk about the continuity of life and the eternities. He taught of premortality and what we did there. He spoke of this life and what awaits those who pass through the veil separating this world from the heavens.

When Jesus Christ entered the Garden of Gethsemane that fateful night 1,975 years ago, He did so with the intention of paying the ransom for the souls of mankind, every single one of His children.

He accomplished that very thing upon completing His mission. Hope was restored and the eternities were open to man once again because of His incredibly loving act of sacrifice. Death was forever crushed in the grave and the resurrection of man began when the Savior rolled forth the stone of His tomb and stepped into the sunshine.

Life does not end with death. It is merely, as my father liked to put it, our graduation. When he died, one year ago, he was so anxious to get on with finishing his mission of spreading the Gospel on the other side of the veil. He hated to leave my mother, the cancer left him no choice. I miss my father, but there is no question that he lives and will do so throughout the eternities.

So, as President Monson said, "Yes, Mrs. Patton. Arthur lives." To each of you I repeat the same to those who have lost loved ones due to illness, senseless crime, accident, old age, whatever the case may be . . . your loved one lives.

I encourage all of you to click on the link to President Monson's talk and read it in its entirety. He answers so many questions which plague the minds and hearts of those who have had to say goodbye: Yes Mrs. Patton - The Story Continues.

In 1996 President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth called prophet in these modern times, sat down with reporter, Mike Wallace in an unprecedented interview. They discussed a variety of topics, but in particular, Mr. Wallace asked about the state of the nation.

Mike Wallace: “Since World War II, we seem to be splintering; we seem to be becoming more selfish, more self-absorbed, less community minded. Families don’t seem to mean so much, and morality has gone to hell [his expression] in a handbasket. Why?”

Gordon B. Hinckley: “The basic failure is in our homes. Parents haven’t measured up to their responsibilities. It is evident. A nation will rise no higher than the strength of its homes. If you want to reform a nation, you begin with families, with parents who teach their children principles and values that are positive and affirmative and will lead them to worthwhile endeavors. That is the basic failure that has taken place in America. And we are making a tremendous effort to bring about greater solidarity in families. Parents have no greater responsibility in this world than the bringing up of their children in the right way, and they will have no greater satisfaction as the years pass than to see those children grow in integrity and honesty and make something of their lives. …” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “This Thing Was Not Done in a Corner,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 48)

President Hinckley addressed a critical problem we face in America, and really across the world, today. Society is falling apart. Now, at this time, President Hinckley didn't go into much more detail, but in a previous talk to the general membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormons, he gave specific instructions on how to turn society around within a generation or two.

Four simple things, which I believe bear repeating:

Let parents and children (1) teach and learn goodness together, (2) work together, (3) read good books together, and (4) pray together." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Four Simple Things to Help Our Families and Our Nations,” Liahona, Jun 1996, 3)

For too long God has been pushed out of American families, society and government. And yet, Patrick Henry, one of America's fiercest patriots in our battle for freedom from Great Britain, said:

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” (Patrick Henry as quoted by Robert W. Pelton, America: A Christian Nation? Here Are The Facts, 2008)

George Washington said,

"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." He also said, ""Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

A prophet of God has told us that if we pray as a family, along with the other three things, we can turn society around. So Mr. Wallace, there is the full and complete answer to your question.

Prayer is one of the most beautiful gifts our Father in Heaven has given us. Through this medium we are allowed to petition the God of the Universe at any time, day or night, 365 days a year. He is never too tired, frustrated or busy to listen to us pour out all the confusion, pain, frustration, even the joy, love and happiness our mortal hearts can hold. If we ask, He will guide us, protect us (unless it's our time to go or we have something to learn) and inspire us. I thank Him, most profusely, for this beautiful gift.

A family that kneels in sincere and heartfelt prayer, morning and night, will be a family more cemented together with eternal bonds. Oh yes, trouble will creep in, but prayer is a protection unlike most.

So this nation, crumbling at the seams, turn to God and remember He who gave you life awaits your call.