The Eternal Blessings of Marriage

Here is a favorite of mine on the topic of marriage. I have highlighted the parts I found most insightful.

The Eternal Blessings of Marriage
Richard G. Scott
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment.

That beautiful message by this magnificent choir describes, I think, the pattern of life for so many of us: “trying to be like Jesus.”

On July 16, 1953, my beloved Jeanene and I knelt as a young couple at an altar in the Manti Utah Temple. President Lewis R. Anderson exercised the sealing authority and pronounced us husband and wife, wedded for time and for all eternity. I have no power to describe the peace and serenity that come from the assurance that as I continue to live worthily, I will be able to be with my beloved Jeanene and our children forever because of that sacred ordinance performed with the proper priesthood authority in the house of the Lord.

Our seven children are bound to us by the sacred ordinances of the temple. My precious wife, Jeanene, and two of our children are beyond the veil. They provide a powerful motivation for each remaining member of our family to live so that together we will receive all of the eternal blessings promised in the temple.

Two of the vital pillars that sustain Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness are marriage and the family. Their lofty significance is underscored by Satan’s relentless efforts to splinter the family and to undermine the significance of temple ordinances, which bind the family together for eternity. The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment in mortality.

Once I learned an important lesson from my wife. I traveled extensively in my profession. I had been gone almost two weeks and returned home one Saturday morning. I had four hours before I needed to attend another meeting. I noticed that our little washing machine had broken down and my wife was washing the clothes by hand. I began to fix the machine.

Jeanene came by and said, “Rich, what are you doing?”

I said, “I’m repairing the washing machine so you don’t have to do this by hand.”

She said, “No. Go play with the children.”

I said, “I can play with the children anytime. I want to help you.”

Then she said, “Richard, please go play with the children.”

When she spoke to me that authoritatively, I obeyed.

I had a marvelous time with our children. We chased each other around and rolled in the fall leaves. Later I went to my meeting. I probably would have forgotten that experience were it not for the lesson that she wanted me to learn.

The next morning about 4:00 a.m., I was awakened as I felt two little arms around my neck, a kiss on the cheek, and these words whispered in my ear, which I will never forget: “Dad, I love you. You are my best friend.”

If you are having that kind of experience in your family, you are having one of the supernal joys of life.

If you are a young man of appropriate age and are not married, don’t waste time in idle pursuits. Get on with life and focus on getting married. Don’t just coast through this period of life. Young men, serve a worthy mission. Then make your highest priority finding a worthy, eternal companion. When you find you are developing an interest in a young woman, show her that you are an exceptional person that she would find interesting to know better. Take her to places that are worthwhile. Show some ingenuity. If you want to have a wonderful wife, you need to have her see you as a wonderful man and prospective husband.

If you have found someone, you can form an extraordinarily wonderful courtship and marriage and be very, very happy eternally by staying within the bounds of worthiness the Lord has established.

If you are married, are you faithful to your spouse mentally as well as physically? Are you loyal to your marriage covenants by never engaging in conversation with another person that you wouldn’t want your spouse to overhear? Are you kind and supportive of your spouse and children?

Brethren, do you lead out in family activities such as scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening, or does your wife fill in the gap your lack of attention leaves in the home? Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, “Oh, she knows.” You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her.

I learned from my wife the importance of expressions of love. Early in our marriage, often I would open my scriptures to give a message in a meeting, and I would find an affectionate, supportive note Jeanene had slipped into the pages. Sometimes they were so tender that I could hardly talk. Those precious notes from a loving wife were and continue to be a priceless treasure of comfort and inspiration.

I began to do the same thing with her, not realizing how much it truly meant to her. I remember one year we didn’t have the resources for me to give her a valentine, so I decided to paint a watercolor on the front of the refrigerator. I did the best I could; only I made one mistake. It was enamel paint, not watercolor. She never let me try to remove that permanent paint from the refrigerator.

I remember one day I took some of those little round paper circles that form when you punch holes in paper, and I wrote on them the numbers 1 to 100. I turned each over and wrote her a message, one word on each circle. Then I scooped them up and put them in an envelope. I thought she would get a good laugh.

When she passed away, I found in her private things how much she appreciated the simple messages that we shared with each other. I noted that she had carefully pasted every one of those circles on a piece of paper. She not only kept my notes to her, but she protected them with plastic coverings as if they were a valuable treasure. There is only one that she didn’t put with the others. It is still behind the glass in our kitchen clock. It reads, “Jeanene, it is time to tell you I love you.” It remains there and reminds me of that exceptional daughter of Father in Heaven.

As I have thought back over our life together, I realize how blessed we’ve been. We have not had arguments in our home or unkind words between us. Now I realize that blessing came because of her. It resulted from her willingness to give, to share, and to never think of herself. In our later life together, I tried to emulate her example. I suggest that as husband and wife you do the same in your home.

Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage. It is the primary cause of contented, well-developed children. Who can justly measure the righteous influence of a mother’s love? What enduring fruits result from the seeds of truth that a mother carefully plants and lovingly cultivates in the fertile soil of a child’s trusting mind and heart? As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower.

It is so rewarding to be married. Marriage is wonderful. In time you begin to think alike and have the same ideas and impressions. You have times when you are extremely happy, times of testing, and times of trial, but the Lord guides you through all of those growth experiences together.

One night our little son Richard, who had a heart problem, awoke crying. The two of us heard it. Normally my wife always got up to take care of a crying baby, but this time I said, “I’ll take care of him.”

Because of his problem, when he began to cry, his little heart would pound very rapidly. He would throw up and soil the bed clothing. That night I held him very close to try to calm his racing heart and stop his crying as I changed his clothes and put on new bedsheets. I held him until he went to sleep. I didn’t know then that just a few months later he would pass away. I will always remember holding him in my arms in the middle of that night.

I remember well the day he passed away. As Jeanene and I drove from the hospital, we pulled over to the side of the road. I held her in my arms. Each of us cried some, but we realized that we would have him beyond the veil because of the covenants we had made in the temple. That made his loss somewhat easier to accept.

Jeanene’s kindness taught me so many valuable things. I was so immature, and she was so disciplined and so spiritual. Marriage provides an ideal setting for overcoming any tendency to be selfish or self-centered. I think one of the reasons that we are counseled to get married early in life is to avoid developing inappropriate character traits that are hard to change.

I feel sorry for any man who hasn’t yet made the choice to seek an eternal companion, and my heart weeps for the sisters who haven’t had the opportunity to marry. Some of you may feel lonely and unappreciated and cannot see how it will be possible for you to have the blessings of marriage and children or your own family. All things are possible to the Lord, and He keeps the promises He inspires His prophets to declare. Eternity is a long time. Have faith in those promises and live to be worthy of them so that in His time the Lord can make them come true in your life. With certainty, you will receive every promised blessing for which you are worthy.

Please pardon me for speaking of my precious wife, Jeanene, but we are an eternal family. She was always joyously happy, and much of it came from service to others. Even while very ill, in her morning prayer she would ask her Father in Heaven to lead her to someone she could help. That sincere supplication was answered time and again. The burdens of many were eased; their lives were brightened. She was blessed continually for being an instrument directed by the Lord.

I know what it is to love a daughter of Father in Heaven who with grace and devotion lived the full feminine splendor of her righteous womanhood. I am confident that when, in our future, I see her again beyond the veil, we will recognize that we have become even more deeply in love. We will appreciate each other even more, having spent this time separated by the veil. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Marriage

I have been helping a number of couples with marriage difficulties recently. I thought I would add several posts on the topic of marriage. Here are a few general items I have found helpful. First a few videos.




 Next, the Proclamation to the world on the family.

Enemies of Righteousness

The following is a great article on how Satan tries to win us over to his side. I have bolded the parts I found interesting. Hope this is helpful.

The Book of Mormon identifies latter-day forces that oppose the Lord.
Several years ago in a professional football play-off game, the team that was expected to lose intercepted two passes and ran them back for touchdowns. After the upset victory, the press reported that an assistant coach, with the aid of binoculars, had decoded the signals being sent to the quarterback. With a walkie-talkie, he had radioed the codes to the defensive backfield coach, who had then informed his players.

Obviously, being able to recognize their adversary’s strategy gave that team an advantage.

Our war with the enemy of righteousness presents us with many challenges, and in order to defend ourselves, we need to understand how Satan and his servants will attack us. It is comforting to know that the Lord has not left us without the information we need. Much of it is found in the Book of Mormon.

Through the Book of Mormon, Heavenly Father opens to his children the unholy playbook of his enemies. Speaking about the Book of Mormon, Elder Ezra Taft Benson said: “Is the Book of Mormon true?—yes. Who is it for?—us. What is its purpose?—to bring men to Christ. How does it do this?—by testifying of Christ and revealing his enemies.” (Ensign, May 1975, p. 65; italics added.)

In particular, 2 Nephi 28 prophetically reveals important truths concerning several of the chief enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Saints, particularly the Saints of the latter days. The enemies it identifies are false doctrines (called the precepts of men), false teachers, pride, apathy, and Satan himself. [2 Ne. 28]

False Doctrines—the Precepts of Men
The first enemy of Christ that Nephi reveals is false, vain, and foolish doctrines taught by churches that are “built up,” but “not unto the Lord.” (2 Ne. 28:3, 9.) Verse 3 of 2 Nephi 28 describes the religious contention in these latter days, and verse 4 prophesies that latter-day churches “shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.” (2 Ne. 28:3–4.) Because the learning of men would supplant the spirit of revelation as the basis of determining truth, contests of opinions and contention among the clergy would characterize these churches. (See JS—H 1:6.)

In verses 5 and 6 of 2 Nephi 28, Nephi identifies several false precepts that would be taught in the latter days. Churches would deny the power of God, saying, “There is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men.” They would claim that he is not a God of miracles. [2 Ne. 28:5–6]

In each case, these precepts specify what God cannot do. The phrase repeated in both verses is “[the Redeemer] hath done his work”—which directly attacks the doctrines of revelation and restoration. If there were no miracles, for example, there would be no first vision of Joseph Smith. If there were no power of God, the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods would not be restored.

The phrase is remarkably similar to words used by a minister when Joseph Smith told him about his vision in the Sacred Grove. Joseph wrote: “I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.” (JS—H 1:21; italics added.)

In verses 7 and 8 of 2 Nephi 28, Nephi expresses two anti-Christ philosophies. One is a modification of the other; both offer systems of salvation contrary to God’s revealed word.

The first is described in verse 7: “There shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.” The emphasis is both humanistic and hedonistic. According to this philosophy, individuals may freely gratify their own carnal desires, set their own standards of morality, live for the pleasure of the moment, and do so without guilt, as if death brings no accounting of one’s life. [2 Ne. 28:7–8]

This evil idea, taught by noted anti-Christs like Nehor and Korihor, totally denies the justice of God. For example, Nehor taught that “all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.” (Alma 1:4.)

False teachers today echo Nehor’s words in ways that destroy souls. One philosophy commonly espoused is that extramarital affairs are acceptable. For example, a recent news article reported the work of one counselor who conducts workshops “for married women who are having, or thinking of having, extramarital affairs. … Workshop participants are given practical advice such as remembering to cover absences with excuses a husband cannot check, and to resist the temptation to confess. … The workshops stress enjoyment without guilt,” the article said. (“She Teaches Women How to Cheat,” Honolulu Star Bulletin, 2 Nov. 1983, p. 4.)

Instead of teaching people to remove feelings of guilt through contrition and repentance, some modern teachers seek to strip God’s children of his gift of conscience by teaching them to lower their moral standards and searing their consciences. In such ways, some modern teachers seek to overturn gospel values with their false ones.

Eating, drinking, and being merry are not synonymous with happiness. They never have been. Samuel the Lamanite told the Nephites, “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Hel. 13:38.)

In verse 8 of 2 Nephi 28, Nephi refers to a variation of the false teaching in verse 7: “There shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.” [2 Ne. 28:7–8]

This doctrine still circumvents full repentance. Alma’s youngest son, Corianton, struggled with this philosophy—he thought it injustice to consign a sinner to a state of misery. (See Alma 42:1.) Alma’s answer in Alma 42 describes the true relationship between God’s mercy and justice. Mercy cannot rob justice, but through the atonement of Jesus Christ, mercy can appease justice if one repents.

A key point in 2 Nephi 28:8 is the phrase “there is no harm in this.” This devilish whisper invites good men and women to be selectively obedient. Such a whisper suggests that some sins are little and that these “little” sins may be excused because they are not harmful. [2 Ne. 28:7–8]

Nephi calls these two philosophies vain doctrines. Perhaps the vanity of the doctrines lies in their self-centeredness. The lie, the digging of the pit, the taking advantage of a neighbor elevate one person at the expense of another. The “live for today” philosophy goes hand-in-hand with the “me first” attitude so prevalent in our society.

False Teachers
Nephi next attacks the teachers of these false doctrines. He begins in verse 9 by exposing some of their characteristics, activities, and motivations: “There shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.”

These teachers are the opposite extreme of the humble teachers of righteousness. They seek to counteract or undo the worthy work of their righteous predecessors and contemporaries. Nephi wrote: “The blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against them.” (2 Ne. 28:10.)

In Mormon 8, Moroni describes false teachers in a manner similar to Nephi’s. The false teachers the two saw in vision would have stiff necks and high heads (see 2 Ne. 28:14) and would love money and their substance more than the poor (see Morm. 8:37.) In their quest for praise and gain, they would rob the poor and persecute the meek through priestcraft, requiring their followers to build extravagant sanctuaries and to supply them with costly apparel. (See 2 Ne. 28:13; Morm. 8:33–38.)

The deceiver and the deceived would create a situation like that of the Nephites prior to the birth of Christ. Samuel said to the inhabitants of Zarahemla: “If a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet. …

“But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: … Do whatsoever your heart desireth … , ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.

“Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; … ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.” (Hel. 13:26–28.)

Nehor was quite adept at using this type of easy preachment. His formula for success as a teacher was to soothe the consciences of the congregation. Popularity and praise would inevitably follow. (See Alma 1:2–16.) This is typical of priestcraft.

Pride
Recently, President Benson taught the Church about the dire consequences of pride. He said, “Pride is the universal sin, the great vice.” It is the foundation sin that spawns all of these false teachings and teachers. Pride is the enemy of Christ that laid claim to victory over the entire Nephite civilization. (See Ensign, May 1989, pp. 4–6.)

Nephi, too, saw the powerful effects of pride in the latter days. He identified four results of pride: corrupt churches, persecution of the meek and the poor in heart, wickedness—particularly whoredoms—and apostasy. (2 Ne. 28:12–14.)

Pride seems to be the first step to sin and wickedness. Boasting leads to envy and strife, then to malice and persecution, and then, if unchecked, to murder and “all manner of iniquities.” (See Hel. 13:22.)

Latter-day Saints who pay attention to Nephi’s words can identify those beset by pride: they deride the Church’s standards, denounce its doctrines, teach an easy road or multidirectional highway to heaven, or promote a hedonistic life-style. Church members must constantly guard themselves against seeking praise, power, or wealth. As Nephi told us, “They have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ.” (2 Ne. 28:14.)

Apathy
In 2 Nephi 28:21, Nephi identifies another enemy within the Church—apathy. He writes, “Others will [Satan] pacify.” Many parents express gratitude for the invention of the pacifier. Put one in a baby’s mouth, and the baby begins to suck contentedly and may eventually fall asleep. Disciples of Christ can also relax in their discipleship to the point where they fall asleep spiritually. Satan lulls them into saying, “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well.” [2 Ne. 28:21]

When people become too secure in their righteousness, their lengthened strides can quickly turn into lethargic plods. As the man of the house does in the parable, they “fall asleep,” and their property (in this case, their souls) are open for the thief to come in and plunder. (See Matt. 24:43.)

How is it that some who dwell in Zion can say, “All is well”? Perhaps their condition gives them leisure to consider, then to tolerate worldly measures more and more. After a while, their reactions against temptation weaken, and things that would have shocked them a few years before now seem tolerable, perhaps even desirable. Lulled into a false sense of security, they are led down to hell.

Another approach Satan uses to encourage spiritual apathy is convincing people that “there is no hell,” and “I am no devil, for there is none.” (2 Ne. 28:22.) By such reasoning, evil and moral truth become relative. God is dethroned, and man becomes his own measure of right and wrong. Hence, there is no need to worry about obtaining eternal life; it is either guaranteed or doesn’t exist. Or so Satan would have the spiritually somnolent believe.

In 1929, a survey asked five hundred ministers and five hundred theological students two questions: “Do you believe that hell exists as an actual place or location?” and “Do you believe that the devil exists as an actual being?” Concerning the existence of hell, 53 percent of the ministers said yes, 34 percent said no, and 13 percent were uncertain. Only 11 percent of the theological students said yes, 76 percent said no, and 13 percent were uncertain. Regarding the devil’s existence, 60 percent of the ministers said yes, 33 percent said no, and 7 percent were uncertain. However, a mere 9 percent of the theological students said yes, while 82 percent said no and 9 percent were uncertain. (Leo Rosten, ed., A Guide to the Religion of America, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1955, p. 237.)

These statistics demonstrate how successfully Satan espouses doctrine the Book of Mormon reveals to be evil and dangerous.

Satan, the Chief Enemy of Christ
The Book of Mormon is a witness of the reality of the enemy of all righteousness—Satan, who desires “that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.) In 2 Nephi 28:19–23, Nephi focuses on the tactics of the arch-enemy. A look at some of the key verbs in this passage can help us understand how Satan operates: he grasps, he rages, he stirs up, he pacifies, he lulls, he cheats, he flatters, he lies. In short, Satan customizes his attacks to prey on the susceptibility of his targets. He moves carefully, painstakingly, subtly binding men and women with one strand of sin at a time. Knowing that only a few would follow him if his true identity and design were manifested, he draws people into falsely concluding that they are winning, when, in fact, they are losing—slowly being destroyed.

He rages in the hearts of some individuals and stirs them up “to anger against that which is good.” ((2 Ne. 28:20.) This anger blinds their eyes and closes their hearts. It probably does not matter to Satan if people denounce him and proclaim the gospel of Christ—so long as they are blindly riveted to false doctrine and the traditions of men. In verse 16 (and reechoed in verse 28), Nephi writes: “Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that is of no worth! … And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God!” [2 Ne. 28:19–23]

Such is the danger of anger that Nephi devotes the next chapter entirely to one particular good thing that people would become angry at—the Book of Mormon itself. He prophesied that a great many would reject and revile the Book of Mormon, saying, “A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.” (2 Ne. 29:3.)

It would be extremely challenging for a writer to be able to describe, for a people two thousand years in the future, their objections to his work and then counter those objections even before they are raised. But Nephi did all that so well that missionaries use his words to answer the very objections he foresaw would be raised.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: “There are … millions of sincere and devout persons who disbelieve, oppose, and openly fight the Book of Mormon. … What is it about some words on a printed page—all of which are clean and uplifting and pertain to historical and doctrinal matters—that arouses such violent antagonism?

“Men ordinarily do not rise up to fight the Bible; they do not organize mobs and incite them to shed the blood of others because such persons believe in the scripture of the Old World. … The violent opposition to the Book of Mormon is one of the great evidences of its divinity. If it were not of God, Lucifer would not overly concern himself with it.” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985, pp. 59–60, 462.)

Warnings from God
Along with Nephi’s assessment of the enemies of Christ, 2 Nephi 28 gives his warnings to false teachers (2 Ne. 28:15–16), to disciples who are at ease in Zion (2 Ne. 28:24–25), to those who hearken to men’s precepts (2 Ne. 28:26), to those who are angry because of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon (2 Ne. 28:27, 29), to those who trust in the arm of flesh (2 Ne. 28:31), and to the Gentiles who reject God (2 Ne. 28:32).

Nephi begins chapter 28 with a statement that he had written as the Spirit constrained him. [2 Ne. 28:1] He bears his testimony of the truth of his words and declares that he knows the worth of the Book of Mormon record. Indeed, he did know and understand the need for the record. This we can do likewise in answering our critics and extending the gospel to the world. An experience I recorded in my journal shows how a Latter-day Saint can apply these principles:

“It was a typical day in Hawaii. Between waves I made friends with another surfer. He would catch a wave, and then it would be my turn. Paddling back after a ride, he asked me where I worked. I told him BYU—Hawaii. His countenance changed, and his response was, ‘So you’re a Mormon, huh?’

“I could read anti-Mormon literature all over his face. I said, ‘You don’t believe everything you read, do you?’

“Our exchanges between waves stopped until he said, ‘You’re the guys that add to the Bible.’

“I responded, ‘I think you’re referring to our belief in the Book of Mormon.’

“He replied, ‘That’s weird stuff—you can’t add to God’s word.’

“After a while, I asked him if he believed that God loved everybody. He said yes. I then asked what made up the Bible. We agreed that the Bible was the word of God given to prophets. My next question was ‘If God had another group of people who lived in another area of the world unknown to the people of the Bible lands, could God, because of his love for them, speak to them also?’

“‘I guess so,’ he said.

“‘That’s exactly what the Book of Mormon is! It’s God’s word through prophets who lived on the American continent.’

“Before departing, I told him that I knew that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that salvation comes through no other name, that He died on the cross, was resurrected, and lives today, and that one day we will all stand before him and be judged according to our works. That startled him. In the literature he had read, Mormons supposedly don’t say things like that. We departed as friends with a greater respect for each other.”

The Book of Mormon may be maligned at times, but it is God’s word. Its teachings will help us counteract the ploys of Satan and further our preparations for the Savior’s second coming.


Dennis L. Largey, an assistant professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, serves as a Cubmaster and a Sunday School teacher in the Lindon Sixth Ward, Lindon Utah Stake.

All That Glitters Isn't Celestial

The following is a great talk on riches, greed, pride, and seeking power. It offers some tips on overcoming these challenges and doing good with the wealth we do receive. It offers some suggestions on how to keep focused on what is important.

All That Glitters Isn’t Celestial

BY QUINN G. MCKAY

John, in his early twenties, was considering his goals in life.

“First of all,” he mused, “I plan to be a financial success and make a fortune by the time I am thirty-two years old. Then I will be economically free to serve the Lord on a mission, as a bishop, or in whatever capacity he may want me.”

Surely these are lofty goals. John is not only intent on achieving financial independence, but apparently he wants to use that independence to devote himself to the Lord’s service. Lofty goals indeed. But is John planning to achieve his goals the way the Savior would have him achieve them?

To his disciples, Jesus taught: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt. …

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. …

“No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt. 6:19–24.)

James put it another way. “Pure religion” he said, is to keep oneself “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)

Is the acquisition of wealth therefore evil? Not necessarily. As Jacob pointed out, we may seek for riches after we “have obtained a hope in Christ” if we seek them “for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and afflicted.” (Jacob 2:18–19.)

Seeking the kingdom of God, then, must always be the major focus of any activity we undertake if we are to live righteously and enjoy the “riches of eternity.” (See D&C 68:31.)

One of the highest rungs on the ladder to living righteously is “loving our neighbor as ourself.” That is, we must be as concerned about others’ well-being as our own. By contrast, the worldly primarily seek riches, power, position, and recognition. Their motivation for seeking wealth usually lies in the desire to enjoy the good life—fast cars, big houses, expensive clothes, and luxurious travel. Their charitable contributions are made only after these primary goals are achieved; and even their charity is often clouded by ulterior motives—the need to save taxes or gain further power and prestige.

Worldly success—almost always measured in terms of financial success—is sometimes justified by such statements as: “But look how much good his money does. Does it matter if his motivation is wrong?”

The answer, of course, is yes, it does matter. One of the reasons the world’s preoccupation with financial success fails is that it tends to breed selfishness. First and foremost is the desire to get what I want—cars, houses, swimming pools, jewelry, and so on. These efforts to gain “the good life” for “me and mine” may lead one to think, “I worked hard for this; I deserve it. If others were more ambitious, they could have it too” (implying the poor are such because they are unwilling to work). This attitude leaves one reluctant to go without so another with less might have. It dulls the spirit of sacrifice and feeds a spirit of avarice, self-aggrandizement, and pride.

Does Alma’s description of the Church in his day apply to 1987? “The people of the church,” he wrote, “began to wax proud because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, … and their gold and silver.” They began “to set their hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world,” so much so that there was “great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs on the needy and the naked.” (Alma 4:6, 8, 12.)

In another scenario, recorded in Helaman 6:39, those heady with power and position “turn their backs upon the poor and the meek.” [Hel. 6:39] It seems to be a fact of human nature that those engaged in pursuing “the good life” also spend much energy, time, and money seeking association with the wealthy, powerful, and famous. They live where there are no poor, socialize in private clubs where there are no poor, travel first class, and otherwise isolate themselves from regular exposure to the needy except for occasional giving on the street or to the seasonal charities. Such benign neglect can often be as devastating as a deliberate reviling of the poor. This is in contrast to Him whom we claim to follow, who deliberately lived with and, for the most part, regularly sought out the poor and needy.

For many, even those who have started out with good intentions, the earnest pursuit of riches too easily gives way to greed. This phenomenon is known as the Frog Principle. It is said that if a frog were dropped into a pan of boiling water it would immediately jump out to save its life. However, if that same frog were placed in a pan of cold water and the heat was gradually turned up, the amphibian would stay put until cooked.

When pursuing wealth for the wrong reasons, it is very easy for the Frog Principle to take over. The process of accumulating a large enough bank account to acquire that “nice car” whets the appetite for a fur coat, then jewelry to go with the fur coat, then a better house to go with the car, then better furniture to go with the house. All of this requires more and more money until a person’s appetite for luxury devolves into a spirit of avarice.

This Frog Principle illustrates just how subtle greed can be. In recent years, Church members have had cause to ask searching questions upon news that some of their acquaintances, even family members, have been made victims of scams and fraud. Far too often some have even been the perpetrators of these criminal activities.

The questions and comments exhibit concern and surprise. “Has he always been a crook?” they ask. “He seemed such a nice, generous, thoughtful man, how could he be so dishonest?” “Didn’t he know he was doing wrong?” “Was it someone else who made him do it?” “We grew up together; I never dreamed he could do such a thing.”

It is the Frog Principle at work. People sometimes encounter and fall victim to it as they pursue their careers. When first starting work with an organization, some receive propositions to do certain things so unethical that they dismiss the idea with a resolute “never.” As time passes, however, they may slip into deeds that are barely questionable.

At first, they may distort the truth only slightly—through overstatement, understatement, or omission of a bit of information. Such actions are easily justified with, “That’s the way things are done here.” From there, it’s only a small step to a minor cover-up to preserve the organization’s (or their own) reputation of being reliable or honest or knowledgeable. “It was only a small mistake I made, but it’s so embarrassing. I don’t believe anyone will know if I handle it right. I can imply that I was led to believe it should be done this way, or I really thought that it was Jerry’s responsibility.”

These cover-ups, small at first, tend to grow and grow just like the heat in a pan until one is eventually caught in blatant dishonesty. The path to sin is negotiated step by step, not in one tremendous leap.

Korihor in the Book of Mormon is a prime example of this principle at work. After being struck dumb for preaching false doctrine and deceiving many in the land of Zarahemla, Korihor confessed he taught the doctrines delivered to him by the devil “because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me.” (Alma 30:53.)

One of the young men involved in the Nixon Watergate affair in the United States expressed it well after the cover-up had been exposed. “During the heat of battle I really thought I was doing the right thing. Now the smoke has cleared I can’t believe how I could have even thought it was all right, let alone do it.”

We might turn to the words of another who was the victim of the Frog Principle. J. David Dominelli, an American entrepreneur, was well on his way to building a financial empire when it evolved into a scam and collapsed in April 1984. After Dominelli’s financial collapse and arrest he wrote a letter to a friend. One quote gives some practical insight into another example of how creeping deviltry works. “I have caused you so much grief by my lies,” he wrote, “Another lie to cover the first lie … and although this is no excuse, most lies I had always hoped to convert to reality.” (Barrons, 7 May 1984, p. 26.)

The allure of the “good life” and associating with those who are preoccupied with expensive cars, big houses, luxurious travel, vacation homes, and big investments causes people to think and feel differently. As Nephi, the son of Helaman, proclaimed, “How could you have forgotten your God? … Behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver.” He goes on to state how setting one’s heart upon riches causes people to bear false witness, steal, plunder, and even murder. (See Hel. 7:20–21.)

In summary, centering our thoughts on obtaining riches tends to feed many of the sinful inclinations of man, often edging people away from the Christlike life rather than pulling them toward it. By contrast, centering our thoughts and desires on the Lord and his work inclines one to become more like him in several important ways.

First, selfishness and greed are eliminated because one’s eye is kept focused on keeping the commandments and using what means one acquires to help provide for the needs of those who are without.

Second, the sin of pride is precluded. Because sharing and compassion are the motivating forces in our lives, whatever wealth we obtain serves as a resource for generosity rather than the means for boasting and ostentation.

Third, we remain “other” oriented. We keep Christ first, our neighbors second, and ourselves third—a very spiritually healthy order of priorities.

John, and others like him, should recognize the dangers in seeking wealth ahead of seeking the kingdom of God. In fact, wealth has little to do with one’s ability to serve the Lord. In the Lord’s church, those who manage the store and those who punch the time clock, those who administer the school and those who teach the third grade—all have opportunity to serve if they are faithful and capable.

“Behold, the field is white already to harvest,” the Savior taught; “therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God. …

“Keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion;

“Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.” (D&C 6:3–7.)

Following the Lord’s counsel to seek his kingdom first is our only means of earning His marvelous approval: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34.)

Quinn G. McKay, a financial consultant and university professor, is a high councilor in the Salt Lake University Third Stake.

That You May Not Be Deceived

This is a great talk I was recently given by a good friend. Thought it was worth sharing again here. This is an address given at Brigham Young University by Elder Spencer W Kimball in 1959.

THAT YOU MAY NOT BE DECEIVED

ELDER SPENCER W. KIMBALL

ADDRESS GIVEN TO THE BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY STUDENTBODY

November 11, 1959

"My beloved young brothers and sisters: I am grateful for this opportunity to speak to this inspiring audience of elect young people of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In recent months I have had interviews with a number of people who have been confused and frustrated in the deceptions of those who would lead them to destruction.

It would be most gratifying if we could feel that every one of you is fully fortified against such onslaughts of the enemy and it is my hope to offer to you a few thoughts which might protect you, should you ever be approached by those who would rob you of your faith and of your salva-tion.

These are momentous days, the last days, when there will be numerous deceptions, when the very elect will be deceived and destroyed except for protections which only the individual may build for himself.

When I was on my early mission I drew in the back of my Bible the of an image depicting the successive kingdoms which would rule the world through the centuries: King Nebuchad-nezzar had besieged Jerusalem and had carried Judean captives into Babylon, together with their priceless sacred vessels from the House of the Lord. Among the captives was Daniel, a clean, worthy, courageous young man and one who was responsive to the inspiration of the Lord.

The king in his distorted sleep had an impressive dream which troubled him greatly, but when his magicians, astrologers and sorcerers had come at his command to interpret the dream, he had forgotten its details. Harsh measures were threatened, even to the death of these men. They answered that if he would reveal the dream, they would interpret it. They said:
.. .There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter; therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked, such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. (Daniel 2:10-11.)
A royal decree then went forth from the dictator that all the wise men should be destroyed and since Daniel fit into that category his life was also jeopardized. Daniel and his three companions earnestly sought deliverance through prayer to the Lord:
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, setteth up kings:....
I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou. God of my fathers, who given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter (Daniel 2:19-21, 23.)

He then made known through proper channels that he would reveal the dream and the inter-pretation thereof, and the great king asked the direct question if he, Daniel could really do so; to which he answered that the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians and the soothsayers would not be able to ever reveal the dream nor its interpretations:

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy Lord, are these;
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter; and he that revealeth secrets known to thee what shall come to pass. (Daniel 2:28, 29.)

Daniel modestly disclaimed any wisdom but gave credit to the Lord, and gave in detail the dream with the interpretation. He then drew a picture of the great image with its head of fine gold his breast and arms of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay, saying:
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. (Daniel 2:34.)

The iron, clay, brass, silver and gold became like chaff of the threshing floor, and were carried away by the wind and seen no more, but the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

His interpretation followed, indicating a succession of empires. The kingdom of Nebu-chadnezzar would be replaced by another, and then a third would take the spotlight, and then a fourth, the latter of which would break into many kingdoms.

Then came the colorful, spectacular prophecy recorded thousands of years before its ful-fillment.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44.)

And Daniel concluded with this statement;
...and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:45.)
I know, and Latter-day Saints in general know, that in 1830 this prophecy was fulfilled and the God of heaven did set up his kingdom and likewise we know that “the kingdom shall not be left to other people,” and “shall never be destroyed” and “it shall stand for ever.”

This one scripture, which has been accepted by the Church of the Restoration, should be sufficient to satisfy every cultist or critic of the true Church of Jesus Christ, and should make him not only believe and tremble, but cause him to be afraid to kick against the pricks and to fight against the Church of the Lord.
Apostasy usually begins with question and doubt and criticism. It is a retrograding and devolutionary process. The seeds of doubt are planted by unscrupulous or misguided people; and seldom directed against the doctrine at first, but mete often against the leaders.
They who garnish the sepulchers of the dead prophets begin now by stoning the living ones, they return to the pronouncements of the dead leaders and interpret them to be incom-patible with present programs. They convince themselves that there are discrepancies between the practices of the deceased and the leaders of the present. The Lord speaking to such said:
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
...ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been par-takers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore ye we witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.... (Matthew 23:24-25, 29-31.)

Apply this to modern times and you have the so-called reformers. Many budding apostates follow the pattern progressively. They allege love for the gospel and the Church but charge that leaders are a little “off the beam.” Soon they claim that the leaders are making changes and not following the original programs. Next they say that while the gospel and the Church are divine, the leaders are fallen. Up to this time it may be a passive thing, but now it becomes an active resistance and frequently the blooming apostate begins to air his views and to crusade. He is likely new to join groups who are slipping away. He may become a student of the journal of discourses and is flattered by the evil one that he knows more about the scriptures and doctrines than the Church leaders who, he says, are now persecuting him. He generally wants all the blessings of the Church: membership, its Priesthood, its temple privileges, and expects them from the leaders of the Church, though at the same time claiming that these leaders have departed from the path. He now begins to expect persecution and adopts a martyr complex and when finally excommunica-tion comes he associates himself with other apostates to develop or strengthen cults. At this stage he is likely to claim revelation for himself; revelations from the Lord directing him in his inter-pretations and his actions. These manifestations are superior to anything from living leaders, he claims. He is now becoming quite independent.
He fails to recognize that if the Church had gone astray, and if its authorities were “off the beam,” that he could get no authority from them or from anywhere else.

He who quotes so glibly from Brigham Young and his contemporaries seems to forget that in the days of that Brigham Young, there were many who would not accept his pronounce-ments but quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith. And numerous were they of the day of Joseph Smith who questioned his interpretations and quoted the dead sepulchered prophets. These apostates seem to forget that the very Christ himself was not accepted by most of his contemporaries.

John the Baptist preaching the Christ was met with the same brand of criticism and self-righteous egotism. To the arrogant Pharisees and Sadducees he asked:

.. .who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

And think not to say within yourselves we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:7-9.)

And Jesus himself was met with the same apostasy, “We be Abraham’s” the boasters said, to which the Lord replied:

I know that ye are Abraham’s seed, but ye seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you.
Again they countered, “Abraham is our father,” to which the Lord replied:

If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me... this did not Abraham.

Ye do the deeds of your father.
Ye are of your father the devil, end the lusts of your father ye will do... When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:...

“Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead?” these apostates had the temerity to ask of the Lord of heaven and earth. The Savior said,...Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:30, 37, 39, 41, 44, 53, 56, 58.)

And the pretenders took up stones to assassinate him. At another time he cried out in anguish:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house it left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23:37-38.)
History repeats itself. As the critics of the Redeemer still worshiped Abraham and the critics of Joseph Smith could see only the Savior and His apostles, and as the apostates of Brigham’s day could see only the martyred Joseph, now there are those who quote only the dead leaders of the pioneer era.

Some of these people disappointed, perhaps ignored in their ambitions, hungry for lea-dership, are deceivers of the first order. To them there is little help we can give. Others are the deceived, the confused and frustrated, honest and sincere at least in their first movements. To these we speak in the words of the Lord:
Return unto me and I will return unto you. (3 Nephi 24:7.)

To them we bear testimony: The kingdom of God is on the earth with all its gifts, bless-ings, doctrines, ordinances and with its divinely called leadership. To them we plead: leave your deceivers, cleanse your lives, return to love and faith and peace.

We remind the confused and deceived ones that these are the days, the latter days, when the kingdom now established would never be destroyed nor fall, but also that these are the last days in which false prophets and false christs should arise and show great signs and wonders, so great indeed that “if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24.)

It is the Lord himself who, in Matthew, chapter 24, is speaking to his people concerning these last days before the end of the world, and it is He, himself, who endorses Daniel, the prophet, and his aforementioned prediction. It is the Redeemer who says that in these last days shall be great tribulation.
...such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days he shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. (Matthew 24:21-23.)
These are the last days and Lucifer, the arch deceiver, who, recognizing the rapidly shortening tame to his conquest of the people of this world, is exerting every effort. Deceptions will increase; cults will become more numerous: more and more of the weak and faithless will fall by the wayside.

The confused one says, “But these dissenters tell me that there is no revelation in the Church today.” How wrong they are!

The Lord told Peter that upon the rock of revelation the Church is built. And upon revela-tion it is founded each time it has been upon the earth, Revelation has continued without inter-ruption to all the successive presidents of the Church. Revelation today is common, continuous, and compelling. With sixteen years in the High Councils of the Church I have seen at first hand the work of the Lord unfold under the rock of revelation and this under three presidents of the Church.

In 1839 while in Liberty Jail the Prophet Joseph Smith cried out in his agony not only at the mobocrats who turned the jail key on him but those of the Church who charged him with transgression, whose hearts were corrupted, to the telling words of the Lord:

Cursed are all those that shall lift up the heel against mine anointed, saith the Lord, and cry they have sinned when they have not sinned before me, saith the Lord, but have done that which was meet in mine eyes, and which I commanded them.

But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves.

Wo unto them; because they have offended my little ones they shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house.

Their basket shall not be full, their houses and their barns shall perish, and they themselves shall be despised by those that flattered them.

They shall net have right to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to generation.
It had been better for them that a millstone had been hanged their necks, and they drowned in the depth of the sea. (D&C 121:16, 17, 19-22.)

The budding apostate closes his eyes to these statements and of course will not apply it to himself.
The word of the Lord to Oliver Cowdery through the prophet, Joseph Smith, in Sep-tember of 1830, applies to all members of the Church:
And thou shall not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the Church;
For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead. (D&C 28:6-7.)

Oliver Cowdery was permitted to write his ideas and own interpretations, but not by way of commandment, that being left to the president of the Church, ... no one shall be appointed to receive commandments in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses. (D&C 28:2.)
...until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead. (D&C 20:7.) The Church has never been without its false claimants of revelations and authority. As early as February 18, 1831, some members of the Church were disturbed by the false assertions of others who claimed to be receiving revelations. As an example one of the members, Hiram Page, claimed to be receiving revelations for the Church through a certain stone in his possession. Some members had already been deceived by his statements. The Lord sought to protect innocent members from danger by commanding Oliver Cowdery to stop the deception.
...take thy brother, Hiram Page, between him and thee alone, and tell him that those things which he hath written tram that stone are not of me, and that Satan deceiveth him; (D&C 28:11.)

This is understandable in the early days when all the members were recent converts from churches with wholly different standards, doctrines, and practices, and they did not understand that while inspiration and even revelation is available to every individual for himself to every head of family, for his family, to every bishop for his ward, to every stake president for his stake, yet none of these will receive revelation for the Church, and any revelations they receive for themselves will always parallel and never counter the major revelations to the prophets of the Lord.

To offset these spurious claims and false teachings the Lord revealed, through the prophet, Joseph Smith:
For behold, verily verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand, [This was addressed to the Elders of the Church.]

And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken.... (D&C 43:2, 3.)

How would anyone dare to lift up his heels against the Lord’s anointed? How would one have the rashness to swear falsely against the Lord’s servants? How would one dare to be critical when severance from the Church and the ordinances of the House of the Lord would follow, bring-ing a less of the priesthood, and even the loss of his own posterity and the damnation of his own soul may be the penalty?

When we think of the certain increasing deceptions of the latter days we return to the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 28, where the Lord stated again to Oliver Cowdery:

For, behold, these things have not been appointed unto him, neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants.

For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith. (D&C 28:12, 13.)
Again, the succession to authority, to the keys, to the oracles, to the revelations is covered in Section 90:
Therefore, them art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you? which kingdom is coming forth for the last time.

Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come;
Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea even unto the church. (D&C 90:2-4.)

The Prophet, Joseph Smith, conferred upon the twelve apostles every key, right, au-thority and power to be held by them in a dormant state, to be activated when the proper time came. The death of the prophet left all the keys in the hands of the twelve. Brigham Young, being the President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, and properly called of the Lord, approved by the Council of the Twelve and the people, became the new president and the keys he had held many years now became operative. This followed in succession through the various Church presidents from Joseph Smith to President David O. McKay.

If the spirit of the Lord is still striving with the apostatizing individual he may yet he recov-ered. But if he, like Martin Harris, boasts in his own judgment and strength and ignores the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, there is little hope for him and none except through real repentance. Joseph Smith was chastised by the Lord for turning over the plates to him.

Who has set at naught the counsels of God, and has broken the sacred promises which were made before God, and has depended upon his own judgment and boasted in his own wisdom. (D&C 3:13.)
The story of Martin Harris has some very sad chapters.

If one rejects the Holy Spirit long enough, then the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with him and leaves him to his own devices to fight out his own battle with the master of deception.
To the sincere, honest but confused person there is a way back. Recovery is possible. One must live all the principles of the gospel. He must repent of all his sins and errors, and he must build back his faith and confidence in the leadership of the Church by severing all of his ties with those who are at variance with the Lord’s Church and his leaders.

There are lines of defense for him who has been assailed by the deceivers. If the confused one is in doubt, let him ask of the pretending leader: Were you sustained and approved by the body of the Church? Early the Lord indicated this safeguard against imposters. Changes in policy, practice or doctrines will be approved by common consent of the Church. Hear the Lord:

Thou shalt not leave this place until after the conference; and thy servant Joseph shall be appointed to preside over the conference by the voice of it, and what he saith to thee thou shalt tell.
...neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants.
For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in. the church.... (D&C 28:10, 12-13.)
Outlining procedures for the Church, the Lord said:
No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a
regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church; (D&C 20:65.)
Again, And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith.... (D&C 26:2.)
8
And now, I give unto the church in these parts a commandment, that certain men among them shall be appointed, and they shall be appointed by the voice of the church; (D&C 38:34.)
And once again, And a commandment I give unto you, that you should, fill all these offices and approve of those names which I have mentioned, or else disapprove of them at my general conference; (D&C 124:144.)

Accordingly the voice and sustaining by the people is a most vital element in leadership.
In the Apostolic times men did not set themselves up in offices but were called and sus-tained. The case of Matthias is a good example:

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:23-26.)

Or, in other words, the vote that was cast for Matthias was the vote of the Church and made it operative and proper. Again, one is assured through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Everyone is entitled to the revelations of the Lord for himself.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:5.)
If one lives in total harmony and faith, sustaining the authorities of the Church and lives all the principles, the spirit will guide him; but if he gets arrogant and sets himself up as a final judge, he may be deceived.
O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. (2 Nephi 9:28.)
Those of us who have had experiences with many people who are on their way to apostasy know that to be true. The spirit will strive and plead and persistently encourage one in the path of correct thinking, but there comes a time finally when if he is driven away enough times by one who is boastful and proud of his own knowledge and power, and one who admits the deceiver,...behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdraw, Amen to the priesthood or authority of that man.
Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. (D&C 121:37, 38.)

Wisely the Lord has given men still another fortification against the enemy of lies and deceit. Paul expressed it clearly and unmistakably:

And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Ephesians 4:11-14.)
To every member of this Church, the Lord has given leaders on three levels: the Bishop or Branch President, the Stake President or the Mission president, and the General Authorities, These leaders are dependable. One of them may be limited in knowledge, education or training, but he is entitled to the revelations of the Lord for his people and he has the channel open to God himself. The leaders will never deceive the earnest confused one. These pastors, teachers, apostles and prophets are given for that very purpose to counteract the wavering, deceived and frustrated person who like children are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine....”

Apostasy was in the primitive church. Disputations as to doctrine and procedures and performances were prevalent. The leaders took steps to clarify matters and assert their proper leadership.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (Acts 15:22-25.)

Paul knew that there would be deceivers, deliberate, intentional vicious ones and also blind guides who would lead themselves and their followers into the ditch. Inspired Paul give us the key which is always dependable. Chosen, approved, ordained leaders will protect us against “the slight of men, and cunning craftiness.” One can never be deceived if he protects himself against the blind or vicious guide by following the spirit and the proper leaders of the Church.

Like the oft repeated camel story, an individual does not go sour in a day. It is a gradual process. You remember the proverbial camel which begged his master to let him put his nose through the flap of the tent to get out of the blasting storm on the desert. With his nose in, he next asked to put in his eyes and head, which were sand-blasted, and when they were in, he begged protection for his front quarters, his torso, his hind quarters and tail, and when solidly set in the tent, he kicked the master out.

The best protection against one ever leaving the Church in apostasy is to keep the flap door closed. Lucifer cannot enter a locked door. He is ready always to accept invitations and when he has a toe hold, his legs follow with his body, head and all his evil machinations.

Each individual then may be certain of a place, if he will keep his hands clean, his heart pure, his faith undaunted, his trust in the Lord and in Church leaders. I give to you absolute as-surance that the time will never come when the kingdom established will ever fall; that is will ever be given to another people or that the chosen leaders will ever falter. Some individuals may falter and lose the faith, but the Church never. I know that President McKay, as well as his prede-cessors, is called of God for this high place as the leader of this people. I know that he not only occupies the chair of the prophet of God, but he is the divinely appointed one and holds all the keys of the kingdom.

May you always keep your armour on and your defenses up and fully protect yourselves against the foe and his subtle deceptions. Satan would like to have you, to sift you as wheat. You are precious, each of you. We love you much. God bless you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."