Doctrine and Covenants 129-132

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ICEBREAKER

And for an icebreaker I actually like to key off that idea of going on a fun ride. So I ask my class: What’s your favorite amusement park ride of all time? And that question usually sparks some really fun discussion, especially if you’re teaching a group of youth. For me, I love “Thunder Mountain” at Disneyland. That’s got to be my favorite ride of all time. It makes me smile every time I get a chance to ride it.

TRANSITION

The first three shorter sections of this week’s study, 129-131 kind of remind me of an amusement park. A doctrinal amusement park, if you will, because there are so many different “rides” we can go on here. Each one unique and thrilling in its own way. And what do you do when you go to an amusement park? You run from ride to ride, anticipating another delight. The rides are usually short, but exciting, and then you move on to the next one, and the next. Well that’s kind of like these sections here. There isn’t much that really unifies these ideas together. They’re like a collection of doctrinal odds and ends. And that’s actually the historical background of these sections. These were truths that were garnered and selected from the notes of William Clayton, one of the prophet’s secretaries, as Joseph taught on a number of different occasions.

ACTIVITY

As a teacher, you probably won’t have enough time to cover every single portion and topic in these sections in detail. You’ll have to pick and choose. But rather than taking that decision into your own hands, leave it up to your class. Tell them that they are going to decide which “rides” you, as a class, are going to go on that day. Then you display a list of their options, and they vote. They each get to vote for the three rides they are most excited to try out. You can give them this little handout that allows them to mark their three preferred rides. Then just have them raise their hands and count the number of votes you get for each. The ride you go on first will be the one that received the most votes, and then you do the one that received the second most votes, and so on. And you just do as many “rides” as you can until the “park closes” or time runs out. Each “ride” consists of a “mini-lesson” that you teach your students. Keep in mind that some rides are longer, and others are shorter. Now as the teacher, this means that you need to be prepared to teach all of the topics even if they don’t all get covered. OR another option. You could hand out the voting card before you teach the lesson. Then gather up their votes and teach the ones the got the most. But to help you be prepared for whichever you do, let’s look at each one together.

129 THE HANDSHAKE TEST

This is a really interesting section. There is a very disconcerting scripture in the New Testament. It’s 2 Corinthians 11:14 and it says that

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

That means that Satan himself could try to deceive somebody by appearing as an angel. That’s a scary thought. But here comes section 129 to the rescue. It helps us to know what we should do if we are ever visited by an angel, and we want to make sure that it’s really an angel from God. We definitely don’t want to be deceived in that instance. Right? So how do we know?

Read section 129 to find out.

And what is it? You do the handshake test. You reach out and offer to shake their hand. And one of three things might happen. One, the messenger will reach out and shake your hand and you’ll feel it. That means you’re conversing with a resurrected personage, and you should listen to their message. Or two, the messenger won’t move. They’ll just stand there in kind of awkward standoff. In that case, you can also trust in their message because you’re conversing with the spirit of a just man made perfect. They just can’t shake your hand because they have yet to be resurrected. Or, the scary one, the messenger will reach out their hand to shake yours and you won’t feel anything. Your hand will just pass through as if they are a ghost. In that case, (which I think would be quite terrifying) don’t listen to their message, aaaand, maybe turn around and run.

Now I remember being a little shocked by this when I first heard it in seminary, and thinking, man, “Is this going to happen to me? Does this really happen to people? Are angels visiting all the time? Should I be taking notes?” Keep a little card with the instructions in my back pocket just in case.

And, I have to make a confession here. I’ve never seen an angel to this day. Now maybe there are some of you out that this happens all the time to. But not me. So does section 129 have any value to us non-angel seeing people? I think it does.

Look at it in a more general sense. We have messengers all around us. They may just not be angels. Sometimes it can be hard to detect that which is true and inspired, especially because Satan is always out there trying to deceive us. Now some things are obviously bad, and the Holy Ghost can help us to see what is right and wrong. But it’s not always that easy, especially in a world where the adversary is really good at making evil look good and good evil. As we encounter different ideas and opinions and beliefs in our education, in politics, in science, in religion, in literature, and from other people we associate with, it may not always be clear what’s true and from God, or what’s false.

So what do we do? Do we just avoid anything from the world around us that isn’t directly produced by the Church or found in scripture? Do we need to be afraid of the people and world around us?

No, we can shake hands with it. We’re still keeping our distance, but we reach out and give it the handshake test. I can reach out my hand to Buddhism, and Islam, and Protestantism. I can reach out my hand to Shakespeare and Aristotle and C.S. Lewis and Faulkner. I can reach out my hand to Einstein, and Newton, and even Darwin. I believe that enriching and powerful and true things can be found in these sources. God has spoken and inspired many of his children across cultures and religions and disciplines. However, there is also a lot out there that is not inspired or are “interpolations from the hands of men”. Or, there may even be things that might look good on the outside or sound appealing at first, but are patently false and maybe even dangerous. Satan can appear as an angel of light. So how do we know?

Well one, we will either feel something or we won’t. If it’s true, there will be glory associated with it. If it’s not, we will not feel anything and therefore we can detect it. I’ve had that experience. For example, when I read Buddhist scripture, or read Shakespeare, or hear scientific research, or even watching a movie, there are times when you just feel the truth. On the other hand, there are times when you can feel that it’s not right. There are things in Buddhism, and Shakespeare, and science and movies that are not messages from God—that are not truth. The Holy Ghost can speak to our minds and hearts and help us to know the difference.

But that’s not the only help we get. Look at verse 7. We know that it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive. How can that help us? God has sent us the guidance of just men that we can rely on to tell us the truth. Men of God do not deceive us. The most just men that I can think of are the prophets and apostles. We can rely on their words and the words of scripture. If what we encounter in philosophy, or in other religions, or in books, politics, and science does not jibe with revealed truth and doctrine, we can know for a surety that it is not inspired and reject it. God has given us help in detecting truth. We have the handshake test.

130:1-3 HEAVEN AND EARTH

According to these verses we learn some wonderful things about heaven. What are they? Go ahead and read them to yourself. And what do we learn? In heaven, we get to see the Father and the Son, in person, in the flesh, and see that they are like us and we like them, in some sense. This is a personal appearance, not just an “in your heart” kind of thing. Think of the experience the Nephites had at Bountiful when the Savior appeared to them. Each of them got personal time with the Savior one by one.

Also from these verses, we learn that the same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory. What does sociality mean? Relationships. The kinds of relationships we have here will be there too! So, marriage, family, friendships. That will be there as well! We will enjoy those relationships in exaltation. Except, they will be infinitely better because they will be coupled with eternal glory. As perfected and glorified, and resurrected beings, how much greater will those relationships be! They will become Celestial marriages, and we’ll have Celestial families, and Celestial friendships. Heaven will be worth it.

130:4-7 GOD’S WRISTWATCH

So is the way God tells time different from the way we tell time? Answer: Yes. It is different. According to verse 4, the reckoning of time differs based on who and where you are in the universe. We don’t experience time in the same way that God does. So time is not a constant. It is relative.

Interesting fact: modern science has come to the same conclusion. Maybe you’ve heard of Einstein and the theory of relativity? He proposed that depending on how fast you travel in the universe, the way you experience time, changes. It is relative. How cool is it that Joseph is making this similar kind of statement back in 1843.

Now honestly, understanding how God tells time is not really super essential for our salvation. It’s interesting, but not vital. So if this confuses you, just let it go. But if you want to dive just a little deeper into the topic, there are a few places in scripture that deal with it.

The most famous verse about time in the scriptures is probably 2 Peter 3:8

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

So, one way of interpreting that, and how it’s usually interpreted, is to take it 100% literally, that 1000 years for man is one day for God. Still, there is another possible interpretation. This may just be Peter’s way of saying that God’s time is different than man’s time. It doesn’t say that it was a thousand years, but as a thousand years. Like he’s just picking a large number to make a point. Personally, I think that God doesn’t even really measure things in terms of time, but in terms of eternity. Because when you really think about it, if you are eternal, then measuring past, present and future doesn’t make as much sense. You just are. There are a number of other scriptures on time that seem to suggest this.

Alma 40:8

8 Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men.

D&C 84:100 (in speaking of future conditions during the millennium and exaltation)

100 The Lord hath redeemed his people; And Satan is bound and time is no longer.

And then here in section 130:7

7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.

I like the way CS Lewis explained it. He compared it to reading a book. If you’re the person holding the book, all is before you at once. The past, present, and future of the characters is right there in front of you and you can flip back and forth between them. If you’ve read the book before, then you know the whole story. Well, here, God is holding the book. Now that’s not a perfect illustration but can maybe help us to understand God’s omniscience a little better. He knows all because it’s all right there in front of him and he’s read the whole story.

If there is a relevant personal application of this principle, maybe it’s this. God knows the past, present, and future. It’s all before him. He has the ultimate eternal perspective. So when He or his prophets give counsel and commandments, trust them!

130:8-11 CRYSTAL CLEAR

These verses teach us more about what heaven will be like. Look for what it teaches you about heaven. It says:

9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's.

So here we learn that this earth will become the Celestial Kingdom. I’ve heard some interpret this verse, in conjunction with prophecies in scripture that speak of mountains being made low and valleys filled that heaven is just going to be like a shining crystal ball. A giant glass Kansas. That’s the literal interpretation. I really don’t think that’s what it means. Heaven will be beautiful, and filled with color and life and variety, just like this earth, only it will be coupled with eternal glory. So I prefer the figurative interpretation.

Verse 8 tells us that the place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. The Urim and Thummim was a physical object that helped the possessor of it know and understand things that could not be known by the mortal mind alone. Joseph used a Urim and Thummim at times to translate the Gold Plates. King Benjamin used the Urim and Thummim. Aaron carried a Urim and Thummim with him in the clothing that the high priest would wear. In Hebrew, Urim and Thummim means lights and perfections. A Urim and Thummim brings light (or knowledge) that helps to perfect us.

When this earth is celestialized, it will become like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon. It will be “like” unto crystal, not that it will become crystal, but like unto it.

What effect will that have?

all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it;

I just think that means that we will understand it. All things will be made manifest to us. All will become “crystal” clear. Our minds will be enlightened, and we will have a perfect understanding of things as they really are. All truth will be before us. Have you ever wanted to know how the creation of the earth really took place? That will become crystal clear to us. Is there some aspect of the plan of salvation you don’t quite understand yet? Your mind will be enlightened. All the great mysteries and questions that mankind has entertained for ages will come into perfect focus for us.

In fact, when you go to heaven, you get a special gift. What is it?

A white stone. Our own personal Urim and Thummim whereby we may know and understand things. Again, I’m not sure if this is literal or figurative, but it doesn’t really matter, because the net effect will be the same. Either way, one of the great gifts of eternal glory will be a larger measure of understanding and light.

130:12-13

Now you might notice that I’m skipping verses 12-13. The reason why is because this is Joseph’s Smith’s prophecy on the Civil War and the subsequent bloodshed that will increase until the time of the Second Coming. We discussed this prophecy in depth back in section 87 so we’re not going to go into it here. Just remember that this is a great example of Joseph’s prophetic calling. This prophecy is going to be fulfilled about 20 years later. Now that’s some real foresight. It’s almost like he was a prophet or something.

130:14-17 “1890?”

I love this little part here. It kind of shows that God has a sense of humor. Joseph asks the question that a lot of people ask. When is the second coming going to happen? And now we get all excited, because if anybody’s going to get an answer to that question, it’s going to be Joseph Smith. And what is the Lords answer?

15 Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.

16 I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face.

17 I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.

So, Joseph, ok. You want an answer to that question. All right. If you live to be 85 you’ll see the face of Jesus. Now stop bugging me about it. Let this suffice. And I can imagine Joseph getting super excited initially, doing the math in his head and coming up with 1890. And saying, “Ah, it’s going to happen in 1890”. But then stopping and saying, “Oh wait. But what does that mean? I’ll see your face by the time I’m 85? And IF I live to be 85. This isn’t a guarantee? Does that mean the millennium, or just a personal appearance? OR I’m going to die at age 85 and return to God? What do you mean, Lord?

And the Lord just smiles and shrugs his shoulders. Ah, who knows? We’ll see, won’t we? Now stop bugging me about it. Don’t you remember what I revealed to you back in section 49?

7 I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes.

You wrote those very words yourself. So, no Joseph, I’m not going to give you the time stamp.

And perhaps that’s a good message for us. If Joseph couldn’t get a straight answer on that one, none of us will. God doesn’t intend us to know the exact day. We’ll talk about that in more depth next week in section 133.

130:18-19 THE STRAINER

You may be familiar with the old proverb “You can’t take it with you”. And that’s true, to a certain extent. All the things that we accumulate in this life will mean nothing once we die. We can’t take our money, our homes, our toys, our worldly accomplishments. However, there is actually something we can take with us into the next life. What is it according to verse 18 to 19?

18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.

19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

So what can we take with us? We can take our knowledge and intelligence. That stays with us. Sometimes to illustrate this I do a little object lesson. I’ll have a bowl at the front with a strainer sitting down inside it. The bowl represents our life, and as we go throughout our lives, we accumulate things. We may gather money, and even become very wealthy. And I take a handful of coins and drop it down inside the bowl. Cars! And drop a toy car or two down into the bowl. Maybe a really nice home. And then I’ll drop a little house shape made of Legos down into it. Maybe I get to the point where I can afford a boat. And you could drop a toy boat down inside. But, you say, these are all material things. There’s something else I gather in life that isn’t quite so solid. And that’s where I have a little jar full of water, that’s labeled knowledge and intelligence. As we go throughout our lives, we gather this too. We gather it through our formal schooling. We gather it through our life experiences. We gather it in our scripture study and listening to the prophets. We gather knowledge and intelligence through our obedience and sacrifices. As you’re talking about this, you pour the water into the bowl. But then one day, we are going to die. And at this point you lift the strainer out of the bowl. All the solid material, the earthly things are going to come with it. But what remains behind? Knowledge and intelligence. That we can take with us.

So what’s the value in recognizing this? It can help us to set our priorities. We should make the gathering of knowledge and intelligence a major priority in our lives rather than material wealth. That can be secular, spiritual, and experiential knowledge. Skills and talents too!

And then this little gem of knowledge. What are the two best ways to gain knowledge and intelligence? Diligence and obedience. Hard work and acting on God’s counsel. Those are the keys.

AND, if we gain more knowledge and intelligence, through our diligence and obedience, than others, we will have that advantage in the next life. We don’t stop learning once we’re exalted. It’s not as if we all of a sudden just understand and know everything like God. There is so much this universe can teach us. Not only is it infinite in space, but infinite in intelligent potential. Learning is an eternal part of God’s plan. So if we gain more here, we’ll have that advantage there. The subtext is this then: learn all you can. Don’t fritter away your time in mere passive entertainment. Get out there and learn things, skills, intelligence, faith. Our worldly or material investments, will become obsolete as soon as our mortal bodies flatline. But our knowledge, that is an investment that can truly benefit us forever.

130:20-21 LAW AND ORDER

What is the secret to blessings? To receiving good things.

Simple answer, 20-21:

20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

The big principle here: obedience brings blessings. I don’t know how much simpler I can boil that down. This is one of the most important skills, or pieces of knowledge we can acquire in this life.

You may have heard me say this before, but if there was one word that I could change in the gospel, it would be the word commandment because I don’t believe it captures the true spirit of commandments. What part of the word stands out most to us? Command. I want you to do this because I say so. Because I am in charge. Satan loves to play off that aspect. He loves to invent power struggles between God’s children and those placed in authority over them. To Satan, it’s always a power thing. Rebellion is the way to exert your independence. They’re just trying to control you. They have ulterior motives. But that’s not it at all!

So do you know what I would call commandments? I would call them “divine guidance-ments”. Or “happy-ments”. Or “how to live a blessed and meaningful life so that Satan doesn’t deceive you and make you miserable-ments”. That’s the spirit of a commandment. God loves us. His work and glory is our immortality and eternal life. He wants to bless us. BUT, there is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven. Blessings come from obedience.

130:22-23 TRINITY TRUTHS

A good question that you can ask with this particular set of verses is why this matters. If you are a member of the church, I’m sure you’ve heard this before.

22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.

So the Godhead is made up of three separate individuals. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. How important is that? Or what difference does that make? Other than that this is a huge divergence from the rest of the Christian world. We can see from early Christian history that the doctrine of the Godhead was one of the very first things Satan attacked. Why? What difference does it make between believing in God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost as three separate beings and believing in them as one overarching incomprehensible power or force?

My thought. I believe the doctrine of the Trinity depersonalizes the members of the Godhead. If God and Jesus and the Holy Ghost are just this otherworldly incomprehensible power, then it’s going to be much harder for me to connect with that. It distances God and the Savior from us.

Joseph Smith said:

If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. . .

Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, He begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to Him, He is ready to come to us.”

Joseph Smith History of the Church, 6:303–5, 308

Is it any wonder that Satan would so vehemently attack that one particular doctrine? He does not want us to get to know God. Better to portray him as mystical, incomprehensible, and distant rather than tangible, real, and personal.

Another gem from these verses deals with the Holy Ghost. We learn here that the Holy Ghost may descend upon a man and not tarry with him. Hmmm, what does that mean? A little analogy of my own helps me to better grasp this principle. I imagine myself sitting in a large theater. One of those fancy ones with red plush seats and gold trim on everything. The stage represents the stage of my mind and my life. All the things I watch, the music I listen to, the thoughts I entertain, the environments I put myself in parade across that stage. When I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, I receive a companion. He comes and sits himself down, right next to me. And there, he helps me. Perhaps I hear a podcast where somebody expresses their theories and opinions about certain social issues and the Holy Ghost leans over and whispers into my ear “This is not the truth. You shouldn’t believe what you’re hearing”. However, on other occasions, I may be listening to someone speak or teaching and the Holy Ghost leans over and whispers, “Listen to this person closely. They are telling you the truth.” That happens a lot to me during General Conference. Or I may be in a certain environment or with a group of people and he leans over and says, “This is not a good place to be. You should get us out of here. It’s time to leave”. Or there may be something particularly challenging or discouraging happening in my life on the stage. And so he reaches over and puts his arm around me and assures that all will be ok. He comforts me. But then, maybe there are times in my life, hopefully few and far between, where I get a little confrontational with the Holy Ghost. I’m watching a movie, listening to some music, browsing the internet and he leans over and whispers, “This is inappropriate. You should turn this off.” And maybe I turn to him and say. “Oh, I think I can handle it. It’s not that big a deal. It’s just this or that. I think I’ll just continue watching if you don’t mind”. And he says, “Ok. You are free to choose. I won’t force you to do anything. But, I don’t watch these kinds of movies. I don’t listen to this kind of music. I don’t entertain those kinds of thoughts. I’ll consider returning when these kinds of things are no longer on the stage”. And he stands, turns, and politely excuses himself from the theater, leaving me alone there in the seats. We may receive the Holy Ghost, but he may not always tarry, or stay with us. I’m afraid that the more often we ignore the council of the Spirit, the less often he will be able to be with us. Yes, we may have had somebody place their hands on our head and confer upon us the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that doesn’t guarantee his constant companionship. And personally, considering the world we live in, and the confusing messages that surround us every day, I just don’t think we can afford to be without that guidance for very long.

131:5-6 CALLING AND ELECTION

In section 131, I’m going to skip over the first four verses and include those in our discussion of section 132 since thematically they’re related.

As far as verses 5-6 are concerned, I like to avoid going too deeply into their meaning and implications. I’m afraid I’ve often heard a lot of speculation on this topic of “the more sure word of prophesy”, or having your calling and election made sure. Suffice it to say that it is possible for an individual to receive a confirmation from the Lord himself that they will be saved in the celestial kingdom, that basically, they have proved themselves and have passed the test. They have demonstrated through their actions, through their commitment, through their faith, that they’re just not going to abandon God’s straight and narrow path, and so they are assured of their salvation. Now how and when and under what circumstances this takes place I have no comment on. But one thing is for sure, it is impossible to be saved in ignorance. I know of people who wonder and worry if they’re going to “make it”. They doubt their worthiness to enter the celestial kingdom. They fear they are just not good enough and will fall just short of the glory of God. When I hear someone make those kinds of comments, all I do is just ask them if they worthily hold a current temple recommend. If they say yes, then I tell them to stop worrying so much. If they are worthy to be in the celestial room of the temple, then that would suggest that they are worthy to be in the celestial kingdom. And what’s the last question on the temple recommend interview? Do you consider yourself worthy to receive a temple recommend? I believe that question is asked more for the benefit of the interviewee and not the interviewer. It’s like, “If you answered all those other questions honestly, you can answer that last one with confidence”. You have a testimony of certain things, you sustain your church leaders, you strive to live certain laws and commandments. There is nothing of a serious nature for which you need to repent. Therefore, you know that you are worthy, and it’s important for you to consider yourself worthy. We don’t want you going to the temple ignorant of your worthiness. And if a person doesn’t feel that, then they should talk about it and receive counsel from their priesthood leader until they do. Nobody can be saved in ignorance. They need to know how and why they are being saved.

131:7-8 SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE

Here’s an interesting question: What is spirit made out of? Is spirit something different than matter? Does it have substance, or does it just exist in a different dimension? Is it physical or metaphysical? These verses answer that question.

7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes;

8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.

So there you have it. Spirit is matter. It is a physical material substance. It’s just that it’s purer, more refined, and not detectable to mortal eyes. At some point in the future, this is going to become apparent and we’ll see that it is all matter. I’m not really sure what spiritual significance or relevance that has to the way we live our lives, but it is interesting.

CONCLUSION

Well that concludes our trip to the doctrinal amusement park. Wasn’t that fun! Did you learn something? Maybe an overall principle here to point out is that God has a lot to teach us. There is so much to learn and know and understand in the gospel. The more we study and accept and apply what we learn, the more he will teach us. “for unto him that receiveth, I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” 2 Nephi 28:30

131:1-4/132 ETERNAL MARRIAGE

ICEBREAKER

I like to start a discussion about section 132 with the following “decisions” activity. I put up a number of different decisions that people have to make in life. I invite them to raise their hand and even allow some students to explain why they choose that particular thing. So here we go:

White or Wheat? That would be referring to bread. Which do you prefer and why?

Paper or Plastic?

Stick or Automatic?

Rent or Own?

Now these may be trivial decisions that we make in life. But what are some of the most important decisions we make? Where we live? What hobbies or skills we engage in? Our education? Our politics? Our career?

Spencer W. Kimball suggested the following:

"The greatest single factor affecting what you are going to be tomorrow, your activity, your attitudes, your eventual destiny … is the one decision you make that moonlit night when you ask that individual to be your companion for life. That’s the most important decision of your entire life! It isn’t where you are going to school, or what lessons you are going to study, or what your major is, or how you are going to make your living. These, though important, are incidental and nothing compared with the important decision that you make when you ask someone to be your companion for eternity.”

Spencer W. Kimball

(The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 301).

Keep in mind that he was speaking to a group of young men at the time. But more generally speaking, one of the most important decisions you will ever make is who you marry.

And I would add to that idea that it’s not just who we marry, but under what circumstances. We want to be sure to marry the right kind of person, at the right time, in the right place.

TRANSITION

Sections 131-132 are going to help guide us in that.

SEARCH

So our first question is why it’s so important to be married to the right person in the right place? Section 131:1-4 helps to answer that question.

1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;

2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];

3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.

4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.

So why is it important? We cannot obtain the highest degree of exaltation without it. This section reveals that there are different degrees within the celestial kingdom. There are varying states of exaltation. And if we wish to obtain the highest, if we wish to become just like our heavenly parents, then we must enter the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. Not just any marriage, but the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. We cannot be exalted alone. Exaltation is a joint effort. Marriage is the foundational unit of eternity. Husband and wife become one flesh and progress into the eternities together. As individuals, we are only half of an eternal unit. Now that’s not derogatory or something that a single person need feel like they are less than somebody else because they are not yet married. And there may be many who, through no fault of their own, never marry—at least not in this life. However, the Lord guarantees that all who wish to enter into the new and everlasting covenant will have that opportunity, whether in this life or the next. That blessing will come to all who desire it. So the principles we discuss today apply to all, young or old, single, or married. God promises all righteous individuals that if they remain on His path, no blessing or promise will be denied them.

There is another reason for eternal marriage that we find in these verses. Those who do not enter into that highest degree of celestial glory, cannot have an increase. Increase, in this sense, means posterity. Children. Those that obtain the highest degree can continue to have children in the next life and are the only individuals that can. We know that family, lineage, posterity, and heritage are really important ideas in the gospel and plan of salvation. The power and blessings of those kinds of relationships. Husband and wife, parent, and child, can only continue, can only increase in the highest degree of the celestial glory.

Now moving on to section 132. 132 is most often associated with the practice of plural marriage, and we will discuss that in this lesson. But that’s not all it deals with. Plural marriage is just a subset of the more all-encompassing subject of Celestial or eternal marriage. After Joseph’s initial question about plural marriage, it’s almost as if God says, “OK, hang on Joseph, before we talk about plural marriage let’s make sure we understand eternal marriage first”. And that’s the way I would like to approach this too. Let’s see what God has to say about eternal marriage first.

3 KINDS OF MARRIAGE

The first half of section 132 describes three kinds of marriage. And we’ll take a close look at each:

To introduce them, God wants us to understand a specific principle, which he talks about in depth from verses 7-14. The major gist of these verses can basically be summed up by verse 7, which says.

7 And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (we’ll skip the parenthesis). . . are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.

So, simply put, for something to be eternal in nature, for it to be valid not just here on earth, but in heaven also, it must be done in God’s way and by his authority.

For this part of the lesson I like to make three columns on the board. And label each at the top with Marriage 1, 2, and 3 and the verses they will find them described. I then number off my students as 1’s , 2’s and 3’s and invite them to study their assigned type of marriage. They should look for the answer to the three following questions:

Where does this marriage take place?

By what authority is it done?

What happens to that marriage in the next life?

Let’s go through these together.

Marriage #1-132:15-17

Where does the marriage take place?

This marriage takes place in the world

By what authority is it done?

And the authority by which it is done is not by God or by his word. The man is only covenanting with his wife for as long as he is in the world with her.

What happens to that marriage in the next life?

When they, that husband and wife, are out of the world, or when they die, their marriage will be of no force. That marriage ends at death. This idea is even reflected in the wording of most civil marriage ceremonies. It is “till death do you part”, or “for as long as you both shall live”. It’s not eternal, but temporal.

What kind of marriage are we talking about here? This is a Civil or Earthly Marriage. Therefore, they remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition. So, if you have an earthly marriage, you can still be saved of course in a kingdom of glory, but that bond, or contract, or covenant between spouses is of no force in the next life. And, according to what we just read in section 131, they cannot be exalted. Because we are only exalted as husband and wife.

Marriage #2-132:18

Now for marriage #2

Where does this marriage take place?

Well it says that this man is marrying a wife with a covenant that is for time and for all eternity. Where is that kind of a covenant made? In the temple. So this is a temple marriage. But is it a celestial marriage?

By what authority does it take place?

Well, if it is a temple marriage, then we can safely assume that it has been done by someone who has authority. By someone who has been anointed and appointed unto this power.

But this is the marriage that is a little harder to understand. What happens to it after they die?

It says that it is not valid when they are out of the world. This is not an eternal marriage.

And that might be confusing to some of your students, especially the youth. How can a temple marriage not be valid in the next life? The answer is there in the verse. What’s the problem? That marriage isn’t sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Ah, what does that mean? Well, let me ask you, does just getting married in the temple guarantee that your marriage will be eternal? Because somebody said the words and you were physically in a sealing room, now, no matter happens between you and your spouse, you are together for eternity? No. That is not a guarantee, any more than just going through the act of being baptized guarantees you salvation regardless of what you do afterwards. For a marriage to be eternal, it must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

What is this Holy Spirit of Promise? Elder Bednar said the following:

The Holy Spirit of Promise is the ratifying power of the Holy Ghost. When sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, an ordinance, vow, or covenant is binding on earth and in heaven. (See D&C 132:7.) Receiving this “stamp of approval” from the Holy Ghost is the result of faithfulness, integrity, and steadfastness in honoring gospel covenants “in [the] process of time” (Moses 7:21). However, this sealing can be forfeited through unrighteousness and transgression.” (Conference Report, April 2007)

This is the way I like to explain it. A marriage is like a triangle. You have husband on one corner, wife on another, and then God at the top. The bonds between each must be strong. The marriage must be by God and his word. Now a man and a wife can both have a good strong bond with God, but perhaps not with each other. Without that connection being strong, then the triangle of the marriage can fall apart. This is not an eternal marriage. The Holy Spirit of Promise does not ratify or place its seal of approval on that marriage unless all 3 bonds are strong. Perhaps at some point it might have. At the beginning maybe. But if a spouse proves unfaithful. If there is abuse or neglect or unrighteous dominion. If a couple does not serve or sacrifice for each other and they don’t work at their marriage—then the Holy Spirit of Promise may withdraw from that marriage and now, it is no longer something of an eternal nature. Now, I believe it can return through repentance and recommitment, but until then, the triangle is incomplete. This is what I would call a temple marriage. In the sense that, yes, it did happen in the temple. But that is not enough. It must be sealed.

When I was married, my father gave me an interesting wedding gift. An empty mason jar. If you’ve ever canned fruit, you know how these work. Do you seal an empty jar? No. You have to put the fruit in it first, and then you seal it. At the beginning of a marriage, there isn’t really anything to seal yet. You’re just being given the jar. So now what do you do? You spend your life filling that jar with fruit. The fruits of your marriage. You fill it with your love, your sacrifice, your compromises, your service, your time, your shared experiences, both happy and sad. And if both remain faithful and honor their covenants, then God, and the Holy Spirit of Promise will come along and seal those fruits to you for eternity. Then, in the next life, you can continue to enjoy all those same fruits together as husband and wife. You will enjoy eternal increase. Those fruits will be preserved.

So let’s look at marriage #3:

Marriage #3-132:19-20

Where does this marriage take place?

It is by his word, and law and by the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. So this would also be a marriage that has taken place in the temple.

By what authority does it take place?

This is a marriage that has been performed by someone anointed and appointed unto that power, and this time, it is also sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

Therefore, what happens when they die?

Well there is a whole list of things here.

They come forth in the first resurrection

They inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities and powers, dominions, heights, and depths.

The marriage will be of full force when they are out of the world.

They receive exaltation and glory in all things

They shall have a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. This hearkens back to the idea of eternal increase. Their seed or posterity can continue into the eternities.

They shall be as gods. Notice it’s the word “THEY” in all these instances. We can only be exalted together. They shall be from everlasting to everlasting because they continue

All things are subject unto them, they shall be gods and have all power.

This is basically an explanation of exaltation. I don’t want to speculate on the particulars. Quite honestly, I don’t know what all that entails, and I’m not really sure what the scriptures mean by “and the angels are subject unto them”. I’m also not exactly sure what godhood really looks like or all that that means. I know it’s “gods” with a little “g”, and not a capital one. We don’t take God’s place. He will always be our Father and our God. He will always be above us. But exaltation sure sounds wonderful. It will be glorious and worth all we may have experienced, suffered, or sacrificed on this earth. That I’m sure of.

TRUTH

If I marry in the temple and live in such a way that my marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, then my marriage will be eternal, and my spouse and I will have eternal increase.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

What can you do now to obtain this great blessing?

The answer to that question is going to vary greatly depending on your situation, but all can do something.

For the youth, that might mean preparing yourself now for that kind of marriage. To keep yourself temple worthy and develop a character and a faith that will turn you into the kind of spouse that can and will live faithfully and lovingly for eternity. The youth can also cultivate a desire and plan to be married within the temple.

For the young single adult that may mean actively seeking to find a worthy partner so as to create a celestial marriage and not deliberately avoiding or delaying that commitment for any kind of worldly concern or anxiety.

For those that would love to be married but have not yet had that blessing or opportunity come. Continue faithful. There is much more to this mortal experience than marriage. Being committed to Christ and righteousness matter more. Remember that God assures eternal marriage and increase to all righteous individuals, regardless of whether they marry in this life or not.

For the married, live in such a way that your marriage can be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Fill the jar. Stay faithful, and true, and work hard to create a Celestial marriage that is worth having for eternity.

CONCLUSION

I would like to conclude this portion of the lesson by saying that I’m so grateful for my wife and for the doctrine of celestial marriage. What a beautiful and hopeful and glorious doctrine—that a cherished relationship can be eternal in nature. The greatest and most impactful day of my life and really, my existence, was June 13th, 2002. That was the day I knelt at an altar in the Salt Lake temple and made a covenant to Allesha Hilton, and she to me. The effect of that day, I hope and pray and anticipate, will reverberate throughout eternity. I believe in Celestial marriage and am so grateful for the great plan of happiness that makes that relationship possible.

MARRIAGE #4-PLURAL MARRIAGE

Now to the final portion of section 132. A tough one. Really. This is a topic that is controversial, difficult to understand, and has resulted in much ridicule and opposition to the church since its inception. That topic is the fourth kind of marriage explained in section 132: plural marriage, or polygamy. Now I want you to know right from the get-go that my object here is not to have you leave feeling perfectly fine about polygamy. Personally, I’m very glad that we don’t currently practice it. I mean, one wife is enough, right! I once heard somebody say that multiple wives mean multiple mothers-in-law, so keep that in mind (and by the way, I have an amazing mother-in-law) But in all seriousness. It’s a principle that many members have struggled with through the entire history of the church. For one, it clashes very deeply with our modern Western cultural values. Two, you can imagine the difficulties, for both the men and the women involved, to live in that way. And three, the practices and social reclusion of the modern fundamentalist, polygamist movement doesn’t help to give the practice a very good name. So no wonder we struggle with the idea. What I hope to accomplish here is to have you leave with a better understanding of it.

The way I like to approach this topic is with a TRUE/FALSE activity. I hand it out at the beginning, give them some time to fill it out, and then we go through the scriptures to answer the questions. So here we go.

1. The church has hidden information about Joseph Smith’s polygamy for years and only recently has told the general membership about it.

FALSE

I’ve heard people make that claim before. But, uhhhh, It’s right here in the Doctrine and Covenants and has been for over a century—officially since 1876. It is true that in Nauvoo, at the time, it was not publicly taught or introduced to the general membership. Plural marriage was something that was introduced slowly and methodically. So maybe somebody in 1843 Nauvoo could make that claim, but not us. It’s always been there—in plain sight for all the world to see in Doctrine and Covenants 132. We can’t blame the church for our own ignorance of things. We’ve got to take responsibility for our own study of the scriptures and Church History. Now maybe it hasn’t been emphasized and much more research and understanding has been developed in recent years, but nothing has ever been hid from us.

2. The practice of plural marriage was first introduced to Joseph Smith and had never been sanctioned by God before that time.

FALSE

That is false. There are many examples in the Bible of people practicing God-sanctioned plural marriage. Section 132: 1 lists some of these individuals. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon. And these men were, in many cases, prophets and kings, men of God. Some of the biggest names in the Old Testament. I don’t think you can believe in the Bible and at the same time completely reject the idea of plural marriage. You at least have to accept that God can allow it in some instances. In a letter, Martin Luther once said that he could not "forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture.“

(Letter to the Chancellor Gregor Bruck, January 13, 1524, De Wette 2:459)

So it’s always nice to know when something has Biblical precedent. We do have a biblical leg to stand on here.

3. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other early members of the Church were eager to enter the practice of polygamy once it was introduced to them.

FALSE

That is patently false. It was just the opposite. They were bewildered by it, terrified by it, and even repulsed by it. This clashed very strongly with their own Victorian ideals of chastity and propriety. If you wish, you could show your students some of the following statements that shows they were resistant to the practice. One of the common accusations I’ve heard made is that early male church leaders were lustful men who wanted to have sexual relations with multiple women and that polygamy was a means to accomplish this. That accusation shouldn’t really surprise us. In our hypersexualized, modern, media culture, of course they are going to seize and sensationalize that topic. But nothing could be further from the truth. They did not desire to live this law. That’s even reflected in Joseph’s language when he initially asks God about it. It says in verse 1 that Joseph prayed and asked how God “JUSTIFIED” Old Testament prophets such as Abraham and Isaac and others in having multiple wives. He’s like “how was this justified, God?” This doesn’t sound right. These men in the Bible are held up as very righteous men. As prophets even. How were they justified in doing this? So Joseph was not eager to implement the practice. I think the only reason he’s even asking is because he just wants to understand the scriptures. He was always asking questions about the scriptures. I don’t think he anticipated the answer he was just about to get.

4. We should feel guilty if the idea of plural marriage bothers us. This is an indication of a lack of faith.

FALSE

Like we just said, even Joseph Smith himself and others struggled with the idea of it, so there should be no guilt involved with wrestling with this. To find something difficult or troubling is not a lack of faith.

5. Plural marriage is only acceptable when God commands it.

TRUE

:34-35

34 God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.

35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.

The fact of the matter is that plural marriage is the exception and not the rule. Monogamy is God’s typical plan for his children. You can see this principle taught in a number of places in scripture. For example.

1 Timothy 3:2

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Jacob 2:27-28

27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;

28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

And even in the Doctrine and Covenants itself

Doctrine and Covenants 49:16

16 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation;

Apostle James E. Talmage once said the following:

“Plurality of wives was an incident, never an essential.” (Story and Philosophy of Mormonism, 89)

And Apostle Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“Plural marriage is not essential to salvation or exaltation.” (Mormon Doctrine, 523)

Therefore, we need not suppose that plural marriage is an eternal law that all will be asked to live in the eternities. There is no scriptural foundation for that assumption.

6. Emma struggled greatly to accept the practice of plural marriage.

TRUE

Like we’ve said from the beginning. Almost everyone struggles with the idea of plural marriage. It is clear from the history that Emma really had a tough time with the law of polygamy. But can we blame her? So do we! This represented a major strain on Joseph and Emma’s marriage, as you can imagine. Other people and historians have dealt with this topic much better and deeper than I can, so I’ll leave you to go to them for more detail. Probably the best source for an official, church-approved treatment of this topic would be the gospel topic essay entitled Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=eng). I’ll provide a link to that essay in the video description below and I encourage you to look there first. I also encourage you to read another essay entitled Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-and-families-in-early-utah?lang=eng) You’ll understand these topics so much better by reading those than for me to try and cover all the particulars here. There is a word in this section in reference to Emma that is really difficult to understand and even painful to consider. There are a few places where Emma is commanded to accept the practice of plural marriage, or she would be destroyed. (D&C 132:54) I’m not going to pretend that I get the reason the Lord chose to use that word or what he exactly meant. I guess I’ll just say the following. Words to man don’t always have the same connotation to God. I can think of a number of examples of this. Martin Harris was described as a wicked man earlier in the Doctrine and Covenants. I believe the way the Lord is using that term is very different from the way we use it. We learned from Doctrine and Covenants 19 that eternal punishment and eternal damnation and endless torment don’t mean what mankind has generally thought them to mean. We know that there is not really a hell of fire and brimstone and endless torture. The term damnation in the scriptures really just means the stopping of progress. The way God uses them, a lot of these terms are really softened. I’m thinking, and hoping, that that’s the same case with the word “destroyed” here. I imagine it just means, there would be lost blessings for disobedience.

7. When practicing God-sanctioned plural marriage, the man can decide on his own whether or not he will marry another wife.

FALSE

This is false. Look at verse 61.

61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified;

The wife was just as much a part of this process. She had to give her consent.

8. The Lord commands plural marriage when there are more women than men in his church. Plural marriage also causes a population boom from which to build a larger church foundation.

FALSE

In fact, research has shown that there were not significantly more women than men in Nauvoo at this time or in early Utah. The explanation that plural marriage causes a population boom is also not true. Whether a group of women are married to separate men or are all married to the same man does not increase the number of children they can or are likely to have.

So what is the reason for plural marriage? Why does the Lord sometimes command or allow it? I don’t claim to know all of the reasons, but the best scriptural explanation I know of is in the Book of Mormon, in Jacob 2:30 which says:

“For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; (to live polygamy) otherwise, they shall hearken unto these things.” (Monogamy). The key phrase there is “raise up seed unto me”. Now at first glance that may sound like he’s saying that it will produce more children, but we’ve already examined how that isn’t true. But look more closely at that phrase. It’s not just raise up seed, but seed unto me. One of the clear positive results of polygamy in the early church was that more children were able to be raised by the most faithful men and women. Not just anybody could live that law. It was highly regulated because they didn’t want it practiced for any but the purest of intents. Only the most worthy men and women were allowed to even enter into it. Your character had to be vouched for by priesthood leadership to even allow a plural marriage to take place. Look at it this way. Under monogamy, how many children could have the benefit and blessing of being raised by a Brigham Young, or a John Taylor, or a Wilford Woodruff? 6-10? Maybe a few more? How many under polygamy? Many children could be raised by these great fathers in these faithful households. And the wives. Oh my gosh, what kind of women do you think these mothers must have been? I can’t think of many women who are wild about the idea of sharing their husband. This must have been very difficult for them. But they did it because of their great faith in God and the restored gospel. What incredible examples of faith they were to their children! There is no doubt, that polygamy created a very strong and solid basis of dedicated and faithful members of the restored church.

A paragraph in the Gospel Topics Essay entitled “Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah” sums up this point nicely:

“For many who practiced it, plural marriage was a significant sacrifice. Despite the hardships some experienced, the faithfulness of those who practiced plural marriage continues to benefit the Church in innumerable ways. Through the lineage of these 19th-century Saints have come many Latter-day Saints who have been faithful to their gospel covenants as righteous mothers and fathers, loyal disciples of Jesus Christ, and devoted Church members, leaders, and missionaries. Although members of the contemporary Church are forbidden to practice plural marriage, modern Latter-day Saints honor and respect these pioneers who gave so much for their faith, families, and community.”

Personally speaking, I am a descendant of pioneers who lived plural marriage. I know from their journals that living plural marriage was difficult for them. But they lived it, because they had faith in God and the restored gospel. Their courage and dedication have been passed down through each succeeding generation. They certainly "raised up seed unto [God]" and I'm honored to say that I am part of that seed.

So how could I abandon my faith in the restored gospel over this issue. What would my ancestors say? They actually lived it! And stayed true. I don’t even have to live it; I just hear about it. How could I reject all that I know to be true and all the blessings of the church because of this one thing?

CONCLUSION

Well, I know we only really scratched the surface on this, and we will come back to this topic again in a few weeks when we discuss Official Declaration #1. Maybe the most relevant principle that can come from this discussion would be this: Be willing to do things that are hard for the Gospel’s sake. Be willing to be persecuted for your beliefs. Be willing to do whatever the Lord asks of you, no matter how difficult. The early polygamists of the church have shown us a wonderful example of living the gospel even when it meant persecution, punishment, disenfranchisement and even prison. Would that we all would have the faith and loyalty to do the same with smaller things that the Lord asks us to do.