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Changes In Mormon Doctrine And Practice - Page 3

I will not comment on the ordinances specifically, because I do not feel comfortable doing so in this manner. However, I will comment on the principles that govern my personal feelings on the matter. The important thing is not to use the statements of dead prophets to try to disprove a living one, nor to blindly follow with a vague belief that the doctrine doesn't really matter.

The test for this new way of doing things is the same as with the Book of Mormon or the First Vision - either it is true or it is not. Either it is ordained of God and should be embraced, or it is apostasy and should be abhorred. Therefore, we must each seek the spiritual assurance of the Lord as to which is right. Even if we already have 'testimonies,' this is a significant enough event that it requires our sincere prayer and diligent searching. We cannot assume that Gordon B. Hinckley is a prophet just because we have felt that confirmation before - we must make ourselves worthy and willing to actually receive a spiritual witness now. The answer may not come as a blinding revelation, but it will surely come if pursued in the correct way.

I also sincerely believe the principle that the Lord would sooner kill a prophet than allow him to lead the entire Church astray. I still sustain President Hinckley. The Internet is a powerful tool, but it is not the place to receive information about the ordinances of the temple. The temple is the only place where the ordinances themselves, including these changes, can be received in a manner such that spiritual comprehension of their substance can occur. Therefore, I will not visit the sites that seek to tell all - they may intricately describe the temple, but they cannot provide nor adequately describe the spirit of revelation and peace contained therein. Thus they mock things they do not really comprehend. Thus those researching the issue at hand will receive the opinions of man, while those who go to the temple and ask sincerely for understanding and confirmation will receive the opinion of God. What greater witness can one have?

I have not been to the temple in the past few weeks, but in a week, when the temple has opened from their winter cleaning, I will go and seek diligently until I know the source of this revelation. I believe it is of God.

Practice Doctrine Mormon Changes

Howe, thanks for your message. Did you read the statement of Joseph Smith I put on this same thread? (I quoted from lds.org). Can you please give me your opinion about the same statement?.

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For whatever it is worth, here is my take on this.

Also:

I do NOT believe this principle. Nor do I believe the principle that dead prophets are worthless. After all, not only are Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Joseph F. Smith, and David O. McKay all dead, but so are Paul, Abraham, Moses, John, Peter, James, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

I certainly do agree that each person must approach the Lord for himself/herself to find out if this is His will.

That is enough out of me.

Edited: Nighthawk on 30th Jan, 2005 - 4:00am

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I want to think out my stand on the Joseph Smith quote and get back to you shortly. In the meantime, I'd just like to post a couple of relevant quotations. I found a splendid talk by Elder Packer, from which I have selected the following segments:

The URL is: https://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Mag...plates$3.0

Also, from President Harold B. Lee:

https://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Mag...plates$3.0

Practice Doctrine Mormon Changes

While visiting in my sister's ward today, one of the sisters in Relief Society bore her testimony and said she's a temple worker. She spoke specifically about the changes in the temple ordinance of initiatories, and how they had been changed; that it was told to them in a special meeting that Pres. Hinckley had received revelation and taken it to the Twelve, where they had counseled about it and went forward with the change. She said it was a beautiful meeting, filled with the Spirit, and they all were touched by the truth of it.

I thought it was interesting that she felt perfectly comfortable stating in plain language, in a room full of women (some of whom I'm sure have not been endowed), exactly what the change was. Not sure how to feel about that.

Changes In Mormon Doctrine And Practice

My grandparents are temple workers, and I live in their house. We are very open about many things, and I have attended the temple with them often. However, when it came to these changes, they just said to go to the temple and find out. That's the way it works - one's first exposure to the nuts and bolts of temple ordinances should be in the temple, and when something is different, the place to receive and understand it is the temple.

Regarding the Joseph Smith quote from LDS_Forever:

The principles upon which salvation is founded never change, namely, the fall of Adam, the atonement of Christ, and the resurrection. Every ordinance has reference to one or more of these pillars. It is important to note that the original temple ordinances that Joseph Smith administered were not completely similar to those of today. He commissioned Brigham Young and (was it Wilford Woodruff? Willard Richards? I can't remember now - anyway, another Church leader) to standardize and organize the presentation into a repeatable form. The knowledge and blessings promised in the temple are more important than the actual technical aspects of these ordinances. That is not to say that we can whimsically alter these sacred things, but the covenants, the blessings, and the necessary information for salvation is intact. The question is, how much of what we do is really required of the Lord, and how much is just the way it's always been? That is a question only He can answer, and in this particular instance, I feel that He has.

Again, it's interesting to discuss our perspectives on these changes, but our opinions cannot alter their truth or justify their untruth. Therefore, our obligation is to discern and follow.

Changes Mormon Doctrine Practice - Page 3

I guess that's just a matter of opinion, even though in the end I understand and agree that the blessings received are the most important aspect, I would not call any part of the sacred ordinances of the Temple ceremony "technical" aspects. They are a VITAL part of Temple worship in my opinion...if it is not as important, then why to bother to have it?... let's just receive the blessings. I do not think there are such a thing as "technical" aspects, every ordinance...every thing we do in the Temple regards to the ordinances is SACRED and when there is a change for whatever reason must be FULLY explained to the members, but when Temple workers are not allowed to give such explanations about these changes, do we expect the members who go to the Temple just follow and obey?. I do not think so. At least not for me. You see, I believe in continue revelation, and I believe that every new revelation that is received must be prayerfully considered (and I believe the Brethren do that) but when the information is not shared to the people who are going to see these changes, you are stopping them from receiving their personal testimonies regards to this issue. I am a firm believe that everything is for a reason, and after you know the reason then you can as you put it, discern and follow but when you do not have the information because is being kept from you, then there is no room for such thing.

I do not understand why some members like to use Testimony meeting to talk about things like that *shaking head* I do not think testimony meeting is forum for that kind of information.

Edited: LDS_forever on 7th Feb, 2005 - 6:19pm

Changes Mormon Doctrine Practice Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 3

From my point of view, this should not have happened. This sort of information is to only be discussed in the Temple. Not anywhere else. Certainly not with people present who have not yet been to the Temple.