Feeling, and Fooling, the Spirit

But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

Ether 4:11

When was the last time you felt the Spirit? 

Is it a common, regular experience? Is it easy to feel the Spirit? Are there things you read, watch, or listen to that reliably cause you to feel the Spirit?

What does it feel like?

These may seem like unusual questions, yet these questions are—or ought to be—of prime importance to Latter-day Saints. Common situations in which we "feel the Spirit" include testimony meetings, Sunday school classes, priesthood ordinances, and gospel discussions. We may "feel the Spirit" when we visit the temple or the home of a fellow believer. We consider "feeling the Spirit" as a confirmation of truth.

When you get right down to it, we base our testimonies, our acceptance of truth, our understanding of scripture, our relationship with God, and therefore our very salvation on the somewhat ill-defined notion of "feeling the Spirit."

Indeed, "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Cor. 12:3)

We equate these feelings with the influence of the Holy Ghost, and then base our testimonies upon these feelings. So we ought to be able to define the influence of the Holy Ghost, and how this influence gives us to know something is true. This ought to be the heart of our study until we have experienced it, mastered it, and can articulate it. We ought to be experts in the things of the Spirit.

We must, as we are admonished at confirmation, "receive the Holy Ghost."

So let's turn first to the scriptures, to see what God has revealed about the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost:

• Will "teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26)
• Will testify of Christ (John 15:26)
• Is the "spirit of revelation" and will "tell you in your mind and in your heart." (D&C 8:2-3)
• Causes men to speak the will of the Lord, the mind of the Lord, the word of the Lord, the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation (D&C 68:4)
• Will unfold the mysteries of God to them that diligently seek (1 Nephi 10:19)
• Remits your sins (2 Nephi 31:17)
• Cleanses you (Moroni 6:4)
• Sanctifies you (3 Nephi 27:20)
• Is the power by which angels speak (2 Nephi 32:3)
• Bears record of the Father and the Son (3 Nephi 11:32)

And perhaps the best explanation of all:

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do. (2 Nephi 32:5-6)

So, according to the doctrine of Christ, the Holy Ghost will show us all things that we should do, and, if obeyed, will ultimately lead us to encounter Christ while yet in the flesh—which is the very definition of redemption. (Ether 3:13)

Now, with all these mighty miracles worked by the Holy Ghost—revelation, sanctification, cleansing, even redemption—ask yourself this: What might be Satan's MOST EFFECTIVE strategy for capturing as many souls as possible in this fallen world? Where might he focus his efforts? What must he prevent?

I hope by now you realize that the most effective play Satan can make to capture any of us is to interfere with our reception of the Holy Ghost! I cannot overstate the importance of understanding this!

If Satan can prevent you from recognizing and receiving the Holy Ghost, he has won. Period. 

Regardless of how you spend your life, what you do, who you serve, what you worship, or how "righteous" you believe you are, without the vital influence of the Holy Ghost, you will be damned. End of story. Everything else we hope to receive from God begins with receiving the Holy Ghost.

Now with this sobering thought in mind, it's time to shake off the chains with which we are bound and examine the unbeliefs about the Holy Ghost that are holding us back. If you're not familiar with the definition of unbelief, please read this post first, and possibly the two that follow it. It's very important to understand the meaning of unbelief.

What follows may not be comfortable to confront, as unbelief never is. I ask you to keep an open heart and consider what I'm about to share. It is important.

The Unbelief of "Feeling the Spirit"

We speak so often of "feeling the Spirit" that it's just an everyday expression among Mormons. We hear it and nod knowingly, having had many of the same experiences ourselves. Here are a few of the more common things we feel. See how many you have felt:

• Strong, even overwhelming, emotions
• Tears, crying, weeping
• Peace, warmth
• Sentimentality
• Chills, goosebumps
• Pounding heart, shaking, sweating (time to bear your testimony!)
• A "rushing" feeling in the body
• A feeling of being "filled" in the body

Any of these sound familiar?

I've experienced these feelings, and I'll bet you have as well. In fact, so have my good Christian friends, my good Jewish friends, and my good atheist friends. Many people from many different faiths experience these feelings as confirmation of what they believe. Many also experience these feelings completely apart from religion. 

I experience these feelings when watching an exciting movie, an emotional television program, or when reading great literature. Certain music moves me and causes these feelings. I can recall specific movie scenes that reliably produce these feelings every time I watch them. (Yeah, I'll admit I'm moved when Luke Skywalker blows up the Death Star. Every time.)

Is that the Holy Ghost? Should I bear my testimony that I "know" Luke Skywalker is "true?"

Do the tears and sentimentality that come with the memory of my father mean that he was similarly "true?" (Way to go, Dad!)

Do the same feelings felt by a Catholic, Muslim, and Evangelical Christian mean that each of their respective religions are "true?"

I'm sorry to say, ALL the feelings above are products of emotion, sentimentality, and normal physiological responses to thought processes. Look at the list again and ask which ones you might feel when going through a really good haunted house.

These are NOT the Holy Ghost. There is NO scripture that tells us to identify the Holy Ghost by any of these feelings. While the Holy Ghost does produce physical signs, the scriptures DO NOT teach us to identify the Holy Ghost by what we refer to as "feeling the Spirit."

Let that sink in for a minute. We don't "feel" the Holy Ghost.

I know, I know. Your seminary teacher, primary teacher, parents, bishop, mission companion and best friend all taught you about "feeling the Spirit." You and I, we grew up with it. And yet for all this "feeling" that was going on, were the gifts of the Spirit manifest? Tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, angels, healings, mighty miracles, and the visitation of the Savior—were these common to our worship experiences while we "felt" the Spirit?

Now, before you throw up your hands and call me a lunatic, consider what I said about Satan, above. What if—just for the sake of discussion—what if old scratch could cause us to "feel" things too? 

What if he he were the great deceiver and could, in actuality, counterfeit and deceive? 

And what if, possibly, he could get us to misidentify these feelings as coming from God? 

And what if this misidentification kept us from ever actually receiving the Holy Ghost and all the blessings and signs that the scriptures most surely promise—because we are satisfied with sentimentality as a substitute? 

Would that not be Satan's greatest achievement? Would that not cause the Devil to laugh and rejoice?

But of course, Satan couldn't deceive us, could he? 

God says he could, can, and does. (Moses 4:4, D&C 50:2-3, D&C 52:14). 

But God, always faithful, has given us the means to avoid deception. 

And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4:4)

The key to avoiding Satan's deceptions is to hearken unto the Lord's voice. How do we receive the Lord's voice? By taking the Holy Spirit for our guide.

For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. (D&C 45:57)

So to put it simply we MUST learn to hear the Lord's voice through the Holy Spirit. This is NOT about feeling something. It is about hearing Him.

It is vitally important that we learn to do this, so let's talk about how to do it.

Step One: Intelligence

If the Holy Ghost isn't about feelings or emotions, how, exactly do we receive and recognize the Holy Ghost? How do we hear the Lord's voice?

Let's start with some of Joseph Smith's statements about the effects of the Holy Ghost:

Revelation:

Said Joseph Smith: "No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator." (TPJS 328)

Sudden strokes of ideas:

The Spirit of Revelation is in connection with these blessings. A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus. (TPJS 151)

Light communicated to the intellect: 

We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; (TPJS 51)

The Holy Ghost communicates intelligence, light and knowledge to your mind and intellect. "Pure intelligence" and "sudden strokes of ideas" refer to the somewhat surprising experience of suddenly knowing something you didn't know a moment before, without being taught it. It's just there—in your understanding where it wasn't a moment before. This often happens while pondering and studying the scriptures.

This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence. It is more powerful in expanding the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with present knowledge, of a man who is of the literal seed of Abraham, than one that is a Gentile, though it may not have half as much visible effect upon the body; (TPJS 149)

"The Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence." Not chills. Not tears. Not emotion. So the first question to ask when someone has "felt the Spirit" is what intelligence was communicated? What revelation was received? What new knowledge was given? What understanding exists that was lacking before? If none was given, this was not the Lord's Spirit.

When the Lord gives us knowledge in this way, by His Spirit, it is the beginning of our ability to hear His voice, or as Joseph Smith put it, to "grow into the principle of revelation."

Step Two: The Still, Small Voice

Have you ever had an experience when the Spirit was SO STRONG? When you received a powerful witness? When the "Spirit was so thick you could cut it with a knife?" When the "Spirit was so powerful I couldn't even speak?"

These phrases, common among us, describe a powerful feeling that we attribute to the Holy Ghost. 

And yet, could not such things also be attributed to Satan? 

I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak...the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being (JSH 1:15-16)

Notice that the powerful part of the experience was provided by Satan, and the enlightening part of the experience was provided by God. When Joseph cried out to God for deliverance, revelation was received, knowledge was communicated, questions were asked and answered, and the devil was banished.

The fact is, the Holy Ghost speaks in a still, small voice, and NOT a powerful feeling. (1 Kings 19:12, 1 Nephi 17:45) It is a whisper, and only available to those who are listening for it (Helaman 5:30) The voice is not heard with the ears. It comes from inside you. The voice of the Spirit speaks to you inside your soul. (D&C 85:6.)

As you begin to hearken to the intelligence communicated to you in step one, you will develop sensitivity to the Spirit's voice within, so that you can begin to hear it speaking to you when you're quiet and listening. It's quite surprising at first, until you become accustomed to it. With practice, you can become adept at relying upon the Spirit's voice, and the Holy Ghost will speak to you in sentences.

When I say it's surprising at first, here's what I mean:

1. Speed: A few years ago, and I still remember it like it was today, I was reading the Book of Mormon and asked a question in my mind about the meaning of a phrase I had just read. I had scarcely formed the thought when my inner voice very clearly, but quietly, spoke a sentence that answered my question. It was clear, unmistakable, and immediate when I asked. The question was answered and light was communicated. It took me by surprise because I had scarcely formed the question when the answer came.
2. Familiarity: That voice that answered my question in scripture study was my own voice. It was in the very core of my being, and extremely familiar. I struggled to understand how that voice could be the Holy Ghost when it's the same inner voice that keeps up constant chatter in my head. Yet, that's how it works. Said the Lord to Oliver Cowdery:Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. (D&C 8:2)
3. Insight: The answer was brilliant, insightful, and filled with light. It was definitely NOT something I knew before and could not have come from me. And yet, it was spoken by my own inner voice. It was spoken by the Holy Ghost.

As we learn to listen to, and obey that voice, we will ultimately begin to hear, and identify, not only the voice of the Spirit, but ultimately the voice of Christ and the voice of the Father. Each has a distinct voice. 

Step Three: It will Show unto You

The Holy Ghost will also teach us by showing us things. 

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. (2 Nephi 32:5)

Such experiences come in very natural and unremarkable ways at first. You may ask something in prayer and "see" the answer in your mind's eye. I once had to teach an important topic in a gospel class and I wasn't sure the best way to convey it. I prayed and asked God how I should teach the principle, and the Holy Ghost immediately showed me, in detail, the object lesson I was to use and how to incorporate it with the appropriate scriptures. I saw it clearly in my mind, and it was a much better idea than I ever could have come up with on my own. 

I try to start each day by asking God what he wants me to accomplish that day. Very often, he shows me people I am to serve or tasks he wants me to do. "Seeing" them seems to be the most effective way for me to understand what is required.

The Fruits of the Spirit

You will be changed by receiving the Holy Ghost; it will bear fruit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

These fruits are not emotions, but states of being. When you obtain the Holy Ghost you will tend to BE more loving, peaceful, patient, gentle, good, faithful, meek and tempered.

Similarly, the receipt of the Holy Ghost tends to be accompanied with the Gifts of the Spirit: 

But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do...that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils. Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; (D&C 46:7-8)

The gifts of the Spirit include knowledge, belief, wisdom, faith to heal, faith to be healed, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking with tongues, interpreting tongues and others. These are the fruits of the Spirit.

Now about those feelings. When the Holy Ghost has conveyed beautiful truth to your soul, there may indeed be tears. There may be chills, warm fuzzies, or tingles. But these are a RESULT of the information conveyed, not a substitute for it. Once we realize it's the information that's most important, the side effects take a lesser role. 

So What's Wrong with Emotion?

When knowledge is communicated by the Holy Ghost, there may indeed be an emotional response, as well as physical responses. But the response is to the intelligence communicated and the knowledge learned, NOT merely to the experience of hearing the voice. 

When there has been nothing communicated, but we still "feel" the spirit, we may be sure we are indeed feeling "a" spirit, but it might not be from God. It might merely be our own emotions, or it may be something far more sinister, hoping to deceive us.

Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world. And also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you. (D&C 50: 2-3)

We put ourselves in grave danger when we intentionally seek to create moving, emotional experiences as a substitute for the teaching of the Spirit.

...too much of the literature used, seen, and quoted in the Church today is just sentimental trash which is designed to pull our heart strings or to moisten our eyes—but it is not born of true spiritual experience. The tendency of our youth to use sentimental stories in Church talks creates a culture of spiritual misunderstanding in which thinking and learning are discouraged. Because our youth often respond positively to sentimentalism, there is a danger that we might cater to that in the Church instruction more generally.... It [emotional sentimentalism] should never be leaned upon as a substitute for spirituality. Reliance on sentimentality will stunt our own spiritual growth by misleading us and filling our understanding with false experiences.

Reason and Revelation, Noel B. Reynolds, Academic Vice-President, BYU, Summer 1981.

You may not agree with me, but I've just got to tell you—the new LDS temple films seem to be directly going after the emotions, rather than conveying more truth and light. Not a word of the script was changed, but I found the sensational special effects, locations, music, and over-acting to be terribly distracting as I tried to hear the voice of the Holy Ghost in the temple. In fact, I couldn't hear the Spirit at all until the film portion of the endowment ended and the information was presented without all the sentimentality and special effects.

The tools of Hollywood are poorly suited to convey the things of God, though we do tend to seek them as substitutes, and Hollywood willingly sells them to us for money.

In the temple, I looked around and saw many people in tears, clearly moved by what they had seen, and ready to testify that the new temple films were SO powerful and they felt the spirit SO strongly. I heard many such testimonies about the new films. I'm not criticizing those who feel that way, but I do think they have confused sentiment for Spirit. This is dangerous.

The most important thing you can possibly do in the temple is LEARN...not feel. The endowment is rich in information, symbolism, light and truth. How much of it do we understand? Does more drama convey more truth?

Dark Feelings

One other point that I must make about feelings:

From time to time, someone tells me they stopped reading a book, or the scriptures, or this blog, because of a "dark feeling" they got when reading it. (I heard this one a bunch on my mission about the Book of Mormon.)

To this I ask: Where do dark feelings come from? 

Do you seriously think God is the author of fear, discouragement, anxiety, or darkness? If you believe that, you don't understand God at all.

Such "dark" feelings only have one source and it is not God.

Now, let's suppose that as a master deceiver, Satan can cause all sorts of different feelings in hopes of manipulating our thoughts and actions. What will he send if he wants you to follow a path that leads away from God or keeps you from progressing? Will he send dark feelings and fear of that path to dissuade you, or will he send chills and goosebumps in hopes you'll mistake them for "the Spirit?" 

As long as you're unredeemed, he'll do all he can to keep you comfortable where you are, and safely away from God.

And what will he do if he wants you to stop what you're doing and pursue a different course? If you start to make progress toward God, how will Satan react? Will darkness and fear get you to change course? Did he try it on Joseph Smith? 

And lastly, will Satan teach enough truth to keep you comfortable, happy, asleep, and certain you are right, just as long as he can get you to reject further light and knowledge? These important questions are worth pondering. Satan's opposition is one of the signs of greater light.

When your emotions become your ultimate gauge of truth; when something is "true" because you feel good about it, and "false" because you don't feel good about it, you have become Satan's puppet—dancing on the stage while he laughs at you, controlled by his strong cords. (2 Nephi 26:22) This is not revelation—it is manipulation. It was Satan's plan from the beginning. God help you if you've fallen for this deception.

Don't confuse sentiment for enlightenment. Settle for nothing less than revelation.

Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

—D&C 50:17-18

Postscript

This primer has been necessarily brief. There's more to cover (burning in the bosom anyone?) So watch for that in my next post. 

Also: There is indeed something of the Holy Ghost that is felt. But it is very subtle, refined, and quiet. It is not emotional; it is informational and difficult to describe. It comes after you learn to recognize the voice of the Spirit.

Also: I've intentionally used Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit or "the Spirit" interchangeably in this post. I did this because these names are commonly interchanged in Mormon teachings and I want this post to be accessible to all. In actuality, the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost are not the same thing. There are important distinctions to understand, but that must wait for another day. What I've written here is a start, and this post is already too long.

And finally: Don't be discouraged, and don't tell yourself you can't receive revelation. Fact is, you already do receive it. You just don't recognize it because it comes inside you in your own voice. Start paying attention. The problem isn't that it's too foreign. The problem is that it's too familiar. You can do this. 

Update February 28, 2018: This post was the opening to a topic I've written much about since. The closing bookend of this topic is found at this link, and makes a great follow up to this post. In it you'll see the "object lesson" I referenced in this post.  

The Danger in Following Your Lord

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Acts 10:47

Since my excommunication, some folks have inquired as to whether I plan to be rebaptized. This question has set me thinking, and like most gospel truths, the answer may go much deeper than you initially expect.

Before we talk about rebaptism, let's first talk about baptism. Through this outward observance, we testify to an inward commitment we have made to follow our Lord. This means we seek to emulate His way of thinking, acting, loving, serving, and even suffering. Our public testimony to God and our fellow men of this commitment is embodied in this sacred ordinance.

Alma gave a wonderful summary of the baptismal commitment:

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; 

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— 

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? (Mosiah 18:8-10)

These are lofty goals, to be sure. And not all that easy to live up to. In fact, we will all certainly NOT manage to live up to the commitments we make at baptism.

One of the things we tell ourselves, therefore, is that taking the sacrament renews this broken baptismal covenant and gives us another chance to try another week. And while I agree that the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is indeed a wonderful, important, and necessary observance for all of Christ's followers, I cannot find any scriptural indication that sacrament renews baptismal covenants specifically. Many of the same elements exist in the sacrament prayers and scriptures about baptism, but the two ordinances are never directly linked in scripture, nor did the Lord Himself ever link them when He instituted the sacrament in person.

They're different ordinances with different purposes.

So let's suppose you're seeking renewal beyond the sacrament. Something more along the lines of a full-body immersive experience, let's say. Perhaps you were baptized at eight years old, and you didn't really understand what you were doing, couldn't wholeheartedly make your commitment to Christ, and can't remember it by now anyway.

Or suppose you've never received the promised fruits of baptism written in God's word to you:

Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. (2 Nephi 31:17)

Suppose that now, as a fully mature adult, you're ready to make your commitment to Christ in a wholehearted, enlightened and determined way before God and men. Suppose that by doing so, you intend to show your faith that God will fulfill his words and remit your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. Suppose you desperately want, need, and desire this renewal of your commitment to your Lord because you hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Forget the excommunicated castoffs. Is there no provision for the faithful to be rebaptized?

Well, it turns out, there is.

As with all gospel questions, let's turn first to the scriptures.

In 3 Nephi 11, when Christ appears to the Nephites, the very first thing he teaches is baptism.

And it came to pass that he spake unto Nephi (for Nephi was among the multitude) and he commanded him that he should come forth...And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven. (3 Nephi 11:18, 21)

Christ then preaches a sermon on the topic of baptism and its necessity as part of Christ's doctrine. This sermon was apparently believed by Nephi, because the very next day found him at the water's edge:

And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water and was baptized. And he came up out of the water and began to baptize. And he baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen. (3 Nephi 19:11-12)

The interesting point here is that baptism was not a new thing among these Nephites. In fact, Nephi (the father of the Nephi in the above verses) was the go-to guy when it came to baptism among the Nephites:

For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come (Helaman 16:4)

And it's worth considering the Lord's own statement that those who were spared the destructions at His death were the more righteous among the people. (3 Nephi 9:13, 10:12) Undoubtedly, these righteous people had already been baptized; undoubtedly Nephi, son of Nephi had been baptized by his father. Yet, there they were, at the water's edge again, doing what Christ asked of them. And they received the promised blessings when they did so:

And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (3 Nephi 19:13)

I know of no scriptural injunction against rebaptism, and we've just seen a scriptural example of Christ himself teaching rebaptism.

But what about rebaptism in the latter days? Has this practice ever been part of the restored gospel? Well, the answer to that is a resounding YES!

It started at the organization of the Church of Christ in April, 1830, when previously baptized people were rebaptized. Records of rebaptism appear sporadically through the 1830's, and by the Nauvoo era became quite common.

In the April, 1841 general conference Joseph Smith spoke on rebaptism, and the ordinance was thereafter provided to those who requested it. By 1842, rebaptism was common, and perhaps best summarized in a letter written by Jacob Scott from Nauvoo in February, 1843:

"Nearly All the church have been Baptized again, for the Remission of their Sins, since they joined the Church, I have also, by the hands of Br. Joseph (as he himself has been,) & I would advise Jan and you Mary, to attend to it as soon as you can have the opportunity of an Elder or Priest of the Church to administer it."

Interestingly, rebaptism was also performed in Nauvoo, not only for remission of sins and recommitment, but also for restoration of health, with numerous recorded examples including the Prophet rebaptizing his wife Emma on numerous occasions.

Rebaptism continued after Nauvoo as well. For example, Brigham Young and all the apostles were rebaptized in Salt Lake on August 6, 1847. Under the "Mormon Reformation" of 1856-1857, nearly every member of the LDS church were rebaptized to show renewed commitment. Rebaptism of the living was even practiced in the temples as late as 1913.

So with all this scriptural and historical evidence that rebaptism is sanctioned by, and pleasing to God, how might one go about receiving this sacred ordinance in our day? More particularly, suppose in your efforts to repent and seek the Lord, he gives you the distinct and repeated impression that He wants you to do this, and will bless you for it?

Well, I suppose you could do it the way it's always been done; you could seek out a priesthood holder and find a body of water. Taking such initiative shows commitment and faithfulness to the Lord. It demonstrates desire for repentance and recommitment to Christ.

Unfortunately, it will also get you punished by those who claim to be Christ's representatives. 

I happen to know of a brother who did just such a thing. He and his wife, desiring a greater commitment to Christ, received rebaptism by one holding the proper priesthood authority. This was a private matter of devotion to the Lord and obedience to his commandments. It resulted in a wonderful outpouring of the Spirit, as the scriptures promise.

Eight days after making this renewed commitment to Christ, this faithful brother was excommunicated from the church by men pretending to act for Christ.

Eight days. That's got to be some kind of record!

The brother in question is Brian Beckle of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in telling his story, I need to point out a few things.

First, he acted in obedience to what he understood the Lord was asking him to do. The Lord, in response, provided the promised signs that follow belief. Just like the scriptures promise.

Second, he DID NOT get baptized into another church, movement, or group. This was not about leaving the LDS church or "membership" in anything at all. Rather it was simply about renewing a personal commitment to follow the Savior.

Third, he kept this matter private. He told only one trusted friend, and that friend took it upon himself to inform church authorities, directly leading to Brother Beckle's excommunication.

Here are his own words, presented at his disciplinary council:

To the Minneapolis Minnesota Stake Presidency and High Council, 

Dear Brethren,

I grew up in this church, participating in nearly every program available to me – primary, Sunday school, young men, scouting, seminary, etc.  I served a full-time mission.  I attended the temple.  I faithfully paid tithes and offerings.  I consistently served in ward and stake callings.

However, about two years ago I began to reflect on my standing before God.  I realized that while many of the good things in my life had come from my association with this church, I did not enjoy many of the spiritual blessings promised in scripture, and in my patriarchal blessing.

I began to search.  The foundation for my search was the Book of Mormon.  I saw in that book an invitation to come and know the Lord.  I saw individuals enjoying the gifts of the Spirit.  I saw a common pattern and a path forward.  I began to realize that I had spent 40 plus years of my life trying to make men happy, thinking that I was somehow pleasing God.  I began to realize that many of the things that I had engaged in were essentially only a form of godliness, lacking real power.

On Saturday October 4th at 10AM, after nearly two years of intensive study, prayer and nearly constant reflection and meditation I submitted to the Voice of the Lord urging me to make a solemn covenant with Him.  I was baptized in living water along the shoreline of Utah Lake according to the pattern outlined by the Savior in 3rd Nephi.  I was baptized by an individual who holds God’s priesthood.

As a consequence of that act, I have witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit upon myself and my entire family this past week.  This outpouring has included the voice of prophesy, detailed revelations, dreams, interpretation of dreams, and even a waking vision for my 15 year old son, where he was shown his life’s mission.

At the same time, I have been subjected to church disciplinary action culminating in this meeting where I am now required to come and defend myself in front of 15 men against a charge that in the handbook is in seriousness next to murder and child abuse.  The contrast between how the Lord is treating me and how this church is treating me is both striking and instructive.  I find the actions of this church in this matter deeply offensive, but I have been directed to submit.

I know my standing before God.  My heart is pure and my hands are clean before him.

Brethren, you can do what you want with my membership in this church.  I no longer value it as I once did.  We can only serve one master and I choose to serve the Lord.  My fidelity to Him and what He requires of me will always have priority over the demands of men, regardless of the consequences.

I want to stand accountable before the Lord for what I have done.  I know I have His approval.  If this council deems my actions worthy of excommunication from the LDS church then I will willingly separate myself from it.

Sincerely,
Brian Beckle

And so he was cast out for following his Lord, by those who claim to control such things in Jesus's name.

Of course, there is scriptural justification for casting out someone for this cause. Read the following:

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye...be cast out of His church!

That's how it reads in your Book of Mormon too, right? (Sorry, I just couldn't resist. For those who accuse me of twisting the scriptures, I thought I should show you what that actually looks like.)

No, all kidding aside, the real quote is as follows:

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Nephi 31:13)

When such a thing takes place, when the signs of the Spirit are made manifest, when any repentant soul enters in by the way, shouldn't the Body of Christ celebrate God's gifts? Doesn't the Savior teach in the parables of the Lost Coin and 99 Sheep and Prodigal Son that such a time is for rejoicing?

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (Luke 15:6) 

And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! (D&C 18:13)

I don't know the men in the Stake Presidency and High Council of the Minneapolis Minnesota Stake. I don't know their hearts and I'm certainly in no position to pass judgment on what kind of men they are. That is for Christ to consider. But I do know their actions and I CAN comment what they have done. 

Brethren, I cannot agree with your actions. In contradiction of the very words of our Lord, you have cast one out from among you who did precisely what the scriptures tell us to do, and who then received precisely what the scriptures promise in confirmation of the Lord's approval. 

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

I don't know what authority, or keys, or power, or influence allows such action to be taken against a sincere follower of Christ. Abuse of authority endangers it. "Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man."

No title, office, priesthood, or hierarchy can serve as a shield against the justice of God. You and I and Brother Beckle, we all need repentance and mercy. We all need to seek the Savior.

My brothers, speaking from experience, I can tell you that you may yet come to a point in your own path where the Lord asks you to recommit to Him by baptism. When that time comes, I hope you'll ask Brother Beckle to baptize you. I'm certain he'll be glad to provide this beautiful and powerful ordinance to you. How joyful will be your reunion with him and with that God to whom you will have recommitted.  How powerful will be the outpouring you will then receive. 

And now in closing: I started by reflecting on the question people ask me about whether I plan to be rebaptized. Here's my answer:

I already have been. And I highly recommend it.

God be praised for his mercy and love, as manifested in the life of His Son. Thank you Lord for setting the example and showing the way that even sinners like me can find access to your grace!

...and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Nephi 31:13)

Important note: I, alone, take responsibility for the above words; other than Brother Beckle's letter, these words and thoughts are mine and not his. Therefore, you need not call him to task for what I have said. If you object to what I have written, your problem is with me, not him.

40 Days on Death Row

Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister;

3 Nephi 18:32

What would it be like if we had the death penalty in the LDS church?

What sins would cause us to take up stones and kill the sinner? How quickly would we convene a firing squad? How carefully would we consider? How dangerous would it be to our own souls if we got it wrong and killed an innocent?

Of course, these questions are only hypothetical because, despite extensive religious history, matters of life and death are now decided by the state.

Capital punishment is only dispensed by the civilized state in the most severe cases, for the most heinous crimes, and even then, it is never administered quickly. Trials extend for weeks or even months while every piece of evidence, every witness, every extenuating factor is considered, evaluated, argued, substantiated, and applied. Ultimately a verdict is rendered and a sentence handed down.

So begins the wait on "death row."

Then the appeals start. Lasting for many years, every facet of the trial is picked apart, appealed, and reconsidered by the courts. Ultimately there are appeals to government authorities for clemency, and those failing, the penalty is finally carried out, often decades after the crime. And even then, the killing is highly regulated, as humane as possible, and usually protested.

And yet, from the eternal perspective, what is being taken from the criminal is practically nothing--only the remaining years of mortal life that would otherwise be spent in prison. A mere blip in the timeless timeline of eternity. Though man may have government power, and even God's authorization to take mortal life, eternal things are always and only in the hands of God.

But, like I said, the original question is only hypothetical. The LDS church is not authorized by God or government to apply capital punishment to sinners.

What we claim instead is a far more terrible, powerful, and dangerous dominion. We claim not the right to destroy mortal life, but rather the power to destroy eternal life.

In our most severe cases, when there has been gross sin, our scriptures and practice require excommunication. This is the gospel equivalent of capital punishment, as we popularly claim the right to remove ordinances, priesthood, temple blessings, family relationships, the Holy Ghost, and repentance; to snatch the sinner from the clutches of mercy and apply eternal crushing justice; to make the Atonement of no effect; to prevent God's saving power from redeeming that sinful soul, who is now consigned to Hell and eternal damnation. This is no mere blip; this is destruction. This is forever.

We're not playing with knives. We're playing with nukes.

Fortunately, this eventuality is rare and limited in the church to certain situations like murder and adultery. But aside from those extreme situations, we also apply the eternal death penalty to cases of apostasy. And this is where it gets interesting.

Apostasy is defined on the LDS.org website as follows:

"When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy."

Since this definition clearly requires turning away from the gospel, it's important to know what that means.

The word "Gospel" derives directly from two Old English words meaning "Good News" or "Glad Tidings." And what are the glad tidings?

Here they are, as delivered to King Benjamin by an angel:

 3 And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy. 

 4 For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy. 

 5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. 

 8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary. 

 9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

 10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men. (Mosiah 3:2-10)

That's the Good News! That's the Gospel! King Benjamin, and you, and I, can rejoice in the glad tidings that Christ will come, atone for our sins, and open the way of salvation for all people. All of us fallen mortals, who have already had the death penalty passed upon our heads, can instead be snatched off death row, delivered from death and Hell, and redeemed by Christ's atoning blood! This is joyful news indeed!

And, lest there be any confusion about the subject, Christ Himself defined his gospel in 3 Nephi.

 13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

 14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—

 15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. 

 16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world. (3 Nephi 27:13-16)

Who would turn their back on such news? Who would reject that redeemer who stands waiting to receive them? Such an one, having once been enlightened, would be in apostasy. Such an one would be in a desperate situation indeed:

But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mosiah 3:12)

And such an apostate, having already rejected the blessings of the Atonement and all it offers, may be righteously excommunicated from the church.

The Secret Definition of Apostasy

Now here's the catch. People who "turn away from the principles of the Gospel" are almost never disciplined by the church. Every ward has plenty of people who are members in record only, living lives of neglect toward Jesus Christ, and uninterested in the salvation He offers.

But we don't excommunicate such people. Unto such, we are obligated to continue to minister, often leaving the ninety and nine to go after the one lost sheep, as the Master requires. This is because in the most basic sense, we are all, in some way or another, not completely loyal to Jesus Christ and his gospel. We are all lost. That's why we need Him all the more.

But there IS another, secret definition of apostasy, and this one WILL get you excommunicated. The definition is secret because it appears only in the Church Handbook of Instructions Volume 1, which is tightly controlled and only made available to certain church leaders. The rest of us, who support the church with our time, money, efforts and devotion, are not allowed to see this handbook.

(Why the body of Christ would be run by a secret handbook is a disturbing question for a different day.)

So here's the secret definition, with my comments added in red:

As used here apostasy refers to members who:

1. Repeatedly act in clear, open and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders. (Notice this definition is not about the gospel; it's about the organization and those who run it.)
2. Persist in teaching as Church doctrine information that is not Church doctrine after they have been corrected by their bishop or a higher authority. (Not gospel doctrine, not Christ's doctrine, not scriptural doctrine, but church doctrine. Again, it's all about the church, not the Lord.)
3. Continue to follow the teachings of apostate sects (such as those that advocate plural marriage) after being corrected by their bishop or a higher authority. ("Apostate sect" is used in the definition of apostasy. But what defines an apostate sect? I mean, other than polygamy? We're back to #1 and #2.)
4. Formally join another church and advocate its teachings. (Again, all about the church, not the gospel)

Now, lest there should be any confusion, let's review:

The church is not the gospel, just as the truck is not the cargo it carries. The church is charged to deliver the gospel to us; to teach and share the good news. But the church, with all its programs, is just the delivery vehicle. Home teaching is not the gospel. Trek is not the gospel. Sunday school, primary, girls camp, welfare, family history, general conference and the Boy Scouts are NOT the gospel.

The gospel is the good news of Christ and his Atonement. Period. (Though there have been deliberate and dishonest attempts by the church to blur this line and make the gospel and the church equivalent.)

Fortunately, Joseph Smith summarized it very well:

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. (TPJS 121)

So to summarize:

• The church's public definition of apostasy properly deals with rebelling against the gospel, but will NOT get you excommunicated.
• The church's secret definition of apostasy has NOTHING to do with the gospel at all, but rather deals with loyalty to the church organization and unquestioning obedience to those in charge. This one WILL get you excommunicated.

Nevertheless, in such disciplinary cases, caution ought to be the watchword. According to an official press release by the church, "Actions to address a person’s membership and standing in their congregation are convened after lengthy periods of counseling and encouragement to reconsider behavior."

In other words, excommunication from the church is a last resort, to be applied only when persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness, love unfeigned, kindness and pure knowledge have failed to convince the person of truth. (D&C 121:41-42) This is as it should be when the eternal destruction of a human soul hangs in the balance.

But that's not how it is. I know this from experience.

I was excommunicated last Sunday night for apostasy, based on the contents of this blog.

As this situation developed, I made the assumption that we were dealing with the public definition of apostasy--you know, the one about turning away from the gospel?

I asked repeatedly to be shown how I had done such a thing while inviting and practically begging people to come unto Christ.

     --But it's not about coming unto Christ.

I asked what untrue words I had written so I could repent and change them.

     --But it's not about truth.

I showed from the scriptures how what I have written is valid.

     --But it's not about scripture.

I explained that I started this blog in obedience to the Lord.

     --But it's not even about Him.

No, it's about the secret definition. I refused to obey my priesthood leader when he sought to compel my behavior (something he's strictly forbidden to do.) My refusal to obey a man's dominion was in direct obedience to the Lord and His scriptures. And this, evidently, makes me an apostate.

The die was cast from the moment I first sat down with my Stake President and he invited me to resign from the church. Such an invitation implies I'm not worthy of church membership from the start. The decision was already made. Everything that happened thereafter in our "lengthy periods of counseling and encouragement to reconsider behavior" consisted of the Stake President giving me an ultimatum  to either:

• Take down my blog, give up my temple recommend and my calling, and retain my membership (if I kept my mouth shut); or
• Voluntarily resign from the church; or
• Face excommunication.

The "lengthy periods of counseling and encouragement" consisted of three meetings, spanning about 4 hours total, over the course of a month, in which the scriptures were not opened. The Stake President did give me two articles to read from the Interpreter (a non-church scholarly journal), which I read and commented on.

And that was it.

At each meeting, my Stake President asked me to resign, and at each meeting I declined to do so. He even helpfully suggested another church I may wish to join. I kind of got the feeling he didn't want me around.

And you know, I wouldn't have minded opening scriptures, searching them together, discussing doctrine, and perhaps coming to understanding and unity by the Power of the Holy Ghost. I've experienced such an outcome many times before when teaching from the scriptures, and it's wonderful and edifying (D&C 50:22).

But the only "doctrine" he was interested in discussing was "follow the key holder." The only "scripture" he was interested in referencing was the handbook. And the only outcome he appeared interested in was making sure my membership came to an end. Quickly.

And so it did.

Now, I honestly believe my Stake President is a good man, doing his best in a difficult situation. He was under great pressure to excommunicate me, and told me he had no choice. He had to play the role of both accuser and impartial judge in my council, which is something I know I could never pull off and get right.

I understand why he did what he did, and I think I even understand why he did it the way he did it. I cannot claim to agree, but he acted within his authority. I have a public blog. He told me to take it down. I didn't do so, and this is therefore acting in deliberate, public opposition to a church leader.

Yet, according to the church's official public statements, I was OK:

"Church leaders are not asking members not to blog, and they are not attacking the rights of honest explorers of faith to have these conversations in the so-called Bloggernacle." (Church Spokeswoman Ally Isom on KUER radio, June 16th)

But according to my Stake President's interpretation of the handbook, I deserved the death penalty. And so it was administered last Sunday night. I understand. And I readily forgive. This is the Lord's issue now, not mine.

But here's the part I don't understand.

Why did my wife deserve to die? 

For reasons known only to my Stake President, he convened a 2-for-1 disciplinary council for both of us at once. My wife and I were tried together as one soul. Ever heard of such a thing?

In fairness, halfway through the council, he did ask if I wanted to leave the room and let my wife sit alone to be tried for her membership in front 15 high priests in dark suits so she could have "her own" council and verdict. She very much didn't want to do that, so we opted to remain together in the room.

And therefore the verdict was pronounced upon us both.

My wife doesn't have a blog. She doesn't publicly teach. She, like me, served faithfully in all her callings, always attended her meetings, paid tithes and offerings, sat on the front row every Sunday, and never made waves at church. Until I started blogging, nobody thought we were anything but the model Mormon family raising seven kids in suburbia.

My dear wife, in an act of supreme courage and obedience to God, did post a link to my blog on her Facebook page a few weeks back. She knew doing so would bring a crush of abuse, criticism, and even anger from those who claim to follow the Savior but have never made such a sacrifice as she was called upon to make. She counted the cost, posted the link, and suffered the abuse.

Our Stake President never asked anything of my wife. He never asked her to take down that Facebook link. She didn't have a blog to take down or words to recant. As far as I can tell, she was excommunicated for supporting me--in essence, a thought crime--which is contrary to both the manual and scripture:

For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds. (Alma 30:11)

And for this she got the Mormon death penalty.

Perhaps this action was designed to send a message. And it certainly did. All the way to heaven.

I could give you a list as long as my arm of statements from scripture and Joseph Smith roundly condemning and damning such despicable behavior on the part of those who "have a little authority, as they suppose." Knowing that the "nature and disposition of almost all men" is to abuse priesthood authority, the Lord gave pointed warnings to those who sit in the chief seats. We have learned by sad experience indeed. "Amen" to the priesthood or the authority of such men. (D&C 121:36-39.)

The Good News

And so now, we've come full circle to the good news of the gospel. I learned something by standing in front of that firing squad, and I'll let you in on the secret.

Their guns are loaded with blanks.

Oh, they can take your name off the membership rolls, that's for sure. But that's about it.

They didn't take my priesthood. I received it from my father, and from my Father--not from the church. If the church didn't give it, the church can't take it.

They didn't take my covenants. I made those covenants with God, not with the church. I still honor them and He does too.

They didn't take away the Holy Ghost. The mere idea that a man can command God would be laughable if it weren't so darn pathetic.

...and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men; (2 Nephi 28:4-5)

And most of all, they didn't remove me from the power of Christ's atonement. No man can do that.

...the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; (2 Nephi 9:41) 

When we got home from the disciplinary council, the Lord in his mercy granted us a joint revelatory manifestation that despite the fears and apprehension of the incredibly hard sacrifice we had just completed, He was yet with us.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

(Hymn--How Firm a Foundation)

This brings to mind our family scripture:

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. (Helaman 5:12)

I spent years building upon my Redeemer's rock in preparation for this test I never expected to face. Having awoken, arisen, and stood upon that foundation through the storm and shafts in the whirlwind, I can testify His rock is a firm foundation indeed, entirely able to support us through every trial and challenge, and the only foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

As I recorded the events of my excommunication in my journal, I realized it was 40 days from our first meeting with the Stake President to our excommunication. Exactly 40 days. Such things don't happen by coincidence. I thank God for the witnesses that come after the trials.

I believe my wife and I are just the tip of the spear. There will be many more excommunications in the coming purge. If you face such an eventuality, stand upon that rock with courage, face down those empty gun barrels, and remember the words of our Lord:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

(John 16:33)