Our husbands could probably learn a few things from President Joseph Fielding Smith, who seems to have been a wonderfully perfect husband and father. You could hear this from the words of his wife and children in this months Relief Society lesson:
“The man I know is unselfish, uncomplaining, considerate, thoughtful, sympathetic, doing everything within his power to make life a supreme joy for his loved ones…. a kind, loving husband and father whose greatest ambition in life is to make his family happy, entirely forgetful of self in his efforts to do this.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith Chapter 4: Strengthening and Preserving the Family, pp 73-74)
Reading how much President Smith loved his family made it hard to read the lesson. I find it heartrending that he didn’t teach his loved ones the truth about gaining eternal life. There is and always will be, only one eternal Family and that’s God’s. The very moment the Holy Ghost brings someone to faith in Christ, that person becomes a child of God and a member of Heavenly Father’s forever family.
Regarding eternal marriage, Christ testifies that this LDS belief is false. He reveals that marriage isn’t required to gain eternal life: “And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. (Mark 12:23-25)
But President Smith refuses to believe Christ’s words. He makes the same mistake that I see other LDS leaders do, over and over again. They bear testimony to a belief in Jesus Christ, and yet they don’t believe or teach what Jesus taught. Rejecting Christ’s teaching, Smith uses his own imagination to describe how horrible he thinks this kind of life would be, living in the kingdom of God according to Christ’s teaching:
“Is it possible to imagine a greater source of sorrow than to be left in the eternal world without claim on father or mother or children? The thought of a nation without the family unit as its fundamental foundation, where all the citizens are comparatively strangers to each other and where natural affection is not found; where no family ties bind the groups together, is one of horror. Such a condition could lead to but one end—anarchy and dissolution. Is it not reasonable to believe the same thing true in relation to the kingdom of God? If in that kingdom, there were no family ties and all men and women were “angels” without the natural kinships, as many people believe, could it be a place of happiness—a heaven?” (p.78)
“Is it possible to imagine” living with Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost “where natural affection is not found”? God is Love! Just because marriages don’t last beyond this earth doesn’t mean that believing husbands and wives won’t be together for eternity. It just means that their relationship will not be as a man and wife. All believers will spend eternity together, in companionship with God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Not only does Christ reject the false LDS belief, He even speaks highly of those who stay single—for the kingdom of heavens sake:
“His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19:10-12)
Just think of some of these men Jesus was talking about who never married; like the prophets Daniel, Elijah, Elisha and John the Baptist. These men of God “made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.” The Apostle Paul also never married, as he revealed through the Holy Spirit:
“For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”
“He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”
“So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. (1 Corinthians 7:7-9, 32-35, 38)
Reading the purpose for families given in the Relief Society Lesson shows that LDS leaders also don’t know the true Christ. They reject the truth that Christ has already done this for us. Instead, they expect the family to do what God has already sent Christ to do, His mission on earth was to be our righteousness:
“The primary function of a Latter-day Saint home is to insure that every member of the family works to create the climate and conditions in which all can grow toward perfection.”
The most important truth that LDS leaders have kept from you is that your Savior Jesus is your Substitute for righteousness. The Prophet Jeremiah testified of this fact through these words: “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16). The writer of Hebrews tells us that Christ offered His body as a perfect sacrifice and in exchange, we have been perfected forever: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (10:10-14)
We who were sinful and imperfect, are found perfect in God’s sight. This is through faith in Christ as our Substitute. He was punished for our sins, and in exchange covered us with His righteousness, just as the Isaiah prophesied: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
Heavenly Father loves you so much He sent His Son on a Mission to be your Substitute Savior! Believe it and receive it. Now, spend the rest of your life in joy and thanksgiving as I do; giving my life to Him as my gift of love.
You can know these truths for yourself, by doing as the Apostle John revealed:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:1-6)
Latter-day Saint Woman 
Justin Gipson said,
March 28, 2014 at 9:14 pm
If Paul was so opposed to marriage why does he say it is a qualification to be a bishop? My next question is how do you know Daniel, Elijah, Elisha and John the Baptist were single? Just because the Bible is silent on their private life does not mean that they are single. With your rational there is no mention of the birth of those prophets. Does that mean they were not born? You say that Christ spoke highly of those who remain single, then you quote those scripture from Matt 19. However right before hand the Savior talks highly of those who stay married when he says, what God hath joined together let no man put asunder.
Mike R said,
April 3, 2014 at 9:41 pm
Justin,
I don’t think Becky said that Paul was opposed to marriage .
Concerning a Bishop’s ministry , I’m sure it would be more
beneficial for a Bishop to be married to counsel persons under
his care relating to kids and the problems couples face in marriage .
The whole point : contrasting the Mormon doctrine of marriage(temple)
being mandatory to receive eternal life , with the New Testament
apostles teaching about how eternal life is received — i.e eternal life is
through coming to Christ , being forgiven of sin and worshiping Him as
the Lord God . Marriage while important , is not essential to receive
a right relationship with God and eternal life .
What Mormon leaders did with their introducing polygamy as a essential ordinance in their church , allegedly the very same church
Jesus’ established 1700 years before — now ” restored” , is a good
reason why LDS should have dismissed their leaders as apostles
to follow .
Justin Gipson said,
April 4, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Your thoughts are interesting. I am amazed that many Christians find it easy to follow the fact that Christ added more to his gospel than what was taught by Moses and other Old Testament prophets, but find it difficult to believe that God could again add more today.
That is where we really differ. Once a person understands that Gad has again spoken to man through prophets it is easy to accept the truth taught by them.
Mike R said,
April 5, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Justin,
I find your response rather odd . ” Jesus added more to His gospel than what was taught by Moses and other O.T. prophets ? ”
Obviously ! That was supposed to happen . The truths about the
atonement , His identity ( Jehovah) and other important gospel truths
were not fully revealed in the O.T. , that’s why we have the New Testament . But the Messiah has come , He died on a cross for the sins of man , and He rose from the dead , then He picked men
( apostles) to spread that good news . That gospel was preached
far and wide , people were saved —Rom 1:16 ; Col 1:23 . THAT same gospel saves today . It’s the teachings by those apostles that provided safety from the false prophets in their day and also today —the latter
days . Paul warned that people would be detoured by future wayward
teachers into accepting aberrant doctrines —2Tim 4:3,4 .
Mormon prophets have failed the test —- 1 Jn 4: 1 . They are some of the latter days false prophets Jesus Himself said to look out for —
Matt 24:11 . There are others, some kind and ” nice” , and some not
so nice ( Warren Jeffs ) . They have succumbed to the very behavior
Paul warned about , they have altered the true gospel by mixing in
their own ideas onto it and claiming it is true and from Jesus —
Gal 1:8 .
Where we really differ ? We differ in that I am leery of latter days
prophets and test them by the prophets and apostles of the
Bible —Heb 1:1-2 ; 1 Jn 4: 1-6 . Mormon prophets have failed the test.
You on the hand have been detoured into following false prophets
which Jesus said would arise in the latter days .
My heart hurts for you . I pray you’ll dismiss your prophets and be
freed from following men who , although well meaning and polite
individuals , have succumbed to ” teaching for doctrine the
commandments of men ” , on many issues which will affect a persons
salvation .
Lastly , concerning marriage and what Mormon leaders have taught
about this important issue , there is abundant evidence that points to
the fact that Mormon leadership can’t be trusted to as reliable guides
in teaching about this .
– polygamy : what a mess Mormon leaders made with how they
handled this doctrine in their church . In trying to justify it as a
essential church ordinance they taught some very strange things .
– polandry : another ” restored gospel ” ordinance that was clearly
a doctrine that was invented by men — latter days false prophets .
– another ” gospel doctrine ” was that a Mormon male could not
marry a Negro woman . Brigham Young warned that violating this
could result in death .
There are more examples but these can help you see that the men
who you have placed your trust in to preach their ” restored ” gospel
should’nt be followed . Realize how serious it is to follow these men
because even a life of good deeds can not make up for following false prophets .