How grateful I am for recording technology so that we listen to the messages of the Apostles of the Lamb. How I miss this wonderful man. The cadence of his speaking and sound of his voice. Thanks be to God for living prophets in our day.
As a youth in todays generation it's wonderful to listen to a talk like this so I can prepare and further strengthen my testimony and my standards so I can have that eternal love not only for, but with, my future family!! Wonderful talk
There's a great book by an LDS author that shows that there's perfect harmony between the prophetic statements concerning the garden of Eden being in Missouri and the Old Testament account concerning the garden of Eden. It's called Canaan, Babylon, and Egypt A Comparative Theological Analysis on Creation sold by Eborn Books.
Honest question from a non-LDS member: how does the belief in eternal marriage sync with Matthew 22:23-33? There, Jesus is given a hypothetical about a woman who married multiple brothers, as each died one after the other. They asked him whose wife would she be. Jesus responded, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven" (verses 29-30). Clearly, this statement seems to apply to earthly marriages (and doesn't just mean that people in heaven won't enter into new marriages), since the woman in question had been married while she lived. I'm not very knowledgeable about LDS beliefs, but I'm curious about some things I've heard.
I've had similar questions about this verse, as a member of the church, and I figured I'd share what I understand about it with the caveat that I'm not speaking as an authority on anything. While I still don't feel I fully understand how this contradiction could be resolved, I think that the key here is that we believe in a distinction between a normal marriage and what in our church we usually refer to as an 'eternal marriage' or 'temple marriage'. As is referenced in this talk, a regular marriage is usually explicitly given as lasting "until death". Marriage in a temple is performed (or "authenticated" to use other words) by a person with specific authority from god to make an eternal sealing. SO, if you buy that distinction, and if it seems plausible that the Sadducee's (to whom Jesus was speaking) had not accepted or did not believe in the idea of an eternal marriage (the Sadducees in fact did not believe in a Resurrection at all, which is why in this story they are trying to give a difficult hypothetical situation to trip up Jesus) then it seems likely to me that Jesus was speaking in reference to this sort of worldly marriage. He's saying that marriage in the way that the people then were being married, e.g. an ordinary mortal marriage, would indeed last only until death, and that this sort of marriage would not take place in heaven. As I said, I don't think that explains everything away but it does seem like a possible explanation to me. I'd love to hear if anyone else has more insight, and if not I suppose it's one of the questions I'll look to get answered if I make it to heaven myself. As a last note, we don't believe that non-members who don't have temple marriages are doomed to lose their families, one of the main uses of temples in our faith is to perform marriages and baptisms for those who have already died so that if they choose to accept them after death they can have the same blessings as someone baptized or married in life.
Resurrection is the final state. You cannot add or remove at that state. However what you do in mortality affects what your final state is. We believe that with the sealing power you can bind things on earth that will be bound in heaven. Mark 10:9 "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
My family we're members of the church from the very beginning of Joseph Smith's time! My family came from England to join the church. As generations of time have passed to my Mom's time she chose to be inactive and marry outside the church. She married my Dad a guy she met in highschool. He was not a member. They had three years of marriage together and then they divorced once l was born. She then met my step Dad who loved me as his own! I know how hard life is and what it feels like to live without the priesthood in the home 🏡 and without the gospel! I bring this experience up because I'm forever grateful for my Temple marriage! My Dad just passed away Jan 6th. My step Dad joined the church and our family was sealed in the LA Temple. I have been a Temple worker now for 6 years, so l get to do sealings by proxy for other families! Listening to the sealing ordinances has helped me to know that my Dad will always be my Dad and I will see him again! It has helped me to hear these sacred words ❗ As members of the church we don't always have an understanding of every little thing. But I feel the spirit of God come over and I know without a doubt that families being together forever ♾️💞 is something heavenly Father wants us to do! I'm so greatful for God's truth and his restored gospel!
