PERFECTION AND SALVATION

I read a very good sermon in Journal of Discourses Vol. 2, pages 129-136.

My understanding/interpretation of it: Perfection is what we aim for. It is written, "Be ye perfect like your Father in Heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48) What it means, according to Brigham Young is, "Be as perfect as you can". We are in our own circumstances, and shouldn't compare ourselves to others who may or may not be more righteous. On the other hand, our own circumstances is no excuse not to do good. We have to better ourselves all the time.

"Sin consists in doing wrong when we know and can do better", said Brigham. This goes with the Book of Mormon that says that we are judged by the knowledge, and law, we have received. When we act wrongly and we find out about it. Brigham says that we should stop doing it, and stop forever.

Do the best you can, and if you do that, you are as perfect as the angels. We will be saved, through Mercy and Jesus Christ, and through our own righteousness. Our thoughts, for example, originate from within us, they are our own, and we are all responsible for ourselves. Brigham said that we are all responsible for ourselves. Being members of the Church (or any group, or family) is not going to save us.

The Celestial Kingdom is so pure that it may scare us, but we can make it if we keep the above advice in mind!

This sermon reminds me of Brigham's quote about Mormonism's motto: "Mind your own business". The Book of Mormon teaches us that people will be judged by the books (knowledge/law) that they receive. Of course, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that Knowledge is what saves a man, and I believe we should do all we can to learn and progress towards a Celestial glory, but we should also respect other people's station and Free Agency, and show tolerance.

LDS NUMBERS NOT ADDING UP

There have been a few articles and TV reports about the decline of the LDS active membership. Many reports talk about a real figure of 5 million members.

Here's one article, and here's a TV report.

I think the reports are right: Hiding the truth and having watered-down doctrines and manuals that do no refer to polygamy for example is harmful. People use the internet. They will access that kind of information the Church does not want them to know about. I find it both funny and sad that the gems of Mormon doctrine and the associated quotes I look up online are only available on anti-Mormon websites.

Some articles have hinted that the Church has decided to address controversial points in future publications. Maybe they will mention that Brigham Young had more than one wife. I was surprised when a sister missionary in St. George (born and raised in the Church) confessed to me in 2009 that she had never heard of polygamy before her mission.

So, I decided to be positive, and believe that the LDS Church will make a move in the right direction, and stop erasing and hiding all the precious doctrines that make Mormonism different from all other religions.

The articles also suggest that Mormonism is not as culturally cohesive as it used to be. I think that trying to be popular and accepted by the world has led the Church to become a bit too wordly.

They want to be seen as a Christian Church and they have managed in many ways. Deseret Book is like an Evangelical Christian bookstores and everything is about Jesus, turning Mormonism into another denomination that is all about Jesus instead of sticking to being the religion of Jesus. You cannot claim to be like the others and at the same time pretend to be unique.

Finally, most articles have forgotten to mention that the missionary program is flawed. When you have missionaries with a certain quota/people they must baptized at all costs before reports are sent to the Mission Prez who will then send them to others, no wonder half-converted people get classified as "inactive members" within a couple of months as they are left alone once their missionary "friends" have moved on to the next bunch of investigators.