The Strength of the Lord

The strength of the Lord was a miracle bestowed upon all the Nephites and Lamanites who had repented of their sins and come to Christ. Basically, it gave a person supernatural strength. It was first bestowed upon Lehi and party during their eight year walk to Bountiful, because they needed it for the long and [...]

The Healing Gifts

Before the Millennium begins, every corruptible [mortal] thing will be consumed and all things will become new [as in new creatures].  The descriptions of bodies in the Millennium seem to match that of John the apostle or the three Nephites, who were transfigured [or had became translated], Note:  This also describes the type of body [...]

Methods of Scriptural Interpretation

Constitutional Interpretation: Judicial interpretation explains how a judge/court should interpret specific statutes of law, particularly in constitutional documents and legislation. There are two main camps with regard to how this legal interpretation should work: Originalism/strict constructionism – which would be characterized as “conservative” or “judicial restraint”. Functionalism – which would be characterized as “liberal” or [...]

Seeking the Good of Others

Meat Sacrificed to Idols: One of the issues in the first-century church that was addressed in writing by Paul concerned meat that had been sacrificed to idols.  Debates over what to eat might seem strange within a church established by a man who said: “Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into [...]

So John the Baptist Smoked Pot, What of It?

Recent evidence has surfaced which reveals that John the Baptist was high on pot—descending in a cloud of marijuana smoke—when he conferred the priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver.  Some may feel this is unbecoming of an angelic prophet, but I want to state for the record that I support John 100%. To all the prudes [...]

Spicing up your church experience

Combating Cultural Mormonism with a Little Anarchy In my estimation, there seems to be a growing number of LDS that are starting to recognize the difference between doctrinal Mormonism and cultural Mormonism, with a discontent concerning the latter. I, personally, worry that cultural Mormonism is killing too many of these good people with boredom.  So, [...]

What the Word of Wisdom says and what it doesn’t say

D&C 89, the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom, gives both very specific and very general instructions. Sometimes we have a tendency to read more into it than is there, or to take away what is actually written there. In the economy of heaven, supererogation is a sin. We are expected by the Lord [...]

Strong drinks, mild drinks, hot drinks, wine, etc.

  Noah Webster published the first edition of his dictionary in 1828. It was the very first American dictionary. Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants (the Word of Wisdom) was revealed in 1838, so Webster’s 1828 dictionary was the one in use when the Word of Wisdom was given. It may be useful to [...]

The interpolation of a footnote

And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; for, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might [...]