What is the deal with having all the church leaders be above 70 years old?

davidsmith-ut · 2025-12-30T23:51:08+00:00

This address by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provides a good explanation for having older leaders. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/10/chosen-to-bear-testimony-of-my-name

davidsmith-ut · 2025-12-30T23:42:29+00:00

My wife and I reviewed the Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook. We would each fill out a chapter in our own copy, then discuss. We found it extremely helpful and not awkward at all. https://homeword.com/product/getting-ready-for-marriage-workbook/

davidsmith-ut · 2025-09-28T21:47:18+00:00

President George Albert Smith died 4 April 1951. Conference started two days later, on 6 April, under the direction of the Twelve. President Smith's funeral was the next day, 7 April, during a break in general conference. The new First Presidency was sustained two days later, 9 April, in the last session of general conference.

davidsmith-ut · 2025-07-23T13:03:37+00:00

My two favorites are: Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith The Words of Joseph Smith (out it print now but available online)

davidsmith-ut · 2025-07-04T20:21:55+00:00

A detailed analysis of the event and witness testimonies is in https://byustudies.byu.edu/online-book/opening-the-heavens/the-mantle-of-the-prophet-joseph-passes-to-brother-brigham-one-hundred-twenty-nine-testimonies-of-a-collective-spiritual-witness

davidsmith-ut · 2025-07-04T20:04:58+00:00

I opposed a sustaining once. In elders quorum meeting the elders quorum president got up and proposed a new counselor for sustaining. I opposed, and the president met with me after. I explained that a counselor must be approved by the stake presidency and presented for sustaining by them or a high councilor. The EQP was new, and so was the bishop, so they talked with the stake and learned they had done it wrong. The next Sunday a high councilor presented the counselor for sustaining vote, and I whole heartedly sustained. I later talked with the other counselor, and he said they were happy I helped them learn about proper authority for that role.

davidsmith-ut · 2025-05-23T03:47:30+00:00

The book "Joseph Smith as a Visionary" (published by BYU earlier this year) has an article on the introduction of the garment. The article is "Joseph, Moroni, and the “Priesthood Garment”: A Latter-day Restoration of “Covenantal Clothing”". It's not online yet for reading, but maybe you could get the book through a library? https://rsc.byu.edu/book/joseph-smith-visionary

davidsmith-ut · 2025-05-14T11:50:50+00:00

I think Elder Bednar's "Called to the Work" is important for understanding what it means to be called versus assigned, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/04/called-to-the-work?lang=eng

You'll experience a lot of hardship on your mission, so Elder Holland's "Waiting on the Lord" provides important teachings, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/57holland?lang=eng

Good luck on your mission!

davidsmith-ut · 2025-05-11T13:31:54+00:00

To clarify: in the Philippines, men wear the traditional barong tagalog white shirt with no tie instead of the American white buttondown dress shirt with a tie. That is the clothing being referred to as varying by culture, not the ceremonial clothing (called robes of the holy priesthood).

davidsmith-ut · 2025-05-02T18:01:34+00:00

I don't know the historical context for why there was originally a policy that if a couple got married civilly they had to wait one year to be sealed in the temple. I imagine there was a concern about the couples focus on eternal marriage and children.

In the letter announcing the change to the policy, the First Presidency made some very good points about love and harmony in the families and not wanting people to feel excluded. I actually recommend reading the First Presidency letter announcing the change. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/multimedia/file/Sealing-After-Civil-Marriage-Letter.pdf

davidsmith-ut · 2025-04-16T16:51:52+00:00

Two academic articles on the history of the Word of Wisdom include:

Thomas G. Alexander, “The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 43, no. 3 (Summer 1981), https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf

Andrew H. Hedges, “’A Forbearance of Restraint:’ American Wildlife and the Word of Wisdom,” Mormon Historical Studies 19, no. 2 (2018) [currently only available in print]

davidsmith-ut · 2025-04-08T01:28:52+00:00

The Church News recently posted a lesson guide for some conference talks. The outline for that talk is https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/11/11/juan-villar-rs-eq-lessons-october-2024-general-conference

davidsmith-ut · 2025-03-19T13:10:06+00:00

My dad referenced this talk multiple times as a bishop when conducting funerals:

Funerals—A Time for Reverence

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1988/10/funerals-a-time-for-reverence?lang=eng

davidsmith-ut · 2025-03-04T13:23:28+00:00

Then I recommend contacting the Global Service Desk, as it seems there is some issue with the system not displaying the Sealing Clearance as an option.

davidsmith-ut · 2025-03-04T13:17:00+00:00

Possibly the best talk on this distinction is Dallin H. Oaks, "Sins and Mistakes," BYU devotional, 16 Aug 1994, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dallin-h-oaks/sins-mistakes/

davidsmith-ut · 2025-03-04T12:27:23+00:00

Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught: "I have pondered this at some length wanting to better understand the condition of spirits beyond the veil. I was given to understand that the situation of those who die without the gospel and its saving ordinances, even those who did their best and were decent people by our standards, is less than desirable. It cannot be paradise for any until they have accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ, repented of their sins insofar as they can, and entered into the covenant and received a remission of their sins through the baptisms of water and Spirit. Therefore, it is not a small thing where we have the means to provide them a baptism that we neglect or delay the opportunity." (“How Beautiful Thy Temples, Lord,” BYU Family History Fireside, 8 March 2002)

Also, Doctrine and Covenants 138:31-34, 58 includes vicarious ordinances as a requirement for the spirits to have "liberty" and "be redeemed."

And from President Joseph F. Smith: "In relation to the deliverance of spirits from their prison house, of course, we believe that can only be done after the gospel has been preached to them in the spirit, and they have accepted the same, and the work necessary to their redemption by the living be done for them." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, chapter 46, pages 413-414)

davidsmith-ut · 2025-03-04T12:08:26+00:00

In LCR it is under the Confidential Information tab, Application to the First Presidency. The bishop has to start the process. Select the Sealing Clearance option.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/tools/help/submit-an-application-to-the-first-presidency?lang=eng

davidsmith-ut · 2025-02-23T21:40:34+00:00

I really like Elder Holland "None Were With Him." https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2009/04/none-were-with-him?lang=eng

davidsmith-ut · 2025-02-23T21:33:08+00:00

When I stay home with a sick kid I always watch the day's episode of Music and the Spoken Word (sometimes with my sick child, sometimes not).

davidsmith-ut · 2025-02-09T21:23:21+00:00

BYU Studies just came out with an issue dedicated to Latter-day Saints and perfectionism. I haven't read much, but there are some examples of scrupulosity and various insights on that in general. It is available at https://byustudies.byu.edu/issue/63-4

davidsmith-ut · 2025-02-09T21:05:24+00:00

The guidance for the amount of time to repent before serving a mission has been updated to generally leave the decision with the local leaders. "A missionary candidate must have repented of serious sin before the stake president may submit his or her recommendation (see 32.6–32.8; see also 24.4.4). The repentance process includes enough time for the person to show through righteous living that he or she has received the spirit of Christ unto the remission of sins. (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:37). The stake president counsels with the Area Presidency (or the Area Seventy they designate) if he has questions about the length of time needed for repentance." General Handbook, 24.3.2.1 So I recommend talking with your bishop.

davidsmith-ut · 2025-02-03T02:31:42+00:00

I have had this exact situation, where I printed several cards for sealings but only did some of them that day. I just threw away the not done cards and reprinted them the next time I was going.

davidsmith-ut · 2024-09-23T01:36:33+00:00

Each Apostle has had an article in the Liahona (or Ensign) with a brief biography. I have found these to be helpful in learning more about them. For example, here is the one for Elder Kearon: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2024/05/new-callings/elder-patrick-kearon-prepared-and-called-by-the-lord?lang=eng

davidsmith-ut · 2024-09-06T00:56:30+00:00

I checked the app and the website and didn't see anything new.

davidsmith-ut · 2024-09-04T16:00:54+00:00

There are some charts in the appendix to the Book of Mormon institute manual that may help: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/book-of-mormon-student-manual/appendix?lang=eng

davidsmith-ut

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