Ashley Morales, Author at Mormon History

“Is It I?” Said Matthew, Apostle of Jesus Christ

Ashley Morales — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 06:03:56 +0000

Despite writing one of the four main gospels of the New Testament, little is known about the apostle Matthew. His book is quoted frequently, but the man himself is seldom discussed. This is a shame. His humble Christ-like nature makes him one of the unsung heroes of the Church.

Who Was Matthew?

To provide context to one of the most mysterious yet famous figures in the Bible, it’s important to note the political climate. During New Testament times, the Roman government held the Jews under an iron thumb, and publicans were the tax collectors who worked for the oppressive system. As such, they were ardently despised by the Jews. Any Jew who became a publican was considered a traitor to the faith and culture. So notorious were the publicans that of the 22 times that they are mentioned in the New Testament, at least half put them in a bad light and/or group them with sinners, harlots, or heathens. They were their own category of evil.

From this hated occupation came the apostle Matthew, also called Levi. Indeed, Jesus called Matthew to follow while the latter was in the middle of doing his job. Immediately, Matthew “left all” and obeyed.

What Set Him Apart?

Christ Ordaining the Apostles (Christ Ordaining the Twelve Apostles), by Harry Anderson. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

As far as we know, the other apostles hailed from lowlier vocations. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, of course, were fishermen. Matthew was likely alone in his more politically prestigious background. On top of enduring the derision of his Jewish peers, he was present for at least three instances in which the Lord Himself negatively generalized publicans. Although the Lord pointed out that some publicans may be more righteous than the Pharisees, He nevertheless implied their status as horrendous sinners by making such a comparison. In justifying His dinner with “publicans and sinners” by explaining that He was a physician for the sick, He also admitted that He considered the publicans among the most spiritually infirm.

Each of the instances in which the Lord spoke of publicans with low regard was recorded in the gospel that Matthew himself wrote. In fact, his writings rival only Luke’s regarding the number of times that publicans are brought up. On the other hand, there is no record of Matthew ever interrupting the Lord to say that not all publicans are that bad. He didn’t try to defend himself or anyone else in his line of work. There’s no evidence that his ego was wounded. Not even in Matthew’s own gospel exists a hint of his discontent.

The Life-Changing Question

When Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him, they all asked, “Is it I?”—Matthew included. Surely, however, it was not the first time Matthew had to say these words. It seems we can assume that he simply nodded and accepted the Lord’s criticism of the people in his line of work, focusing less on taking personal offense and more on asking himself, “Is it I?” That is, “Am I part of the problem that the Lord is describing? How can I rise above it?”

In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library. This painting depicts Christ’s last supper before His crucifixion, the scene in which His apostles all wondered aloud if they would be the ones to betray Him.

Later, Matthew penned the book that became the first of the four gospels included in most versions of the Bible. This man, who was rejected by his fellow Jews solely for his profession, is known for having written specifically with the Jews in mind, mentioning numerous references to Old Testament prophecies in order to convince his audience that Jesus had fulfilled them. Like his Master, Matthew was ferociously hated by his own people; however, also like his Master, Matthew’s response to such hatred was to reach out with all his power to save them.

A Leader We Should Follow

Matthew endured constant and vicious criticism for being a publican, but he used it to become one of the most influential representatives of the Lord the world has known. He should be an inspiration to everyone who has ever felt ostracized, negatively generalized, or unfairly singled out, as well as those who are quicker to defend their sins than they are to abandon them. When Matthew the publican chose time and time again to ask, “Is it I?”—that’s when he became Matthew the Apostle.

Ashley Morales

Frequently whimsical and overly optimistic about how much time it will take to do things, Ashley Morales is deeply passionate about the gospel and all kinds of creativity. Her hobbies include philosophically analyzing nearly every book, play, video game, and movie that she consumes, writing music and short stories, promising herself that she will finish writing her novels, going to sleep too late, eating foods she’s never tried, putting off cleaning her house, browsing Zillow, spending as much quality time as possible with her wonderful husband, trying to be a good mother to her fantastic children, and never finding the balance between saying too much and too little. One day, she hopes to leave a positive mark on the world and visit every continent (except Antarctica) with her family.

Picturing History: John Young Home, Mendon, New York

Ashley Morales — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 04:45:42 +0000

This article was originally published in the Deseret News on July 26th, 2017.

Brigham Young was born to John and Nabby Young at Whitingham, Vermont, in 1801. At about age 16, Brigham was told by his father that he was old enough to go out on his own and provide for himself. His mother had just passed away.

His father, John Young, later moved to the area of Mendon, New York. Eventually, Brigham and his ailing wife, Miriam, also moved to Mendon on the back part of his father’s property. They were all practicing members of the Reformed Methodist Church.

In 1832, Brigham, Miriam, John and all of Brigham’s immediate family joined the Church of Christ, later The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All stayed active in the LDS Church throughout their lives.

According to Larry C. Porter, Brigham built a house for his father on his father’s property in Mendon. For some reason, that structure was subsequently divided in two. Half was moved across the street with each part facing the other from opposite sides of Cheese Factory Road. Over time, both portions were added on to, essentially creating two new homes. Both of those altered structures still stand. (See Larry C. Porter, “Brigham Young: The Man for the Hour Will Be Ready Whenever the Hour Strikes,” BYU Speeches, Jan. 27, 1998.)

They are owned by the LDS Church, but they are used as private residences.

Kenneth Mays is a board member of the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation and a retired instructor in the LDS Church’s Department of Seminaries and Institutes.

Ashley Morales

Refugees in LDS History

Ashley Morales — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 04:44:56 +0000

This article originally appeared in Mormon Women for Ethical Government on July 17th, 2017.

Listen to a new MWEG broadcast by independent historian Ardis Parshall on refugees in LDS church history, from Missouri to Turkey to Lithuania. This is an important part of LDS history and provides some context for our efforts today.

This is also the first public broadcast of an MWEG event. Check it out!

Posted by Mormon Women for Ethical Government on Sunday, July 16, 2017

Ardis Parshall has written for Mormon Women for Ethical Government and currently works as a historian, blogger, and freelance researcher.

Ashley Morales

Pioneering 101: The Characteristics of Pioneers, as Described by President Hinckley

Ashley Morales — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:21:43 +0000

As Latter-day Saints, the word “pioneer” tends to conjure mental images of handcart companies trudging toward the Utah desert and all the suffering that accompanied such journeys. Perhaps some people also think about modern-day pioneers—Saints who are the first or only members in their families. Still, what exactly is the definition of a pioneer? Can any Latter-Day Saint become one?

Fear not, friends! This question need not keep you up at night any longer. In the fourth chapter of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley, we can read about the reflections of our beloved former prophet on this very subject. He believed that “each of us is a pioneer in his own life, often in his own family.” Basically, honoring and becoming pioneers requires that we actively nurture the following five essential characteristics within ourselves.

Working Together, by Olinda H. Reynolds. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Faith in Jesus Christ

This is the solution to almost every problem that arises in our path from mortality to exaltation, so we’re used to hearing it. However, President Hinckley offered some revealing insights into what it means by recounting the experiences of the pioneers.

He pointed out, “It was through eyes of faith that they saw a city beautiful [Nauvoo] when they first walked across the swamps of Commerce, Illinois.” After persecution and the death of Joseph Smith, he remarked, “Again, it was by faith that they pulled themselves together under the pattern he had previously drawn and organized themselves for another exodus.” President Hinckley further noted that when the pioneers trekked across the American Midwest, it was “with faith [that] they established Winter Quarters on the Missouri [River]” and continued moving west despite the suffering and death that defined their stay. Finally, President Hinckley observed, “It was by faith that Brigham Young looked over [the Salt Lake] valley, then hot and barren, and declared, ‘This is the place.’”

Quoting Paul explaining that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), President Hinckley extolled the pioneers’ ability to bring their faith to reality through hard work and confidence in God. Faith is more than simply acknowledging that the Lord is able to do what He says He can do. Living with eyes of faith means being able to perceive the “evidence of things not seen”—a thriving city in a swamp, new beginnings in death, springtime in a horrible winter, and Zion in a desert. Pioneers have faith to see what can and should be, guided in their optimism by their conviction that if the Lord could create wine out of water, prophets out of common folk, and saints out of sinners, then He can surely make a beacon out of a barren valley and a rolling church out of a few struggling handcart pullers.

The Lord Himself embodied this kind of faith. For example, He was able to see world-changing apostles in lowly men, including humble fishermen. His Atonement attests to the enormous potential He saw in each person for whose sins and afflictions He suffered.

Calling of the Fishermen (Christ Calling Peter and Andrew), by Harry Anderson. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Faith means to see what cannot be seen—and then to act upon it. Pioneers have this kind of faith.

Active Involvement in the Building of Zion

The hardships endured by the pioneers are nearly unimaginable to us. Many of us live in a time and place in which modern conveniences are commonplace, and we rarely feel the stings of plague, starvation, and fatal exhaustion.

Expressing his admiration of Brigham Young and the pioneers, President Hinckley remarked, “They were tired. Their clothes were worn. Their animals were jaded. The weather was hot and dry—the hot weather of July. But here they were, looking down the years and dreaming a millennial dream, a grand dream of Zion.”

Consider everything that you own and enjoy—your job, house, furniture, electricity, plumbing, entertainment center, social prestige, etc. Imagine leaving every single shred of it behind. What would compel you to do that? What could possibly be worth giving all of that up?

If you would do it for a place where people are “pure in heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21) and “of one heart and mind and [dwell] in righteousness” with “no poor among them” (Moses 7:18), then you may be a pioneer. If Zion—the City of Holiness, in which all things are consecrated for the kingdom of God—is your ultimate goal, then you may be a pioneer.

Pushing, Pulling and Praying, Bound for Zion, by E. Kimball Warren. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

As President Hinckley observed regarding the pioneers’ westward movement, “It was an arduous and fearsome journey. They had doubts, yes. But their faith rose above those doubts. Their optimism rose above their fears. They had their dream of Zion, and they were on their way to fulfill it.”

Zion represents the pinnacle and the ideal of Latter-Day Saint life. Pioneers dream of and prioritize Zion.

Willingness to Sacrifice

Closely related to the concept of Zion is the principle of sacrifice, especially with regard to your materials, time, and even life, so that you can benefit other people. President Hinckley used the example of the plight of the Willie and Martin handcart companies to illustrate this point.

When they were nearing the Salt Lake Valley but in real danger of perishing, President Hinckley recalled that Brigham Young organized rescue efforts while declaring, “That is my religion; that is the dictation of the Holy Ghost that I possess. It is to save the people… I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the Celestial Kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains.”

Helping the Martin Handcart Company across the Sweetwater River, by Clark Kelley Price. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Although he was grateful that many of us don’t have to pass through the same kinds of afflictions that the pioneers did, President Hinckley was quick to remind us that we should not rest comfortably. He said, “There are so many who are hungry and destitute across this world who need help… We have some of our own who cry out in pain and suffering and loneliness and fear… There are so many young people who wander aimlessly… There are widows who long for friendly voices… There are those who were once warm in the faith, but whose faith has grown cold.” Fervently, he encouraged us to be a church where “strong hands and loving hearts will warm them, comfort them, sustain them, and put them on the way of happy and productive lives.”

Like the pioneers who risked their own safety to help their struggling brothers and sisters in the Willie and Martin handcart companies, we are called to make sacrifices to reach out and improve the circumstances of those around us. Dangers must be braved, luxuries must be disregarded, and pride must be extinguished in favor of being a source of light and hope to others.

Sacrifice is the spirit of Zion and the legacy of our Lord. Pioneers exemplify it.

Honor Those Who Came Before You

Imagine working diligently to create something beautifully and passing it on to your posterity as a special heirloom, expecting them to cherish and perhaps improve upon it. Instead, they simply neglect or even destroy it.

No doubt this was a concern for the pioneers. They persevered through persecution, poverty, sickness, and death to preserve the gospel and find a place to live the ways of God peacefully, praying that their descendants would carry on their work. Nevertheless, the church continues to deal with enemies and see precious souls of infinite worth become discouraged and fall away.

The Church has grown miraculously against all odds, but it could still grow much faster and become stronger if we make greater efforts to respect our pioneer heritage. That’s not limited to people who can trace their genealogy to anyone who pushed a handcart across the plains. President Hinckley explained, “Whether you have pioneer ancestry or came into the church only yesterday, you are a part of this whole grand picture of which those men and women dreamed. Theirs was a tremendous undertaking. Ours is a great continuing responsibility. They laid the foundation. Ours is the duty to build on it.”

Handcart Pioneers Arrive in Salt Lake, by Clark Kelley Price. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

The pioneers themselves were building on foundations that had preceded them. The Bible and Book of Mormon abound with the teachings of prophets and disciples who passed on their wisdom and knowledge of doctrine to anyone who would listen and take heed. They broke the cycle of apostasy, refusing to dishonor the saints of the ancient past by letting the gospel become lost. Even at the cost of their lives and comfort, they were determined to uphold the cause of the Lord.

Keep building on what has already been built so far. That’s the pioneer way.

Share Your Testimony Through Word and Deed

Of course, the best way to build upon that which came before you is to be a missionary. Those who can serve formal missions are encouraged to do so, but everyone is expected to do something to keep the work of the Lord rolling forward with a growing momentum.

With reverence toward the example of the pioneers, President Hinckley declared, “As great things were expected of them, so are they of us… We have a charge to teach and baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Lord Himself commanded, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Their willingness to bear the scorn of the world and the harshness of the elements constituted the bearing of the pioneers’ testimonies to the children of God. If you are to be a pioneer, the question is not whether you will share your testimony with the world, but rather how.

Carrying the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people is our duty and privilege. Pioneers accept that responsibility with humility and courage.

Tag! You’re It. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Do You Have What It Takes?

Handcarts were heavy. So is the mantle of discipleship. However, when we learn from the early pioneers of this dispensation, we will find our hearts and spirits changed enough to wear that mantle well.

Do you have the faith to see what cannot be seen? Do you dream of Zion above all else? Will you sacrifice everything for that dream and the betterment of your brothers and sisters around the world? Will you honor your predecessors and share the gospel with all who will listen? Can you be a pioneer?

Thanks to President Gordon B. Hinckley and his inspiring direction, we may be able to pass Pioneering 101 and start on our way toward becoming pioneers in our own right.

Pioneers Catching Fish, by Sam Lawlor. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Ashley Morales

Discovery of Pioneer Journal Sheds Light on Temple Square Mystery

Ashley Morales — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 07:00:10 +0000

The following article originally appeared in Deseret News on July 20th, 2017, and it was updated on July 21st, 2017.

On the 170th anniversary of the Saints entering the Salt Lake Valley, a longtime question has now been answered. How long after Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley was land surveyed and designated as the official location of Temple Square? A week? A month? According to a recently discovered journal belonging to pioneer surveyor Jesse Carter Little, the location of Temple Square was known the day pioneers entered the valley, July 24, 1847.

The Church Office Building in Temple Square. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

In April, Rob Thurston of Provo, Utah, age 60, made an amazing discovery about his great-great-grandfather, Jesse Carter Little. He found his ancestor’s journal containing entries made along the journey west to the Salt Lake Valley. But the journey to acquiring the journal was an adventure in and of itself.

“When I was a young boy about age 7, I used to go down to Manti, Utah, to where my grandmother lived,” Thurston said. “In her old house I used to like to play hide-and-seek and hide under the stairs.”

In the small confines of the room under the stairs, Thurston remembers seeing an old cream-colored box filled with aged letters and photographs. At the time, the letters were of particular interest because of the stamps that could be cut out and added to his stamp collection.

It wasn’t until this past April that memories of the cream-colored box came flooding back in Thurston’s mind. “I asked my mother whatever happened to the box,” he said. “She wasn’t exactly sure but recalled that it was given to a BYU professor to take a look at. The professor was contemplating writing an article about the items in it and also indicated he would see if they held any worth.”

The only problem with the box was it was given to the BYU professor, who Thurston declined to name, in 1977, 40 years ago. “I thought, ‘That’s it, they’re gone,’” Thurston said. “And to top it all off, my mother could not remember the name of the BYU professor.”

After a lot of hard work, Thurston found out the name of the professor, who, fortunately, was still working at Brigham Young University. He called the professor and mentioned the cream-colored box. Sure enough, the professor still had the box and remembered his mother. Thurston made an appointment to see him.

At the office of the BYU professor, Thurston recovered the box. It had been on a shelf for many years. “I remember what the professor told me,” said Thurston. “’There really isn’t anything in there. I didn’t see anything of value. Go ahead and take it.’”

Thurston took the box home and opened it. It held more than 180 items.

“Not knowing exactly what I had, I took the box to a document expert to help me understand. I was told that there were a number of significant things.”

The box contained a treasure trove of journals, letters and photographs from Thurston’s ancestors. “It gave depth to my ancestors I knew nothing about,” he said.

“There was a letter from Brigham Young I was excited about and a bunch of letters from an ancestor named Jesse Carter Little. He was the one ancestor I knew. He helped found the Mormon Battalion, and he met with President James K. Polk to get funds to help the Saints come west.”

The pinnacle of the discovery was an 1846 journal kept by Jesse Carter Little from the first pioneer company coming across the plains with Brigham Young. It contained tons of detailed information about the company’s trek west. “He recorded how many miles they went, where they reached, location names and coordinates for longitude and latitude with a sextant and compass,” Thurston said.

The most interesting entry was the one dated July 24, 1847. Little was in the advance party that entered the valley, and he recorded the following on two lines in his journal. Line one reads: “Salt Lake Valley 114 miles from Fort Bridger.” The second line reads: “Northern boundary of the Temple Square 40 degrees latitude and 111 degrees longitude.”

To check the accuracy of Little’s journal, the distance from the address of Fort Bridger to the address of Temple Square was calculated using Google Maps. It yielded 118 miles versus the journal’s 114. Plugging the longitude and latitude coordinates from Little’s journal into the U.S. government’s NASA website latitude/longitude finder yields the location of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“For the last 85 years these treasured items were either under the stairwell of an old house or in the office of a BYU professor. Finding these items was important. In my family, we are calling this the miracle of the cream-colored shirt box.”

Walking to General Conference in Temple Square. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Ryan Morgenegg is a writer for Deseret News.

Ashley Morales

Living Scripture: A Testimony of Eternal Progression

Ashley Morales — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 02:53:45 +0000

The Book of Mormon has drawn criticism from many Christians because it is accepted in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as legitimate scripture, despite other denominations’ insistence that the Bible is the only valid of word of God that will ever be available to us. Nevertheless, the Bible itself suggests God has always had more to say and that continuous revelation is part of the gospel’s very essence.

Revelation Beyond Revelation

Scriptures open to Acts 27. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Some Christians believe that Revelation 22:18 is proof enough that no other scripture could ever exist. However, it’s unlikely that the word “book” in that verse is referring to the Bible, since it hadn’t been compiled as we currently know it. Another translation for the word could have been “scroll,” which means that the verse was about Revelation itself. Since prophets have specific authority given to them to reveal doctrine about God and His gospel, the verse makes sense in such context; the revelations of the book were John’s to disclose. (Besides, if every such scripture were taken so literally, there would have been nothing after Deuteronomy 4:2.)

In truth, councils of men—not unlike the famous Nicene Council—usually decided what could be considered scripture and what could not, bereft of the guidance of prophets. Various versions of the Bible existed, and some did not include the book of Revelation at all. The King James version is now the one most widely used, and it was not compiled until 1611. According to Jewish tradition, the Old Testament books are organized first by those considered to be written by Moses and then in order of those regarded as most important to least important. Christian versions of the Bible often order the Old Testament books first by historical significance, then sacred poetry, and finally, ancient prophecies. The New Testament begins with the four gospels, followed by the letters of the prophets to the Church in order of size (biggest to smallest), with Revelation tacked on at the end. In fact, the Apostle John wrote his epistle to church members of his time period sometime after writing Revelation. Also, he is believed to have died earlier than most of the other Apostles. Clearly, chronological order was not a concern for those who created the Bible as we know it. For all these reasons, Revelation—nor any other part of the Bible—cannot reasonably be upheld as the final word of God.

Moses and the Tablets, by Jerry Harston. Moses was among the many prophets who contributed scriptural writings that were later compiled into the Bible familiar to us today. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Furthermore, there are several mentions of scriptures that have been lost throughout both the Bible and Book of Mormon. If it’s possible for scriptures to be unknown to the world, then it stands to reason that they may one day be discovered, as the Mormon Church believes the Book of Mormon was.

He Continues to Speak

We know that God will always work with prophets to ensure that we have guidance, and we also know that He will continue enlightening us with knowledge and power as we become capable of comprehending it, little by little. Considering the Mormon belief in eternal progression on top of all this, it’s only natural to believe that the Bible is not the only authority on gospel truths, and we may yet be blessed with more books of scripture beyond the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. It is a testament of God’s love that He speaks to everyone and will continue to speak.

Woman reading the Book of Mormon. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Ashley Morales

The Erie Canal as a Facilitator of God’s Kingdom

Ashley Morales — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 02:04:41 +0000

With innovation and prosperity come access. With access comes power. With power come miracles.

The Erie Canal, which celebrates its 200^th birthday this year, provided many miracles—not the least of which included a means of travel and communication that allowed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to spread and thrive better than it would have otherwise.

How so, you ask?

For one thing, the rise of wealth in the area may have contributed to the Second Great Awakening, when interest in religion throughout the existing United States was revived with notable ardency, resulting in many denominations frequently butting heads over doctrine and wrestling to retain and increase their memberships. After all, as Nephi so eloquently related, opposition is necessary for progress, and in this case, finding earthly satisfaction in material goods urged the desire to find spiritual satisfaction in one’s relationship with God as well. Although it was not the only factor that ignited the religious fire of this time period, the Erie Canal was certainly an important spark.

The Erie Canal. Courtesy of Pexels.

Furthermore, the canal’s sheer reach across the continental United States let all kinds of people carry their ideas and causes to faraway places in record time. In fact, one of its many nicknames was the “psychic highway.” Of course, among the groups that took advantage of the canal’s accessibility were the Mormons, who were able to use it to travel around the country to build cities for themselves, transport the materials necessary for such cities, and even serve missions. On its waters were brought all the paper and equipment needed to publish the Book of Mormon as well. Even the likes of Charles Dickens himself was floating on it when he was first impressed by the Mormons he met there. Never before had the Lord’s commandment to baptize the world seemed more realistic.

Before the Erie Canal was built, getting around the country was difficult and exhausting. While it was undergoing construction, however, it brought many jobs; its completion ensured more wealth in nearby areas, promoted other sectors of economic growth by providing transportation for all kinds of goods, greatly helped U.S. citizens get wherever they needed to go, and served as a symbol of America’s engineering innovations. However, equally important is its role in the rise of the kingdom of God in the latter days, for God does work through the hands of man to accomplish His ends.

Ashley Morales

The Mercy of Excommunication

Ashley Morales — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 04:36:58 +0000

“Excommunication” is a scary-sounding word. For many, it brings to mind uncomfortable concepts like failure, punishment, ostracizing, shame, and perhaps even evil—like those who are excommunicated are the lowest of the low. Perhaps it’s because of our natural drive to be accepted in our communities or the idea that the Church teaches that it has the means to salvation and exaltation but refuses to grant those blessings to certain people. In any case, excommunication is often regarded as the ultimate dishonor that can be designated to a former member of the Church.

Of course, if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is correct in claiming that it has the fullest, truest gospel available on Earth, excommunication is deeply saddening because it bars people from receiving eternal blessings that cannot be found anywhere else. However, we don’t have to think of it as a black mark, but rather an opportunity to repent or begin anew.

The Marriage Analogy

Bride and Groom. A depiction of a New Testament–era bride and groom, by Lyle Beddes. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Throughout the scriptures, the Lord has likened His relationship with the Church to a marriage. Hence, we can consider our personal baptismal and temple covenants to be similar to a marriage relationship with the Church. All marriages have their unique problems, but when both parties work to overcome them and progress together, the relationship can be valid, rewarding, and mutually beneficial. Similarly, Latter-day Saints may make mistakes and endure challenges but still be considered to have good standing with the Church, and the Church can also correct its errors and adapt to the needs of its members without losing the integrity of its core doctrine or its status as the true kingdom of God.

However, just as with earthly marriages, there are times when it’s better to be “separated” or “divorced” from the Church. People who are guilty of serious sins that cause significant physical, emotional, and/or spiritual harm to others and are unrepentant prove that they cannot be trusted with covenants that demand better of them. Also, those who make it clear that they intend to commit to making choices that violate the core teachings of the Church demonstrate incompatibility with its mission. In these cases, excommunication is prudent because it nullifies the responsibilities that the member is expected to fulfill, just as divorce negates marriage vows so that the individuals may take their lives in new directions without being obligated to each other.

Basically, it’s better for a person who will not honor their most sacred covenants to end the relationship rather than continue to be morally bound to it despite not intending to honor the stipulations on which it was founded. If you’re in a marriage and will no longer keep the promises that you made to your spouse, it’s best to cut ties rather than cheat or continue abusing the bond. For the same reason, if you’re a member of the Church but consciously, willingly, and egregiously disregard its core doctrine without any remorse or intention of changing, excommunication provides a means for you and the Church to go your separate ways without the greater condemnation being laid upon you.

What Comes After Excommunication?

The Bishop. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Excommunication is always followed by the hope that repentance will begin and that eventually the person excommunicated will be re-baptized. Church leaders work with those who are humble and repentant toward this end. There is no institutionalized “shunning” in Mormonism, as there is in some other Christian churches. Members are supposed to be nurturing aids in a return to full fellowship.

In the Mormon Church, excommunications are private. If you have seen publicity about someone who has been excommunicated, it is because the person has made it public in an attempt to put the Church in a bad light.

Excommunicated Mormons are welcome in all regular church meetings, although they cannot fill “callings,” take the sacrament, attend the temple, or pay tithing.

Heavenly Father always wants His children to choose Him and His gospel above all else, but when it cannot or will not happen, He still provides an opportunity for us to make our choices freely. We also have the great benefit of knowing that there is always a road back to Him.

The Prodigal Son, by Clark Kelley Price. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Ashley Morales

John Taylor’s Witness of a Modern Martyrdom

Ashley Morales — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:58:57 +0000

This article originally appeared in LDS Daily on June 27th, 2017.

On June 27, 1844, not longer after singing “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” to his cellmates, John Taylor lay suffering on the floor of Carthage Jail. He had endured terrible injury at the hands of an angry mob that had just killed the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. This tragic event became a defining moment in the history of the Church and in the life of John Taylor.

John Taylor, by John Willard Clawson. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

In Witness to the Martyrdom, Mark H. Taylor, a great-great-grandson of John Taylor, revives the only eyewitness account of these events. Below is John Taylor’s eyewitness account:

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Soon afterwards I was sitting at one of the front windows of the jail, when I saw a number of men, with painted faces, coming round the corner of the jail, and aiming towards the stairs. The other brethren had seen the same, for, as I went to the door, I found Brother Hyrum Smith and Dr. Richards already leaning against it. They both pressed against the door with their shoulders to prevent its being opened, as the lock and latch were comparatively useless. While in this position, the mob, who had come upstairs, and tried to open the door, probably thought it was locked, and fired a ball through the keyhole; at this Dr. Richards and Brother Hyrum leaped back from the door, with their faces towards it; almost instantly another ball passed through the panel of the door, and struck Brother Hyrum on the left side of the nose, entering his face and head. At the same instant, another ball from the outside entered his back, passing through his body and striking his watch. The ball came from the back, through the jail window, opposite the door, and must, from its range, have been fired from the Carthage Greys, who were placed there ostensibly for our protection, as the balls from the firearms, shot close by the jail, would have entered the ceiling, we being in the second story, and there never was a time after that when Hyrum could have received the latter wound. Immediately, when the ball struck him, he fell flat on his back, crying as he fell, “I am a dead man!” He never moved afterwards.

I shall never forget the feeling of deep sympathy and regard manifested in the countenance of Brother Joseph as he drew nigh to Hyrum, and, leaning over him exclaimed, “Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum!” He, however, instantly arose, and with a firm, quick step, and a determined expression of countenance, approached the door, and pulling the six-shooter left by Brother Wheelock from his pocket, opened the door slightly and snapped the pistol six successive times; only three of the barrels, however, were discharged. I afterwards understood that two or three were wounded by these discharges, two of whom, I am informed, died.

I had in my hands a large, strong hickory stick brought there by Brother Markham, and left by him, which I had seized as soon as I saw the mob approach; and while Brother Joseph was firing the pistol, I stood close behind him. As soon as he had discharged it he stepped back, and I immediately took his place next to the door, while he occupied the one I had done while he was shooting. Brother Richards, at this time, had a knotty walking-stick in his hand belonging to me, and stood next to Brother Joseph, a little farther from the door, in an oblique direction, apparently to avoid the rake of the fire from the door. The firing of Brother Joseph made our assailants pause for a moment; very soon after, however, they pushed the door some distance open, and protruded and discharged their guns into the room, when I parried them off with my stick, giving another direction to the balls.

It certainly was a terrible scene: streams of fire as thick as my arm passed by me as these men fired, and, unarmed as we were, it looked like certain death. I remember feeling as though my time had come, but I do not know when, in any critical position, I was more calm, unruffled, and energetic, and acted with more promptness and decision. It certainly was far from pleasant to be so near the muzzles of those firearms as they belched forth their liquid flame and deadly balls. While I was engaged in parrying the guns, Brother Joseph said, “That’s right, Brother Taylor, parry them off as well as you can.” These were the last words I ever heard him speak on earth.

Every moment the crowd at the door became more dense, as they were unquestionably pressed on by those in the rear ascending the stairs, until the whole entrance at the door was literally crowded with muskets and rifles, which, with the swearing, shouting, and demoniacal expressions of those outside the door and on the stairs, and the firing of guns, mingled with their horrid oaths and execrations, made it look like pandemonium let loose, and was, indeed, a fit representation of the horrid deed in which they were engaged.

After parrying the guns for some time, which now protruded thicker and farther into the room, and seeing no hope of escape or protection there, as we were now unarmed, it occurred to me that we might have some friends outside, and that there might be some chance of escape in that direction, but here there seemed to be none.

As I expected them every moment to rush into the room – nothing but extreme cowardice having kept them out – as the tumult and pressure increased, without any other hope, I made a spring for the window which was right in front of the jail door, where the mob was standing, and also exposed to the fire of the Carthage Greys, who were stationed some ten or twelve rods off. The weather was hot, we all of us had our coats off, and the window was raised to admit air. As I reached the window, and was on the point of leaping out, I was struck by a ball from the door about mid-way of my thigh, which was struck the bone, and flattened out almost to the size of a quarter of a dollar, and then passed on through the fleshy part to within about half an inch of the outside. I think some prominent nerve must have been severed or injured for, as soon as the ball struck me, I fell like a bird when shot, or an ox when struck by a butcher, and lost entirely and instantaneously all power of action or locomotion. I fell upon the windowsill and cried out, “I am shot!”

Not possessing any power to move, I felt myself falling outside the window, but immediately I fell inside, from some time, at that time, unknown cause. When I struck the floor my animation seemed restored, as I have seen it sometimes in squirrels and birds after being shot. As soon as I felt the power of motion I crawled under the bed, which was in a corner of the room, not far from the window where I received my wound. While on teh way and under the bed I was wounded in three other places; one ball entered a little below the left knee, and never was extracted; another entered the forepart of my left arm, a little above the wrist, and passing down by the joint, lodged in the fleshy part of my hand, about midway, a little above the upper joint of my little finger; another struck me on the fleshy part of my left hip, and tore away the flesh as large as my hand, dashing the mangled fragments of flesh and blood against the wall.

My wounds were painful, and the sensation produced was as though a ball had passed through and down the whole length of my leg. I very well remember my reflections at the time. I had a very painful idea of becoming lame and decrepid, and being an object of pity, and I felt as though I would rather die than be placed in such circumstances.

It would seem that immediately after my attempt to leap out of the window, Joseph also did the same thing, of which circumstance I have no knowledge, only from information. The first thing that I noticed was a cry that he had leaped out of the window. A cessation of firing followed, the mob rushed downstairs, and Dr. Richards went to the window. Immediately afterward I saw the doctor going toward the jail door, and as there was an iron door at the head of the stairs, adjoining our door which led into the cells for criminals, it struck me that the doctor was going there, and I said to him, “Stop, Doctor, and take me along.” He proceeded to the door and opened it, and then returned and dragged me along to a small cell prepared for criminals.

Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, by Gary E. Smith. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

Brother Richards was very much troubled, and exclaimed, “Oh! Brother Taylor, is it possible that they have killed both Brother Hyrum and Joseph? it cannot surely be, and yet I saw them shoot them;” and elevating his hands two or three times, he exclaimed, “Oh Lord, my God, spare Thy servants!” He then said, “Brother Taylor, this is a terrible event;” and he dragged me farther into the cell, saying, “I am sorry I can not do better for you;” and, then, taking an old, filthy mattress, he covered me with it, and said, “That may hide you, and you may yet live to tell the tale, but I expect they will kill me in a few moments.” While lying in this position I suffered the most excruciating pain.

Soon afterwards Dr. Richards came to me, informed me that the mob had precipitately fled, and at the same time confirmed my worst fears that Joseph was assuredly dead. I felt a dull, lonely, sickening sensation at the news. When I reflected that our noble chieftain, the Prophet of the living God, had fallen, and that I had seen his brother in the cold embrace of death, it seemed as though there was a void or vacuum in the great field of human existence to me, and a dark gloomy chasm in the kingdom, and that we were left alone. Oh, how lonely was the feeling! How cold, barren and desolate! In the midst of difficulties he was always the first in motion; in critical positions his counsel was always sought. As our Prophet he approached our God, and obtained for us his will; but now our Prophet, our counselor, our general, our leader, was gone, and amid the fiery ordeal that we then had to pass through, we were left alone without his aid, and as our future guide for things spiritual or temporal, and for all things pertaining to this world, or the next, he had spoken for the last time on earth.

These reflections and a thousand others flashed upon my mind. I thought, why must the good perish, and the virtuous be destroyed? Why must God’s nobility, the salt of the earth, the most exalted of the human family, and the most perfect types of all excellence, fall victims to the cruel, fiendish hate of incarnate devils?

The poignancy of my grief, I presume, however, was somewhat allayed by the extreme suffering that I endured from my wounds.

Aleah Ingram is a full-time writer, social media manager, and editor who graduated from Southern Virginia University.

Ashley Morales

Remembering George A. Smith

Ashley Morales — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 07:23:58 +0000

This article originally appeared in the Deseret News on Jun 26th, 2017.

One of Utah’s great founding fathers, George A. Smith, was born 200 years ago on Monday in Potsdam, a village in northern New York. His life deserves to be remembered and celebrated. Arguably, he was second only to Brigham Young in providing leadership to the territory that would become the State of Utah.

George A., as he was affectionately known, served in the Territorial Legislature for 19 years, was a vigorous promoter of Utah statehood and a chief colonizer of Utah, Iron, Washington and Kane counties. He helped lay out and establish the communities of Parowan, Cedar City and Santa Clara. St. George was named in his honor. He promoted the transcontinental railroad and cooperative industries including the ZCMI. During the Utah War, he rallied resistance to the approach of Johnston’s Army.

George A. was an early convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founded by his first cousin Joseph Smith. In the Spring of 1834, as a 16-year-old, he walked 1,600 miles as a member of the Zion’s Camp expedition. He was asked to serve in the First Quorum of Seventy at 18 and when only 22, became a member of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was one of the early missionaries to England, introducing the Mormon message to the people of London. After the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, he helped organize the trek west, arriving with the first company of pioneers in 1847.

George A. served the church in his capacity as an apostle, historian and recorder and first counselor in the First Presidency to Young. In all these responsibilities he made enormous contributions. He is credited as church historian with laying the foundation for the work that continues in that office today. Likewise, the construction of the St. George Temple was due in large measure to his efforts.

St. George Temple. Courtesy of the LDS Media Library.

In stature, George A. was imposing, standing at nearly 6 feet in height and weighing more than 250 pounds. He also possessed a larger than life personality. He was by all accounts a charismatic speaker, lacing his discourses with humor, historical anecdotes and sage counsel.

He was devoted husband and father. His first wife Bathsheba, who later became General Relief Society president wrote this of her husband:

“My husband had of necessity to be away from us much of his time. My hope and joy centered in my children as well as in their father. I love my husband dearly. I believe but few in the wide world have been as happy as we have been.”

George A. struggled with serious health problems all his life, and on Sept. 1, 1875, at the relatively young age of 58, he died at Salt Lake City home from pneumonia.

Young left this tribute to his friend and counselor George A. Smith:

“By his removal to a higher sphere, I will lose a devoted friend, a wise counselor, and a lifelong companion. He leaves behind him, so far as my knowledge extends …, a record as pure and as worthy of imitation as that of any servant of the Most High, who ever lived upon His footstool. He gave his heart, his mind, his energy, his love, in fact his all, to the furtherance of the great purposes of our God.

“In youth and then manhood, in the sunshine or in storm, in peace or in persecution, he was true to his religion, his brethren and his God. And more than this, what can we say of anyone!”

Richard N. W. Lambert is vice chairman of Mormon Historic Sites and a retired assistant United States attorney.

Ashley Morales