He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reyjavik, the capital city of Iceland, while serving on active duty in Keflavik Iceland with the United States Navy. In fact, Elder Bednar said in his April 2012 general conference talk that some members in his ward did not know his father was not a member because he regularly attending Church meetings with his family and helped with various Church activities. For example, one survey respondent wrote, The Church has done much to cover up that part of its history, and little to bring the truth into the light. I would think not.60, Not surprisingly, the ambivalence among even active, faithful Latter-day Saints regarding plural marriage continues. That would be incorrect, divorced men can be bishops. In the Church, we value family relationships so much (rightly so) that many dont know how to deal with divorce because it seems incongruent with the foundation of the Church, which is the family. The missionary told how Brigham Youngs wife would keep house, and I naturally wondered which wife, so I asked. No matter how hard the LDS Church may try to cut ties to its polygamous past, the two are irrevocably and inseparably tied to each other. Furthermore, if she had been learning about the Churchs polygamous history in the youth Sunday School programs, she would have had a better foundation on which to stand. (That doesn't mean the policy doesn't exist, but that I've never seen it). Because of this widespread apostasy, the Lord withdrew the authority of the priesthood from the earth. They call it The Principle. This weapon must be neutralized. Details regarding this matter have been communicated to stake and mission presidents.". When he was 15 years old, Elder Baxter says he looked back on the challenges his family faced in his younger yearsalcoholism, divorce, povertyall of the things he couldn't change in his past and decided, "I will change the futurefor myself and for the children I will someday have. The practice suffered a slow, difficult death as the Church and its members came to terms with the demise of the practice and yet continued their efforts to keep what they regarded as a sacred principle alive. not true. But heres a fact you need to know: children can be sealed to only two parents. How can I worry less about it? Her expression approximated that of a deer in the headlights, and she replied, Well, his wife., I finally realized that she did not want to discuss Brighams plural wives, especially if I was accompanied by non-members, so I dropped the subject.30, This experience is likely not an anomaly. Note: At the time this survey was conducted, the Church had not yet announced the ministering program that replaced home and visiting teaching. Meet the Apostles. Our Father in Heaven loves His children. !45 Another womans exit letter from the Church had a series of accusatory questions including, Why did Smith marry and have sex with 11 women who were married to other men at the same time, some of whom he sent away on missions before marrying their wives? Many are confronted with these issues regarding plural marriage without a firm understanding of the LDS Churchs polygamous past. For an excellent discussion about this pivotal time period, see Gregory L. Smith, Polygamy, Prophets, and Prevarication: Frequently and Rarely Asked Questions about the Initiation, Practice, and Cessation of Plural Marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FAIR, 2005, accessed January 20, 2014, http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/publications/polygamy-prophets-and-prevarication. This holds true whether they were married civilly or in a temple. By The book discusses women and divorce, men and divorce, children and divorce, dating again, blended families, remarriage, marriage counseling, and so on. My girls did not want to go because of the way the adult sisters treated them.. I felt like I was contagious, and I think that they thought I was!, Church is a family-orientated organization, and when your family splits, it is difficult to find your place., A simple smile or hello . ok if you have any links or info that i can show this person i would like to see them and thanks for confirming what i thought Brian C. Hales, on the other hand, in an excellent essay, Joseph Smith and the Puzzlement of Polyandry, in The Persistence of Polygamy, 99151, offers a compelling argument for the proposition that Joseph Smiths polyandrous marriages were non-sexual and were eternity only sealings. What can Latter-day Saints do to be more supportive of divorced members? Second, celestial polygamy seems to evince a degree of sexism in the Church and even Gods eternal plan. The Church should probably highlight the differences when needed and otherwise ignore Fundamentalist groups like the FLDS as much as possible. Nevertheless, more should be done since the obvious discomfort and embarrassment of Church representatives is not only fodder for anti-Mormons but also sets a poor example for their fellow members, many of whom are struggling with their own ambivalence about plural marriage. Its in the handbook. None of the 12 or the First Presidency have been divorced. Furthermore, the Church must accept that there will always be coat-tail relatives to remind its members of their past. Most definitely not true. Often times in our anxiety to live Gods commandments, we focus on everything we should avoid to remain righteous. Before his 13th birthday, Elder Baxter was baptized and received the Aaronic priesthood. When Jesus Christ came to earth, He organized His church. Not surprisingly, the largest number of respondents who identified their place of [Page 59]birth were from Utah, with the next largest group identifying their birthplace as somewhere in the western United States. The Salt Lake Tribune reviewed the party affiliation of all 15 apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including the three-member First I would imagine if a divorced man was called as Bishop that it would have had to be approvied by the First Presidency. I remember a fifth or sixth grade classmate who came to my central California elementary school and said, Youre a Mormon, right? I answered in the affirmative, and he then announced, My father says Mormons can have more than one wife. With every separation or divorce comes uncomfortable reminders of former relatives. Throughout his childhood, Elder Bednar would ask his father several times a week why he was not baptized. For example, take my sons to general priesthood meeting., Ask if anything [is] needed. [Page 74]. They were similar to statements that I have heard and read in other settings and reflect a combination of discomfort, embarrassment, and ignorance regarding plural marriage. When people learn gospel principles as children, they are able to grow in their understanding as they learn line upon line, precept upon precept.64 It should be the same regarding the Churchs history of plural marriage. Even more tragically, accidental discovery and/or inadequate teachings about the Churchs history and relationship to plural marriage have caused crises of faith which have alienated members of the Church and, in many cases, led to their eventual departure from the faith. Members should learn that one practices plural marriage only when God commands it through his prophets, and we are following the prophet by not presently practicing it. Sister Wives follows the large family of Kody Brown and his four wives. E-mail correspondence, August 11, 2011. That means the majority of adult Latter-day Saints both women and men are unmarried, widowed or divorced. apostle Gerrit Gong said Saturday morning. Steve Chapman, Kody Brown and His Four Wives, townhall.com, July 14, 2011, accessed July 14, 2011, http://townhall.com/columnists/stevechapman/2011/07/14/kody_brown_and_his_four_wives, and Brent Bozell, TLCs Lobbying Show, townhall.com, July 15, 2011, accessed July 15, 2011, http://townhall.com/columnists/brentbozell/2011/07/15/tlcs_lobbying_show/page/full/. 28. Foster, Like Two Crazy Aunts in the Attic.. Before Elder Dallin H. Oaks was 8 years old, his father passed away from tuberculosis, leaving his mother, Stella H. Oaks, to care for three children on her own. Hamani Stevens of the University of Oregon football team recounted how the usual misconception [Page 53]about Mormonism is that we all believe in polygamy.19 That mistaken perception is compounded and exploited by merchandizers like Wasatch Brewery in Park City that sells Polygamy Porter, a beer whose advertisement invokes a polygamy theme, asking Why have just one? Along with the beer, they sell polygamy-themed merchandise. This is true even if your parents temple sealing to each other is canceled. Anti-Mormons are constantly pushing and picking at members faith in order to plant seeds of doubt and to destroy members testimonies. Children are most likely to adjust successfully to parental divorce when their mother and father are willing to put the happiness and stability of children ahead of their own hurt feelings. John Kitzmiller, personal interview, October 13, 2011. It is not part of my testimony of the Church.49 Another respondent referred to the idea that plural marriage would extend into the eternities as nothing more than folk belief, which is very distressing, especially to women of faith, and many individuals of LDS background have left the Church over this and similar issues.50, In July 2011, Mormon author and blogger Jana Riess wrote about an e-mail she had received from a former Latter-day Saint woman who had eventually left the Church over several issues, including the persistence of polygamous theology among Mormons. Riess went on to explain, As for individual belief, Ive occasionally heard it taught from the pulpit (and Relief Societys lace-draped table) that heaven will be polygamous. 40. Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Meek and Humble, Catching the Vision: All Missions Bring Souls to Christ, Lighting Our Childrens Path with Gospel Standards, Teaching Gospel Standards: One Familys Experience, The Proclamation on the Family: Transcending the Cultural Confusion, Josephine Booth: Sister Missionary to Scotland, Oral Family History Fades in Just Three Generations, He Taught Me the Heavenly Order of Eternity, Latter-day Saint Men and Divorce, Ensign, August 2015, 5861. Copy in possession of the author. And making an effort to help, even if its awkward, can pay major dividends, as one respondent shared: I was brought to tears many times at the amazing support I received from so many members.. The shows first season was set in Utah Valley until the Utah County police began to investigate the family. When he was 12 years old, the missionaries began visiting Elder Baxter and his family, bringing a sense of goodness and peace into their home. The Lord still loves you and will [Page 49]Another accusation of more recent date, perhaps even more insidious than the previous, charges the Mormons of pedophilia because of marriages with teenage brides.10 This [Page 50]slur has been aimed particularly against Joseph Smith in order to attack his claim to be a prophet of God. 26. Since the time of the Manifesto, there has been suspicion that Latter-day Saints still practice plural marriage.15 Rumors and stereotyping of secret Mormon polygamous marriages have continued to the present, as news commentators and political pundits alike misconstrue and misrepresent LDS history and doctrine. In other words, you cannot be a bishop without the approval of the First Presidency. For more information on the Van Dusens, see Craig L. Foster, From Temple Mormon to Anti-Mormon: The Ambivalent Odyssey of Increase Van Dusen Dialogue 27/3 (1994): 27586. Indeed, some even try to dress like 19th-century Mormons, except in neo-pioneer style pastel dresses topped off with a bizarre hairstyle. 20. Bill Frost, Idaho Bans Ogdens Five Wives Vodka, City Weekly, May 29, 2013, accessed January 20, 2014, http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/blog-21-7669-idaho-bans-ogdens-five-wives-vodka.html. 38. Participants were asked to rank from 1 to 7 the support they felt from various Church-related groups (1 being not at all supportive and 7 being very supportive). A man may remarry after the death of his wife Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. V. H. [Valerie Hudson] Cassler, Polygamy, <