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Q:
I am a Christian and I want to know
what you as a Mormon believe about Jesus Christ. Do you
believe that He is the son of God and He is the only way to
Heaven. I have always heard that Mormons believe you can
work your way into Heaven. And you put more belief in Joseph
Smith. I have always loved your family and I am still a huge
fan but as a Christian it means a lot to me to know what you
believe (Your Family).~
Answer:
Dear Friend,
Joseph Smith was a
prophet called to serve prior to his fifteenth birthday. The
Lord revealed himself to young Joseph and it is true we
respect and revere the man. It is a common misconception
that we worship him. His greatness lies in the work he did
and all he accomplished under the direction of the Lord, in
restoring the keys of salvation to all mankind. He bore
witness of the Redeemer and ultimately sealed his testimony
with his blood.
Salvation is intended for ALL who truly believe in Him, the
redeemer of the world, indeed Jesus Christ.
I hope this answers your questions.
Q:
My question is about the physical body. Could you explain
why, in the Mormon faith, it is important not to cremate the
body after death? In my understanding, the body is needed
only for our life on Earth and that it is our soul that
passes into immortality. I'm concerned because cremations
are very common in many countries. Are we all doing the
wrong thing?
Answer:
Dear Friend,
This
is a very good question you pose . . . We as members of the
church believe the dead should be consigned to the earth and
nothing should be done that is destructive to the body as
that is left to nature, "for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:19.)
If you will recall, even the prophets of old such as Abraham
revered the resting place of the mortal remains of his
beloved wife, Sarah, as he selected and purchased a burial
place for her. (Gen. 23; 25:8-10.) Joseph of Arimathea
apparently had his own tomb selected and prepared in
advance, and into this tomb the body of our Lord was lain.
(Luke 23:50-56.)
We realize that ultimately there remains nothing in the
grave except the dust, the element from which the mortal
body was made. You are correct in your belief that the
spirit continues to live and is in a world of spirits
awaiting the day of the resurrection when the bodies of ALL
men will be rescued from death. This includes those that
were cremated according to the customs and practices of
their countries.
Q:
I have a question about a bible story that I have difficulty
in understanding and would like to know your interpretation
of this account. It's from Matthew ch.15 v21-28, 'The faith
of the Canaanite woman'. I don't understand Jesus' reaction
to this woman. His first response in verse 24, when she
needed his help, was to say that he was sent only to the
lost sheep of Israel. Surely, all people from all nations
are equal in God's eyes, as we are all children of God. So,
why did Jesus, being the Son of God, treat this woman as if
she were not of equal importance?
Answer:
Dear Friend,
This is a situation that is to teach
very specific things.
First, Jesus Christ does value and treasure women at the
very highest levels of the kingdom of God. Let's take this
verse by verse so that we better understand what is being
said:
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the
coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the
same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O
Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed
with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples
came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth
after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto
the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take
the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the
crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman,
great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And
her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
You must understand that Gentiles, as Canaanites were, were
not believers of the Jewish faith, therefore they did not
believe in those teachings, nor in the Messiah. The Jews,
the people of Jesus Christ, were given the first opportunity
to fully accept Him as the prophesied Messiah, or to turn
from Him. As we know, there those who chose to follow and
those who chose to persecute. When the Jews, as a whole,
rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah and
crucified Him, it was not long after that Peter and
Paul were instructed to began teaching the Gentiles. Some
accepted Him and some rejected Him and so it went until all
the peoples of the earth now are eligible to receive the
gospel and the full extent of the priesthood powers and
ordinances.
Jesus valued her no less than the Jews. It was not until she
proved herself to be a believer that He then healed her
daughter. We sometimes must prove ourselves in our devotion,
faith and yearning for the things of heaven before they are
given to us. This is a valuable lesson to the people
of today, if they will be take it into their hearts.
Jesus Christ paid the price in the Garden of Gethsemane and
again on the cross at Golgotha for all the sins, sorrows,
weaknesses, illnesses, pains and grief of ALL of Heavenly
Father's children. He loved all of us that much, sons and
daughters. Women are most valued in the eyes of God, and
we must but show our faith in Him to be granted our
righteous desires.
Q:
Dear Merrill, Could we ask you
what are your views on spiritualism, as we know a psychic
and what he explained of the spiritual world, seems to tie
in greatly with what you said you believed when you were in
Wales. eg. we all go down a path that is chosen for us.
The only
reason we were able to buy the hotel that we now own was
because of the path that the psychic guided us along - and
he told us things that were to happen months in the future -
all of which came true.
So if you
do have any spiritualist beliefs, have you ever visited a
psychic for a reading and if so, did the reading have any
substance?
With love and
best regards, from your fan and friend
Answer:
Dear friend,
The "psychic" you refer
to is no doubt very intuitive and I believe gifts of the
Spirit are bestowed upon men, and are available to all
predicated upon obedience. I have never sought a psychic
reading nor do I intend to. I question those that would
predict another's future for profit or personal gain. I
believe that through my faith all will be revealed. Miracles,
signs, the gifts of the Spirit, the knowledge of God, and
every conceivable good thing, comes because faith is the
moving cause of all action in temporal concerns, as well as
spiritual concerns. "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge
of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which
are not seen, which are true."
Dear friend, it is my hope that you will develop a personal
relationship with the Lord and through YOUR faith and
obedience He will reveal his will to you. He has prepared a
way that you might be a partaker of heavenly gifts.
Q:
I am intrigued to know why Mormons do not take alcohol when
Jesus Christ was happy to turn water into wine as his first
miracle? Also at the last supper he drank wine with his
disciples.
Answer:
Dear friend,
The wine you specifically
refer to in the New Testament was unfermented grape juice. The
winefat or winepress used for making wine denotes respectively
the lower and upper of the two vats used for making wine. The
grapes were placed in the press and then trodden under foot;
the juice was collected in the "fat" underneath. The collected
grape juice would be considered "wine" however, the wine we
commonly refer to is grape juice that has been allowed to
ferment thus making the juice into "strong drink" often
referred to in the Bible. In both the Old and the New
Testaments there are numerous references to wine, drunkenness,
drink, drunkard, drunk. I would encourage you to look up these
references for a more complete knowledge. In
Proverbs 20:1 we are taught that "Wine is a mocker, strong
drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not
wise."
The Word of Wisdom was divine inspiration received by the
prophet Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833 as a revealed law of
health, dealing primarily with dietary matters. It contains
both positive and negative instructions which members of the
church were encouraged to "give heed to." It later became a
commandment. Three types of things are prohibited to man by
the Word of Wisdom - tobacco, strong drinks (alcoholic
beverages), and hot drinks (tea and coffee). Abstinence from
these four things are profound when viewed in the context of
the time the revelation was received. It has only been in
recent decades that the detrimental effects and addictive
nature of these things have become common knowledge.
Dear friend, if you are interested, I would be happy to share
with you the Word of Wisdom or law of health in its entirety.
I believe it benefits all God's children.
Q:
Merrill, I have a question. A serious question. I have been a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
since 1997. I was very active, having been a primary teacher
and a member of the Primary presidency. I am also an endowed
member having gone the temple. For the past year or more, I
have been very inactive. I can honestly say, our lives have
been like hell on earth almost. I want to go back and find my
way, the way of my Heavenly Father. Is there any hope for me??
The missionaries came to visit me and know Heavenly Father is
reaching out through them. I have a testimony and know this is
the true church. Please, help me understand where my faith has
gone. Thank you for being so strong!
Answer:
Dear friend,
Ask and receive . . . Pray to Father. Don't you know you are
precious is His eyes? In YOU exists the spark of
divinity. Please begin by loving yourself and understanding
your value as a daughter of God. As God has loved us, let us
then love one another.
"How critical it is that all who serve together in God's
kingdom do so from a foundation of love: love for the Lord,
love for the work, and love for each other. No matter how
intense our effort or how carefully we follow the handbooks
and guidelines, if we don't truly love each other we can't
possibly hope to convey the full power of the gospel of
love." M. Russell Ballard
Your desire to "find your way back" speaks volumes of your
love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the parable of the
lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7 and
John 21:15-17) how did that sheep
become lost? He simply wandered or strayed. How did you
become lost? You were not rebellious or apostate. It
is most likely that other things in life became more
important. Little
steps began the process with not attending church in favor of
other
activities which led to you not renewing your baptismal
covenants regularly,
which led to reluctance to serve both in church callings as
well as temple
service. Here you are one year later in despair. How do we
remedy that?
We begin by inviting the missionaries back into your home.
eet with the
Bishop and ask for a priesthood blessing and request a visit
from your home
teachers and visiting teachers. Commit yourself to attending
church every
week (staying for all three meetings) beginning Thanksgiving
Sunday through
the New Year. Pay your fast offerings and tithing. Read your
scriptures a
few minutes everyday. This is a glorious season and time of
the year for
renewal of faith and commitment.
The most important step I would suggest is prayer. Father is
but waiting
for you to ask. He will grant you the righteous desires of
your heart.
Peace and joy will once again become a part of your daily
life. "If thou
shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation,
knowledge upon
knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable
things - that
which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (D&C
42:61).
Remember, He knows his sheep intimately. Such is the
fullness of the meaning
in the words of the Good Shepard, "I know
Q:
I have been very touched
by your new website and inspired beyond belief. I weep
as I write this note to you. I feel like I am so far away from
our Father in Heaven and I don't know how to find the road
back. I am LDS and learned of the Gospel through the example
of the Osmonds many years ago. There are days when I just
wonder why I have even chosen to be LDS. I want to regain the
testimony I once had, but I can't seem to get the feelings
back again.
My
daughter who is 14, was recently diagnosed with Bi-Polar
Disorder and it has just made my testimony go down
more. It has been very difficult dealing with the
disorder and understanding that my daughter will NEVER be
"normal" like all the other Young Women at Church. I
have half heartedly prayed, and sort of turned to the
scriptures. I don't know where my faith has gone. feel
alone...I feel so alone even in the most crowded chapels in
the church. I don't feel worthy of His love and His
support. So, my question to you is how do I find the road
back? How do I find the road I am supposed to be
traveling? What scriptures can you tell me about that will
help me to see what I have forgotten? How can I regain
the faith and testimony I once had?
Answer:
Dear friend,
The first step is in realizing you are not alone in your
afflictions. We all have challenges during our earthly
journey to overcome. Please remember that indeed the Savior
himself suffered and took upon him your sorrow as you watch your
beautiful daughter suffer. Perhaps there is no greater pain to be
endured than observing your daughter in her daily struggles. I am
sure you are aware that Merrill has a beloved son, Justin, who is
severely hearing impaired. Merrill himself at times deals with the
same condition as your daughter and has endured and overcome those
to become a great success. There is an interview Merrill gave in
2004 that will give you more insight on his struggles.
Click here
for the interview.
It is my hope that you will find a measure of comfort in
2 Nephi 31:20 .
Dear Sister, please press forward in hope and faith.
Q: I am not a member of
the LDS church but would like to know as much information on
what the church says about the last days & how Zion fits in. I
have read & heard tidbits all my life but not really seen
anything in the
Book of Mormon
or other sources except where it is mentioned by the Prophet &
others in passing about the site. I have seen the marker on
the town square but not sure how it fits in with the last
days. What will happen to me in these times as the church
believes?
Answer:
Dear friend,
Joseph Smith announced at the April, 1844, general conference
of the Church that all of North and South America comprise the
land of Zion, a land "choice above all other lands" (1
Nephi 2:20;
Ether 1:42), a land upon which the scattered remnant of
Israel is commanded to gather.
At the Second coming, "the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion,
and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his
Father's name written on their foreheads." (D
& C 133:18;
Rev. 14:1-5) The Mount Zion spoken of is identified
by latter-day revelation as the New Jerusalem to be built in
Jackson County, Missouri. (D
& C 84:1-4)
I would also encourage you to read in the Index section of
your triple combination under the heading of Zion. There
are many scriptural references listed in several sections of
the Doctrine and Covenants. Zion is also referred to
extensively in your Bible in several chapters of Isaiah.
I hope this help in your search for answers.
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Q: I just love your
website as I have found so many answers to questions I can't
find anywhere else. And I really have to thank you for that.
I got on your
website one time before and as I got into the
"Right Now"
section of the site, I felt as if you were really present
there. For some reason you really do feel people's pain and
happiness. I was very depressed that day, and felt very
negative.
My question to
you is: How in a world of pain, sorrow, negativity, hate,
indecision, do you stay calm, unmoving (as in not wishywashy),
without hate and frustration?
Answer:
Dear Friend,
We do live in a confusing time. Often it seems we carry the
weight of the world. I would encourage you to turn your
frustrations and pain over to the Lord in prayer. You have a
Father in Heaven who is but waiting for you to come to
Him. I promise he will lift your burdens.
A particular scripture that is (one of Merrill's favorites) is
found in
Psalms 34:14 . . . do good; seek peace, and pursue
it. It is my prayer that you will seek after peace.
Q: I must say that I admire your
faith. I would like to know what you mean when you say you
will receive answers if you listen for the promptings. I
attend church regularly and pray every day but have to be
honest and admit that I have never heard any answers. I
would appreciate some guidance on this.
Answer:
Dear Friend,
Promptings or
answers to prayer can manifest themselves in many forms.
Sometimes in a "still small voice", feelings of peace or
comfort, or often as a result of service received. I admire
and commend you in your efforts to pray daily.
Joel 2:32
reminds us . . . "whosoever shall call on . . . the Lord
shall be delivered."
It is my hope that you will remember that you have a
Heavenly Father who loves you and is but waiting for you to
come to him.
Page 2
Questions may be edited for space purposes.
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Merrill, will answer your questions.
Due to Merrill's
scheduling he is unable to answer questions at the moment.
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