Janice Bower
Well-known member
On 6 May 1833 the Prophet received the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 93, which comforted the Saints and gave instruction on several gospel themes.
Elder Francis M. Lyman taught: “Every Latter-day Saint is entitled to this witness and testimony. If we have not received [it] … the fault is ours, and not the Lord’s; for every one is entitled to that witness through faith and repentance, forsaking all sin, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. Now, if any of our brethren and sisters have lived for years without really knowing, being thoroughly satisfied and thoroughly convinced, just as positive as of anything in life, that this work is of God, if they have lacked that witness and testimony it is their fault, for it is not possible for a man to do the will of the Father and not know the doctrine.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1910, pp. 29–30.)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote that the promise of seeing the face of God may be fulfilled in this life:
“We have the power—and it is our privilege—so to live, that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin and sorrow.
Those are lies, but there are many, many more.
Doctrine and Covenants 130
22 The Father has a body as tangible as man's . . .
“Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God anyhow—three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization anyhow. All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God—he would be a giant or a monster.”
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 372; History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476)
In the spirit world we saw our Father. We dwelt in his presence. He tells us in one of these revelations that we saw him, and if we are faithful, we will have the privilege of seeing him again; but we beheld a vast difference between him and us. We were spirits. He was a spirit clothed with a glorious body—an immortal body. He had become a soul according to the definition which he himself has given, that is, a soul is the spirit and body united. We noted the difference and wanted to become like him.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 66-67
“People tell us, ‘You don’t believe in one God; you believe in three Gods.’ And the answer is, ‘Yes, we do.’ If that is polytheism then we are.”
Truman Madsen, BYU professor (emeritus), 150-Year- Old Debate: Are Mormons `Really Christian’? San Francisco Chronicle, April 8, 1996
Notes and Commentary
D&C 93:1. A Promise to Those Who Forsake Their Sins
All God’s faithful children will eventually realize the fulfillment of the promise to see His face, but “it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (D&C 88:68). But we do not need to wait until then to know that He lives. We can have a witness long before we arrive at that point.Elder Francis M. Lyman taught: “Every Latter-day Saint is entitled to this witness and testimony. If we have not received [it] … the fault is ours, and not the Lord’s; for every one is entitled to that witness through faith and repentance, forsaking all sin, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. Now, if any of our brethren and sisters have lived for years without really knowing, being thoroughly satisfied and thoroughly convinced, just as positive as of anything in life, that this work is of God, if they have lacked that witness and testimony it is their fault, for it is not possible for a man to do the will of the Father and not know the doctrine.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1910, pp. 29–30.)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote that the promise of seeing the face of God may be fulfilled in this life:
“We have the power—and it is our privilege—so to live, that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin and sorrow.
Those are lies, but there are many, many more.
Doctrine and Covenants 130
22 The Father has a body as tangible as man's . . .
“Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God anyhow—three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization anyhow. All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God—he would be a giant or a monster.”
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 372; History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476)
In the spirit world we saw our Father. We dwelt in his presence. He tells us in one of these revelations that we saw him, and if we are faithful, we will have the privilege of seeing him again; but we beheld a vast difference between him and us. We were spirits. He was a spirit clothed with a glorious body—an immortal body. He had become a soul according to the definition which he himself has given, that is, a soul is the spirit and body united. We noted the difference and wanted to become like him.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 66-67
“People tell us, ‘You don’t believe in one God; you believe in three Gods.’ And the answer is, ‘Yes, we do.’ If that is polytheism then we are.”
Truman Madsen, BYU professor (emeritus), 150-Year- Old Debate: Are Mormons `Really Christian’? San Francisco Chronicle, April 8, 1996