The Mormon Apocrypha

I wanted to share a sermon delivered by Joseph F Smith and recorded in the 23rd volume of the Journal of Discourses about the resurrection of Christ and the world. We are called mortal beings because in us are the seeds of death, but in reality, we are immortal beings because there is also within us the germ of eternal life.  Man  is a dual being, composed of the spirit which gives life, force, intelligence and capacity to  man , and the body which is the tenement of the spirit and is suited to its form, adapted to its necessities, and acts in harmony with and to its utmost capacity yields obedience to the will of the spirit. The two combined constitute the soul. The body is dependent upon the spirit, and the spirit during its natural occupancy of the body is subject to the laws which apply to and govern it in the mortal state. In this natural body are the seeds of weakness and decay, which, when fully ripened or untimely plucked up, in the language of scripture, is calle...

As today is Easter, I wanted to post today instead of Monday. I wanted to celebrate this day with a general conference talk given by Marion D. Hanks in April 1969, who Christ is wand what that means for us.  I have two commitments today that I should like to fulfill. One I undertook upon reading a letter yesterday from one of our choice chaplains serving a second tour of duty in Vietnam, once again moving among those engaged in the most serious of the fighting. His letter asks, "Will you ask the brethren specifically to mention the wives and the children of the servicemen over here from time to time. They have it harder than we do." I pledge, and ask you to join me, that I will remember and seek to put actively into effect my interest in the wives and children and parents of those who are far away, giving what has to be given to preserve the high ideals of this land, and thus to express to all mankind their own concern for the well-being of those who are not able to take care...

Of all the latter-day saints in history, perhaps not are as hilarious as J. Golden Kimball, the swearing apostle. He was born on June 26, 1853, to Heber C. Kimball. At the age of fifteen, his father died. TO make ends meet, he became a Mule driver, where he picked up his wearing habit. In 1881, he went to what is know BYU for two years, and after that went on a two-year mission to the American South. After that mission, he married Jennie Knowlton and in 1887 moved to Logan. They had six children, three boys and three girls. In 1892, Kimball was called to be the mission president of the American South mission. During that mission he was called to the seventy. Buring his years in the seventy, J. Golden became well known for his swearing habit, causing him to be one of the favorite general authorities in the church. Kimball died on the 2nd of September 1938 in a driving accident. In April 1909, J. Golden Kimball gave a talk about the importance of Honesty, discussing how God cannot help u...

  The belief that man can become God is one of the most unique doctrines in latter day saint Theology. Within the pages of the eighth volume of the Journal of Discourses is a sermon that goes in depth on this controversial belief. Created by John Taylor, it discusses how men are "as a God in embryo." I am always pleased to hear brother Joseph Young speak, because, as the Indian says, “he talks good talk;” and I always like to hear people talk good talk, and things that are calculated to make one feel pleasant and comfortable. A passage of Scripture which he quoted attracted my attention. It is one of the sayings of David— “ What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? ” In one point of view, man appears very poor, weak, and imbecile, and very insignificant: in another point of view, he appears wise, intelligent, strong, honorable, and exalted. It is just in the way that you look at a man that you are led to form your opinions concerni...