Hi Mom,

You are a genius. My mind is completely blown.
 I hardly understand
what you are talking about. I kind of get it. You kind of lost me there on the whole stone thing. So if I 
understand correctly, you are saying that Christ is the stone upon which we should build. The tower of
Babel was built out of bricks which don't last kind 
of like how ultimately the
kingdom of the devil will fall, and great will be the
fall of it! So I'm still trying to wrap my head around 
the whole Bethel thing. So Bethel was considered
one of the most sacred spots in
all of Israel (according to the bible
dictionary). Beth means House and El means God. 
House of God. The temple. The temple should be 
made out of stone, not brick because it will last.
 Families last forever.
The temple is built by the sons of God and there we 
become HIs sons and his daughters.
And so if I am understanding correctly, the temple is
compared to a tower made out of stone
 (made of Christ). We are also temples as Paul
says and we are meant to reach heaven.

I really like the whole tower
symbolism. If i am right, it sounds like
often in the scriptures it talks about
watchmen upon the towers. These
watchmen are the prophets. You mentioned King
Benjamin and Samuel, Shem but also one that comes to mind is Nephi upon his tower. I think
Jesus gives a parable about that too. These men are
high priests/prophets who are high so they can see 
the problems that will arise. It reminded me of a 
scripture that is repeated about 4 times in the book 
of  mormon by Abinadi, and Jesus quoting Isaiah: 
"Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice 
together shall they sing; for
they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring
 again Zion" 
(Mosiah 12: 22, Mosiah 15:29, 3 Nephi 18:20, 3 Nephi 20).
 When I read this verse I wonder what the phrase
 "they shall see eye to eye" means.
It sounds to me that
it's talking about the apostles, and when they
make decisions they have to be
working in unanimity. Maybe that's what
it means. What do you think?

Well,
all of this talk is very appropriate for general 
conference coming up this weekend. And I am 
curious to see who the 3 new apostles will be. 
I wouldn't be
surprised if one of them was my old mission
president, President McCune. I am
no prophet though. We taught a guy
the other day though on exchanges who
thought he was a prophet though
haha.

So a quick recap of this week:

It was ok. Unfortunately, none of our investigators
 made it to church.
We started teaching one investigator, Cheryl, who 
accepted to be baptized this Halloween.
She has had a rough life and has been abused
really bad lately. There's a lot of other things she is
 dealing with too. We've finally been able to teach her
now that her abusers are
either in jail or living elsewhere. We met up with her
on Thursday
outside of a motel where she is living. She is a really
god-fearing woman, and is just truly 
poor as to things of the world, as well as poor
in spirit.
We are having a hard time right now getting in with 
people.  Most people don't keep their appointments, and we rarely get members to come
help us out because we live 30 minutes away from
 most of the ward members. The
sisters live closer to all of the members and they 
have way more success than
anyone in the zone. Both the sisters and we
cover the same area, but they live
closer to the members so they have
an advantage. We also only get so many miles
to drive per month which
plays a huge factor. Working witht the members is
 the best way to find
people to teach. When I become senior companion, I am probably going to do things a bit differently. 
Elder Lovik is great though. We are both
trying and being obedient, but not a whole lot is 
happening at this very moment. Things will change 
though. I mean we do have someone
on date for baptism so that is good!

Also this week, we had a zone leadership training
meeting where
President and Sister Morgan came. I got to play 
"O How Lovely Was the Morning" (the first Paul 
Cardall song I ever learned and my favorite one 
probably)
as an intermediate musical number. That song is 
really special to me because my testimony of Joseph Smith is reaffirmed everytime I play it.  I kind
of messed up and the piano sucked which kind of
 made me mad, but it went okay.
 We got rebuked a little bit, but also got a lot of 
council of how to improve. For instance, 
Elder C. Scott Grow came to the mission last
week  and talked to all of the stake presidents who in turn passed it on to all of
the bishops, that ward council meetings need to be
changed. Ward Council should be all about people 
who need their next ordinance. It's not a place to 
bring your own agenda for Relief
Society or what not. It should be all about helping
PEOPLE. And now, the missionaries are supposed to 
be an integral part of ward council.
They are to stay the entire time and use our progress report to kind of guide the meeting. This way will 
hasten the work of salvationbecause
the best way to find and support investigators and 
less actives/part-member families is through the 
members. Just think, members are more likely to
 help out with investigators that they know
and care about. Using the ward council
the right way is critical to missionary work. Hopefully our ward is doing ward council the way they
should.

Okay, I have to ask you a question now and I
hope you will be able to respond because everyone 
else I've asked can't answer it.
So I was reading the other day in the book of mormon and came across a few verses. They all have to do with eternal life and who qualifies for it I guess.
I will do all caps for emphasis.

Mosiah 15:24---And these are those who have
part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, IN THEIR IGNORANCE, not having salvation declared unto them. And thus
the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurection, or HAVE 
ETERNAL LIFE, being redeemed from the lord.

-so
to me here, it sounds like those who died in their 
ignorance will have eternal
life. Eternal life is the highest glory in the celestial
kingdom, and they highest degree only correct? In 
other words, exaltation.  correct me if i am
wrong

Okay, another scripture

-Mosiah 3:11 "For behold, and also his blood
atoneth for the sins of
those wh ohave fallen by the transgtression of Adam,
WHO HAVE DIED NOT
KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING THEM, 
OR WHO HAVE IGNORANTLY SINNED."

So here, again, those who died in their sins ignorantly
are redeemed.
And redeemed in the sense that they have eternal life

Okay--another one

D&C 137:7-9- " All those who have died without a 
knowledge of this
gospel, who would have received it if they had been
 permitted to tarry,
shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of god; also all that shall die
henceforth without a WITHOUT A KNOWLEDGE of it, who would have receieved it
with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that
kingdom. For I the lord will judge all men according to their WORKS, according to the DESIRE of their
hearts.

Okay now here's where I get confused.

D&C 76:71-79

"And again,
we saw THE TERRESTRIAL WORLD, and behold and lo these are they who are of the
terrestrial.....behold, THESE ARE THEY WHO DIED
WITHOUT LAW. And also they who
are the spirits of men kept in prison
whom the Son visited, and preached the
gospel unto them, that they
might be judged according to men in the flesh; WHO
RECEIVED NOT THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS IN THE FLESH BUT AFTERWARD RECEIVED IT.
These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men."

So do you see my dilemma here. The first few verses
i quoted say that those who die without law receive
 eternal life and celestial glory.
While this verse says that those who die without law are of the terrestrial glory.
So which is it? And how does temple work play a factor into this? Why
would we do ordinances such as sealings for people if they couldn't
obtain eternal life in the first place? Because those of
the terrestrial aren't sealed to their familes, correct? I seem to be missing something/ not understanding 
something here and it's bothering me. The reason
why it does, is because some people that I have/will
teach have loved ones who have passed on who 
didn't receive the gospel in this life. What do you tell a person who has had a spouse pass on
who wouldn't join the church, or who didn't
really have a fair chance because of their 
circumstances? Do they still have achance at eternal
life? Or what about those who never heard the 
gospel, are they heirs of terrestrial or celestial?
 
If you could help me understand this
please, it would be great.
Perhaps you could send it to me by letter so I could
get it sooner. If
not that is okay. But I have prayed to understand this but I haven't found an answer yet.

Anyways, that's just a question that has
bothered me lately.

Sorry this is a really long letter. But the week has
 gone good.
Yesterday I had a tough day and wanted to give up. But the Lord always
seems to pull me through if I just pray to him. It's 
seriously the most despairing feeling though that I 
get every once and a while.
Right now I feel great though. So don't you worry.

Well I love you (all of you) and I know the
gospel is true because of
the fullness of his blessings that he pours out upon
me. I do have a
hard time understanding how he answers my prayers though. I couldn't
exactly tell you how he answers my prayers exactly. I need to work harder on my prayers. Like people say how they pray and they receive an
answer and know what to do. For me though, 
I kind of just make a decision out of who knows what
Does that make any sense? Maybe you
could enlighten with me
some wisdom on that because i have a hard time
with that??


The gospel is true. as Lehland (the black guy who 
lives in the basement) always says.

Love,

Elder Soutas


P.S. I can't believe BYU lost that bad. It
ruined my day when someone in the ward texted me the half-time score
haha.
P.S.S. Tell people to send me letters. :)








My response:




Dear Ty-

Hope this helps - a good outline of the degrees of glory - my personal thoughts are in RED




1. The Telestial glory is for those who do not receive the gospel of Jesus Christ or the testimony of Jesus or the prophets of God, and who live sinful lives (see D&C 76:81–88, 98–103).







Requirements for the Telestial Kingdom

 • they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus (v. 82)

 • they who deny not the Holy Spirit (v. 83)

 • they who say they are some of one, and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses—but received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant (vv. 99-101)

 • they who are liars and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie (v. 103; Rev. 22:15 adds murderers)

(See D&C 76:99-101)










2. The Terrestrial glory is for the honorable people of the earth who are deceived and for those who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ (see D&C 76:71–79).







Requirements for the Terrestrial Kingdom

 • Died without the law (v. 72)

 • Visited by the Son in the Spirit World, received not the Gospel in the flesh but did in the Spirit World (v. 73-4) “they felt it by the Spirit” (See D&C 137) - they felt it was true

 • Honorable men of the earth (v. 75)

 • They receive His glory, but not the fullness of His Glory (v. 76)

to me this verse (76) is key - Christ visited with them in the spirit world but they chose not the ordinances (fullness of Glory to me means Temple and all the ordinances necessary for the celestial kingdom)
Only question - why would they still refuse after gaining a testimony?- My opinion - agency is still in play here-not valiant-
I guess it’s kind of like people on earth today who still consider themselves mormon, know it’s true yet still never go to the temple (I know a lot of people like that) 
The more I study-and I study A LOT :) the more I see how the temple is the key and symbol of the atonement of Christ and you need to be built on that rock = temple :) !!!!!!!
therefore:


 • Not valiant in the testimony of Jesus (v. 79)

Melvin J. Ballard said: “Now those who died without law, meaning the pagan nations, for lack of faithfulness, for lack of devotion in the former life, are obtaining all that they are entitled to. I don't mean to say that all of them will be barred from entrance into the highest glory. Any one of them who repents and complies with the conditions might also obtain celestial glory, but the great bulk of them will only obtain terrestrial glory.” ("The Three Degrees of Glory," by Melvin J. Ballard) 

lazy, indifferent - didn’t want to Do it every day of their lives…prayer, scriptures, FHE, temple attendance….renewing covenants  Not enduring to the end  Unfortunately we all know a lot of people who do this.  Hopefully we can teach them why it is so important.




3. The Celestial glory is reserved for those who obey the commandments and receive the ordinances, overcome all things by faith in Jesus Christ, and become pure in heart (see D&C 76:50–70). 




by the way pure in heart = again a temple image :)  Psalms 23 - Who shall ascend to the Hill (Mountain) of The Lord,or who shall stand in his Holy place?  He that hath clean hands and a pure heart

I really comes down to the temple!!




Requirements of the Celestial Kingdom: =(Doctrine of Christ)

 • Receive the testimony of Jesus (v. 51)

 • Believe on His name (we might say faith) (v. 51)

 • Baptized (v. 51)

 • Keep the commandments (v. 52)

 • Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (v. 52)

 • Overcome by faith (v. 53)-endure to end (I believe is to partake of ordinances weekly-sacrament and temple)

 • Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (v. 53) (a temple ordinance)

The doctrine in D&C 137 in light of the Celestial Kingdom:







In these verses the principles upon which the doctrine of salvation for the dead rests are announced for the first time in this dispensation. They are:




 • first, that the doctrine applies only to those who “died without a knowledge” of the gospel;

 • second, that God must read the hearts of those concerned and affirm that had the gospel come to them in mortality they would have accepted it;  see D&C 137:7-9

 • and third, that God must judge that not only would they have accepted the gospel but that they would have done so “with all their hearts,” meaning that they would have endured valiantly and faithfully to the end.