Gramps,

We are taught that stillborn children and children dying before the age of accountability receive exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. What happens to the millions of children who are aborted? Must Heavenly Father redirect their spirits again for an earthly experience, or was the fetal body sufficient?

Debbie

Answer

Debbie,

I do have to say that I don’t have 100% knowledge on how it all works with babies who have been aborted. I can share what I’ve learned in researching the subject. It’s hard to answer that question without first discussing the implications of abortion itself. I would never want anyone to think that, “It’s okay to get an abortion, as that baby will get another chance, or that baby at least got a body.”

The Church asserts that our spirits existed long before we were born on earth. This pre-mortal existence is clearly referenced in passages such as Jeremiah 1:5:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Such verses demonstrate that God knows and sets forth the destiny of His children before physical conception, indicating the infinite worth of every individual.

The principle of a spirit entering a mortal body to begin life’s journey is central to the Plan of Salvation. The process of acquiring a physical body is not arbitrary; it is the fulfillment of divine intent. This belief shows why the Church values the unborn child with profound reverence: Any person who prevents a spirit child of God from entering into mortality, or to terminate one’s mortal experience—abortion and murder—would be guilty of the grossest crimes.

Yet, with all this emphasis on the spirit’s journey, there remains a sacred silence about the *exact* moment when the spirit enters the body. The exact time that the pre-mortal spirit enters the mortal body is not specified in divine revelation. It may not be at the same time for every person. This absence of specificity is echoed by Church authorities and in recognized reference works such as the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, which confirms that no definitive doctrine has been given.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, a prominent theologian in the Church, suggested that the spirit “enters the body at the time of quickening, months prior to the actual normal birth.” He connected this interpretation to the narrative in Luke 1:41, noting that John the Baptist “leaped” in his mother’s womb, suggesting the presence of an indwelling spirit. Even so, the Church counsels humility and caution in forming doctrinal certainties where God has not explicitly spoken.

The Church’s reverence for life flows from its understanding of God’s creative power and the eternal destiny of His children. This perspective shapes the Church’s perspective on abortion, parenthood, and the sanctity of each life, regardless of circumstances.

From the very beginning, God has placed the highest honor—and weightiest responsibility—upon the power to give life. The Law of Moses not only prohibited murder but also prescribed penalties for actions leading to the loss of unborn life. The reverence for life is further deepened by recognizing that part of the reason we value life so much is that we, in a small way, share in the ongoing creative process that began before the Earth’s foundations were formed. God guards his powers carefully, and abusing the creative powers each of us has within us is a very serious matter in his eyes.

The Church teaches that bringing children into the world is not merely a biological event, but a sacred partnership with God—a stewardship over eternal souls. Thus, willfully hindering this process without grave cause is considered a serious moral wrong. The concept is deeply tied to the belief in eternal progression: one of our main purposes in this life is to obtain a physical body. The entire purpose of our procreative abilities is to further the accomplishment of God’s will for us all … to bring our fellow brothers and sisters into the stage of life essential for eternal progression.

The Church teaches that abortion involves profound spiritual consequences. Abortion and murder are grouped together as violations of the most fundamental command against taking innocent life. However, the Church’s view is not without nuance. In cases where the mother’s life is at serious risk or in rare and tragic circumstances, the Church counsels that decisions must be made prayerfully and with input from trusted spiritual leaders and medical professionals. Even then, the seriousness of abortion as a moral question is not diminished: “Even in these [exceptional] cases, the Church gives a solemn warning that even considering an abortion in such a case must be done prayerfully and with sufficient counsel from not only doctors but Bishops as well.”

The message is clear: every potential child is known, loved, and intended by God; interfering with that process touches on sacred territory.

The principle of valuing life from its earliest stages is not a modern invention. It has roots in Christian tradition, stretching back to the time of the apostles and early theologians.

Early Christians distinguished themselves from surrounding cultures by their unique reverence for unborn life. As Tertullian, an influential early Christian writer, declared:

In our case … murder being once for all forbidden, we may not destroy even the foetus in the womb … to hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter whether you take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to the birth. That is a man which is going to be one; you have the fruit already in its seed … Now we allow that life begins with conception, because we contend that the soul also begins from conception.

Such statements reinforce that the Christian imperative to protect life, regardless of stage or circumstance, has always been a mark of discipleship. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while unique in its doctrines of pre-mortal existence, stands in continuity with these early Christians in its respect for the sacredness of every life.

Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke about cherishing life during the April 2025 General Conference session. He said:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, the Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions.

Despite the weight of tradition and modern prophetic teaching, some questions remain unanswered in mortality. The Church teaches that “there are many unanswerable questions related to the details of the spirit world and its interface with mortality…. Sometimes there is just not enough information available to answer all the questions that could come into our minds.” Humility, faith, and compassion are therefore emphasized when dealing with deeply personal and complex issues of life, death, and choice.

So to answer your question:

Even when loss occurs—through miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion—the Church reassures its members of God’s perfect justice and mercy. All premortal spirits who have been obedient will obtain the promised reward of a physical body. No plans of men or Satan can stop the will of God from being fulfilled. My personal thought is that even a fetal body would be enough.

Gramps

Gramps,

If what the LDS Church teaches is true and the members really believe it, then why is there such a lukewarm response by the church and its members to both abortion and homosexuality? Abortion denies spirit brothers/sisters the opportunity of living mortal lives and homosexuality hinders the procreation of human bodies of spirits waiting on bodies. These two things seem to me to be two of the greatest tools of Satan to hinder the Kingdom of God.

Anonymous

Answer

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your question. Perhaps a quick observation and then I’ll follow up with some specific thoughts related to your question.

I’m going to ‘assume’ by your choice of words that you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Non-members often tend to say  things like, “the LDS Church”… “and its members”. I’ll note that Ask Gramps welcomes all questions whether they originate from a member of the Church or not. So again, thank you for your question. I mention this non-member observation simply because, at times, outsiders may only peek through a single pane in our window and prematurely judge us without trying to see the full picture. I commend you for inquiring further to expand your field of vision.

Your choice in words, “then why is there such a lukewarm response by the church” appears to herald from Revelations 3:15-16

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

As presented in this scripture, if an individual is or acts in a lukewarm gospel manner, they are essentially undesirable before the Lord. Lukewarm is closer to the middle ground between hot and cold. Lukewarm has often been compared to being a fence sitter, or safely sitting in the middle, not choosing or fighting for a single side. I’m sorry that you feel as a church we are not ‘hot’ enough for your liking when it comes to our position regarding abortion and homosexuality.

Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but fortunately it is the opinion of the Lord in the end which matters most. It is our belief that the Savior is the actual head of his Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe that he literally guides and directs his church. We believe that through his prophets he guides the policies, doctrine and tone of his Church. The current official actions or inaction of the Church ultimately stem from the will of the Lord.

As you observe who we officially are, as it relates to abortion or homosexuality, you are actually seeing the cold, hot or lukewarm stance of the Savior at this time. Lets briefly talk about Abortion for the moment. The Church shares the following in, The Family: A Proclamation to the World:

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny… We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Then Handbook 2, an official handbook for the Church we read:

Abortion

The Lord commanded, “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:6). The Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience. Members must not submit to, perform, arrange for, pay for, consent to, or encourage an abortion. The only possible exceptions are when:

1.  Pregnancy resulted from forcible rape or incest.
2. A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy.
3. A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

Even these exceptions do not justify abortion automatically. Abortion is a most serious matter and should be considered only after the persons responsible have consulted with their bishops and received divine confirmation through prayer.

 

Church members who submit to, perform, arrange for, pay for, consent to, or encourage an abortion may be subject to Church discipline.

 

As far as has been revealed, a person may repent and be forgiven for the sin of abortion.

As a faithful member of the Church, the above guidelines are not only abundantly clear, but nothing about them strikes me as lukewarm. The Lord has given us his position and we should do our best to follow it. If someone feels the above position is too ‘lukewarm’ for their liking, then that is a question they are welcome to take up with the Lord.

Trying to push the mark even hotter or further than the Lord directs is not only unnecessary, it is not in harmony with the gospel.
I would like to point out some notable items that were not found in the above abortion guidance:
1. The need to permanently shame, shun or outcast individuals involved with abortions
2. The need to threaten or inflict emotional or physical harm upon those who perform abortions
3. The need to destroy property belonging to those who perform abortions
etc.

Again, I would not advise that individuals try seeing past the mark that the Lord has established. Instead, hopefully what observers see as they look through the window at the Church, are clearly defined expectations that allow individuals to successfully follow God while both maintaining high standards and expressing love for their fellow man.

Thank you again for your question.

Gramps

Gramps,

What and where is the scriptural basis for your contention that a person’s spirit existed in Heaven before that person’s earthly body was born? Does that spirit inhabit a baby’s body before birth or, as you see it, or does it occur when the baby emerges from the birth canal? If the spirit is not present in preborn babies, they are just blobs of human flesh that have no eternal significance. Abortion then is not a bad thing at all. The many millions of babies who were never allowed to draw their first breath are of no consequence to God. What happens to all those uncounted spirits who pre-existed in Heaven, waiting to inhabit their human counterparts?

Anonymous

Answer

Aonymous,

On first blush, your main thrust of questions deals merely with why the value of life should be placed so high. After all, if the life inside a mother’s womb doesn’t count somehow, then it doesn’t matter. Whereas if it does count, how do we know? How can we prove it?

First of all I want you to reflect on the Law of Moses. Understand that the LORD would have rather given Israel a much higher law, but they weren’t prepared for it, so instead they were given a by-the-numbers law instead. The Law of Moses was intended to guide Israel to be prepared for the higher law to be given later on. Part of the Law of Moses is the well-known punishments for adultery as well as murder. The consequence of either was death. So it would appear that the LORD viewed life as very important, both how we come into this life, and how we leave it.

Part of the reason we value life so much is because we are, in a small way, sharing in the further creative process begun from before the foundations of the Earth. God guards his powers carefully and abusing the creative powers each of us has within us is a very serious matter in his eyes.

One of our main purposes in this life is to first of all, get here and obtain a physical body. Through the Atonement of Christ we are assured that while death may separate us from our bodies, it is but a temporary thing. We will receive our bodies, perfect and immortal because Jesus was ‘the firstfruits of them that slept.’

Now to your questions directly,

(Q) What and where is the scriptural basis for your contention that a person’s spirit existed in Heaven before that person’s earthly body was born?

(A) One of the scriptures that explains pre-mortal existence is found in Jeremiah 1:5,

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

(Q) Does that spirit inhabit a baby’s body before birth or, as you see it, or does it occur when the baby emerges from the birth canal?

(A) Nobody knows the precise moment the spirit actually inhabits the body, but many Latter-day Saints believe it begins at conception. However this question is entirely beside the point. Once a pregnancy is commenced, the most common outcome is childbirth. Any mature adult should understand this all but instinctively. Then remembering that each adult was once a helpless fetus should invoke a spirit of humility and protective love on the part of the parents, but such isn’t always the case.

(Q) If the spirit is not present in pre-born babies, they are just blobs of human flesh that have no eternal significance. Abortion then is not a bad thing at all. The many millions of babies who were never allowed to draw their first breath are of no consequence to God.

(A) This causes me to see only the cold-hearted selfishness that is unfortunately more and more common among my fellow man. Can you think of any universal condition God has placed upon us that has no eternal significance? If you can, you do not know the smallest part of the mind of God, which is unfortunate because he has revealed far more to us than that. Statements like this make me sorrow for the future generations of adults that care nothing for their posterity. Already it is present among us in parents killing their own children. I fail to imagine anything more horrifying, and yes, I put unnecessary abortions in that category.

(Q) What happens to all those uncounted spirits who pre-existed in Heaven, waiting to inhabit their human counterparts?

(A) God is a perfectly just being. All who have been obedient to Him in the spirit world, or premortal existence, will obtain the promised reward of a physical body. No plans of men or Satan can stop the will of God from being fulfilled.   Which death causes you to flinch first, a newborn kitten, or a human fetus? You should flinch at both equally, because they’re both equally innocent in the eyes of their creator.

I cannot emphasize how serious abortion is as a moral issue when viewed through the written word of God. It makes no difference whatsoever when the spirit enters the body. The entire purpose of our procreative abilities is to further the accomplishment of God’s will for us all. To view them in any other light is to entirely miss the point of why we were entrusted with them in the first place. It is true there are many aspects of life that are affected by our sexuality, but none of them hold a candle to the main purpose, to bring our fellow brothers and sisters into the stage of life essential for eternal progression.

There are cases where an abortion is medically advisable, and possibly even necessary to preserve life. Even in these cases the Church gives a solemn warning that even considering an abortion in such a case must be done prayerfully and with sufficient counsel from not only doctors but Bishops as well. The tone of your comments has touched a nerve of mine that disturbs me for several reasons. My marriage and my family have not always been easy to have. My children have not always been a source of joy to me. They have been sources of worry, sorrow, anger, fear, and anxiety that only parents know. Through it all I would have never given them up for anything. I am who I am because of the family I have helped raise with my wife. I have been tempered and tested on every emotional level I could think of because of raising my children. The blessings that have come to me from the life I have lived have yet to stop coming. I cannot imagine willingly giving up any of my children for any reason at all.

Perhaps the biggest lesson we need to learn is selflessness. This world has become so selfish that abortion has actually become a debatable issue. I thought we had worked harder to provide a better world for our children. I hope that in time they can still have it through selfless decisions rather than the selfish ones being considered now.

Gramps

Dear Gramps,

I am currently going though a process of repentance for the terrible sin of abortion. It has been a painful journey and I am living on hope and faith that the worst sin I’ve ever committed is forgivable.  My question is, although it is currently known that the Church gave a statement on abortion forgiveness, the statement includes “as far as has been revealed.”  How do we know for certain that this sin is forgivable, if the Lord has not states it is one way or another?

Afraid

Answer

Hello Afraid,

As I ponder this question, there are a few scriptures that encompass my thoughts. The first scripture I ponder are the words of Mormon to his son Moroni during the time of great destruction and great wickedness among the Nephites, “My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.” (Moroni 9:25) As of right now, Mormon’s words are for you:

1) Continue to be faithful in Christ
2) Allow Christ to lift you up
3) When grief does enter into your heart, do not let it weigh you down unto death, but allow His love (His pure love) to rest in your heart and mind.

Nephi said this a little differently, “And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.” (2 Nephi 4:19) A truth that will enter the heart of every individual coming unto Christ, via repentance, is our awful state before the Lord as a result of sin. Even as we repent, even as we desire to rejoice, we will be enticed with despondency and discouragement, and when these enticing feelings come (and they will come) Mormon and Nephi have given us the solution, “Look to Christ!”

The statement inducing your question, “as far as has been revealed,” was spoken by Elder Russel M. Nelson back in 1985, “Now, is there hope for those who have so sinned without full understanding, who now suffer heartbreak? Yes. So far as is known, the Lord does not regard this transgression as murder. And “as far as has been revealed, a person may repent and be forgiven for the sin of abortion.” Gratefully, we know the Lord will help all who are truly repentant.” The idea presented is an important statement as we are only judged by what has currently been revealed, either collectively or individually (prophetic revelation or personal revelation). What then has been revealed, and that is what we need to place our trust in currently?

1) Unpardonable Sin, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” (Matthew 12:31)

As far as has been revealed abortion is not committing the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; although, for those who have gone through an abortion and who truly have a repentant heart, an effectual struggle for repentance may still be left.  As Alma said, “which caused [him] sore repentance.” (Mosiah 23:9) It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

2) The First Presidency (1973), “As to the amenability of the sin of abortion to the laws of repentance and forgiveness, we quote the following statement made by President David O. McKay and his counselors, Stephen L. Richards and J. Reuben Clark, Jr., which continues to represent the attitude and position of the Church:

“As the matter stands today, no definite statement has been made by the Lord one way or another regarding the crime of abortion. So far as is known, He has not listed it alongside the crime of the unpardonable sin and shedding of innocent human blood. That he has not done so would suggest that it is not in that class of crime and therefore that it will be amenable to the laws of repentance and forgiveness.”

We have now three witnesses, as far as has been revealed, that abortion is not an unpardonable sin; although a grievous sin. Abortion is not in the realm of being unpardonable. In light of this, as in the words of Mormon to his son Moroni, may you be blessed to allow “Christ to lift thee up.” Allow Christ’s suffering, His death, His mercy, and His pure love to rest in your mind knowing that He is our advocate with the Father. Trust in His grace, and trust in what has been revealed.

Gramps

Gramps,

Can you be baptized if you have had an abortion?

Trudy

Answer

Trudy,

The short answer is yes…. Yes you can.

Baptism is about having faith in Christ and having the desire and willingness to repent, in addition to joining the Church. If you are considering baptism in the LDS Church then you will need to work with the missionaries. The missionaries’ job is to teach you what you need to know and do in order to be baptized. As you progress and after you have a date set for baptism, they will schedule a time for a baptismal interview.

Generally this interview will be done by another missionary, one who has not been involved with teaching you up to this point. This interview is to make sure the missionaries who are teaching you have done a good job, and that you have the faith, the desire to repent, and the willingness to follow the commandments that are necessary for baptism.

This first interview will ask you about your feelings and thoughts about your repentance and worthiness. Now there are some issues (abortion is one) that require a bit more experience, empathy, and understanding than your typical 19-year-old young man has. Therefore he will simply ask if you have been involved in those actions in the past. When you answer yes (which you should if you had an abortion), an interview will be set up with someone with presiding authority in the mission. The second interview will be the continuation of the first with an interviewer who is set apart to handle the more delicate issues of your particular case.

Thus the only real difference in the process for someone who has had a abortion is the second interview. As long as there is faith, repentance and willingness to keep the commandments, you can be baptized just like anyone else.

Gramps

Dear Gramps,

I was wondering, why does the Church say it is okay to abort a child that is the ‘product’, if I may, of rape or incest? Isn’t that baby still a human, with every right to life that we do? I ask this for a better understanding, not to try and undermine Church authority. Any insight is well appreciated!

Nicholas

Answer

Nicholas,

While such a decision is permitted, it is only under the most solemn of conditions.  The doctor monitoring the pregnancy must be involved in the discussion. The Bishop must also be involved in the discussion. I have had dear friends go through such a process, and I can say with confidence that it was not an easy discussion to have, it was not a short discussion, nor was it concluded quickly. Months were involved, as well as many deep and emotional meetings. Since those days, I would not be surprised to learn that the process itself typically takes longer now, to get the Church’s approval, should the decision be made to end the pregnancy.

You are every bit correct that every life is sacred with a right to continue. The approval cannot come on the heels of an emotional reaction to a horrific event such as rape. Despite the ugliness, that life can still be realized to adulthood in an adoptive home, and the Church does have its own adoption services program for just such events as these.

When it comes to events such as incest or rape, feelings are immediately tender and tempers are begging for an excuse to flare. The last person that should suffer from such an environment is the very person that is innocent of anything wrong, and I sorrow for the knowledge that it occurs at all. At the same time, Heavenly Father is more loving and caring than we can know. Ultimately, when we place our faith on the line, we must trust that he leads us true, whatever we feel his answer is.

Gramps

I am very confused. In the Journal of Discourses there are a few quotes by John Taylor saying that any person who has an abortion can never receive eternal life in the celestial kindgom. Today Elder Boyd K. Packer has said that you can be forgiven of an abortion, and even Elder Russel M. Nelson has said those that did not fully understand what they were doing can be forgiven. I guess for someone who has had a very hard life and ended up having an abortion, I am scared and just don’t know what to believe and have faith in? Can I ask the Lord for personal revelation on this matter regarding my life since we are getting mixed messages from the leaders? I am now sealed in the temple and for the first time in my life understand the gospel and desire to live the commandments and receive eternal life. But because of the mixed messages on this subject, it is hard to me to find peace, joy, and happiness in my day to day life.

Thanks you – Confused

Dear Confused,

Let me give you a very simple key to cut through your confusion and your doubts. Follow the living Prophet and Apostles over the dead ones. The living ones are the ones that God calls and speaks through to guide us in our day so we know his will.

It seems pretty clear you are worried about your personal status, and abortion is with out a doubt a very serious sin. But you also say that you have been sealed in the temple. You can’t go to the temple without having a bishop interview you for worthiness to enter. Did you confess to him about the abortion? If you did and he cleared you to be sealed then you are fine. You have confessed to the Lord appointed and been judged as ok to enter the Lord’s house. If you did not confess to the bishop either because of embarrassment or fear, you need to do so now without delay.

Now lets hit the root of the confusion. Abortion is a very grievous sin and you would expect the Lord to have a consistent standard. He does, you just aren’t seeing it. It is to whom much is given much is required, and he that sins against the greater light and knowledge has the greater condemnation. In John Taylor’s day the light that said you do not abort was shining very brightly. No only in the church, but in the society and culture of the day, it was simply unacceptable back then. And John Taylor spoke accordingly for his time.

However over the years that light has been dimmed drastically. The church still holds the standard as high and as bright as it can, but the society and culture of today consider it a perfectly valid and in some cases preferred option. That makes this light very dim indeed. That is why the Elder Packer and Elder Nelson have spoken the way they have for our day.

People make mistakes, young people struggling in the dark or dim light that is our culture of today can make some very serious mistakes simply because they didn’t see a better path. The Lord understands this and will forgive all who earnestly seek him, and his forgiveness.

Gramps

This is pretty serious. I did something terrible when I was 18 (and BEFORE I was a member of the church) and have never told ANYONE. I have repented, begged for forgiveness and have felt a lifting of that burden, but will be getting married in the temple soon and question as to whether this is still “on my head” because I did not “come clean” and have not spoken with the Bishop. Do I need to do this? Even though the sin was prior to my being a member and worse, while I was young and not very bright. The sin was abortion. I want to do the right thing, but have wiped this act totally from my mind until I was proposed to….I remembered it then. Please help.

Beth, from Georgia

Dear Beth,

I can appreciate your concern, which seems to stem from “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”

And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 9:20).

When you were baptized, you were baptized for the remission of sins. You have felt “a lifting of that burden.” The purpose of confession is to work within us the contrition associated with and necessary for repentance, so that we may be forgiven-a precursor to baptism. If you did not go through the formality of a full revelation of your all your sins to the person who interviewed you for baptism, but, with a broken heart and contrite spirit, came to your baptism having repented from all the wrong that you had done, I’m sure that your baptism was not invalidated.

Having been baptized for the remission of sins, and having felt a lifting of the burden of sin, and as you live in accordance with the principles of the gospel, you must know that you have been forgiven. It doesn’t matter of the severity of the sin. The Lord said,

though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

Having repented and been baptized, if you believe that the Lord has forgiven you, you have the obligation to also forgive yourself. You mentioned that you had wiped this act totally from your mind. When the Lord said, “and I, the Lord, shall remember them [former sins] no more,” it doesn’t mean that he has a lack of memory, it means that they will not be brought up for consideration in your relationship with him. Since those things are no longer a part of your life, they don’t belong to you. You are a different person from the one who committed them. Why then should the Savior remember them? They are simply not you.

The experience of Alma when he repented is instructive as we consider repentant sin. Alma had confessed to being the vilest of sinners, (Mosiah 28:4). Before repenting he said that “I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins” (Alma 36:17). But after being forgiven by the Lord he remarked, “I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more” (Alma 36:19). It is important to note here that it was his pain that he could not remember. He could remember his past sins, but that memory brought no further feelings of guilt-he was not “harrowed up”-because of the faith that he had in the validity of the great atoning sacrifice and in the saving grace of the Savior.

And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy (Alma 36:20-21).

So perhaps, with Alma, you could have a feeling of rejoicing in the Lord and be “harrowed up” no more.

-Gramps

Dear Rosanne,
How interesting it is that we so often take into our own hands and attempt to rule on sacred subjects that are exclusively in the realm of decision of God the Father and his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Together, as one, they rule the universe. They have created and control worlds without number. Enoch gave expression to that thought on one occasion in these words—

And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever (Moses 7:30).

Many of these earths are peopled with our Father’s children, and He knows them all, without exception, to include the very thoughts of our minds and feelings of our hearts. It is He who calls his spirit children into mortality, designating the time and place of their birth and the families to whom they are to belong. If any person were to take it upon himself to prevent a spirit child of God from entering into mortality, or to terminate one’s mortal experience–abortion and murder–he would be guilty of the grossest crimes that could be committed against our Father’s children, and would be liable to the greatest punishment that God has reserved for those who so blatantly violate his sacred commandments.
The fact that your daughter’s friend was born into a dysfunctional family does not mean that God made a mistake. It means that your daughter’s friend was sent to that particular home by God for a specific reason known only to Him. Each person has a sacred obligation to improve his or her own circumstances where possible and to provide a kind, loving, non-judgmental and forgiving interface with others with whom she or he is called to associate. How much good in changing the lives of others that this person could do by reflecting to her close associates love and kindness instead of accusatory bitterness will never be known, but to slink away from the field of battle, and to blame God and others that one did not have a mortal life free from all such trials and tribulations is an inexcusable cop-out from mortality. Henry Drummond said on one occasion,

“How many prodigals are kept out of the kingdom of God by the unlovely characters of those who profess to be inside!”

Let us learn to be God’s ally, not his enemy.
Gramps

Hello Gramps,

I was sealed in the temple years ago and later divorced. I no longer attend the Mormon Church. Later as a single mother, I had an abortion. Have I committed an unforgivable sin? Lately I have been fasting and praying a lot. I am trying to return to a wonderful relationship with my Heavenly Father, if he will have me? Have I lost a life with God now and forever?

Sad

Answer

Dear Sad,

Not in any way are you lost from God! Read here the words of the Lord as recorded in Isaiah 1:18-20—

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

 

But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

But as you will note, a return to a relationship with your Heavenly Father is essential to the peace that you seek. The Lord requires us to “come unto him” if he is to forgive us and bless us. If you no longer attend the Mormon Church, it is not that He has left you, but you have alienated yourself from Him. Fasting and praying alone won’t do it. You must DO what He would have you do. You seem to be repentant for what you have done. Abortion of course is a terrible sin, but it is by no means unforgivable. If you want the Lord to forgive you, then do what He says. Be kind and forgiving to others. Participate in the affairs of the kingdom! Associate with others who are also struggling to be obedient to the Lord and to do the right thing in their lives. And as you yield obedience to the principles of the gospel, you will feel His Spirit and come to know that you are forgiven. He has already paid to the Father the price or your sins.

Gramps

Dear Gramps,

Where do I find the Mormon Church’s position on Roe vs. Wade and the pro-choice vs. pro-life positions? I find Church members who are pro-choice and I need specific information to give to them so they will have the Church’s position and hopefully allow them to ponder and pray about their position. Thank you,

Billy

Answer

Dear Billy,

You may find in the Ensign, Nov. 1998, p.71, an article by President Hinckley that deals with the subject of your question. A quote from that article is as follows:

We make allowance in such circumstances as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have serious defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. But such instances are rare, and there is only a negligible probability of their occurring. In these circumstances those who face the question are asked to consult with their local ecclesiastical leaders and to pray in great earnestness, receiving a confirmation through prayer before proceeding.

Gramps