Gramps,

I’ll just dive into it.

I was sexually assaulted at 17, left home and the church at 18 and was diagnosed with epilepsy at 20. I am now 23 and the seizures are getting worse. A long lost friend contacted me today and told me she also had seizures (almost the same story really) and suffered from multiple personalities as well until she had the demons in her cast out and she’s been seizure free since (over a year). What she said made a lot of sense, could I have unclean spirits causing this?
Becca

Answer

Dear Becca,

If you were my daughter, I would suggest that you get a Priesthood blessing, see a medical doctor and get a therapist. The Priesthood blessing would most likely answer your question about demons.  I could be wrong, but I don’t think that is the answer for you.

If you had a broken leg, you would get a blessing and then go to the hospital.  This is no different.  Yes, I believe the Lord could heal you instantly as He healed the lepers and blind men of His time, but He won’t.  Sometimes that still happens today, but other times He doesn’t because doing so would rob you of the growth that can come from working through these issues with Him at your side.   Terrible things happen in this world sometimes, but Christ can use them to make us better than we were before we were wounded.   So please, get a blessing, see a medical doctor and see a therapist.  Pray throughout the process.

My two favorite talks on this subject (or related) are LIke a Broken Vessel by Elder Holland

And Cheiko Okasaki’s talk on Healing from Sexual Abuse

Gramps

Why have the leaders not tackled the problem of weight issues on its members?  I know the gospel is for us spiritually, but we have our heads in the sand on this topic.  Eat meat sparingly is not adhered. Nor is ‘your body is a temple’. I don’t want to be judgmental or sound critical.  But it is in epidemic proportions. The spirit cannot dwell in an unclean body. We are what we eat.  Nobody got fat eating fruits and vegetables.

Margie

Answer

Dear Margie,

I want to caution you and praise you. I’m happy that you care so much about the health of your fellow members, and I do get that sense from your post. Like you, I am concerned about the increasing obesity problem that we seem to have in the world today. However I also want to caution you. Obesity is not only a sensitive subject, it’s also a very complicated one. It would be rude and quite frankly, obnoxious of us to assume that all cases of obesity are because of slothfulness, laziness, or gluttony. To be clear Margie, I am not saying you think this way, but I do see that way of thinking sometimes in our life and culture.

We get questions about whether this or that food or drink is against the Word of Wisdom, even when the Word of Wisdom doesn’t say anything about said substance. We answer it by saying, “Sometimes you need to use your own judgment and follow the spirit. You cannot rely on the Church to make 100% of your decisions for you.” It’s the same basic thing here. Joseph Smith also said, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.” Think of that quote. Perhaps Joseph Smith was cautioning us on our draconian attitudes when it comes to health laws and enforcing it on ALL.

Just because you believe that obesity is a key problem in our culture today (and I’m not saying you are wrong) does not mean that you know better than the Church and its prophets. As of right now, God has not instructed His prophets and leaders to preach about obesity or make changes to our health codes that I am aware of.

Sometimes we have “pet issues”-such as weight issues and other things we feel passionately about that we believe to be gravely sinful. Often times those issues are sinful to some degree, but we need to be careful that we don’t blow them out of proportion or lose sight of the big picture. While the saying, “Don’t be judgmental” is used incorrectly in our culture today, that doesn’t mean it’s always wrong. We need to make proper and righteous judgments based on all the evidence. If someone is overweight and we don’t know the entire story, it is strongly advised that we keep out opinions to ourselves and find other things to worry about.

Gramps

My step mom still thinks I imagine the headaches; despite the fact that, in 1996, I had emergency surgery to remove a tumor from my brain.  My concern is this: I don’t know if my family is correct, if I have been over-stating my “conditions” to use as a crutch against getting a job or if I truly am not able to work. I’ve prayed about it, talked it over with friends, even seen the bishop of my ward, yet the only answer I have received is to ask you. All this is extremely troubling to me. I’m a good student and can pass almost every course I take, but that doesn’t seem to translate into action. I’m at a loss of what to do, who to talk to. I pray you can help me find the answers I seek.

Diane

Answer

Diane,

I am also praying that I may assist in helping you to find the answer you seek. As sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father our mortal tabernacles provide each of us with unique challenges to face and conquer.

Unfortunately, I am not a neurologist and would not be able to accurately diagnosis whether or not you are truly experiencing the severity of pain expressed while enduring your headaches. Have you seen a doctor?

I would encourage you to seek employment despite the headaches you may feel. I would look for a job that is less strenuous on your mind. In my youth, I experienced severe headaches, however as an adult I experience the same severity of headaches while being able to cope and continue on with my daily activities. I know, at times still, I experience headaches which are debilitating, so severe, it is hard to function (but they are rare). I usually solve these with a quick evening nap and some pain relievers (over the counter pain relievers). Despite the severity of my headaches, I still need to provide for my family.

Gramps

Eric

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Eric, your observation on Mormon usage of food for coping and handling stresses reminds me of a recent checkup I had. My doctor went down a general health checklist:

“Do you smoke?” he asked.

“No.”

“How much alcohol do you drink in a week?”

“None.”

He paused a moment after glancing at my hands. “Tsk… You chew your fingernails.” He sounded genuinely disappointed.

I replied, “well doc, I don’t drink and I don’t smoke. You have to allow me some vice!”

Food is common in American culture as a social catalyst, a means of comfort, and a reward. I don’t necessarily think that Mormons use such more than the next group, but if we do it wouldn’t be terribly surprising given that we covenantly discipline ourselves against the standard go-to vices.

The Word of Wisdom continues to serve as a counsel for even the weakest of those who can be called saints to gain mastery over their bodies. It is a stewardship that is given to us “in corruption” but resurrected “in incorruption”. Joseph Fielding Smith shared:

“There is no reason for any person to be concerned as to the appearance of individuals in the resurrection. Death is a purifying process as far as the body is concerned. We have reason to believe that the appearance of old age will disappear and the body will be restored with the full vigor of manhood and womanhood. Children will arise as children, for there is no growth in the grave. Children will continue to grow until they reach the full stature of their spirits. Anything contrary to this would be inconsistent. When our bodies are restored, they will appear to be in the full vigor of manhood and womanhood, for the condition of physical weakness will all be left behind in the grave” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4, p.185).

Gramps

Dusty

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Dusty,

This is something I had never considered before, and it’s a refreshing situation to consider.

Here’s my take on both situations, then.

Tattoos-

Our bodies are places wherein the Holy Ghost may reside. As such, we must conduct ourselves so that our spirits are always welcome and inviting to such presence and guidance, much as how the temples themselves must also be maintained. Consider, then, the outward appearance of the temples around the world. They are each unique in their own way, yet they all unite in proclaiming the holiness to the Lord and the reverence with which we regard his name.

Now picture a temple of the Lord with graffiti on it’s walls. At first graffiti was regarded as mere social defacement of places and things, yet now has become an art form in its own right. Nevertheless, such artwork really has no place on the walls of a temple devoted to the Lord. It truly does deface and detract from the intended purpose of the temple to be a place apart from the world while yet in it.

We ourselves are instructed to be ‘In the world, not of it’ and part of that is keeping our bodies as clean inside and out as possible. At the same time, those who seek membership in the church that already have tattoos are more than welcome, as any others would be. The reason is very clear in Christ’s lesson to the Pharisees of his day;

Matthew 23:25-26

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Of course the Lord wasn’t speaking of literal cups and platters, but the ‘cup’ of one’s person. In regards to the tattoo, the inner cleanliness is what the Lord is concerned with first and foremost. This is why tattoos are very definitely frowned on in the church, but certainly not deal-breakers when one approaches membership already having them.

Physical Injuries

From the very beginning, it was known that our bodies would become damaged and worn out due to the nature of mortality itself. The fact of the resurrection supports this, that it was already planned from the beginning to assure we would retain our bodies at the conclusion of this part of our eternal progression.

Whatever injuries we recieve during this life, then, I see as already anticipated. When looking at sports related injuries, surely you knew they could happen, but it would be wrong to assume you deliberately planned to have such damage done to your knees.

Rather it is assumed that despite your knowledge of how hard the game of football is on the body, you planned to maintain your physical health and integrity to the best of your ability. There’s no way for any of us to anticipate and avoid all, or even most, of the pain and injury we experience in this life.

So don’t worry about your football injuries in regards to your worthiness in God’s eyes. They were all but planned on from the start. Because of this, physical injuries are not regarded as defiling of the body in any way, whatever the scarring is. The only situation I can see they would be frowned upon is if such traumatic injury were deliberately planned in specific. I doubt your injuries even approach this situation.

Gramps

I am 19 years old and currently trying to return back to church. I’ve been less active for 5 years. In the time I was away I got two tattoos on my wrists. My question gramps is what does the average church member think about tattoos? Sometimes I feel like people are staring at them and talking about me. I dont feel as though I need to repent for them as I now view them as just another scar on my body. If the church can’t accept me for something that is only a scar how am I supposed to accept them back into my life again?

Need some help with this one gramps.

Hana

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Dear Hana,

There are some choices that we make in our lives the have consequences that echo for a very, very long time. Even if we have repented and would not ever make the same choice again. Given your age and your statement that your tattoos are visible, I think it is pretty safe to say that you choose to get tattoo in prominent locations so that they would be noticed.

It is hardly fair for you lay the blame for you getting exactly what you wanted on others, just because you changed your mind about it. This is a consequence of your choice and it is echoing.

Now to the subject of the church accepting you with your tattoos. Of course it can. More importantly Christ can and does, and that is where you need to focus. If you make the focus on individual members of the church you will find they have all kind of flaws, just like you. And just like you they attend church in hopes of becoming better people and have support in overcoming their weakness. Their weakness might be judgementalism, pride, arrogance, and well, the list can go on an on.

Develop your faith in Christ, strengthen your testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel, so that when you get tested (and you will) that you can hold on.

Gramps

I have obsessive–compulsive disorder(OCD). Sometimes I’m able to control it and sometimes I can’t. It gets to the point that I think it’s the Spirit telling me to do something when it can actually be my mind. For example, I have to go back to my car to make sure that my car is locked even though I know it is locked but I might think the Spirit is telling me to check that is locked so nothing bad happens. How can I differentiate my OCD and the promptings of the Spirit?

Esteban

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Esteban,

What you’re describing is not unique to people with OCD. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard share their concern that what they suppose is the Spirit is really their own “inner voice”, or even their own emotions.

The Spirit speaks with each of us individually, using personalized methods. If you search through the scriptures, you will find many descriptions of the Spirit working on a person. The Holy Ghost reaveals “in your mind and in your heart” and “dwell[s] in your heart” (D&C 8:2). He communicates in such a way that “your bosom shall burn within you”, or through “a stupor of thought” (D&C 9:8-9). He can also speak “peace to your mind” (D&C 6:23), or He may just remind you of occasions where you’ve felt that peace (D&C 6:22). He speaks with “a still small voice” (1Kings 19:9-13), and will cause your heart to burn within you (Luke 24:32).

Did you notice anything about that list of ways the Spirit communicates? Although there is a lot of similarity in the language, there’s also a lot of differences. For you, does the Spirit speak as a still small voice, a burning in the bosom, peace in your mind, religious memories, or some other way? You’ll notice that those D&C references are all different ways that Oliver Cowdery felt the Spirit, so there’s no need to assume that you’ll only feel it one way.

The main point is that you should learn how the Spirit speaks to you. Look for ways to invite the Spirit into your life more so that you can recognize when it is the Spirit speaking and when it is something else. Keep this in mind as the underlying principle while I share a friend’s method.

My friend was concerned that what he thought was the Spirit testifying to him was really his own emotions (sound familiar?). So he started to keep a small notebook with him all the time. He brought it with him to church, when he read the scriptures, and when he prayed (that was his way of inviting the Spirit into his life). Any time he felt the Spirit, he wrote down what he was doing and what the Spirit felt like. Any time he felt emotions that were similar, he would write down the same things, what he was doing and what the emotions felt like. The more he wrote the more detailed he was able to get. He soon found himself able to discern between his emotions and the voice of the Spirit.

This is only one method, you may not need to be so formal and there are a number of other ways to grow in this principle. It’s not unlike being around identical twins. When you first meet them, you’re confused about who is who. After you spend a lot of time around them both, you get to know the subtle differences.

-Gramps

George

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George,

For some time now, priests have been instructed to keep their hands physically clean prior to administering the sacrament. Along with that, alcohol wipes are usually used by the priests immediately before preparing the bread for administration. On that front, I see the risk pretty well addressed.

As for the congregation at large, I think historically we can observe that the current method is safe. In other words, until there is a large outbreak of mass infection within specific congregations, I don’t see the express need for changing from bread to crackers.

Having said all this, using crackers instead of bread would be just fine should the need arise. Through Joseph Smith we have clear direction from Christ on this matter.

Doctrine & Covenants 72:1-2

1 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful.

2 For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.

In my brief study of MRSA, it seems that the risk of getting it at church during sacrament meeting is fairly low. Infection seems to be more common among people who are regularly around each other from day to day, rather than one day a week. Examples of the more likely places would include college dorms, military barracks, hospitals, etc. It is far more likely (or in other words, far easier) to catch a cold at church. I’m not saying your concern is not without merit, but it seems the risk may not be as great as you think.

I would advise discussing this with your bishop as well. There are situations where the Bishop can ask for a specific tray to be set aside for people with allergies or other issues with bread or germs. He is also, of course, able to say what will be used in the place of bread during the sacrament, but ultimately it is his decision and not mine. Pray for guidance from Heavenly Father as well and you will find a solution to bring you peace.

Gramps

I know LDS members who do NOT vaccinate their children by claiming “religious beliefs.” Where does the church stand on vaccinations? Has there ever been a statement one way or another? Doesn’t the church help provide vaccinations for those in need?

May

Answer

The LDS church is very much in favor of taking advantage of modern medicine available to us today. Elder Russel M. Nelson, one of the Apostles, is a world-renown heart surgeon. I’m not sure where vaccinations could be seen against official church doctrine, but personal beliefs are another matter, and very individual.

The church has given great resources of time and money for vaccination programs in Africa, and they continue such programs even now.

As for those who refuse to accept them citing religious beliefs, it’s their call in the end.

Gramps

Bonnie

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Bonnie,

This is an example that is instructive for several prescription medicines, since many won’t last a year. Of course insulin cannot be kept for a year, but a discussion with one’s doctor would be the best idea. They can give accurate information about how long it is safe to store insulin as well as the best conditions to store it in.

As for what diabetics should do regarding emergency supplies, I would think that following the doctor’s advice as exactly as possible is the best way to go. Couple that with faith in Heavenly Father that He will watch over us and fill the gaps that we cannot fill ourselves.

-Gramps

Carla

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Carla,

In doing some research regarding guarana, I learned that it is native to the Amazon basin and very common in Brasil. It contains about twice the amount of caffeine as found in coffee beans. While some have found it to be an effective stimulant not only for cognitive functions but for weight loss, there have not been enough studies on it to show what effect or risk it would have regarding heart attacks or strokes.

So while I’m not an expert on caffeine, I’d like to offer you a different perspective to your question.

In keeping with the guidance of the Word of Wisdom, we should not become ‘addicted’ to any substance. If you can’t get through the day without having a shake, then I suggest that the shake could be bad for you. If you can’t get through the day without a cheeseburger, then you shouldn’t have cheeseburgers.

We need to take good care of our bodies, but we don’t need others to decide every little thing for us. I myself, drink a cola every now and then. I’ve had an energy drink on occasion as well. But I don’t have cravings when I go without them for a period of time. I might want one, but that’s not the same as having cravings or going through withdrawals.

Let’s also not forget all the “do’s” in the Word of Wisdom. Have lots of grains, fruits and vegetables. Eat meat sparingly. (Okay, I can really get into a large rack of beef ribs.)

Make good choices. Try out the shakes. If you get “the shakes” (pun intended), then you should probably give up the shake mix as it might not be good for you.

•  Marijuana is an herb from the earth.
• It’s not specifically prohibited in the Word of Wisdom as “tobacco” is
• Marijuana its better than tobacco anyway
• Use of anything in moderation is ok
• There are overweight people on the church that have very obvious addictions to food and they’re permitted to go to the temple why wouldn’t I be?
• Marijuana relaxes the mind and doesn’t cause impairment of judgment.

I stand strong on my conviction that marijuana is harmful for the mind, the body and is prohibited on the scriptures. I don not agree with him using it. What do you think?

Angelica

Dear Angelica,

It can be a very sad thing when someone we care about chooses to sin. And it is a natural reaction of many sinners to try to justify why their sin ‘isn’t so bad.’ I sympathize and support you in your stance.

Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the FDA. Meaning it is totally Illegal. There is a strong push to move it to a Schedule 2 or lower. This can be seen in the various state level of voter approved medical Marijuana laws. But even those require a valid medical reason and Doctor approval. Which is sounds like your husband does not have.

This means he is breaking the law of the land as well as the Word of Wisdom.

I am not going to break down his points, because I have no desire to feed his attempts to justify himself. On the subject of the Word of Wisdom the general authorities have clearly stated that drug use with out medical reason is a violation. And at it’s best case Marijuana a drug that requires professional medical dispensing.

Gramps