Dave's Mormon Inquiry

Recent Viewer Mail

One of the side benefits of running a Mormon blog is getting email questions on LDS doctrine or history from readers. The questions I get span the entire spectrum of LDS belief, from faithful Mormons to doubting Mormons to former Mormons to anti-Mormons. For the benefit of anyone with similar concerns, here's a selection of questions I've received over the last couple of months.

Viewer Mail: The First Child

One of the nicest things about running a weblog is getting complimentary emails from readers who enjoy the posts and comments here. Sometimes they have questions, which I generally answer as best I can, of course, but sometimes I just pull a blank. Here's one I need some help on: Who was the first "child of record" born in the Mormon Church? I imagine he or she was a baby born to a pair of new converts in New York or Ohio (where most of the hundred or so Mormons in upstate New York moved in early 1831). No doubt it was a much-celebrated child, being the first "Mormon baby," but I don't recall ever reading an account or even comment on the topic.

For bonus credit, does anyone know who the first "born in the covenant" child was? This baby would likely be to a married Mormon couple in Nauvoo in 1842 or 1843, when the first recognized sealings were performed, but again I recall seeing no remarks or even speculation on the topic.

Viewer Mail From France

I received an email from a concerned French Latter-day Saint who I'll call "Sophie" (since I'm halfway through DaVinci Code at the moment). Sophie expressed "great concern" over how the Church was (or was not) performing some of its ecclesiastical tasks, as noted below. I will summarize the points and give my brief responses. I would invite readers to make their own comments if they have helpful comments to add.

Your Opinion Requested

I've had a bona fide inquiry from someone doing research into the religious experience of active Mormons. I'll respond, of course, but I'm not sure my own experience and opinions represent "mainstream Mormon experience," so I'd like to invite any interested readers to give their own responses to one or both of the following questions. You can also email me your response if you prefer, and I'll forward it to the interested researcher. As a quid pro quo, I hope to get a summary of the researcher's findings in the next month or two and share them in a blog post. Here are the questions:

1. What is the main attraction of the Mormon faith for you? [I imagine that many people might respond with something like "My conviction that it is the true church," in which case you might add one or two aspects of activity in the Church or of LDS doctrine that you find particularly attractive.]
2. Describe your understanding of the Mormon view of salvation. And do you feel assured that you have obtained or will obtain that salvation?

Viewer Mail: Wedding Cards

Help! I received an inquiry from a non-LDS reader who is going to an LDS wedding reception and asked about what sort of card would be appropriate. The reader plans to make her own card but isn't sure what sort of prayer or scripture would be right for an LDS wedding. Here's the paragraph I sent in response:

Wedding cards are outside of my experience, but in general Mormons don't recite or compose specific prayers for such occasions. I think a "religious" card with an inspiring scripture (either topical or one of your own favorites) and your own wish for a happy future would be quite appropriate and be appreciated by any LDS couple if that's the sort of card you want to make. But if you're inclined to a New Age or nature card (you know, a couple of birds flying off into a beautiful sunset accompanied by a short poem), that works for Mormons. too. If you are particularly artistic, make them seagulls, that would be a nice touch.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Good Exmos, When They Die, Go To Colorado

Or maybe Arizona. It's not really an issue I've mused over much, but I recently received an email question from a reader that deserves a response. Here's the question, lifted straight from the reader's email:

What happens to an excommunicated Mormon when she dies? Can you answer this and, if possible, cite a source?

I'll spend a few paragraphs sketching out a response, but I invite other bloggers and visitors to post their own views in the comments so my reader gets a broad sample of LDS thinking on what happens to former Mormons in the hereafter.

The Shadow of Abraham

I received an email from a reader who is a member "in good standing" with a devoutly Mormon wife, but he is puzzling over the Book of Abraham (BoA). After some research into its origins and status, he finds it to be "not at all related to the Egyptian writings" from which it was supposedly translated. He's wondering how I deal with the BoA issue. While many Mormons are largely ignorant of the whole BoA issue, I think most bloggers have some familiarity with it and have come to some settled opinion, so I'll just throw that out as a general question to everyone: How do you deal with the Book of Abraham issue? I'll give some links and add my own response below.

Book Search

Someone is looking for books on Mormon doctrine. Here was his request from a comment in a previous thread: I am looking for books on Mormon theology (specifically, what Mormons believe about God, Christ, salvation, etc.) -- but I am NOT all that interested in the history of the Mormon church (which seems to be what most of the books out there focus on).

A starting place would be the Church's own publication, available online, True to the Faith, but the treatment is pretty elementary. Anyone else have other suggestions?