As the policies and procedures of the Church are refined by continuing revelation and inspiration, there are those who become disturbed by any changes. Some literally hunt for situations where earlier Church leaders or members made statements which are not in complete harmony with our understanding and practices today. The mind-set of some is that anything coming from an earlier time must be more correct.

I would offer the following thoughts on such matters: (1) Some of the procedures of the Church were not completely developed early in this dispensation and have been amplified and clarified by subsequent prophets. (2) Our protection from erroneous doctrine lies in an overriding belief in continuing revelation to the current prophet. (Merrill C. Oaks, “The Living Prophet: Our Source of Pure Doctrine,” Ensign, Nov 1998, 82)

First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything...

Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the Standard Works... (meaning that official statements made by the current prophet, First Presidency, and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles overrides scripture).

President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living prophets and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: ‘You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.’

“When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, ‘Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’ That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.’ ” (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)

Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine.

Beware of those who would set up the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.

Ezra Taft Benson, “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet," BYU Devotional Assembly, February 26, 1980 (Bold and italics emphasis ours)

Mormon-speak: Israel is not limited to the Jews. Israel includes all those who are Mormons or become Mormons. When a person is baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church, an actual change takes place in his/her blood, making him a literal descendent of Abraham.

Mormon scriptures state that although the “house of Judah” will be established in Palestine, the bulk of Israel (those accepting the LDS gospel, as well as the “Lost Ten Tribes”) will come to and be established in America. (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McKonkie, 1966, p. 306; Doctrine & Covenants 133)

Mormon doctrine also teaches that the New Jerusalem will be built in the Midwest---in Independence, Missouri to be exact! Mormon doctrine recognizes "the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God" (Revelation 3:12), but interprets this to mean that it comes down a SECOND time, after this earth has been made a celestial planet after the millennial reign of Christ. Celestial planet meaning where the most worthy Mormons will dwell as they become gods and goddesses themselves (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McKonkie, 1966, p. 533)

The gathering of Israel is first spiritual and second temporal. It is spiritual in that the lost sheep of Israel are first “restored to the true church and fold of God,” meaning that they come to a true knowledge of the God of Israel, accept the gospel which he has restored in the latter days, and join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McKonkie, 1966, p. 305-306)

“The effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1976, pp. 149-150)

But to an otherwise gloomy picture there is a bright side—the coming of our Lord in all His glory. His coming will be both glorious and terrible, depending on the spiritual condition of those who remain.

One appearance will be to the righteous Saints who have gathered to the New Jerusalem here in America. In this place of refuge they will be safe from the wrath of the Lord which will be poured out without measure on all nations. (Ezra Taft Benson, “Prepare Yourself for the Great Day of the Lord,” New Era, May 1982, 44)

But more than a refuge against calamity, Zion was to become headquarters for the millennial government of Christ, wrote Phelps. He identified it as “the mountain of the Lord’s house” prophesied by Isaiah, from which “shall go forth the law” (Evening and Morning Star, Jan. 1833, p. 1; Isa. 2:2–3). He printed Joseph Smith’s revelations of Enoch (see Moses 6–8) including the prophecy that Enoch’s righteous people would return and mingle with the Saints in Jackson County. Furthermore, the Ten Tribes of Israel would return with “their rich treasures” to the New Jerusalem where they would be “crowned with glory” (D&C 133:30, 32). Thus, the Saints gathering in Jackson County could rightfully feel the worth of their labors and the immense importance of that location. (Max H Parkin, “Missouri’s Impact on the Church,” Ensign, Apr 1979, 57)

The most sacred of places, then, will always be those locations which God has designated for holy and eternal purposes, locations where he is the “doer of the deed.” These places are revered forever by his faithful children wherever they may be.

America is such a place, but of course it wasn’t always called America nor has it always been identified by a distinctive continental shape. Originally it was simply a portion of that large, single land mass which God in his creative process called “Earth” and which, when completed, was pronounced “good.” (Gen. 1:10.) Whatever its name and geographical configuration, however, it was from the beginning a land of divinity as well as a land of destiny.

The choicest part of this earthly creation was a garden “eastward in Eden” where God placed our first parents, Adam and Eve. This resplendent place filled with paradisiacal glory was located on that part of the land mass where the city Zion, or the New Jerusalem of the earth’s last days, would eventually be built. (See D&C 57:1–3, D&C 84:1–3; and Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:74.) After Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they dwelt at a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, located in what is now Daviess County, Missouri. In that region this first family lived out their days, tilling the soil, tending the flocks, offering sacrifices, and learning the gospel of Jesus Christ from on high. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “A Promised Land,” Ensign, Jun 1976, 23) (Emphasis in bold and italics are ours)

Mormon-speak: The majority of present-day Mormons are law-abiding citizens of their respective countries. But for the first century or more of LDS Church history, much of the church leadership was practicing polygamy privately while denying it publicly, after it was made illegal. Some even committed perjury (lying under oath, bearing false witness) in courts of law by stating that the church did not, does not, and would certainly never teach that polygamy was a doctrine to be practiced on earth, in this life. Joseph Smith was arrested for destroying a printing press because a newspaper was being printed with articles revealing his secret practice of polygamy. This final act of violence ultimately led to his murder in Carthage Jail. Mormons were also involved in plunder, violence, and burning the homes of some Missouri citizens prior to the extermination order by Governor Lilburn Boggs. While there was wrong-doing on both sides--Mormons and non-Mormons alike, the whitewashed history presented by the LDS Church of their people being as pure as driven snow and persecuted only because they were Mormons is false and misleading. An excellent book documenting the actualy histoical events of early Mormonism is "One Nation Under Gods" by Richard Abanes. Another reliable source is found in the works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Utah Lighthouse Ministries.

And devout Mormons do indeed.