Sealed Marriage

Question: Mormons. Husband in sealed marriage commits adultry and is never caught. What will God say when he dies? If husband in sealed marriage, commits adultry but does not confess and is never caught, what happens when he stands before God and how does this effect the sealed marriage? The wife does not know he has broken required laws governing the sealed marriage, but God does. Would same thing happen in reverse if it were a wife who cheated as opposed to the hubby? What about the sealed children? If you think this is interesting enough to share with a star, then PLEASE DO!! Here is the question that has caused this one to be asked. If this question is interesting enough for you to answer I think you might find starter question and responses interesting as well! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Amq0ddxVHbeKwvPJuhHGoa3ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080423151449AAxZo4J HE is DEAD!! SHE does not KNOW she needs to get the sealing cancelled. What Happens?? Her REWARD is being sealed to the husband who cheated on her and broke the seal!!!! SHE does NOT know what hubby did and has NOT remarried!! WHAT HAPPENS?? I am researching the mormon religion and I am NOT mormon bashing. Please see my profile and other mormon questions before assuming anything. Thank You. [[[ the man would inheret a lesser kingdom ]]]] He would STILL get a kingdom??? !!! Does adultry and lieing by omission only count against you, as it applys to sealed marriages?? Are you telling me that the mormon religion will let you do whatever you want as long as you dont get caught and will settle for a lessor kingdom?? NO WAY!! [Quote from responder: Btw, you seem pretty desparate for a star. What gives?] This research is based as much in what the mormons think and know about the religion, as it is in the actual religion itself. If you will take some time and look at the varied responses, to some of my questions,you will see what I mean. That is not the way this started, but that is how the research has evolved. My questions come from responders input and a wish to seperate fact from fiction concerning those questions. The more people personally involved with the research, the more accurate and informative it becomes. There is a following of very intelligent,caring and knowledgable people who are both mormon and non mormon actively involved with this with more like yourself coming onboard daily. Every bit of input is important to myself and others who are involved for MANY reasons. I hope I have explained this in a way that you can understand. I dont even look at the anti-mormon sites its all about people

Answer: God will judge but I'd say the man would inheret a lesser kingdom and the lady would inheret something approaching the Celestial per my understanding of the LDS gospel. I might argue that the LDS prophets teach that really no one can enter the Celestial Kingdom since no one can perfect themselves, but that's another topic. Keep in mind that when my LDS High Priest father in law abused my little five year old girl, my Bishop asked that we not encourage his wife to divorce him because "he will loose an important ordinance leading to the Celestial Kingdom." I was stunned at his advice. And I wish I were making that up. Loose an important ordiance just because he sexually abused a five year old little girl repeatedly? Thank God that such utter and complete non-sense has no place in his real plan of salvation. But let's focus on the Christian community. Would God wink at the man and say, you 'ol sea dog; you accepted me as your personal Savior in 1982 so come on in to heaven you old scally wag. No. This man never knew Jesus or so I'd strongly suspect. Nor did he ever live in a way that declared Jesus soverign in his life. Clearly the Holy Spirit was not at work in his life, correcting, prompting, humbling, to any degree. This man's God was pleasure, not Jesus. Those who meet Jesus change. You can never be the same again. And the spirit in your life moves you to a sweet spot of wanting to leave sin behind but not to the point of overwhelm on guilt. So this man seems ripe for the Matt 7:21 rebuke, depart ye never knew me ye workers of inquity. But in Christianity, he doesn't get a lower kingdom, he gets eternal separation from God. Jesus spoke of hell over 50 times in the NT. And that seems only fitting since God was never allowed to be the king and law giver in his life nor was the spirit evident to any degree.

Question: Can you seal marriage records from the public in Colorado, and what is the specific statute or law code? An aquaintance claims that her marriage records are sealed by her own legal right to do so. She is a collosal leg-puller but swears that even the fact that I know the person she says she married well enough to know where he was born, what his mother's maiden name is, of course his address and all that but also his marriage history will not help me. I laughed and told her that marriage records were always public else rich glitterati would never get "outed" but she insists. I would like to know the easiest way to track if such a marriage ever happened in Colorado, and if not, is this a blanket law in every state? Also since she is always dumbfounded when I quote chapter and verse, I would love to know the statutes that address this specifically, and if I could prove how I could access public records, it would shut her up for a while! (I love research so she throws these little challenges at me now and again. So far I win.)

Answer: The State of Colorado actually lets you search marriage records online: http://www.sctc.state.co.us/marriages/default.aspx

Question: Is there a difference between marriage and sealing in the temple? I'm getting married. I'm kind of new to the LDS religion, and I have been living temple worthy for about 3 months. I have asked around and people tell me that gettimg married in the temple has more blessings than just getting sealed in the temple a year later after your civil marriage? I just need to know if someone knows if there is a difference and if getting married is different than just getting sealed!

Answer: I was first married civilly. My husband and I waited 5 years before we were sealed. We didn't say "OK, we're waiting 5 years", we weren't worthy for the first couple, then we got worthy. I can tell you, there is a big difference in our marriage, and now that we have a child, I am so grateful that we have been sealed. I cannot imagine being without them in eternity - that's not heaven to me! Your question is worded kind of funny - do you mean the difference between getting married in the temple and sealed? If you do, there are people who get "married" in the temple that may have already been sealed to a former spouse. Like I have an aunt who is sealed to her first husband, he died. She married another guy, she wanted to stay sealed to her first husband, so there was just a typical civil ceremony in the temple. I am not sure if it was in the sealing room though. Anywho, there is a difference between "marriage" and "sealing". The marriage is for this life, the sealing is for the next.

Question: Do you think a marriage license is important to validate a relationship that is sealed with love ? This is a relationship between soulmates. No children were conceived in the relationship ,but brought our own from previous marriages. It was a blending of family life for 20 years.(40-60 years age bracket)Now one partner is gone. Stilll the Step parent and grandparent relationship is there. Never needed that license then. Do not need it now. I am who I am. Just not Legal. It does tend to muddy the water.

Answer: personally the way marriages are today and couples no i wouldn't get married again not the way people are today. If you love this person and your happy with them and you know your not going anywhere else. Stay in the relationship and live together as a couplel you dont' need a piece of paper to prove that. if everything going good why rock the boat and get married only to see someone change and act differntly. goldie hawn and kirt russell and oprah and steadman doing the same things. everyone has there own agenda why not to. what matters is that both of you are okay with it and it works for your household. then shouldn't be any publics decision what you want to do or cause society says so.

Question: Mormon. If a man in a sealed marriage dies, and the wife remarries, does she get multiple hubbys in heaven? While researching heavenly polygamy I have been given the scenario of a husband having his first wife die and remarrying as one of the reasons for the polygamy. I have been told this repeatedly. OK, now what about the wife whose husband dies and SHE remarries? Polygamy is for men not woman so what happens when a woman does the EXACT same thing as a man, for the EXACT same reasons? Is she forced to give one of them the "ole heave ho" despite having loved them BOTH. "IF" their is a DIFFERENT procedure for woman, in the EXACT same circumstances, I would like to know what the different procedure IS and WHY they are NOT the same? Scripture n verse references on this one would be nice, but personal thoughts and opinions are always welcome as well. Thank You. I am researching the mormon religion and this question is part of that ongoing research. I use the word "mormon" as a tag so these questions can be found and answered by ANYONE who is doing a similiar YA search and knowledgable in this area. I am not, nor have I ever been, a mormon. That means the questions being asked ALL stem from the responders input. My email and questions are open in my profile. As always, if you think this question is interesting enough to share with a star then PLEASE DO. Thank You. [[Quote of responder: "will have multiple wives for eternity"]]..... question is about multiple HUSBANDS and WHY or WHY NOT. If requirements are the SAME for both women and men to achieve celestial kingdom rewards or blessings, then why are the women being cheated and who is doing it? I dont get it. There HAS to be more to this! [[ Quote of responder: Recent changes in church policy also allow women to be sealed to multiple men, but only after both she and her husband(s) are dead."]] .... WTH??? If thatsTRUE,then thats messed up! Anybody gonna take a stab at telling me WHY, women are treated differently than men? [[Quote of responder:" If He is perfect, then He must give perfect commandments."]] I KNOW God is perfect and that he gives perfect commandments. The problem is in MORTAL MANS interpretation and translation of those "perfect" commandments. First page of the BoM, even acknowledges this when it says that ALL mistakes are of MAN and not God. I am not trying to be harsh, but the reality of it is that the more mature, intelligent, and HONEST responders in here, and that includes several mormon priests, often have to say "We just dont know". God is perfect so that means there is something wrong somewheres else in the "order" of the mormon churches chain of command. What is being asked and answered in this forum is input from the responders themselves. That means REALISTICALLY, everybody in here is talking and listening to each other. It didn't start that way, but that is what it has evolved into and that evolution has created a benificial learning of TRUTH by all parties involved. This site was not set up for the specific way it is being used by this project, but here we are! OK, you are explaining the same type of evolutionary process from the christian bible into mormonism, for what mormons percieve to be the betterment of mankind. Its all about changes, and perception and what an individuals heart/mind tells them is true and right. Ultimately it is for people to decide and they need to be able to make life altering decisions with full knowledge of the"meat"as well as the "milk". "GOD" says we are ALL brothers and sisters, and that there is no marriages in heaven. MAN says different. I say "no thanks" making babies with my brother seems wrong. I wanted to say being forever married to, and making babies with, my "brother" seems wrong. It just wouldnt fit. :-(

Answer: If you think there is any equality of treatment of men and women in the LDS church you haven't been researching very long. And as someone mentioned, getting a sealing clearance is almost impossible. It has to come from the office of the Presidency. I watched a friend petition for years to be cleared from an abusive addict so she could be sealed to her second husband and their many children. Having children sealed so they are 'born in the covenant' is crucial. (Of course, she was counseled by her bishop for years before that to not leave the abusive first husband, since his abusive behavior was undoubtedly her fault. Only when she found his drugs was she told she could leave him.) These policies are clearly laid out in the Church Handbook of Instructions. Since this is not available to members, confusion obviously reigns. From the Handbook of Instructions, a woman is married to a second husband for time only, not for eternity. The rest here is direct from the Handbook on Wikileaks: Couples may be married in a temple for time only if all the following requirements are met: 1. The woman is already sealed to a previous husband who is deceased or from whom she is divorced. (2, it's legal locally, 3. they have a license and are endowed and worthy) On Page 83 under Sealings: Sealing of a Husband and Wife Living Women A living woman may be sealed to only one husband. If she is sealed to a husband and later divorced, she must receive a cancellation of that sealing from the First Presidency before she may be sealed to another man in her lifetime. Deceased Women A deceased woman may be sealed to all men to whom she was legally married during her life. However, if she was sealed to a husband during her life, all her husbands must be deceased before she can be sealed to a husband to whom she was not sealed during life. Living Men If a husband and wife have been sealed and the wife dies, the man may have another woman sealed to him if she is not already sealed. If a husband and wife have been sealed and later divorced, the man must receive a sealing clearance from the First Presidency before another woman may be sealed to him (see "Applying for a Cancellation of Sealing or a Sealing Clearance" on this page). A sealing clearance is necessary even if the previous sealing has been canceled. Deceased Men A deceased man may have sealed to him all women to whom he was legally married during his life if they are deceased or if they are living and not sealed to another man.

Question: since mormons are "sealed" through marriage, what if you divorce? I read an article in newsweek last night about this and how the mormon church, although clearly against polygamy in this life, seems to say that you spend eternity in the afterlife with whomever you were "sealed" to. what if you were married twice in this life, or divorced? Wondering what my mormon friends think of this.

Answer: We believe that you can only be sealed to one person. However, let me give a couple of scenarios to further explain. Scenario 1 - The Ideal Mormon Girl and Mormon Boy meet, fall in love and are married in the temple for time and all eternity. They never divorce, or remarry if their spouse dies. Scenario 2 - The Ideal with a marriage after the spouse dies Same as Scenario 1, except after the death of a spouse, the other one falls in love with another Mormon and they marry civilly (aka for time only). When all is said and done, the temple marriage is who the person is married to for eternity. Scenario 3 - The Ideal, but with civil divorce Scenario 1 happens but for some reason they decide to divorce. For any of a multitude of reasons (usually because of children) they only divorce civilly, they are still sealed eternally. Scenario 4 - The Ideal is broken Scenario 1 happens, then just as in Scenario 3 a civil divorce happens. The twist on this one is that things are so bad that a temple divorce is also needed. This is usually the case when there is abuse, but it can occur for any other reason too. There is paperwork involved that gets sent to the Church Presidency in SLC, and it is not granted in every case. We do not take the ordinance of being sealed light heartedly. If children are involved and a temple divorce is granted, we believe that the children will spend eternity with their father, not their mother. However, this too can be changed if the father gives up his eternal rights (my phrase, not the Church's) as father to his children. Things must be extremely bad for this to happen, and requires heartfelt contemplation on behalf of mother, father, children, and church officials. Senario 5 - Time turns into Eternity In some cases a civil marriage takes place before the sealing. Sometimes it's because of the laws of the land, other times it's because the spouse isn't a member, or for some reason isn't allowed into the temple yet. It can also be because a temple divorce to a previous spouse is pending. At some point in their future the couple is sealed together for time and all eternity. In the case of a previous marriage's temple divorce, the person getting the temple divorce has to wait one year before getting resealed to their new spouse. I guess my point is, that's the way it works. We believe you will spend eternity with the person you are sealed to, and that's I think the main reason we take marriage so seriously. There are no "starter marriages" in LDS culture like there are in Hollywood and in other segments of the population.

Question: How many wives to men in the Mormon faith who get eternally sealed in a marriage, end up finding out that...? ...their husband turns out to be a really hard hearted guy, who actually hates God? So what do you do, when you realize the truth (after the marriage) about the husband you are eternally sealed with and who is on the road to hell? Ender, When Mormons get married forever, they get 'sealed' into it. So if the husband ends up in hell, then does the wife go with him? Supposedly they are 'sealed' by their Priests who have the authority to seal a couple together forever. They compare this 'seal' to when the Holy Spirit 'seals' our hearts as Gods spiritual-soul child when we first believed in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God and were born of the Spirit.

Answer: My adopted aunt went through something like that. Her husband turned out to be totally nuts, started a cult and thinks he's sired the next (female) Messiah. He was excommunicated from the LDS/Mormon faith for all the things he did. Her sealing was also dissolved, though she passed away from brain cancer not too long after and never really had a chance to remarry anyway. And in spite of this, I don't think this is typical at all. Most of the men who hate God wouldn't WANT a temple marriage, even for the sake of appearance. When my aunt married this guy, he was a faithful member. It took nearly two decades before he even began to turn from God, and by then, of course the covenants he's made in the temple (and his wife and family) meant nothing at all to him. I really can't see someone like that--even someone not as freaking crazy as he is--wanting a temple marriage at all, can you? And though of course people can lie their way through an interview and secure a recommend, I have a hard time believing that someone who hated God could hide it that well. Why would they even try? I don't think this happens very often at all.

Question: Mormon. Is it possible for woman to be sealed in marriage, after death, to a man SHE despised in life? I have been told that members of an abusive persons family, and even the abuser himself, can get a marrige to their victim sealed after death. I have also heard that there is no way the victims family can stop this, because victims known lack of love towards the abuser means NOTHING if they can no longer speak for themselves. Is this information true or is it anti propoganda? Where can I find documentation of after death sealings online? I dont mean documentation of actual sealed marriages. I mean an explanation of how and why this is possible, IF it is, and the logic behind it. This may be a sensitive question for some, so if anybody would like to post their response privately see option in my profile. I am researching the mormon religion from the peoples perspective [see new profile] and this question is part of that ongoing research. I use the word "mormon" as a tag so these questions can be found and answered by ANYONE who is doing a YA search containing the word MORMON and knowledgable in this area. I am not, nor have I ever been, a mormon. That means the questions being asked and answered ALL stem from the responders input. My email and questions are open in my profile. As always, if you think this question is interesting enough to share with a star then PLEASE DO. Thank You. gkqwndrn... Good Point, I have read in my email and my responses that it was, but have never asked question directly. Probably should have asked that question first, but I guess better late than never will have to apply on this one!! arth..thats not the question....THAT is common sense and logic.....I want to know if, according to mormon doctrine, it is POSSIBLE to do this at all. And how it is logically justified if it is. sinister...Im not asking if it will be honored by God, I want to know if it is POSSIBLE for this to be done today, on this earth, in the temple and in the here and now. Alls this would take is a yes or no answer with a short explanation from a mormon knowledgable person. At the very LEAST an explanation of WHY this isnt being answered. Perhaps a few stars would help find somebody who knows??? Kerry...and others too...YES..I understand that this a labor of LOVE done by this church and its people. I also NOW have an idea what a MAMMOTH undertaking this really is. That is not to say I agree with it, but I understand that it is a labor of love. What you people need to understand, REALLY understand, is that I AM NOT MORMON !!! I myself would NOT know to inquire about many of the things these questions address. These questions come from the RESPONDERS input and often stem from their own personal pain, frustration, anger and many other strong emotions in their lives which stem from personal expierence. When you respond to one of these questions, you are not responding to JUST ME. You are also responding to each other as well as to people responsible for question being asked and explored. Wether you guys believe it or not, there are many GOOD things happening because of this research and the way it is being done. Good things for BOTH mormons and non mormons alike. For example... How many people who do not understand the mormon religion, were JUST soothed by information found in this question alone? They are non mormons who felt that their loved ones wishes had been violated by mormons. As non-mormons they did not know that the MORMONS THEMSELVES, believe God AND their loved one, has the final say despite ANYTHING the mormons have done. I explained how the mormons are helping each other thru what is happening in here, in the other question so you can check it out there if you want to. Please be patient with me and know that I am doing my best even when I mess up. Also try to understand that there is ALOT more happening here than people, myself included, will probably ever realize.

Answer: One instance from my wife's family is interesting. Her father was abusive and she remembers her mom and dad fighting and that he was abusive. He died a number of years ago and her mom didn't want to get sealed to him, although she did love him. My wife told her mother that he wouldn't be sick in heaven and that a lot of the abuse (which my wife suffered also) was because he was sick and unable to work, much less deal with a lot of the pain he was in. Her mother went ahead and was sealed to him, while she was alive, trusting that the Lord would take care of the situation. When my wife's mother died, her mother came to my wife in a dream and told my wife that "they all" came to get her and that "they all" included her dad, as well as her mom and dad. Regardless, married couples (on earth) can be sealed to each other, after both have died. However, just as is the case on earth, the woman has the final say as to whether or not she accepts the sealing ordinance. So, to answer your question: Yes, a woman can be sealed in marriage, to her husband, who she despised in life, even if the marriage ended in divorce. People who are not married to each other cannot be sealed (legally) to each other, though I have noticed cases of the same in the records. I have a suspicion that eventually, those records will be deleted and the sealing "undone" (annulled) since it may have been done under false information. Just because sealing work has been done, does not mean that it is automatically in force in heaven. Not only do the parties involved have to accept the sealing work, but in order to enjoy the blessings, they would have had to live righteous lives. These matters are not ours to judge, regardless of the situation. It really is up to the Lord and those individuals. As to published information, I'm going to recommend some reading from the following site: http://www.lds.org/temples/purpose/0,11298,1897-1,00.html Read "Why These Temples?" by President Gordon B. Hinckley. While this may not cover the areas as fully as you would like, I'm also going to recommend the following: Endowed from on High: Temple Preparation Seminar Teacher’s Manual, found at http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=1bb45f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=b4d3be335dc20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ This is the material that is taught to members who are preparing to go to the temple for the first time. It contains material that can be shared outside the temple, some of which wasn't always available to the public. The following may also be helpful-- A Member’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work: Ordinances and Covenants found at http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=1bb45f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=9b958c8fd6c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ Part one may provide you with some of the answers you're looking for. I hope this helps.

Question: Why Can Only Mormon Males be Sealed in the Temple to More than One Woman? If a Mormon male has lost his spouse to death, he is allowed to be sealed (religious marriage ceremony) to another woman without having to cancel his first sealing. A female Mormon cannot. Why?

Answer: Polygamy isn't currently practiced, but the doctrinal foundation is still intact. Polyandry has never been supported. Polygamy offends people in our culture, as it did the Romans who disenfranchised the early Christians who practiced it. It didn't start to fall out of favor among the Jews until 1100 AD. Old Testament law supports it. One of the suppositions of women who oppose polygamy is that women are on a less equal footing in a polygamous marraige, and that the practice is therefore sexist. This doesn't jive with the testimony of many women who have lived in polygamous families, and found it to be a positive experience. Many of Joseph Smith's and Brigham Young's wives were very outspoken in their support of polygamy. I believe much of the bias against polygamy is really just a bias against a different culture, one that is alien to what we consider normal.

Question: If you have a civil marriage and are to be sealed at a LDS Temple later what do you bring with you? I am curious. Do you just need the bishop recommendation? Or do you bring your marriage license etc..? I was married outside the Temple, my husband joined a year ago, we have children now and are ready to be sealed but I cannot find my license so I was wondering if I needed to go ahead and get one because it was a requirement to be sealed to my husband/children or if it was not necessary. I only found one site that said you needed one, others say just your bishops recommend. Thanks in advance!

Answer: For sure you're both going to need a temple recommend signed by your bishop and stake president, I'm not sure with the marriage license though. I think you might need that, but I'm not sure. You should ask your bishop... or even call up the temple, they'll tell you what you'll need.

Question: Can eternal marriage happen without temple sealings? I am wondering if the LDS members think they can still have eternal marriage without going to their temple to be sealed. My husband isn't a member, I am inactive, but before getting involved with the mainstream~LDS( aka bringhamites) I believe when we said our vows we're eternally sealed by God himself, not a temple seal. What do you LDS members think?

Answer: The authority of God can't be stolen. It can only be given. The real question is who has the sealing power or authority? Which church is the real thing, and which churches are man-made imitations?

Question: LDS. When and why, did practice of waiting a year after civil marriage to be sealed, get started in the USA? If you find this question interesting enough to share with a star, please do. The question is part of an ongoing research project looking at Mormonism from the peoples perspective, so input from EVERYBODY is important and appreciated. Thank You. I am talking about a temple worthy couple who chooses to have civil ceremony first. Are you saying that if a USA temple worthy couple has a civil marriage on monday, the same couple would be able to have their temple marriage and sealing later that same day? If the answer is "No" then we are right back to the original question. :-( "In the old days, when traveling ....." ???? I thought one of the keystone important differences with this church, is the openess and encouragement for members to ask questions, explore and study the religion to see if it was true. The waiting period is not some obscure, little known, or used, Mormon rule. "How" and "Why" would something so basic and central to Mormonism, require ANY speculation? That just does not make sense to me based on what I have already been shown and taught about Mormonism. Is there some paticular reason I dont know about, that makes asking this question something the church would "frown" on? Anybody?? I have already been criticized for jumping to premature conclusions in this mater, so am revisiting this topic for clarification purposes. I could have been wrong and if I was, I need and want to know about it so I can publically recant my previous statement. Anybody?? "It's not a rule. You're confusing separate guidelines....." I still am not getting this. Are you saying that a temple worthy couple who has a civil ceremony first, is commiting a sexual sin? "Try not to confuse policy which may be arbitrary with doctrine......" Many of my questions stem from the members themselves, some are well known and respected names in here who need to remain anonymous. On behalf of the mormon people I am in contact with, they are made to follow "POLICY" which is NOT supported by "DOCTRINE" So to a member, it really dosen't matter wether something is just policy or not. Despite what I have been told by members,if someone tries to go against "policy" even locally made ones, they will be disgraced in the church's eyes even if they are a faithful 5th generation Mormon.Even the MEMBERS want their family and loved ones with them when they marry. It has NOTHING to do with Loving GOD.That is why these questions are SOOO important.THEY need to know who is forcing the waiting period if they choose civil and family first,ESPECIALLY knowing other countries are not punished in this way.WHY is this a USA rule and WHO made and enforces it? Sacrifice 4 MAN or GOD? "In the old days, when traveling ..." Its not the "old days" any more. If it were then the LDS would still be practicing polygamy and a few other things I can think of. By EVERYBODYS christian belief system, God ALREADY knows what is in our hearts. So WHAT is being PROVEN to WHO, by church forcing a temple marriage and sealing to be done first in order to avoid punishment and/or disgrace? Some people who are just "accepting" this church rule need to stop and REALLY think about this. I sure am, and so are alot of long time members who love both God AND their church. In the meantime I STILL need to find out the WHO, WHEN, and WHY behind this being practiced TODAY. There is either a VALID, doctrine based reason for couples to be punished for choosing love and FAMILY first or there isn't. I believe there is understandable reason and logic in not allowing everybody into the temples, but the same thing can NOT be said for the 1 year waiting period. These questions ARE important and they need to be asked and answered. I do not feel asking them makes me an anti OR a basher, but people can think what they want. "Frankly, this is so trivial and insignificant, it's not worth any of us spending our time on....." Tell that to the couple who must choose between the temple and a civil marriage with their LOVED ones present to be a part of this milestone. Go back and read the responses to my other sealing questions and ask the members who, while supporting the churches "rules", talk about their "agony and/or anguish over this matter. Ask THEM how "TRIVIAL" this matter is/was in their life. If there is a clear cut DOCTRINAL reason for this then the members need to know, if there is NOT, then that needs to be known as well. I am kind of surprised to even hear it referred to as a TRIVIAL matter, especially from a member.

Answer: To be honest, I don't know when it was instituted or why, or even if it is SOP (standard operating procedure). I do know that there are waiting periods as has already been expressed, particularly for new members, and yes, it is a year. I also know that there is a waiting period involved with a person who is in the process of going through a repentant period in their life, but that varies with the nature of the original sin (transgression). As to when the "waiting a year" got started, I have no idea. I do know that there have been some things with respect to processes since I have been a member (now 45 years). One of the has to do with adult male converts and the priesthood. It used to be that an adult needed to go through each of the offices of the Aaronic Priesthood (that is, Deacon, Teacher, and Priest) with a three-month period between advancing from one office to another. Like some of the other matters concerning the priesthood (like the Seventy), a lot of policy was made on the "feelings" of the Brethren (those in charge, or the General Authorities) or possibly local authorities, having, perhaps no other clear guidance. The matter must have come to the attention of the General Authorities because a number of years ago, instructions came down from Salt Lake that a male adult convert could be given the Aaronic Priesthood almost immediately and ordained to the office of a Priest. It was not necessary for an adult to go through each of the steps, since it was all the same Priesthood, just different offices therein and a Priest could just as easily function as a Deacon or Teacher. Furthermore, if a person was particularly deemed worthy, they could bypass the Aaron Priesthood altogether and be confirmed to the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordained to the office of an Elder. Again, it is all the same Priesthood, and so an Elder can serve as a Deacon, Teacher, or Priest, if so instructed. I do know that if a couple had to travel a long distance to the temple and they were traveling without chaperons, that they would be married first by their local bishop and then travel to the temple and be sealed as soon as they were able. That was the situation when my wife and I were married 42 years ago. Soooo, I'm thinking this may be a case of mistaken policies on our part and it may have never been an official church wide policy. As I said at the beginning, I simply do not know and won't have the opportunity to check with my local Bishop for at least a week. Hopefully, someone else can check to see what the current policy is for you. For most of us, we've never been faced with that particular situation, especially since temples are local to almost everyone in the United States (and through many parts of the world).

Question: How do I obtain an Official Seal Stamp from Tallahassee on my marriage certificate??? I married in Broward County, and I need my marriage certificate to have a cert seal stamp from Tallahassee, I already have the one from Broward County, but to obtain my Mexican Passport, they request the Tallahassee seal, HELP ME!!!

Answer: Go the the Florida state government website and order a new birth certificate.

Question: How would you seal or preserve chocolate writing ( a marriage proposal!) on a ceramic plate? My friend proposed to his fiancee at a restaurant and wants to save the chocolate writing " Will you marry me?" on the dessert plate it was written on. Any ideas how to seal it so that it won't run or melt?

Answer: Freezing will not work, the chocolate will eventually discolor or chip off from things moving around. Actually your best bet is to seal the plate with a spray on varnish or shellac. This will work if they used real chocolate, but if they used a chocolate syrup or thinned the real chocolate with some type of oil there is not a lot you can do.

Question: How can I seal or preserve chocolate writting ( a marriage proposal ) on a ceramic plate? My fiancee proposed to me at a restaurant and I want to save the chocoloate writing "will you mary me" on the dessert plate it was written on. It has been sitting in my fridge, any ideas on how to seal it, so that I can keep it??

Answer: First of all take a picture of it. Then freeze and shelack it.

Question: Why do the LDS get married and sealed in a Temple when 3 of the Gospels say there is no marriage in Heaven? Matthew 22: 23-33 Mark 12: 18-27 Luke 20: 27-38 How did I take it out of context? No Kerry those scriptures mean there is no marriage in heaven between humans. There is only marriage with Christ and his church. Yes mormon_4_jesus, I do want to be with my loved ones in heaven. You need to read those scriptures on your own. And stop looking at Jeff Lindsey's website. You are in a very dangerous place, I do believe some mormons are probably saved. But you people need to look at the whole picture. And stop running everything through your bishop first. Your bishop cant get you to heaven.

Answer: I think you have answered this question yourself. It proves how unfaithful to gods word they are.

Question: Are mental health records sealed when you turn 18 years old? I used to go to a local mental health clinic psychiatrist as a juvenille and then I stopped going when i was 17 years old. I'm wondering if they are sealed and no one would be able to view them ?? I'm marrying a woman in vietnam and they want me to do a psychiatric assessment to get a certificate in vietnam that you are mentally stable and are ok for marriage. The assesment would take place in vietnam

Answer: No. Mental health records are never sealed. If you were ordered to go to the mental health clinic by a judge, then it is unlikely those records are even private. Because you were under the age of 18 your right to privacy isn't as solid as it would have been if you were an adult. If you are dishonest during your psychiatric assessment, you could find yourself in a world of trouble. (This would include criminal trouble. You seriously do not want to end up in a prison in Vietnam.) Tell the truth and hope for the best.

Question: Special Marriage Act 1954 - Is the marriage officer signature is required? Hi there, I am a Canadian, i recently got married to an Indian National in the Sub Registrar of Trivandrum city. I have my Special Marriage Act 1954 certificate handy but it does not have the signature of the marriage officer. I am wondering why. Is it normal? However the names and signatures of our 3 witnesses, the reader and the examiner names, the seals and stamps of the bureau and the marriage officer are all showing on the certificate. Could someone please tell me if a marriage officer signature is required? Thank you.

Answer: For marriage under the Special Marriage Act,1954 the Marriage Officer is the Marriage registrar as he/she is the authorised government official of the rank of Deputy Commissioner or ADM/SDM of the district where parties give notice & married under the Act. In your certificate the signatures of both parties, three witnesses, government seals & the stamp of the Marriage officer is showing but not his signature which is not correct, better contact the Marriage officer in person with the certificate & get his signatures on the original marriage certificate over his official stamp.

Question: why do you have to wait a year to be sealed in the temple after a civil marriage? I am mormon and so is my fiance. We both want to be married in the temple, but most of my immediate family are no longer active in the church. i am finding this really difficult because we live 2 hours and 30 minutes away from the temple as it is, and my family cant be there with me at the sealing. I feel like it won't be as special for me, as it will be for my partner who will have his family with him. i would wait but a year seems a long time, and having it on the same day just doesnt seem fair to my family. Yeah I was baptised at 8 so im fine in the aspect of bbeing able to visit the temple:)

Answer: You need to wait a year so your marriage will be proven to the temple that it has a chance of success.

Question: getting married in may in las vegas excalibur chose a civil marriage do they allow you to present the rings? ive been trying to look it up on the internet i want to be presented as mr and mrs -==== and be able to say our vows and exchange our rings and seal it with a kiss has anyone done a civil marriage at excalibur and if so can you please tell me how they do it or do you think i should go with the Christian way im so confused what do you think is better for a traditional wedding.

Answer: I didn't get married at Excalibur but I did get married at the courthouse a.k.a. civil ceremony. Yes, they do let you exchange rings and present you as Mr. and Mrs. They don't let you exchange vows though, not at the courthouse anyway they don't. They might at Excalibur though. I had a friend who got married in Vegas and they let them exchange vows. That's becuase at a Vegas wedding you pay more so I am assuming they will let you.