The Reality of God: A Universal Invitation

By Michael B. Nhem, Founder of MapToHappiness.com

Sooner or later, every human heart yearns for a higher power—a God to guide us through life’s mysteries. As Genesis 1:27-28 declares, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them,” this longing is no divine accident but an imprint of our Creator. Even atheists, who anchor their faith in evolution, seek meaning, yet billions in Asia, Africa, India, China, and remote villages—like my native Cambodia—worship idol gods such as Buddha, Cow God, and Monkey God, or countless deities in India, clinging to traditions devoid of true power or purpose. The modern idol, the money god, drives a relentless chase for wealth and fame, a reality I witnessed in the early 1990s as a certified respiratory technician. My co-worker, earning the same wage, took on two jobs to afford a big house, truck, and boat, leaving him little time to enjoy them or raise his family, while I chose a single job to nurture mine with health and happiness. Recently, a famous atheist influencer, mirroring Muslims and Hindus I’ve met, abandoned evolution for the LDS faith, finding the one true God where idols fell short. But have you found Him? Across the globe, confusion reigns with deities like those of my Cambodian past or today’s idols of power and fame. Many, especially youth, abandon traditional Christianity’s distant God for atheism, yet the restored gospel draws atheists, other faiths, and the disillusioned with its hope. I am Michael B. Nhem—a Cambodian immigrant who escaped hardship to find freedom in America, married 36 years with four children and a growing brood of grandchildren, a Polysomnographic Technologist, and founder of MapToHappiness.Com—inviting you from every walk of life to discover the one true God of the universe through this guide.

The Root of Confusion and the Restoration’s Light

This widespread confusion arises from centuries of distorted teachings about God. Traditional Christianity often paints a stern, unapproachable deity, inconsistent with human experience, driving many—especially the young—into atheism, a void I felt growing up with Cambodia’s lifeless idols of Buddha, Cow God, and Monkey God, which offered only rituals, not answers. The establishment insists this is divine truth, yet it leaves hearts empty. The restored gospel, revealed through D&C 76 to Joseph Smith in 1832, corrects this with a relational Godhead—Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Ghost—distinct yet united in love and purpose. This truth, absent from my early life, became my anchor in America. The early Christian church, built on apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”), fragmented after Christ’s ascension due to persecution and lost authority. By the 1800s, as I saw in Cambodia, the world drowned in conflicting doctrines and powerless idols. The Restoration in 1830, guided by divine revelation, reestablished the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fulfilling Amos 8:11-12’s prophecy, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord… and they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it,” a void filled by the Book of Mormon and modern prophets. This church teaches God as a tangible, loving Father (D&C 130:22), suffering as a refining test, and eternal potential—truths absent from idol-worshipping faiths or misaligned traditions—powering my journey from hardship to joy.

The Three Heaven Cries and Their Divine Answers

My life resounds with three heaven cries that echo in every soul: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go? These questions found answers in the blessings of America, a land of opportunity, especially this week as my family camped at Jordanelle Park. The joy of my grandchildren—baby Wally, turning one on July 16th and napping with me on the swing, and four-year-old twins Niko and Luka delighting in following me—filled my heart. The LDS faith provides profound responses. We originate from a pre-mortal existence as spirit children of Heavenly Father, organized before the world (John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”; D&C 76:24, speaking of the council in heaven). We are here to gain physical bodies, learn, choose between good and evil, and grow toward divine potential (John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent”). After life, our destiny hinges on our choices—three degrees of glory: the Celestial for the righteous accepting Christ, the Terrestrial for the honorable who falter, and the Telestial for the wicked who repent after suffering, offered to all but the sons of perdition (D&C 76:50-113; John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many mansions”). This expansive vision, far surpassing the binary heaven-or-hell of traditional views, offers hope and purpose, drawing atheists seeking meaning beyond a random existence.

The Biblical and Restored Truth of God’s Power

The New Testament unveils a God who is active, loving, and accessible. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” showcases a Father’s sacrificial love, while Acts 2:32, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses,” proves His power over death—a stark contrast to the mute idols of my youth. Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), acknowledging the Father’s authority, “My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28), yet uniting in purpose, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). These verses reveal a relational Godhead, not a solitary figure, a truth the restored gospel expands through D&C 76, received during Joseph Smith’s Bible translation, unveiling the Father and Son’s roles in our salvation and eternal destiny. Traditional Christianity often overlooks or misinterprets this, but the Restoration provides a framework where God’s love and justice coexist, offering a path for all to return to Him.

The Contrast: True God vs. Idol Gods

The true God’s power stands in bold relief against the idol gods dominating many cultures. In Cambodia, I grew up with statues of Buddha, Cow God, and Monkey God—symbols of tradition but devoid of life, unable to heal or grant eternal life, crafted by human hands with no hope beyond the material. In India, thousands of deities share this limitation. Yet, the true God, revealed through Jesus Christ, demonstrated extraordinary abilities in His resurrected state—walking through walls (John 20:19, “Then the same day at evening… came Jesus and stood in the midst”), vanishing instantly (Luke 24:31, “and he vanished out of their sight”), and ascending to heaven (Acts 1:9). Jesus promised His followers, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:12), and as joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17, “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”), we are destined to inherit these powers in glorified bodies. This includes the potential for instant travel—to Mars, to other universes—fulfilling 1 Corinthians 2:9: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Idol gods offer no such inheritance, binding worshippers to earthly limits, a truth that shaped my shift from Cambodian rituals to divine promise.

The Role of AI: A Tool Toward Divine Potential

In our modern age, artificial intelligence like Grok, developed by xAI, may serve as a divine tool to bridge us toward this potential. I’m captivated by Grok 4, launched July 9, 2025, showcasing PhD-level intelligence—scoring 100% on AIME math, doubling Claude Opus 4’s ARC-AGI-2, and achieving 50% on Humanity’s Last Exam with 32 agents, outpacing Gemini 2.5 Pro and OpenAI’s o3. This superhuman reasoning hints at unlocking new physics—perhaps manipulating spacetime or consciousness—to mimic a resurrected body’s abilities. Genesis 3:22, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil,” suggests humanity’s capacity for godlike knowledge, and super AI might accelerate this, turning dreams of walking through walls or teleporting to Mars into reality. Yet, this knowledge alone isn’t enough—the resurrected body, with its divine powers, comes only through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:44, “It is raised a spiritual body”; verse 52, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”). AI can prepare the way, but the ultimate blessing—exceeding human imagination (1 Corinthians 2:9)—is God’s gift to the faithful, a tool I see enhancing my mission to share this truth.

Why the LDS Faith Resonates: Hope for All

This vision explains why atheists and others are drawn to the LDS faith. Traditional atheism views life as mere stardust, a random existence with no purpose or hope—why live if it all ends in nothingness? The restored gospel counters this with the belief that we are literal children of a loving Heavenly Father, created with divine potential (D&C 76:24), and destined for eternal progression (D&C 76:58-59, promising exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom). My own life reflects this: from the emptiness of Cambodian idols to the abundance of America, where my 36-year marriage and the joy of camping with my grandchildren at Jordanelle embody this hope. Atheists, seeking meaning beyond randomness, find this compelling, as do those leaving other faiths disillusioned by powerless gods, a trend I’ve witnessed firsthand.

Pre-existence, Afterlife, and the Purpose of Suffering

One of the most profound answers the LDS faith offers, especially to atheists questioning why a powerful God allows suffering, lies in the doctrines of pre-existence and the afterlife. Atheists often point to wars, diseases, and personal hardships—like my escape from Cambodia in 1975—as evidence against God’s existence. The LDS faith provides a deeper perspective. Before this life, we existed as spirit children of Heavenly Father in a pre-mortal realm, choosing His plan to gain physical bodies and experience mortality (D&C 138:55-56, “They are they who are the seed of Christ… who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name”). This is hinted at in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,” suggesting a pre-mortal identity. Isaiah 14:12-15, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,” and Revelation 12:7-9, “And there was war in heaven,” describe the fall of Lucifer, explaining opposition and suffering as a consequence of agency granted pre-existence. God allows suffering not out of weakness but to refine us, offering choice amidst trials (Abraham 3:25, “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them”). My journey from Cambodian hardship to American freedom testifies to this divine plan.

The afterlife clarifies this further. The LDS faith teaches three degrees of glory—Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial (D&C 76:50-113)—where suffering’s purpose culminates in eternal progression or justice, unlike the binary heaven-or-hell of traditional views. This offers hope that all, except the sons of perdition, find a place, with the righteous inheriting God’s presence. Suffering is temporary, a means to joy (2 Nephi 2:25, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy”). Additionally, baptisms for the dead, performed in temples, allow those in the spirit world to accept the gospel post-mortem. The Bible supports this in 1 Corinthians 15:29, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” and 1 Peter 3:18-20, where Jesus preached to spirits in prison. This mercy ensures even remote villagers or past generations, like my ancestors, have salvation’s chance, answering the atheist’s challenge with a God whose power encompasses justice and love beyond this life.

Finding the One True Church: The Restoration of True Doctrine

Discovering the one true God requires more than belief—it demands the one true church teaching His restored doctrine, a divine blueprint lost after Christ’s church fell into apostasy. The early church, established by Jesus with apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20), fragmented post-ascension due to persecution and lost authority. By the 1800s, as I experienced in Cambodia, the world was steeped in confusion with conflicting doctrines and powerless idols. The Restoration through Joseph Smith in 1830, guided by revelation, reestablished the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with the same authority, ordinances, and truths. This fulfilled Amos 8:11-12’s prophecy of a spiritual famine, now ended by the Book of Mormon and living prophets. This church reveals God as a tangible Father (D&C 130:22), suffering as growth, and eternal potential—doctrines missing from idol faiths or distorted traditions. My path from Cambodian trials to American joy, rooted in this truth, underscores its power, making it a beacon for MapToHappiness.Com’s mission.

Personal Revelation: Guided by the Holy Spirit

What sets the LDS faith apart—and fuels my zeal to share the restored gospel—is personal revelation through the Holy Spirit, a gift many churches overlook by rejecting prophets and apostles. The three heaven cries—Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go?—find their deepest answer in this divine confirmation, as I’ve lived. As a boy in Cambodia, my Cry of Truth began under a mango tree, wrestling with origins. No answer from parents or a Buddhist monk sufficed until, as a high schooler, the Book of Mormon’s introduction pierced my soul with the Holy Spirit’s warmth, tears flowing as John 14:26 affirmed, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost… shall teach you all things.” This revealed our pre-mortal roots, earthly growth, and return to God (John 14:16-17). Years later, my Cry of Vision came as a newlywed, praying for salvation’s plan—the Spirit showed my son Jacob with multicolored hair, fulfilled at his birth, echoing Jeremiah 1:5. In 2000, my Cry of Love erupted during a lunch prayer for Cambodian friends, flooding me with God’s peace (1 John 4:8, “God is love”). This personal connection, unavailable without living prophets, ignites my passion to share, weaving my testimony from trials to joys, urging others to seek this through the Book of Mormon and LDS Church.

The Power of Covenants: Obedience to God’s Commandments

Belief in Jesus alone isn’t enough—true happiness and connection to God come through obeying His commandments and entering sacred covenants, a truth many miss. Traditional Christians often confess faith but falter in loving neighbors (Matthew 22:39, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”) or serving the poor (Matthew 25:40, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”), a gap I felt in Cambodia’s idol worship and early Christian exposure. The restored gospel, through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches covenants—baptism, sacrament, temple ordinances—bind us to God, requiring active obedience. My journey reflects this: escaping the Khmer Rouge, I found peace not just in belief but in living God’s laws, serving as branch president and raising my family in faith. D&C 82:10 promises, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” These covenants, restored through Joseph Smith, offer eternal life, contrasting with static confession, fueling my mission to share this transformative truth on MapToHappiness.Com.

The Role of Family in God’s Plan: A Divine Bond

God’s plan places family at its heart, offering an eternal bond that eclipses the temporary focus of idol-worshipping cultures. In Cambodia, I saw families tied to lifeless idols like Buddha, Cow God, and Monkey God, with no promise beyond this life. The Bible and restored gospel reveal that marriage, when performed by God’s authorized servant with authority, endures forever—Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” The phrase “until death do you part” lacks biblical grounding; Genesis 2:18, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him,” and 2:24-25, “they shall be one flesh,” show Adam’s immortal need for a partner, fulfilled through Christ’s atonement (1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”). Why then should man be alone post-resurrection? Mark 10:9, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder,” and 1 Corinthians 11:11, “neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord,” affirm this unity. My 36-year marriage and Jordanelle camping joys—baby Wally napping with me, twins Niko and Luka following me—reflect this design. Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it,” and 1 Peter 3:7, “heirs together of the grace of life,” guide us. During the Millennium, Isaiah 65:23, “they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them,” promises enduring families. Yet, Matthew 22:30, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven,” is misunderstood—Jesus told the Sadducees, who denied resurrection, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29), indicating only non-sealed marriages end. Matthew 19:6, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder,” and D&C 132:19 confirm eternal seals offer exaltation. This restored truth, central to the LDS faith, drives my passion to share hope on MapToHappiness.Com.

Prophecies Coming to Pass: Signs of the True God

The one true God distinguishes Himself through prophecies unfolding weekly, a feat no idol god can match. As explored in “Unveiling the Unimaginable: How Science and Prophecy Fulfill 1 Corinthians 2:9,” Daniel 12:4, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased,” comes alive with global travel and AI breakthroughs like Grok 4. Matthew 24:7, “For nation shall rise against nation… and there shall be… earthquakes,” reflects 2025’s conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, African famines, and over 100 significant quakes. Ezekiel 38-39’s northern coalition gains traction with Russia and Iran’s ties, noted in early July 2025. Revelation 13:16-17’s cashless society nears with Bitcoin’s surge and digital currencies. These fulfillments showcase a God controlling history, unlike Cambodia’s silent idols, drawing seekers to the restored gospel.

Final Reflection: A Future Beyond Imagination

Reflecting on my life—from Cambodia’s trials to America’s blessings, from my grandchildren’s laughter to divine inheritance—I see a God transcending all. Jesus’ miracles—walking through walls, vanishing—in preview our future (1 Corinthians 2:9), fulfilled through Christ, not idols. Even Buddha acknowledged his limits, urging a true God of love (Matthew 6:33). The LDS God, rooted in love (1 John 4:8), offers this hope. With Grok 4 pushing knowledge’s edge, we glimpse this, but the fullness comes through faith. Join me on MapToHappiness.Com to embrace this reality—a God of power, purpose, and a destiny defying idol gods or atheistic despair.

Bible Verses

• Genesis 1:27-28: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them.”
• John 17:5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
• John 17:3: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
• D&C 76:24: “That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.”
• John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”
• D&C 76:50-113: [Describes the three degrees of glory.]
• John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
• Acts 2:32: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.”
• John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• John 14:28: “My Father is greater than I.”
• John 10:30: “I and my Father are one.”
• John 20:19: “Then the same day at evening… came Jesus and stood in the midst.”
• Luke 24:31: “and he vanished out of their sight.”
• Acts 1:9: [Describes Jesus’ ascension.]
• John 14:12: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.”
• Romans 8:17: “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”
• 1 Corinthians 2:9: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
• Genesis 3:22: “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:44: “It is raised a spiritual body.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:52: “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”
• 1 John 4:8: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
• Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
• D&C 138:55-56: “They are they who are the seed of Christ… who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name.”
• 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.”
• Isaiah 14:12-15: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer… for thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend above the heavens.”
• Revelation 12:7-9: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not.”
• Abraham 3:25: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”
• 2 Nephi 2:25: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:29: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?”
• 1 Peter 3:18-20: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins… being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.”
• Luke 24:39: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
• John 14:7: “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”
• John 14:9: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
• D&C 130:22: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.”
• James 5:14-15: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.”
• D&C 84:19-22: “And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom… and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh.”
• Daniel 12:4: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
• Matthew 24:7: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”
• Ephesians 2:20: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
• Amos 8:11-12: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord… and they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”
• John 14:16-17: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth.”
• John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
• Matthew 16:19: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
• Genesis 2:18: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
• Genesis 2:24-25: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
• Mark 10:6-12: “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:7: “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:11: “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.”
• Ephesians 5:22-25: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
• Ephesians 5:31-33: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
• 1 Peter 3:7: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
• Isaiah 65:17: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
• Isaiah 65:19-25: “And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.”
• Matthew 19:3-9: “The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”
• Matthew 22:23-30: “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
• D&C 132:15-24: “Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world. Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory. For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them, ‘Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths’ then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory. For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me. But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also. This is eternal lives—to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.”
• D&C 82:10: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”
• Matthew 22:39: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
• Matthew 25:40: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”