Elder van Thiel’s remarkable scripture reference guide
Scriptural answers to many gospel questions
My wife and I had the privilege of serving with Elder Storm van Thiel during our mission in New Zealand. Elder van Thiel is from South Africa, and he had compiled a wonderful reference guide for answering many gospel questions. He titled his list ‘DOCTRINAL CONCERNS — MODERN REVELATION’. His guide follows:
• Abortion -- What is the Church's stand? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 59:6 • Angels -- Have angelic visitations ceased? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moroni 7:29 • Answers, clear -- What if I don't receive a clear answer to a prayer? . . . Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-34 • Apostasy -- Did Christ's original church fall into a state of apostasy? . . Doctrine and Covenants 138:44 • Apostasy -- How can family traditions facilitate apostasy? . . . . . . . . Alma 9:16-17 • Apostasy -- How can worldly philosophies facilitate apostasy? . . . . . . . Joseph Smith History 1:19 • Apostasy -- Is there a true church on the earth today? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 • Apostasy -- Why are there so many churches on the earth? . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 26:20-21 • Apostasy -- Has the Bible been changed from its initial form? . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 13:24-29 • Apostasy -- Why isn't an apostasy clearly predicted in the Bible? . . . . . 1 Nephi 13:26 • Atonement -- The magnificence and the power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 7:11-13 • Authority -- Why do we need authority from God to act in His name? . . . . Article of Faith #5 • Authority -- Can I interpret the Bible by myself? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 13:20 • Authority -- How does God reveal His will? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 28:2,7 • Baptism -- The proper mode of baptism, the authority and immersion . . . . 3 Nephi 11:24-26 • Baptism -- This ordinance is a commandment of the Lord! . . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 27:20 • Baptism -- The reward of receiving this ordinance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 11:33 • Baptism -- Why should baptism be performed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 31:5 • Baptism -- When should baptism be performed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 7:15 • Baptism -- What authority is required to baptize? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:73 • Baptism -- What are the spiritual qualifications for baptism? . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 • Baptism -- At what age should children be baptized? . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 68:27 • Baptism -- Was baptism performed in Old Testament times? . . . . . . . . . Moses 6:64-68 • Baptism for the dead -- Why would we baptize for the dead? . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 128:6-8 • Baptism for the dead -- When did this practice start? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 127:4-6 • Baptism for the dead -- Where should these baptisms be performed? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 124:33 • Bible -- Have plain and precious parts of the Bible been removed? . . . . . 1 Nephi 13:24-29 • Book of Mormon -- Do we need more scripture? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 29:6-10 • Book of Mormon -- Add no more to the Book of Mormon . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 14:25-29 • Book of Mormon -- Did Christ really appear in the Americas? . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 15:12-21 • Cain's mark -- A dark skin and a curse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 3:6-16 • Cain's mark -- Why were some nations denied the priesthood? . . . . . . . . Official Declaration #2 • Chastity -- Is chastity found in the practice of plural marriage? . . . . . Jacob 2:27-35 • Chastity -- What is the law of chastity & consequences for obedience . . . 3 Nephi 12:27-30 • Chastity -- How do I keep the law of chastity? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 121:45 • Chastity -- Can I be forgiven for violating the law of chastity? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 42:25-26 • Chastity -- Why is it important to obey the law of chastity? . . . . . . . Alma 39:3-9 • Creation -- How did Jesus Christ participate in the Creation? . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 9:15 • Creation -- How were things created initially? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moses 3:5 • Creation -- How many worlds have been created? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moses 1:33 • Church attendance -- Why should I attend church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-14 • Church attendance -- What is the purpose of church attendance? . . . . . . Moroni 6:5-6 • Church attendance -- When should I go to church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mosiah 18:20 • Church attendance -- Who can attend church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma :5 • Church name -- What should be the correct name of the Church? . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 27:8 • Church numbers -- Are there truly only two churches? . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 14: • Church numbers -- Why are there so many churches today? . . . . . . . . . . • Dancing -- Is dancing evil or unrighteous? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 136:28 • Exaltation -- Do Latter-day Saints think they are gods? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 76:58 • Exaltation -- What exactly is exaltation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-23 • Exaltation -- What are the three degrees of glory? . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-90 • Exaltation -- What is eternal or celestial marriage? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 131:1-4 • Faith -- Why do we need to have faith? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ether 12:4 • Faith -- What is faith? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ether 12:6 • Faith -- Should I require a sign before I try to develop faith? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 63:7-12 • Faith -- Is faith truly dead without accompanying works? . . . . . . . . . Moroni 7:33 • Faith -- What if doubts and apprehensions creep in? . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 56:47 • Fall of Adam -- What is the fall of Adam and Eve? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 2:22-26 • Fall of Adam -- Does the Fall symbolize sexual sin? . . . . . . . . . . . . Moses 4:12 • Fall of Adam -- How did the entire human race develop just from Adam? . . . 2 Nephi 2:20 • Fall of Adam -- Is the Fall a good thing or a bad thing? . . . . . . . . . Moses 5:10-11 • Fall of Adam -- Is Adam God himself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 107:51-55 • Gathering of Israel -- How does it occur and what are the blessings? . . . Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-35 • God -- Is there truly a God? Does he truly exist? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 30:40-44 • God's attributes -- What does God look like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 • God's attributes -- Does God have a personality? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 12:15 • God's attributes -- How does God function or operate? . . . . . . . . . . . Mosiah 4:19 • Godhead, nature of -- Are the members of the Godhead separate beings? . . . Joseph Smith History 1:17, Article of Faith 1 • Godhead, nature of -- How are three beings one God? . . . . . . . . . . . . Moses 1:39 • Godhead, nature of -- How can Christ be both the Father and the Son?. . . . Doctrine and Covenants 93:4 • Healing -- How is a person healed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 42:48-51 • Healing -- How does one bless a person to be healed? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 42:44 • Hell -- Who will eventually be consigned to Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 76:84 • Hell -- Is Hell eternal torment? Will Hell ever end? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 19:6-12 • Hell -- What exactly is Hell like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 19:15 • Hell -- Who will be in Hell forever? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 76:31 • Holy Ghost -- Who is the Holy Ghost? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 • Holy Ghost -- What is the mission of the Holy Ghost? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 39:6 • Holy Ghost -- Can thoughts and feelings come from the Holy Ghost? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 8:7 • Idolatry -- What constitutes idolatry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:16 • Idolatry -- Is it possible to worship statues and images . . . . . . . . . Mosiah 13:12 • Jehovah -- Is Jehovah actually Jesus Christ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-4 • Jehovah -- Is Jehovah actually Jesus Christ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 33:11 and Moroni 10:34 • Laying on of hands -- How is a person ordained? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 6:1 • Laying on of hands -- How does one receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?. . . Moroni 2:1-3 • Laying on of hands -- What is the purpose of laying on hands? . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 723 • Less-active members of the Church -- Concern for them . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 9:27 • Marriage, civil -- Why is it necessary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 49:15-16 • Marriage, civil -- Does God allow marriage or evil? . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Nephi 1:11 • Marriage -- Should we marry outside the 'covenant'? . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 3:8 • Marriage -- Jesus Himself set the conditions of 'divorce' . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 12:31-32 • Millennium -- What is the millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 29:11 • Millennium -- What will life be like in the Millennium . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 22:26 • Millennium -- What will happen at the end of the Millennium? . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 43:31-33 • Millennium -- What is the purpose of the Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 77:12 • Miracles -- Do miracles happen today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moroni 7:29 • Miracles -- Could I witness a miracle in this day and time? . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 35:8 • Miracles -- Do miracles really happen, or are they fictitious? . . . . . . 3 Nephi 17:6-10 • Miracles -- Could I actually participate in a miracle? . . . . . . . . . . Ether 12:12 • Plural marriage -- Why did early members practice polygamy? . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 132:63 • Plural marriage -- Do the scriptures allow for plural marriage? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 132:34-38 • Plural marriage -- Why do church members no longer practice polygamy? . . . Official Declaration 1 • Prayer -- What is prayer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 707 • Prayer -- Why do we need to pray? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 32:8-9 • Prayer -- How will prayer benefit me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 31:12 • Prayer -- How should I pray? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 18:19-20 • Prayer -- What if I don't receive an answer to my prayers? . . . . . . . . Mosiah 21:15 • Prayer -- How do I know if God is answering my prayers? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14 • Prayer -- When should I pray? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 37:37 • Premortality -- What are eternal intelligences? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 93:29 • Premortality -- Were we born spiritually in the premortal realms? . . . . . Moses 3:5 • Premortality -- What was the 'war in heaven'? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 29:36-38 • Premortality -- Is there a spirit in man? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 93:33 • Premortality -- Where is the premortal experience? What was it like? . . . Doctrine and Covenants 138:56 • Priesthood -- What is the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 84:17 • Priesthood -- How does a person receive the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:60 • Priesthood -- What is the purpose of the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 86:10-11 • Priesthood -- Who can receive and hold the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . Official Declaration Two • Priesthood -- How and when was the Aaronic Priesthood restored? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 13 • Priesthood -- How and when was the Melchizedek Priesthood restored? . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 27:12 • Priesthood -- What is the difference between the two priesthoods? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 107 • Priesthood -- What is the structure of the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:34-67 • Priesthood -- What is the 'Oath and Covenant' of the priesthood? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 84:33-44 • Priesthood -- How does one honor the priesthood? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-37 • Prophet -- What is a prophet? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob 4:4 • Prophet -- Why do we need prophets? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 58:18 • Prophet -- Do prophets actually see God? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24 • Prophet -- Are there prophets on the earth in our time? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:17 • Prophet -- Is there just one prophet on the earth at a given time? . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 43:3 • Prophet -- How can you tell if a man is a true prophet? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:18 • Prophet -- What happens if we reject a prophet or prophets? . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:14 • Prophet -- Will the words of all prophets be fulfilled? . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38 • Prophet -- Have the prophecies of Bible prophets been fulfilled? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 84:2 • Prophet -- Have the prophecies of modern prophets been fulfilled? . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 87:1 • Repentance -- What is repentance? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 715 • Repentance -- Why do we need the principle of repentance? . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 58:42-43 • Restoration -- What is the restoration? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 715 • Restoration -- Why did the religious world need a restoration? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 138:44 • Restoration -- What was actually restored in the Restoration? . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 128:17 • Restoration -- When did the Restoration occur? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 29:1 • Resurrection -- What is the resurrection? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 40:23 • Resurrection -- Who will be resurrected? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 11:44 • Resurrection -- Why is resurrection important or needed? . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 9:6-7 • Resurrection -- How was resurrection made possible? . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 2:8 • Resurrection -- Was Christ resurrected? Did he resurrect himself? . . . . 3 Nephi 11:10-14 • Resurrection -- Is reincarnation possible? Does it happen? . . . . . . . . Alma 11:46 • Revelation -- What is revelation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob 4:8 • Revelation -- Who can receive revelation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 716 • Revelation -- Why does God reveal certain things? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 43:27-28 • Revelation -- How do we receive revelation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 42:61 • Sabbath Day -- What is the Sabbath Day? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 59:9 • Sabbath Day -- How do we keep the Sabbath Day holy? . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-15 • Sabbath Day -- What is the purpose of the Sabbath Day? . . . . . . . . . . Mormon 6:6 • Sabbath Day -- What does the Sabbath Day symbolize? . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Dictionary page 719 • Sabbath Day -- What are the blessings of keeping the Sabbath Day holy? . . Doctrine and Covenants 59:23 • Sacrament -- What is the sacrament? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:40 • Sacrament -- Why do we partake of the sacrament regularly? . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 20:75 • Sacrament -- Why do we use water instead of wine? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 27:2 • Scripture -- What is scripture? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 68:4 • Scripture -- What authority do scriptures have? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 18:34-36 • Scripture -- What is the purpose of reading scriptures? . . . . . . . . . . 2 Nephi 32:3 • Scripture -- Who should read scriptures? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Nephi 10:14 • Scripture -- How often should we read the scriptures? . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 26:1 • Scripture -- Can I interpret scriptures by myself or for myself? . . . . . Alma 13:20 • Second Coming -- When will the Second Coming occur? . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 1:12 • Second Coming -- What events will precede the Second Coming? . . . . . . . Joseph Smith Matthew 1:26-36 • Second Coming -- What will the Second Coming be like? . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Smith Matthew 1:41-43 • Second Coming -- Does anyone know when the Second Coming will occur? . . . Joseph Smith Matthew 1:40 • Spirit world -- Where do we go after we die? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 40:11 • Spirit world -- Where is the spirit world? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 40:12-13 • Spirit world -- What is the spirit world like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 138:50 • Temple work -- Why do we build and use temples? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 124:40-41 • Temple work -- What is the purpose of participating in temples? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 95:8-9 • Tithes and offerings -- Why does God require us to pay a full tithing? . . 3 Nephi 24:8-9 • Tithes and offerings -- What are the blessings of paying tithing? . . . . . 3 Nephi 24:10-12 • Tithes and offerings -- Is tithing an ancient law? . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 13:15 • Tithes and offerings -- Why is tithing amount based on income? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 119:4 • Tithes and offerings -- What are tithing funds used for? . . . . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 120 • Tongues, gift of -- What is the gift of tongues? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article of Faith number 7 • Tongues, gift of -- What circumstances permit the use of this gift? . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 11 • Tongues, gift of -- What is the purpose of the gift of tongues? . . . . . . Doctrine and Covenants 90:11 • Visions -- Why do people have or see visions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 5:4 • Visions -- Who has had or seen a vision or visions? . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Smith History 1:16-20 • Wars and death -- Why does God allow war to occur? . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nephi 14:10 • Wars and death -- What is the purpose of war? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma 46:12 • Wars and death -- Should we serve in the military during war? . . . . . . . Article of Faith number 12 • Wars and death -- What are the causes of war? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moses 6:15 • Wars and death -- Why are innocent people allowed to die in war? . . . . . Alma 14:8-11
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