Topical Guide: F
Faith
First principle of the Gospel.
James E. Talmage, "Articles of Faith", pp. 87-99
Speaks of the need to live by faith rather than fear.
Joshua J. Perkey, "Finding My Faith", Ensign, October 2008
A member tells of his conversion and describes how he applied the principles of Alma's "experiment upon the word".
Faith and Works
"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
"If any provide not for his own ... he hath denied the faith."
"What doth it profit ... though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"
James E. Talmage, "Articles of Faith", pp. 97-99
Tad R. Callister, "The Inevitable Apostasy", pp. 136-146
How the confusion and false debate over the topic of salvation by grace versus salvation by works began and how the true doctrine was originally taught.
The Fall of Adam and Eve
Teachings of Lehi.
"Opposition in all things"
James E. Talmage, "Articles of Faith", pp. 58-64
Eve deceived, not Adam.
The Fall was foreknown.
Satan unaware that he was playing into God's hands.
Tad R. Callister, "The Inevitable Apostasy", pp. 134-136
How the doctrine of the fall was originally taught and how it has been changed from that original teaching.
Grimm's Fairy Tales, "The Water of Life"
The hero, after obtaining the "water of life", an inexhaustible loaf of bread, and a powerful sword, has his heal damaged while leaving the castle where he obtained them.
False Doctrine
Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith", p. 21
The teaching of a specific false doctrine was made a bar to communion by a Bishop, which decision was sanctioned by the first presidency.
False Prophets
Biblical prescription for identifying a false prophet.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q375
A prescription for testing the veracity of a prophet.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q339
A list of false prophets.
Joseph Smith Jr. in Dean C. Jesse, ed., "The Papers of Joseph Smith", Vol. 1. pp. 37-43
Comments on how mankind always seems ready to hear and accept dead prophets, but reject the living as false prophets.
Family
"It is an act of extreme selfishness for a married couple to refuse to have children when they are able to do so."
"Those things that endanger a happy marriage are infidelity, slothfulness, selfishness, abortion, unwarranted birth control, leaving the home to others, and sin in all of its many manifestations."
As unifying the family is the first logical step beyond building personal worthiness in the quest to establish Zion, I thought this piece was particularly interesting.
Claudio R. M. Costa, “Don’t Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 73–75
Speaks on family responsibilities and how to protect our families.
A Pattern of Prayer
A Library of Learning
A Legacy of Love
A Treasury of Testimony
Family Home Evening
Raquel M. Garcia-Rebutar, "It Made Us a Family", Ensign, June 2007
Raquel's experiance with FHE.
Some suggestions.
Fast Sunday
Improvement Era, Vol. 6, Dec. 1903, p. 146
Duplicated in "Gospel Doctrine: Sermons and Writings", pp. 243-244
Don't compell children to fast.
"The nature and purpose of fasting."
Fasting
Isaiah's comments on the law of the fast. The purpose is not to become grumpy and mean, but to serve others in humility and find strength in the Lord in the midst of our weakness.
Fate
The Dead Sea Scrolls, "Thanksgiving Hymns", Hymns 8, 9, Col. 9, Lines 9-11
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 13.6.9
Essenes: All fate.
Saducees: No fate.
Pharisees: Mixed view.
Fatherhood
Elder Dale E. Miller, "The Effective Elders Quorum", Ensign, April 2005
"But the Lord has offered an old program in new dress, and it gives promise to return ... the father to his rightful place at the head of the family ..."
Citing President Spencer W. Kimball in Conference Report, Apr. 1965, 61in referrence to home teaching
Fault-Finding
Brigham Young, "Building up Zion, Etc.", Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 153/155
"Go to work to improve yourselves and give your minds something to act upon instead of looking at the faults of others."
Fear
The godless will be blinded by fear in the last days.
The wicked shall fear due to their wickedness.
Feminism
Feminism described as one of the 3 influences that are causing members to be misdirected in 1993.
Context must be considered in understanding what is intended by the term "feminism" and what exact danger is posed. It is clear that Packer does not disregard value of the putative aims of modern feminism, but rather, that the methods of supporting women's interests have not been wholly in their best interest and have eroded their resolve to trust in the Lord's servants.
(The main thrust of the article is that it is not appropriate that special interests erode loyalty to the Lord's servants simply because they do not spend their time focusing on special interests.)
Fence-Sitters
(Cited at "LDS Living", url: http://www.ldsliving.com/nt22.asp)
"If there is one word that describes all the woes and threats that exist today, it's indifference. You see a tragedy on television for three minutes and then comes something else and something else. Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil. The opposite of love, is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference."
Finances
A classic piece on how to handle finances.
The First Vision
Account of the First Vision.
The Flood
Enoch 54:7-9
Flood described.
Enoch 65:1,10
Noah sees vision of the flood and Enoch explains it.
Enoch 66
Noah sees the angels ready to let loose the floods.
Enoch 67:2-3
Angels prepare a wooden structure to preserve life.
Noah's seed to be preserved.
Enoch 89:1-7
Enoch sees the flood in a symbolic dream.
"Oh that mine eyes were [a cloud of] waters ..."
Food Storage
"Food Storage for Beginners", Ensign, July 2007
For the Strength of Youth
Discussion of standards and how the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet helps teach them.
Forgiveness
James E. Faust, General Conference, April 2007, Sunday Morning Session
Sarah E. Miller, "Hope & Healing in Recovering from Abuse", Ensign, September 2008, pp. 38-39
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, trusting, or even associating with the one forgiven. Forgiveness does mean letting go of destructive anger.
A story of how one woman learned that she couldn't carry the burden of forgiveness alone, but that she could receive help from God.
Fornication
"abstain from fornication"
Freedom of Religion
People should have freedom of religion exception where their religious exercise infringes on the rights and liberties of others.
Fulness of the Gentiles
"[Moroni] stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in."
"Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."