Tins Cn01tcn

JesuEs C HHniT OP LAT1'1U UAY S,u:nl'i

,._.,.,C rl " ST IOIIIICCSIOCIIICY
s.u;z LLa Cin . or. o # 4100

OP

0,.,.,(: OP

January S , 1982

to :

AJl Stoke, Htlon , and District Prutdenu; 11.ehops; and Branch Presi dent

Deal" Btet flren:

As londc.n, 1t le o ur aain pur pose co v 1oule . Ve aust lov-e the people

v1th v ho111 we labor and let t hem knov thn we love th and are ready, vilUng,
and onxtou to help t he m wher ever postible.
Prtethood leaders r es pons i ble fo~ l n torvitv1ng members as to vorth1ne8t to
a.c:c.ept poaltlont of re.sponstbU.ity should first dlscuas wt th t he member what the
poa!t1on e,nta.ih and what 1$ required of t he p@rsol.'I OCC\1P t ing t he posltton, The
interviever ahould then .utisfy hi!llSelf that t he person i s prepared to meet tho
foLloving requirU1e.nts:
Keep the Vord of Wisdoa strictly: pay a full tithi ng ; attend the
appropriate aeettngs such as aacraaent, priesthood meet i ngs, etc .;
1a honet, honorable, and uprtghL lo hh de.aU.ngs ; is morally clean,
wh ich ehould include refraiotng rro hoeotcaual or lesbian actlvicie
or other unnatu ral , iapurt, or uDholy ptacttces; is not guilty of
ll)Ou1e or child abuse; and supports the general and local priesthood
nu t horities of the Church.
t..'htn Ln te.rv-lewing on e being conl1dflrtd H a llll..Nlonary, the intnviewtr
lhould flut aoke it clear chac he 18 tePteHuting the Lor d in the. tnurvJav,
and th.It the a nswers a re to be con8:ldtrod tho same as if given to the Lord. The
tndhidul should t h e n b e asked whflt he think& the Loi:d would requtre of one to
bt qual. Hied and wore.by to fill o m11'1tJLon tit His ambassador . Some of the anewers
VouJ.d bt:
K.ffp the Word of Whdo acrlctly; pay_., fu ll tithe; be honelt ,
true, nd upright io all dealing; be morally clean; kee p th6 comundme.nts; and HU the ai1ton the. vay t..he Lor d would 11.k e h1m co
do le.

If ha fa1ls t o mention any of thue things, be aighc be asked vhat he thinks

t he Lord woul d expect r egarding the, " for exaaple, aonl c:leanlintH . He
8ho uld unders tand what being motall,y clean aeans, which vould include refrajning
from homosexual o~ Qt her unnatural . iapure, o r unholy practlcee. ff 1hould be
reminded agai n tha t he 18 beina interviewed by a re9re.Hntactve of the Lord, and
the Lord knovs what he is do.in; and how he is living. He ahould be aeted tf be
11 vort..by i n e very way . lt ff hOu ld be oxpl ti1ned t o him that if h t not , be
1hou.ld qualify hicself Ol' he hould not go on a mission at th.la tiae. but wait
until he ha.s repented and 1 ln t.Ver y way wor t hy , The LOrd cnnot eccept or
blets one w-ho lies to get into Ll,c mJ ssion fiel d because he h under eom,o preseur by bis pa r ents or other., or feels he QluSt go because of the mph.a.sis we
place on every youn,g man' fill1dQ 1llission. Regardl ess ot the a!tuAtlon, let
h1.a know that you love hi ftnd ltand ready t o hel p him i n cv~ry way possi b l e .

l n inter v tevtng one for 3 c:et11ple 'ecor;.111ond. the individual being 1nt <trv1e"wed
$hOuld be rei:dnded ~hat- the Lord ha.s said t.l~at no unc lean thing should e nter His
ho us-u. l',he proc(fdute .~hould be the sall4(~ as for the other J.ncerv.ie.ws.
When fotervi~ in& ffl:tr ried persons. the one doing the .intervie.trlns should
s.crupulou.sly avoid 1nde U~ate inq_u1-'l'1(::.~ which may be offensive i:o c.he sensihiliti.es of those: belPJ:: interviow~d .
>1aTried 1>er&ons. Shoul d. undet'Gtand t h.a t il 1n t heir aa:rJ.cal '!:elations t hey ate. guilty of unnatot'al, impur e , or unholy pr acti ces, they
Gh<>1.1ld not enur the t emple unlMS 8nd un ti1 they ceptmt 1.1nd disc,ontiltlte any .such prsd:ices . Husb~u\d1J: a nti wives whq arc 3.1o1at"e o f t hese
requlre~nu can detanh1ne by t he uelvos their s t anding bef qre the
LQtd. Al l of ch.ts $h ould be conveyed ._.it hout havlns, pY-J.e.sth ood
l.ead~rs fo cus u pon in timat e 100.ttet'a wh1.ch s re a part of husba1td and
vHI! relations hips. Skillf ul intcrv'te,.itng and counseH:no can OC~\Jr
,dthout dtscu$sion of tlin'lcal aetail.s. by plucing: fttm r e:aJ)ona'ibili t y
011 individual members of t he Church co put their Uvo-s in O-'tder be.for e
W'i(fr'C-h ing t he pt1.v1lege o f e.n.t etin8 ~ house. o f. c he. Lord . 'l'he Pfr st'
Presidency has tncerpret ed o-ral s e x as cons.ti tutinR an unnatur al.
i mpure , or unholy prectice . If ~ pcTsoo is engaged in o pTactic~
which troubles bi.a enough t o ask. abou t it , he should d'i.scontlnue tt.
Anyonu g~iilcy of verbul
the. temple.

Qf"

physica.l c hild or t,t~o use abuse. should not enter

ill- should be reminded th:'lt the Lor d Js the .1udt,e-, and .He knows vb:l.t th ey
arc ijoirtg. They s hould be asked i f t hey ore ~ortby a~d qual~f icd for a t emple
cecowm.c.nd . Ii not. ad~t ~o t hem co repent ond bring their lives ln hat:mony ith
t he t each ings o f t he go s p~l.

We urg a you to review your i n terv ievlr!.g Pt'4Ctices cri.t ~callf ond r;o conform
t hem ~here necessary t o t he Gu8gested pr ocedures o u tUned aboVe.

At t he .saoe. time~ we should let our -people know t.hat. t.e -1ovc thaOl .:.nd
should ond.eavor t o t ca.c.h ti.nd l ead. t hem in {iuch 3 w:,.y ss t o avoid tho ev U s and
pitf alls which surround them,
Sincurely yours,

/. ,

The P lrs t Pr esidency

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