The Da Vinci Code

Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University in his speech, The Da Vinci Code, the Gospel of Judas, and Other Bad Ideas listed some things to remember about the book The Da Vinci Code.

1. The Da Vinci Code is a novel.
2. The Da Vinci Code is found in the fiction section of bookstores.
3. The author has no training making him an expert on the New Testament.
4. The author is not an apostle or prophet.

Some books by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel:

Characterists of a Worthy Career

Mark E. Peterson in One Lord...One Faith said,
"We must remember always that life is more than meat --- and the body than raiment. Our careers may provide the meat and raiment, but it is the gospel which nourishes the soul.

With this in mind --- if I were now preparing for a career --- I would choose a line of employment which would:

Not require Sunday labor.

Nor much night work.

Nor one which would require me to be away from home and family to any great extent.

Nor which would force me to choose close associates who lack proper standards of decency and right.

Nor which would uproot my home and disturb my own routine through frequent transfers.

I would choose a career which would be working to my mind and my soul.

I would seek one intellectual challenge.

I would seek a job in which I could feel I was making a contribution to the welfare of my fellow men as well as to my family and close associates.

I would choose a type of war which I would not be ashamed -- one which would reflect honor upon my family -- one which would make a child of mine say: "I am proud of my dad -- see what he is doing."

I would choose an occupation which would not interfere with the living of my religion nor with my full participation in church activities.

I would want the kind of daily job which would be compatible with my becoming a bishop or a number of a stake presidency in case I were called to such a position.

I would choose the kind of work which would permit me to have a normal life -- with time for companionship and will with my wife and children.

I would remember that good family life --- based on a good marriage --- is essential to the ultimate end of my existence --- and that therefore, my job must never be permitted to interfere with my family life and relationships.

I would want the kind of job which would be compatible with my living a clean life and having a prayer in my heart each hour of the day.

I would choose the kind of job in which I could be honest and fair --- and in which I could close each day's dealings with a clear conscience, knowing that I had done unto others as I would be done by.

In other words, my job would be my servant and not my boss.

It would contribute to my objective in life --- not interfere with it.

It is through the --- and not through our careers --- that we become like God."

Other books by Mark E. Peterson:

Do What Works

"We must recognize which factors and conditions in life will assist us in this endeavor and include them in our life's planning.
And conversely, we must recognize the factors and conditions which will tend to interfere with and obstruct us in reaching our objectives, and eliminate such contrary things from our activities." (One Lord...One Faith p198 paragraph 3-4)

Heaven

Luke 23:43 states
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in ^aparadise.

Some interpret this to mean that the thief was forgiven and went to Heaven. John 20: 17 states

17 Jesus saith unto her, ^aTouch me not; for I am not yet ^bascended to my ^cFather: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my ^dFather, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

It would appear as though on the day he spoke to the thief he had not gone to Heaven, or where the Father is.

John 20: 17. 17 Jesus saith unto her, aTouch me not; for I am not yet bascended to my cFather: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my dFather, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Alma gives us some clarification on this in Alma 40: 21
21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a ^aspace between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in ^bhappiness or in ^cmisery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be ^dbrought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

Other scriptures that talk about this:
1 Peter 3

18 For Christ also hath once ^asuffered for sins, the just for the ^bunjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to ^cdeath in the flesh, but quickened by the ^dSpirit:

19 By which also he went and ^apreached unto the ^bspirits in ^cprison;

20 ^aWhich sometime were ^bdisobedient, when once the ^clongsuffering of God waited in the days of ^dNoah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were ^esaved by ^fwater.

1 Peter 4
6 ^aFor for this cause was the ^bgospel ^cpreached also to them that are ^ddead, that they might be ^ejudged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.