From "Heart to Heart", the 1979 memoir of Russell M. Nelson:

"June 9 — Dantzel [wife no. 1] and I [HRH RMN] were privileged to enter the temple on this Sabbath day to attend a special meeting at the invitation of President Spencer W. Kimball. The sacred nature of this event precludes our mentioning any more about it here other than to say that it did take place, but this experience is of the greatest importance to us and our family."

This is clearly referring to the Second Anointing. Second Anointings always seem to take place in the temple on a Sunday. Temples are closed to commoners on a Sunday and a Monday. Mondays are used for cleaning and maintenance.

If you don't know what the 2A is, I suggest you look it up on here. Only the highest ranks get it and not even all of them. It is a get out of jail free card and a guarantee to get to the Celestial Kingdom.

Dear Diary, Dantzel and I did a thing but the thing is too sacred and special to write about here. Shhh, don't tell anyone but I've got a golden ticket...

This happened in June 1974, so Rusty has been a "made man" for nearly fifty years. He was an SP from 1964 to 1974 so fulfilled that requirement. Fifty years of thinking his Celestial status is certain. I guess that's plenty of time to get comfortable with the idea. I wonder if he's gonna get Wendy and Sheri their backstage passes too.

When my brother and wife got theirs they made it so obvious by being extra secretive in an obvious way that it was sickening. Dropping hints about having to come to SLC on a Sunday and not talking about it. Then why mention it? The humble-brag was in their eyes and the corners of their mouths. Or even more humble brag than usual I should say since my bother often refers to how humble and pure of heart he is. Not kidding.

Oddly as the exmo, I was the only one who knew what was going on.

I knew from when I was a teen about the SA as my priest teacher who was studying to be an Institute teacher liked to tell us all he was learning. He only called it the "Calling and Election being made sure." He indicated that they were a special experience with the Holy Ghost and were rare as hen's teeth then and not like nowadays where they are handing them out like popcorn with new recipients being asked to nominate someone else---like an exclusive club.

I have close relatives who received the ordinance indiscreetly as well.

I'd been aware of the second anointing, the "calling and election made sure," and the "more sure word of prophesy" since first reading the D&C and the Bible and was under the strong impression that Jesus and/or other cool people communed with the beneficiaries directly. I thought that was where the veil was rent, where heaven in the form of God met earth, where Enoch got his card stamped.

Learning that Jesus never made an appearance and that it was some grumpy old man who performed the first part of the ordinance was a major blow, truly blasphemous insofar as men were conducting their own little final judgment instead of Jesus; and a true letdown because clearly the veil remained in place.

Bait and switch, it was, on an existential scale.

They really can't stand it that they have the 2nd A but can't openly brag about it.

It's like owning a brand new Lamborghini but being told that you can never show it, drive it or display it in public.

What's the point except you to continue to be an ass and never change.

If my memory is still intact.

I remember being told over and over again during the years of my youth, in General Conference, Stake Conference, and Sunday lessons. That God was no respecter of persons.

So now God has decided he wants his own special club, and snub the rest of us, because we just rub him the wrong way. And at the same time we are told that "God Loves us".

From an all knowing, just, and perfect God. It seems there is a disconnect of effective communication between him and his prophet who speaks on his behalf.

just who gets to nominate candidates for SA to the Grand Pooh-Bah?

What about Mittens & Ann? I would nominate them!!

that in itself is a much sought-after honorary!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2024 03:04PM by GNPE.

They have it made unless they deny the Holy Ghost. So for them to set up shell companies and hide money and finances from Church members, no problem. You and me we would be in jail. Stories that Dusty told about airplanes on fire, his wife almost getting killed, etc. no problem. He can lie. You and I can not because that would be dishonest.
This goes for Ballard as well even though he is dead.
Some Church.

My great great great great grandmother, Patty Bartlett Sessions, recorded her second anointing.

As she was a wife of Joseph, Joseph F Smith stood in for Joseph.

She doesn't go into great detail of the ceremony. She was more concerned with it, along with her original marriage date to Joseph be recorded for posterity.

I disagree with the subject line by the OP because Mr. Nelson doesn't actually describe anything, only mentions (possibly taunts) that he has it.

That said, what we're seeing here with the Second anointing is very real and very human. You know the old playground taunt:

"i got something that you can't have.
I got something that you can't have."

You see it in the beliefs of Q-anon followers today.

Yep.
It comes off as a giant humble brag to me.
"Can I help it if I am so special?"

If it is so exclusive, they should shut up about it instead of taunting everyone with their sacred secret.

He got awarded the gold Mickey Mouse club hat instead of the black one the rest of the kids in the clubhouse wear. All righty then!

http://www.salamandersociety.com/temple/

Just the first item. (long)

The second anointing basically says you won’t be held accountable for lying for the church. The people at the top have to lie a lot.

Rubicon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The second anointing basically says you won’t be
> held accountable for lying for the church. The
> people at the top have to lie a lot.

Isn't lying for the church already done with the assurance of impunity even without the golden ticket?

sCMD not logged in Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rubicon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The second anointing basically says you won’t
> be
> > held accountable for lying for the church. The
> > people at the top have to lie a lot.
>
> Isn't lying for the church already done with the
> assurance of impunity even without the golden
> ticket?

Yes, from age eight onwards.

Rusty is certainly annoying every second.

What is the benefit to the church as a whole that this ordinance even exists and that a member and his spouse get a free "Stay Out of All Lesser Kingdoms" card? I understand why the recipients would think it was great, but how is the premise of use to the church itself?

The whole idea of new recipients nominating others for the honor is absurd almost beyond belief, and underscores the lack of discernment of The Brethren. If God himself is truly speaking to those in charge, why would they need to ask new inductees who to induct next into this secret society?

Think about the origin of the rite. It was given to secret polygamists, Danites, and the like. It was much bigger than just lying for the Lord; people were guaranteed exaltation no matter what they did for Joseph.

It fell into disuse in the middle 20th century and McKay revived it as a way of rewarding GAs and other church-broke people. I think it still assuages the consciences of people who are asked to violate their own consciences.

I think the higher up you go, the more distasteful things you are asked to do. This is a way of placating and calming people's consciousnesses.

True.

I also think they need to have rewards for people trying to move up in the corporation/cult.

There are the less dedicated members at the bottom.
Temple initiates get rewarded with "secrets."
The higher initiates get the "gold watch" awards like mission president callings and the second anointing.
Lastly they have the queue of leadership hopefuls, who want the highest levels of prestige and perks, kind of like board members. Only the one in the right line who outlives the others wins the top spot.

It would seem as though the most plum callings, i.e. mission presidencies, would be sufficient incentive without the "Get of of Hell Free" cards

I'd love to know if anyone who earned and tithed on less than $500,000.00 annually has received a second anointing in the last roughly thirty years or so.

I meant to say "the most plum non-GA callings."

SCMD not logged in Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would seem as though the most plum callings,
> i.e. mission presidencies, would be sufficient
> incentive without the "Get of of Hell Free" cards
>
> I'd love to know if anyone who earned and tithed
> on less than $500,000.00 annually has received a
> second anointing in the last roughly thirty years
> or so.

Get out of Hell Free ROFL

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think the higher up you go, the more distasteful
> things you are asked to do. This is a way of
> placating and calming people's consciousnesses.

Sounds like most elites. Maybe they have their equivalent too. The Greater Good is used to justify a lot of terrible things.

The SA is right in the introduction of the endowment by "the second lecturer". First, he says the everyone's been washed and anointed to become kings and queens, yada yada. He follows it up with the thin promise that if we have been true and faithful, we "may be called up to be anointed kings and queens" to "The Most High God; today you were only washed and anointed only to become such". My wording may be off. Last time I went to the temple was about 1997, but some of it still sticks in my mind.

cludgie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The SA is right in the introduction of the
> endowment by "the second lecturer". First, he says
> the everyone's been washed and anointed to become
> kings and queens, yada yada. He follows it up with
> the thin promise that if we have been true and
> faithful, we "may be called up to be anointed
> kings and queens" to "The Most High God; today you
> were only washed and anointed only to become
> such". My wording may be off. Last time I went to
> the temple was about 1997, but some of it still
> sticks in my mind.

I always thought that referred to the initiatory bit beforehand, but I can see how it would fit with the 2A as well.

"We have met the anemone... and he is Russ."