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RYAN - I am confused about speaking or the gift of tongues. I
was raised in a Pentecostal church we had "speaking in
tongues". Someone would stand up and "speak in
tongues" or "language used in heaven by God and the
Angels". Some one else would then proceed to interpret
what was said so all could understand. This sound very
much like what you are talking about as Adamic (see
link):
http://www.mormonhaven.com/blizz4.htm
This all sounds to me like the same thing but as I
understand it you have to have the Priesthood to speak
in tongues.
Also, I have not heard anyone in the Church speak in
tongues since becoming a member (2 years now). I have
the Priesthood does this mean that I can speak in
tongues? or is this reserved for Prophets and Apostles?
JOEL - I don't know what is really going on in the Pentecostal Church when they claim to be speaking in tongues. One can be fairly certain that they are not speaking in the pure Adamic language, because the sounds they make differ from one person to the next. Even though they themselves don't understand what the sounds mean, they believe that they are nevertheless understood by God.
Although there were a few instances of the pure Adamic language(Moses 6:6) being spoken in the early
days of the restored Church (See Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses(JD) 3:99-103; HC 1:297n), I have never heard anyone use it
in all my life in the Church. The definition of the gift of speaking in tongues in these latter-days has
pretty much been confined to the ability of Church leaders and missionaries to quickly learn to be able
to speak in different languages so that the word of God can be preached to all nations. This of course
happens on a daily basis.
It is also occaisionally demonstrated at times when
someone, speaking in a language different from the
audience, is nevertheless understood by the audience
through the Holy Ghost. Elder David O. McKay once
admonished a predominantly Maori congregation to pray
for the gift of interpretation because he could not
speak their language. He recorded that many in the
audience were blessed with this gift (Cherished
Experiences from the Writings of David O. McKay,
53-54).
The Prophet Joseph Smith, like the apostle Paul, said
that the gift of tongues is in some ways the least of
the spiritual gifts but the one most sought after (see
1 Corinthians 14:8-32; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith(TPJS), 246).
Because Satan is so eager to deceive those who seek
excessively for the gift of tongues (TPJS, p. 25, 162,
195), the Prophet declared that anything taught in
tongues was not to be received as doctrine (TPJS, p.
229). He explained that "tongues were given for the
purpose of preaching among those whose language is not
understood; as on the day of Pentecost, etc., and it
is not necessary for tongues to be taught to the
Church particularly, for any man that has the Holy
Ghost, can speak of the things of God in his own
tongue as well as to speak in another; for faith comes
not by signs, but by hearing the word of God".
For these reasons the pure Adamic language tongue is
rarely used today.
I have not heard that the priesthood is required for
speaking in the Adamic language tongue. Speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the spirit (1 Cor. 12:
1-11) that is available to all. The Adamic language was used by Adam and his posterity to the time of the tower of
Babel(Moses 6:6) and will apparently be used again
during the Millennium.(Zeph. 3:9.)
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