Somebody asked me for some quotes from the LDS Church Leaders on birth control. This is excerpted from my upcoming book on natural mothering for the LDS woman, so that’s why the footnote numbering is funky and starts at 7. Here you go:

From President Joseph Fielding Smith:

I call upon the Church and all its members to forsake the evils of the world. We must shun unchastity and every form of immorality as we would a plague. We must not dam up the wellsprings of life by preventing childbirth. We must not be guilty of unrighteous and evil acts of abortion.⁷

From Elder Ezra Taft Benson:

The world teaches birth control. Tragically, many of our sisters subscribe to its pills and practices when they could easily provide earthly tabernacles for more of our Father’s children. We know that every spirit assigned to this earth will come, whether through us or someone else. There are couples in the Church who think they are getting along just fine with their limited families who will someday suffer the pains of remorse when they meet the spirits that might have been part of their posterity. The first commandment given to man was to multiply and replenish the earth with children. The commandment has never been altered, modified, or canceled. The Lord did not say to multiply and replenish the earth if it is convenient, or if you are wealthy, or after you have gotten your schooling, or when there is peace on earth, or until you have four children…⁸

From Harold B. Lee:

If I were to name the first thing that impressed me always in these fine Latter-day Saint homes, I would say it was a love for and a desire for children. These are homes where the having of children was not delayed because of some social, educational, or financial objective, and where the size of families has not been limited by the practice of birth control.⁹

From David O. McKay when he was the President of the Church:

In the well-ordered home we may experience on earth a taste of heaven. Seeking the pleasure of conjugality without a willingness to assume the responsibilities of rearing a family is one of the onslaughts that now batter at the structure of the American home. Intelligence and mutual consideration should be ever-present factors in determining the coming of children to the home.¹⁰

From Spencer W. Kimball, when he was an Apostle:

It takes faith– unseeing faith– for young people to proceed immediately with their family responsibilities in the face of financial uncertainties. It takes faith for the young woman to bear her family instead of accepting employment, especially when schooling for the young husband is to be finished.¹¹

From Boyd K. Packer:

Frequently I receive letters and not infrequently young couples come, particularly of college age, struggling to achieve advanced degrees, and they ask for counsel on the coming of children in their lives. Never has a generation been so surrounded with those who speak irreverently of life. Never has there been such persuasion to avoid the responsibilities of parenthood. Never has it been so convenient to block that frail foot path of life across which new spirits enter mortality. …Young couples are continually told that parenthood means forfeiture of advanced degrees and limiting of occupational progress, a representation they will live to know is false. … I warn you to approach parenthood with reverence. When you covenant in marriage and are free to act in the creation of life, when you stand at the threshold of parenthood, know that you stand on holy ground.¹²

From President David O. McKay:

And what about the woman who can bear children, who still retains her beauty and energy, who has intelligence to care for them and t he motherly emotion to love them, but who limits her family to two or three? And what about the man who arbitrarily refuses to let his wife enjoy this greatest gift of womanhood? She and he are both recreant to the highest, most blessed duty of parenthood.¹³

Finally, here’s an official statement from the First Presidency of the LDS Church issued in 1969:

We seriously regret that there should exist a sentiment or feeling among any members of the Church to curtail the birth of their children. We have been commanded to multiply and replenish the earth that we may have joy and rejoicing in our posterity.

Where husband and wife enjoy health and vigor and are free from impurities that would be entailed upon their posterity, it is contrary to the teachings of the Church artificially to curtail or prevent the birth of children. . . .(ellipsis in the original)

However, we feel that men must be considerate of their wives who bear the greater responsibility not only of bearing children, but of caring for them through childhood. To this end the mother’s health and strength should be conserved and the husband’s consideration for his wife is his first duty, and self control a dominant factor in all their relationships.¹⁴