What I Believe—A Mormon Perspective

The Importance of A Name

2012-01-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A few times I've blogged about whether Mormons are Christians and clarified that "Mormon" is actually a nickname. This is another of those posts.

Jesus Christ Himself named this Church, as recorded in the 115th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, "For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

In the most recent General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the importance of the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his talk, entitled, "The Importance of A Name," he said:

"I have thought a lot about why the Savior gave the nine-word name to His restored Church. It may seem long, but if we think of it as a descriptive overview of what the Church is, it suddenly becomes wonderfully brief, candid, and straightforward. How could any description be more direct and clear and yet expressed in such few words?

"Every word is clarifying and indispensable. The word The indicates the unique position of the restored Church among the religions of the world.

"The words Church of Jesus Christ declare that it is His Church. In the Book of Mormon, Jesus taught: 'And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man [like Mormon] then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel' (3 Nephi 27:8).

"Of Latter-day explains that it is the same Church as the Church that Jesus Christ established during His mortal ministry but restored in these latter days. We know there was a falling away, or an apostasy, necessitating the Restoration of His true and complete Church in our time.

"Saints means that its members follow Him and strive to do His will, keep His commandments, and prepare once again to live with Him and our Heavenly Father in the future. Saint simply refers to those who seek to make their lives holy by covenanting to follow Christ.

"The name the Savior has given to His Church tells us exactly who we are and what we believe. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world. He atoned for all who would repent of their sins, and He broke the bands of death and provided the resurrection from the dead. We follow Jesus Christ. And as King Benjamin said to his people, so I reaffirm to all of us today: 'Ye should remember to retain [His] name written always in your hearts' (Mosiah 5:12)."

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know who I am, and I know God's plan. I believe in the Savior Jesus Christ and I strive to follow His example. He atoned for my sins and shortcomings and I am forever grateful that He is patient with me and has given me the opportunity to repent and always try again.

I am a Mormon and I am a Christian.

Jeremy

VIDEO--Are Mormons Christian?

2011-12-27T17:42:00.000-08:00

The following is the story and testimony of Elder Gary J. Coleman, member of the Quorum of the Seventy.

For more information about the question "Are Mormons Christian?"

Topic: Mormon on lds.org. Contains videos and official Church answers to the questions, "Who are the Mormons," "What to Mormons Believe," and "What is different between the beliefs of Mormons and other Christian churches?" Great website, check it out!
"Are Mormons Christian?" A mormon.org FAQ with answers from members of the Church.
Church Apostle Answers Frequently Asked Questions from newsroom.lds.org. Video answers of questions such as, "Are you Christian?," "What is the role of Jesus Christ in your faith?," "Do you worship Jesus Christ in your Sunday services?," "In what ways are you similar to other Christians?", "In what ways do you differ from other Christians?" See also the transcript of the interview.
Are Mormons Christian? Post on this blog.

VIDEO--Look to the Light

2011-12-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

Remember this Christmas day the true meaning and spirit of Christmas. President Thomas S. Monson, the Lord's prophet in our day, taught, "To catch the real meaning of the 'spirit of Christmas,' we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the 'Spirit of Christ.'"1

Christmas is the time that we celebrate the miraculous birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. At this time perhaps most of all we are more mindful of the needs of those around us. We feel and express gratitude for our blessings, including our families and others in our lives. We are motivated to emulate the example of Him whose birth we honor this day.

Jesus Christ came into the world to show us the way back to our Father in Heaven.2 He alone was perfect in every aspect and He bids us to come and follow His example.3 Motivated by His great love for each of us, He suffered for our sins and our afflictions.4 He knows how to comfort and help us.5 His call to each of us is to come and take His yoke upon us, that our burdens may be light.6

I am forever grateful for my Father in Heaven and His Son. I am forever indebted to Jesus Christ for the matchless gift of His great atoning sacrifice. As I think on the eternal significance of the Atonement, I am motivated to lift up and serve those around me. Let us all lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees of our neighbors this Christmas season. Let us be the hands of the Savior to bless the lives of our brothers and sisters today and throughout the rest of our lives.

Jeremy

1. President Thomas S. Monson, "The Best Christmas Ever," Ensign, Dec 2008
2. See 3 Nephi 27:13-16; Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-43; JST John 1:7; John 14:6
3. See 2 Nephi 31:12; 3 Nephi 12:48; 27:21; Moroni 10:32; John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21
4. See Alma 7:11-13; Alma 11:40; John 3:16; 15:13; Ephesians 2:4-5
5. See Alma 7:12; Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19; 62:1; John 14:27; Hebrews 2:18
6. See Matthew 11:28-30

It Was A Miracle!

2011-12-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

I hesitate to post an article of the week the week before Christmas on a subject other than Jesus Christ specifically. For years now I have passed over the birthday of the prophet Joseph Smith which happens two days before Christmas in order to not distract from the birth of our Savior. This year, however I am going to post an article by President Gordon B. Hinckley (1923-2008), prophet and fifteenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In doing so, I do not distract from Christmas or take away any meaning or attention from the life of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, learning about the life of this servant of the Lord only accents the life of the Savior and better illustrates His eternal plan and love for us.

Jesus Christ said of His own life and mission, "And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me" (3 Nephi 27:14). For those who did not live at the time of Christ, God has called prophets to draw us unto Him. One prophets taught of his responsibility from the Lord, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).

Our day is no different. In 1820, Jesus Christ and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith and called him to be the prophet to usher in the "dispensation of the fulness of times" (Ephesians 1:10) and restore the Church of Jesus Christ in these, the latter days. Joseph Smith's mission and calling was to establish once again the Church and fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, thus enabling us-the sons and daughters of God-to make the proper choices that we may return to live with our Father in Heaven.

In commemoration of the 200th birthday of the prophet Joseph Smith, President Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet, seer, and revelator and successor of Joseph Smith, wrote an article in the December 2005 Ensign entitled, "Joseph Smith Jr.—Prophet of God, Mighty Servant." Read this talk and find out more about the man who communed with Jehovah, Jesus anointed this prophet and seer!

Joseph's life was given in the service of Jesus Christ. His mission was to bring to light and knowledge of the Redeemer and His atonement all who wandered in darkness searching for truth. He talked of Christ, he rejoiced in Christ, he preached of Christ, he prophesied of Christ, and he wrote and proclaimed and published and died that we may know to what source to look for a remission of our sins.

Indeed, praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!

Jeremy

see also: josephsmith.net and Joseph Smith on this blog

VIDEO--What Shall We Give?

2011-12-17T17:12:00.000-08:00

"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Friends remembered and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the "spirit of Christmas," we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the 'Spirit of Christ.'

"Then came that night of nights when the shepherds were abiding in the fields and the angel of the Lord appeared to them, announcing the birth of the Savior. You, with me, recall the words from Isaiah: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isaiah 7:14)—meaning 'God with us.'

"Times change; years speed by; but Christmas continues sacred. Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.

"If we are to have the very best Christmas ever, we must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth.

"It was said of Jesus of Nazareth that He 'increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man' (Luke 2:52). Do we have the determination to do likewise?"

--President Thomas S. Monson

See "The Best Christmas Ever," Ensign, Dec 2008, 4–8

Pornography--No One is Immune

2011-12-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

Recently I overheard a conversation about pornography. One of the participants of this discussion said that he was sure that some cases exist in which pornography doesn't destroy the viewer's life and family. Of course, he admitted, it wreaks havoc in some people's lives and isn't good, but he believes some people indulge in pornography and are fine.

I wish to today offer my opinion on the matter.

First, to make clear the Church's stance on pornography, I quote President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008):

"Pornography, with its sleazy filth, sweeps over the earth like a horrible, engulfing tide. It is poison. Do not watch it or read it. It will destroy you if you do. It will take from you your self-respect. It will rob you of a sense of the beauties of life. It will tear you down and pull you into a slough of evil thoughts and possibly of evil actions. Stay away from it. Shun it as you would a foul disease, for it is just as deadly. Be virtuous in thought and in deed."1

The link above contains numerous similar quotes, talks, and teachings from the Lord's servants in our day. The teachings of the Church are clear concerning pornography; it is evil, "highly destructive of divine potential, [and is] to be strictly shunned by children of God."2

That being said, there are commandments and rules and guidelines, "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints," that are given to everyone even though a select few may be able responsibly engage in a particular activity and be okay. Example: perhaps one glass of wine at dinner would do one no harm and the person could perhaps go his or her whole life without drinking to excess or becoming intoxicated. I'm sure some one of you could produce an example of someone you know who may have accomplished this. However, the negative effects of alcohol as a whole vastly outweighs anything good that may come to the few who can drink in moderation and therefore the Lord commands all to abstain.

Pornography, however, is NOT one of the commandments adapted to the weak and the weakest of all saints. Pornography can and will tear down even the mightiest of men (and women) for it is "one of the most effective of Satan’s enticements."3 Indeed, as part of the higher law taught by Jesus Christ Himself while He was upon the earth we learn that, "whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery in his heart."4 Adultery is a non-negotiable commandment and "an abomination in the sight of the Lord."5

The prophet of the Lord, President Thomas S. Monson said this:

"There may be those of you who are thinking to yourselves, 'Well, I’m not living all the commandments, and I’m not doing everything I should, and yet my life is going along just fine. I think I can have my cake and eat it too.' Brethren, I promise you that this will not work in the long run." Those who pursue such a lifestyle of trying to serve God and mammon will be left with, "all of the emptiness, darkness, and loneliness that Satan provides to those who believe his deceptions, illusions, and lies."6,7

Wickedness never was happiness.8 I do not believe that a soul exists on this planet who can indulge in pornography to any degree and remain true and steadfast in the gospel and to his family. Sooner or later his world and everything he holds dear will come crashing down and he will be left with the tears that inevitably follow transgression.9

The Atonement is the way back for any who have been caught in the trap of pornography. Forgiveness is real for those who's repentance is sincere. This I believe.

Jeremy

1. President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service," Ensign, Nov 1997

2. Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Salvation and Exaltation," Ensign, May 2008

3. President Thomas S. Monson, "Until We Meet Again," Ensign, May 2009

4. Matthew 5:28

5. Alma 39:5

6. President Thomas S. Monson, "Dare to Stand Alone," Ensign, Nov 2011

7. See Matthew 6:24

8. See Alma 41:10

9. President Thomas S. Monson, "Preparation Brings Blessings," Ensign, May 2010

VIDEO--The Real Meaning of the Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

"To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of Christ." --President Thomas S. Monson

VIDEO--Kids and Christmas

2011-12-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:4)

The Light in Their Eyes

2011-12-07T16:37:00.001-08:00

There are, in my ward inBoise, two people who were recently baptized. They were introduced to theChurch by caring friends in California and sought out the Church when theymoved up to Boise to go to school. If you were to walk in to church on Sundayor in to any Church function at which they are present and glance across thecrowd, you would have much difficulty figuring out who they were since theyintegrated with the members of the Church here in Boise so well. If you werethen to ask me to point them out, I would point across the room and say, “Seethe dark haired guy and the blond girl that just radiate? That’s them.” Indeed,in talking to them, you would never guess that they, in fact, weren’t baptizedmembers of the Church. Even before they were baptized, Claire and Ian werealways shining, and they always radiated light and a contagious, genuinehappiness.

Youmay simply contribute that happiness to their naturally optimisticpersonalities. Indeed, I did not know them before they gained testimonies ofJesus Christ and of His gospel of peace and hope and therefore I do not knowwhat their personalities were like then. However, no matter their optimisticnatures before they were introduced to the Church, I am confident that thelight that shines from them is the light of the knowledge of the restoredgospel and of a burning testimony of Jesus Christ and His great atoningsacrifice. These two friends have sacrificed much and gone through many trialsin order to be baptized, including a general rejection by their own families.But they know the Church is true and they know that the key totrue happiness is a life following Christ. And that knowledge and testimonysustains them and gives them happiness and a hope of a better future.

PresidentJames E. Faust (1920-2007), apostle and counselor to the prophet, once told astory of a friend who also noticed a light in the eyes of those members of theChurch with whom he had come in contact. President Faust said:

“Whatwas that light in their eyes which was so obvious to our friend? The LordHimself gives the answer: ‘And the light which shineth, which giveth you light,is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light thatquickeneth your understandings.’1 Where did that light come from? Again theLord gives the answer: ‘I am the true light that lighteth every man that comethinto the world.’2 The Lord is the true light, ‘and the Spirit enlightenethevery man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.’3 Thislight shows in our countenances as well as in our eyes.”4

Wegrow and develop that light as we embrace the things of God. As we strive tofollow the example of Jesus Christ, we become converted to His gospel and theSpirit lives within us stronger and more frequently. We put off the natural manand become saints though His Atonement, allowing that light to shineunrestricted.5 The Lord said, “That which is of God is light; and he thatreceiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that lightgroweth brighter and brighter until that perfect day.”6 Jesus commanded us to“hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the lightwhich ye shall hold up--that which ye have seen me do.”7 As we cultivate thatlight and strive to be examples of the believers, His light will shine throughus for the blessing of all those around us.

Rememberthe words of the Savior, “I am the light and the life of the world: he thatfolloweth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”8 That promise is for all who desire to live in the light of His love.

Jeremy

1. Doctrine and Covenants88:11;emphasis added.
2. Doctrine and covenants93:2.
3. Doctrine and Covenants84:46.
4.President James E. Faust, “The Light in Their Eyes,” Ensign, Nov 2005.
5. SeeMosiah 3:19; 4:1-3; 5:1-5.
6. Doctrine and Covenants 50:24.
7. 3 Nephi 18:24.
8. John 8:12.

What is Faith?

2011-12-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

My name is Meghan, and I'm one of Jeremy's Canadian jumprope friends and I'm also a Mormon. I had a Sunday School teacher explain thatthe General Authorities of today and even prophets of old, especially JesusChrist, taught in parables so that people could better understand theprinciples of the gospel. She also told us that these parables are related tothings they know well. She called on me in class, asking if I could relateanything to jump rope... It took me this long to think of one.

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH 4: We believe that the firstprinciples and ordinances of the gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord JesusChrist; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission ofsins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This fourth Article of Faith is wonderful because it soplainly illustrates the means by which we may receive our eternal salvation. Iwould like explain a little bit today about the principle of Faith. In theBible in James 2:17 it reads, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,being alone.” Thus we are told that faith in Jesus Christ is more than merelybelieving in him, but it requires action on our part; a commitment to followhim and act in accordance to the example he provided us.

Christ taught by parables and so I decided to create alittle parable myself relating the principle of faith to something which I knowvery well: rope skipping. One of my favourite events is Double Dutch Speed.This is a timed event in which there are two turners and one jumper.

The jumper moves their feet up and down as fast as they canin a sort of ‘jogger step’ and the turners must keep up with the jumper so asto make few to no mistakes. I love to turn, and if you ask my opinion, I wouldtell you that the turner’s job is the most important at any time that you aredoing Double Dutch. After all… All the jumper has to do is jump!

Relate this timed event to our probationary state here onEarth. Make Heavenly Father the jumper, who jumps perfectly and never tires.You are one turner, and Christ is the other: “Judges ready, jumpers ready, set,go!” The event is under way and as you begin to turn the ropes, the jumper, inthis case, Heavenly Father, enters and begins to jump. Right foot, left foot,right, left. You, Christ, and Heavenly Father start to gradually speed up untilyou all agree on a fast, yet steady and comfortable pace. As time passes,Heavenly Father continues to jump perfectly, but you, being imperfect, begin totire. You can no longer feel your arms and they seem to only be moving bymomentum. You want to give up because the pain in your shoulders is too much tobear but you hear a voice inside your mind urging you to know that if you stopturning that the whole event will fall apart. Just as you begin to slow yourarms, you can feel Christ begin to speed up his turning on the other end. In sodoing, he has made up the difference for your lack of speed and the event continuessmoothly and without error until the clock runs out.

The principle of faith is modeled quite clearly in thisanalogy. The time represents the time we have on Earth; a time of testing, tofeel both joy and pain, and to gain experience and return again to live in thepresence of God. Heavenly Father is the jumper. He jumps perfectly and servesto represent the way to eternal life. If you, as a turner, can keep Him in theropes for the duration of the event without causing a mistake, then you will beable to achieve your eternal salvation. The voice inside your mind is the HolyGhost, providing you with personal revelation and a means to know what to do—tonever give up. Christ is the second turner. He begins along with you, and whenyou tire and feel as though you have expended all of your energy and cannotturn any longer, he makes up the difference. He takes you the rest of the wayafter you put in all of your effort, “for [you] know that it is by grace that[you] are saved, after all that[you] can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23)

Thus we see faith in action. The only way for HeavenlyFather to have made a mistake and the only way in which you could have lostyour eternal reward would have been if you did not turn at all. Without theslightest movement on your end of the ropes, Christ could not have made theevent even start. Simply raising your hands up to your waist allows the ropesto start moving if Christ turns them. As soon as you began to move your arm,you were demonstrating faith in Jesus Christ. You were proving to him that youtrusted in his ability as a turner to make up for your shortcomings after youhad done your very best.

“Therefore ye are justified of faith and works, throughgrace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to them onlywho are of the law, but to them also who are the faith of Abraham; who is thefather of us all.” (JST Rom 4:16)

Eternal salvation granted by faith, works, and grace is awonderful promise which is given to all those who have faith in the Lord JesusChrist and who repent of their sins and take upon them his holy name byentering the waters of baptism. I urge every one to fall to their knees andpray that they might have faith enough to act when times get tough, that theymight know that Heavenly Father loves them and that Christ yearns to help themto achieve their eternal salvation. I testify that faith and works areessential in our search for eternal happiness.

You Matter to Him

2011-12-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

How is the someone's worth determined? In the professional world, people are "worth" the value of their assets, i.e., the total value of their stocks and bonds, their bank accounts, their real estate, and the ability they have to create more. In the sporting world, athletes are bought and sold by teams who place a dollar value on their skills and abilities to increase the value of a franchise and fill seats. And in the world in which most of us live, our worth is determined by how well we keep up with the Joneses.

But these methods of valuation are not the Lord's methods. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf apostle and counselor to the prophet taught that, "the Lord uses a scale very different from the world's to weigh the worth of a soul." In his address given in the October 2011 General Conference entitled, "You Matter to Him," President Uchtdorf taught about the worth of souls and that, "a person's true value had little to do with what the world holds in high esteem." He continued, "you could pile up the accumulated currency of the entire world and it could not buy a loaf of bread in the economy of heaven."

President Uchtdorf also taught about the ways Satan uses the world's valuation of worth to distract us, either encouraging us to think that, "because of ability, birthright, or social status, [we] are set apart from the common measure of all that surrounds [us]," or encouraging us to, "focus our sight on our own insignificance until we begin to doubt that we have much worth." What matters to the Lord is that we are doing the best we can, that our hearts are inclined toward Him, and that we are willing to help those around us. And if we are doing the best we can, all will be well. President Uchtdorf concludes:

"Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.

"God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him."

This talk contains to many more wonderful teaching about our worth in God's eyes. Read it, accept it, apply it. I know that Heavenly Father loves each of us and desires our eternal happiness. If you do not feel that, make the necessary changes in your life so that this knowledge can give you lasting hope and happiness.

Jeremy

The Power of Scripture

2011-11-27T10:10:00.000-08:00

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ."

The above quote comes from an address given by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. His address, entitled "The Power of Scripture," was given at the 181st semi-annual General Conference in October 2011.

Usually I share my thoughts and insights about the talk I feature each week. This week, however, I have nothing really to say. Elder Scott conveys his love for the scriptures so beautifully and completely that anything I say will just distract from his message.

Read this talk! In it you will find many wonderful teachings that will strengthen your testimony of the words of the Lord and broaden your understanding of the power of the scriptures. I love the scriptures and I add my testimony to the testimony of Elder Scott. Studying the word of the Lord through His prophets provides a foundation of support and truth that can be called on anytime, anywhere in a time of need.

Jeremy

Have to v. Want to

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

This past week at practice I had a conversation with ateammate that went something like this:

“Oh, I thought that you would be going with them to dothe circus.” (Some of my teammates are leaving for a four-month cirque tourwhich will be super cool for them.)

“Nah, not me, not this time.”

“Why?”

“Oh, I’ve got other things I’m doing. And I really don’tlike to work or jump on Sundays.”

“Oh, you’re not allowed?”

“No, I just don’t like to, I don’t want to.”

“Oh, I thought maybe you were Mormon or something.”

“I am. And...”

“Then you’re not allowed.”

“No. I can, I can do anything I want to, I have theability to make my own decisions, I just don’t like to jump on Sundays anddon’t want to; it’s not fun for me.”

This is a pretty cookie-cutter example of conversations Ihave had many times with many different people. Sometimes the conversations areregarding jumping on Sunday, sometimes they are regarding going to church,sometimes they are regarding reading the scriptures or praying or serving amission or not drinking or a host of other things.

There are many things which I do or don’t do that manyconsider “out of the norm.” Always people ask if what I do is because I “haveto,” or they just simply assume it’s because I “have to.” Quite the contrary.All the things I do that are church-related I do because I want to, because Ifeel and have learned through experience that they are important, and because Ilove to do them.

Keeping the Sabbath day holy

I don’t work on Sundays and I am getting better at notparticipating in other recreational activities on Sunday (aka jump rope). Jumprope is not a bad thing and spending that one extra day together with my jumprope friends on trips is nice, but not better than going to church and doingother things I enjoy on Sundays. Sundays are a day to set aside the things ofthe world and focus wholly on the things that matter most. A lot of theactivities in which we participate throughout the week are not bad things. Indeed,school, work, play, and jump rope are necessary things not only to sustain lifebut to enhance it and help us lead fulfilling lives (yes, jump rope isnecessary to life--ask any jumper you know.) But Sundays are different. TheLord commanded that we remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and throughHis prophets defined what that means.

Quite honestly, I really enjoy havingthat one day each week to do nothing other than concentrate on the Savior andothers’ needs. It’s relaxing, it’s freeing, it’s stress relieving, it shows theLord that He is first in my priorities, and it strengthens me to hold true towhat I believe for another week. I have never regretted not jumping on aSunday.

Attending church

One part of keeping the Sabbath day holy is attendingchurch. This past spring, I had the opportunity to attend church in Germany.The family I was staying with-the wonderful Zeisslers-agreed to take me to thenearby town where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met, forwhich I was super grateful. When we arrived, the church building was locked andempty due to a regional conference of which I was not aware. I was certainlydisappointed and on the drive home, the father, Armin, was concerned that theremight be some negative consequence because I did not attend my church that day.Appreciative of his concern, I explained that my not going to church that daywasn’t the end of the world; I wasn’t going to get in trouble and no one wasgoing to check up on me to see if I went to church, I just really wanted to gobecause church is something I look forward to every week.

I go to church because I love going to church. I love thecompanionship and the relationships I have with the people at church. TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints feels the same all over the worldand I love that feeling. I love the feeling of church and I love learning. Itreasure the opportunity to take the sacrament, and I feelgreat about the opportunities to serve.

Reading the scriptures daily

On another occasion, one of my friends commented how shenoticed that I read my scriptures each night at jump rope camp. Apparently sheobserved me reading my scriptures every night before going to bed, often timesafter everyone else had gone to sleep since that was the only down time I hadeach day. She, too, phrased her comment using “have to” and I explained that I didnot have to, but that I wantedto, that reading the scriptures is important to me. I explained that I striveto read my scriptures daily-even on tired jump rope days-because I love thethings I learn. I love the insights that the Holy Ghost teaches me. And I needthe strength I receive from reading the scriptures. I choose to live standardsthat do not line up with the world very well and maintaining those standards iscan be difficult sometimes so I need all the help and strength I can get. Ialso strive to pray morning and night to thank the Lord for all the greatblessings He has given me and to ask for the strength and the knowledge toaccomplish what the day requires.

Ifye love me…

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’thave a bunch of rules the regulations that leaders enforce or that you arepunished for not following. Of course, the Lord has commandments that we arerequired to live if we wish to receive all the blessings He wishes to bestowupon us, and those same commandments protect us from unnecessary hardship andpain. Church leaders teach those commandments and stress theimportance of obedience to the Lord’s command. They help us when we are struggling and when they see us faltering in any of the commandments because they love us and they love the Lord. They know as do I that those who keep the commandments, “are blessed in all things,both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they arereceived into heaven, that thereby theymay dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness . . .” (Mosiah 2:41).

We are also required to live those commandments if wewish to partake of the blessings offered by baptism and the holy temple. However, if Iteach at a jump rope workshop next Sunday or compete at the Nationalcompetition on Sunday or don’t go to church or forget to read my scriptures, noone is going to get after me nor will I be banned from attending church or anything.The Lord has blessed us with the divine gift of agency that we may choose. Theprophet Jacob taught:

“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and allthings are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to chooseliberty and eternal life, according to the great Mediator of all men, or tochoose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil;for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:27.)

Church leaders do take action if members break veryserious commandments, especially if such actions affect other people. These moreserious sins pertain to adultery, abuse, and embezzlement of Church funds andbreaking other serious laws of the land. Consequences for such sins includeloss of certain privileges and even potential loss of Church membershipdepending on what Church leaders feel is appropriate and what will help theindividual the most.

Conclusion

I strive to live the teachings of the Savior for a fewreasons. Firstly, I have seen how my life is better and more fulfilling when Iregularly attend church, read my scriptures, keep the Sabbath day holy, and don’tdrink or take other potentially harmful things into my body. Secondly, I havefaith that the blessings and rewards of such a lifestyle will far outweigh theimmediate gratification of not keeping the commandments. As much fun as thecircus with my friends would be, I know staying true to what I believe is morerewarding. Thirdly and most importantly, I love Jesus Christ and I am gratefulfor everything that He has done for me. Jesus taught, “If ye love me, keep mycommandments” (John 14:15).If for no other reason, we should desire to do as He asks because to show ourlove for Him and our gratitude for the great sacrifice He made in our behalf.

Remember the comforting, calling words of the Savior, “comeunto me, all ye that are heavy laden,and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek andlowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

And John taught that we learn of Him when we keep hiscommandments (see 1 John 2:3).

So no, I don’t do any of these things because I have to. I do each of them because I want to. I want to be an example of the believers, I want to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him, and I want that comfort and rest promised bythe Savior Himself to those who keep His commandments.

Jeremy

Stand in Holy Places--Words from a prophet

2011-11-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

How blessed are we to have a living prophet on the earth today to lead us and to guide us through the storms of life! How blessed are we to hear from our prophet regularly, and to know God's will through him. President Thomas S. Monson (b. 1927) is the Lord's prophet. I love hearing his words and his stories; he sets a powerful example with his ability and willingness to receive and heed the promptings of the Spirit.

President Monson

In the October General Conference, President Monson spoke about the importance of prayer to our Father in Heaven and following inspiration from Him in an address entitled, "Stand in Holy Places." "Communication with our Father in Heaven--," taught President Monson, "including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us--is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life."

President Monson spoke of the rapidly-evolving moral compass of society and about how, "behaviors which once were considered inappropriate and immoral are now not only tolerated but also viewed by ever so many as acceptable." He continued, "Although the world has changed, the laws of God remain constant. They have not changed they will not change."

The reason that we are not to conform to the teachings of society but cling to the teachings of Jesus Christ is so that we will be better equipped to deal with the storms of life, to learn from them, and to overcome them. By striving to have the gospel of Jesus Christ at our core and the love of the Savior in our hearts, we can effectively deal with all the challenges we face. The constancy of the Lord is, "something on which we can hold fast and be safe, lest we be swept away into uncharted waters." When we live in the world and not of the world, we stay clean and worthy of the influence of the Holy Spirit that we may receive strength from the Lord. "There is nothing which can bring more joy into our lives or more peace to our souls than the Spirit which can come to us as we follow the Savior and keep the commandments."

I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers. I know from personal experience that only when I am striving to do what the Lord asks am I able to recognize and have the strength to heed His promptings. He is the way, the truth, and the light and the source of the greatest happiness and joy.

Jeremy

Teachings of Jesus

2011-11-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Those who believe in Him are called Christians. All benefit from a deep and abiding faith in Him and in the power of His great atoning sacrifice. Jesus Christ taught many things about Himself. In order to understand who Jesus Christ is and how faith in Him will bless your life, you must read the scriptures, especially the words which He spoke of Himself.

In the October 2011 General Conference, the apostle Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke concerning the "Teachings of Jesus." Using the words of Christ, Elder Oaks taught many truths concerning the Savior's works and mission. Jesus Christ:

is the Only Begotten Son
is the express image of God the Father's person
is the Creator
is the Great Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel
is the Life of the World
is the Light of the World
is the way to eternal life
was obedient and submissive to the will of His Father
is the great Exemplar
is the source of the priesthood power given to the apostles
guides us through the Holy Ghost
guides us by giving us commandments
challenges us to focus on Hum, and not on the teachings of the world
suffered and died for us, atoning for our sins and trials, enabling us to become clean through repentance and receive all that the Father hath.

So what think ye of Christ? Who is Jesus Christ to you? To me He is my Savior, the one through whom I can repent and become clean. He atoned for me and my sins and weaknesses and I am constantly grateful for the opportunity I have to repent and even more for how I feel throughout the repentance process. I love the words of the Savior Himself and through His prophets, living and dead. I love the temple and how I feel when I am in the house of the Lord. Do you get the idea? The feelings I have because of Jesus Christ make me truly happy, more so than any other feelings from any other source. He is the way, the truth, and the light. He is my friend.

Jeremy

Polygamy

2011-11-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

Let's talk polygamy.

In recent months on separate occasions people have brought up thesubject of polygamy with me so I felt to sum up our conversations and hopefullyhelp others who maybe do not understand about polygamy and the Church.

Overview

To begin, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does notteach or support the practice of polygamy. “Mormons” who openly live polygamous lives are generally part ofoffshoots from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as theincidents all over the news a few years ago in Texas. Those people have their ownmodified version of the Church and are in no way affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. PresidentGordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) , fifteenth prophet and president of the Churchin the latter days said:

“This Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicingpolygamy. They are not members of this Church.... If any of our members arefound to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the mostserious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in directviolation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.”

In the early days of the Church, the Lord did reveal to theprophet Joseph Smith that some of the members were to practice polygamy. Thiswas not a blanket commandment but specific instruction given to select people.Then, in 1890, the Lord revealed to the current prophet and president of theChurch, PresidentWilford Woodruff (1807-1898), that the members of the Church were to nolonger practice polygamy (see OfficialDeclaration 1). Some struggledwith the apparent “retraction” of the commandment and split off to create theirown churches in which they could continue to practice polygamy. These are thechurches that you hear about today when polygamy is discussed.

As we discuss the history of polygamy in The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints a bit more in-depth, keep in mind that a certaindegree of faith is required both to understand and to accept the reasons behindpolygamy and why the Church no longer practices polygamy. Remember, ourthoughts are not the Lord’s thoughts, neither are His ways our ways (see Isaiah 5:8-9). When Godgives commandments or does things that perhaps we do not fully understand, wemust trust in Him that it “shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our]good” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7),for “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

History

The first time the Lord commanded pluralmarriage was not in the 1800s. In the Bible we read of people including prophets such as Abraham,Isaac, Jacob, and others who had multiple wives (ex. Genesis 16:1–3; 29:23–30; 30:4, 9; Judges 8:30; 1 Samuel 1:1–2).And, likewise there were times that God commanded not to live the law ofplural marriage.

One potential reason for polygamy in the early days of the Churchcould stem from the persecution of the early Saints. In the early days of theChurch, persecution was very intense. Members of the Church were driven fromplace to place, their property was destroyed, they were denied rights andprivileges that were rightfully theirs as US citizens, and they were evenkilled. Political leaders upheld the mobs that persecuted the early Saints andthe governor of Illinois even signed an “extermination order” in which hedecreed, “The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated ordriven from the state if necessary.” (Greene, John P (1839), FactsRelative to the Expulsion of the Mormons or Latter Day Saints, from the Stateof Missouri, under the "Exterminating Order", Cincinnati, Ohio:R. P. Brooks, retrieved 2006-12-31.)

Throughout this persecution, many women were left widows and childrenleft fatherless. One benefit of plural marriage was the better care for all ofthe women and children who didn’t have husbands and fathers to meet theirneeds. This certainly isn’t the reason, nor did Joseph Smith ever givethis as a reason, but it may have been a partial motivation behind thecommandment.

As persecution worsened, the Lord told the Saints to move west, toa place far away from persecution--the middle of the desert which is now knownas the Salt Lake valley. There the Saints began to build a new civilization andenjoyed freedom from persecution because of their beliefs. Their joy wasshort-lived, however, as people in the east began to pressure President JamesBuchanan to raise an army to go west and fight the polygamists. As politicalpressure worsened, the US government under President Abraham Lincoln began toseize the property of the Church that the Saints worked so hard to build,threatening to take the sacred and beloved temples.

In 1890, the Lord revealed to President Woodruff that the membersof the Church were to cease living the law of plural marriage and were, “torefrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land” (OfficialDeclaration 1). Many members and leaders of the Church struggled with theretraction of this commandment (some leaving the Church and forming some of thevarious splinter groups discussed above), nevertheless the official stance ofthe Church from that day to now holds that polygamy is not a currentcommandment of God.

God’s command and the required faith

Earlier I said that in order to understand the reasons behindpolygamy and it’s place in the history of the Church, a certain degree of faithis required. Many both inside the Church and outside have criticized thatChurch leaders caved and changed the commandment due to the extreme politicalpressure and outright persecution. This is false. The Lord Himself said, “WhatI the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; . . . whetherby mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine andCovenants 1:38). He gives commandments and teachings when He wants, on Hisown timetable, and for His own purposes. He is not threatened nor influenced byman. “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri riverin its decreed course, or to turn it upstream, as to hinder the Almighty,” inHis work and His efforts to bless His children (Doctrine and Covenants121:33).

In order to understand or at least square with polygamy you musthave faith that Joseph Smith (through whom the commandment was first given inour day) was a prophet of God and that God spoke to Him. You must also have faiththat Wilford Woodruff (through whom the commandment was taken) was a prophetwho also spoke with the Lord. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsis lead by Jesus Christ and He requires of us our faith and faithfulness infollowing Him. Plural marriage was not the first hard commandment to understandor follow, nor was it the first time laws and commandments have been taken fromthe earth. Indeed, it was Moses’ second time down the mountain when He broughtwith him the Ten Commandments; the first time he brought with him the higherlaw which he used to destroy the golden calf his brother Aaron helped fashionand the Lord deemed the people not ready or worthy of a higher law.

Some months ago I was discussing polygamy with a very good friendwho is not a member of the Church and whom I respect very much. Afterdiscussing much of what we have discussed above, she brought up a veryinteresting point that is the most logical explanation I have everheard concerning the history of polygamy and the Church. She said that in herresearch of the topic, she had come to the conclusion that the Church leadersused the law of polygamy for the very survival of the Church. In the early days, polygamy was needed to grow the Church from the inside. Then, with missionariesbeing sent to spread the gospel abroad and the imminent threat of loss ofproperty and freedom at home, the Church leaders stopped the practice ofpolygamy in order to continue the growth of the Church.

The Book of Mormon reads, “the Lord giveth no commandments untothe children of men, save that he shall prepare a way for them that they mayaccomplish the things which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7). My friend madea very good point. And I also really appreciated her open-mindedness about thewhole situation and her willingness to try to find the benefits of andpotential reasons for the Saints’ living the law of plural marriage. I did,however, make clear in our discussion and I wish to make clear now thatthe decision to stop the practice of plural marriage was the Lord’s decisionand not man’s.

The Lord took the law of polygamy from the earth for His ownreasons and for His own purposes. The Saints were doing all they could to liveaccording to the commandments given them by God through His prophets. Theyendured heavy persecution from day one and would have continued to endure everything ifthe Lord willed it. The government could not and cannot stop the work of theLord, no one can. If it was God’s will that His Saints continue to live the lawof plural marriage, He would have grown the Rocky Mountains or placed eternalblizzards in the mountain passes or done whatever you can imagine to preventthe coming of armies and the fall of His people, His Church, and His temples.He parted the Red Sea, He placed a pillar of cloud before the children of Israel by day and a pillar of fire by night, Hewalked on water, and He calmed the storms. He could have done anything tomake possible the Saints’ living His commandments.

Conclusion

But He did not. This time He chose to take the commandment from theearth. I do not understand everything related to the law of plural marriage. Infact, I understand very little about that law and it’s place in Church history.But I do know that Joseph Smith was aprophet of God. I know that each of his successors including Wilford Woodruffand Thomas S. Monson, who is theprophet today, were and are men of God who speak the mind and will of ourHeavenly Father. Whether by the Lord’s voice or by the voice of His servantsthe prophets it is the same.

I echo the words of the prophet Alma and say that it, “may sufficeif I only say,” that the commandments of God are given, “for a wise purpose,which purpose is known unto God for he doth counsel in wisdom over all hisworks, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round” (Alma 37:12).

The Lord does what He needs to bless the lives of us, Hischildren. His work and His glory is to bring to pass our eternal life (see Moses 1:39).He loves each one of us and hopes that each of us makes decisions to come untoHim through the atoning sacrifice of His Son and return to live with Themagain. I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves me and cares about meenough to call prophets that I may know how to successfully navigate this worldof changing and shifting values. I love the Lord and I know that He strengthensme in my efforts to keep his commandments.

Jeremy

What's Your Source?

2011-10-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

In light of the potential republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many are discussing "Mormon" doctrine and much misinformation is circulating on blogs and other social media conversations.

If you're smart, you'll understand that not everything you read online is true. For example, I read one article entitled, "Romney isn't Christian, and That's All Right," on Bloomberg.com makes ridiculous claims as to why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aren't Christian. People, the Church is called The Church of Jesus Christ, where's the confusion? In contrast, I also read an article from The Economist simply entitled, "Mormons Are Christians," which does a much better job representing what the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe. However, even in that article, not all the sources cited-though cited as "LDS sites"-are official Church sources, so once again, be careful.

Really, I just feel that if you want information about something, go to the source. If I want to know what Rick Perry is all about, I'm going to go to his website and get information from the source, from him. If I want to know about Obama's latest policy, I'm not going to simply Google it and click on the first hit, oblivious of the source whether it be from an opposing party or not. And if I want to know Verizon's coverage area, I'm not going trust an AT&T commercial and vice versa.

So why, then, would anyone settle for what Bloomberg or The Economist or CNN or Fox or Mormonhaters.com or any blog--including mine--says about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Why not go to the source? The Church has ample, easy-to-access information available on several official websites. (Oh, look, the links are listed right there on the right!)

"Come unto me all ye that labour
and are heavy laden."

As for the question of Christianity and Mormons, this blog discusses that topic here, here, and here. The Church's discussion page discusses it here. But for those who are still wondering, Mormons are Christians. Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed "Mormons" because we read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the center of everything we do, teach, and strive to live. Indeed, the Book of Mormon itself says of those who wrote it, "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).

The source for the remission of our sins, the only source, is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is only in and through Him that we are saved--through the cleansing power of His Atonement.1 He is the central figure in the plan of our Heavenly Father and the cornerstone of my faith. I know that He lived and died, and lives again and that He will once again return to the earth. And, though I am far from perfect, I strive to do as He did, to love and serve, to come unto Him. Yes, I am a Mormon and I am Christian.

Jesus Christ will come again!

Jeremy

1. References from the Holy Scriptures:*

*These are just a few of many teaching of Jesus Christ and His Atonement found in the scriptures. To say nothing of the words of the modern-day apostles and prophets.

Promptings, Revelations, and Directions from the Spirit

2011-10-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

The promptings, revelations, and directions from the Spirit never cease to amaze me. A while back one Sunday at church, the teacher of the missionary preparation Sunday school class did not show up and the class was left without a teacher. The responsibility of the class then fell on me. I have a strong testimony of the mission prep class; what is taught in that class is so vital and helpful to the Church and to the members of the class and I didn't want to just have them go to a different class for a day so I opted to teach the class myself.

Without a plan, I went into the classroom praying for inspiration and guidance from the Lord that I may be able to facilitate a lesson for the 45-minute class. I had previous lesson plans in my scriptures from when I taught that same class the year before and I began to review those in hopes that one would stand out and give me at least a starting point for a discussion. Nothing did. We prayed, we reviewed Doctrine and Covenants 4 that the members of the class were challeged to memorize, and we started. As I opened my mouth, I was prompted to share a certain scripture and then ask for questions. That sparked a discussion filled with other comments and questions and as we searched the scriptures for answers and shared experiences, the influence of the Spirit was strong and all were edified. Soon the class was over. As the potential full-time missionaries were leaving, I was humbled and my heart was filled with gratitude for the help I received and the Spirit we felt as we discussed the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to better share His great message.

I love the scripture recorded in the 100th section of the Doctrine and Covenants that reads, "speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts . . . .

"For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea in the very moment, what ye shall say."

And then the promise:

"And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say."

That promise was fulfilled in that small missionary prep class in Boise, Idaho that day. I went in to that class not knowing beforehand what I should say but with faith that as I asked what the Lord would have the members of that class know, I would receive and all would be "edified and rejoice together" (D&C 50:22).

His promises are true.

Jeremy

How can I know for myself that what you teach is true?

2011-10-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is part ten of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number ten: How can I know for myself that what you teach is true?

Elder Cuthbert's answer:

To all who ask this question, the promise found in the Book of Mormon is powerful, true, and of eternal significance.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moro. 10:4–5.)

Yes, my dear inquiring friend, we will add to the truth you have, for God speaks again through prophets. He has revealed himself to man in modern times. It is possible for families to be forever, for God has restored the sacred temple ordinances for the living and the dead. Furthermore, he has given us a health law, a welfare program, and a missionary system. He has revealed the purpose of life and has given us the Holy Ghost that we might testify to others and know for ourselves that this is the living Church of the living Christ, and that he speaks through a living prophet, even our beloved President Spencer W. Kimball. I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

My testimony:

I do not have much to add to that which Elder Cuthbert has said. Ponder the things that you have read and then do as Moroni exhorted in the Book of Mormon, that is, ask God if these things are true.

I know that if you ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost will testify to your heart that these things are true. You can know the purpose of life. You can know how to be successful. You can know how to be truly happy. You can know how to ensure that your family relationships are eternal.

Try it. The blessings are indescribable.

Jeremy

How do you know the answers you have given are true?

2011-10-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is part nine of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number nine: How do you know the answers you have given are true?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

I know because of my testimony, which comes from deep inside me and yet is from a divine source. The wonderful missionaries brought a special gift, which I received following baptism.

“A gift, you say? What did they buy for you that has made you so happy and made you so sure that God and Jesus live and that they speak to us in these days through prophets?”

No, it was not a gift purchased, except by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. He promised that he would send a Comforter, even the Holy Ghost, to guide and bless and comfort and testify of truth.

“You mean you have the gift of the Holy Ghost as was promised and bestowed in the early Church?”

Yes. After I had come up out of the water, hands were laid upon my head by one having authority from Jesus Christ himself, and I received the Holy Ghost to be my constant companion. The Holy Ghost testifies of truth; he bears witness of the Father and the Son.

My testimony:

We read in the scriptures of miraculous conversions of prophets such as Moses and Samuel who heard the voice of the Lord; later Moses even spoke to God face to face. Others have visitations of the spirit, angelic messengers who appear to them and teach them in person such as Saul of Tarsus and Alma the younger. And the scriptures are full of stories of others who had a foundation of faith and then saw angels and visions and heard the voice of the Lord.

Those of us who have never seen visions or angels may wonder how we can know that Jesus is the Christ, that He and His Father called Joseph Smith to be a prophet and restored Their Church through him, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

I will tell you how I know.

I have never seen an angel or a vision of spiritual things. I have never heard the voice of Jehovah in a burning bush or called down fire from the heavens upon my enemies. I have never even spoken with someone who told me that any of those things have happened to them. I have not even had one specific, overwhelming, confirming witness that the Book of Mormon is true when I have read it through and followed the exhortations of Moroni at the end. No, nothing so "miraculous" has ever happened to me.

Indeed, I often say that I was born with a testimony; I have never doubted the faith of my parents or that the standards and principles I was taught in my home and at church are correct principles. I have never doubted that the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a living prophet or that the Book of Mormon is true. I was baptized at age eight because I was taught that was the right thing to do, the thing that Jesus Christ wanted me to do. Some may argue that eight is too young to make decisions of such eternal significance but I have never looked back. I do not have one big "conversion story;" instead, I have hundreds of small conversion stories.

I know how I felt when my father and a handful of other worthy priesthood holders put their hands on my head and gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost. Although I was barely eight years old, I still recall the immense feeling of warmth that started in my chest and spread until it filled my extremities. I feel that same way when I hear the prophet of the Lord and the apostles speak. I feel that same way when I read the Book of Mormon, when I pray for insights and help with problems and questions in my life, and when I find answers to those problems and questions in the scriptures. I feel that same way when anyone talks about the prophet Joseph Smith and his experience with God the Father and Jesus Christ in the grove of trees near his house now known as the Sacred Grove. I feel that same way when I partake of the sacrament each Sunday and when my peers share their own testimonies.
I felt that way when I was twelve years old and my younger brother who had barely spent a week on this earth died in my mother's arms. My whole family knew that because my parents were married in the temple and we are sealed as a family that we would see him again and be together as a family. I felt that same way when my brothers left on missions, when my niece was born, and when I saw two of my best friends, my younger brother, and my roommate each marry their sweethearts and make eternal covenants in the house of the Lord. I felt that way every time I spoke of Christ and His restored gospel on the frozen or sweltering streets of Ukraine and when I heard the pure testimonies of members there who sacrifice so much because they know that Jesus is the Christ and that they can become cleansed and ultimately eternally happy through the miracle of His Atonement.

I know the Book of Mormon is true because I have read it many times, I have searched its pages for answers to specific, pressing, and personal questions and each time found an answer. I have seen so many lives transformed by the power of the Book of Mormon as people read the words of the Lord contained therein, feel the Spirit, and decide to change their lives. The power of the Book of Mormon is miraculous and transforming, I know because I have experienced it.

I know that the Word of Wisdom helps keep me healthy and in control of my decisions, that I receive immense blessings from living the Law of Tithing, that I am truly happier when we live the Law of Chastity, that keeping the Sabbath day holy adds a heightened spirit to my week, and that a life of service-loving our neighbors as ourselves-enables me to feel closer to God and keep an eternal perspective. I know these things because I strive to live them everyday. At times I do not succeed but at times I do and I recognize the difference in my life each time.

Making mistakes and repenting-striving to do better and be better-has taught me of the sweet and incredible healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He is the master healer. I have seen His healing in the scriptures, in the lives of people all around me, and I have experienced it in my own life many, many times.

Yes friends, I know that the answers I have given you are true because too many things have happened in my life for them not to be true. Of course, none of my testimony came by default, each experience upon which I have touched required a degree of faith, a degree of stepping into the darkness with the hope that all would work out. But each time I make a choice to live the commandments of my Heavenly Father I have received a witness through the Holy Ghost after the trial of my faith.

And so it is with each of you! Exercise a particle of faith-begin with even a desire to believe and you, too, can know. More on how you can know personally in the tenth and final part of this series.

This is my testimony.

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: Testimony on LDS.org

Elder David A. Bednar, "The Spirit of Revelation," Ensign, May 2011

Wait, Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

2011-10-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

As I talk to people and they ask what church I attend or for which church I served a mission, I respond "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" to which I usually get a slightly puzzled look. The light of understanding then turns on when I clarify, "the Mormon church."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the "Mormon" church, or rather, the "Mormon" church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Mormon" is merely a nickname given to our church members because we read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS Church, and I am a Latter-day Saint.

The nickname "Mormon" is not offensive, it simply is inaccurate.¹ One reason knowing the real name of the "Mormon" Church is helpful and important is because it helps clear up confusion whether Mormons are Christian. Mormons are Christians. I worship Jesus Christ and I believe that His suffering and Atonement enable me to become cleansed from sin through repentance. It is only through His grace that we can be saved. We do not worship Mormon, or Joseph Smith, or anyone else for that matter save God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

In accordance with ancient and modern revelation, the Church is called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (see D&C 115:3-4). Jesus Christ Himself taught:

"And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

"Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake." (3 Nephi 27:6-7.)

Just a week ago, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles very clearly and succinctly expounded on the name of the Church. In his address, "The Importance of a Name," (Ensign, Nov 2011), Elder Ballard discusses what it means to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, the importance of the full name of the Church, the significance of each part of the name of the Church, and the proper use of the nickname, "Mormon." I really like how Elder Ballard breaks down the name of the Church and discusses the significance of each part of the name "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." From Elder Ballard:

"I have thought a lot about why the Savior gave the nine-word name to His restored Church. It may seem long, but if we think of it as a descriptive overview of what the Church is, it suddenly becomes wonderfully brief, candid, and straightforward. How could any description be more direct and clear and yet expressed in such few words?"

In an earlier General Conference address, President Boyd K. Packer also discussed the name of the Church, citing the importance and significance that we belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. Read his talk entitled, "Guided by the Holy Spirit," (Ensign, May 2011, 30).

In addition, the Church has a webpage that gives a breakdown of the word "Mormon" in relation to the people, the church, and the prophet.

I conclude with the simple words of a song I learned as a child:

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow Him in faith.
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor His name.
I'll do what is right; I'll follow His light. His truth I will proclaim.

("The Church of Jesus Christ," Children's Songbook, 77.)

Jeremy

1. The term "Mormon" is used by the Church in various functions. The Church operates a website under the URL mormon.org, we have the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the people who migrated to the Salt Lake Valley in the 1800s will always be called the Mormon pioneers.

What is your understanding of the purpose of life?

2011-10-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is part eight of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number eight: What is your understanding of the purpose of life?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

In its basic form, this question might be expressed as “Why am I here?” There is a yearning deep down in all people to know the answer in order to live a purposeful life. As all loving parents do, our Heavenly Father had made a plan for us, his children, before this earth ever existed. In that period of time, which we call the premortal existence, we lived with God as his spirit children. In order for us to progress further, it was necessary for us to experience mortality by receiving a physical body provided by earthly parents. Being away from the presence of God for a while, we learn to walk by faith and develop qualities which will eventually qualify us to return to our heavenly home as resurrected beings.

The Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, has declared his great purpose and plan for his children: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39.) Without this period of life on earth, we can achieve neither immortality nor eternal life.

My testimony:

I love this question. I love this question because I feel that a lot of problems would be solved or not even arise and that feelings of self-worth would increase if more people slowed down and pondered the possible purposes of life on earth. Do you really know the purpose of life? Do you really understand why you get up every day and do the things that you do? Do you really believe that we’re here to earn, buy, and consume, to eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die? Is the happiness bought by money, position, and things the highest form of happiness attainable? Or is it just easier not to care and to just buy a bigger TV and be nice to your neighbors rather than think about a potential after-life and the reality of someday being responsible and accountable for your actions? Reality is that ignoring or neglecting desires to think about the actual purpose of life only temporarily masks the reality of facing truth eventually. A knowledge of why we are here on earth brings a higher level of responsibility and with that responsibility a higher level of joy and hope.

Our loving Father in Heaven has provided a purpose to life. In fact, life on earth exists as a means for attaining a higher purpose created long before the world was. As Elder Cuthbert and so many others of the Lord’s servants have taught, we are all children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us and desires to give us all that He has. This life is a step toward that goal and if we hold out faithful to the end we are received into heaven that thereby we may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness (see Mosiah 2:41; D&C 121:8).

The purpose of life is simple, simple enough for even children to understand. Ponder the words of this song we sang in Primary at church when I was young:

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.
My life has a purpose; in heav’n it began.
My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth
And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.
I will follow God’s plan for me,
Holding fast to his word and his love.
I will work, and I will pray;
I will always walk in his way.
Then I will be happy on earth
And in my home above.

(I Will Follow God’s Plan, Children’s Songbook #164)

Remember, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants what is best for us. Perhaps we do not feel that way when life gets hard and seemingly unfair, but this life is only a small part of a much greater plan. When the prophet Joseph Smith was unjustly imprisoned in the ironically named Liberty jail, Jesus Christ taught him a comforting lesson concerning this life. Spoke the Lord, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high” (D&C 121:7-8).

When we understand the greater plan of our Father in Heaven and the simple yet vitally important role this life plays in that plan, the words the Lord spoke to Joseph Smith also speak comfort to us and help us understand divine purpose of life. The prophet Jacob taught that, “Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). The purpose of life is to exercise faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ and to be happy doing so! Indeed, such a lifestyle of discipleship is a happy and hopeful lifestyle! President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy (see 2 Nephi 2:25). Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness” (“Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 118).

This life is the time for us to prepare to meet God. Everything the Lord requires of us, all the commandments and principles and guidelines that He gives us through His servants the prophets are given to help us successfully navigate this life and to better understand our purpose. The Lord promises, “he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive the world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23).

I am grateful for the plan of my Father in Heaven. I am grateful for the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ that makes possible eternal families and eternal happiness. Although His way may not be the easiest at times, it is the most fulfilling and I know that it brings the greatest joy.

Jeremy

Why do you send missionaries all over the world, when most churches concentrate on third-world countries?

2011-10-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is part seven of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number seven: Why do you send missionaries all over the world, when most churches concentrate on third-world countries?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

I must confess that question was in my mind when the young men knocked on our door and announced they were missionaries. Having studied the New Testament, I should have known the answer, for the Savior gave it so clearly as he instructed his Apostles just before his ascension. “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 28:19.) The fact that the Lord gave the commission is sufficient justification for carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. People of all nations need the truth and purpose and happiness which the fulness of the gospel brings. Everyone should be interested in truth, and so we say to people of all faiths, Keep all the truth you have and we will add to it. This is why tens of thousands of young men and women and well over a thousand retired couples are voluntarily giving eighteen months to two years, preaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world.

My testimony:

Quite frequently on my mission I encountered the mentality of “why are you talking to me, you should be out talking to the drunks and the teenagers, look at their lives, they need the help.” Even now as my mission comes up from time to time, I continue to encounter the same, “why didn’t you go to Africa or Central America and build houses or work on providing clean water? That’s what my church does.” This question has always confused me somewhat because not once have I ever thought that a certain group of people needed the restored gospel of Jesus Christ more than another. As we went door to door in Ukraine, we were no respecter of persons (see Acts 10:34; D&C 1:35); we knocked on every door and talked to as many people as we could. We did talk to the teenagers and the drunks (when they weren’t drunk and a conversation wasn't pointless.) But we also sought out families, people with full-time jobs, and those who were strong in their own faith. We tried to bring the restored gospel to everyone.

My mission wasn’t specifically to improve living conditions of the worst people we could find. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does do an incredible amount of humanitarian work and encourages all of its members to participate in efforts across the world and in their own communities (see part six of this series.) But my mission specifically was to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end,” (Preach My Gospel, 1).

Remember, this is life eternal: that we might know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent (see John 17:3). The work and glory of God is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39), therefore our physical comfort and temporal desires should be of lesser importance to us. Indeed, as President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) taught, “Since immortality and eternal life constitute the sole purpose of life, all other interests and activities are but incidental thereto” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Bookcraft 1969, 2).

Jesus Christ taught this principle when He lived on the earth. Remember with me the story in the sixth chapter of John about the multitudes who followed Jesus and the apostles into a mountain “because they saw his miracles which he did on them.” When the apostles tried to send the multitudes away, the Savior commanded that they instead feed the 5000 present, which they did through another miracle. However, the next day when the multitudes again sought out Jesus, He perceived their intentions, saying, “Ye seek me, not because ye desire to keep my sayings, neither because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.” Christ fed the 5000 people and later another 4000 through a similar miracle because their temporal needs needed to be met in order for them to focus better on that which would truly help them. However, when they came back to Jesus because they wanted another free meal, He taught them where their focus should be: “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Of course there is merit to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and we cannot focus on the spiritual things as well when we are vitally concerned for our basic needs, hence the reason the Church Welfare Program was started. Yes, physical and temporal needs must be met, but more importantly, we must see the Son and believe on Him, that we may have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ said of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). To His “other sheep” in America, Jesus taught, “And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, . . .” (3 Nephi 27:14, italics added). Our Father in Heaven wants so that each of His children returns to Him, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the young and the old, the believer and the nonbeliever. So he commands His missionaries, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt 28:19, italics added).

Jeremy

Forget Me Not--Five Lessons from an Apostle

2011-10-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, apostle and counselor to the prophet President Thomas S. Monson gave a very tender and compassionate address to the women of the Church. In this address, he told of the legend surrounding the Forget Me Not flower:

"There is a German legend that just as God had finished naming all the plants, one was left unnamed. A tiny voice spoke out, “Forget me not, O Lord!” And God replied that this would be its name.

"Tonight I would like to use this little flower as a metaphor. The five petals of the little forget-me-not flower prompt me to consider five things we would be wise never to forget."

Those five things are:

First, forget not to be patient with yourself.

He taught, "many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself. In the meantime, be thankful for all [your] small successes."

Second, forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.

"There are so many good things to do, but we can’t do all of them. Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective. Sometimes, that may even mean nurturing small but beautiful forget-me-not flowers instead of a large garden of exotic blooms."

Third, forget not to be happy now.

"The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments."

Fourth, forget not the "why" of the gospel.

"While understanding the “what” and the “how” of the gospel is necessary, the eternal fire and majesty of the gospel springs from the “why.” When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet."

Fifth, forget not that the Lord loves you.

"Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love."

Read President Uchtdorf's entire address, "Forget Me Not." While President Uchtdorf was addressing the women of the Church, each of us, male and female, member of the Church and those who are not yet members of the Church, can apply these principles of happiness to our own lives. We would all do well to remember the love the Lord has for us and be patient with our own shortcomings as we strive to be perfected in Him. We would do well to prioritize and make the necessary sacrifices that we may be happy now as we experience this great gift of life. And we would do well to remember why we are here and why the Lord has given us His gospel to live.

Our Father in Heaven loves us. He knows each one of us personally and desires our success and eternal happiness. Remember who you are and who is helping you succeed as the daily stressors of life bear down upon you. All things work together for good to them that love God.

Jeremy

Modern-day Prophets Speak

2011-09-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

Once again it is General Conference time! The Lord's prophet and apostles are going to gather for a worldwide broadcast and speak to us for two days! I can think of few other blessings more remarkable and more telling of our Heavenly Father's love for us than to have and hear living prophets who lead and guide us through these often perilous times. This weekend is a perfect time to ask questions and seek answers through the Holy Ghost as these men of God address us. I know that those who seek inspiration and direction will receive it either through the words of the prophets or the promptings of the Holy Ghost as the prophets speak. Pray and seek the guidance of the Lord. This is a wonderful time in which we live. I am forever grateful that God loves us, that He gives us living oracles so we may know better of Jesus Christ and know to what source we may look for a remission of our sins (see 2 Nephi 25:26). Tune in. It will bless your life.

Jeremy

For a more on this blog about General Conference, follow this link.

How does your church care for you and fulfill your needs in addition to your Word of Wisdom?

2011-09-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is part six of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number six: How does your church care for you and fulfill your needs in addition to your Word of Wisdom?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

Over the years of my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have greatly appreciated the opportunities for service, for there is no paid ministry. . . . Each family is visited monthly by priesthood home teachers, who care for their needs, and by visiting teachers from the women’s Relief Society, whose motto is “charity never faileth.” We also enjoy all kinds of physical, spiritual and social activity, and receive instruction on such subjects as personal and family preparedness, including home production and storage.

For those who fall on hard times due to unemployment or sickness, help is given to rehabilitate and reestablish. Such assistance comes from the general membership, who fast two meals each month and give the money to relieve the poor and the needy. Yes, the Lord does watch over us and counsel us and warn us through his appointed and ordained ministers. These teachings and inspired programs are now being shared with God’s children all over the world.

My testimony:

When I was twelve years old, my mother had a baby who passed away one week later due to heart complications. My parents spent the week with my little brother at a hospital in a different state and my siblings and I were taken care of by close friends and family in the community. We were split up as to not place too much of a burden on any one household and the respective families fed up, housed us, took us to our ball games and practices, and otherwise provided for our needs. And these were not families without their own responsibilities and cares. Each had children of their own to take care of and jobs to attend. I stayed with my aunt and uncle who at the time had a son in rehab and since I was staying at their house, I went to the obviously emotionally taxing counseling sessions with them. My aunt and uncle could have easily just let my parents find someone else to take care of me, with justification that their family was experiencing deep trials of their own and just could not at that time handle another burden. But they did not. They saw my family’s need and with great Christian charity with no thought of their own trying circumstances, offered to help the best way they knew how.

In the meantime and unbeknownst to any member of our family including my parents, others came to our house, maintained our large yard, weeded my father’s very large garden, cleaned the house, and did many other things that I do not even remember. Our house and yard looked even better than it did when we all left. One man in our ward I remember actually fashioned a special sprinkler that would reach our entire garden in one swoop, a gift that my father uses to this day. When my brother passed away and my parents returned home, I don’t believe my mother cooked for weeks. With no exaggeration, people—the same people who just weeks before brought by baby presents and made food for us as a welcome home for the baby—provided each meal and continued to take care of our yard and house as much as long as they could convince my parents to let them. Such was the gracious outpouring of love and support during our family’s time of deep tribulation and sadness.

We live in a very close-knit community, overwhelmingly populated with diversely-talented Latter-day Saints. News of tragedies and needs such as the trial experienced by my family travels very quickly and the response to each situation comes with equal speed. Not too long ago, the father of a family in our community suffered a serious stoke that mostly incapacitated him. His wife works but in order to pay all the medical bills and otherwise alleviate the growing financial stress, the solution was to move from their mobile home and build an addition onto his mother’s house that would serve his new needs. Our ward (the congregation of Saints in our area) pulled together and through fund raisers and donations of their own time, talents, and energies, built the much-needed addition onto the mother’s house.

Our community is home to dozens if not hundreds of such stories and certain hundreds of examples of slightly lesser proportions; needed rent, a new roof, no insulation, hospitalization with full recovery and other sickness and injury, to say nothing of the daily lifting of arms that hang down and the strengthening of feeble knees of the lonely, tired, downtrodden, and overwhelmed. In each case, each person who offered their time, talents, and energy could have looked at their own lives with their own set of problems and justified not helping because they had too much on their own plate at the time but they did not. They realized that everything they had was from the Lord and they gave freely of everything with which the Lord blessed them, doing unto the least of their brethren that they may do it unto the Lord (see Matt 25:40).

The Church has many programs and services that operate from the Church as a whole all the way down to the individual wards and branches. Fast offerings, tithing, and other donations are paid by the individual members of the Church and Church leadership decides how the money can best be used to bless the lives of the Saints and others in their communities.It is important to note that the Church’s welfare and aid programs help more than just the members of the Church. The Church’s humanitarian website explains everything about the projects in which the church is involved and updates are often included in the Church magazines.
The Church is present immediately after every major natural disaster, including but not limited to Louisiana (and other places devastated by hurricanes), Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, and a host of other places. The Church also has ongoing efforts to improve the lives of those in third-world countries and other under-privileged areas.

All of this is Christian charity—each person who helps a neighbor or donates to a larger cause in a country he or she has only heard of on TV. King Benjamin, a Book of Mormon prophet, taught of service, “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). The Savior went about “doing good” (see Acts 10:38) during His mortal ministry and entreated all to follow His example, “I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;” (3 Nephi 27:21).

Indeed, the Church fulfills the needs of its members in many ways, both temporally and spiritually. And the charities and helping hands of the Latter-day Saints are not reserved for members alone, for this is the Church of Jesus Christ and He and His Father are no respecters of persons.

Jeremy

See also:

President Dieter F. Uchdtorf, "Providing in the Lord's Way," Ensign, Nov 2011, 53
Bishop H. David Burton, "The Sanctifying Work of Welfare," Ensign, May 2011, 81

"The work of caring for one another and being “kind to the poor” is a sanctifying work, commanded of the Father and divinely designed to bless, refine, and exalt His children."

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because of Your Faith,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 6

Bishop H. David Burton, “And Who is My Neighbor,” Ensign, May 2008, 51

Bishop H. David Burton, “Tender Hearts and Helping Hands,” Ensign, May 2006, 8

If God loves us so much, why doesn’t He warn us about the evils of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs?

2011-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

This is part five of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number five: If God loves us so much, why doesn’t He warn us about the evils of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

So many of God’s children degrade themselves by becoming chemically dependent. He is concerned, and in the year 1833 he gave such a warning through the latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith. This health law is called the Word of Wisdom. Oh, that the world would heed this counsel from the Lord through a prophet, for a great part of crime, sickness, and unhappiness in the world is drug related.

My testimony:

The Lord revealed the doctrine and teaching called the Word of Wisdom from a revelation received by Joseph Smith recorded in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. In my experience, people know that Mormons don’t drink, don’t smoke, etc., but the Word of Wisdom also instructs us to eat healthy and describes what we should take into our bodies. I think that most agree with modern study and real-life examples that healthy foods in moderation are good and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs have negative effects on the body and on society.

I have seen the negative effects firsthand with some of my family and friends and even negative effects across an entire nation. I know some argue that a little wine or a beer doesn’t do anything to them which is probably true; I’ve seen that too. But the Word of Wisdom was “given for a principle with a promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints” (D&C 89:3). Some may be able to handle one drink, others cannot. I’ve seen even the most controlled of people end up drinking more than they wanted to, planned, ever had previously, and suffer the obvious consequences. Each addiction begins with one trial. In the most recent General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

The battle over man’s God-given agency continues today. Satan and his minions have their lures all around us, hoping that we will falter and take his flies so he can reel us in with counterfeit means. He uses addiction to steal away agency. According to the dictionary, addiction of any kind means to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent on some life-destroying substance or behavior. . . . Satan knows how to exploit and ensnare us with artificial substances and behaviors of temporary pleasure. I have observed the impact when one struggles to win back control, to become free from destructive abuse and addiction, and to regain self-esteem and independence.”

(“O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 108).

The power of Satan is real and He uses addictive and destructive substances to lure us to give away our agency through addiction. Agency is the means by which we can choose to be happy and choose to do those things that enable us to return to live with our Heavenly Father and our families forever. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are harmful and detrimental to our spiritual and temporal health. No matter one’s perceived tolerance level, complete abstinence from these addictive substances is always the best choice.

Our bodies are gifts from God, a gift that Satan chose not to have and he does everything in his power to get us to abuse our bodies. Taught Paul, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are . . . For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” He continued, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:20; Romans 12:1).

The promise we receive if we live according to this law of health—both abstaining from that which is harmful to our bodies and taking in that which is good—is found at the end of section 89:

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

The blessings from living the Word of Wisdom are inherent and God-given, temporal and spiritual. We receive health and shall run and not be weary, and walk and not faint. We also shall find great treasures of wisdom and shall be spared the destroying angel as were the obedient children of Israel (see Exodus 12).

Some substances we can take into our bodies have destructive powers, whether or not we believe it. The Lord in His infinite wisdom, mercy, and love has and continues to warn us against the evil of using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in addition to teaching us what is healthy and good for the body. Of course living the word of wisdom does not guarantee a completely healthy life. Most everyone will get sick and some will suffer from disease and other debilitating illnesses and disabilities—we each face trials of one kind or another throughout life. However, the promises from God are very real and applicable to everyone who is obedient to His commandments (see D&C 130:20-21).

Our Heavenly Father loves us and desires that we treasure the precious gift He has given us of a mortal body.

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: Word of Wisdom on LDS.org
Elder M. Russell Ballard, “O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 108.
"Do Mormons Drink Coke?," 22 October 2009, from this blog

Agency or Inspiration: A Guide to Making Life's Decisions

2011-09-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

We are all faced with so many decisions each day. Some are of lesser consequence but some are of extreme importance to us personally and to our eternal salvation and happiness. A lot of us stress over jobs, where and what to study, how to deal with people and what to do in our relationships, and a multitude of other things.

In the midst of these life-changing decisions and stressors, the Lord has not left us comfortless or helpless. He who knows all things, who is omniscient and knows what is best for us, has given us the Holy Ghost that we may be directed for good. "Assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive . . ." (Doctrine and Covenants 8:1).

In an address given at Brigham Young University on February 27, 1973, Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) taught about revelation and how the Lord directs us through the Holy Ghost. The talk, entitled, "Agency or Inspiration--Which?," explains the balance of being directed by the Lord and using our own God-given agency to make decisions. Taught Elder McConkie, "There's a fine balance between agency and inspiration. We're expected to do everything in our power that we can, and then to seek an answer from the Lord, a confirming seal that we've reached the right conclusion; and sometimes, happily, in addition, we get added truths and knowledge that we hadn't even supposed."

Elder McConkie quotes a number of verses from the scriptures which each explain a different part of how we are to both use our agency to make decisions and rely on the Holy Ghost for revelation. The verses I wish to highlight are these:

In these verses the Lord makes promises, explains the means by which these promises are fulfilled, and outlines the actions we must take in order to apply the promises to ourselves. The promises found in these verses are:

that we shall receive a knowledge of whatsoever things we shall ask in faith (Doctrine and Covenants 8:1),
that the Lord will direct us for good,
and that we shall be lifted up at the last day (Alma 37:37).

The means by which He fulfills these promises are:

that He will tell us in our minds and in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2; Alma 5:46),
and that our bosom shall burn within us and we shall feel that it is right OR that we shall have no such feelings and have a stupor of thought that we forget the thing which is wrong (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9).

And the action points that we must do in order to experience these promises and their inherent blessings:

ask in faith (Doctrine and Covenants 8:1),
study it out in our minds (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8),
use our own judgement and counsel between ourselves and the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 58:25; Alma 37:37),
be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27),
keep the commandments,
cry unto the Lord for all our support,
let all our thoughts be directed unto the Lord (Alma 37:35-36),
fast and pray with a purpose (Alma 5:46).

Lessons learned from the Jaredites

Elder McConkie also talks about a story found in the Book of Mormon in which a people were commanded to cross the sea before them in order to be led to a "promised land." From this account we learn of three ways in which they dealt with the challenges that faced them in crossing the ocean. We, too, can use these methods in dealing with the challenges and decisions that face us in our own lives. (See Ether chapters 2 and 3).

Their leader, known in the scriptures as the brother of Jared, was commanded to build barges, "that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands . . . ." When faced with this first challenge, the brother of Jared used the knowledge and skills and talents he had already acquired and developed to do as he was commanded and built airtight barges, "after the manner of barges which [he] had hitherto built."

The next two challenges the brother of Jared faced, he approached the Lord in prayer, saying, "O Lord, in [the barges] there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish."

In answer to the problem concerning air, the Lord simply gave the brother of Jared the solution, "Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood."

To the problem concerning light, however, the Lord did not simply give the brother of Jared a solution. Instead, the Lord replied, "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?" With this challenge, the Lord expected the brother of Jared to come up with a solution and then ask for assistance, which is what the brother of Jared did. He found sixteen small stones that were transparent like glass and asked the Lord, "O Lord, thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they might shine forth in darkness; . . . that we may have light while we shall cross the sea."

In this story, the brother of Jared demonstrated three ways in which we can and should deal with our challenges and decisions.

We go and do, using our own knowledge and skills and talents with which we have been blessed.
We ask for direction and the Lord gives it to us.
We ask for direction and the Lord expects us to be creative and resourceful, to use our skills and knowledge, and then come to Him with a solution before He will help us.

I close with the words of Elder McConkie:

"God grant us wisdom in these things. God grant us the courage and the ability to stand on our own feet and use our agency and the abilities and capacities we possess; then let's be sufficiently humble and amenable to the Spirit to bow our will to his will, to get his ratifying, confirming seal of approval, to get in our lives, in that way, the spirit of revelation. And if we so do, there's no question about the result: it's peace in this life; it's glory and honor and dignity in the life to come. Which may God grant for all of us."

We each face decisions and challenges that effect our eternal salvation and happiness. The Lord has given us the means to properly and effectively deal with each of these challenges and make the right decisions that will bring happiness and eternal life.

Jeremy

How can God be just if baptism is essential and many die without knowing this?

2011-09-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is part four of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number four: How can God be just if baptism is essential and many die without knowing this?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer to a friend and minister of another church:

“Is baptism essential?” I asked.

“Yes,” he responded.

“Do you believe God is just?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“Then what of those who died without baptism?” I inquired, and he indicated that he had often wondered about that. I asked whether he had overlooked Paul’s teaching: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Cor. 15:29.) The minister looked at me and quietly said: “Thank you for explaining that doctrine.” I was glad he had been enlightened but sad that he and so many others had failed to see before. Yes, our Father in Heaven loves all of his children and has provided a way for every one of them to return to him.

My testimony:

Baptism is essential as taught by the Savior Himself as he walked the roads of Palestine (see Matt 3:13-17; John 3:3-7) and we know from the scriptures that God is just and merciful (see Deut 32:4; Alma 42:15). Yet some die without the knowledge of the Restored Gospel and being baptized. Therefore, “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6; see also 1 Peter 3:19). Jesus Christ then instated baptisms for the dead which operates through the power of the priesthood. Of baptisms for the dead, the Savior taught, “Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (D&C 128:9).

As members of the Church do their family history and discover the names of their ancestors who did not have the opportunity to receive the saving ordinances such as baptism, they can bring these names to the temple that they or other patrons may participate in the ordinances on behalf of those who have died. Others involved in family history that have too many names or cannot go to the temple to do the work themselves submit their names to the temple and other people may participate in the saving ordinances for them. Members of the Church age twelve and older can be baptized vicariously for the dead as taught by Paul in Corinthians.

It is was my privilege each week to go to the temple and baptize those who come to do baptisms for the dead in a font similar to the one pictured here. That part of my week was so wonderful for a number of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the special spirit that is present in the temple. Everyone in the temple is a volunteer and is there because he or she wants to be and wants to serve others. Selfless service always invites the Spirit. In the baptistry a lot of the patrons are young people. How wonderful that part of the younger generation has the understanding and the testimony to willingly sacrifice a part of their time to come and serve by being baptized for people they don’t even know who lived in a different time and potentially on a different continent. When the patrons come in with their own family names, a sacred and specific reverence is felt and a palpable spirit is present as sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, nieces and nephews, and cousins participate in the saving ordinances in behalf of their kindred dead.

President Thomas S. Monson taught, “As our Savior gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure, do the same when we perform proxy work in the temple for those who have no means of moving forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth.” (“Until We Meet Again,” Ensign, May 2009, 112.)

Those who die without a knowledge of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and without baptism have the opportunity to accept the Gospel on the other side. As they learn of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and we do their work for them here on earth, they have the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism that we performed on their behalf.

The Lord lives and loves each of His children. He is no respecter of persons—each has the opportunity to come and learn of him and partake of the Atonement unto salvation whether that opportunity is in this life or in the life to come. He is just and merciful. His work and His glory is to, “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: Baptism on LDS.org

Topic: Baptisms for the Dead on LDS.org

Finding Hope - 10th Anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

A father's story of his experience working on the 85th floor of the north World Trade Center tower on 9/11.

What is the Book of Mormon?

2011-09-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

From the beginning of time, God has established a pattern of speaking to His children on the earth. He reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets¹ that we, the children of God, may know to what source to look for a remission of our sins.² This pattern of working through prophets is seen among the ancient children of

Israel

in the Old Testament and among both Jew and Gentile in the New Testament. As God loves all His children and is no respecter of persons,³ He also called prophets in the ancient Americas who recorded His word and preserved it for us in a miraculous record called the Book of Mormon.⁴

In the centuries preceding Christ’s birth, the Holy Land was just as much of a territorial battlefield as it is today. Jerusalem was constantly being conquered or destroyed, with its inhabitants being carried away captive. Each time, the Lord’s prophets preached faith and repentance, urging people to live the commandments of God and the Law of Moses, and prophesying that if they did not repent, Jerusalem would be conquered or destroyed. One of these such prophets was Lehi, who lived in Jerusalem about 600 BC. As Lehi “went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard . . . the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them.” Lehi continued to preach unto them repentance and the people became so angry that, “they also sought his life, that they might take it away.”⁵

However, being warned by God of the evil intent of the people, Lehi took his family and a small group of others and fled Jerusalem. God led Lehi’s family through the desert and eventually to the sea where they built a ship and, under the direction of God, sailed to the “promised land,”⁶ known today as the Americas.

Once in the Americas, Lehi’s children divided in a power struggle, making two main groups: the Nephites who were righteous and obedient to the commandments of God, and the Lamanites who were bitter and wicked. The people explored, settled, grew, and started civilizations that waxed and waned and warred. Over the next thousand years God continued to call prophets among them as He has among all His children since the creation of the earth. Each prophet taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and preached faith, hope, charity, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and the blessings of obedience. They taught of the great plan of God, of the purpose of life, and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Of his own calling and purpose as a prophet, Lehi’s son Nephi wrote:

“For we labor diligently to write, to persuade out children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

. . .

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”⁷

While the Book of Mormon does contain a small part of the histories of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and also tells of two other groups of people who made their way to the

Americas

, the focus of the Book of Mormon is Jesus Christ and His dealings with them. The Book of Mormon does contain wars; mysteries; intrigue; the rise and fall of governments, economies, and great civilizations; antichrists; miracles; angels; and a continuous cycle of prosperity, pride, sin, downfall, humility, repentance, and prosperity. But more importantly the pages of the Book of Mormon contain the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As stated in the introduction to the Book of Mormon, “The crowing event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection.

It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.”⁸ Jesus Christ, as He had told His disciples in Jerusalem, visited His “other sheep”⁹ to work miracles among them,¹⁰ teach them His doctrine,¹¹ testify of the truthfulness of the words of the prophets who had come before,¹² and to organize his Church and call twelve to lead.¹³

Eventually, “wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people.”¹⁴At that time, the prophet-historian Mormon was put in charge of all the sacred records kept by the people since Lehi and his family left Jerusalem and, under the direction of the Lord, compiled and abridged the teachings that were most important and pertinent and helpful to us in our day, creating a volume of holy writ expressly for us in the latter days. The title page of the Book of Mormon states that the Book of Mormon was “written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of

Israel

; and also to Jew and Gentile . . .”¹⁵ thus the audience of the Book of Mormon includes everyone on the earth. Because Mormon is responsible for the compilation and abridgement of the teachings, the record is known as the Book of Mormon. However in an effort to alleviate confusion concerning the focus and purpose of the Book of Mormon, the real name is the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Mormon passed the record, engraved on gold plates, to his son Moroni who added a few final words of his own, including his testimony of the truthfulness of that which was written on the plates. Like his father, Moroni saw our day and knew that the things which were written in the Book of Mormon would bless the lives of those who lived in the latter-days. Wrote Moroni, “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.”¹⁶ He buried the gold plates in a hill to be preserved and come forth at a time the Lord saw fit to restore the fullness of His gospel. As Paul described it, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”¹⁷

Moroni’s final words contain an admonition and exhortation to all those who read the Book of Mormon:

“And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

“And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.”^{18 19}

The Book of Mormon is the word of God, a truth confirmed by the Savior Himself.²⁰ It does not replace the Bible, but rather complements, upholds, and testifies of the sacred things written in the Bible. Any person on the earth can know of the truthfulness of the things contained in the Book of Mormon as directed by Moroni. I testify that those who do so will feel a familiarity and comfort with what they are learning as though they once knew the things they are reading. And I testify that those who do will notice a level peace and light come into their lives never before noticed and unattainable through any other means.

I challenge each of you to give the Book of Mormon a shot. Any questionable thing you may have heard about the Book of Mormon will be cleared up as you search its pages and gain a better understanding of the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Do you want to get a hold of a copy of the Book of Mormon? Ask your LDS neighbor or co-worker, follow this link, or ask me, I’d love to get you a copy. (And it’s free.)

I love the Book of Mormon. I love the stories and the people and I love the clarity with which the doctrines are taught. I love the deeper understanding of the Atonement that the Book of Mormon provides. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He lived and died for us and that He lives again. The Book of Mormon and what it represents has shaped my life to what it is today.

The Book of Mormon is true, read it.

Jeremy

1.       See Amos 3:7.
2.       See 2 Nephi 25:26.
3.       See Acts 10:34.
4.       God also calls prophets in our day, beginning with Joseph Smith in 1820. Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet on the earth today.
5.       1 Nephi 1:19-20.
6.       1 Nephi 18:23.
7.       2 Nephi 25:23,26.
8.       Introduction to the Book of Mormon.
9.       John 10:16; see also 3 Nephi 15:21-24. To the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, Jesus Christ explains that the Jews did not understand what Christ meant when He said, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring.” The Jews thought He meant the Gentiles when, in fact, He meant the inhabitants of the Americas and even others (see 3 Nephi 16:1-3).
10.   See 3 Nephi 17:6-25.
11.   See 3 Nephi 9-28; C.f. manner of baptism 11:23-28; contention 11:29; the Gospel, i.e. faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost 11:32-38; the Sermon on the Mount 12-14; the ordinance of the sacrament 18:1-12; the importance of and manner in which to pray 18:18-21; meeting together as a church 18:23-24; tithing 24:8-11; name of the church 27:3-11; the purpose of Christ’s mortal life and the Atonement 27:13-17.
12.   See 3 Nephi 20:24.
13.   See 3 Nephi 12:1.
14.   Mormon 1:13.
15.   Title Page of the Book of Mormon.
16.   Mormon 8:35.
17.   Ephesians 1:10.
18.   Moroni 10:2-6.
19.   The Introduction to the Book of Mormon reiterates the promise given by Moroni: “We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
“ Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”

20. President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “This gift [The Book of Mormon] was prepared by the hand of the Lord over a period of more than a thousand years, then hidden up by Him so that it would be preserved in its purity for our generation. Perhaps there is nothing that testifies more clearly of the importance of this modern book of scripture than what the Lord Himself has said about it.
“By His own mouth He has borne witness (1) that it is true (D&C 17:6), (2) that it contains the truth and His words (D&C 19:26), (3) that it was translated by power from on high (D&C 20:8), (4) that it contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ (D&C 20:9, D&C 42:12), (5) that it was given by inspiration and confirmed by the ministering of angels (D&C 20:10), (6) that it gives evidence that the holy scriptures are true (D&C 20:11), and (7) that those who receive it in faith shall receive eternal life (D&C 20:14).” (“The Book of Mormon—The Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov 1986, 4.)

What does your church teach about family life?

2011-09-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is part three of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number three: What does your church teach about family life?

*For the official teaching of the Church on the family and for the testimony of the living prophets and apostles, see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” pictured below.

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

The strength and moral fiber of a nation are in its families, and any church purporting to be Christian must cherish family life, both as a precious, God-given heritage and as a priceless, promised inheritance. I shall be eternally grateful that our missionary teachers expanded our vision of family significantly. They encouraged us to gather our children around us night and morning in family prayer. We were then introduced to family home evening, an institution in Latter-day Saint homes throughout the world. It is indeed a great anchor and fortress to gather together at least one evening a week to discuss applications of gospel principles, have happy, healthful activity, develop talents within the family circle, and to pray together. We often reminisce about the family home evenings we have had over the years, but there is something to be prized even more. Although previously married “until death do you part,” we have now been married in a Latter-day Saint temple for “time and eternity.” Our family can be forever!

My testimony:

As I said in the previous post, one way I know my Heavenly Father loves me is His plan of happiness for us and our families. When sealed in His Holy Temples, family relationships are perpetuated beyond the grave. Think of the profound eternal significance of this doctrine and knowledge! Those who have lost loved ones—you will see your mother or father or sister or brother or grandparent again!

Families are the central unit in the plan of God; since before the foundation of the world families have existed. God is our Father, we are His spirit children and He wants us to return to live with Him forever. We should strive so that our family relationships on earth reflect the ones we had as a spirit family with our Father in Heaven. We must love, support, and raise our children that they are prepared and able to make the right decisions in this world of shifting and changing values.

III

One of the greatest downfalls of our society is the breakdown of the traditional family unit. So many are trying to redefine and reconstruct the family. Let me be clear: a family is a mother, a father, and their children. No other definition of the family is from God and no amount of voting or popular opinion changes the truth for truth is defined by God and God alone. This I believe about the family: as long as we try to redefine the family and live contrary to what God teaches, our society will continue to degrade and crumble until we have nothing good left to hold on to. (See President Boyd K. Packer, “Cleansing the Inner Vessel,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 74-76.)

Of course situations occur beyond our control that stray from this ideal: a woman may not marry, a couple may not be able to have children, a spouse may die or a divorce may be the only solution, children may stray, we each have our agency and no one makes perfect decisions. Each of these situations unfortunately happens with relative frequency. To those in less-than-ideal situations, all is not lost; in fact, you will not miss out on any blessings as long as you are keeping your life finely tuned to the principles and doctrines taught by the Savior. “Through your faith and righteousness and through His atoning sacrifice, all the inequities, injuries, and pains of this life can be fully compensated for and made right. Blessings denied in this life will be given in the eternities.” (See Atonement, True to the Faith, 2004, 20.) All that is unfair in life is made right through the Atonement of Christ.

I love my family. In my family I learned of gospel of Jesus Christ. I saw the gospel lived and I saw the inherent blessings received. Things haven’t been perfect and for a while I was the source of much of the discord that existed in my home. But as I continue to grow, I recognize and understand better how important my family is and how much of a vital, positive influence they have been in my life.

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: Family on LDS.org

The Sabbath and the Sacrament

2011-09-04T23:46:00.000-07:00

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I have a lot of favorite things that happen on other days but Sunday is consistently a favorite for me. I just really enjoy going to church, I love putting all of the weekly pressures and responsibilities aside for a day and focusing instead on Jesus Christ and what it means to live His gospel. Of course I do many "spiritual" things throughout the week such as reading the scriptures and praying but Sunday I love to devote wholly to God and focus on and build that part of my life.

From the beginning of time God the Father and Jesus Christ have taught the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy. The Old Testament records:

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." (Genesis 2:1-3.)

Later, the Great Jehovah, even Jesus Christ gave the commandment to the children of Israel to, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy," for, "the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8,11).

To hallow is to make or set apart as holy or respect or honor greatly; to revere (see Dictionary.com). God set apart and made holy the Sabbath day and commands us to respect and greatly honor that day.

In the April 2011 General Conference, Elder L Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk entitled, "The Sabbath and the Sacrament," in which he discusses, "three things the Lord requires of us: first, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world; second, to go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments and third, to rest from our labors.

Keeping the Sabbath day holy is not merely going to church or spending extra time with family or not going to work or not participating in various recreational activities or not shopping. Keeping the Sabbath day holy is all of these and more. Keeping the Sabbath day holy is a mentality, something that is prepared for throughout the week, and perhaps the best way to worship God. Elder Perry taught that the most important Sabbath-day activity is partaking of the sacrament. In addition to partaking of the sacrament, attending the rest of our Sunday meetings, abstaining from regular weekly obligations and recreational activities, and otherwise avoiding all things that may distract from our focus on the Savior, along with spending time with our families and spending extra time visiting those who may benefit from extra attention are the best ways to respect and honor the Lord's day. The Savior taught that we should do well on the Sabbath.

Elder Perry concludes his talk with his testimony, "I bear my special witness that the greatest joy we receive in this life is in following the Savior." Let us follow the Savior and remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. It is my ultimate witness that keeping the Sabbath day holy brings only happiness and peace.

Jeremy

Do Mormons Believe in Dinosaurs?

2011-09-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

In my experience talking with people who are comfortable enough to ask about interesting beliefs they've heard about "Mormons," I've heard some interesting tales. Anything from having horns to all living in nine-story houses to blood sacrifices in the temple (what?) to more legitimate questions such as current practices of polygamy or not being able to drink caffeinated beverages. (None of the above are true ps...)

The most recent fallacy I heard was from a good friend who asked whether I believe dinosaurs once existed. I was a bit taken aback and gave some answer like, "Yeah, what? There are like fossils and stuff, of course dinosaurs are real... What? Yeah I believe dinosoaurs are real..." After which a few other false and super strange beliefs were cleared up and we carried on with practice.

Here's the deal: members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are different in some, if not a lot, of ways. The apostle Peter referred to the early saints as "a peculiar people," (1 Peter 2:9) and that is what we are. We don't drink, not just not excessively but not even a beer to relax or a glass of wine with dinner. We don't smoke and we don't drink coffee, no matter how early our day starts. Instead, the Lord counsels us to, "retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:124). We don't curse, we don't mark our bodies with tattoos or excessive piercings, we don't wear revealing clothing, and we are taught to live a law of chastity, forbidding all sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage and complete fidelity within marriage.Why? Because, as the apostle Paul taught, our bodies are temples and sacred gifts from God.

My little bro and his wife.

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy for the temple of God in holy, which temple ye are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). We get married to the love of our lives without first moving in together, and, in some cases, members of the Church more children than the national average. And that because families are the core unit in God's plan and when marriages are sealed by the priesthood of God in His holy temples, family relationships become eternal. We marry in the temple without fanfare and at the risk of exclusion of those close friends and family who may not be worthy or able to attend the temple so that we can be sealed for time and all eternity and not just until death do you part.

We strive to keep the Sabbath day holy which means we try not to work on Sundays, we attend our Sunday church meetings (three hours at a minimum), we don't participate in sporting events, go shopping, or engage in other normal daily activities on Sunday. Indeed, we strive to treat Sunday as a different day, not just another day of the week or an extra day to play or lounge around. Sunday means something to me. Sunday is "a day appointed unto [us] to rest from [our] labors, and to pay [our] devotions unto the Most High" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:10).

As part of always striving to keep ourselves "unspotted from the world" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9), members of the Church are counseled to stay away from TV, movies, music, and other media that does not uphold the standards by which we live. This includes a lot of if not most movies (including those with "just that one bad part") and a lot of popular TV shows and songs. We are to stay away from those places and avoid being in environments that are not conducive to the Holy Ghost, even if we ourselves are not necessarily doing anything wrong.

In addition to those "peculiar" things that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don't do, there are a lot of things that we do that may seem peculiar. We study the scriptures daily, pray individually and as a family, and more than just a quick, "help me God" in times of absolute need. We make sacrifices, personal, career, or otherwise, for our families or that we may have families. As discussed above, we go to church and do certain things on Sunday in order to pay our devotions to God. Each member of the Church also has additional responsibilities other than simply attending church meetings as there is no paid ministry in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Which means additional time throughout the week being spent on Church duties and making sure each of the members of the Church in our area is watched over and taken care of.

And then there are all of the "Mormon culture" things too. Married early, big families, game nights, ice cream, Eagle scouts, church activities with lots of casseroles and jello perhaps. Everyone being related to someone in Utah if not actually from Utah themselves, BYU, wedding receptions, you can probably name many more than me since I live it and I think most of my life is pretty "normal." And of course some peculiar cultural things are not doctrinally founded but unfortunately exist nonetheless.

Of course, no one who has ever walked the earth is perfect save Jesus Christ. Which means that you will encounter members of the Church including myself who do not live according to every doctrine and principle of the gospel. I strive, as do most of the members of the Church, to follow the example of the Savior and do as the Lord commands. But I often fall short, I give in to peer pressure or to the natural man, but I strive to do better next time. Therein lies the key to success and the purpose of life. The Savior atoned for the sins of all mankind and He forgives us and helps us as we fall and get back up to try again.

Amidst all of these peculiar things that are real, you don't need to buy in to all the crazy things you may hear, even if you find one member of the Church who does it. As with all things, look to the majority before you stereotype. In addition, the doctrines of Jesus Christ do not dictate beliefs concerning every single thing ever to be addressed. Whether or not Pangea once existed or whether man walked on the moon or the timing of the end of the world has no significant bearing on our eternal salvation. The Lord and His servants the prophets are much more concerned with teaching us to love our neighbors as ourselves and instruct us on the importance of faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end of this life that we may have eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God (see Matt 22:36-39; 2 Nephi 25:23-26; 31:1-21; Doctrine and Covenants 14:7).

That being said, please, if you have any questions or concerns or things you kind of want to clear up concerning the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please ask, regardless of how ridiculous they may sound. I do not, of course, criticize the questions asked about our faith and would much rather address and clear up the most ridiculous of beliefs than to have you continue thinking they may be true.

Yes, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a peculiar people. And I like it.

Jeremy

See also:
President Boyd K. Packer, "A Defense and A Refuge," Ensign, Nov 2006
Elder William Grant Bangerter, "What's Wrong With Being Peculiar?," Liahona, Mar 1983

What is God like?

2011-08-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is part two of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number two: What is God Like?

Elder Cuthbert’s answer:

How wonderful that the Almighty God has identified himself to us through his beloved son, Jesus Christ. He has revealed himself as our Father in Heaven, who wants us, his children, to keep in touch with him while we are away from our heavenly home. Ask a little child to close his eyes and think of God and then describe him. Will he describe a spirit? No! He will tell of a loving, kindly faced, white-robed personal being. In his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul describes Jesus, in relation to God the Father, as “being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:3).

My testimony:

This picture of the First Vision hangs on my wall. I think this is my most favorite Church picture; I have other favorites but this one is perhaps my most favorite. The first vision Joseph Smith experienced is so incredibly important to everyone on the earth for many reasons. We gained so many significant and fundamental truths from that first vision and from all the subsequent revelations; however, the very most fundamental truths we gained from his First Vision involve the nature God and His Son Jesus Christ.

When our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ appeared, the world learned that God is like us, or rather, we are like Him, in that He has a body of flesh and bone and we are created in His express image. He is not a formless spirit or a floating idea. He is a glorified and perfected version of you and me. He is the Father of our spirits (see Hebrews 12:9) and our physical bodies are in His likeness. Our bodies are mortal and He is immortal, but through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all are promised that, “this mortal shall put on immortality,” (Mosiah 16:10; see also 1 Corinthians 15:54). We can all become like Him.

The world learned that God the Father and Jesus Christ are two separate and distinct beings, one in purpose and in goal but separate beings, Jesus Christ being the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world. What is God like? Look at Jesus Christ and God possesses all of the attributes Christ does—where do you think Jesus Christ learned how to act and how to live? God is loving, caring, and merciful to send His Only Begotten to the earth to live, suffer, and die and then live again so that each of His children may have the opportunity to repent and return to live with Him in exaltation forever (see John 3:16).

The world also learned, as Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, “that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake” (“An Address,” The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1929), 45). God and His son spoke to each of the ancient prophets as recorded in Holy Scripture, they spoke to Joseph Smith in that most sacred grove, and they continue to speak to each of his successors and apostles who lead Their Church.

I asked a few of my close friends and associates what they thought God was like. Below are a few things they said:

“God is perfectly loving, just, and merciful in a way that we cannot understand with our earthly minds.”

“God is love. I know it is cliché, but it is the first thing that came to my mind. Why else would He give us a sacrifice of His Son? Why else would He entrust us with His church, His power, His Holy Ghost, families, prophets, the gospel, everything? He loves us. More than anything, and He is working as hard as He can to get us back to Him. That is the bottom line. That thought is often what brings me comfort when I need it. Knowing that God is doing everything that He can to ensure my Salvation. Short and sweet. That sums it up for me.”

“God is a perfected human who experiences constant and perfect joy. Though the Old Testament describes God as ‘jealous’ and ‘angry’, He does not experience jealousy and anger as we define them. Although Jesus wept as a mortal on earth, His sorrow as a god is not sorrow as we define it or understand it. Combined in God are the seemingly opposite characteristics of perfect love and perfect joy. These are seemingly opposite to us because, in our experience, a loved one usually has great power to maliciously damage what joy we experience. Not so with God; no anger or sorrow or exasperation of any kind as we experience them frustrate His perfect joy. This even when His perfectly beloved children use their free will to defy Him with deliberate impunity or maim, cheat, enslave, and kill one another. He is beyond their power to affect His joy, and so will be all who desire to live forever as He does.”

“God is just like the friend you've always wanted, and is the friend you've always had.”

“God is like us. Or better said, we are like Him, except that He is perfect, and we are not. I believe God is a happy person. In fact, I believe He is the most joyful being that ever existed, and I believe that He wants each of us to be just as happy as He is. That is why He has done so much for us.

“I also believe that He is the most loving person that ever existed. He is our Father, and He loves us perfectly.

“God is also honest. That might sound obvious, but it seems that in our world, there are so many opinions on what God wants, and what He says, and even who He is. I know that God cannot lie, and if we ask to know the truth, eventually, He will show it to us, in His own way and His own time. He wants us to know Him. I know that we can know Him. Just like a best friend, the more time that we spend with Him, the better we will come to know Him.”

“To me God is every attribute that inspires happiness. He is the perfect father and a best friend who I'd always willing to give advice and love if we ask Him.”

As for me, I know that God is loving and caring because:

· He gave me my family and has both shown me the way and provided me with the means to live with them forever

· He gives me prophets and apostles

· He gives me the Holy Ghost

· He comforts me in times of need

· He allows me to repent and try again—as many times as I need

· He teaches me patience in His own divine way

· He has placed so many good people in my path

· He is patient when I fail to acknowledge my gratitude toward Him

· He gives me the means that I may make my own educated decisions

· He trusts me enough to allow me to make wrong decisions

· He forgives me and teaches me how to do better next time

· He trusts me to make the right decisions

I know that God is omniscient because:

· He knows what is best for me and is patient as I learn to acknowledge it and trust Him

· He created the perfect plan for each of us that we may become like Him, share in His happiness, and live with Him for eternity as perfected beings

· He gives me tests and trials that, if dealt with properly, prepare me for greater things that I don’t see both in this life and in the life to come

· He answers my prayers in His own way and in His own timing so that I learn and grow the most from the experience

In addition, I believe God has a sense of humor. I believe that He laughs and cries when we do something that merits either or both of those emotions. I believe that His one desire is that each of us returns to Him to share His eternal happiness and everything He does can help us toward that one goal (see Moses 1:39).

What is God like? He is like the best father who loves us perfectly, who always has the right thing to say in every situation, and who always acts in our best interests.

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: God the Father on LDS.org
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God,” Ensign, Nov 2003

The Meaning of the Cross for Latter-day Saints and the Symbol of Our Faith

2011-08-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

This giant cross overlooks the beautiful city of Boise, Idaho. Although I am not familiar with the history and origin of this particular landmark and why it is allowed to stand overlooking the City of Trees, nor do my personal beliefs include displaying the crucifix, I kind of like it and what it, at least to me, represents. Firstly, the fact that the cross still stands in the midst of all the pro-against-all-things-that-remotely-resemble-anything-to-do-with-God-and-religion-but-we-do-it-in-the-name-of-tolerance activists is quite incredible. But secondly, to me the continued presence of the cross represents that people are tolerant and understanding enough to allow those to whom the cross does have some religious significance enjoy its presence and can appreciate it's historical significance as a landmark in the city of Boise. Way to go, Boise.

That being said, do some of you wonder why the Latter-day Saint churches and temples do not display the cross and why members of the Church are not encouraged to wear the crucifix as so many other Christian denominations?

In an article entitled, "The Symbol of Our Faith," (Ensign, April 2005, 3) President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) gave the following account of a conversation in which he explained the reason the Latter-day Saint people don't display the cross:

"Following the renovation of the Mesa Arizona Temple some years ago, clergy of other religions were invited to tour it on the first day of the open house period. Hundreds responded. In speaking to them, I said we would be pleased to answer any queries they might have. Among these was one from a Protestant minister.

"Said he: “I’ve been all through this building, this temple which carries on its face the name of Jesus Christ, but nowhere have I seen any representation of the cross, the symbol of Christianity. I have noted your buildings elsewhere and likewise find an absence of the cross. Why is this when you say you believe in Jesus Christ?”

"I responded: “I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian colleagues who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration of the Living Christ.”

"He then asked: “If you do not use the cross, what is the symbol of your religion?”

"I replied that the lives of our people must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship."

In this article, President Hinckley goes on to describe the ways we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, show our faith and devotion to Jesus Christ and why such faith in the Savior is crucial to each person on the earth. He concludes:

"As His followers, we cannot do a mean or shoddy or ungracious thing without tarnishing His image. Nor can we do a good and gracious and generous act without burnishing more brightly the symbol of Him whose name we have taken upon ourselves. And so our lives must become a meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the Living Christ, the Eternal Son of the Living God."

As I ponder the command to take up the cross of Jesus Christ (see Mark 8:34), I think of the admonition of Paul to become examples of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity (see 1 Timothy 4:12). In doing so we take up the cross of Jesus Christ and show our love and gratitude to our Father in Heaven.

Jeremy

*For another great article on this topic, read Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, "The Meaning of the Cross for Latter-day Saints," Ensign, July 2011, 26.

Why doesn't God speak to us today?

2011-08-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is part one of a ten-part post. Elder Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy suggested ten questions which members of any church might ask our missionaries or any other member of the Church.

Question number one: Why doesn't God speak to us today?

Elder Cuthbert's answer:

My wife and I grew up as teenagers during the Second World War, and this question often came to our minds. We felt strongly the need for God’s guidance then, as we do today in these challenging and perilous times. Anciently, through the prophet Amos, the Lord had declared, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7.) I never felt that revelations had ceased just because those already given had been bound into a book, the Holy Bible.

It was not until five years after the hostilities of war had ceased that I received the answer. God does speak again, through prophets, and revelation once more flows down from the heavens. These and many other wonderful truths enlightened our minds and lifted our souls as the missionaries taught us. How exciting to realize we are living in the latter days, “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21.) How wonderful to learn of another book of scripture, the Book of Mormon, revealed through a latter-day prophet as another testament of Jesus Christ.

My testimony:

God absolutely speaks to us today. He speaks to us individually through the Holy Ghost and collectively through His prophets. As we converse with the Lord through prayer and seek to know His will through careful study and pondering of the scriptures, He blesses us with His Spirit and gives us guidance, comfort, and answers. I love the process of receiving revelation and help from the Lord. He speaks to each of His children differently, but He does speak if we are willing to listen.

God also calls prophets and apostles in our day. Said He, "I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven and gave him commandments;” (D&C 1:17). Joseph Smith was a prophet of God! Our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ appeared to him! When Joseph was martyred, God called another prophet and continues to call prophets and apostles today. President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s current prophet and He leads His church through President Monson. If you have not heard the prophet speak, you have to. The Spirit will confirm in your heart that you are listening to a prophet of God, the experience and knowledge is incredible. Click on this link for the prophet’s most recent words.

The canon of scripture is open. The Lord did not cease speaking when the Bible was compiled. He has always spoken through the Spirit to His children in every age. He spoke to prophets on the American continent for hundreds of years and inspired the prophet Mormon to compile those teachings into a book that would be preserved for our day. The book is called the Book of Mormon and it is my favorite book. The Lord showed Mormon our day so that he would know what to include in the Book of Mormon that would help us specifically with our modern-day trials (see Mormon 8:35; Words of Mormon 1:1-9). Each time I read the Book of Mormon seeking help from our Father in Heaven, I find verses and stories that pertain to me and my specific situation. I love when the Lord speaks to me through the scriptures.

Yes, the God does speak to us in our day. He has revealed additional scriptures through means such as the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. He continues to call prophets in our day beginning with Joseph Smith in 1820. And He speaks to us through the Holy Ghost when we pray and study His words through His prophets.

This is one way the Lord shows His love to His children and how I know He loves and cares about me.

Jeremy

See also:

Topic: Prophets on LDS.org
Elder Mark E. Petersen, “Another Prophet Now Has Come!,” Ensign, Jan 1973

What’s the Difference? Ten questions to ask any Latter-day Saint.

2011-08-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

In October 1985, Elder Derek A. Cuthbert, a member of the Seventy, gave a talk entitled, “What’s the Difference?,” (Ensign, Nov 1985, 24). In his talk, Elder Cuthbert told a story about LDS missionaries in England who knocked on his door and who had answers to questions that his own church did not. The answers he received led to his wanting to know more about the Restored Gospel and his eventual baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He testified, "My life was changed, along with my dear wife’s, as we met with the missionaries, asked questions, and prayed to know the truth."

Knowing that others would have similar questions, he listed ten of the more pressing questions he asked the missionaries and the answers that he had found. The questions are:

Why doesn’t God speak to us today?
What is God like?
What does your church teach about family life?
How can God be just if baptism is essential and many die without knowing this?
If God loves us so much, why doesn’t he warn us about the evils of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs?
How does your church care for you and fulfill your needs in addition to your Word of Wisdom?
Why do you send missionaries all over the world, when most churches concentrate on third-world countries?
What is your understanding of the purpose of life?
How do you know the answers you have given are true?
How can I know for myself that what you teach is true?

The answers which he gives to these questions are simple, straightforward, and grounded in the doctrine set forth by the Lord through His prophets in the scriptures.

He concludes, "we will add to the truth you have, for God speaks again through prophets. He has revealed himself to man in modern times. It is possible for families to be forever, for God has restored the sacred temple ordinances for the living and the dead. Furthermore, he has given us a health law, a welfare program, and a missionary system. He has revealed the purpose of life and has given us the Holy Ghost that we might testify to others and know for ourselves that this is the living Church of the living Christ, and that he speaks through a living prophet, . . . I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

This post will be followed by ten additional posts containing my testimony concerning each of these ten questions.

I add my witness that the Lord works through His living prophets to guide us in these latter days. All the answers you will ever seek to all the questions you will ever have are found in their words and in the scriptures which are the words of the ancient prophets. Try it.

Jeremy

Fundamental to Our Faith

2011-08-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

What do Mormons believe? What comes to mind when you think of Mormons? In my conversations with people over the years, I have heard some outlandish things but mostly I have found that people simply don't know or understand what we believe as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In February 2010, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at Harvard Law School in an address entitled, "Fundamental to Our Faith," later excerpted and reprinted in the Church's magazine the Ensign. Elder Oaks spoke on three "clusters of truth" which he presented as "fundamental premises of the faith of Latter-day Saints. These truths are:

The nature of God, including the role of the three members of the Godhead and the corollary truth that there are moral absolutes.
The purpose of life.
The threefold sources of truth about man and the universe: science, the scriptures, and continuing revelation—and how we can know them.

Read over these premises and learn why the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the way they do. My life is everything it is because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and because Jesus Christ works through His living apostles and prophets today.

Elder Oaks concluded, "As an Apostle I am called to be a witness of the doctrine, work, and authority of Christ in all the world. In that capacity I bear witness of the truth of these premises of our faith."

Jeremy

The Miracle of the Atonement

2011-07-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

How does our Father in Heaven offer us eternal life (and peace and happiness in this life) through the gift of His Only Begotten Son? And how do we qualify for the blessings of the Atonement?

Elder C. Scott Grow (I know, great name right?) gave a wonderful talk called, "The Miracle of the Atonement," in which he very basically and clearly explains the Atonement and the importance of it in each of our lives. He also teaches how we can more fully appreciate and make applicable in our lives the great sacrifice of our Savior.

One of my favorite lines from this talk is, "Immerse yourself in prayer and scripture study. As you do so, you will feel the sanctifying influence of the Spirit. The Savior said, 'Sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands … before me, that I may make you clean (Doctrine and Covenants 88:74).'" The Atonement makes possible repentance and forgiveness. Through the Atonement all that is wrong is made right and all the inequities of life are eventually made equal if we but emulate the life of Jesus Christ.

Jeremy

The Essence of Discipleship

2011-07-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

"From the beginning of time, the Lord has taught that to become His people we need to be of one heart and one mind (see Moses 7:18). The Savior also explained that the two great commandments in the law are “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “love thy neighbour as thyself” (see Matt 22:36-40). Lastly, soon after the Church was restored, the Lord commanded the Saints to “visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief” (D&C 44:6).

"What is the common theme in all these commandments? It is that we must love one another and serve one another. This is, in fact, the essence of discipleship in the true Church of Jesus Christ."

These are the words of Sister Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, from a talk given in April 2011 entitled, "The Essence of Discipleship," (Ensign, May 2011, 84). Sister Allred emphasized the importance of charity and service to those who are in need. She taught how the gospel of Jesus Christ is service, that the gospel the Savior taught is love in action. "When love becomes the guiding principle in our care for others, our service to them becomes the gospel in action. It is the gospel in its finest moment. It is pure religion" (see James 1:27).

Sister Allred also taught that service isn't simply providing for the needs of someone else. Rather, said Sister Allred, "Short-term needs are met immediately, and a plan to help the recipient become self-reliant is established," highlighting the importance of being able to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family.

I just really like this talk, particularly the manner in which Sister Allred explains the relationship between following the Savior and caring for our fellow men. "The pure love of Christ is expressed as we give selfless service. Helping one another is a sanctifying experience which exalts the receiver and humbles the giver. It helps us become true disciples of Christ."

I am uplifted and have a renewed desire to follow the example of the Savior and strive to be mindful of the needs of those around me.

Jeremy

The Atonement for All

2011-07-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at church we had what is called fast-and-testimony meeting. The first Sunday of every month the members of the Church fast for 24 hours for a special purpose, a purpose personal to each person, and at church Sacrament meeting is open to whomever that wants to stand and share their testimony of the Savior and His gospel.

I wish to share with you my experience in fast-and-testimony meeting yesterday because I wish that each one of you could have been there. The testimonies shared were all so diverse, so different. Some simply testified of the Savior and of their gratitude for His love and Atonement. Some spoke agenerally of trials in their own lives and of how they knew that the Lord was helping them and that all would be alright. And some spoke of specific troubles in their lives, drinking or drug problems, periods of inactivity in the Church, problems at home, and everything in between.

As I sat in the congregation and listened to each of my peers--each one a child of God--share how the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement play an active role in each of their lives, my testimony of the gospel and of the Savior grew also. I came to realize more fully how the gospel of Jesus Christ truly is applicable and helpful to everyone and in every situation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true because it contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, set forth in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The Church is lead by a living prophet and twelve apostles, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.

Although Jesus Christ does not simply take away all of our trials from us, He does soften the effect and help us be happy in this life. Tests and trials are an important part of our lives and the Lord does not leave us comfortless and directionless as we experience these opportunities for growth. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and is active in each of our lives if we but come unto Him and follow in His way.

Jeremy

The Message of the Restoration

2011-07-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a lot of things. We don't drink or smoke, we don't swear, we go to church every Sunday for three hours, we give ten percent of our income back to the Church, we serve and strive to be involved in humanitarian efforts, we marry in temples for time and eternity, we place utmost value on our families, and we are open and often proactive in sharing our religion with others. Not to mention the stereotypes of traditionally large families, young marriages and short engagements, attending BYU, being from Utah, etc.

Yes, when people think of "Mormons" a lot of things come to mind. But amidst the doctrines and teachings and habits and stereotypes, the true core and foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the reason behind everything we do is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the chief cornerstone,¹ the way the truth and the life,² the Savior of the world. We believe in Him, we worship Him, and we strive to emulate His life and do as we have seen Him do.³ His sacrifice and Atonement are the very reasons we can experience happiness and peace in this world and have a perfect brightness of hope⁴ for eternal life in the world to come.⁵ That is what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are. We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our message is that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored, that the heavens are open, that God speaks and not spake,⁶ that the power of His priesthood is given to man once again to act in His name for the salvation of His children. He has given us the Book of Mormon as another testament of Him whose life was given that we may live.

As the article this week, read "The Message of the Restoration,"⁷ a talk given a few years ago by Elder L. Tom Perry, one of the living apostles of the Jesus Christ.

I leave you with Elder Perry's testimony:

"Our message is unique. We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. We declare with boldness that the keys of the priesthood have been restored to man, with the power to seal on earth and in the heavens. The saving ordinances pronounced by the Lord as requirements for entering into eternal life with Him can now be performed with binding authority by those who worthily exercise the power of His holy priesthood. We declare to the world that this is the day referred to by biblical prophets as the latter days. It is the final time, before the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over the earth.

"We invite all to listen to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ from us. Then you can compare the glorious message with what you may hear from others, and you can determine which is from God and which is from man.

"My witness to you is that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, established in the latter days."

Jeremy

1. Ephesians 2:20

2. John 14:6

3. 3 Nephi 27:21

4. 2 Nephi 31:20

5. D&C 59:23

6. “An Address,” The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1929), 45.

7. Ensign, May 2007

"Oh Beautiful for Patriot Dream"

2011-07-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

As we commemorate the 235th birthday of our great nation, we would do well to remember the history of how our forefathers came to this land and secured freedom for themselves and for us, their posterity. In a General Conference address more than 35 years ago, Elder Paul H. Dunn of the Quorum of the Seventy gave a talk entitled, "'Oh Beautiful for Patriot Dream,'" (Ensign, Nov 1975) in which he spoke of the sacrifices made and the trials endured by our forefathers in order to bring forth on this continent a new nation.

Thanks to modern revelation, we know that this land was set apart and blessed by God to be the promised land long before our forefathers fought and died for our liberty. More than two millenia before the drafting of the Constitution, the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi taught:

Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom [God] shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve [God] according to the commandments which [H]e hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. 2 Nephi 1:7 (see the entire chapter).

So, founded in faith on principles of righteousness, our country came to be the land of the free, one nation under God, indivisible so long as its citizens never forsake the God who gave them life. The founding fathers recognized where they received their inspiration and gave credit where it was due. Those who came before us were not shy about openly expressing gratitude to God for the freedoms they enjoyed. Each of the 50 states' own constitutions refer to God in some way, and most express gratitude to the "Almighty God" for the blessings of civil and religious liberty and freedoms.

Let us not forget the faith of our fathers and the reasons they fought and died for the liberties we enjoy. In our efforts to appease Thomas Jefferson's concept of separation of church and state let us not take God completely out of this blessed land of America when it is, in fact, God who preserves this land as the blessed and promised land. Was it not, in fact, God the Father who inspired explorers to find America in His own time, first led immigrants to this land as they sought religious freedom--freedom to worship God without persecution and not freedom from religion and God, watched over and strengthened the patriots who gave their lives to establish America as a free and independent nation, and inspired those same leaders to write divine documents such as the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution? (For more on the role of God in the settling of America, see 1 Nephi 13.)

But let us also not forget the greatest blessing of our independence and freedom. In this great country, Jesus Christ was able to restore His gospel and His church in its fulness. Just decades after the signing of the Constitution, He called Joseph Smith, a New England native, to be a prophet, starting an unbroken line of prophets and apostles that continues in our day. The Lord brought forth the Book of Mormon as another testament of His divinity. Indeed, Independence Day is not significant only because a new nation, a free nation, was born.

Elder Dunn suggests two ways in which we can express gratitude to God and honor those who have given their lives to preserve our freedom, "First, by striving to make our citizenry the righteous people the Lord requires of us. And second, by telling the story of what the Lord has done for you and me and this great church, and why."

God bless America. Those blessings depend on us and will continue inasmuch as we strive to keep the commandments of our Father in Heaven.

Happy birthday America.

Jeremy

He Showed Us the Way to Return Home

2011-07-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

“The Savior came to the earth to show us how to live the plan that was authored in heaven—a plan that, if lived, will make us happy. His example showed us the way to return home to our Heavenly Father. No other who has ever lived has been so ‘steadfast and immovable’ (Mosiah 5:15). He was never distracted. He was focused on carrying out the will of the Father, and He remained true to His divine mission. …

“You are a part of that wondrous plan that was presented in the premortal realms. Your coming to the earth now has been anticipated since the plan was accepted. Your position in time and place is no accident. Your ‘exceeding faith and good works’ (Alma 13:3) then has laid the foundation for what you may accomplish now if you are faithful and obedient. … You have a great work to do. In order to accomplish your divine mission and live the plan of happiness, you too must be steadfast and immovable.”

Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women general president, “At All Times, in All Things, and in All Places,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2008, 116.

The Atonement Covers All Pain

2011-06-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Pain and suffering are prominent topics across the world. In the news and all around us we hear of those suffering from earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, wars, other political unrest, unemployment, we experience pain from death of loved ones, breaking of families, poor decisions of those close to us, we experience suffering from our own imperfect decisions and pain as we strive to right the wrongs. And right now my legs are experiencing pain from jump roping seven hours a day every day this entire week :)

My point is, we all endure pain and suffering in a multitude of ways, often at the same time. Each of us copes with pain in different ways; some blame God and move away from Him, and others humble themselves and come unto Him for help and comfort. Either way, pain and trials are catalysts that shape our lives and move us--we choose the shape and direction.

Last night I was talking to a friend who is struggling with multiple things, most of which are frustrating enough to handle individually, let alone all together. At one point in the conversation she said, "I'm just tired of it all; I just want to push it all on someone else and say, 'Here, you have this, I don't want to deal with it anymore.'" My response is that she can! We all can! We are taught that we can "Cast [our] burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain [us]" (Psalms 55:22). Jesus Christ Himself said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28).

In the most recent General Conference, Elder Kent F. Richards gave a talk entitled, "The Atonement Covers All Pain." In his talk, Elder Richards spoke of pain and the place is has in our conversion and in our quest for eternal life. He taught, "All souls can be healed by His power. All pain can be soothed. In Him, we can 'find rest unto [our] souls' (Matt 11:29)."

We do not have to struggle alone, nor does the pain we experience in this life have to be in vain. In this talk we also are reminded that, "The Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the pain we face." The Master Healer bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, He took upon Him the pains and sicknesses of each of us (see Isaiah 53:3-5; Alma 7:11-13).

The Atonement covers all pain.

Jeremy

To the Fathers in Israel

2011-06-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

We celebrate Father's Day to hopefully remember all the great things our fathers have done for us and all the important things they do and roles they play in our lives. I'm 25 so I'm still recognizing things that my father has done for me as I grow up and shed the "my parents just always tried to ruin my life as a teenager" mentality. And as time goes on and I gain more exposure to the world and meet more people, I realize more and more how great my father really is.

I tried to find an article or talk that praised fathers and taught children that they should honor their fathers, etc., (I didn't think it'd be hard because there are dozens of talks praising and thanking mothers and women for what they do) but I found that most of the "father" and "husband" talks given by apostles were full of counsel for how a father is to better lead his family and love his wife and children. Of course each of these talks contains uplifting words to the fathers and husbands who love and lead their families righteously, but also focus intensely on constantly doing more. After some pondering, I feel that this is only right. We, as men and priesthood holders, have certain duties to fulfill and labors to perform concerning God's children on the earth. Once married, we are entrusted with the love and care of a daughter of God, and how precious is that gift! How great is the need to be counseled on how to treat her and love her considering the polar opposite teachings to which we are exposed in this world. Then, as a husband, we are to provide a place worthy of God's children where they may dwell in peace, love, and safety. Once again, what a large amount of trust is placed with men when they are blessed to be fathers!

So on this Father's Day, let's read and apply in our lives words of a prophet of God that will hopefully help, uplift, and inspire fathers (and future fathers such as myself) to rise to a higher sense of responsibility and love concerning their families (and future families) that homes may be better places where the Spirit of the Lord can dwell and where God's children find refuge and safety in this world of unknown and unrest.

In 1987, President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) gave a talk entitled, "To the Fathers in Israel," in which he gave inspired counsel to fathers concerning their obligation to provide material support and spiritual leadership. Taught President Benson, "Fathers, yours is an eternal calling from which you are never released. Callings in the Church, as important as they are, by their very nature are only for a period of time, and then an appropriate release takes place. But a father’s calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity" (italics added).

He continued by quoting another prophet, "President Harold B. Lee truly stated that 'the most important of the Lord’s work that you [fathers] will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home. Home teaching, bishopric’s work, and other Church duties are all important, but the most important work is within the walls of your home' (Strengthening the Home, pamphlet, 1973, p. 7)" (italics added).

I'm not a father, but I recognize that this talk holds wonderful, timeless counsel that will bless the lives of all who strive to live in such a manner.

Jeremy

Why I Am A Mormon

2011-06-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

My parents and siblings are all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was raised in the Mormon faith and have always gone to church, etc. Therefore I have seen firsthand what wonderful blessings come from living the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. So many things have happened in my life that I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. The teachings taught therein are indeed the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In my traveling I am exposed to numerous different situations, people, and lifestyles. I have met people that are very happy, people that are absolutely miserable, and people everywhere in between. Everyone is seeking happiness and success. However, the world defines happiness and success in a different way than the Lord does.

As I observe the different lifestyles people choose to live, my testimony in the Lord Jesus Christ strengthens. I know that living His gospel is the only way to be truly happy in this life. The world's teachings are increasingly opposite the Savior's teachings and the world has people going in circles pursuing something that cannot bring true peace and happiness.

I have read the Book of Mormon, I have prayed to my Heavenly Father to know of it's truthfulness, and I have received a witness that the Book of Mormon is true. In the same manner I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. In Their infinite love for us, They restored their Church that we may know how to live that we may return to live with Them and our families forever.

Jeremy

I saw a pillar of light...

2011-06-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

So I may have snapped at the sisters while I was teaching Relief Society yesterday... Like, snapped my fingers at them...

For the last hour of church in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the men and women split up into different classes to better discuss and learn how we can be (or prepare to be) better husbands and fathers or wives, mothers, serve each other and our neighbors, and otherwise better apply the teachings of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives. The men go to priesthood meeting or Elders' Quorum and the women attend Relief Society.

As can be inferred, my presence in Relief Society was somewhat of an extenuating circumstance. My responsibility in our ward is with the missionary work and so the Relief Society president asked if I would co-teach the lesson yesterday with another sister to help get the sisters excited to share the gospel with their family and friends.

The lesson reached a point where we were discussing testimony and we began to talk about the one of the powerful testimonies of the prophet Joseph Smith. As a fourteen-year-old boy, Joseph Smith prayed out loud for the first time in a grove of trees near his home. In answer to his humble prayer, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, beginning the long-awaited restoration of the fulness of the gospel. This experience is now called the First Vision and the grove where it happened is called the Sacred Grove.

The First Vision account and experience is very important and very sacred to me. I rarely feel the Spirit stronger than when the First Vision is begin discussed or recounted word for word. I know that Joseph Smith did, in fact, see our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. My testimony of every other aspect of the gospel and the Church largely stems from how strongly I feel about that very first vision of Joseph Smith.

In the lesson as I began to recount the words of Joseph Smith, I stumbled over the words and after several attempts realized that I did not remember the First Vision in English. Feeling a bit embarrassed and also disappointed that I could not retell the account from memory, I reached for my scriptures to read the account, knowing that reading the account just does not quite hold the same spirit as having it memorized. In a split-second decision as prompted by the Spirit, I decided to just tell the story in Russian as I could do so without prompts. As I began the account in Russian, many of the sisters began to giggle and without breaking stride I snapped my fingers at them to bring them around and to let them know that was a sacred event and could be a great spiritual experience for all of them. In Russian:

"я увидел прямо у себя над головой столп света ярче солнца, который постепенно спускался, пока не упал на меня... Когда же свет почил на мне, я увидел Двух Лиц, стоявших в воздухе надо мной, чьи блеск и славу невозможно описать. Один из них, обратившись ко мне и назвав меня по имени, сказал, указывая на другого: “Сей есть Сын Мой Возлюбленный. Слушай Его!"

The sisters immediately sobered up and the spirit which filled that room as the testimony of Joseph Smith concluded was palpable. I have no doubt in my mind that each sister felt the incredible strength and presence of the Spirit at that time. It did not matter that what was being said was in a language no one understood; the Spirit testified to all that the experience we were discussing truly did happen. Testimonies were strengthened as the Spirit touched the hearts of those in the class. Indeed, we all experienced and shared a tender mercy of the Lord as He poured out His Spirit upon His daughters and me at that moment in that room.

To those of you who are reading this, please consider the significance of Joseph Smith's first vision in the Sacred Grove. As he knelt and humbly sought the will of God, he received an answer. Said he:

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

This most sacred and wonderful experience changed the world. Let it change your life.

Jeremy

What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?

2011-06-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

As we go throughout life there are many things that we do and a few things that we become. Often our actions dictate who we become, as illustrated in the line by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character." In the most recent General Conference, Elder Lynn G. Robbins gave a talk entitled, "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?," that highlighted the differences of "to be" and "to do" and the dependence each has on the other.

I really enjoyed this talk and how well Elder Robbins illustrated the importance of both doing and becoming as we strive to become like Christ. The account of the Savior in the Americas following His resurrection records an important question the Savior asked, "what manner of men ought ye to be?" Answering His own question, the Savior taught, "Verily I say unto you, even as I am" (3 Nephi 27:27).

We are commanded to become as the Savior is, humble, meek, submissive, patient, loving, diligent, wise, perceptive, strong, obedient, gentle, even perfect (see Galatians 5:22; Matt 5:48). Indeed, in the same sermon to the ancient inhabitants of the Americas the Savior admonished, "for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do" (3 Nephi 27:21).

In my job I interact with a lot of different teachers. While each teacher has a degree and a job as a teacher, not all have become teachers. Some love the kids, understand the importance of patience and an education and take time and effort to do what is in the best interest of the students. Some, on the other hand, merely print worksheets, give thoughtless assignments, and do what is required that the kids are busy and not getting into trouble. In each instance, the teachers are doing their job, but not all have actually become teachers. Likewise with us, we may be baptized, we may attend church, we may even do acts of service. But until become converted, strive to fulfill our covenants made with the Lord, and love our neighbors as ourselves, we have not become disciples of Christ.

This analogy can be applied to many facets of our lives and Elder Robbins expounds on the most important applications. Read this talk and figure out how you can better do and become.

Jeremy

How Do I Live My Faith?

2011-06-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

At church, from my parents, and in the scriptures I have learned of commandments and principles that Jesus Christ has given us to help us be happy and successful in life. While I have learned that adversity and trials are a very important part of our growth and experience in this life, I have also learned that living the commandments and following the example set by Jesus Christ enables me to avoid unnecessary unhappiness and misery and enables me to be worthy of returning to live with my Father in Heaven and my family for eternity.

Of course following the example of Jesus Christ is not always, if ever, easy. We live in a world of shifting and changing values where men call good evil and evil good. The adversary, Satan, is very clever and disguises unhappiness in very exciting and appealing packaging. I know what I believe and I know what Jesus Christ expects of me, but I also know that I am not perfect and that I must be constantly vigilant and do those things that I know strengthen me against temptation. Experience has proven that when I consistently and sincerely pray, when I study my scriptures, and when I strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, I receive strength to live in the world but not of the world.

Jump rope has provided me with incredible opportunities to see the world, meet amazing people, give back, develop myself, and be an example of the believers and share the gospel with close friends and associates. However, traveling for competitions, performances, and other opportunities brings with it inconsistent schedules, late nights, early mornings, full days, little or no control over my own schedule, and little or no regard for the Sabbath day. Finding time to pray and spend time in the scriptures is often a challenge and striving to keep the Sabbath day holy at times seems almost impossible.

But as I struggle to figure out how to live my faith in the midst of these challenges and make my fair share of mistakes along the way, I find that the Lord is patient and forgiving. He blesses me with the opportunities and creativity to enable me to hold true to that which I believe and that which I know brings true happiness. For instance, when I am gone on a weekend, I try to find the closest meetinghouse and so that I can attend church. That alone has provided great experiences. And at times I must also make sacrifices. I stay up later or sometimes skip the little relaxed bonding-time with my teammates in the evening in order to have time to study my scriptures. I forego some really fun and exciting opportunities to teach or perform and pass up some paychecks and job opportunities so that I do not have to jump on Sunday and can keep the Sabbath day holy. Some years ago I left the jump rope world and all the inherent opportunities for two years to serve a full-time mission in Ukraine with no promise of opportunity when I returned. But whatever sacrifices I think I have made, the Lord has blessed me immensely for them in such ways that I cannot even describe.

How do I live my faith? I live my faith by striving to develop my talents with which God has blessed me and to use them for good and to spread the gospel. I live my faith by striving to use those blessings to be an example of the believers. I live my faith by striving to love and serve those I am around as the Savior does. And I live my faith by striving to make time to pray, make time to study my scriptures, and attend church on Sunday and otherwise keep the Sabbath day holy. While of course I do none of these things perfect but the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about trying, changing, and trying again.

Jeremy

The Book of Mormon: An Introduction

2011-05-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

From Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, apostle of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is true. Read it.

Jeremy

The Spirit of Revelation

2011-05-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

We are constantly faced with so many decisions, problems, other situations that require us to make decisions quickly, by a certain deadline, that affect more than just ourselves, and for which we may not have all the information to confidently make the best decision. Some of these choices don’t matter in the long run and some have eternal consequences. To illustrate this point, President Monson recently taught, “Whether you wear a green T-shirt or a blue one makes no difference in the long run. However, whether you decide to push a key on your computer which will take you to pornography can make all the difference in your life. You will have just taken a step off the straight, safe path. If a friend pressures you to drink alcohol or to try drugs and you succumb to the pressure, you are taking a detour from which you may not return.” (“The Three R’s of Choice,” Ensign, Nov 2010.)

Not all of our choices are between good and evil, however. Sometimes we must choose between two good decisions or between a good decision and a better one. Sometimes these good decisions require us to make a choice without our knowing the exact outcome and require us to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Fortunately we are not left alone in the midst of all of these decisions. To help us in our sojourn through life, Jesus Christ promised us “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14:26).

What a wonderful blessing and promise! The Lord has promised us a gift, a help in these days of confusion where men call good evil and evil good that each day we may better make the decisions with which we are faced. If we so desire, we can be taught from on high, schooled by the Master Teacher Himself through the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost.

How does this process work? How do we know when Heavenly Father answers our prayers through the Holy Ghost? The Lord taught the prophet Joseph Smith, “behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation” (D&C 8:2-3). We, of course, are not without responsibility on our part. We must study carefully the decisions that come before us, weigh the options, make a decision as best we can and then present our decision before the Lord. Of this process, the Lord taught, “behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right” (D&C 9:8).

Elder David A. Bednar spoke of this process and of the spirit of revelation in the most recent General Conference. In his talk, entitled, “The Spirit of Revelation,” he compared revelation to light, opening his remarks with a brilliant extended metaphor, and very clearly illustrating the different methods revelation comes to us. Taught Elder Bednar:

“As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will “walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5; 2 Nephi 12:5). Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually, and often so delicately you may not even consciously recognize it. But regardless of the pattern whereby this blessing is received, the light it provides will illuminate and enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding (see Alma 5:7; 32:28), and direct and protect you and your family.”

Read this talk. No one of us can live without the direction and revelation of the Lord. The Holy Ghost is the guiding influence that we all need if we are to successfully navigate the decisions and choices we face in this life so that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven and our families someday. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has blessed me with the Holy Ghost. And I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that enables me to continuously strive to repent and improve and thus live worthy of the companionship and influence of the Holy Ghost.

Jeremy