tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66862256800716848692024-02-20T01:01:01.746-07:00What Do Mormons Believe?"We believe in being honest, true, chaste,
benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men."
-J. SmithThaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-33641752282229894332009-02-15T17:28:00.004-07:002009-02-15T18:04:57.534-07:00All-New Domain!Faithful readers,<br /><br />I am pleased to announce the grand opening of our new website on our (generously <a href="http://www.moregoodfoundation.org/">donated</a>) private domain:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com</a><br /><br />Thank you so much for your feedback, your comments and questions, and thanks for making this first edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">What Do Mormons Believe</span> so successful. At our new website we are committed to continue bringing you more insight into Mormon perspective.<br /><br />If you have any bookmarks or links on your personal web pages, please update them to take you to our new domain. If you haven't put up any links to our site...well, get to it!<br /><br />Again, we thank you for and welcome continued participation.<br /><br />Yours,<br />Thaddeus<br />Editor-in-ChiefThaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-51715472811938737092009-02-12T08:00:00.004-07:002009-02-16T11:16:09.874-07:00Blacks, Mormons, Priesthood, Racism, Answers<strong>First:</strong> <em>Are there racist Mormons?</em><br /><br />Answer: Yes. Sadly.<br /><br /><strong>Second:</strong> <em>Is the LDS Church a racist organization?</em><br /><br />Answer: NO. From the Book of Mormon, "[The Lord] inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/26/33#29">2 Nephi 26:33</a>).<br /><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-495" title="cookies1" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cookies1-300x199.jpg" alt="cookies1" width="300" height="199" /></p><br /><br />Racism in all its forms is disgusting. It is an evil wholly at odds with the gospel of Jesus Christ and has a pernicious effect on society. Those members of the LDS Church and other faiths that have race-superiority issues (which they often try to base on scripture or statements of church leaders) are in sin.<br /><br />However, such people in the Church are few and far between. My personal experience in the Church has been a wholly positive one. I have attended church services in Brazil, China, Mongolia, Germany, and in various congregations in the United States and have witnessed firsthand the unity that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings as people of varying ethnicity worship together. Growing up I had a black foster sister. Admittedly, Mikayla was in the minority attending church with my family in the predominantly white state of Utah. Naturally, Mikayla would ask questions about it. But not once in the years I sat beside her in the chapel pews did I witness any form of racism against her. I love that. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a multicultural church (more members live outside the U.S. than within) welcoming sons and daughters of God of all ethnicities.<br /><br />I am willing to admit there are problems. Racism is a resilient poison that people in the U.S. and elsewhere have had difficulty purging. Just because overt acts of racism don't occur publicly often doesn't mean it isn't present beneath the surface. And yet I think the church is doing well. Plus, we can hardly point a finger at others; are any of us truly free of hurtful prejudice of any sort? Let's pray we all continue to do better. Do better together.<br /><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-478" title="missionpicture1" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/missionpicture1-300x218.jpg" alt="missionpicture1" width="300" height="218" /></p><br /><br /><strong>Next topic:</strong> <em>Why was priesthood denied to black male members of the church prior to 1978?</em><br /><br />Our age of click-and-publish internet ramblings has brought with it a barrage of ill-supported commentaries which force the modern reader to be a skeptic of everything he or she reads. In light of this, I have tried hard to cut through the haze and get an accurate answer to this controversial and sensitive question. The answer I found: there is no satisfactory answer.<br /><br />Some clamor that the priesthood ban was a product of traditional racism in early America; that it was a church policy based on unrighteous social norms. They have their evidences. Some insist that it was a divinely inspired command from God. They have their evidences. Still others claim it was a church policy based on correct doctrinal principles. Likewise, they have their evidences. The Church itself hasn't said anything official and definitive on the subject. A paucity of facts invites much diversity of opinion. As far as I'm concerned, it also makes any opinion on the subject merely speculation.<br /><br />What I do know is that a prophet of God received a revelation on Thursday, June 1st, 1978 that enabled all worthy male members of the church to receive the priesthood. I know that it was a day of rejoicing. And it wasn't the first of its kind. It was reminiscent of the New Testament scene where Peter told the new members of the church that God had revealed to him that the gospel of Christ was now to be preached to the Gentiles. It was a policy change in the church: a policy change God gave (as He often does) without explanation. <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/11/18#15">Acts 11:18</a> gives their reaction to Peter's news, "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God."<br /><br />In closing I say to white members of the church: Be careful in how you explain the priesthood ban to yourself and others. Perhaps Alma Allred in his essay "The Traditions of Their Fathers: Myth versus Reality in LDS Scriptural Writings" (found in the book <em>Black and Mormon</em> edited by Newell G. Bringhurst and Darron T. Smith) was near the truth when he urged white members to, instead of looking for what blacks did to receive the ban, look at themselves to see if they were the cause.<br /><br />And to all members of the Church and other curious truth seekers: if it really bothers you, do the research. Come to your own conclusions. But remember that there aren't always definitive answers. God moves in mysterious ways. Our Old Testament friend Naaman was confused when he was commanded to go wash in Jordan seven times to be made clean (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_kgs/5/10#7">2 Kings 5:10</a>). God didn't explain but he had faith and did it anyway. There are plenty of things I don't understand, yet I can get by with the limited light I have. I do try to learn all that I can-I am not satisfied with ignorance. But I recognize that the ignorance and incomplete understanding that does remain with me is mine and not God's.<br /><p style="text-align: center;"><object data="http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/media/mediaplayer.swf?media=http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/video/flv/Priesthood_4_Newsroom.flv&type=FLV" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="300"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="src" value="http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/media/mediaplayer.swf?media=http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/video/flv/Priesthood_4_Newsroom.flv&type=FLV"></object><br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/background-information/race-relations">This</a> takes you to an official church site touching on the subject.<br /><br /><strong>Suggested further reading:</strong><br /><br />Bringhurst, Newell G. and Smith, Darron T. <em>Black and Mormon</em>. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2004.<br /><br />Bringhurst, Newell G. <em>Saints, Slaves, and Blacks the Changing Place of Black People within Mormonism</em>. Westport Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1981.<br /><br />Embry, Jessie L. <em>Black Saints in a White Church Contemporary African American Mormons.</em> Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1993.<br /><br />Lund, John Lewis. <em>The Church and the Negro a Discussion of Mormons, Negroes and the Priesthood.</em> Salt Lake City: Paramount Publishers, 1967.<br /><br />Taggart, Stephen G. <em>Mormonism's Negro Policy Social and Historical Origin.</em> Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1970.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-68280595992405700892009-02-09T08:00:00.000-07:002009-02-09T08:00:00.754-07:00The Bible: A Testimony of Jesus Christ<p>Q. <i>Do Mormons believe in the Old Testament?</i></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbVD6BYOzo6nfRGR0mhZNsvYlmAtqmzlLWffkvOwaLDb05whg-wLRK5qHQoM1WgtC1FHwNXJ_E6tQIpdVG2dwk-UV4coK-fVPjlo0HABywHT5_BbN9XTXiXmJ2Pm-Yyj67s9YPGy3eWkS/s1600-h/Bible1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 127px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbVD6BYOzo6nfRGR0mhZNsvYlmAtqmzlLWffkvOwaLDb05whg-wLRK5qHQoM1WgtC1FHwNXJ_E6tQIpdVG2dwk-UV4coK-fVPjlo0HABywHT5_BbN9XTXiXmJ2Pm-Yyj67s9YPGy3eWkS/s400/Bible1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300810434588466994" border="0" /></a>Yes, we do believe in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is full of symbolism and prophecies that support the New Testament's testimony of Jesus Christ and point to our days as well. It may be difficult to understand at times, but with careful study, the whole of the Bible has been a wonderful source of inspiration in my life. It has a long history of inspiration and continues to inspire people today. I'd like to address a bit of its history and content as well as what we believe concerning the Bible.</p> <p>The Bible (from the Greek <i>biblia</i>, meaning "books") is a collection of writings by many authors collected and compiled over the course of a many centuries. The two parts, the Old and New Testaments, are separate and distinct from one another. The Old Testament is comprised of histories and personal writings of prophets and the New Testament is a collection of some of the writings of early Christian leaders. A prophet of the Old Testament such as Isaiah, for example, would have a vision, write it down and it would be eventually compiled with his other writings. Isaiah had a vision of the throne of God and His glory which became <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/isa/6" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/isa/6">Isaiah chapter 6</a>. Isaiah had many visions, teachings and life experiences, some of which make up the 66 chapters in his book in the Bible. Jeremiah had his visions and teachings as did Ezekiel, Amos, Habakkuk, Nahum, Malachi and other inspired men, including prophets mentioned in the Bible whose books are not available to us. All of those teachings were given to the people living at the time for the purpose of reminding them of the Lord their God. As often as they forgot, the Lord sent prophets to remind them of His will toward them. This was usually to persuade the people to abandon the worship of false gods and return to obedience and service to the only true and living God.</p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ssc-Xb3n_pVZhGh1-_TxzyAzbp9FuGhOaU8deAyYFSHq9mTbIN_bCAo5yN9MphrEpxCkkm2aie90nXacMjCgccUHW7Ppdd7nW8OQZcX_2lGNPykVFG2j4vbOhmulGR4vafxR0lzPaF3R/s1600-h/isaiah.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ssc-Xb3n_pVZhGh1-_TxzyAzbp9FuGhOaU8deAyYFSHq9mTbIN_bCAo5yN9MphrEpxCkkm2aie90nXacMjCgccUHW7Ppdd7nW8OQZcX_2lGNPykVFG2j4vbOhmulGR4vafxR0lzPaF3R/s400/isaiah.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300809546082619634" border="0" /></a>The New Testament picks up chronologically over 400 years after the last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi. It begins with a book written by a man named Matthew, whom we later learn to be an apostle personally chosen by Jesus. Matthew gives us his testimony concerning the gospel (a word meaning "good news," which is the good news of Christ's atonement) and the coming of Jesus Christ, His ministry, teachings and death. Matthew quotes scripture from the Old Testament many times to support his testimony that Jesus was truly the Messiah and Savior of all mankind. The next book, authored by Mark, offers another testimony of the same Jesus Christ. As does Luke and also John, the beloved. Those four books make up everything we know about the life and ministry of the mortal Jesus Christ and they are all testimonies of His divinity, His life and His atonement. After the book of Acts, which tells a small amount about the early church and the missionary effort put forth by th0se early Christians, we have a collection of letters sent by church leaders, mostly Paul. The last book, Revelation or Apocalypse, is a vision received and recorded by John. All these testimonies, books and letters, as well as many others that existed then, were circulating among the people. Which of these documents were valid and doctrine were defined to be canon around the fourth century A.D., leading to the particular collection we have today.</p> <p>Is the Bible itself perfect? Unfortunately, no. There are many variations and translations of the Bible, some of which are vastly different from others. And if it were perfect, wouldn't we all understand it to mean the same thing? How could there be so many different opinions on what the truth of God really is? This is precisely why God did not cease with revelation. He did not give up on us.</p> <p>So then, what is the Bible? In a nutshell, it is the testimony of prophets among the Jewish people. It is a record. It is a description of Jesus Christ and a testimony that He is the way to eternal life. It describes a perfect being, His perfect gospel and His perfect way. All the prophets since Adam have given their testimonies concerning Christ and His gospel. To receive anyone's testimony of Christ is surely a great blessing. The Book of Mormon is also a blessing like that. It is another such description or testimony of Christ written by prophets not among the Jews, but among other peoples across the world. With both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, we can gather a clearer image of what the Lord truly desires of us.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-75991856122797689002009-02-05T09:00:00.000-07:002009-02-05T09:01:21.264-07:00The Restoration<p>The Lord follows every apostasy with a new dispensation and a <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2007/12/what-do-mormons-believe-the-restoration/" mce_href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2007/12/what-do-mormons-believe-the-restoration/">restoration </a>of authority. Here is a short film produced by the Church which shows how the current dispensation was opened through the young man, Joseph Smith.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" mce_style="text-align: center;"><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHcnnkshRyg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHcnnkshRyg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></p> <p style="text-align: center;" mce_style="text-align: center;">This is the second half of the same film.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" mce_style="text-align: center;"><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ghYCqOWhIBM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ghYCqOWhIBM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/7/7#7" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/7/7#7">Matthew 7:7</a>).</p> <p style="text-align: left;" mce_style="text-align: left;">Heavenly Father will answer your prayers, too. Ask Him whether Joseph Smith was a prophet.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-78260044458438676422009-02-02T08:00:00.002-07:002009-02-03T01:50:19.423-07:00Fasting<span style="font-style: italic;">Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer</span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"> <span style="font-size:85%;">Doctrine and Covenants 59:13</span><br /></div><br />Usually, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints abstain from two consecutive meals on the first Sunday of every month (yesterday). That Sunday church service is designated for witnessing or bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ by the members of the congregation. Besides abstaining from food and drink and attending testimony meeting, a true fast also consists of giving a fast offering to care for those in need. The offering, the sum of money that would have been spent on the two skipped meals, is given to the Bishop for any members who are struggling.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBr3ZVKXNq_y0PdHsMr8R2xwUGY4zR8J0nMHWqAll8rGNPAE7vZRotUix4RojIM5V4_tbpMvRAVk2jcSef7Z18YayXSC5Y-bptK4VjzGmTok2jylf4__HCnX-lhJqZ9avHddShBC152jJ/s1600-h/fasting+empty+plate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBr3ZVKXNq_y0PdHsMr8R2xwUGY4zR8J0nMHWqAll8rGNPAE7vZRotUix4RojIM5V4_tbpMvRAVk2jcSef7Z18YayXSC5Y-bptK4VjzGmTok2jylf4__HCnX-lhJqZ9avHddShBC152jJ/s200/fasting+empty+plate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297978514585339266" border="0" /></a>The scientific community has caught up with the religious practice and <a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/new-study-shows-health-benefit-of-fasting">has proven</a> that fasting helps prevent heart disease, speeds up metabolism, gives us more energy and helps our digestive organs run better by giving them a little bit of a break. The LDS church does not recommend fasting too often or for an extended amount of time. A 24 hour fast once a month is what is recommended.<br /><br />Two prominent reasons for fasting are to improve physical conditions and spiritual development. President Heber J. Grant describes some of the physical blessings of fasting by writing, "Let me promise you here today that if the Latter-day Saints will honestly and conscientiously from this day forth, as a people, keep the monthly fast and pay into the hands of their bishops the actual amount that they would have spent for food for the two meals from which they have refrained . . . we would have all the money necessary to take care of all the idle and all the poor." (Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham (1941), 123)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJnW8wVGt25iJTKhO845zr1mUYv75mSmYHB61yuL-GQZb_oAEufoJlhBwnYiEbqogHCh2-c0wEqBs0AzUOSzuGgN52v44Ws5lsb_NOEi4pZZzKJ1fzS4rKYEInSXpG-HBJIS65XPj-cG/s1600-h/money+on+a+plate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJnW8wVGt25iJTKhO845zr1mUYv75mSmYHB61yuL-GQZb_oAEufoJlhBwnYiEbqogHCh2-c0wEqBs0AzUOSzuGgN52v44Ws5lsb_NOEi4pZZzKJ1fzS4rKYEInSXpG-HBJIS65XPj-cG/s200/money+on+a+plate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297978404474282738" border="0" /></a><br />Isaiah notes the spiritual benefits and lists them in the 58th chapter of his book. When we obey the law of the fast he says, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward [or rearguard]. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; though shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am." We are promised better health, protection, that we will be closer to the Spirit of the Lord and that the Lord will hear and answer our prayers.<br /><br />Fasting is regularly employed when trying to discover answers to our questions. In The Book of Mormon the prophet Alma testifies of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the goodness of God and the reality of the Plan of Salvation to the people living in the land called Zarahemla. As he concludes his teachings he proclaims, "Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit" (Alma 5:45-46).<br /><br />Growing up in an LDS home, skipping breakfast before church was expected on the first Sunday of the month, but it wasn't until I was a teenager that I finally recognized what I could accomplish if I actually fasted and prayed. When I decided that I really wanted to know of the truthfulness of the gospel for myself, I fasted and prayed a couple of times a month to gain the witness that God exists, that He knows who I am, that The Bible is correct, that The Book of Mormon is a true account of Jesus Christ's ministry in America, that Joseph Smith restored the original church back to the Earth and that the current prophet Thomas Spencer Monson is truly called by God to lead us at this time. Prayers alone were not enough. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEY3sWe4TEoaThz5QXBa7qJCrc6EaxVwhLWNXABLBnxOYV-R6PUN13hyphenhyphenPzr9CNFC1BU_zEy6HoFkF36GRbtb994PlNuYFk-iSi4c-4x85jJeIusy_MgCjUbnXHbIqtfgpGAurtxs3jnlI/s1600-h/girl+praying.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 83px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEY3sWe4TEoaThz5QXBa7qJCrc6EaxVwhLWNXABLBnxOYV-R6PUN13hyphenhyphenPzr9CNFC1BU_zEy6HoFkF36GRbtb994PlNuYFk-iSi4c-4x85jJeIusy_MgCjUbnXHbIqtfgpGAurtxs3jnlI/s200/girl+praying.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297978409732602530" border="0" /></a> I know that the answers I received and still receive are possible because fasting and prayer help me to be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Because I have had those experiences in the past, I feel comfortable fasting and praying when I need more guidance in my life now. I often fast and pray for help during stressful times in the school year, at times when I have to make serious choices about my future and especially times when I recognize the need to change my attitudes and habits (all too often). Changes in character are some of the hardest changes to make, but through the strength I receive when I fast and pray I know that I need to and that I can cut away some of my flaws.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8xA5vg70qrF20xvDNK4pV4RT6U7vwWqqhe0Y-m2v0_U-Ta9irJ39xdROHw9DmjuPt9HkbcU1XJ4W-m7U1tm3xNzVSSUOf5s2nVs7dddCGFIf31BK1V5-x0gbM_7IRieCwDGHs8AZppX9/s1600-h/hungry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 89px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8xA5vg70qrF20xvDNK4pV4RT6U7vwWqqhe0Y-m2v0_U-Ta9irJ39xdROHw9DmjuPt9HkbcU1XJ4W-m7U1tm3xNzVSSUOf5s2nVs7dddCGFIf31BK1V5-x0gbM_7IRieCwDGHs8AZppX9/s200/hungry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297978410190636066" border="0" /></a>When I lived in Uganda last summer I fasted for a number of reasons. I went there to do humanitarian work and "change the world!" I wanted Heavenly Father to show me what I could do that would make the most meaningful impact on the people I worked with. Thinking I could change things or fix problems was incredibly prideful, but I really wanted to make a difference. The biggest difference, of course, was with myself. The scriptures tell us to feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked, etc., but I have never seen such practical application in my life. Everyone I knew in the U.S.A. had at least five pairs of shoes, plenty of food in the pantry and access to medical attention, but in Lugazi? No. It was while I was walking up and down dirt roads, having little kids who wore the same shirt everyday run up in their bare feet and grab my hands that I realized why we are asked to fast. Not everyone can have the experience I did in East Africa, but fasting gives people everywhere that little taste of discomfort that is so common around the world. It helps us to realize that there is so much work for us to do while Christ is away.<br /><br />For me, the most important thing about fasting is that we follow Christ's example of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, satisfying the afflicted, becoming closer to our Father in Heaven, and learning to understand the answers we are given. That is how we should act toward each other and toward Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Hl7ZpnuY_xI5bze9_yl8L9LdNuNBjffH221BBnAVTpbmInWgG_9jgzCiSjpNcA7oQArDlHF2fbNr4OO3_2LlqZIIH7sk71dMPfmbtLObYgBawhoK_VmcgGAg8_cbpMMgBniQePna5Oax/s1600-h/rejoicing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Hl7ZpnuY_xI5bze9_yl8L9LdNuNBjffH221BBnAVTpbmInWgG_9jgzCiSjpNcA7oQArDlHF2fbNr4OO3_2LlqZIIH7sk71dMPfmbtLObYgBawhoK_VmcgGAg8_cbpMMgBniQePna5Oax/s200/rejoicing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297978406684300690" border="0" /></a> When we do those things, fasting really is a cause for rejoicing.Beetlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05037190223785304034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-16263734595358847632009-01-29T08:00:00.004-07:002009-01-30T07:14:03.175-07:00A Book of Mormon Synopsis: The Small Plates<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFM3HHCySiFlM75GAHDJItvMZzUYm3cq1ae47uI5RX-g7kibMSTqZdOh3D_C6fyRkKoyS8P5J_UbLZihXdUuUILEL7O-EZvPdOpAlJDRgvQyK8991AJA5vPv87iRNZsPh2qtHsbHSM8DH/s1600-h/moroni.jpg" mce_href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFM3HHCySiFlM75GAHDJItvMZzUYm3cq1ae47uI5RX-g7kibMSTqZdOh3D_C6fyRkKoyS8P5J_UbLZihXdUuUILEL7O-EZvPdOpAlJDRgvQyK8991AJA5vPv87iRNZsPh2qtHsbHSM8DH/s1600-h/moroni.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFM3HHCySiFlM75GAHDJItvMZzUYm3cq1ae47uI5RX-g7kibMSTqZdOh3D_C6fyRkKoyS8P5J_UbLZihXdUuUILEL7O-EZvPdOpAlJDRgvQyK8991AJA5vPv87iRNZsPh2qtHsbHSM8DH/s400/moroni.jpg" mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFM3HHCySiFlM75GAHDJItvMZzUYm3cq1ae47uI5RX-g7kibMSTqZdOh3D_C6fyRkKoyS8P5J_UbLZihXdUuUILEL7O-EZvPdOpAlJDRgvQyK8991AJA5vPv87iRNZsPh2qtHsbHSM8DH/s400/moroni.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Book of Mormon is a record of a people that lived in the Americas between 600BC and 400AD as well as their origins, lives and religion. The record, written on gold plates, was given to Joseph Smith and he was given the ability to translate it from the original language, reformed Egyptian.</p> <p>The Book of Mormon starts with a <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/ttlpg" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/ttlpg">title page</a> and <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/introduction" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/introduction">introduction </a>to familiarize the reader with the book's purpose and history. As the title page states, the Book of Mormon was written as a witness and testament that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God and that He manifests Himself unto all nations. The final paragraphs of the introduction contains an invitation to read the book and a promise that if one will read it, ponder over the words, and pray to God, asking if the book is true, then an answer will be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. After this invitation, the testimonies of the eight witnesses, the three witnesses and Joseph Smith are given.</p> <p>The book then begins. Its format is similar to the Bible, in that there are individual books within the greater book and these are divided into chapters and verses. The <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/1" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/1">first book</a> was written by a man named Nephi living in Jerusalem around 600BC and is taken from a record mentioned in the book called the Small Plates of Nephi. The small plates were like a journal that Nephi kept and was passed on in the family for generations. In it, he and others recorded prophecies, teachings and "a few of the things which [they] considered to be most precious." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jacob/1/2#2" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jacob/1/2#2">Jacob 1:2</a>) Nephi made other plates, the large plates, on which he wrote the daily goings-on of his people. That book was passed down from king to king and was eventually abridged by a prophet named Mormon. That abridgement comprises most of the Book of Mormon. The first part, however, is taken directly from the small plates.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBXYYY8uKt_az52s9J6nmoIldC3l3mv-tUuTTfgGUBWurYJs-8Fro9owFmw6AAexKuL7qHyToK9ciHc2dOryYJJ1PYerD5mdanO1JMNJO2qrk01x6_4dtz0oqnUEWUZlhMcwnG4e7AZD/s1600-h/lehi.jpg" mce_href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBXYYY8uKt_az52s9J6nmoIldC3l3mv-tUuTTfgGUBWurYJs-8Fro9owFmw6AAexKuL7qHyToK9ciHc2dOryYJJ1PYerD5mdanO1JMNJO2qrk01x6_4dtz0oqnUEWUZlhMcwnG4e7AZD/s1600-h/lehi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBXYYY8uKt_az52s9J6nmoIldC3l3mv-tUuTTfgGUBWurYJs-8Fro9owFmw6AAexKuL7qHyToK9ciHc2dOryYJJ1PYerD5mdanO1JMNJO2qrk01x6_4dtz0oqnUEWUZlhMcwnG4e7AZD/s400/lehi.jpg" mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhBXYYY8uKt_az52s9J6nmoIldC3l3mv-tUuTTfgGUBWurYJs-8Fro9owFmw6AAexKuL7qHyToK9ciHc2dOryYJJ1PYerD5mdanO1JMNJO2qrk01x6_4dtz0oqnUEWUZlhMcwnG4e7AZD/s400/lehi.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Nephi tells the story of his father, Lehi, and his vision. Much the same way that Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were called to be prophets, Lehi sees a vision of God, learns of His gospel and is sent among the people to warn them of their wickedness and the impeding doom of the city. Predictably, he is rejected by the people and threats are made on his life (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jer/38/6,13,28#6" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jer/38/6,13,28#6">Jeremiah</a> is probably in prison at this time) so the Lord commands him to take his family and absquatulate into the desert. Nephi records their experiences, trials and the things they learn about Christ and His gospel as they travel eight years through the desert from Jerusalem to an unknown point on the Arabian coast where they <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/17" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/17">build a boat</a>, according the Lord's directions, and cross the ocean to the promised land.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrDOmiZY5reeIT9GAgGKPcwuBmlBInp5si-cwKwEHHgc7cSyR6ioGIvyg6G4N8IVEyoJUp2BMYBYc4-N15kKkRRQv2uR4fZwTBcdsE3qkEccKAF2qmKTi3Cjjbn0yNpYvIsSS7BA6YKyl/s1600-h/ship.jpg" mce_href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrDOmiZY5reeIT9GAgGKPcwuBmlBInp5si-cwKwEHHgc7cSyR6ioGIvyg6G4N8IVEyoJUp2BMYBYc4-N15kKkRRQv2uR4fZwTBcdsE3qkEccKAF2qmKTi3Cjjbn0yNpYvIsSS7BA6YKyl/s1600-h/ship.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrDOmiZY5reeIT9GAgGKPcwuBmlBInp5si-cwKwEHHgc7cSyR6ioGIvyg6G4N8IVEyoJUp2BMYBYc4-N15kKkRRQv2uR4fZwTBcdsE3qkEccKAF2qmKTi3Cjjbn0yNpYvIsSS7BA6YKyl/s400/ship.jpg" mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrDOmiZY5reeIT9GAgGKPcwuBmlBInp5si-cwKwEHHgc7cSyR6ioGIvyg6G4N8IVEyoJUp2BMYBYc4-N15kKkRRQv2uR4fZwTBcdsE3qkEccKAF2qmKTi3Cjjbn0yNpYvIsSS7BA6YKyl/s400/ship.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Some time after arriving, Lehi gives his <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/2" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/2">dying words</a> to his children and grandchildren and passes away. It didn't take long for Nephi's oldest brothers, Laman and Lemuel, to try and kill Nephi. They had been complaining, rebelling and plotting Nephi's death since they left Jerusalem because they did not believe that Lehi had a vision nor did they believe in God all that much. Nephi took his wife, kids and anyone else who would listen away from Laman's group so they could live peacefully and worship God. From that time until the very end of the book, the two main groups are referred to as Nephites and Lamanites.</p> <p>Nephi spends the rest of his book writing down a few of his thoughts and feelings, but mostly prophecies and teachings and many words of the prophet Isaiah. Nephi then passes the metal plates he used to write on, to his brother Jacob and dies. Jacob continues to write and records a few of his sermons to the people and passes them to his son, <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/enos/1" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/enos/1">Enos</a>. The tradition continues for several generations, each of them writing a little until one man, who had no children, passes the plates on to the king, a righteous man named Benjamin. By this time, over 450 years had passed since Lehi and his family had left Jerusalem.</p> <p>During the time that this record was kept, the Nephites and Lamanites fought against each other and had several wars. At one point, the Nephite king, Mosiah, was warned by the Lord to leave their lands and go north. He took as many people with him as would listen and left their city to find a new place to live. Mosiah was led by the Lord and found an entire city of people called Zarahemla. Their history is largely unknown except that they were originally led by Mulek out of Jerusalem when Babylon invaded Jerusalem in 585 BC. The two groups merged and Mosiah, followed by his son Benjamin, became their king. That marks the end of the small plates.</p> <p>The most remarkable thing about these writings is how much Nephi and his descendants knew about the coming Messiah. Nephi was shown the birth of Jesus in a <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/11/13,18,20-21#6" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/11/13,18,20-21#6">vision</a> and understood the miraculous power of the <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/9" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/9">atonement</a>. He writes, "And 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" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/25/26#26" mce_href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/25/26#26">2 Nephi 2:26</a>). We share this book with you, and with the whole world for the same purpose. Please take the <a href="http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/free-media/free-media#d" mce_href="http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/free-media/free-media#d">opportunity</a> to read it for yourself.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-45756332075862590042009-01-26T08:00:00.001-07:002009-01-27T13:35:59.420-07:00Jesus the ChristAmong Christ's titles is "Alpha and Omega," signifying the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. His influence can be felt from one end of eternity to the other, as well as all along the way. Every aspect of Mormonism focuses on Him; we revere Him as our God, our Creator, our Brother, and our King.<br /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nKz1PUw6z7pce0SMNQmQ5CyYPg-zKaNDbdQOc-OEnHukct75F8IF4ZTR6CB17NMKPQvGy5K7eSh9Z_kYuIO_Aa4mnUkco5pSO7QJVmhQ_zqTn51p3dha5NxwKqDt61kPpjqOhGWwNEpv/s1600-h/Jesus+Christ+Teacher+and+Savior.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nKz1PUw6z7pce0SMNQmQ5CyYPg-zKaNDbdQOc-OEnHukct75F8IF4ZTR6CB17NMKPQvGy5K7eSh9Z_kYuIO_Aa4mnUkco5pSO7QJVmhQ_zqTn51p3dha5NxwKqDt61kPpjqOhGWwNEpv/s320/Jesus+Christ+Teacher+and+Savior.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295473693619344978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">"In the Beginning...<br /></span>...was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/1/1-3">John 1:1-3</a>)<br /><br />Jesus, like all of us, existed before birth. He was an important figure in our premortal family as the birthright, first-begotten Son of the Father, and our eldest and wisest brother. As our leader, He championed the causes of justice, mercy and free will. He was appointed to be our Savior. We had faith in Him. We followed Him willingly and loved Him.<br /><br />Under the Father's direction, Jesus created the heavens and the earth. He made them beautiful and fruitful. But it wasn't just an art project; earth was to be a testing ground for all God's children. Jesus said, "We will prove them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/abr/3/25#20">Abraham 3:25</a>)<br /><br />And command them, He did. Jesus is identified in the Old Testament as Jehovah, the great "I Am." He told Noah to build an ark; He spoke to Moses face to face; it was His presence that rested upon the tabernacle of Israel within a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Over the centuries, He spoke to Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, Nephi, and many other noble prophets of Israel.<br /><br />Their messages (which were always His message) were invariably teachings of repentance, obedience, and foretelling of the coming Messiah, who would one day deliver them. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><strong><br />"And the Word was made flesh...</strong><br /></span>...and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/1/11,14#8">John 1:14, 11</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEqTlwB_9R-UqO_haJi7m4VNivN51aPH4Cqsi9DZDyzhUS8hJpgyV6rk6sEtht3D7HSmnyoQdvGo4tJZCHSbhJ2Dccp3RGnDiUVnVYx9Z9dxrMZlqIaxdCedBG4ozttt9plmct0DDWJ-W/s1600-h/birthofjesus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEqTlwB_9R-UqO_haJi7m4VNivN51aPH4Cqsi9DZDyzhUS8hJpgyV6rk6sEtht3D7HSmnyoQdvGo4tJZCHSbhJ2Dccp3RGnDiUVnVYx9Z9dxrMZlqIaxdCedBG4ozttt9plmct0DDWJ-W/s320/birthofjesus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295475380941238434" border="0" /></a>Mary, a virgin maiden from Nazareth became miraculously pregnant: an angel appeared to her and said, "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/luke/1/31#25">Luke 1:31</a>) When He was born in Bethlehem, He became the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. From His mother, he inherited mortality; from His Father, he received power over death.<br /><br />At the age of thirty, He began His ministry. Jesus was a profound teacher, a miracle worker, and the only perfect, whole man to walk the earth. Not only did He avoid sin in all its forms, but He exhibited all virtues in completeness, providing us with the best example to follow. His love for His Father and for others was perfect and pure. Although He was popular among common folks, He upset the status quo of the reigning religious leaders, and they opted to eliminate Him. They submitted Him to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate to be executed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1DS6SVDLxvbgZeFuhBZgzS8_8cNofMBlEbCMGQ00btJMjy3zwhns9YeqpNkFAQ0jkDcvqccjyyRw3Wh1WaaAwdp8cCh9O21ZKJ3xfbf2k5Ix-5uSG02bL5PKHMfehfeBhyphenhyphenCsR2GxdwOk/s1600-h/Christ+-+Gethsemane.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1DS6SVDLxvbgZeFuhBZgzS8_8cNofMBlEbCMGQ00btJMjy3zwhns9YeqpNkFAQ0jkDcvqccjyyRw3Wh1WaaAwdp8cCh9O21ZKJ3xfbf2k5Ix-5uSG02bL5PKHMfehfeBhyphenhyphenCsR2GxdwOk/s320/Christ+-+Gethsemane.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295475550012261650" border="0" /></a>He knew His execution was imminent, but something weightier was on His mind: the souls of all people. He had been chosen by the Father to be the sacrificial lamb -- to atone for the sins of mankind. He prayed long and hard in the garden of Gethsemane that fateful night. At first He hesitated, pleading for some other way, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/luke/22/42#39">Luke 22:42</a>)<br /><br />The consequences of sin are death<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"></span> and suffering. Jesus suffered in Gethsemane, then died by crucifixion on Calvary the following day.<br /><br />But the sins were not His; they were ours.<br /><br />Why did He do it? Jesus later spoke these words to the prophet Joseph Smith:<br /><br /><blockquote>"For behold, I, God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/19/16,18-19#12">Doctrine & Covenants 19:16,18-19</a>).</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"He is not here, but is risen"</span><br />(<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/luke/23/6#1">Luke 23:6</a>).<br /><br />On the third day after His death, before He was even fully interred in his tomb, Jesus arose (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mark/16/1-2">Mark 16:1-2</a>). He showed His fully-perfected physical body to Mary and to His disciples; they saw the nail prints in his hands and feet and knew it was the Lord. His ministry continued another forty days, long enough to more fully establish His Church with the apostles. Then "he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/1/9#5">Acts 1:9</a>).<br /><br />Why didn't He stick around? For one thing, He had another pressing matter. He had earlier told His apostles, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/10/16#11">John 10:16</a>).<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-136" title="jesusteachinginthewesternhemisphere" alt="jesusteachinginthewesternhemisphere" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/jesusteachinginthewesternhemisphere-300x231.jpg" width="300" height="231" /><br /></div>We have record of at least one group of His "other sheep" in the Book of Mormon. He was met by the Nephites and Lamanites with celebration and enthusiasm (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/11">3 Nephi 11</a>). We are certain He visited other groups, but we have not yet received records of these visits.<br /><br />Jesus has remained alive in an immortal and perfect physical body ever since. He showed himself to Stephen, Saul, John, Mormon, Moroni, and many others, including the pious fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith. He has promised, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/5/8">Matthew 5:8</a>).<br /><br />As in ancient times, the prophets dispense the Savior's message to the world, including a witness "that He lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God;" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/76/22-23#18">Doctrine & Covenants 76:22-23</a>).<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />"The Lord himself shall descend...<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">...from heaven with a shout</span><span style="font-size:100%;">, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_thes/4/16#11">1 Thessalonians 4:16</a>).</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:0;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-131" title="jesus_returns" alt="jesus_returns" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/jesus_returns-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">We still await the Savior's triumphant second coming. He will reveal himself to everyone altogether then, and the graves of the righteous will open for their turn at resurrection.</span><br /></div></div><br />We will all recognize Him as King (some with dismay or anxiety), "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/rom/14/11-12#8">Romans 14:11-12</a>). He will reign personally for a thousand years; then, the wicked will finally be resurrected, and each of us who has lived in this world will receive our final judgment from Jesus the Christ.<br /><br />And what better judge could we ask for? Jesus knows us best, having been among us from the very beginning. He created the world and even walked among us in mortality. He felt our pains and afflictions and temptations and death itself; all so He would know how to relieve us (see <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/7/11-12#7">Alma 7:11-12</a>). He is our righteous leader and king. We can have faith in Him. We can love Him with all our hearts.</div>Thaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-61352086297793945872009-01-22T08:00:00.004-07:002009-01-22T12:29:55.061-07:00Missions of the ChurchAs a teenager, one of the things we were taught over and over was that the Church had a three-fold mission: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Perfect the Saints, Proclaim the Gospel, Redeem the Dead</span>. This is the basis of all of the programs, lessons, ordinances, callings and everythingness of the Church.<br /><br />As I taught the gospel in Russia, however, I understood better that these weren't three<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFItH5ZxSPqCNG1uupsz_Yik2eoXUi_7n1JBq8KtDCcnXLQo7pNwXSbyq8VSbpVyVHfzdr9c2puk5W6uZ4HNdt1JKPXF8l2NWWlf-G3MJ9OPpHROoF-IRwu3s_xQ24QilIYmg3Xb2DEMH/s1600-h/Christ.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 131px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFItH5ZxSPqCNG1uupsz_Yik2eoXUi_7n1JBq8KtDCcnXLQo7pNwXSbyq8VSbpVyVHfzdr9c2puk5W6uZ4HNdt1JKPXF8l2NWWlf-G3MJ9OPpHROoF-IRwu3s_xQ24QilIYmg3Xb2DEMH/s320/Christ.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293469795453980850" border="0" /></a> separate entities that we were supposed to divide our time and attention between. These are all part of the main mission of the church: <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Bringing people to Christ.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">This</span> is the ultimate goal of Christ's church, and it applies to <span style="font-style: italic;">every</span> person on the face of the earth.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Perfecting the Saints</span> is the broad label given to all of the ordinances and activities of the Church. It comes from Christ's directive both in <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/5/48">Matthew</a> and in the <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/12/#48">Book of Mormon</a> to "Be ye therefore perfect, [even as I] or your Father in Heaven is perfect." In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believers and members of the Church are called "Saints". Yes, just everyday people in the grocery store are Saints. In this context, Saints are those who are following Christ's teachings and trying very hard to live as He has asked them to live. Perfecting the Saints is no easy task, and here are some of the ways that Saints work on perfecting themselves:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEieb_-gmZUY025zV9mGd93WH1YnwO0HpVOv6uXj2rRJO0HPbHKzTS8GvgSpdP2_p2Pnf8k5cJIxLaH1QdyPdkh4DNEaRQeOcx58B0xKXyL-HdiWLiLyLsi-2D2iximtbVVeOFm3QJdByR/s1600-h/mission1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEieb_-gmZUY025zV9mGd93WH1YnwO0HpVOv6uXj2rRJO0HPbHKzTS8GvgSpdP2_p2Pnf8k5cJIxLaH1QdyPdkh4DNEaRQeOcx58B0xKXyL-HdiWLiLyLsi-2D2iximtbVVeOFm3QJdByR/s320/mission1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293460927850459794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Sincerely praying and studying the word of God.</li><li>Attending the <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/search/label/temples">temple</a> to make covenants with God.</li><li>Attending weekly church meetings<br /></li><li>Volunteering to serve in any number of "<a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/07/tithing-and-unpaid-clergy.html">callings</a>" in their congregation. From the leader of the congregation right down to the person collecting lesson manuals after class, everyone is donating their time, energy and talents to serve the Lord and each other. We don't have a paid clergy.</li><li>Striving to have strong families through Family Home Evening, family prayer, family vacations, family meals, family reunions, and just generally supporting and loving each other in the family.</li><li>Living the commandments as found <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/18">here</a>, <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ex/20">here</a> and <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ex/20">here</a>.</li></ul>We truly believe that in doing what Christ has asked us to do, we draw nearer to Him and as we are closer to Him, we are more perfect. That's what this life is all about.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Proclaim the Gospel</span> addresses the next group of people who need to come to Christ--those <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_1A2gERCu7QXhMCYqzZoKeha2BikiVnTwd4mcPFHzet7L-w0exf8NKZ3Bd3Z1muUSccD_JCgjLyvHg7zfCOcySo23-XiEUMI1uGemo2KszSeREA0m0DeCh_vu9WfgBnFtfpaFv3rtRbe/s1600-h/mission2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_1A2gERCu7QXhMCYqzZoKeha2BikiVnTwd4mcPFHzet7L-w0exf8NKZ3Bd3Z1muUSccD_JCgjLyvHg7zfCOcySo23-XiEUMI1uGemo2KszSeREA0m0DeCh_vu9WfgBnFtfpaFv3rtRbe/s320/mission2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293463619478941026" border="0" /></a>who aren't already members of His church. The LDS church has thousands of missionaries <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=03103c7ff44f2010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">all over the world</span></a>, teaching Christ's doctrines to cossacks, Buddhists, ninjas and pygmies, and everyone else in between. Every single person on this earth is invited to come unto Christ and <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/10/#32">be perfected in Him</a>. This aspect of Church activities is very much tied in with the first mission of perfecting the saints, because when a person is baptized into the church, they are one step closer to Christ.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Redeeming the Dead</span> strikes people as one of the most bizarre of our doctrines. We do<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdEJFueo4HX1OZ6LLOCKbGmzWG4EK_heKwPv9NPjRs3B2NDUND_UKxIGB8XtyZvyOUYRVzNX6gdycU8e5gt1oTcOCvlNUOyUzmqPB3OkfVI7lgT1vW7yB8kYOmt6oFUGirnAPJFPrgxou/s1600-h/mission3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdEJFueo4HX1OZ6LLOCKbGmzWG4EK_heKwPv9NPjRs3B2NDUND_UKxIGB8XtyZvyOUYRVzNX6gdycU8e5gt1oTcOCvlNUOyUzmqPB3OkfVI7lgT1vW7yB8kYOmt6oFUGirnAPJFPrgxou/s320/mission3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293466568212845362" border="0" /></a> temple work for our deceased ancestors so that they can choose to accept the ordinances in the spirit world (if they wish to--our ordinances are not binding on them if they don't want them). But in the context of bringing every single person to Christ, this practice fits perfectly. The church was <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2007/12/restoration.html">restored</a> on the earth in 1830, 1750 years after Christ's church and its authority disappeared from the earth. There were a lot of people in those 1750 years, and they are each, individually important to Christ. He atoned for them too, and if they are to benefit from His sacrifice, they need to do what He's asked them to do to be admitted into His church (baptism by immersion, followed by higher ordinances and covenants). He asks members of His church to reach out to those who have passed on as well as to the living.<br /><br />So that sums up all of the Church's activities and programs. Christ wants us all to come unto Him and be perfected in Him. For members of the church, that involves living His commandments and serving others. Some of that service is directed at helping other people join His church to also come unto Him and be perfected in Him--living and dead.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-91253630948890597792009-01-19T08:00:00.003-07:002009-01-21T13:44:07.247-07:00Question Box: Why Temple Marriage?<p align="center"><em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Tu2nr_LLjNdsMSu0q9UiJbIHpz-6IqLyqHPQHAlczSSvfGctRPzyUgogs8XLJJG30-vgbjoRPzzmbVCt9yCobFexNMfdd1zPNdfakAbV0m-AcXwreLMzZ_PU3NQ4MRM2A8q1eZz_LoE/s1600-h/SanDiegoTemple.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212133507936695714" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Tu2nr_LLjNdsMSu0q9UiJbIHpz-6IqLyqHPQHAlczSSvfGctRPzyUgogs8XLJJG30-vgbjoRPzzmbVCt9yCobFexNMfdd1zPNdfakAbV0m-AcXwreLMzZ_PU3NQ4MRM2A8q1eZz_LoE/s400/SanDiegoTemple.jpg" border="0" /></a></em></p><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Q:</span><em style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Why do you have to get married in the temple? Besides the ordinances that are performed, do you really think God will only allow people who were married in the temple, to stay married in heaven and no one else?</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">This is an excellent question. We do believe that you must be married and sealed in the temple of the Lord for the marriage to continue after this life. Having said that, I realize that we are not the only people on this earth who love their families and desire to be with them forever. We believe that the family is divinely organized</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">It is the fundamental</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">unit of society.</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Therefore, it is no wonder to me that each of us desires to be with our families and loved ones forever.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Because marriage is ordained of God, the ordinance must be performed by His authority, and in His way for it to be eternal. In that way it is just like baptism, the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost, or any other ordinance of God. In talking with the Hebrews about the priesthood, Paul said, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron"</span> <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/heb/5/4#4">Hebrews 5:4</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(See</span> <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/lev/8">Leviticus 8</a> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">for a description of how Aaron received the priesthood.) Merely wishing for your marriage to last after this life will not make it so.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">There are priesthood holders today who are authorized to seal husbands and wives for all time and eternity. They perform these ordinances in temples, which are the most holy places of worship on the earth. (See the article, "</span><a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-mormons.html">Why Mormons</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">" for a better explanation of how this priesthood </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">was restored to</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> the earth.)</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Even m</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">embers of the LDS church must live clean</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, worthy</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">lives to enter the House of the Lord,</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">and then those who are sealed together must keep the</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">covenants they have made</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">in order</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> to have their families forever.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">With this understanding, it may be easier for others to see why Mormons are so anxious to spread the gospel throughout the earth. We know that God loves all people and desires all to have eternal happiness. That is why we are willing to go on missions </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">and take every opportunity possible to share our testimonies, so that we can</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> help as many people as </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">possible</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> enjoy these blessings</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">of God</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Now, y</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">ou may ask about all those who never had an opportunity to </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">go to the temple to be sealed</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Are they</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">just denied?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">No.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Through the Lord's loving grace and mercy,</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">He makes</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">eternal marriage</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> possible for everyone who has not had these opportunities during their mortal lives. It is through vicarious work for the dead. This means that in holy temples we may perform ordinances for the dead, including baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, sealing a husband and wife in marriage, and other essential ordinances for our salvation and eternal happiness.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Vicarious work for the dead is not new with the restoration of the Church through Joseph Smith. The Apostle Paul spoke about baptisms for the dead in his epistle to the Corinthian members who were questioning if there really was going to be a resurrection. As part of his response he stated, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">are they then baptized for the dead?" (</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"></span><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_cor/15/29#29">1 Corinthians 15:29</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">).</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Truly this work is a sign of the true church of Christ on the earth</span>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">For me, the principle of eternal marriage is one of the sweetest of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope that everyone, everywhere would rejoice in knowing that they can be together with their loved ones forever and that God has revealed how to accomplish it. I hope that you and all people would seek to have this blessing in their lives.</span>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07949227879239164591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-16451582524331273982009-01-15T08:00:00.000-07:002009-01-15T08:00:00.453-07:00Book of Mormon Stories: The Iron Rod<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX5B95I52QfqDuiv8DoaFRvu8MIuNiqn27-2bDvGFDmJpEunoOAMLhIN8A2ueiCHWyA2vxsNuhDRCd_prn9RMYML1iOSb1aq-5pkjbGi2Pwa3PVO9Ryk_MIEk5AAg8EXwqnGdig6xNlm-/s1600-h/tree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 107px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX5B95I52QfqDuiv8DoaFRvu8MIuNiqn27-2bDvGFDmJpEunoOAMLhIN8A2ueiCHWyA2vxsNuhDRCd_prn9RMYML1iOSb1aq-5pkjbGi2Pwa3PVO9Ryk_MIEk5AAg8EXwqnGdig6xNlm-/s400/tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288224868845094034" border="0" /></a>Lehi, the first prophet in the Book of Mormon, was warned by the Lord that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed and was told to leave into the wilderness. While in the wilderness, Lehi had a peculiar dream.<br /><br />In his dream, Lehi found himself in a dark and dreary wilderness and saw a man in a white robe standing in front of him. The man told Lehi to follow him but Lehi was soon lost and he traveled for many hours. No doubt being tired and afraid of not knowing where to go, Lehi prayed. No sooner had he prayed, when we saw that he was in a large and spacious field and he saw a tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. He saw that the tree and its fruit were white and the taste of the fruit was sweet and gave him great joy.<br /><br />The joy and sweetness of the fruit gave him the desire to share with those he loved most: his family. As he looked around, he saw that a river ran by the tree. He soon saw his wife and youngest two sons, Nephi and Sam, far off, and that they too seemed to be lost. Lehi called to them and they came and also ate the fruit. Wanting his older two sons, Laman and Lemuel, to be there too, he looked farther up the river. When he saw them, he called out to them, but they would not come.<br /><br />Alongside the river, an iron rod stretched from the tree off into the distance by where the river began. That large field now seemed to be as large as a world, and it was filled with countless people that were trying to get to the tree. A mist then covered the whole area so that the people could not see. Many wandered off and were lost but others held the iron rod in their hands and followed it to the tree. Some of those who made it to the tree, ate the fruit but then looked around and were ashamed. Lehi looked for the cause of this shame and saw a large building that looked like it was floating in the air. The people in that building were all dressed very nicely and were pointing fingers and mocking those by the tree.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9EfJry4KAOrVb2oYTXF3EJdLSZnRApfa9Y2tdjruZy23tyOFJF29HRU37J_ZjWU-MvVADK_PNuygIW2IcAxGnt23OkpiIwvMA5OmFcZw-tiNfsF4xxZlqjF_4235pg66aEzfhhkd6Pt/s1600-h/Lehi0001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9EfJry4KAOrVb2oYTXF3EJdLSZnRApfa9Y2tdjruZy23tyOFJF29HRU37J_ZjWU-MvVADK_PNuygIW2IcAxGnt23OkpiIwvMA5OmFcZw-tiNfsF4xxZlqjF_4235pg66aEzfhhkd6Pt/s400/Lehi0001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288225701690276786" border="0" /></a>Lehi watched and saw people get lost in the mist and others drown in the river; many followed the iron rod to the tree and the rest found their way to the large building to join the others in mocking and putting down those by the tree.<br /><br />The meaning of this dream may not be immediately clear to everyone. It wasn't to Lehi's son, Nephi, but Nephi had enough faith that God would answer his prayers, so he took his questions to the Lord in prayer. In response to that prayer, Nephi also had a vision, where he saw the meaning of the dream and of Jesus Christ's mission on earth and His love and gospel. He learned that the tree represents the love of God for us. That iron rod that led to the tree was the word of God, given through His prophets and that if we held onto those words, we would find the love of God and receive joy because of it. The people in the dream are each one of us, trying to find our way through the mists of temptations. Many people fail to grasp the words of the Lord and get lost or drown in the filthy waters that represented that "awful hell that separates the wicked from the tree of life." The large building that held those that opposed God represented the wisdom and pride of the world. Nephi saw its destruction and "the fall thereof was exceedingly great."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa8Ma1745V_9n229gPTOLZYCW580OQsODrVQBwDGa4w1rbEUfHKD-OiWVBOmx0rloseanunUbOCFaMsb1F9BPj37Xs3bnDeAeeUiMm_ez5i4vG1X7__Fj__blGgmNEiWQrJ18LTbuUra6/s1600-h/tree2-BIG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa8Ma1745V_9n229gPTOLZYCW580OQsODrVQBwDGa4w1rbEUfHKD-OiWVBOmx0rloseanunUbOCFaMsb1F9BPj37Xs3bnDeAeeUiMm_ez5i4vG1X7__Fj__blGgmNEiWQrJ18LTbuUra6/s400/tree2-BIG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288224638674540690" border="0" /></a>Lehi's dream can be found in <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/8">1 Nephi 8</a> and Nephi's vision in <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/11">1 Nephi 11</a>. Nephi sees much more than this and I invite everyone to read about it in chapters 12 - 14. In <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/15">1 Nephi 15</a>, Nephi explains the meaning of the dream to his older brothers, Laman and Lemuel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-27803678416497561822009-01-12T08:00:00.004-07:002009-01-20T14:34:29.770-07:00Question Box: Temples<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUjW__ngmXoTRxi9d_kgzsoNUpOXpbEHlCBiFfYUPQtoWsYDnVd91bZCb6aYq2wiATZc8q3TznbgjHtHhX2hOmaeKs26_anv3An43_hhuJpZx-W8Zx80vBA8002JZ81fFJ6iz2vGSzWV8/s1600-h/5360_SaltLakeUT_hr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUjW__ngmXoTRxi9d_kgzsoNUpOXpbEHlCBiFfYUPQtoWsYDnVd91bZCb6aYq2wiATZc8q3TznbgjHtHhX2hOmaeKs26_anv3An43_hhuJpZx-W8Zx80vBA8002JZ81fFJ6iz2vGSzWV8/s320/5360_SaltLakeUT_hr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288709825847027218" border="0" /></a><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q.</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>What and how do you learn at the temple?</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A.</span> The temple in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most sacred and holy edifice that we have. The ordinance of baptism is essential to entering the kingdom of God; however it is the mere departure point or gate to a life of learning. As a member of our church grows in knowledge, they are encouraged to prepare themselves to attend the temple to be taught even more.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZg3QygSNTXiy_sj_Qvypi7t495ECPy7fWN8-ddr7nX2QZvYqhPoh6YLdgxA_8-Ux20hUgpaeKWISjGpa6Mm0i0UJ47SueDuNusP7Bu9cTY_2xmm6guC6B-m3N3ehNQrOfVX9ofie3fmp/s1600-h/5470_LoganUT_st.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: justify; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZg3QygSNTXiy_sj_Qvypi7t495ECPy7fWN8-ddr7nX2QZvYqhPoh6YLdgxA_8-Ux20hUgpaeKWISjGpa6Mm0i0UJ47SueDuNusP7Bu9cTY_2xmm6guC6B-m3N3ehNQrOfVX9ofie3fmp/s200/5470_LoganUT_st.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288711872593132482" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">First, I want to discuss the question, “how do we learn at the temple?” God has always used symbolism to teach his children. For instance, Jesus taught in parables (symbolic stories), partly so that a wide range of people who were all at different stages of learning and understanding could be taught at once. This is no different in the temple. Virtually all teaching in the temple is accomplished in a symbolic way. For instance, have you ever wondered why the LDS temples are usually set on a hill, where they can be viewed easily, and are lit up at night? This is a symbol of the light of the Gospel that will eventually fill the whole earth. Or why is there a gold statute of an angel sounding a trumpet on the highest spire? This is a symbol that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has once more been restored to the earth and will be sounded to all nations. Or how about the exterior of the Salt Lake temple? On the lower level there are stars, the next level the moon and higher yet, the sun. This symbolizes the kingdoms of heaven, but also how we acquire more light and truth as we progress. These are three small examples of things we can learn from the outside of the temple.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeaE4UOd5mJok0r4NNYpYPpzPKJEhOrJUN5RUcDNOWjFWI-xvCwvQgQ0JQcdxe6RdAhyphenhyphenie3porGLsfGugeD9jwhnq3Mv1wraBFVdadjNwZ4UYx9Sajj17VR-xjnE4MXNCC-NdAwlTSvro/s1600-h/celestial_sl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 122px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeaE4UOd5mJok0r4NNYpYPpzPKJEhOrJUN5RUcDNOWjFWI-xvCwvQgQ0JQcdxe6RdAhyphenhyphenie3porGLsfGugeD9jwhnq3Mv1wraBFVdadjNwZ4UYx9Sajj17VR-xjnE4MXNCC-NdAwlTSvro/s200/celestial_sl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288712462974745554" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To learn effectively in the temple one needs to come to the temple in humility, being willing to be taught. We attend the temple as often as we can, because each time we are able to understand better what God is trying to teach us. In essence, the way we learn in the temple is the same way we learn in life, step by step and line upon line, receiving more knowledge, as we are able to understand it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-S5zPKJpQn_Zo5HlW1MYTEHjG76piNFuZ84XvaOj6N-JTmyP7OSDT00TxNAqcDl-RxdPu2i0X5kUP2wzOb2rYR-2tRaVfOk01V0gZuUT4YJOaSgkmJKGamYssx3VzxwOWI40OcMuqbVws/s1600-h/5310_WASHINGTONDC_hr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: justify; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-S5zPKJpQn_Zo5HlW1MYTEHjG76piNFuZ84XvaOj6N-JTmyP7OSDT00TxNAqcDl-RxdPu2i0X5kUP2wzOb2rYR-2tRaVfOk01V0gZuUT4YJOaSgkmJKGamYssx3VzxwOWI40OcMuqbVws/s200/5310_WASHINGTONDC_hr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288713412507273298" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">At this point I want to comment on why the members of our church who have attended the temple do not talk openly about what occurs in the temple. First, these places and what takes place in them is sacred and there is no reason to flaunt before the world that which is sacred. I doubt that Moses said everything that he learned on Mount Sinai. After all, he was up there for forty days, certainly all he learned wasn’t the Ten Commandments. I know that many are curious about what takes place here, but mere curiosity and interest does not qualify a person for receiving this knowledge from God. God imparts knowledge only when we are ready to receive it. Thus, we hold things back and shield them from the world. Not because we are ashamed of them, but because our knowledge is sacred. I will say though, that nothing occurs that would be offensive to anyone.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To address the question of what does one learn in the temple I will say this, within these sacred buildings we are taught more fully the plan of salvation and how we, as God’s children, can receive all of the blessings that He wants to give us. More specifically we learn about the nature of God, the relationship between God and man, the creation of the earth and man, the fall of Adam and Eve, and the role that Jesus Christ plays in our salvation.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnkQGOf7p5EDCRg84P_k9ufvPchxl92f00l7fSSJ_5q6g9i29Oj-7YDBWwSAtNSBrbz_LSppYLzu3MrMKFCYHNEPY1a0vPxiXsT5aAcpp6GB99v40OnHJ5Y2donXdR3QYGzokpMyfTUKn/s1600-h/celestial_idahofalls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 153px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnkQGOf7p5EDCRg84P_k9ufvPchxl92f00l7fSSJ_5q6g9i29Oj-7YDBWwSAtNSBrbz_LSppYLzu3MrMKFCYHNEPY1a0vPxiXsT5aAcpp6GB99v40OnHJ5Y2donXdR3QYGzokpMyfTUKn/s200/celestial_idahofalls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288714145270533826" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">I do wish to inform you that before a temple of the LDS church is dedicated for use, it is opened to the public for tours—anyone, including those not of our faith can walk through on a guided tour. If there is one in your area being constructed, please take this opportunity to go on a tour, to see and feel for yourself the grandeur and awesomeness (proper usage of the word) of these buildings. Here is a <a href="http://www.lds.org/temples/chronological/0,11206,1900-1,00.html">link</a> that shows the temples in operation and those that are currently being constructed. From this site you can find out when the open house for a particular temple will be. The Draper Utah temple will be having an open house from January 15-March 14, 2009.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for your inquiry.<br /></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16359586288541517466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-74453627936739141112009-01-08T08:00:00.001-07:002009-01-08T08:00:01.998-07:00Mormon Dating Question<span style="font-weight: bold;">Q.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Why do you have to be 16 to date?</span><br /><br />Great question. And you can be sure it's one I asked myself many a time as a 15-year-old buck surrounded by a veritable plethora of charming young ladies.<br /><br />This Mormon standard is spelled out in "<a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=67852ce2b446c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3f46be335dc20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____">For the Strength of Youth</a>," which is a booklet of principles and morals that the youth of the church are expected to live by. In the section on dating it says, "Do not date until you are at least 16 years old. Dating before then can lead to immorality, limit the number of other young people you meet, and deprive you of experiences that will help you choose an eternal partner."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tBzTr6gFchjGLhqvI9HrqZinW1YLwCCXu45Gg7kUEmYL0q9ff_ksPT3PQHIa0uRl0XLsFh9FPrcsJg_aWo9xvpFgZGzEmMn8Z5EW2nvbUbtK0wh4OuaTtaVYZm_NwvppvT4Zc4ywOX8/s1600-h/011959bl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tBzTr6gFchjGLhqvI9HrqZinW1YLwCCXu45Gg7kUEmYL0q9ff_ksPT3PQHIa0uRl0XLsFh9FPrcsJg_aWo9xvpFgZGzEmMn8Z5EW2nvbUbtK0wh4OuaTtaVYZm_NwvppvT4Zc4ywOX8/s320/011959bl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231108226266735810" border="0" /></a>A former prophet of the church, President Gordon B. Hinckley, also remarked on this topic when he said, "The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powder keg unless it is kept under control. . . . It is for this reason that the Church counsels against early dating" (read the amazing talk in its entirety <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=0735a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1">here</a>).<br /><br />So there you have it. It's the age that the leaders of the Church have set under inspiration from God. Their reasons for doing this are given in the above two statements. I see the whole thing as similar to the age requirement to be baptized. You have to be at least 8-years-old to be baptized and, while there doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about the age of 8, Heavenly Father knew that setting that age as the standard would be in our best interest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJBJD627z8ZrUw8jIPGCgq8TnpY4SjG9tShyqSNcEUysjbHsRm2gsLQnl_4SVoaC90XZANDMBjkbxhB09AQJMfoIFKg2d6CkGHAovq4fikOjjfKwvcJEszb-gRVGcVKoa3OhNUBQJ_bM/s1600-h/davidanddemonika.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJBJD627z8ZrUw8jIPGCgq8TnpY4SjG9tShyqSNcEUysjbHsRm2gsLQnl_4SVoaC90XZANDMBjkbxhB09AQJMfoIFKg2d6CkGHAovq4fikOjjfKwvcJEszb-gRVGcVKoa3OhNUBQJ_bM/s200/davidanddemonika.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287906166496550754" border="0" /></a>Plus, how are you going to pick up a date anyway before you have your drivers license? Take it from me, two people on one bike is painful. But then again, it might be a nice sneaky way to get close (uncomfortably close) to that special someone... At any rate, just wait to date and, believe me, it'll work out great.<br /><br /><br /></div>Curtis "Curtis" Wiederholdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190053295615239407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-28510220322319570512009-01-05T08:00:00.005-07:002009-01-07T15:41:13.298-07:00Question Box: What if a married couple does not want children?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXar9qY8aD25wJ4-73rC9swixU5p3Kkm6Kayxv7PPq_Wwraz8lcrOcAaYYuOr1wI5oJFrTsBVDlXp88-uKlRD2Zh2Mi-GoVSBJO0MYaDC28bX-MnB8DuU5nZBG4wHEEafy0qG0TP181o6/s1600-h/More+Isaiah+%26+Linnea+bday+2008+078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXar9qY8aD25wJ4-73rC9swixU5p3Kkm6Kayxv7PPq_Wwraz8lcrOcAaYYuOr1wI5oJFrTsBVDlXp88-uKlRD2Zh2Mi-GoVSBJO0MYaDC28bX-MnB8DuU5nZBG4wHEEafy0qG0TP181o6/s200/More+Isaiah+%26+Linnea+bday+2008+078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283087185220549298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Q.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">What if a married couple does not want children?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Before I get into that, I'd like to reiterate a bit why Mormons </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">do</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> have children and the importance that is placed on the family.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">As is stated in</span> <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1&contentLocale=0">The Family: A Proclamation to the World</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">: "We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force." I think that speaks for itself: Mormons believe that it is God's will that we have children.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Children are a blessing. They are such a source of joy. Parenting is, by no means an easy task. And when my toddlers are screaming and fighting each other while the baby's crying to be fed and dinner's on the stove and the phone is ringing, I would say that no high-powered CEO has higher stress levels! But it is a challenge with wondrously rich rewards. Children help teach us humility and selflessness. In teaching our children to come to Christ, we become more sure of our own testimonies. I don't mean this patronizingly, but if you don't have children of your own, I don't think you can truly understand the profound depth of the emotion of looking into your newborn's face and seeing that first smile or hearing your sweet, innocent toddler come tell you "I love you". Seeing your children making good decisions and knowing that you're doing an okay job raising them is so fulfilling and rewarding. I have to be honest, I don't really understand why anyone </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">wouldn't</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> want these blessings.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">However, it takes all types and not everyone in the world is like me. Variety truly is the spice of life and there are those who don't wish to have children. For some, it may be an issue of feeling inadequate and being intimidated by the idea of parenting. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">For others it may just be wanting to sacrifice the time and money that raising children requires.</span> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I don't know all the reasons why but I know that children will bless your life. I know that God will help those who feel inadequate rise to the task. I would never suggest that a couple have children when they're not prepared for parenting to some degree, even if most of that preparation is simply the desire to be good parents. Remember that God can change a heart that is willing to submit to His will. He can prepare a couple for parenting and foster in them a desire to be good parents just as He can work other miracles.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">A couple who doesn't want children will not be scorned in the Church. Everyone is entitled to their choices. The choice to have children and how many to have are </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">ultimately</span> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">decisions solely between the couple and God. But remember, it is God's will that we multiply and fill the earth. And those who, </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">for selfish reasons</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, do not desire </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">to have</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> children would do well to remember the rich man who came to Christ and was told to sacrifice all his riches: Christ requires sacrifice and selflessness of those who would call themselves His followers.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I would encourage couples to r</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">emember this, and pray for the Lord's direction and guidance in this personal matter. He will help you sacrifice and come to Him.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Indeed, I think that part of the blessing parenting affords is a closer relationship with the Lord as we learn to rely on His guidance and direction to bring our children up in righteousness. We also come to understand to some minute degree His position as Father of us all.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"></span><br /></span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16544700219396561407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-59665888951859863272009-01-01T00:00:00.003-07:002009-01-01T00:00:01.652-07:00A New Years' Resolution<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRqPdJDEyZmHg5EZh12btjj3DMk8L6UZmnuXV5Pby6AeN_UKlpjDCbuWqgQQ1DosECNzp6XpHNz2PQB0mzaclrkbU-sPc1ov6cqsWDVfaDknj7Ib3vIVmTPAaUn7KUg_UMVaib8VWZFUf/s1600-h/Happy_New_Year.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRqPdJDEyZmHg5EZh12btjj3DMk8L6UZmnuXV5Pby6AeN_UKlpjDCbuWqgQQ1DosECNzp6XpHNz2PQB0mzaclrkbU-sPc1ov6cqsWDVfaDknj7Ib3vIVmTPAaUn7KUg_UMVaib8VWZFUf/s400/Happy_New_Year.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285816346381166994" border="0" /></a>About this time of year, many people get excited about the new year. A new year can be a new beginning and an excellent point to check life's milestones, past goals and access one's personal situation in life. It doesn't necessarily take a new year to do this, but it seems like a good time to start anew. Coming up on this new year, I have heard and listened to a few people talk about their resolutions and others (in church for example) speak about how best to go about fulfilling those resolutions because, let's face it, everyone has had goals that were never completed and that were eventually discarded. This year, I'm thinking about a new approach.<br /><br />Whether it is dieting, taking up a new hobby, catching up on reading or starting an exercising routine, change can be difficult. Getting into the habit can be the hardest part and discouragement can often take place soon after beginning and possibly soon before ending for good.<br /><br />But how about this for a new years' resolution: a surrendering of one's will completely and wholly to the Lord. That's a worthy goal, is it not? It goes along with Christ's injunction, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/16/25#25">Matthew 16:25</a>) Should we find ourselves lost in the cause of Christ, our will being <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/15/7#7">given</a> to Him, we will find our life, that is, <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/14/7#7">eternal life</a>. No doubt He has our best interests in mind and would not lead us astray, why not follow Him?<br /><br />More practically, however, we find ourselves less able to follow through with this than often we would like. Why is that? What prevents us from keeping in line with His teachings? Often, I find myself thoroughly dedicated at one moment, but then find my resolve slipping and my condition back to what is once was. Yes there are temptations but ought not we to be able to overcome such?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kCOU8VokaFp9ckrqa96siF8Kfr4ej4Qk6MOz-YJBaY1rboa1BlZ9W7YZ4pmlsXCR7NVqpWOTmN0gz9rCfRfqRPi3ELmUJk3CagH175V0VabY7-g8sA2m-yA5QfvVVH5RWlXQVTC8sCCr/s1600-h/rich+young+ruler+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kCOU8VokaFp9ckrqa96siF8Kfr4ej4Qk6MOz-YJBaY1rboa1BlZ9W7YZ4pmlsXCR7NVqpWOTmN0gz9rCfRfqRPi3ELmUJk3CagH175V0VabY7-g8sA2m-yA5QfvVVH5RWlXQVTC8sCCr/s400/rich+young+ruler+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285817830388784162" border="0" /></a>There are a few reasons for this, and I'd like to address one in particular. I have found in my own life, that even though my desire to improve is pure and my resolve strong, there are weaknesses because I am not thorough enough and there is usually something else in which I allow myself indulgence. How can I receive full strength from the Lord in breaking a bad habit when I <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/28/8#8">willfully allow</a> myself to continue in other habits. Maybe those habits aren't even so bad. A bit of impatience toward a stranger. A little dishonesty. Or even just a few hours wasted in front of a TV or computer, time that could be spent being more productive. Moreover, the pride in me says that I can do these things and nothing bad will come of it because they are so small and insignificant. The temptation to keep doing these things is there while I make an attempt with my new resolution and I am weakened because my will is<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/6/24#24">divided</a>. My new years' resolution then is to be <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/5/13#13">undivided</a>.<br /><br />If you want to apply this principle in your life, go ahead! The way is clear for anyone to do so. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we have taken on a <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/20/77,79#77">covenant</a>, or a promise with God, that we will be willing to take upon ourselves Christ's name, keep His commandments and always remember Him. There is no division or conditions in those words. Submit our will to take upon His name, keep the commandments, <span style="font-weight: bold;">always</span> remember Him. That is my goal this year and I invite everyone to do the same. Really and truly apply the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" in your life. Is it a sacrifice? Indeed it is. But it is worth every bit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-42699863232031131892008-12-22T08:00:00.014-07:002008-12-26T12:44:29.901-07:00Agency in the Eternities<span style="font-weight: bold;">Q.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Why didn't God create all His children to be like Christ?</span><br /><div><br />This is a very good question, if we are all God's children and He has created us, why do we have imperfections and Christ did not have any? Also related to this question is another we received, "<span style="font-style: italic;">Do Mormons believe that some people are better than others?</span>" To answer these questions, I would like to go far back to before this world was created, when we all lived as spirits in the presence of our Heavenly Father.<br /><br />To the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord said, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I </div><div>knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" > <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/jer/1/5#5">Jeremiah 1:5</a></span> That is to say, the Lord knew Jeremiah even before his birth. He knew his strengths, his weaknesses, his personality and his potential. That also means that Jeremiah, as all the rest of us, had developed those traits by that point.<br /><br />Bruce R. McConkie wrote the following about how we came to be as we are:</div><div><blockquote>“All the spirits of men, while yet in the Eternal Presence, developed aptitudes, talents, capacities, and abilities of every sort, kind, and degree. During the long expanse of life which then was, an infinite variety of talents and abilities came into being. As the ages rolled, no two spirits remained alike. Mozart became a musician; Einstein centered his interest in mathematics; Michelangelo turned his attention to painting. Cain was a liar, a schemer, a rebel. … Mary and Eve were two of the greatest of all the spirit daughters of the Father. … And so it went through all the hosts of heaven, each individual developing such talents and abilities as his soul desired.” (The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. (1979–81), 1:23.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CpkOnvY8zjHKf2CTXI8QhKunVcqY3kZaTGMcW7sgOiQuGhHfZ3KgBN8K1g_xzF2HmgfqaV4ikOA5BzQ-zHVTGJ2tKOSBS43wYlveEUkVYQQ6cmUhxfen1Ryzcf2IggQFfqekFD389cfr/s1600-h/math_image.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CpkOnvY8zjHKf2CTXI8QhKunVcqY3kZaTGMcW7sgOiQuGhHfZ3KgBN8K1g_xzF2HmgfqaV4ikOA5BzQ-zHVTGJ2tKOSBS43wYlveEUkVYQQ6cmUhxfen1Ryzcf2IggQFfqekFD389cfr/s400/math_image.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282501120804792162" border="0" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhB6KKak_Ihn6BynHIzYd4HwhxzwV0T1df9SgcCcF5ri3fR3F8plcz243cscobsvIhOJO80IXHq24YY-1DGwPRkgfm2ghtsyWk3TXf4Hv8hBqKeiQtrxS3iTyM2nikzTJ72wqyIutnJWdS/s200/5x7+violin,+sheet+music,+blue+ribbon.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 123px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282500574189508146" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79ujwqD-5_hCSWyMjUSJlKilCoqwxe-wZLPU6wrT3phOfFtyVZ7_tjVdm0ZXxFAohjJ_lQUlAXMTW8jp9O_zlP6-B5ToIfwQkBsxVExTQAnFFstmGi3CK3A8dQkFPBb6xSzfjWoxokjKq/s1600-h/A000253.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79ujwqD-5_hCSWyMjUSJlKilCoqwxe-wZLPU6wrT3phOfFtyVZ7_tjVdm0ZXxFAohjJ_lQUlAXMTW8jp9O_zlP6-B5ToIfwQkBsxVExTQAnFFstmGi3CK3A8dQkFPBb6xSzfjWoxokjKq/s400/A000253.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282500974566792610" border="0" /></a></div></blockquote>It then follows that each individual chose a path before this life and through diligence and care to follow our Father's guidance, each individual grew to varying degrees. The reason, then, that Christ is perfect and was able to fulfill His Father's will perfectly in carrying out the Atonement was because He used his agency, or ability to choose, more wisely than others. He became like His Father.<br /><br />The Book of Abraham gives a rare description of Jesus in the pre-earth life:<br /><blockquote>"And there stood one [Christ] among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/abr/3/24-25#25">Abraham 3:24-25</a></span></blockquote>That ability to choose is still available for us in this life and is the very reason that we are here. Every day we have the choice between following our Savior, Jesus Christ, and otherwise. Thus, through our choices, one person can excel in music, another in athletics, another in science and another in kindness, love or patience. Others can choose not to excel or to develop traits of laziness, procrastination and anger. Our options and potentials are limitless in either direction and everyone has parts of both.<br /><br /></div><div>The atonement of Jesus Christ plays the greatest part in our development. It is through His grace that we can correct our faults and that He can heal our wounded hearts. And then through His guidance, we will be able to grow and choose the <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5ce926cb31cf5110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1">good, better, and best</a> things in our lives.<br /><br />See also: <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=fdff7cf34f40c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1"><span style="font-size:100%;">Our Moral Agency </span><span style="font-size:100%;">by Elder L. Lionel Kendrick</span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-63608630694621476432008-12-08T09:00:00.005-07:002008-12-26T12:09:14.798-07:00Prophetic ProphetsI have been amazed as I have reviewed the addresses from our prophets and apostles during <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/chphotos/photo18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 137px;" src="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/chphotos/photo18.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>last <a href="http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html">General Conference</a> (October, 2008). They spoke right to the difficulties that were coming with the economic crisis and the backlash against the church for proposition 8. Even though I have long believed that they can see "down the hall and around the corner", re-reading and listening to their talks confirmed it for me yet again.<br /><br />And so I thought, these inspired men are such a blessing and a resource in my life--everyone should know what they are saying. Which, obviously, is the point of broadcasting General Conference. For those of you who are interested in what modern-day prophets and apostles are advising, here is a summary of the things that they have really emphasized lately:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stay out of debt.</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Taft_Benson">Ezra Taft Benson</a> spoke about <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=4da667700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1">this</a> back in 1987! They have been warning <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.google.com/url?q=http://www.doughroller.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/sell-investments-to-pay-debt.jpg&usg=AFQjCNE2JwCp0XCPjz5QGvf_JcQeml7EYQ"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 152px;" src="http://images.google.com/url?q=http://www.doughroller.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/sell-investments-to-pay-debt.jpg&usg=AFQjCNE2JwCp0XCPjz5QGvf_JcQeml7EYQ" alt="" border="0" /></a>us to avoid unnecessary debt for decades. Hmm, do you think they anticipated the calamitous financial crash of 2008? You betcha. It takes years to get out of debt, once you have accumulated it, so they gave us plenty of time to be free of it. Unnecessary debt is consumer debt. They say that the only things that are okay to take out loans for are school and a home. You should buy everything else when you can afford to buy it.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stay away from pornography.</span> The apostles and prophets started emphasizing this before the internet really made its public debut. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_B._Haight"> David B. Haight</a> <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=501505481ae6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1">spoke</a> about it in 1984, referencing the magazines, books and movies that were addictive and destructive. Since then there has been a steady crescendo both in intensity and occurrence in warning people to stay away from pornography. "Treat it like the plague" is sound advice. So many homes are broken by this addiction. It destroys relationships.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Store a year's supply of food and have extra money on hand for hard times</span>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wendyusuallywanders.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/food-storage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 114px;" src="http://wendyusuallywanders.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/food-storage.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The prophet and apostles have stressed self-sufficiency for, well, forever. They have advised us to accumulate everything that we would need for a year or more. Recently, with the talk of an upcoming <a href="http://www.pandemicflu.gov/">flu pandemic</a>, they have really stressed at least putting away a <a href="http://www.providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,8039-1,00.html">3-month supply of food</a> (the time it would take for the <a href="http://www.byui.edu/safety/Emergency%20Preparation/Preparation/Preparing%20for%20an%20Influenza%20Pandemic.pdf">quarantine</a> to be lifted). This is seriously important advice. EVERYONE needs to put away enough to live on for three months. Do it. Whether you are Mormon or not.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Be modest.</span> <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=c1a9dd48c4a6b110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1">Modesty</a> in dress and speech and action demands respect and honor. This <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.modestbydesign.com/products/large_images/19534.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 112px; height: 203px;" src="http://www.modestbydesign.com/products/large_images/19534.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>counsel is directed mostly at teens, but everyone benefits from this counsel. So many women are treated as objects both by men and other women--girls are advised to take back their self-respect by not presenting themselves as just a "body" to be admired, but a mind, heart, and soul--a complete person. Modesty protects. Modest doesn't mean wrist and ankle-length clothing (though, undeniably, that <span style="font-weight: bold;">is</span> modest), it means covering your shoulders and cleavage. Not wearing anything too high (much above the knee) or too low or too tight (all of this applies to boys too). <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=d301a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1">Tattoos and mulitple piercings</a> are also in this category. Any time you wear something that attracts all of a person's attention to your body, that is immodest.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Law of Health (Word of Wisdom)</span>. This has been reiterated since the time of Joseph Smith. <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-cant-mormons-do-part-1-word-of.html">The Word of Wisdom</a> has been addressed on this blog before, but basically there are do's and don'ts. Do: eat healthy foods, in their season, and in moderation. Don't: Drink strong drink (alcohol), hot drinks (coffee and tea), or use drugs unwisely (legal and illegal). If you want to be healthy, follow this counsel and add to it exercise and preventative check-ups.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Family time.</span> The<a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=39a1558fcc599110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1"> family</a> is the central unit of society and of the church. Church leaders have encouraged us to have "<a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=17f70bbce1d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____">Family Home Evenings</a>" once a week (Mondays), family prayer and scripture study daily, and engage in family activities often. Nothing comes before the family (except our own personal relationships with God), not even Church activities or functions. Have family dinners as often as possible. Talk to your children/parents openly. Doing so will strengthen your family which will, in turn, help school work, self-esteem, friendships, trust, careers--everything. When a family is strong and children know that they can rely on their parents, that relieves a great burden from them and they can use their energy to excel.<br /></li></ul>There are more, but these are the things that our prophets have been advising us to do with the most fervor currently. They may seem like common sense, but how many of them do you <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> do? Those who follow this counsel are blessed to be happy, healthy, and prepared for the future. I encourage you to do it too. And if it seems unlikely that we would have a contemporary prophet in our time, remember that that is what Noah's contemporaries thought too. And look where it got them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-67694921935411487622008-11-27T09:51:00.008-07:002008-12-26T12:12:23.509-07:00Giving Thanks<span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54tTCJqEPgQTGuINyu5FoWKStKv4jIWq7IA0NEJ2waiwkeQJZA3lxzgc1vYJKJna7SuQRHifsXvLX9ajnkPholXZXpamXll2FTsyKepmdefYcp4uvLMhCExr0s3PmkrzYVkMsFLPsz82I/s1600-h/Gratitude-Print-C10055207.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54tTCJqEPgQTGuINyu5FoWKStKv4jIWq7IA0NEJ2waiwkeQJZA3lxzgc1vYJKJna7SuQRHifsXvLX9ajnkPholXZXpamXll2FTsyKepmdefYcp4uvLMhCExr0s3PmkrzYVkMsFLPsz82I/s400/Gratitude-Print-C10055207.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273389344573948162" border="0" /></a>"...live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which the Lord doth bestow upon you." <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/34/38#38">Alma 34:38</a></span></span><br /><br />The ability to be grateful is among the greatest of attributes that we can learn in this life and everything we have should be received with gratitude and thanksgiving. The words, "Thank you," though simple, can mean more than anything else we can say. Jesus Christ gave an example by giving thanks to the Father before feeding the <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/15/36#36">four thousand </a>and at the<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/26/27#27"> last supper</a>. Remember that of the ten lepers cleansed by His power, only one returned and he was blessed all the more.<br /><br />"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/78/19#19">D&C 78:19</a></span></span><br /><br />All of us have the ability to be more grateful for all things we receive, even though sometimes we must look for things for which we can be grateful. The more we look, the more we realize how much we receive from God and how dependent we are on Him. We can never repay all He has done for us, but we can live in gratitude for everything He gives us. When we live in such a way, our lives become fuller and even more blessed. So rather than complain of lack, let us give thanks for abundance. Give thanks to parents, to children, to siblings, to friends, to God and to everyone.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving!<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-10519602442945635632008-11-02T21:13:00.003-07:002008-11-02T21:57:43.393-07:00What Mormons can't do part III: the Sabbath Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9WugnwJWkIvQ9VB0T8Zsqvh2IJEsHclkKFdObh_l2P9amcTKnzvSQW_5g78PgsSTw4A4KtidO9Orw1d1BZkp7YAMXa_7nWYM7ys7PdoSUjJsalf-bnOaI5yrsLXn1IZoR6tcgM8vowfz/s1600-h/Sinai.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9WugnwJWkIvQ9VB0T8Zsqvh2IJEsHclkKFdObh_l2P9amcTKnzvSQW_5g78PgsSTw4A4KtidO9Orw1d1BZkp7YAMXa_7nWYM7ys7PdoSUjJsalf-bnOaI5yrsLXn1IZoR6tcgM8vowfz/s320/Sinai.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264290648184097186" border="0" /></a><br />It’s an odd thing to consider that of the great Ten Commandments that the God of Israel gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, the one He chose to expound upon the longest is also perhaps the most disregarded in our modern society:<br /><blockquote>Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.</blockquote>The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew verb shavat, meaning to cease or stop. The primary purpose of the Sabbath is to be a pause amid the constant rush of life: a day to stop and get your bearings. A day of rest, of course, doesn’t mean to lie around the house all day. The Sabbath is a day to worship God in church, to partake of the Lord’s sacrament, to visit friends and family, to read good books and hear good music. Because we are only instructed to “keep it holy,” every Mormon family observes the Sabbath a little differently. But there are some commonalities: it is not a day to play sports, for instance, or go shopping, go boating, or spend money. Some families choose to forego television or movies or other media, in favor of spending quality family time together.<br /><br />The move from an agrarian society to an industrialized world has changed the appeal of the ancient practice of the Sabbath. For the majority of Mormons, at least in the United States, the change from weekday to the Sabbath is not quite, to borrow a phrase from Herman Wouk, “the old dramatic plunge from gloom, trouble, penury, and crisis to peaceful and graceful pleasure.” Rather than the much needed privilege of rest it has historically been, the Sabbath Day is now almost viewed as an inconvenience—a painful restriction on a day otherwise useful for work or recreation.<br /><br />But by making a conscious decision to consecrate one day per week to your Creator, you can have what the Sabbath offers: a serene peace amid a crazy bustling world. I love my Sabbath. Admittedly, when I was a child, I saw it as a day of “can’t”—the only day I wasn’t allowed to play sports, or go swimming, or watch movies. But now I have come to need it. I’m so busy with school and work and an almost frantic need to have fun, the Sabbath has become and oasis of peace for me. You may ask: “How do you keep competitive in business, work, or school when you’re losing an entire day every week?” Here’s my answer: I’ve been doing this my whole life and it’s just the opposite. Sure, as a biochemistry researcher it’s often hard to delay or pause a multi-day experiment mid-run to observe the Sabbath. But whether as a function of the weekly restoration to mind and body, or as a blessing from God, I know that I’m more productive during the week for it, and I’ve never felt at a disadvantage. I’ve come to trust in the words of Isaiah:<br /><blockquote>Isaiah 58:13 “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:<br />Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”</blockquote>Do you feel like you don’t spend quality time with your family? Keep the Sabbath Day. Do you feel constantly overcome by deadlines? Keep the Sabbath Day. Are you tired of the frantic commercialism and materialism in the world? There’s no better way to escape a hectic life than donating one day of your week to the Lord. It works.<br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsr_GZuZSCGCIFFSx64IrSHheFJPaZVfft_hL2Biajm4NB9YdfgPItmW2z-9CG5weSd4hi5_dA-08Zd96oXwmyHRMPbmG2gCtmJTExzk9BwRUfb6bYbPfOeG6KLV0nVUg9tx_jySu_CMO/s1600-h/Sinai.jpg"><br /></a>davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06023936779884828230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-36300505621290888452008-10-25T08:00:00.003-06:002008-10-28T16:57:10.486-06:00A Zion People<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link style="font-family: georgia;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Cbret%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link style="font-family: georgia;" rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Cbret%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link 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id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260472127822772194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Georgia;">A scriptural favorite of mine is the <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/7">seventh chapter</a> in the book of </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/06/question-box-pearl-of-great-price.html">Moses</a> wherein the prophet Enoch receives a powerful vision of the Earth and its inhabitants. Multiple ti</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">mes in this chapter, Enoch asks,</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"> even pleads with the Lord, "When will the Earth have rest?" referring to the great wickedness that was rampant in his day and up through the ages. In response to his cry, the Lord showed him the coming of Jesus Christ and then on to the end of the world. Enoch was told,
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten...and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City...and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem" </span></span><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/7/62#62">Moses 7:62</a></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Throughout the ages the idea of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zion</st1:place></st1:city> has been cherished in the scriptures as <span style="color:black;">the place </span>where the saints dwell. The psalmist described it as "the perfection of beauty" (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/isa/60/14#14">Ps. 50:2</a>) and the prophet Isaiah called it, "The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/isa/60/14#14">Isa. 60:14</a>)." While <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/z/19">Zion</a> can be considered an actual, geographical place, it also can refer to the state of heart in which the people of God live on this earth and because of its state of purity and unity of purpose before the Lord, it is the <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/luke/10/23-24#23">goal</a> and dream of all the righteous to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >"And the Lord called his people <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">ZION</st1:place></st1:city> because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." </span><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/7/18#18">Moses 7:18</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <u3:p></u3:p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">As it was their desire of old, it is our desire today to attain such unity. The Lord requires His people to be undivided; how else can they accomplish the great tasks He has in mind for them? Their hearts must be knit together and they must love and care for one another. How is it that we can accomplish this in our own lives? It is when we serve our God and our neighbor and are charitable toward them. Remember, the first great commandments are to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <u3:p></u3:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><u3:p></u3:p>The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is crucial for this creation of <st1:city st="on">Zion</st1:city> out from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Babylon</st1:place></st1:city> (or the world). It is through the application of gospel truths that people will be changed <i>individually </i>and <i>collectively</i> to be able to live harmoniously as God desires for us. To this end, missionaries around the world are teaching this gospel and inviting people into Christ's fold.
<br />
<br />This endeavor will not be fully accomplished before the second coming of Jesus Christ but the growth will continue and fill the whole world until we are prepared to be blessed with the presence of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<br /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <u3:p></u3:p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">One of the wonderful talks given this past general conference was by Elder D. Todd Christofferson entitled, "<a href="http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-13,00.html">Come to Zion.</a>" and is very much worth reading.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let </span><st1:city style="font-style: italic;" st="on">Zion</st1:city><span style="font-style: italic;"> rejoice, for this is </span><st1:city style="font-style: italic;" st="on">Zion</st1:city><span style="font-style: italic;"> - The pure in heart; therefore, let </span><st1:city style="font-style: italic;" st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zion</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-style: italic;"> rejoice." </span></span><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/97/21#21">D&C 97:21</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/97/21#21"></a> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-2564895927170278322008-10-20T15:33:00.001-06:002008-10-21T09:26:16.417-06:00Marriage: Between a man and a womanIf you're anywhere near the state of California, and maybe even if you're not, you probably recognize this hot topic: Proposition 8, establishing the legal definition of marriage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYfZIKsYMUvOUWauK4zexZalxyNTUaPqrfNHfDdl-TlBFkmt0n-duRP84Trh3RQrzosPPDHYW9RCk4MCu5RqzSgRPK0ONJofyn7XF9sdEjlbvKWk5bxzgztSylNFFHBbb2_OZalFfzK4I/s1600-h/img011.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYfZIKsYMUvOUWauK4zexZalxyNTUaPqrfNHfDdl-TlBFkmt0n-duRP84Trh3RQrzosPPDHYW9RCk4MCu5RqzSgRPK0ONJofyn7XF9sdEjlbvKWk5bxzgztSylNFFHBbb2_OZalFfzK4I/s320/img011.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257107517417935058" border="0" /></a>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made its position on this issue very clear. In fact, the Church has held a strong stance on this point for many years, even before it became an issue in the courts of our country. <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5fd30f9856c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1"></a>In 1995, the Church issued <a href="http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html">The Family: A Proclamation to the World</a> as its official position emphasizing the importance of the family as the basic unit of society and its role in God's plan.<br /><br />God has ordained marriage between a man and a woman. This is a central part of God's plan for his children. The First Presidency has explained how closely marriage and procreation go together: "Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations. Rather, marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults." (<a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage">The Divine Institution of Marriage</a>) Obviously, a couple does not have to be married to employ their procreative powers, but it is much more preferable that children be born to parents who have made a commitment to one another and are thus more likely to raise their children within the loving circle of a stable family. And of course, there are couples who marry who do not have children. But, it is the Lord's will that children be born into families, with a mother and a father united in the bonds of matrimony.<br /><br />The government traditionally recognizes marriages not because two people love each other but because, in most cases, they become a family (see <a href="http://tech.mit.edu/V124/N5/kolasinski.5c.html">article by Adam Kolasinski</a> for more information). Were love the only issue, would we extend the same benefits to every boyfriend and girlfriend? The best environment for children to grow is one in which they have both a mother and a father, with their inherent differences that complement one another. Of course there are single parents out there, but I emphasize that a child's emotional, physical, and psychological needs are best met when they are raised by a loving mother <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> a responsible father. As a society, we should not encourage or foster anything but the best environment possible for our posterity.<br /><br />Church leadership encourages voters to be active in politics, but does not advocate one party above another. We believe strongly that everyone can and should make an informed decision for themselves. I believe the Church supports Proposition 8 for a number of reasons, one of which is the protection of freedom of religion for those churches that do not believe the legal definition should be expanded to included same-sex marriages.<br /><br />If the government recognizes same-sex marriages, churches which believe such marriages are not ordained of God could well lose their tax-exempt status. Furthermore, if a church or its minister believes homosexual marriages are wrong and refuse on that basis to perform same-sex marriages, it is likely that they would be subject to lawsuits alleging discrimination. Isn't it the right of every U.S. citizen to exercise their freedom of religion? We feel that it is our right to recognize marriage according to our doctrine, and don't want the government to have power to interfere with that right. Legally, failing to pass Proposition 8 has huge consequences.<br /><br />The social consequences would be even more widely felt, as it's almost inevitable that homosexuality would be added to elementary school sexual education curricula, as has been done in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Many people believe such actions involve much more than just sexual education or teaching children about socially acceptable types of family relationships. These matters are also part of religious beliefs and, yes, family values. Are we really ready to allow our government to refuse to allow parents the right to decide what their children should learn about these issues, or when their children are mature enough and have the prior understanding necessary for such information to be presented to them?<br /><br />For those who argue this is a hugely intolerant position to take, let me <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1224377440_1">emphasize that Proposition 8</span> is not an offensive measure: it's a defensive measure. It is not intended to root out an evil in our society, but to defend the divinely established institution of the family from being politically disenfranchised. Passing Proposition 8 is not going to strip away rights from homosexuals, who are still allowed the rights of civil unions and domestic partnerships. I'd also like to share a quote from <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW-MnTgWgcCG157rU5Owwzi3BS6An8MDAHg3FN6_jrUGRKcdWRGVuzXBZnfLRXw730XdkKSYox9T_vVPWrea7h1aiR4haRwX5tboTTlKEJmLoZsOVgpS58rmzY5CocsGNnu7Ln3IQA1T4/s1600-h/Dallin+H+Oaks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW-MnTgWgcCG157rU5Owwzi3BS6An8MDAHg3FN6_jrUGRKcdWRGVuzXBZnfLRXw730XdkKSYox9T_vVPWrea7h1aiR4haRwX5tboTTlKEJmLoZsOVgpS58rmzY5CocsGNnu7Ln3IQA1T4/s200/Dallin+H+Oaks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257109494588574754" border="0" /></a>Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the twelve apostles, regarding tolerance. He says,<br /><blockquote>"Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on political or public policy choices. Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination."</blockquote>You see, being tolerant and holding certain standards are not mutually exclusive of one another. We do not want to be misunderstood here: the gospel message is one of unconditional love. But we claim the right to remain a people who stand for values that we believe to be right and consistent with God's will.<br /><br />There are numerous economic, financial and legal reasons to support the traditional family, but I do not want to stray from the purpose of this blog (providing information about Mormonism to non-members) and turn it into a political arena. Rather, I feel that this is a strong stance taken by the Church because it pertains to our doctrine. The family and its inherent nature are a core part of our beliefs. I hope that this article clarifies our position and reasoning.<br /><br />It is our duty as citizens to tell our government what our standards are and determine what our society accepts. We live in a republic where the will of the people is carried out by their elected representatives. If most people in California want to protect the definition of marriage in their state then it ought to be upheld. A handful of judges do not have that right. If you live in California, be sure to register to vote and protect the traditional family. Encourage friends and family in California to do the same.<br /><br />Resources for this topic:<br /><a href="http://www.preservingmarriage.org">http://www.preservingmarriage.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.protectmarriage.com">http://www.protectmarriage.com</a><br /><a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage">http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage</a><br /><a href="http://tech.mit.edu/V124/N5/kolasinski.5c.html">http://tech.mit.edu/V124/N5/kolasinski.5c.html</a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16544700219396561407noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-14867587252017331382008-10-10T16:00:00.000-06:002008-10-10T16:06:30.031-06:00The Prophetic Calling<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xISQqsqlUowI4iSyCtxixC36PniD3a66Rm2xCI4eogfSBMy4pSGVXsOZ0C8W8DN4CEoe5yOr-yndK7mxzFKelNt0NYPOSAZoCegzs4JVgGj1ix99tnQ0elq3rOFIxQJeSv4XnqfIiXoe/s1600-h/8296.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xISQqsqlUowI4iSyCtxixC36PniD3a66Rm2xCI4eogfSBMy4pSGVXsOZ0C8W8DN4CEoe5yOr-yndK7mxzFKelNt0NYPOSAZoCegzs4JVgGj1ix99tnQ0elq3rOFIxQJeSv4XnqfIiXoe/s320/8296.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255649900327744386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Respectfully, what makes Mr. Monson the modern day living prophet? Is it blood lines? Is he descended from the original prophet? In other words, how was he chosen to be your prophet? Thank you.</span> -Patricia<br /><br />Thank you for your question, Patricia. This is a very important topic, and I'm glad you asked about it. In any kind of leadership role, leaders ascend to their position through some kind of process. In a monarchy, the title is held by the royal family. Some governments are headed by military commanders, having taken control through force and intimidation, and others enter their reign through buttering up the bourgeoisie, etc. In a democracy, they are elected by a majority-vote of the people.<br /><br />Democracy works pretty well, so we give it high props in America, but it isn't perfect, since it often turns into a popularity contest. Instead of being led by the most popular candidate, what if we were led by the best or most qualified individual? Someone who has every citizen's interest at heart, doesn't care for the throne, and isn't worried about re-election. Unfortunately, these people are rarely found in modern politics, and even if they were how would we collectively and reliably<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span>identify them?<br /><br />In the LDS Church, our leader is Jesus Christ. He is active and involved in making decisions and developing policies. He wants what is best for us and we trust Him in this role. We don't believe He will abuse His power. Ever. This is called "having faith in Christ."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJ8E5eGWTRq9WmMLWWlfH4rJhH_IeM2eCdOGt1JLcWDuNJ_CEudF7znVvHE18VnarKNZWg0cU7udnZmaegL9Ud5xv5CezpASrQWaoBm9pXNz7ZpBvC_npv_DpblOF06y0jxyorLSGhQd9/s1600-h/babymoses2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJ8E5eGWTRq9WmMLWWlfH4rJhH_IeM2eCdOGt1JLcWDuNJ_CEudF7znVvHE18VnarKNZWg0cU7udnZmaegL9Ud5xv5CezpASrQWaoBm9pXNz7ZpBvC_npv_DpblOF06y0jxyorLSGhQd9/s200/babymoses2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255647243491383074" border="0" /></a>One of the most crucial decisions He makes is whom He should call to lead the Church on earth. Anciently, he called Moses through the spectacular vision of the burning bush. But we know He had been preparing Moses long before then. As an infant, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Moses</span> </span>was rescued from Pharaoh's execution order. Before Moses was even born, we believe he had been foreordained in the pre-mortal realm to become a great prophet to the children of Israel. We believe every prophet was called and foreordained prior to birth (see <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jer/1/5#1">Jeremiah 1:5</a>).<br /><br />Joseph Smith was similarly prepared to reinstate the gospel in its fullness in the 1830's and 40's. The visions and visitations he received (from age 14 on) were no less remarkable than Moses' were, and we can be assured of his calling through study and prayer. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCIrYfcD3QGmvbAIP0u3D0kY2zxKsGm13d_G4FUwb4CZIj7uAXiTQwxocajlyPjyhFY0KCcmESBBXcwymjIDU6h1-uT4v8lYUikfDk2n_2CqXsdiLV3ubW5zFT04gmzSYEJU3ctdZHESR/s1600-h/joseph_and_brigham.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCIrYfcD3QGmvbAIP0u3D0kY2zxKsGm13d_G4FUwb4CZIj7uAXiTQwxocajlyPjyhFY0KCcmESBBXcwymjIDU6h1-uT4v8lYUikfDk2n_2CqXsdiLV3ubW5zFT04gmzSYEJU3ctdZHESR/s320/joseph_and_brigham.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255649313925853970" border="0" /></a>The Holy Ghost will always testify of the truth, and you may learn from Him whom the Lord has chosen as prophet if you will make it a matter of devoted prayer.<br /><br />After Joseph was martyred, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who all held the requisite priesthood keys, became the governing body of the Church until a new prophet and president of the Church was revealed by God to the Twelve: Brigham Young. This same process is used every time a prophet dies.<br /><br />Last spring, President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away at the age of 97. He was loved by all, having served as president for nearly 13 years. Upon his death, the First Presidency (i.e. the executive head of the Church comprised of the prophet and two trusted counselors) was dissolved and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assumed responsibility. Shortly after the funeral, they all met together in fasting and prayer in the Salt Lake City Temple and after requesting revelation from the Lord, unanimously selected Thomas Spencer Monson to lead the Church as the next prophet. We have faith that this was Christ's own decision made manifest to the Apostles of the Lord. (For a similar example, see the calling of Matthias in <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/1/23-26#23">Acts 1:23-26</a>)<br /><br />We understand that nobody the Lord calls is perfect. President Monson doesn't know everything and he isn't error-free in his judgment, but he is among the best we have on earth right now. We look to him as a watchman on a tower. He is a seer. Because of his calling and his close relationship with the Savior (developed over a lifetime of discipleship and preparation), he can see things past, present, and future that are not obvious to us. There is safety in following the prophet, and we hope you will take the opportunity to listen to his wise counsel.Thaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-47531208708691357822008-10-02T14:23:00.000-06:002008-10-02T15:22:09.399-06:00The Abrahamic Covenant<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Covenant:</span> A two-way promise, a conditional agreement. </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">About </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >4,000</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> years ago, the Lord made a covenant with a shepherd named Abram.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">He promised Abram that he would have a particular land to live on, that he would have posterity as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, and that through him the nations of the earth would be blessed.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">In order to get these great blessings, Abram had to carry the gospel to the earth through bearing the <a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=ec969daac5d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____">priesthood of God</a>, and live righteously.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01Iac8O71Zvtpi0rYqQDeWbAHS6dRq1xNVZMZcO_F04hzaO33LXZOdbWwsqKrLBHJZDt35cb011Ycn4d8la_VvaIILRk-hf-OrYTwmC9MW6JHOYmooClFAKCg8NbSDgsdWDgA98__rbHa/s1600-h/abraham_stars721x597.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01Iac8O71Zvtpi0rYqQDeWbAHS6dRq1xNVZMZcO_F04hzaO33LXZOdbWwsqKrLBHJZDt35cb011Ycn4d8la_VvaIILRk-hf-OrYTwmC9MW6JHOYmooClFAKCg8NbSDgsdWDgA98__rbHa/s200/abraham_stars721x597.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251562163988856770" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So Abram agreed to this covenant (of course), and his name was changed to <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gen/17/#5">Abraham</a>.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Eventually he had a son named Isaac and the Lord renewed this same covenant with Isaac—he would inherit the land promised to his father, he would have children as numerous as the sands of the sea and through him would come salvation for the earth.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Isaac also received the Priesthood and the commission to preach the gospel. He had twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and the covenant was renewed with Jacob.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Finally, with Jacob we see some major posterity.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">He had 12 sons and one daughter.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">His sons were <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Reuben</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Judah</st1:country-region></st1:place>, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Simeon, Levi, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Joseph and Benjamin.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Each of these sons bore lots of children, and they had children and they had children (as it always happens) and eventually they were so numerous that the Egyptians enslaved them to keep them from taking control of the kingdom.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">So this is where Moses comes in, and he leads them out </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >of Egypt</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to “the promised land”, as in the land </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >promised</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to their fathers.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Eventually, the children of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> were separated, and then scattered.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">They drifted into anonymity through intermarriages, and abandonment of their traditions and religion.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The house of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region> stayed pretty cohesive and defined by their covenant, which is why the Jews are known as a chosen people.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">But Judah was only one of the 12 brothers—the people of Joseph, of Dan, Levi, Asher, etc. are all "chosen" as well. (When we talk of being "chosen" we are talking of their great </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >potential</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> because of the covenant made with their ancestors--not that they are <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/3/9#9">automatically</a> saved).<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This covenant really drives the Old Testament narrative.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">God promised this group of people some special blessings if they remain faithful to Him. He followed through with His promise throughout the generations.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">We believe that He continues to seek out the children of the House of Israel. Even if they don’t know who they are, He does, and His promise is just as valid with them as it was with the descendants of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> in Moses’ time.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The earth is literally swarming with Israelites, and they have the promise of eternal blessings – land, posterity and priesthood power.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">We don’t all need to move to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">land</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Canaan</st1:placename></st1:place> to claim our blessings, of course (there are enough people claiming it right now anyway, so stay put).</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">This covenant extends into the next life.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">We are promised a place in heaven (land), an <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-do-mormons-believe-question-box.html">eternal increase</a> of spiritual children (posterity), and priesthood power to act in God’s name.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">We are promised Eternal Life, or life like God and with God.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">What we have to do in return is live righteously and spread the gospel throughout the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuxHq_Nr9NX3r29TkqNCYXAMI1foTZr5INYpTiUjmvnLGcxwogJV2pQb9B1eKhHRDKl4LDlOcRisIFia1Vs-LQRZPF-gopjXnGJQ8jqqgLZY7ZbUJSkW8R58XgeXJcKIur4wKlZkxUfCC/s1600-h/missionaries.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuxHq_Nr9NX3r29TkqNCYXAMI1foTZr5INYpTiUjmvnLGcxwogJV2pQb9B1eKhHRDKl4LDlOcRisIFia1Vs-LQRZPF-gopjXnGJQ8jqqgLZY7ZbUJSkW8R58XgeXJcKIur4wKlZkxUfCC/s200/missionaries.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251568629254712594" border="0" /></a>So how does the LDS church figure in to this narrative?</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">We’re the last chapter.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Our missionaries are working all over the world sharing the gospel, teaching and baptizing people who are inheritors of this covenant.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">This is the spiritual <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/hosea/1/11#11">gathering</a> of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>—they reconnect with God through the covenants of baptism and the ordinances of the temple.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">God knows who they are and where they are, and even if a person isn’t a direct descendant of <st1:country-region st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>, if they accept the covenant, they are adopted into the house of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> as if they had been born there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">So, are you a member of the house of </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: georgia;" st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family:georgia;">?</span></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">You probably are. God has some special blessings ready for you if you want them. </span></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >T</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">o find out about making covenants with God, </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/ask-a-question/have-missionaries-contact-me">contact</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> your local LDS missionaries (or let them in the door when they come around...)</span></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-34281328033301008032008-09-30T16:00:00.004-06:002008-10-01T11:53:52.545-06:00General ConferenceIf you've been reading this blog much, you've probably heard us raving about how great it is to have a modern-day living prophet. We think it's pretty cool. It's the connection to God that sets our religion apart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNGelwp1nM_hbLV1Xd8HEKDxbaHcGqStY0p8nqt5e8Bexg_F9eO5y6vpm11GwDWo5xM2xEDcq9TArx3DfyFAb10X7RN8SJkJYQXWpI0YT89l9xDLUjXN1cY48l04QEaVBqmaNksRDesvo/s1600-h/0_21_020408_Monson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNGelwp1nM_hbLV1Xd8HEKDxbaHcGqStY0p8nqt5e8Bexg_F9eO5y6vpm11GwDWo5xM2xEDcq9TArx3DfyFAb10X7RN8SJkJYQXWpI0YT89l9xDLUjXN1cY48l04QEaVBqmaNksRDesvo/s320/0_21_020408_Monson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251931644678359298" border="0" /></a>You too can learn what all the hullabaloo is about: this weekend is the semiannual, world-wide broadcast of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the course of two days, our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson (along with his two counselors and the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ) will gives us the guidance that the Lord wants us to receive about issues that matter to us<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">t</span>oday.<br /><br />Sad that you missed Moses' great sermons? Disappointed that the preaching days of Peter, James, and John are through? Those eras are past and gone, but <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">there is revelation now and </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">you can take advantage </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">of this opportunity</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> this Saturday and Sunday!</span><br /><br />If you live near Utah, tune your TV or radio to <a href="http://www.ksl.com/">KSL</a>. Satellite and cable stations generally carry the <a href="http://www.byutv.org/home.asp">BYU channel</a>, and you can always watch live online in <a href="http://www.lds.org/broadcast/gc/0,5161,8176,00.html">streaming video</a>. (Streaming audio is also available in just about any language you like). If you're in Salt Lake City on either day, you can also try to get tickets to the conference center. They are always free, so you'll need to act fast to find some. Contact your <a href="http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/ask-a-question/have-missionaries-contact-me">local missionaries</a>, or the sisters on temple square.<br /><br />The schedule is as follows (Mountain Daylight Time):<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday October 4, 2008</span><br />10 am - noon ~ First session<br />2 pm - 4 pm ~ Second session<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday October 5, 2008</span><br />10 am - noon ~ Third session<br />2 pm - 4 pm ~ Fourth session<br /><br />And please, share with us what you thought of it.Thaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-49397746971460670052008-09-16T13:10:00.003-06:002008-09-19T15:43:47.114-06:00An Answered PrayerI started writing an article on a different topic today, but I couldn't get my head around it. Every way I phrased my words seemed wrong or incomplete. As we say in the Church, I had a <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/9/9#9">stupor of thought</a>.<br /><br />I had the feeling to discuss something else:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOXFpuIoPQH9Aieff7Vp-3nZUyTW2Spr3TE2gpCtNGHDPHUf3Wqg4kAAba-dZwnRd_BE_YdErRBgh_7MZfpmbVWRMi_GJsgPCBzxo5ng1CqO_mk2jw7dbbHGQEJG3sEeFzirSgXgtOfaN/s1600-h/scripture_study.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOXFpuIoPQH9Aieff7Vp-3nZUyTW2Spr3TE2gpCtNGHDPHUf3Wqg4kAAba-dZwnRd_BE_YdErRBgh_7MZfpmbVWRMi_GJsgPCBzxo5ng1CqO_mk2jw7dbbHGQEJG3sEeFzirSgXgtOfaN/s320/scripture_study.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238957909744922210" border="0" /></a>Before studying the scriptures this morning, I closed my eyes and offered a <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-do-mormons-believe-truth.html">silent prayer</a>. Often times (too often) I pray for the same, routine blessings, "bless me with thy spirit, help me understand, give me guidance, etc." Nothing wrong with any of those things, just that they are so vague and I tend not to think too hard about them.<br /><br />This morning I was about to do the same thing, but I paused and recognized a problem in my life. There is a person I treat poorly. Some would call it a 'personality conflict,' but it's really all about pride. Mine and his. Mostly mine. Problem is (and it really makes me ill to admit), I've come to <span style="font-style: italic;">enjoy</span> putting him down, and making him the butt-end of jokes. This morning in my prayer, I asked for the grace to <span style="font-style: italic;">want </span>to love him with a Christ-like type of love.<br /><br />I opened my Book of Mormon to Mosiah 4 and started reading, but the verses still floated in and out of focus. I'm sure you know the feeling of reaching the end of a page and thinking, "Do I remember anything I just read?" Anyway, I woke myself up enough once I reached <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/4/12#9">Mosiah 4:12</a>, which read,<br /><blockquote>And behold, I say unto you that if ye <span style="font-weight: bold;">do this</span> ye shall always rejoice, and <span style="font-style: italic;">be filled with the love of God</span>, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.</blockquote>This stuck out to me. It was the exact answer to my prayer, but I had to go back and read the previous verses again to find out what the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">this</span>" was that I had to <span style="font-weight: bold;">do</span>.<br /><blockquote>And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should <a href="http://whatdomormonsbelieve.blogspot.com/2008/08/remember.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">remember</span></a>, and always retain in remembrance, <span style="font-weight: bold;">the greatness of God, and your own nothingness</span>, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even<span style="font-style: italic;"> in the depths of humility</span>, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.</blockquote>There is a lot there to ponder. What really made me think was that God is greater than us all, and he knows all of our weaknesses, yet he still loves this person I struggle with. Who am I, in my nothingness, an unworthy creature, to maltreat this person? Am I saying that my judgment of the man is better than God's?<br /><br />I need to submerge myself in 'the depths of humility' before Heavenly Father. It's very easy to come to this conclusion, but a terrifying and difficult thing to do. It means surrendering what I think is good (or fun or funny) for what I know the Lord desires. It also means trying to see him in a better light and treating him as a child of God, an heir! This particular relationship will take time to mend, but at least it feels good to be heading in the right direction for a change.<br /><br />If we put a little more thought and effort into our prayers, the answers that come will be more powerful and profound. I know that much is true.Thaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-84992222573691023732008-09-06T20:51:00.012-06:002008-09-16T15:47:01.536-06:00What Do Mormons Believe? - Becoming Gods and Ruling Planets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-_gSCobgBCUzXJYR7Ui6WTWWz35znkuaGlXEbn1mJackRP1hk3tEBeGwNYek9cpN-LJb-WgzZAXG8Y9UKrewEg7lFYWMuU17TP8OjgpaKgZQxh4K5xwOFRAjXZm9niioB2E5oJvD2oEC/s1600-h/798px-Christus_statue_temple_square_salt_lake_city.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243116847051104866" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-_gSCobgBCUzXJYR7Ui6WTWWz35znkuaGlXEbn1mJackRP1hk3tEBeGwNYek9cpN-LJb-WgzZAXG8Y9UKrewEg7lFYWMuU17TP8OjgpaKgZQxh4K5xwOFRAjXZm9niioB2E5oJvD2oEC/s320/798px-Christus_statue_temple_square_salt_lake_city.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Q.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Do LDS members believe that they will become gods of their own planets in the afterlife?</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">What an excellent question.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It is my hope to lay the foundation so that you can better understand what we do believe.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">However, I urge you to focus on the core of our beliefs, the atonement of Jesus Christ and understanding that, because with that our other doctrines will be more understandable.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">First, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount he says: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/5/48#48">Matthew 5:48</a>).</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The Greek word used here means complete, finished, fully developed, rather than simply error or sin free.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Therefore, I want to pose a question to you, what does it mean to be perfect as Heavenly Father is perfect?</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">You might respond that perfection means keeping all of the commandments, or in other words, to make no mistakes in life.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">While God does keep all of the commandments and is perfect in that sense, he is much more than that. God is completely perfect, he is omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly just, perfectly merciful, perfectly honest, perfectly wise, he doesn’t change, and he is perfect in his love for all of us.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">If we are going to become perfect as Christ commanded us to be, then not only do we need to keep the commandments, but we need to acquire all of the attributes above. This can only be accomplished through the atonement of Jesus Christ.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The meaning of the word atonement is to set at one (at-one-ment).</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In the case of the atonement of Jesus Christ, with whom is he setting us at one?</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The Father.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">As a result of the Fall of Adam, Adam and Eve became imperfect and were removed from the presence of God.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Since Adam and Eve acted contrary to the commandment of God, they were unclean and their bodies also became imperfect. Furthermore all of their children were in the same state. </span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Thus, the need for a Redeemer—someone who could make our bodies perfect and also cleanse us from the imperfection of sin (both of these events are accomplished by the resurrection and atonement of Jesus Christ).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Therefore, God in his infinite mercy prepared a way that we could be delivered from this combined imperfection.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The only way that this ‘setting at one’ could happen was through the sacrifice of one who had not sinned; therefore, God sent his Son to give all men and women the opportunity to be redeemed from the Fall (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/3/16#16">John 3:16</a>, <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/14/6#6">John 14:6</a>, <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_cor/15/20-22#20">1 Corinthians 15:20-22</a>).</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The next question arises, what does it mean to be at one with God?</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In Jesus’ intercessory prayer (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/17/20-23#20">John 17:20-23</a>) in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prays to the Father:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou has sent me, and hast loved them, as thou has loved me.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Christ is saying that he and the Father are one, because they are perfect and he is pleading with the Father to give us the opportunity to become like him and his Father—perfect in every way.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The atonement of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all that believe in him, regardless of who they are.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">However, the atonement of Jesus Christ extends beyond the concept of forgiveness of sin.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It extends into much holier spheres, allowing us to become fully developed, as the Father and Christ are, and allowing us to fulfill Christ’s commandment.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This sanctifying power is available to all if they are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ in his prescribed manner and live their lives according to the doctrines and principles that he and his prophets teach.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Christ said that he is preparing a place for us in his Father’s mansion (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/14/2-3#2">John 14:2-3</a>), but what will we do </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">when we </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">get there? I highly doubt that we will sit on clouds strumming our harps.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Certainly, when we exit this life we won’t know as much as God does, nor will we have all of his other perfection. If we are to become perfect like he is, we have a lot to learn. The continuation of this growth and progression once we graduate from earth leads to the complete, fully developed, and perfect state that Christ was talking about. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243118372513952338" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m16yszWJDOnxjIztFQXBBCeAQyuJ8E0lB2ailhuiArk7h6aVTuc8xMi2BUGOBpYTr8F5-f-sZN_j60kRMfzLUEajVKWs9iKfVntNixv-E6qw1u0Ae4MnWOmRg6CbZp6lfkhBN6uHujXR/s320/humangrowthdevelopment.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Now that the fo<span style="font-family:georgia;">undation has been laid, I would like to share a few verses of scripture that highlight this progress</span>ion to becoming perfect in the way that God and Jesus are perfect:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ps/82/6#6">Psalm 82:6</a> (italics added)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 4pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">6 I have said, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Ye </span></i></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Italic;" ><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">are</span></i></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> gods; and all of you </span></i></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Italic;" ><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">are children of the most High. </span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/10/33-34#33">John 10:33-34</a> (italics added)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">34 Jesus answered them, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/rev/3/21#21">Revelation 3:21</a> (italics added)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">21 To him that overcometh <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">will I grant to sit with me in my throne</span>, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/76/94-95#94">Doctrine and Covenants 76:94-95</a> (italics added)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">94 They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fullness and of his grace; </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">95 </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I hope that you will take a few things away from these verses.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">First, we are children of our Heavenly Father; therefore, there is a seed of divinity within us (<a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/rom/8/16-17#16">Romans 8:16-17</a>).</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Second, if we nourish that seed and live our lives according to the plan Christ and his prophets have outlined we are granted the opportunity to rule with Christ and his Father in their kingdoms.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Third, being able to rule with Christ and the Father also entails that we will be made equal in power, might and dominion.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Now to answer your question with the foundation being laid, do we believe that we will become gods, ruling our own planets?</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">We believe that through Christ all men and women can be made </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">perfect</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> as God and his son Jesus Christ are perfect.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Nowhere in scripture does it explicitly say we will rule our own planets.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Truth is, we don't know exactly what will happen in heaven, except that we will continue growing and learning.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">We will just have to wait until after this life is over to find out what it means to become perfect like God and Jesus are perfect.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I hope that you can now see how beautiful our doctrine is and how much hope there is in our beliefs.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This Church does not confine itself with only this life, but it’s doctrine stretches across all eternity and affords all of us the opportunity to see ourselves as God sees us—with divine potential. </span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">There is a purpose to our existence and it buoys up the soul to learn that God knows us and in his infinite wisdom He has prepared a way that you and I might become perfect.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">What is the problem with believing that?</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >The most important part for you and I at this time is to be baptized by one who holds the authority from God, to take upon ourselves the name of Christ and to commit to serve him until the end of our days, striving daily to live our lives according to his plan.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >We cannot comprehend the glory of God, nor can we comprehend what it means to be perfect, but I do believe in the promises of Christ.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >I know that Jesus is the Christ and that his Father is God and that through Christ I can become perfect.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Therefore, I will worry myself with preparing myself to meet God and let God take care of the rest.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >I encourage you to do the same.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Thank you for your inquiry.</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><p></p>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16359586288541517466noreply@blogger.com3