Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are often called Mormons by others, believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth one day. Mormons focus on what we know about that time and leave the rest to God.

Jesus Christ will return to Earth.

“Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. (See Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Liahona, May 2004, 7–10)

Let’s look first at the first and second principles Elder Oaks mentioned. Mormons believe in the Second Coming. We can over cover what will happen briefly in this article. For a more detailed explanation, read the chapter on this subject in a book called Gospel Principles, chapter 44.

Mormon beliefs outline four things that will happen when Jesus returns:

1.     The earth will be cleansed. The wicked will be destroyed, wicked things will be burned, and the earth itself will be cleansed.

2.     The people will be judged. Matthew 25 in the New Testament outlines what will happen at this stage of the Second Coming, as the righteous are separated from those who did not make wise choices or care for those in need.

3.     The Millennium will be ushered in. This is a one thousand year period when Jesus will reign on earth over people who lived good lives. Not all will be members of God’s church—they will simply be those who have lived moral lives. Missionary work will continue. During this time, Satan will have no power.

4.     The first resurrection will be completed.

5.     Jesus Christ will take his place as the King of Heaven and Earth. The church will become part of his government. He will rule here for one thousand years.

Elder Oaks reminds us we don’t know when that day will be. Matthew 25:13 says: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Mark 13 says:

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Mormons are watchful, but they believe that they should always be prepared when the time comes, so knowing the exact date is not particularly important to them. They live each day to its fullest. Willford Woodruff, a former Mormon prophet, said that he lived as if it could be tomorrow, but he was still planting cherry trees.

Mormons believe that those who are prepared have no need to fear the Second Coming. They also don’t need to do anything special to prepare because they should be living the principles of the gospel every day of their lives, not just when they think it is time. Mormons believe they should live those principles out of love for the Savior, not out of fear. So, they keep the commandments and work every day on increasing their love for Jesus Christ. When the Second Coming happens, they will be ready without any special need to wait, worry, or change their lives.

However, they are taught the signs of the Second Coming and are taught to be watchful. This does not mean quitting jobs or selling what they own. It simply means they should be alert to the things happening around them—watching, but continuing to plant cherry trees. In other words, they prepare for the long-term future even as they see the signs occurring.

Following are some of the signs of the Second Coming: See Gospel Principles, Lesson 43, for details on these signs.

1.     Wickedness, war, and turmoil: While these have been a part of nearly every time period, Daniel says it will be worse than anything the world has ever experienced.

2.     Restoration of the Gospel: Some signs of the Second Coming are happy ones. Revelations, chapter 14, tells of an angel restoring the gospel.

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

3.      The gospel will be preached to all the world. This was prophesied in Matthew 24:14.

4.      Elijah will come. This promise comes from Malachi 4:5-6. He said that in the last days Elijah would come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. This is a reference to work done in Mormon temples and helps to explain the world-wide interest in genealogy that has arisen in recent times.

There are many other signs of the last days, and they can be fascinating to study and to watch for. They are God’s way of calling people to repentance. However, Mormons focus more on daily preparation than on watching signs.

Jesus told a parable of ten virgins invited to a wedding. When the bridegroom didn’t come as soon as expected, some people were not prepared to wait a little longer. Half of them had to rush out for more oil and ended up missing the wedding. Once the wedding began, they were not allowed in. It was too late.

Preparation is always the key to proper Christian living. Mormons are taught to repent of their sins, build strong families, study the gospel, pray regularly, read the Bible and Book of Mormon, and to generally live good lives. They are taught not to delay doing these things. They are advised to put together a temporal supply of food and supplies for the difficulties of the times ahead—a teaching proven wise by catastrophic events in Japan and other places. Spiritual preparation, however, is even more important.

What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them. (See Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Liahona, May 2004, 7–10)

This year, Mormon Sunday School classes for adults and teens and the Senior Primary children who are ages eight to twelve are studying the New Testament. All Primary children—those ages 3 to 11, will have a sharing time (a time when a number of classes meet together to be taught by their leaders) focusing on the truthfulness of scripture.

The Sunday School classes and senior Primary are on a four year rotation system. Each year they study one book of scripture—Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon and Church History/Doctrine and Covenants (a book of modern revelation). The Senior Primary, the teens, and the adults study the same book of scripture at the same pace but at their own level. This allows families to come together after church and during the week to discuss what they’ve learned and lets parents reinforce those teachings.

Younger children, ages four to seven, are on a two year rotation, covering two books of scripture in one year, with an emphasis on the life of Christ as taught in the four gospels of the New Testament, and on the Book of Mormon. They repeat the manuals one time, but at a more grown up level. Nursery toddlers and three year olds have just one lesson manual which covers stories from all scriptures.

The Mormons are offering a solid collection of materials to help both Mormons and non-Mormons study the New Testament this year. The actual lesson manuals are available online, both the student and teacher’s editions. This allows curious non-Mormons to find out what Mormons actually teach their own members about Jesus Christ.

Read or listen to the Adult Sunday School (Gospel Doctrine) teacher’s manual for the New Testament.

Read or listen to the student study guide for adults on the New Testament.

Read the teacher’s manual for the children’s New Testament class. (The children don’t receive a manual.)

Many Mormons like a more in-depth study of the scriptures each year. Teenagers study a book of scripture each year in Seminary that does not match the Sunday School rotation. Seminary is held most weekdays, usually before the school day begins. It is a much more in-depth study of the New Testament and includes scripture memorization. The lesson manual for this class is also online for anyone who wants to use it.

Read the Seminary New Testament Manual online. You’ll note this page also has additional study materials, including music, a list of scriptures to memorize, a reading chart and a timeline.

For even more in-depth study, you might want to explore the Institute of Religion Manual. This manual is a college-level course and has a great deal of interpretation, inspiration, historic and cultural background information and more to help you really dig into your study of the New Testament.

Read the Institute of Religion New Testament manual.

While the Mormons have had the Bible free on the Internet for a long time, the new scripture site has some exciting additions to help people study the scriptures. For many of these features, you will need to sign up for an account. While reading the New Testament, which doesn’t require an account, you can also use account-based tools to write notes, keep a scripture-reading journal, highlight scriptures and even print out your work. You can even, without an account, download MP-3s of an audio New Testament. Mormons use the King James translation of the Bible.

This year the Mormons will be studying the life, ministry, and divinity of Jesus Christ. Why not take a peek and see what they will be learning?

Mormon beliefs sometimes get confused with the beliefs and practices of other religions. One such belief concerns the celebration of Christmas. Mormons tend to be very passionate Christmas celebrators, with many Mormon congregations hosting nativity festivals or free sing-alongs of Handel’s Messiah each year.

While Santa makes an appearance in some Mormon homes, the focus is always on the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is considered a sacred holiday and Mormon families are encouraged to simplify the secular portions of it in order to make more room for the spiritual elements of the Christmas celebration.

Mormons believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and celebrate His birth as a pivotal moment in eternal life. The Book of Mormon, which Mormons consider a companion book to the Bible, says, “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.” (2 Nephi 25:26.)

Mormon beliefs state that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of all mankind and that there is no other way but through Him to achieve eternal life and be saved. The Book of Mormon contains 284 references to being saved, rather an extensive discussion on the topic. Following are some of the verses on this subject:

And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day (3 Nephi 27:6).

For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved (1 Nephi 6:4).

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23.)

Mormons believe that Christmas is meaningful because of Easter and the two holidays are intertwined in their minds and celebration. Talks given on the subject of Christmas generally include discussions of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf and His glorious resurrection from the dead.

“When all is said and done, when all the legions of the ages have passed in review, when man’s terrible inhumanity to man has been chronicled, when God’s great love for His children has been measured, then above all stands the lone figure of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the living Son of the living God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One.

Isaiah spoke of Him centuries before His coming: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). (See Gordon B. Hinckley, “First Presidency Christmas Devotional: “My Redeemer Lives””, Ensign, Feb. 2001, 70–73.)

What might a typical Mormon Christmas season look like? It will be different for each family, but common traditions include:

Service Projects: Many Mormon families do additional service throughout the Christmas season, giving gifts to those in need, volunteering at a church or community service project or helping at a food bank. Gifts are usually collected at church to assist congregation members who have little, but Mormons also often donate to community groups.

Reading of the Four Gospels: The four gospels are the four books in the New Testament that tell of Jesus’ life. Many Mormons use the Christmas season to read these accounts and to work as a family to understand them better. Even the youngest child is encouraged to listen to the stories in the King James translation, perhaps supplemented by a children’s version afterwards. However, they want their children to become familiar with the language of the Bible, even if they are too young to understand it.

Reading quality Christmas literature: Church leaders often quote from great literature that helps to remind us of the deeper meanings of Christmas. For example, the current Mormon prophet, Thomas S. Monson, reads three books every Christmas: Luke (the Biblical account of the Savior’s birth and life), A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke. Mormon families often incorporate these examples as well as their own personal favorites into their own Christmas celebrations as a distraction from the usual Santa fair.

Singing sacred Christmas hymns: Although the more commercial Christmas songs are fun, Mormons also sing and listen to a wide range of sacred Christmas hymns, many traditional throughout the Christian world. Some of these are included in their official hymn book, such as Silent Night and Away in a Manger.

Displaying nativities. Most Mormon homes will display a nativity scene throughout the holiday season and many Mormons collect nativities. Some families even keep one or more nativity sets on display all year long as a way to keep the meaning of Christmas in their hearts all year.

Of course, Christmas is also a time for families. Mormons hold weekly family nights in which they have a short lesson, games, music, and treats. These are just for the family and are designed to build a bond with family members and to allow parents to share their values with their children. It also increases leadership skills, since everyone takes turns doing the various required tasks—conducting meetings, leading music, teaching lessons and preparing treats. Even a very young child might get an opportunity to teach his older family members about Jesus Christ. In December, many families focus their lessons on Jesus Christ and the messages of Christmas. Family nights also often include planning for a family service project to be done during the Christmas season.

Mormons are encouraged to simplify their holidays to allow more time for family and for spiritual things. We don’t have to go to every party, every parade, or every show. We needn’t spend too much time or money shopping for gifts. When we bring our Christmas down to its simplest components, we find it is a more rewarding season that can strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ.

In the October 2010 General Conference, a semi-annual world-wide meeting for Mormons, Boyd K. Packer gave a talk which generated some controversy. It has been widely reported as a talk on homosexuality, but was in reality a talk on a proclamation on families issued by the Mormons a number of years ago. In this talk, he also addressed pornography, honoring marriage vows, and chastity. He focused on the ability of people to choose repentance and then to succeed in their sincere efforts to repent and their ability to be forgiven for past sins.

In order to understand why the controversy is misguided, one must understand some important principles concerning how the Mormon Church operates. Elder Packer is an apostle. The president of the Church and the prophet are roles both filled by Thomas S. Monson. President Monson is assisted by two counselors. He and the counselors form the First Presidency of the Church. Next is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, of which Elder Packer is the president. This makes him next in line to be the prophet if he outlives President Monson. Only the current living prophet can declare official doctrine for the entire church and he cannot make doctrine simply because he wishes to. He must petition God for doctrinal changes and doctrinal changes come very seldom.

Mormon leaders, even at the highest levels, are not trained ministers. They don’t attend a traditional seminary (a Mormon seminary is a school-year class for teenagers). They come from other professions. For instance, our current prophet was in the printing industry prior to becoming an apostle.

Prophets and apostles are ordinary people. They are given the same gift of agency as is everyone and they hold personal opinions. Mormon beliefs don’t cover everything and so, where the Church has no official doctrine in place, Church members, including leaders, are entitled to hold whatever opinion they choose and to develop that opinion in any way they choose. The Church has frequently explained that science and history are not doctrine, and therefore, many church leaders, some of whom come from the world of science, are free to hold whatever opinions they would like to have in those areas. Where science and religion might overlap, only the spiritual aspects—those affecting eternal life—are of importance to the Church.

The Mormons have stated that they do not take an official stand on the causes of homosexuality and on whether or not the tendencies can be changed. Nor do they take a stand on whether or not a person should seek treatment to change and they do not recommend programs. This is because it is an issue of science, not religion. God does not judge our temptations—even Jesus was tempted, which makes His perfection meaningful. It is our actions that matter. Jesus taught that we must do the will of the Lord to be accepted into Heaven. While a person may be unable to choose his temptations or tendencies, he is free to choose his actions and this is where the Mormons focus their religious doctrine, because it is the only part of the subject that affects a person’s eternal life. Causation is for science, psychology and personal beliefs until God speaks otherwise. However, there can be no question that the Bible speaks quite firmly about the evils of homosexual behavior. The Bible is clear and consistent on the subject.

Elder Packer’s talk was published with a few changes. However, the eternal truths were not changed. It is standard for a speaker to be allowed to review the talk he gave and decide whether to publish it as is or make some changes. The written talk is considered the official version, the one church members study and learn from. This allows a speaker who inserted personal views, misquoted a scripture or simply misspoke—as any frequent speaker will tell you is common—to make certain the official version accurately reflects official teachings and not just the personal opinions of the aspects not canonized.

Official truth, however, cannot be altered. As Elder Packer said, you cannot put truth to a vote. When we stand before God, He will not evaluate our political correctness or our ability to match the views of the times. He will compare our lives to the eternal truths He taught us.

The bulk of Elder Packer’s talk was on the gift of repentance, a selfless gift made possible by the Savior’s atonement. Because Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, we are able to repent and to be made pure again.

The twin principles of repentance and forgiveness exceed in strength the awesome power of the tempter. If you are bound by a habit or an addiction that is unworthy, you must stop conduct that is harmful. Angels will coach you, and priesthood leaders will guide you through those difficult times.

Nowhere are the generosity and the kindness and mercy of God more manifest than in repentance. Do you understand the consummate cleansing power of the Atonement made by the Son of God, our Savior, our Redeemer? He said, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent.” In that supernal act of love, the Savior paid the penalties for our sins so that we might not have to pay.

For those who truly desire it, there is a way back. Repentance is like unto a detergent. Even ground-in stains of sin will come out.

What a powerful promise—that angels will coach you as you struggle to overcome behaviors you know in your heart to be against the teachings of God. Regardless of the initial cause of any sin, angels stand ready to help us get through the process of change. When we think of the millions going through recovery programs for various challenges and struggling to overcome them, it is extraordinarily encouraging—the giving of courage—to picture a personal angelic coach and to know that when the struggle ends, God will forget our sin as if it never happened. This, more than any other teaching, can bring peace to those whose lives are hard. It can help people overcome the bullying of those without compassion and the attempts of others to lead them back into a life of sin. It creates a life of hope.

President Joseph Fielding Smith told me of a repentant woman struggling to find her way out of a very immoral life. She asked him what she should do now.

In turn, he asked her to read to him from the Old Testament the account of Lot’s wife, who was turned to a pillar of salt. Then he asked her, “What lesson do you gain from those verses?”

She answered, “The Lord will destroy the wicked.”

“Not so!” President Smith said that the lesson for this repentant woman and for you is “Don’t look back!”

Strangely enough, it may be that the simplest and most powerful prevention and cure for pornography, or any unclean act, is to ignore and avoid it. Delete from the mind any unworthy thought that tries to take root. Once you have decided to remain clean, you are asserting your God-given agency. And then, as President Smith counseled, “Don’t look back.”

Read Elder Packer’s talk.

Read the official church response to HRC Petition.

Read the call for civility.

Read the official clarification of Elder Packer’s talk.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, recently issued the following statement:

In the mid-19th century, when rhetorical, emotional oratory was common, some church members and leaders used strong language that included notions of people making restitution for their sins by giving up their own lives.

However, so-called “blood atonement,” by which individuals would be required to shed their own blood to pay for their sins, is not a doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe in and teach the infinite and all-encompassing atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes forgiveness of sin and salvation possible for all people.” (See Mormon Church Statement on Blood Atonement.)

Many people do not realize that every word spoken by a prophet or other church leader is not official doctrine. Prophets, like everyone else, have agency and intelligence and, when a specific doctrine has not been given to us from God, is permitted to make his own decision. Sometimes they discuss these personal beliefs in public. In past times, leaders were not as cautious about this as they are today. In today’s world, where the most casual statement can live forever on the Internet, leaders often preface opinions with a reminder that this is what they are. However, when the Church was younger and smaller, this was not always true. Unless a belief has been canonized, it is not official doctrine. Blood atonement is one such belief, arising out of the common beliefs of the time.

Many people use as their source for this teaching the Journal of Discourses, a  book containing various talks by early church leaders. However, this record is not an official church publication and the talks were not recorded and were not official versions. They are based on notes taken by listeners and were not vetted by the leaders themselves. General Conferences, the semi-annual gathering of the Mormons, was different then than it is now, and in the first year of the Church, attendees could even ask the speakers questions and get opinions from them. The Journal of Discourses was intended to be used like a newspaper, not a book of scripture or doctrine. It was written for those who lived far from the central church.

The Mormons teach that we are saved through the atonement of Christ. It is His blood that saves us, not our own. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

This teaching is expanded on by Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of Jesus Christ in modern times:

Prophets throughout the ages have emphasized the dual requirements of (1) avoiding and overcoming bad and (2) doing good and becoming better. Consider the penetrating questions posed by the Psalmist:

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3–4).

Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place.

Let me suggest that hands are made clean through the process of putting off the natural man and by overcoming sin and the evil influences in our lives through the Savior’s Atonement. Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good and become better. All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us.

In the Book of Mormon, we find the masterful teachings of King Benjamin concerning the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ. The simple doctrine he taught caused the congregation to fall to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. “And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (Mosiah 4:2; emphasis added), (David A. Bednar, “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Liahona, Nov 2007, 80–83).

Mormons teach that grace comes to us through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is what allows us to overcome death to live forever. Grace also allows us to repent of our sins and to be forgiven after we have done so. This comes to us without any conditions—every person who has ever lived on this earth has the gift of grace without any acts at all. Mormons do not believe the act of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior is required to receive God’s grace. It is without conditions.

However, to receive the fullness of the atonement, we must follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and live the gospel. Doing so allows us to return to God’s presence. The scriptures teach us that no unclean thing can dwell in God’s presence, and so we must cleanse ourselves and live as pure a life as possible while we’re on the earth. Of course mistakes happen. No one is perfect. However, through the atonement and grace, we are able to repent and start over as often as necessary and in time, this way, we will feel worthy to be in God’s presence. We will be ourselves in Heaven; to make it the perfect place God promised us, it can only be filled with those who love God and keep His commandments.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) Jesus taught. He repeated again and again the importance of obeying God’s commandments, warning that only those who do will be with God again. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

However, although we must obey the commandments and we must repent when we fall short, we cannot bring about our own atonement by doing so. Only the voluntary atonement of Jesus Christ, which happened in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary could bring about our atonement. We cannot use our own blood to atone for our sins, no matter what type they are, because the atonement required the voluntary sacrifice of a perfect being. For this reason, Mormons do not believe in blood atonement as the term is used to describe capital punishment.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are informally known as Mormons, has released a new edition of the Bible in Spanish. This edition is based on the public domain edition of the one hundred year old Reina-Valera translation of the Bible. Minor edits were made to update grammar and to make more clear words that have taken on new meanings in the past century and alterations were made for words that have developed offensive meanings. This edition contains footnotes and headings pertaining to LDS doctrine and includes cross-references to LDS scriptures and resources. This improves its usefulness as a study tool for Mormons, and also aids non-Mormons who wish to study the Bible as the Mormons see it. It also allows church classes to function more effectively since previously each member had a different translation, making Sunday School classes on the Bible very complicated.

The entire process took about five years, due to the sacred nature of the work and the need for accuracy. Verses were compared to the King James Version, which is the official translation used by Mormons in English, four more Spanish editions of the Bible, and Greek and Hebrew manuscripts as well.

The new edition is available in print and also on CD. It can be downloaded at no charge from church websites. For more information, interested people of any faith may visit Santa Biblia.

The Mormons produced a similar project with the King James Bible, which is the official Mormon Bible in English. Although text was not changed, footnotes and summaries, as well as new study materials, were added to a uniquely LDS version of a treasured edition of the Bible. This project was begun many decades ago, when church leaders became concerned because church members were using different editions of the King James version of the Bible for different purposes—one for children, for instance, a different one for teenage classes and so on. The church wanted an official edition of the Bible and an improved combined edition of the other LDS scriptures. However, after prayer, it was determined the Bible should be the priority.

For more on this project, read The Coming Forth of the LDS Editions of Scripture By Wm. James Mortimer.

Mormons use four books of scripture in their worship. The Old and New Testaments of the Bible are both used. In addition, Mormons use the Book of Mormon, an ancient scripture written by descendents of the Israelites of the Old Testament. A small group of Israelites fled Jerusalem when Lehi, a prophet, found his life in danger during the time of the prophet Jeremiah. God directed him, his family and a few other people, to journey across the ocean to the Americas. He and the prophets who followed kept records of their dealings with the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel, which were eventually preserved to be brought forth in our time.

In addition to these, the Mormons use the Doctrine and Covenants, a record of the modern revelations given. Most occurred early in church history, but some later revelations have been recorded as well. The Pearl of Great Price contains some translations of ancient records, revelations received by Joseph Smith, Joseph’s Smith’s personal history, and a statement of thirteen beliefs the Church holds.

All of these scriptures are studied by church members. Children under four have a curriculum that uses stories and teachings from all the books. Children ages four to eight study the Bible one year, and the other scriptures the next year, repeating the series until they move to the next level. From ages eight through adulthood, members study the scriptures in a four year rotation. The Bible is given two years, one for each testament, causing it to be studied twice as often as the other books. In addition to this, teenagers attend a weekday class each school day in which they also follow a four year rotation of study. Again, the Bible is given two years in this rotation.

Gordon B. Hinckley, a past president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught:

The Bible is our scripture. We believe that the prophets of the Old Testament who foretold the coming of the Messiah spoke under divine inspiration. We glory in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John setting forth the events of the birth, ministry, death, and Resurrection of the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Like Paul of old, we are “not ashamed of the gospel of [Jesus] Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). And like Peter, we affirm that Jesus Christ is the only name “given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Symbol of Our Faith,” Ensign, Apr 2005, 2–6

This question is often asked by evangelicals, and is, in general, a misunderstanding of the Mormon teachings on what happens after death and how we control that.

Many evangelicals teach that a person gets to heaven by being “saved.” This involves the act of accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. At the same time, they teach that acts cannot get you into Heaven. The Mormons also believe that a person must accept Jesus Christ as His Savior in order to return to God’s presence after death. Both groups agree that at least one act is required of all of us in order to be with God.

The confusion over the number of acts required to be saved comes from the differences in terminology used by Mormons. Mormons believe everyone is saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, even if they never accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, grace and eternal life, to a Mormon, are not the same thing. To understand this complex issue, let’s look at several essential points.

What is grace?

The Bible Dictionary, found in LDS editions of the King James Bible, defines grace for us:

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.  (see Bible Dictionary.)

In other words, grace allows us to rise from the dead, receive our bodies back from the grave in a perfected form, and life forever. This is possible only because Jesus Christ voluntarily gave up His life for us after taking on the sins of the world. No fully  human being was capable of doing this for Himself. Had Christ not made this sacrifice for us, life would end with death because none of us could live a perfect life or satisfy the demands of justice fully. Only Jesus, with a mortal mother and a Heavenly Father could live perfectly and choose to die for us.

Each person then, is resurrected and given a place to spend eternity. However, living forever isn’t the total sum of our goals for eternity if we love God. We who love Him want to live with Him in His home forever. This requires a bit more. Again, it is grace that makes this additional gift possible. Without grace, we could not repent of the sins we commit here on earth.

Why does repentance matter?

For this, we need to search the Bible, where we find the following scriptures:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21, KJV of the Bible)

The Book of James, who is believed to be the brother of Jesus, took this thought even further, and answers the question without any room for doubt:

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2, King James Version of the Bible)

James points out that believing in God is good, but even Satan believes in God. No, more is required that just to believe. He explains, using Abraham and Rahab as examples, that they obeyed the commandments because they had faith, and that faith was made perfect when they chose to not just believe, but to do what God taught them to do. It was the combination of faith and works that made them perfect in the eyes of God. Note especially the inclusion of Rahab. Rahab is a woman who was a harlot, so not a prophet or other person we might normally think to hold up as an example. If we looked only at that one aspect of her life, we’d see her as a lost soul, but God sees her as more and notes that she made courageous choices that helped to progress the work of God. She was, in fact, listed as an ancestor of Jesus Christ. This does not give her the right to sin as she chooses, but it demonstrates that the good works she did mattered and counted in the long run.

We see then, that faith and works must work together as a unified total in order for either of them to “get us into Heaven.”

Can Mormons (or anyone else) work their way into Heaven?

No. An evil person who did good works could not get himself into Heaven. A person who did good works every single day would not be admitted to God’s presence unless he had also accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior and unless His good works were an outward manifestation of the private faith in his heart.

A person who truly loves God will want to do His will. The greater our faith, the easier it becomes to make good choices. A person who says he has faith, who publicly proclaims that he has accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior, but who happily goes about his life robbing banks or hurting others, and who does not bother to repent is not going to be admitted into Heaven, as Jesus made clear, because his faith is not real and because no unclean thing can enter into God’s presence. Faith without works is a dead faith, but so is works without faith dead works. No one will live a perfect life, but we have a responsibility to repent when we do wrong, and to continually strive to keep the commandments.

The Book of Mormon teaches:

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

26 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.  (2 Nephi 25)

It is only through Jesus Christ that people can be saved. If we want to live with God, rather than to merely live forever away from His presence, we must have faith, and we must also keep the commandments, as Jesus Christ instructed us to do.

Stations of the Cross is a Catholic tradition that grew out of a desire to replicate pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Today, they help Catholics remember the final days of the life of Jesus Christ as they move through a series of wooden crosses that have been blessed by a person with the authority to do so and pray. Some consider it reparation for the suffering and loneliness of the Savior’s personal Via Dolorosa. Pope Pius XI considered it an obligation for Catholics and John Paul II praised those who make an effort to stand by the endless crosses the Savior endures even today through abuse and mistreatment from those who do not honor the Sacrifices He made for them.

Although Mormons don’t participate in a formal ceremony, they do teach the principle behind it. As Pope John Paul II said, we must stand beside the Savior.

In the April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , whose members are often called Mormons, Jeffrey R. Holland gave a powerful talk on this subject, called “None Were With Him.” He spoke of how the Savior was abandoned during much of the challenging last days. He spoke of the abuse and denial not just of those who did not personally know and love Him, but also of the treatment from those within His personal circle, beginning with Judas, who knew Him, traveled with Him and taught the gospel. Peter, James, and John slept while the Savior atoned for the sins of everyone who ever had and ever would live, including those who slept outside the Garden after being asked to stay awake. In the final moments, Elder Holland wrote:

“Thus, of divine necessity, the supporting circle around Jesus gets smaller and smaller and smaller, giving significance to Matthew’s words: “All the disciples [left] him, and fled.”¹⁵ Peter stayed near enough to be recognized and confronted. John stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus’s mother. Especially and always the blessed women in the Savior’s life stayed as close to Him as they could. But essentially His lonely journey back to His Father continued without comfort or companionship.”

There was a spiritual purpose to this loneliness, as Jesus came to understand completely how it felt to be alone amidst suffering. However, Elder Holland offered this plea to Christians everywhere:

“Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path-the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, “I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”²⁰

My other plea at Easter time is that these scenes of Christ’s lonely sacrifice, laced with moments of denial and abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week-Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb-may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,”²¹ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

It could be said then, that Mormons carry out the Stations of the Cross every moment of every day, standing by the Savior, defending Him, serving as witnesses of Him, and making sure they give meaning to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Their leaders teach them that ours is not a religion that can be lived only on Sundays for a few hours. It must be lived at all times in order to be meaningful.

One way Mormons stand by Jesus Christ is to set an example of Him. When we’re baptized we take on His name, and even young children, who can be baptized at age eight, are taught that this is a sacred responsibility. When we take on His name, we have a responsibility to represent what He believes as much as possible, and to make the word Christian a meaningful and positive word. We try our best never to degrade His sacred name. While no one but the Savior was ever perfect all the time, we have a responsibility beyond that of others when we call ourselves Christians.

The Lord does most of His work through other people. When someone needs to be fed, He points them out to a person who has food. When a child of God needs a home, it’s provided through inspired service of another human being. When Jesus makes us aware of another person in need, it is our responsibility to pay attention. If we look the other way, make excuses, or waste time analyzing whose responsibility it really is, we leave the Savior alone. When we study the commandments on Sunday, but forget them on Monday, we leave Him alone. When we falter and choose not to repent, we leave Him alone.

Stations of the Cross is a lovely way to remember the sacrifices Jesus made for us, strengthening their ability to do so all year. While Mormons don’t participate in this ritual, they have a sacred obligation to remember those sacrifices every day of the year, even without the reminder of ceremony.

The Law of Moses, to Mormons, was a lesser law, given because the Jews at that time were not living in such a way as to be able to live a higher law. This was a strict law that could be followed in exactness. It didn’t replace the fullness of the gospel. It was simply provided to keep them in remembrance of God and to prepare them for a return to the higher law. (See Mosiah 13:30 in the Book of Mormon.)

“Strictly speaking, the Law of Moses consists of the first five books of the Old Testament-what the Jews call the Torah. These five books of Moses (Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; and Deuteronomy) are also called the Pentateuch, but in the New Testament they are usually just “the Law.” Sometimes the term “the Law” was used for the whole Old Testament, but usually a distinction was made between the books of Moses (the Law) and those of subsequent prophets (the Prophets); hence, the custom in Jesus‘ time of referring to the Hebrew scriptures as “the Law and the Prophets” (for example, Matt. 5:17; Matt. 7:12).

The Law was revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and came to be respected even by the gentiles for its antiquity and its comprehensive fairness. By the time of Jesus, it had stood as the criminal, civil, and religious code of the Jewish people for well over a thousand years. It had guided them in every aspect of human activity for so long that Jews found it difficult to conceive of life without “the Law” (Stephen E. Robinson, “The Law after Christ,” Ensign, Sep 1983, 69).

Robinson, who was at the time the article was written, an assistant professor of religion in Pennsylvania, explained that many Jews were angry at Jesus for teaching that the law of Moses was a temporary and lesser law, because it had become for them, “identified as the divine will itself-perfect, absolute, forever unchanging and unchangeable. The Law was thought of as the will of God exactly, precisely expressed; therefore, any deviation at all from the letter of the Law of Moses was also deviation from God. There was no room for flexibility or “extenuating circumstances.”

Jesus lived the Law of Moses and taught his followers to do the same until the atonement was fulfilled. He said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18 in the New Testament of the King James Bible).

When Jesus atoned for our sins, the Law of Moses was fulfilled and the people could take on a higher law.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets,” Jesus said. “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). The meaning of this verse may be amplified by an alternate translation: “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, I have come not to abolish but to complete, to make their meaning full.” 1 The Hebrew word Torah, which literally means “teaching or doctrine,” is rendered in the New Testament by the Greek word nomes, which means “law.” Therefore, what Jesus was conveying is that whenever He spoke of or taught from the law of Moses, He would render a fuller or more complete meaning. The law had been given to Moses by Jehovah, who was now upon the earth in His mortal ministry as Jesus Christ; therefore it was His prerogative to make the meaning of the law, the teachings, and the doctrine “full” and “complete.”

Jesus used the law of Moses as it was intended to purify lives and teach of salvation through the Messiah. The law of Moses, correctly understood and applied, would raise the natural man to a spiritual level and fortify him against the cunning of the devil. (See Thomas F. Olmstead, “The Savior’s Use of the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jul 2002, 47.)

Olmstead also pointed out that Jesus used the law to help explain his own actions, such as healing on the Sabbath. He taught the law. Olmstead explains, “Jesus did not reject the Law of Moses-the Torah-as found in the Old Testament. Rather, He used it to affirm its own truthfulness and give a more complete meaning.” Mormons refer to the more complete meaning as the higher law.

For the Jewish people of the time, this was difficult to understand. Robinson explained, “Furthermore, most Jews of Jesus’ day had come to believe that salvation came only by observance of the Law of Moses as the highest possible expression of God’s will, and in no other way.”

In contrast, James Faust, a former Mormon leader in modern times, said, “…the intent of a person alone becomes part of the rightness or wrongness of human action. So our intent to do evil or our desire to do good will be a freestanding element of consideration of our actions. We are told we will be judged in part by the intent of our hearts.” (See James E. Faust, “The Surety of a Better Testament,” Ensign, Sep 2003, 2-6.) This was the law introduced by Jesus during his ministry. Although obedience is required, so is intent and faith. A person must also believe, not just carry out the appropriate actions. This is a change from what was taught in Jesus’ day.

Jesus taught his followers to obey the law and then to take it a step higher. He taught that the law said that to commit adultery was a sin, and that the higher law was that it was a sin even to contemplate adultery or to think about someone other than your spouse in an inappropriate way. It was no longer enough to be just physically faithful to your spouse-you had to be emotionally faithful as well. While the law taught not to kill, Jesus added the requirement to avoid anger at the person. It was no longer enough just to avoid killing him. Each law was taken to a higher level, requiring more faith on the part of believers.

One important part of the law was the law of sacrifice. The Israelites were required to sacrifice their animals. Christians today are taught instead to sacrifice themselves. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by dying for our sins, and each Sabbath, we take a sacrament of bread and water to remember that sacrifice. But we are also required to make personal sacrifices. God asks of us to give up our worldly desires and focus our lives around Him. The greater our faith, the better able we are to sacrifice for God.

Elder Ballard taught, “While the law of Moses was fulfilled, the principles of the law of sacrifice continue to be part of the doctrine of the Church. The primary purpose of the law of sacrifice still is to test us and assist us in coming unto Christ. After the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice, two adjustments were made in the practice of this law. First, the ordinance of the sacrament replaced the ordinance of sacrifice; and second, this change moved the focus of the sacrifice from a person’s animal to the person himself. In a sense, the sacrifice changed from the offering to the offerer.”

What does the Law of Moses mean to a Mormon? In the early days of the church, Robinson says this was a major issue of concern to those who belonged to the church, particularly to those who converted to Judaism. They wanted to know the restored gospel was an addition to the law of Moses or if it was an entirely new law. Jesus had answered that question quite clearly in his earthly ministry. It was a law designed to lead people to Jesus and to help them understand the sacrifices He would make for them. The law was fulfilled by the atonement of Jesus. Aspects of it, including sacrifice, continue to be a part of the gospel, but in a more personal way, through personal sacrifice of selfishness and worldliness, not animal sacrifice. The law of Moses did not have the power to save us-only the atonement could do that. Despite this, it was an important step in the progression of man.

Mormons see Adam and Eve very differently than most of the Christian world. Rather than blaming Eve for all our problems, we celebrate her as the mother of all living and honor her for making the hardest choices. Through the scriptures of the restoration and modern revelation, we have learned more about these two first ancestors.

Adam and Eve were created by God and placed into a peaceful place to begin their lives. We can think of this as replacing the protected childhood of most people. Here they had everything they could want and only one request to obey. This allowed them time to settle into their marriage and the unfamiliar world in which they were placed, and they could have chosen to stay there forever, had they wanted to do so. However, their progress would be very limited if they did so. They would not have children or progress through a normal lifespan. This would also mean they could not fulfill the purposes for which they were sent.

The story of Adam and Eve really begins long before their birth. Prior to the creation of the world, God created

spirits. These spirits had the form of the people who live on earth today, but did not have bodies. They did, however, have personality, talents, and the right to make choices. Each developed in his own way, becoming something of the person he would be on earth.

When life is too comfortable, progress is limited. God, wanting us to progress further, told us He would create for us a world. We would be able, when we came there, to have a body and a family. We would have a figurative veil drawn over us so we would be unable to remember our time in God’s presence. However, the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost would testify to us quietly when we learned truth, if we were sincerely seeking truth. In this way, we’d be able to find our way back.

In order for this life to have meaning, we had to face trials, tribulation, hard work, and choices. In the Garden of Eden, none of that was possible. Adam and Eve understood they faced two conflicting set of instructions-to avoid the fruit of the tree and to go forth and multiply. Today, we often face conflicting instructions from God. For instance, a child is commanded to honor and obey his parents, but then might face a situation in which a parent instructs him to break another commandment. The child must then choose which commandment to obey. One of the challenges of mortal life is to use our agency and our wisdom to decide which commandment is the better part for that particular situation.

Adam and Eve would not raise a family in the shelter of the garden. Had they selfishly chosen to remain, we could not have come to earth. Eve chose the better part when she chose motherhood and made a decision to leave the garden, even though it meant hardship, suffering, and death, not just for her, but for all of us. It was the only way life on earth could have meaning and purpose.

Lehi, the first prophet of the Book of Mormon, explained it this way:

If Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall.” (2 Nephi 2:22-26)

These verses help us to understand that the ranges of emotion are essential to our learning in this mortal life. We can’t recognize or appreciate joy until we’ve experienced heartache. We couldn’t appreciate the pleasure of making good choices until we knew how sin affected our spirits. To experience all of this, we had to be in the world, not in the garden.

Mormons do not believe in original sin. The church has a statement of thirteen articles of faith, written by Joseph Smith. The second says, “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” While there are certainly consequences for our own lives in their choice, including that of death, the atonement protects us from being directly held responsible for another person’s choice.

Jesus Christ, in that same pre-mortal life, offered to serve as our redeemer. He alone would live a sinless life and then would atone for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, and following that, die for us on the cross. This made it possible for us to repent and be forgiven for our sins, and to live again after death. Because He atoned for our sins, we are not accountable for the choices made by Adam and Eve. We are accountable for only our own sins, and can repent only for those sins we ourselves committed.

We don’t have a very complete record of Adam and Eve’s time on earth, and so we don’t know a great deal about the thought process that went on. We do know that God’s plan for us was carried out.

Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle, helps us to understand the nature of the choice made by Adam and Eve, and explains how Mormons view them:

It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and “Adam fell that men might be” (2 Ne. 2:25).

Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall (see Bruce R. McConkie, “Eve and the Fall,” Woman, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979, pp. 67-68). Joseph Smith taught that it was not a “sin,” because God had decreed it (see The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1980, p. 63). Brigham Young declared, “We should never blame Mother Eve, not the least” (in Journal of Discourses, 13:145). Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin … for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56, 1:114-15).

This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (emphasis added). It also echoes a familiar distinction in the law. Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin-inherently wrong-but a transgression-wrong because it was formally prohibited. These words are not always used to denote something different, but this distinction seems meaningful in the circumstances of the Fall.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “‘The Great Plan of Happiness‘,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 72)