Mormon Church

Jesus Christ’s Church Carries His Name

Brian is a BYU student and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as the “Mormon Church” by the media). He is currently taking a religion course at Brigham Young. Below is a paper that he wrote after being inspired concerning the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the ushering in of that Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

What does the name of the Mormon Church, better known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really mean? Well, lets’ take a few minutes, and analyze it. We will come to see after reading a few New Testament passages, especially those contained in Matthew chapter 24, that this name is much more significant than most people think.

To the well-read lector of the New Testament, it is common knowledge that the people who followed Jesus Christ were referred to as saints. In his epistle or writings to the Romans, chapter 15, Paul writes, “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.”

Now the true question is, was there a defined organization of saints? How were they governed? Again, we can turn to the writings of Paul and read that Jesus Christ actually organized a church. “And he gave some, apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints,” (Ephesians 4:11-12). (more…)

The Mormon Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland spoke on March 20, 2012 to students of the Harvard University Law School as part of the school’s annual “Mormonism 101″ series. Elder Holland (Mormon leaders are traditionally addressed by the title, “Elder”) explained about the history and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often called “Mormons.” He then engaged in a question-and-answer session with members of the audience. Elder Holland’s remarks helped shed some light on the Church, which has received a lot of media attention lately due to the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney.

Elder Holland began his remarks by congratulating the students on their openness to discussions of religious belief. ”In the western world religion has historically been the basis of civil society as we have known it, and if I am not mistaken, men and women of the law are committed to the best—that is, the most just—civil society possible,” Elder Holland pointed out. “So thank you for taking religion seriously. You will not only be better attorneys but you will be closer to the truth in your own personal lives.”

Mormonism: The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

The origins of Mormonism were the first topic addresses by Elder Holland. Mormonism is a restoration of the original gospel established by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. Following Christ’s ascension into heaven and the deaths of the original twelve apostles, the primitive Christian Church entered a long period of confusion:

So what ensued was a millennium and a half of destroying Paul’s hope that there would be a “unity of the faith, and [a] knowledge of the Son of God, . . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” It is commonplace to note that in the Christian world we now see anything but “a unity of faith” or any real Christian cohesiveness that could remotely be called “the building fitly framed together”that would reaffirm “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

The Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith

By the time of Joseph Smith, who was a young man during the time of religious contention and revival during the early 1800s in the United States known as the second “Great Awakening,” huge divides of doctrine separated the different Christian sects from one another. According to Elder Holland,

This young boy-prophet lamented that his region was “a scene of great confusion and bad feeling . . . priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that [any] good feelings . . . were entirely lost in a . . . war of words and tumult of opinions.” “A war of words and tumult of opinions.” That says so much about post-New Testament Christianity.

Mormonism: Basic Beliefs

Mormons are Christians

We are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Nicene Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ. No, when we speak of “restored Christianity” we speak of the Church as it was in its New Testament purity, not as it became when great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed. So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian. Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know. (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Doctrinal Differences Between Mormons and More Recent Christianity

A few doctrinal differences between Mormon doctrines and post-fourth-century traditions were pointed out:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone. As such, we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”…However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that [God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ] were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love. They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are. In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.
• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.” We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.
• …we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called our “most distinguishing feature.” That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization. It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth. Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God. This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself. The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

William Tapscott Gillman was named after the ship upon which he was born, the S.S. William Tapscott. Alice Wickham, William’s mother, was crossing the Atlantic from England to America as a newly baptized Mormon. It was 1860. Over seven hundred new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media) were crowded into tiny berths on the refitted cargo ship. They were travelling to join the body of the Church in Zion, which is what they called the newly settled Utah territory where the rest of the Saints had gone to escape religious persecution. The crossing was long, thirty-five days, and the passengers were plagued by seasickness, measles, and smallpox. Four babies were born onboard, and five weddings were performed. Alice, who was unmarried, arrived in the Salt Lake with her new baby in the fall of that year, after months of travel by ship, steamboat, rail, and wagon. She married James Henry Gillman, who adopted the infant, in December of 1860.

The young couple eventually went to pioneer in the high desert country near Vernal, Utah, a place where the only thing green was the town’s name and the name of the Green River flowing nearby. The land was so remote that it became notorious as a location along the infamous “Outlaw Trail,” where various wild west outlaws could roam and hide freely during the late 1800s. Despite of, or perhaps because of, the heat and the cold, the dryness and the rough company, William Tapscott Gillman grew to be a strong, faithful Mormon man, and a successful farmer. He married Catherine McKowen in 1887 in Vernal, Utah. Together they raised ten healthy children, all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Catherine McKowen’s father, Philip, married her mother in Manchester, England. They, too, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and travelled over sea and land to Vernal, bringing Philip’s Irish parents, Patrick and Mary Katherine, along. Patrick and Mary McKowen’s parents never saw their children again. Once, a distant relative of mine dreamed about Patrick’s father, watching the cold sea as the ship carrying his family away disappeared into the distance. As faithful Catholics, Patrick’s parents were persecuted in Ireland for their beliefs, and the state was forbidden to record their births, deaths, and marriages. What little information remained about them was burned in a fire. Even their names and birthdates have been lost. But their legacy came to America with their children and grandchildren.

William Tapscott and Catherine McKowen Gillman are the parents of my grandmother, Nora Gillman Moore. My name is Nora, too. I have grown up in physical prosperity and spiritual wealth, the beneficiary of the sacrifices and faithfulness of those who came before me. Although they have passed away, I often feel surrounded by their faith and concern.

On March 18, 2012, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang the following revivalist hymn on its weekly broadcast, “Music and the Spoken Word.” The words and music brought the memory of my ancestors’ sacrifices back to me:

Then We’ll Sing Hosanna

I have some friends before me gone

Who love to sing hosanna,

And I’m resolved to travel on,

For I love to sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

Mormon Beliefs About Death: Eternal Spirits, Eternal Families

Mormons believe that death is just one more event along the way of our eternal lives. Every human being possesses an immortal spirit, which lived with God before being born here on earth. When we die, we retain our individuality, our loves, our skills, and our faith. Amulek, an ancient prophet who lived in the Americas prior to the time of Christ, taught that “that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” ( Alma 34:34). Amulek’s teachings are recorded in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the religious history of his people.

The Prophet and Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints possesses the ancient “sealing” power given to Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:18. This power, restored to the founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, in a visit from the ancient prophet Elijah to the Mormon temple in Kirtland, Ohio in the 1830s, allows those with proper priesthood authority to bind families together for eternity in ordinances performed in Mormon temples. My grandmother’s parents were sealed in the temple to each other and to their children, as were my grandparents and my parents. I have been sealed in the temple to my husband and children. The sealing power that has made its way through the generations to me gives my ancestors the right and responsibility to watch over me forever. Along with others of my progenitors who sacrificed their wealth, land, and health for the gospel of Jesus Christ, they form an army of faithful men and women, strengthening me. My children, in their turn, are beginning to form an army of my descendants, whom I am responsible watch over and teach, hoping that the gospel of Jesus Christ will make all the difference in their lives, as it has in mine:

One army of the living God,

We love to sing hosanna,

Part of the host have crossed the flood

Who love to sing hosanna.

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

I sing with a choir every Sunday morning; I have always loved to sing. Singing, for me, is my truest way to worship God, and to testify of Him. Sometimes, when we sing the old Mormon pioneer hymn, “Come, Come Ye Saints,” I think I can hear an Irish or English brogue, singing the words alongside me. I imagine it is Alice Wickham, or one of the Katie McKowens, singing along. I sense that they, along with my Grandma Nora, are aware of me in my joys and trials of life. Someday I, too, will “cross the river,” and meet them in the world of spirits. There we will continue together to fight for God and for right, as we have spent our lives doing here. I look forward to seeing them there.

Amen, amen, my soul replies,

I love to sing hosanna,

I’m bound to meet you in the skies

Where we will sing hosanna.

Hosanna, hosanna,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

Additional Resources:

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

The Salt Lake Mormon Temple

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media, has been in the news a lot lately. Topics ranging from Mitt Romney’s payment of tithes to the Church (he is a practicing Mormon) to Mormons‘ practice of baptisms for the dead have prompted some to call this the “Mormon Moment.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian church in America, and even more Mormons live abroad than in the United States. Yet many people throughout the world still have little understanding of how Latter-day Saints (Mormons) live and what they believe.

Mormonism 101

To help people understand more about Latter-day Saints, the Church recently published an article entitled “Mormonism 101: FAQ.” This article outlines Mormons’ basic beliefs, and answers some of the most common questions non-Mormons may have about the Church. It also addresses some of the more controversial topics related to the Mormon faith, hoping that accurate information can dispel some of the misconceptions and distortions about the Church that sometimes appear in the media. Questions addressed include:

• Introduction
• Are Mormons Christian?
• What do Mormons believe about God?
• Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?
• What is the Mormon View of the purpose of life?
• Do Mormons believe in the Bible?
• What is the Book of Mormon?
• What is a Mormon temple?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe in modern-day prophets?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe that the apostles receive revelations from God?
• Do Mormon women lead in the Church?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe they can become “gods”?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe that they will “get their own planet”?
• Do some Latter-day Saints wear temple garments?
• Do Latter-day Saints practice polygamy?
• What is the position of the Church regarding race relations?
• Do Mormons believe that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri?
• Why do you “baptize for the dead”?
• Why does the Church send out missionaries?
• Why don’t Mormons smoke or drink alcohol?

The Core Beliefs of Mormonism

The most important information contained in the “Mormonism 101″ article is a concise outline of the core beliefs of the Church. Since media attention often focuses on controversial issues, sometimes the picture painted of Mormons’ beliefs can be warped, dwelling on less important doctrines while leaving out the beliefs that Mormons themselves consider to be the most important. The article, “Mormonism 101,” states the following:

The founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, wrote, “The fundamental principles of our religion are … concerning Jesus Christ that He died was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

It further states that “Latter-day Saints believe unequivocally that:”

1.    Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of our loving Heavenly Father.

2.    Christ’s Atonement allows mankind to be saved from their sins and return to live with God and their families forever.

3.    Christ’s original Church as described in the New Testament has been restored in modern times.

by Nora Hess

When I was 16 years old, I spent a few weeks at Cornell University attending a summer program for high school students. For the first time in my life, I left the safe, comforting environment of my home to spend time with people who were very different from me. The culture shock was enormous. As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media, I had grown up among people who believed as I did, who worshipped God, and who strove daily to keep His commandments. By contrast, the other young people with me at Cornell were largely agnostic: they did not pray, believe in Jesus Christ, or live the standards that I had been taught. Soon I realized that the way I saw the world was not the only way. I came face to face with the question: Why did I believe?

Faith: The Essential Questions 

There comes a time in each person’s life when certain questions loom large: What is the purpose of life? Is there a God, and if so, does He care about me? How can I find happiness? How can I know what is true?

I returned home from Ithaca deeply worried about those essential questions. Both the logic and the emotions upon which I had previously based my faith had been called into question by my peers. Was there a God? How could I know? I pondered for weeks as I looked at the world with new eyes, comparing different world views. What was true?

The Beginning of Faith: A Desire to Believe

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is the religious history of an ancient people who lived in the Americas long ago. Alma, a prophet whose teachings are recorded in The Book of Mormon, once taught a group of people about how to develop faith. The people he taught had been deeply humbled, as I had been, and were searching for answers. Alma counseled them:

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than a desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words (Alma 32:26-27).

Like Alma’s people, I did not have a perfect knowledge, or even much knowledge at all. But I knew one thing: I desired to believe. I desired to believe because when I looked at what my life would be like if I abandoned my faith and its teachings compared to the eternal life offered to me by Jesus Christ, there was no comparison. Even at my young age, I could see that a life of faith is full of unmatched goodness, richness of experience, and joy. I also could see that it was no more logical to disbelieve in God than to believe in Him; each choice was a leap of faith. So I chose to “give place for a portion” of the word, and see where it led.

Faith as a Seed: Enlarge My Soul, Enlighten My Understanding

Once Alma had encouraged the people to accept the possibility of belief in Jesus Christ, he taught them how to proceed:

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me (Alma 32:28).

And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit (Alma 32:37).

Faith: Feasting on the Fruit

As I continued to act in faith, my conviction and knowledge continued to grow. Miracles of healing, both large and small, occurred in my life. Answers to my prayers would come as the Holy Ghost spoke to my mind and my heart. From time to time, my Heavenly Father would direct me to help someone else in just the way they needed. I felt the love of Jesus Christ for me and for those around me. Life became ever richer and more rewarding the more I acted in faith.

My life today is blessed beyond measure because of the choice I made, long ago, to believe. My faith is no longer weak, and my knowledge is no longer meager. Instead, the accumulated experience of my life helps me to know now that God does indeed live, and He loves me. Keeping His commandments leads to happiness in this life, and joy throughout eternity. My Savior, Jesus Christ, lives. He has atoned for my sins, and will sustain me through every trial. My life without God would have been an empty shell of what it is today. I believed then because I took a leap of faith and chose to experiment upon the word. I believe now because I know that what I believe is true. My life of faith brings me great joy.

But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst (Alma 32:41-42).

Additional Resources:

Faith: Study by Topic

Gordon B. Hinckley, “Be Not Faithless”

Clayton M. Christensen, “Why I Belong and Why I Believe”

By Keith Lionel Brown

Church services in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church” in the media) are divided into three segments. The first and most important segment is Sacrament meeting, where members meet together to partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper and hear talks given by various members of the congregation. The second segment is Sunday School. During the third segment, members split into various groups and attend separate meetings: Priesthood Meeting for the men, Relief Society for the women, and Young Men/Young Women meetings for the youth. “Primary”activities and classes are provided for children 18 months to 12 years of age during both the second and third segments.

Mormon Women As Leaders and Teachers

Women are equal participants as teachers and leaders in every one of these church programs except for Priesthood Meeting. Along with the men, they pray and speak in Sacrament Meetings, conduct music, provide piano and organ prelude and accompaniment, and participate in choir and music programs. Similarly, both women and men teach and lead Sunday school classes. Women alone preside over the Primary program, although both men and women teach Primary classes. Women are the teachers and leaders of the Young Women, while men teach and lead the young men. Most importantly, however, the women of the church lead, teach, and comprise the Relief Society – their exclusive domain.

What is the Relief Society?

The Prophet Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of Mormonism, organized the Relief Society on March 17, 1842. A group of women had met together, desiring to assist the poor and suffering in the community, and had come to the prophet so that they might be organized under priesthood authority. Joseph Smith taught that the Relief Society was organized for “the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 452). In addition, he taught that the Relief Society was “not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 453). Thus the Relief Society, which is by now one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the world, was born.

The Work of the Relief Society

In the Handbook of Instructions (Book 2) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it states that the purpose of the Relief Society today is to prepare women for “the blessings of eternal life by helping them increase their faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and help those in need.” These purposes are accomplished in various ways. Mormon women teach and learn the gospel from one another in Sunday Relief Society meetings and other Relief Society meetings and activities. Weekday activities focus on additional ways to strengthen families. Humanitarian projects are regularly organized. And Visiting Teachers make sure that the Relief Society is aware of any special needs in the congregation, and that those needs are met.

Visiting Teaching

Visiting Teaching is a Relief Society program where each woman in the Mormon congregation is watched over and visited regularly by a pair of Relief Society members. Visiting Teachers care for, remember, strengthen, and teach the women to whom they are assigned. The women of Relief Society refer to one another as “sisters,” and try to fulfill that role for one another. Visiting Teachers are aware of any special needs the sisters and families they visit might have from time to time, and call upon the resources of the Relief Society as needed. Each woman in Relief Society has a pair of Visiting Teachers, and most are also Visiting Teachers themselves. In this way, each sister’s physical needs are met, as well as providing the opportunity for friendship, support, and spiritual instruction.

Humanitarian Work

Welfare and compassionate service are central to the work of the Mormon Relief Society. In addition to caring for one another, Mormon women are heavily involved in organizing and producing goods for the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The motto of the Relief Society is “Charity never faileth.” It comes from the scripture found in 1 Corinthians 13:8, which reads:

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

gThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an effective welfare system in place to provide for the needs of members who are experiencing financial difficulties. Mormons throughout the world also contribute goods and services to the humanitarian efforts of the church, which provide for people throughout the world who are suffering from poverty, illness, or natural disaster. Mormon women, members of the Relief Society, are key in organizing and producing whatever is needed.

Becoming a Member of the Relief Society

All adult women in the Church are members of the Relief Society. Normally a young woman advances into Relief Society sometime during the year following her 18th birthday. By age 19, most young woman are fully participating in Relief Society. The leaders of Young Women and Relief Society work closely together to ensure that a young woman’s transition into Relief Society is successful.

Adult women who serve in other auxiliaries of the Church such as Primary, Young Women, or other callings that prevent them from attending Sunday Relief Society meetings continue to participate in Relief Society. They are assigned Visiting Teachers, and they themselves serve as Visiting Teachers. In addition, they may be given assignments to serve others and to teach classes at other Relief Society meetings, provided that such assignments do not pose any undue burdens on them.

As Sisters in Zion

As Sisters in Zion, Mormon women join hearts and hands to minister not only to members of the Church, but also to non-members whom they have contact with. Membersof the Relief Society serve, following Paul’s admonition:

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12).

Women of other faiths and denominations who visit and attend Mormon Relief Society are welcomed with open arms and are encouraged to be active participants. Come and join in as Sisters in Zion!

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Additional Resources:

Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society

As Sisters in Zion

Visiting Teaching: Getting to the Heart

It isn’t popular these days to say that you know the truth. Feel-good philosophies say that truth is relative to the individual, and that it isn’t important what you believe as long as you live a good life. In our desire to be tolerant, we may be ashamed to claim that any doctrine is true or false, or especially that any single church has the answers.

Yet the answers to some questions really do matter. They are basic:

Is there a God or not? What is He like? Does He care about individuals? Does He care what we do? Can we communicate with Him?

Why are we here on earth? What happens after we die? Did we live before we were born?

Was Jesus Christ really the literal Son of God in the flesh? Do we need His atonement? Was He literally resurrected, and will we be resurrected? Do we need to keep His commandments?

Are there prophets on the earth today? Can we receive personal revelation from God?

Will we be with our families after we die? How important are marriage and families?

Knowing the Truth is Important

Different religions throughout the world answer these questions differently. The answers are important to us because they govern how we live from day to day, how we choose to spend our time, and especially how we relate to other people. It is the small daily choices we make over time determine who we are. A person who believes they will continue to live as an individual after this life will be likely to make different choices than one who believes their existence ends at death. Those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as their ideal treat others differently than those who do not. If we believe that family relationships continue after death, we treat our families differently. Our beliefs color everything we do, and our choices affect the world around us.

Truth Can Be Found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently referred to as “The Mormon Church” by the media, teaches many essential truths about the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the purpose of life, man’s role in God’s creation, the importance of families, and other doctrines. Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Mormonism, lived during a time of religious revival, when many different preachers actively sought converts to their different Christian faiths. Joseph, who was only 14 years old at the time, was so confused about their conflicting answers to his questions that he sought the answers directly from God through prayer. What God revealed to Joseph Smith in answer to his questions forms the basis of the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon Doctrine: The Nature of God

Mormon doctrine answers the questions above in the following ways.

There is a living God, who is the Father of our spirits. We lived with Him before we came to earth. The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct individuals: God the Father; God the Son, who is Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost. Both the Father and the Son have bodies of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit so that He can dwell in our hearts (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). God loves us beyond our capacity to understand, and is aware of the minute details of our lives. He desires us to communicate with Him through prayer, and will respond to us in our minds and hearts through the Holy Ghost. We are His greatest work:

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39).

Mormon Doctrine: Our Purpose on Earth

We lived with our Heavenly Father in a loving family relationship before we were born. Jesus Christ, as the firstborn of God in the spirit, was our eldest brother there. God planned for us to come to the earth to obtain bodies of flesh like His, and to learn to choose between good and evil in an environment where we could be completely free to choose and to experience the consequences of our choices. This earth life is both a schooling and a test to see what we desire most. God’s ultimate desire is that we choose good, learn to be like Him, and return to live with Him after this life. Eternal life is God’s life, and is a life of ultimate joy and peace.

Mormon Doctrine: Jesus Christ

Because all of us sin, none of us is able to return to God on our own. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh.  He alone lived a perfect life. Before His mortal birth, He created the earth and all things in it. He came to earth to teach us and to show us by example how we must live to be like God. In Gethsemane and on the cross, Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins on condition of repentance. He also bore the burdens of our sufferings in mortality, so that through His atonement He is able to succor and sustain us through any mortal trial. He was literally resurrected from the dead, thus breaking the bands of death for all mankind. We will all be resurrected one day, and every human being will spend eternity in an immortal, perfected physical body like the bodies of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. If we choose to follow Jesus Christ and repent of our sins, striving daily to keep His commandments, the atonement of Jesus Christ will pay for our sins, and we can grow to be like Him and live with God eternally.

Mormon Doctrine: Prophets and Personal Revelation

Because God cares for us so profoundly, He will never leave us alone. Throughout the history of the world, God has called prophets to teach us His word and His commandments. From Adam until the present day, God has spoken to prophets to teach His children how they should live. He loves all His children equally, and has called prophets in every age and clime. When men have lost the truth through apostasy, God has called new prophets to bring the truth back again. Prophets lead His Church on the earth today, and continually reveal God’s will for us. The Church of Jesus Christ today teaches the same truths that were made known by Jesus Christ to His prophets throughout Old Testament times and to His apostles at the time of His earthly ministry.

In addition to the guidance of prophets, God has provided the opportunity for each individual to receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost helps us with personal problems, answers to questions, comfort, and peace. The Holy Ghost speaks to our minds and our hearts, giving us ideas accompanied by feelings of light and joy. We can feel the depth of God’s love for us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is often referred to as the “still, small voice.” In order to hear Him, we must first remove the darkness of sin and the distractions of the world from our lives. We must pray diligently

…to God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, …with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [and] He will manifest  the truth …unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things (The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Moroni 10:4-5).

Mormon Doctrine: The Importance of the Family

Family life is central to our lives on earth. In families we learn love and compassion for others, and receive love in return. Mormon doctrine teaches that families are central to God’s plan in the eternities as well. We lived as brothers and sisters, members of God’s family, before we were born. We are meant to live as families here on earth. After this life, those who have been sealed together in families through the ordinances of the holy temple, a place where members of The Church of Jesus Christ go to marry and make other sacred promises with the Lord, will continue to enjoy family life throughout all eternity. Our most important relationships do not end at death. It is God’s desire that they continue forever.

Oh Say, What Is Truth?

True doctrine matters. Mormon doctrine contains truths that change lives. It is important to know that there are true answers to basic questions. We should not let our desire to be tolerant of others’ beliefs keep us from finding and speaking the truth ourselves, because the truth is precious:

Oh Say, What is Truth?

Oh say, what is truth? ‘Tis the last and the first,

For the limits of time it steps o’er.

Though the heavens depart and the earth’s fountains burst,

Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,

Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

(“Oh Say, What is Truth?“ Hymns #272, verse 4)

Additional Resources:

Our Eternal Life

 The Family: A Proclamation to the World

God’s Commandments

The Book of Mormon and Other Mormon Scripture

keywords: truth, LDS Church, Mormons, Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ, Mormon doctrine, prophets

As the “Mormon moment” extends into 2012, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life today released a groundbreaking new survey, the first ever published by a non-LDS research organization to focus exclusively on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their beliefs, values, perceptions and political preferences.

Entitled “Mormons in America: Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society,” the survey was conducted between Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, 2011 among a national sample of 1,019 respondents who identified themselves as Mormons. The results validate a number of long-held stereotypes (most American Mormons are white, well-educated, politically conservative and religiously observant) while providing a few interesting surprises (care for the poor and needy is high on the list of LDS priorities, while drinking coffee and watching R-rated movies aren’t as taboo among the rank and file as you might think).

“While this survey comes amid a contentious election campaign, it is not solely or even chiefly about politics,” said Luis Lugo, Pew Research Center director, in the published survey’s preface. “Rather, we hope that it will contribute to a broader public understanding of Mormons and Mormonism at a time of great interest in both.” (more…)

On December 5,2011, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, announced a new website devoted to free online videos about Jesus Christ. The first videos are now available and teach the Christmas story in the exact words of the King James Bible.

The project is the first of many films to be produced on a film set near Goshen, Utah. 830 acres have been turned into a replica of ancient Jerusalem and other New Testament locations. It is not a re-creation of the city of Jerusalem. It is a collection of settings that can be used and re-used for the needed scenes. Digital imaging will create some aspects of the city, such as the temple, that are not being built. Researchers went to Jerusalem, studied it, and photographed it. They also studied the scriptures to understand how things needed to look. The goal was to create as authentic a set as possible. Months of searching finally led them to a large piece of land that included sand dunes, desert, and even a river. The mountains in the background looked appropriately Biblical.

The set was designed to be highly efficient. Columns and windows are interchangeable so they can be altered to fit the time period needed, since future films may cover other scriptural times. Draining the pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a man who was lame, and covering it, allows them to use the same space to film the wedding at Cana.

The project will create thirty brief scenes from the New Testament to be used in classes, at church visitor’s centers, and online. The initial project focuses on the life of Jesus Christ and of His apostles.

Currently on the site are videos about Mary learning from an angel that she is to become the mother of Jesus Christ, a scene of Mary and Elisabeth talking about their miracles, the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the shepherds coming to worship the baby, the presentation of Jesus at the temple, and the later arrival of the Wise Men, who did not arrive until Jesus was a toddler. A mobile app is available, and one for I-Phone is coming soon.

Mormons worship Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Book of Mormon, which the Mormons use along with 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 Ne. 25:26). Mormons teach that only through Jesus Christ can we be saved and receive the gift of eternal life.

Mormon beliefs teach that Jesus Christ was born the son of Mary, who was a virgin at the time of His birth, and of God. They do not claim any understanding of how the conception occurred, despite gossip to the contrary. They do believe it was done in a way that was respectful of Mary and that God, not the Holy Ghost, is the Father of Jesus Christ.

Mormon beliefs teach that Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of Jesus Christ and that He was baptized despite having no sin of which to repent. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ voluntarily took on Himself the sins of the world, a very personal and individual gift to all of us, one that brought powerful suffering and yet is often overlooked by the Christian world. He died on the cross and was resurrected in three days. Through this act, He broke the bonds of death.

Jesus’ atoning sacrifice allowed all mankind to be resurrected, to live forever, and to repent of their sins. It also allowed them to activate the gift of eternal salvation if they chose to do so, by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, being baptized, and keeping the commandments. However, everyone receives the great gift of grace, since all are resurrected regardless of their acts. Eternal life, however, is a choice each person must make. The Bible tells us that just saying we believe in Jesus Christ is not enough; to be saved we must keep the commandments.

“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).”

Mormons worship Jesus Christ in their weekly worship services, in their Mormon temples, and in their everyday lives. Little children are taught a song called, “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” and in their classes, they learn how Jesus lived and are taught to emulate Him. This continues into adulthood and is an eternal goal for Mormons.

The new website is part of a continuing effort of the Mormons to help the world come to know Jesus Christ.

Visit the website: The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos. There is no charge and you do not need to register to view them.

Watch a sample video:

In the Book of John, we learn, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (See John 1:3.)

It is clear, then, that anything that exists was created by God, and so God made Satan. However, he wasn’t Satan at his creation and he was not created evil. The prophet Isaiah helps us to understand what turned Lucifer into Satan and demonstrates that he is not the being God created him to be: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (See Isaiah 14:12.)

In other words, Satan, as created, was not evil. God does not create anything that is evil. The creation accounts in Genesis consistently remind us that everything God creates is good. How did Satan go from being a good creation of God to being the source of evil?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, teach that agency was an essential part of God’s plan for us. From the very beginning, God gave us the right to choose for ourselves. Although He made rules for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden concerning the tree, he did not lock it up where they could not get to it. In fact, he put it right in the center of the Garden, where they would see it often. They were free to choose to eat from it, and they did.

Agency explains how Lucifer became Satan. Mormons believe that God first created our spirits and allowed us to live with Him in Heaven prior to the creation of the Earth. This makes Him very literally our Father, and it also means we began to develop our characters and personalities prior to birth. We did not have bodies, but we did have personalities, and the ability to choose whom to become. Some worked hard to become as much like God as possible. Some did not. Some were power-hungry, even then, and it appears Lucifer was one of these. The events that would occur demonstrate he was popular among a certain type of spirit and that he used that popularity and his agency to cause others to make poor choices, even then.

Mormon beliefs talk of a great meeting held in Heaven in which we were told of the plan to create an earth for us. We would all, in our turn, go there to live for a while. We’d gain a body, come to earth through a family, and have agency. We would not remember our time in Heaven, but we would be given the ability to feel God’s presence and counsel to us if we listened and were anxious to do the right thing. Through what would be known as the Spirit of Christ, we would be able to discern truth from lies if we chose to do so. The Holy Ghost would be available to help us on Earth. With this help, we would be expected to search out the truth and then commit to live it.

Of course, we wouldn’t be perfect, and the Law required perfection in order to return home. To this end, God would provide a Savior who would come to earth through a mortal mother, with God as His father, and live a sinless life. He would then make a voluntary sacrifice on our behalf, known as the atonement. This would allow us to overcome death and to repent. It would make it possible to overcome the demands of the law through mercy. Jesus Christ volunteered for this calling, saying he wanted all the honor and glory to go to God.

Lucifer, however, did not like God’s plan. He used his influence to try to convince us to replace God and Jesus Christ with him. Lucifer said he would take control of our lives on earth, controlling every movement and thought so we could not possibly sin. In that way, no atonement would be necessary (relieving him of the need to suffer on anyone’s behalf) and we’d all come home safely. In exchange, however, he wanted us to let him take God’s place and receive all the honor and glory.

Lucifer’s plan was a selfish one, designed to win him a position of power and authority without undue sacrifice. This was a sharp contrast to Jesus’ proposal, which asked nothing for himself. However, perhaps because Lucifer was popular, or perhaps because his plan seemed to offer security and an easy route to success, one-third of God’s children chose Lucifer as their leader, rejecting both God and Jesus Christ.

They were not allowed to come to earth as a consequence. They will never receive bodies or families, and because they rejected the atonement before they even came to earth, they are not allowed to benefit from it. They were cast out of heaven for their efforts to overthrow God and His plan. All the remainder of the spirits in Heaven began to prepare for mortality.

However, Lucifer’s work was not done. He became Satan and he was angry at being cast out of Heaven. He was also miserable, having been denied what even he knew was a wonderful opportunity—even though he made the choices that led to it. He was determined to make every who had refused to follow him miserable.

His role in our lives today is to try to get us to reject the great plan of salvation we once embraced, to disobey God’s commandments, even to choose not to believe in God or Jesus Christ. He is determined to undermine God’s work.

Although Satan is allowed to try to make us sin and reject the opportunity to return home to God’s presence, there are some things he cannot do. He cannot force anyone to sin: he can only encourage sin. He cannot prevent anyone from knowing the truth who is determined to know it: he can only try to keep us from wanting to know. Satan cannot remain if we tell him to leave. In the New Testament, we can look to the example of Jesus Christ to know how to handle Satan’s temptations and lies. When Satan tried to tempt Jesus, Jesus simply refused to pay any attention to him and ordered him to leave.

Satan then, began life as we all did, as a child of God. He used his God-given agency to reject God and the gospel and chose instead to live a selfish life harming others. While he is temporarily allowed to try to carry out his revengeful goals, we are under no obligation to give him power over us.