Like other Christians, Latter-day Saints attend Church services every Sunday — over 28,000 congregations meet each week in chapels throughout the world. These local congregations are geographically designated so as to bring neighbors and communities closer together, affording greater opportunities of being able to serve one another.Sunday services are open to all who wish to attend, including those not of the LDS faith.

In addition to regular Sunday worship, Latter-days Saints also follow the biblical practice of temple worship. The Church operates some 138 temples throughout the world. By comparison, there are over 17,000 chapels for Sunday worship services. Latter-day Saints believe that temples are the most sacred places on earth — sanctuaries from the distractions and commotion of life.Therefore, unlike regular Sunday worship, to which all are invited, temple worship is set aside for Latter-day Saints who observe the basic principles of the faith.

Episcopalian Convention Embarks on Interfaith Project

From 25 June through 3 July 2015, more than 10,000 members of the Episcopal faith met in Salt Lake City, Utah, for their 78th General Convention. This was the first time that the Convention has been held in the state of Utah.

As part of the event, Episcopalians always take advantage of the opportunity to serve the communities they visit, and this year was no exception. They joined with Mormons at Welfare Square in Salt Lake City for an interfaith project. The spouses of Episcopalian leaders helped to package cheese, process salsa, and slice and bag wheat bread.

Rebecca Thompson of New Orleans, Louisiana commented, “I think we’ve done a good job. This is an amazingly clean, fresh environment with kindness and hospitality.” Another volunteer, Mary Ellen Baxter of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania remarked, “Anytime we can help people who are in need, that’s a good thing.”

Interfaith Project Gives Way to Better Understanding of Mormon Faith

Amy O’Donnell, wife of the Rt. Rev. Scott B. Hayashi of the Salt Lake Episcopal Church, stated, “The experience at Welfare Square has been a real eye-opener for them. They’ve learned more about the Mormon Church by visiting Temple Square and the Family History Library.” She further stated that several members of the Episcopalian Church even spent time at the Family History Library searching for their own ancestors.

On Tuesday, 30 June 2015, Welfare Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a food donation valued at approximately $20,000 of cheese, salsa, wheat bread, and other items such as peanut butter and jam to Hildegarde’s Pantry, a Salt Lake City food bank. The food bank, which serves around 300 people in need each day, is operated by the Cathedral Church of St. Mark, the local Episcopal Diocese. Lydia Herrera, Pantry manager, commented, “When I come here [Hildegarde’s Pantry], I always try to see if I can make a difference every day with the people. We are doing God’s work together with other faiths to get something done.”

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:1-6).

As members of different faiths and denominations begin to find ways in which they can meet on common ground for fellowship and worship, they will be able to echo the exclamation of the Psalmist, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).

Methodists and Mormons Follow the Master’s Example

Easter is a very special time of year when people celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the members of the Vancouver Washington West Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one way in which they celebrate is through a production called the “Life of Christ” event. The event which was started nearly a decade ago serves to invite people to celebrate the life of the Savior. Dean Barrus, a local Latter-day Saint leader, stated, “We wanted to invite people of all faiths who had belief in the Savior too to come and join with us in that common belief.”

With that objective in mind, the West Stake extended an invitation to the Community African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church of Vancouver to participate in a unique opportunity. Reverend Joyce Smith, the Senior Pastor of AME Zion graciously accepted the invitation. She commented, “It doesn’t matter what denomination you’re from. If we know Jesus that’s the most important thing of all.”

United in Prayer, Song, and Heart

On Saturday, 21 March 2015, congregants from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and AME Zion Church gathered together for a special two-show concert which included the Nashville Tribute Band from Tennessee and the Community AME Zion Choir. The concert was held at a 500-seat Vancouver auditorium. The purpose of the event was to worship Christ through music.

Dan Truman of the Nashville Tribute band commented, “The fact the choir was going to come and sing with us — that takes our music to another level.” He further stated that “level” started during a prayer meeting with the AME choir prior to the concert. A meeting which he further states, had a profound effect on his band mates. He continued, “We were all in a circle holding hands and we start singing with them, and I look around and there [are] different guys in our group, … and there [are] tears coming down [their faces] because… it was so beautiful… and spiritual.”

During the concert the AME choir sang several gospel hymns, all the while inviting the audience to sing, sway, and clap along with them. The band performed songs from their album, “Redeemer:  A Nashville Tribute to Jesus Christ.” Speaking of the blessings of that evening, Reverend Smith remarked, “It’s all God’s children just getting together. What a time, what a time! And we saw a little of that, and for that I will be forever grateful to the Latter-day Saints.”

The proceeds from the concert were used to enable the AME Zion Church to make improvements on wheelchair access to church restrooms. “When I heard about the Latter-day Saints giving us the benefits from the concert,” said Reverend Smith, “it just made my whole world and it was an answer to prayer.”

The band was invited to join the congregation of AME Zion Church for Sunday morning worship services in which they were happy to be a part of.

Dean Barrus further commented, “It has turned out wonderfully. It’s very unifying to everybody, and we’re just all excited to participate together in this worship of the Savior and it feels really good.”

Other interesting factoids about the island nation of Kiribati include being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the IMF and the World Bank. Kiribati also became a full member of the United Nations in 1999, is the only country in the world that lies within all four hemispheres, and it has one of the highest percentages of Latter-day Saints in the world (between 16%-17%).

An Endangered Nation and the Issue of Malnutrition

Although Kiribati may be considered one of the most beautiful and remote nations in the world, it is also one of the most vulnerable in relation to climate change. Due to rising sea levels, the nation has lost its land, resulting in a major episode of malnutrition, especially among Latter-day Saint children.

Latter-day Saints have had a presence in Kiribati since the early 1970s when a local elementary school teacher and headmaster, Waitea Abiata, sent a dozen of his students to Tonga to study at the LDS Liahona High School. While attending school in Tonga, all of the students became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and upon returning home, they shared the message of the gospel with family, friends, and neighbors. One of the first converts was their teacher who later became the first Branch President in Kiribati in 1975. Since then, the Church has consistently grown in membership, and today there are approximately 17,000 members, most of whom reside in Tarawa and nearby islands.

At the invitation of the Pacific Area Presidency, a team from the Liahona Children’s Foundation consisting of Sara Walker (an international public health & nutrition specialist), Robert Rees (Vice-President of the Foundation), and three Latter-day Saint sisters from Australia (Carol Armstrong and Liz and Courtney Pocock of the Island Rescue Project), visited Tarawa, Kiribati between Christmas 2013 and New Year 2014. Their assignment was to determine the level and extent of malnutrition among the Latter-day Saints. Assisted by local members of the Church, senior missionaries, and Brother Iotua, former head of the Church-run Moroni School in Tarawa, former Stake President, and current Church’s Kiribati Service Center Manager, they screened children and pregnant and lactating mothers in the Tarawa East and Tarawa West Stakes.

The team conducted four screenings in the Tarawa West Stake on 30 December 2013 and five screenings in the Tarawa East Stake on 31 December 2013. A total of 550 children and 25 pregnant and lactating mothers (which includes 100 nonmembers) were screened. Of the children screened, about one-fifth (20.4%) were identified as being malnourished. Of the mothers that were screened, 8% were identified as being malnourished.

Based on growth charts established by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Foundation was able to adequately assess malnourishment using gender, age, and weight as the criteria for the data on the children which they collected. The charts are standardized for children under five worldwide. According to a 23 March 2015 LDS Mag.com article by Robert A. Rees:

The WHO growth charts also help screeners identify the type of malnutrition: wasting (low weight for height), stunting (low height for age), and underweight (low weight for age). According to the WHO, “Stunting develops as a result of sustained poor dietary intake or repeated infections or a combination of both”; “wasting develops as a result of recent rapid weight loss or a failure to gain weight”; and underweight is “a low weight-for-age.” Of the 20% of children who qualified as malnourished, 5.5% were identified as wasted, 13% as stunted, and 8.7% as underweight.

Conditions on Kiribati predict that malnutrition would be a serious problem. Kiribati is one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world. It has few natural resources, limited local food sources (except for fish), very limited water resources (mostly from rainwater) and very high unemployment (over 60%). The infant mortality rate is 54/1000, compared with 6/1000 for the U.S. Life expectancy is nearly twenty years below that of U.S. citizens. Bacterial infections and food poisoning are common, as are skin diseases; diabetes on Kiribati and the Marshall Islands is the highest in the world; and the “prevalence of age-adjusted tobacco use is the highest in the world.

By all accounts, Kiribati is in need of dire help. If it were not for the assistance of humanitarian organizations such as the Liahona Children’s Foundation, the Island Rescue Project, the United Nations and the European Union, as well as assistance from neighboring countries to include Australia, New Zealand, China and Taiwan, the situation would be even worse.

It is not possible for the Liahona Children’s Foundation to address all of the problems, but they can focus on the main problem – malnutrition among Latter-day Saint children. Within the coming months, the Foundation will work in concert with the Pacific Area Welfare Manager and local leaders to develop a program in Kiribati which will help to accomplish two main objectives: 1) improve the nutritional status of both children under five and pregnant and lactating women; and 2) encourage self-reliance by teaching good hygiene, breastfeeding behavior, and enhanced nutritional practices.

Defining the Terms

When we hear the words “perfect,” “perfectionist,” or “perfectionism” what thoughts come to mind? The philosophical definition of perfectionism is “a doctrine holding that religious, moral, social, or political perfection is attainable, especially the theory that human moral or spiritual perfection should be or has been attained.” The Apostle Paul addressed the subject of being perfect in his treatise to the saints of the church at Philippi. In Philippians 3:12-16 Paul exhorts:

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

What Paul is telling the saints is that he is not perfect, but he lives his life in such a manner as to daily strive to become perfect or more Christ-like. He further explains that he has left behind those things in his life which he once thought would gain him favor with God, and instead continues to look ahead and set the attaining of a Christ-like life (a perfect life) as his spiritual and moral target.

High Expectations and Striving for Perfection

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught to have high expectations and to strive for perfection, a task which frequently leaves members finding themselves falling short of the mark. This often leads to feelings of discouragement, dissatisfaction, anxiety, and stress. However, Professors G. E. Kawika Allen from the McKay School of Education at Brigham Young University, and Kenneth T. Wang at the Fuller Theological Seminary, argue that perfectionism, or striving for high standards, is not the problem.

In a recent study published by the American Psychological Association in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality which focused specifically on Latter-day Saints, they surveyed approximately 267 active members of The Church of Jesus Christ in Utah which consisted mostly of young adults in their mid-20’s, and asked questions ranging from their satisfaction with life to inward and outward commitment to their faith. From their study they were able to categorize the responses into three main groups:

The first group, 22% of people surveyed, were not perfectionists, that is, they don’t believe they hold themselves to high personal standards. The rest were considered perfectionists, but had an interesting split among them – a new type of perfectionism. Of the perfectionist group, 30% were classified as what Allen and Wang labeled maladaptive perfectionism, while 47% were classified as adaptive.

Allen admits that the populace surveyed for the test was perhaps the most appropriate as it is at that crossroads in a person’s life when they feel the most pressure to live up to the high standards of perfectionism as they contemplate going on a mission, getting married, and pursuing a higher education.

The study indicated that over half of the 267 LDS members surveyed could be classified as adaptive perfectionists which can be described as follows:

Adaptive perfectionists are likely to feel acceptance of themselves and their efforts, even when they fail or fall short of the high personal standards they have set for themselves. They are also more inwardly and outwardly committed to their LDS faith, which supports previous peer-reviewed findings that religious commitment plays a role in achieving better psychological health. That means adaptive perfectionism is actually healthy.

Taking this into consideration, the Apostle Paul would be classified as an adaptive perfectionist.

By contrast, however, members who were classified as maladaptive tend to feel less satisfied with their lives, and often experience depression and anxiety. They also tend to have a deeper fear of being punished by God for their sinful behavior. The study renders the following explanation about maladaptive perfectionists:

Maladaptive perfectionists are those folks who have high standards and high expectations for themselves, but when they are unable to meet those expectations, whether it’s school, family, or personal expectations, they struggle a little more with feelings of failure, feelings of not being good enough, disappointment, discouragement, and they feel down about themselves because they’re not able to meet those high standards.

Allen further commented that “adaptive perfectionists are more resilient to discouragement and create a ‘buffer’ for themselves if they fail —allowing themselves a chance to simply try again and again and again and do their best. He relates this to the repentance process.

How Members Can Achieve a Healthier Perfectionist Behavior

Allen offers three basic suggestions for helping members to become adaptive perfectionist versus maladaptive perfectionists. He states that the first step is for a member to figure out the type of perfectionist that he or she is. For those who struggle with maladaptive perfectionism, Allen states that, “Knowing that they have this negative tendency is half the battle. Then they can begin practicing more patience with themselves and studying the Atonement – both key steps to becoming an adaptive perfectionist.” He also states that it can be encouraging for adaptive perfectionists “because it reinforces the ‘Okay, I can be perfectionist in an adaptive way, and I can feel good about myself when I’m not able to meet those expectations.”

The second step in the process is to not allow fear to rule how the gospel is lived. Allen states,

Oftentimes we find ourselves doing things out of fear and anxiety rather than wanting to do it out of the love and out of faith—our own faith. When we’re driven by fear and anxiety, that’s when we need to take another look at the meaning of the Atonement and grace and our testimony of the living Christ.

He further emphasizes that adaptive perfectionists are motivated by love for the Savior more than they are by fear of repentance or punishment.

The third step is to apply the atonement in daily living and remember the unconditional love that God has for each of us. Allen commented:

As we let go of fear, we also need to strive to understand the Atonement and God’s love. When we understand that the Atonement allows us to strive for perfection simply by doing our very best and we remember that we are already imperfect, it helps us pick up the pieces and start again when we make a mistake.

Each of Us Strive for Perfection

None of us are perfect. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The psalmist also declared, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:1-3).

The only One who is perfect is Christ Himself. He is our Exemplar. As mortals, being perfect is an impossibility, but yet we should continue to strive towards becoming perfect. If we would keep that as our perspective and goal in life, we will be able to become adaptive perfectionists, continuously working to improve ourselves. Allen concludes with this counsel:

The next time you find yourself feeling like a failure, and that achieving perfection is impossible, take a step back, pick yourself up, and remember that the beauty of the Atonement is our ability to frequently fail, but always be able to move forward, a little better than we were before.

The work is nothing less than a miracle and has touched the lives of millions of people all over the world. A modern-day Apostle, Elder Mark E. Petersen, in his October 1977 General Conference address titled “It Was A Miracle!” commented, “The Book of Mormon is a literary and a religious masterpiece, and is far beyond even the fondest hopes or abilities of any farm boy” (Ensign, November 1977, 11).  Nevertheless, for many years critics have done their best to discredit the Book of Mormon, and all but dismiss it as a book of fiction. The question that has caused considerable discussion and debate is, “Did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon from gold plates as he claimed, and as witnesses testified, or did he write the narrative himself?”

The Book of Mormon – A Miraculous Book

There have been many instances when great works have faltered under the scrutiny of critics. However, despite all of the negativism concerning the Book of Mormon and its authenticity, it continues to be placed into the hands of people all over the world, and those who embrace its teachings have had their lives transformed and testify of its power. Here are a few reasons why the Book of Mormon is so miraculous.

Reason 1: There Have Been Minimal Changes to the Text

Critics have long claimed that the Book of Mormon cannot be authentic because they purport that 3,913 “changes” have been made to the text of the first edition. Their argument is refuted, however, when the short period of time that it took to translate the volume, and the fact that it required fewer changes as compared to other translated works is considered. That in itself makes the Book of Mormon a miraculous work.

The fact that changes were required is not unusual for any complex manuscript. Even Bible scholars such as Daniel B. Wallace, a professor of New Testament studies, affirms that the manuscript of the Bible “has undergone three revisions, incorporating more than 100,000 changes” (“Choosing a Bible Translation,” christianity.com).

Several other tidbits of information also deserve careful consideration. First, when Joseph Smith verbally dictated the Book of Mormon manuscript to scribes, he was a 23-year-old uneducated farm boy. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the translation work, the finished result was a 588-page manuscript which had as its central theme, the Lord Jesus Christ, and it contained thousands of original phrases, brilliant doctrinal speeches, and unique names.

Joseph Smith did not have the advantage of skilled editors to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. He relied heavily on his scribes and the typesetter to make such corrections. In fact, when the Book of Mormon was completed it was basically one continuous paragraph with little to no punctuation. John H. Gilbert, an employee of publisher E.B. Grandin, set the type and punctuated the first edition of the Book of Mormon.  The 3,913 “mistakes” which critics use to substantiate their claim that the Book of Mormon is not true, are indeed minor changes such as punctuation.  The fact that the Book of Mormon with its length and complexity of manuscript required so few corrections, is substantial evidence and proof that the book is of divine origin.

Reason 2: The Complexity of the Manuscript Nullifies that it is a Work of Fiction

Many critics claim that the Book of Mormon is nothing more than a book of fiction, and Joseph Smith, whom they further claim is a fraud, is its author.

According to a 27 January 2015 LDS Living.com article written by Randal A. Wright:

One internet critic paints Joseph Smith as an ignorant fraud and then says, “The Book of Mormon is no more complex than many other works of fiction, such as J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.” He failed to point out that it took Tolkien, an internationally renowned Oxford English professor, 12 years to write his classic book. It is believed that this brilliant professor knew up to 30 different languages in various degrees. He also associated daily with other renowned fantasy writers, one of which was his good friend C.S. Lewis. Perhaps no one was better prepared to write The Lord of the Rings than Tolkien. Despite his experience, at the time he finished his book, Tolkien said: “There were some frightful mistakes in grammar, which from a Professor of English Language and Lit are rather shocking” (Dennis Gerolt, “Now Read On,” BBC Radio 4, January, 1971).

Contrast J.R. Tolkien’s life to that of Joseph Smith. Joseph was a farm boy. He had very little formal education. He was not afforded the opportunity to consult with professional writers and editors, or professional translators for that matter. He was only 24-years-old when the Book of Mormon was published. The entire manuscript of the Book of Mormon was produced in 63 days. And, it should also be duly noted that Joseph did not have any notes to refer to, but rather he verbally dictated the manuscript to his scribes. Furthermore, at times when the dictation of the manuscript was interrupted, he did not have bookmarks to remind him where he had left off, but yet when he returned to the work, he was able to continue as if there had been no interruption.

Wright further comments in his article, “If Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, he should be considered one of the great fiction writers of all time. If he translated it, he should be considered a great prophet. It is interesting that he receives no credit for being either from the world.” However, the substantiating evidence that an uneducated farm boy could not have written such a powerful book as the Book of Mormon, and that he was a true prophet of God, far outweighs any arguments presented by critics.

Reason 3: Joseph Smith is remembered for good and evil

On 21 September 1823, Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and prophesied that Joseph’s name “should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues” (Joseph Smith—History 1:33.) Most people who are able to obtain international fame or power in their lifetime are usually thought of as being good or evil, however, Joseph Smith is remembered as being both good and evil.

In his article, Wright further comments:

What horrific crimes did Joseph Smith commit to be viewed as evil? Perhaps his “crime” was similar to that of William Tyndale, who infuriated both the religious and political authorities of his day by translating the Bible into English. Because of his actions, Tyndale was condemned as a heretic and executed.

Joseph Smith, like Tyndale, also translated into English an ancient religious record that boldly testifies of Jesus Christ. Many political and religious leaders of his day also considered this heresy. As a result, they vehemently spoke against his character and his work, they unjustly persecuted him personally and legally, and some ultimately took his freedom and his life, fulfilling Moroni’s prophecy.

The Book of Mormon is exactly what its title proclaims it to be, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The book was never intended to replace the Bible, but rather to complement the Bible in its doctrines and principles. Like the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon is a powerful testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the True and Living God, and the Savior of all mankind.

In the closing chapter of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni gives this promise:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:3-4).

All who are willing to accept Moroni’s promise and diligently read the pages of the Book of Mormon with sincere intent will come to know for themselves that the book is true.

Republished From:

The word “stranger” is basically defined as a person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar. The word “stranger” comes from the Latin word extraneus, which means “exterior” or “from the outside.” Therefore, generally speaking, a stranger is someone who may be considered an outsider because of religion, culture, race, or whatever the reason.

If we look around the room this morning we may find at least one or two people who are strangers to us. Each of us, have been strangers ourselves on different occasions.

For example, for 20 years of my life I served on active duty in the United States Navy. During those 20 years, I was blessed with opportunities to travel all over the world on different assignments. I was even blessed to live in a few different countries for a time. In each of those situations, I was considered the stranger or the outsider. However, one of the amazing things that I discovered was that once I made the effort to show that I was friendly and genuinely interested in learning a little about the people living in those countries, I no longer felt like a stranger. In fact, I began to make friends with different people, and even though neither of us could speak the language of the other perfectly, we were still able to communicate with one another.

In the same way, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we strive to live our lives according to His laws and His commandments, the world may consider us to be the strangers or the outsiders. But, the good news is that as members of the Church we have been given this promise, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). As members of the Church, we are not strangers or outsiders, but rather we become brothers and sisters. The Apostle Paul expounds on this in his teaching in Romans 8:16-18,

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

A promise was also made of old when God promised Abraham,

And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father (Abraham 2:10).

As Bishop Gérald Caussé pointed out in his October 2013 General Conference address, “Though the membership of the Church is increasing in its diversity, our sacred heritage transcends our differences.”

I would also like to point out that although a person may be a member of the Church, it is still quite possible that he or she may at times feel that they really don’t belong, or that they are a stranger or an outsider. That is the reason it becomes the responsibility of each of us to heed the words of the Savior when He taught, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). And so, we must learn to take the focus off of ourselves, and learn to place that focus on serving others. We must be willing to “lift up the hands which hang down, and [steady] the feeble knees” (Hebrews 12:12).

Bishop Gérald Caussé also pointed out in his address,

Christ is our Great Exemplar in showing compassion and mercy to those who were considered to be strangers or outcasts in society. Throughout His earthly ministry none were excluded, all were equal recipients of His teachings and ministry. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He cleansed the lepers. He sat and ate with publicans and tax collectors. He caused the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and the blind to see. And He even crossed cultural boundaries by asking a Samaritan woman at the well for a drink of water.

As His followers, we are asked to observe the law of perfect love. The Savior taught,

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:46-48).

If we are faithful and obedient to the Lord’s commands, and live His teachings, there should be no strangers or outcasts among us, only brotherhood and sisterhood. We who are considered strangers and outsiders to the world, should be the very ones who set the example before the world of what true brotherhood and sisterhood is all about. Our daily lives should be guided by the knowledge that,

[We] are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your alight so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

I mentioned that at times we will all find ourselves in situations where we will be considered the stranger or the outsider, but this is something that we can work together to avoid happening in the Church. When someone new comes to join us here in the sanctuary or in one of our classes, we should make every effort to make them feel comfortable, welcome, and a part of our Ward family. We must make the effort to be the first ones to offer the outstretched hand of friendship. A person may not be known by name at first, but yet, they are known to us as brother and sister.

Let us resolve from this day forward to have no more strangers among us. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

To date the entire book of Mormon has been translated into 91 languages, and selections of the Book of Mormon have been translated into an additional 24 languages. Thus, the volume is made available to many people in their native tongue, but the question that begs an answer is, “How many people have ever read it or know anything about it?”

In 2014, three returned missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Kyson Kidd, Jacob Justice and Jake Christensen – set out on a mission to find an answer to that question. The culmination of their quest which was dubbed “The Book of Mormon Project” was the creation of a 5:08 video called “What is the Book of Mormon?” The video was published on YouTube on 1 January 2015, and has already received over 33,000 views in its first week online.

Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon

The motivation behind their mission was their own personal testimonies of the Book of Mormon and their desire that people everywhere would have the opportunity to read the book for themselves. Christensen who is from Eagle, Idaho, originally came up with the idea to create the video after wanting to share a video about the Book of Mormon with his friends on Facebook. In searching for a video to share he discovered that a majority of the videos found in the top searches on YouTube were about the satirical Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon” and decided that something had to be done.

In a 7 November 2014 Deseret News article he gave this brief testimony of the Book of Mormon:

It’s such an important book, and it’s made such a huge difference in my life. The more I’ve read it, the more I’ve honestly grown closer to Christ … and I have become such a happier person because of the Book of Mormon, and I just want everyone to have that.

It is hoped that after reading the book, people would accept the prophet Moroni’s challenge as recorded in Moroni 10:3-5:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

They received additional guidance and inspiration from a quote taken from an October 1988 General Conference address given by President Ezra Taft Benson titled “Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon.” In that timely address, President Benson exhorted:

The time is long overdue for a massive flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon for the many reasons which the Lord has given. In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way.

Christensen further notes that with all the technology that we have available to use, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have an even greater responsibility today to share the Book of Mormon than ever before.

The three friends, who are BYU-Idaho students, hope that the video will impact members and non-members alike. They believe that the reason that most people don’t read the Book of Mormon is because they don’t understand what it is. Christensen stated:

If people could really understand what the Book of Mormon is, they would cherish that book like their lives depended on it. That’s what we’re hoping to do with this video is ignite the spark of the importance of the Book of Mormon so both members and nonmembers will have more of a desire to read it.

We want people to see that this isn’t just for us. This isn’t just for me and you. This is for every single person on planet Earth. I think for members, it’s going to be like, ‘Wow, this is a cool thing I’m a part of.’ And then for nonmembers it’ll be like, ‘Wow, this is a big deal. How have I not heard of it? How have I not read this yet?’

On 19 August 2014, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered a message during Campus Education Week at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, titled “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood” in which he encouraged members to “flood the earth” with gospel messages on social media. Albeit “The Book of Mormon Project” was begun before Elder Bednar’s address was given, Christensen, Kidd, and Justice were excited to hear his message because they knew that it would help their video to succeed. As a result of Elder Bednar’s message, they believe that now, more than ever, members are willing to share gospel messages online.

A Promise to All who will Read the Book

We actually decided that Jan. 1 would be best because that’s the time of year that everyone is thinking about making changes in their lives,” Christensen explained. “So we just thought that would be the perfect time to release it as they’re thinking, ‘OK, what can I do to better my life this year?’ and then they see this video, and they think ‘Oh, that could be something that could benefit my life this year. I’ll try it.’ That’s what we’re hoping people will say and do.”

Sharing the Book of Mormon with others is an excellent missionary tool and a great way to share the gospel. As we do so, we not only bless the lives of others, but we are also blessed because of our efforts to do the work that the Lord has commanded us to do. Therefore, not only do we help others to draw closer to Christ, but we ourselves are drawn closer to Christ.

The prophet Moroni’s clarion exhortation applies to all who will read the Book of Mormon:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts (Moroni 10:3).

Our Life Story Influences the Lives of Others

Helen Mirren, an English actress, is quoted as saying, “You write your life story by the choices you make. You never know if they have been a mistake. Those moments of decision are so difficult.” Therefore, if we are to write a life story which will have an indelible mark for the good, we must take care in how we present ourselves to others because we are the living pages of that story that is being written daily. We must realize that people make decisions about the type of person they perceive us to be according to the life that we live and the example that we set before them. If we live our lives virtuously, many people will want to follow our example in improving their own standards of living.

As means of a personal example of what I am speaking of, some time ago I had a conversation with someone whom I had never met. After our brief conversation, the person felt impressed to write me a little note to express the impression that I had made on him. This is the note that he wrote to me:

You are a man who has felt deep sorrow yet has climbed high above it to reach a true satisfaction yet not a true happiness. You are sometimes righteous and pure but often mischievous and playful. You are very childlike but rarely childish. You enjoy hearing secrets yet are hard pressed to keep them. You are able to like and enjoy people even if they do not like you but there are times where you hate people for liking you.

You are eclectic and eccentric in thought, mind and idea. You are hungry for many things. You hunger for more knowledge of the world and of the universe, of the heavens and beyond. You hunger for true, honest and real love. You hunger for a soul quenching spiritual awakening.

You are a man who really does wish “joy to the World and peace on Earth” and quite often feels some sadness, regret and frustration that you, yourself, cannot be the bearer of such tidings. You sometimes feel angry because the world won’t let you change it.

You have so much to give to others. Knowledge to impart, love to give. You are able to raise the spirit of others and to give them confidence. You are a man of great wisdom, you are an old soul.

You have high morals and you are a man of integrity and you do not judge others. However you view with impunity those whose moral compass is off. You are always the first to apologize, the first to forgive. You do not know what revenge is or how to be vindictive and you are unable to hold a grudge. Your thoughts and ideas mean more to you than monetary wealth for they are priceless.

You are a man of principal and will fight for what you believe even if you are the lone fighter. You will also fight for the rights of others. You are not afraid to stand alone in a crowd. You are a leader, a man of vision, a man of honor, a man of his word. You are an interesting man and a man of interest….

Making Virtue a Part of Your Life

Ivan Nikolayevitsh Panin, a Russian emigrant to the United States who achieved fame for claiming to have discovered numeric patterns in the text of the Hebrew and Greek Bible and for his published work based on his subsequent research, is quoted as having said, “As you do not sweeten your mouth by saying honey, so you do not grow virtuous by merely talking of virtue.” In other words, knowing what virtue is, and actually living a virtuous life are two different concepts. This is perhaps an important life lesson that was learned recently by Arthur C. Brooks, a contributing opinion writer, and the president of the American Enterprise Institute.

In an op-ed article in the 27 November 2014 online edition of The New York Times, Brooks recounts a trip that he made several years ago to Provo, Utah, to deliver a lecture at Brigham Young University. He recalls that he was sent home with a generous amount of souvenirs with the Brigham Young University (BYU) logo stamped on each. One of the gifts that he was presented with was a new briefcase which had the name of the university on the front. He admits that although he needed a new briefcase, “the logo gave me pause because it felt a little like false advertising for a non-Mormon to carry it.” Nevertheless, having been encouraged by his wife that his thoughts were laughable, he began using the briefcase and carried it with him on business trips. He further commented, “In airports, I quickly noticed that people would look at my briefcase, and then look up at me. I could only assume that they were thinking, “I’ve never seen an aging hipster Mormon before.”

Although he found this observance to be a bit humorous at first, he soon noticed that there was a major difference in his attitude and behavior. He stated,

I found that I was acting more cheerfully and courteously than I ordinarily would — helping people more with luggage, giving up my place in line, that sort of thing. I was unconsciously trying to live up to the high standards of Mormon kindness, or at least not besmirch that well-earned reputation. I even found myself reluctant to carry my customary venti dark roast, given the well-known Mormon prohibition against coffee.

Almost like magic, the briefcase made me a happier, more helpful person — at least temporarily.

However, it was not anything magical that Brooks found himself experiencing. What he was experiencing is what psychologists refer to as “moral elevation” or an emotional state where we begin to act virtuously when exposed to the virtues of others. The briefcase that Brooks had been given as a gift had a similar effect in that it reminded him of the virtuous qualities of his Mormon friends.

The New York Times article also points out, “We can be the passive beneficiaries of moral elevation. But we can actively pursue it as well by rejecting bad influences and seeking good ones. We can even create the circumstances for moral elevation ourselves.”

That is the very reason it is so important to remember that first impressions can and do make lasting impressions. We may often feel that nothing that we say or do really matters, but we will never know the influence that it has upon the life of another. Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Peter Carr on 19 August 1785, gave this sound counsel:

Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.

Encourage all your virtuous dispositions, and exercise them whenever an opportunity arises, being assured that they will gain strength by exercise, as a limb of the body does, and that exercise will make them habitual.

As we strive to live a virtuous life, let us also be reminded of the words of Confucius who quipped, “Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.”

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

However, in the realm of today’s ever changing society, the definition of traditional marriage and family have become misinterpreted through deceptive agendas used by some to expand the definition to include same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages were never a part of God’s plan, therefore He does not ordain or condone such actions. However, there are many, including many good-hearten Christians, who have gone great lengths to establish the concept and practice as a societal norm.

Such actions and opinions are being supported by the liberal media, as well as politicians. Even people such as the President of the Institute for American Values, David Blankenhorn, whose statement in an op-ed titled “Don’t give up on marriage now” in the Deseret News National edition dated 10 October 2014, “And consider this new-coalition possibility: Gays and lesbians, having fought bravely and successfully for the right to marry, can now by their leadership and example help the nation as a whole to rediscover marriage’s promise,” also demonstrates disdain for the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.

The Importance of Traditional Marriage

The Family: A Proclamation to the World further declares:

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

National Marriage Project director, W. Bradford Wilcox, stated the following in a commentary for the Heritage Foundation:

A half-century ago, marriage was the cornerstone for adulthood, and the anchor for the bearing and rearing of children. This is no longer the case: The marriage rate has fallen by approximately 50 percent since the 1960s, and the divorce rate about doubled from 1960 to 1980 (it has since decreased). Consequently, stable marriage is less likely to ground and guide the experience of adults—and especially children—in America. Indeed, the nation’s retreat from marriage means that only about half of the nation’s adults are currently married, and that about half of the nation’s children will spend some time outside an intact, married home.

He further exhorts that if people are genuinely concerned about the well-being of children, or worried about growing inequality in America, or care about renewing the American Dream, then they should care about marriage. He also adds that “rebuilding a marriage culture should not be a matter of nostalgia for a bygone era, but rather, ordinary Americans [must] recognize marriage as a key to their—and their country’s—future.”

Concerning the importance of the marriage union, Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught, “Marriage. . . is the most glorious and most exalting principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  No ordinance is of more importance and none more sacred and more necessary to the eternal joy of man.  Faithfulness to the marriage covenant brings the fullest joy here and glorious rewards hereafter” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 533–34.)

And President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ has taught,

At the creation of man and woman, unity for them in marriage was not given as hope; it was a command! ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

Our Heavenly Father wants our hearts to be knit together.  That union in love is not simply an ideal.  It is a necessity (Ensign, May 1998, 66).

In Defense of Traditional Marriage and Family

Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ taught, “Marriage, in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither exercising dominion over the other, but, rather, with each encouraging and assisting the other in whatever responsibilities and aspirations he or she might have” (Ensign, August 1992, 6.)

Building on that premise, later this month, the Catholic Church will host a historic meeting at the Vatican which will comprise religious leaders and scholars who will represent 14 different faiths and 23 countries, to discuss how men and women complement each other in marriage.

The Vatican has designated the auspicious gathering which will take place 17-19 November 2014 as a “colloquium” and Pope Francis will open the proceedings. According to a 3 November 2014 Mormon Newsroom.org press release, “The academic assembly will feature presentations and “witness testimonies” from leading religious figures and scholars.” President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be attending and will be accompanied by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Bishop Gérald Caussé of the Presiding Bishopric. He is scheduled to address the assembly on 18 November 2014.

The press release also makes mention of the following:

The gathering will also premiere six short films treating men and women and marriage the world over. Each film features a variety of illuminating interviews with young and old, single and married, women and men, lay and religious, from many cultures, continents and religions. Topics range from the beauty of the union between the man and the woman to the loss of confidence in marital permanence to the cultural and economic woes that follow upon the disappearance of marriage.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also issued an official statement regarding its participation in the colloquium in Vatican City:

At this time of rapidly declining moral values and the challenges to traditional family structures and relationships throughout the world, we are pleased to unite with the Catholic Church, other fellow Christian denominations and other world religions in standing firm and speaking clearly about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World concludes with two powerful statements which serve as an appropriate capstone to discussions surrounding the sanctity of marriage and family:

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.