Missionaries are Also Soldiers

Contrast that to the life of a missionary. He or she willingly leaves their family for 18 months to two years to also provide a service. The service that they provide is going throughout the world teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like the military soldier, they too don a uniform; however, their uniform consists of a nice suit for the males and beautiful skirts and dresses for the females. They also wear a name tag as part of their “uniform” to identify them as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In a sense, they are also soldiers – soldiers who march to the orders of their Commander-in-Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ. Their life is not necessarily glamorous either, as they are often called to serve in many parts of the world that do not quite have all the comforts of home. Like the military soldier, not everyone is appreciative of the service that they render, and so they also face day-to-day challenges as they are rejected and criticized by some of the people they try to present the gospel message to, not only in faraway lands but at home in their country as well. In some areas of the world, their lives could also be placed in danger at a moment of social uprise or political upheaval. However, like the military soldier, they consider it an honor to be serving.  They are on the Lord’s errand, doing what He would have them to do.

Soldiers and missionaries both serve on battlefields, albeit the battlefields where they serve are somewhat different. Both have a goal and a purpose for their mission. As they go forth to fulfill their tasks, the words that the Lord spoke to Joshua can provide great comfort, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). In times of loneliness, discouragement, and despair, there are also the words of the Apostle Paul to help strengthen them, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). And the Psalmist gives this gentle reminder as recorded in Psalm 18:31-36:

For who is God save the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

The Soldiers Return Home with Honor

When a military soldier returns home after his or her tour of duty, or a missionary returns home after his or her mission, both are returning home with honor. However, the world may seem a bit out of sorts, and it may almost appear to them that they had entered a new dimension, as life may not be quite the same as when they had left. Also, there will be people who cannot begin to understand the impact that their tour of duty or missionary service has had on their life. They are not the same people that they were when they left.

In a recent Meridian Magazine article dated 21 July 2014, Hermana Rachel Raynor, a returned missionary from Laie, Hawaii, recounted what it was like when she arrived at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in November 2012 after serving an 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She realized that for the first time in 18 months, she was in a public place alone without her companion. As she sought to gain her bearings, she recalled the words of her grandfather who had once told her that war changes men. In the article, she commented,

It [war] makes the soldier either believe in God or it makes one question Him. He chose to believe. I used to think it was because it was the only way for him to stay sane in battle. Now, I know, it’s because grandpa knew that God was the only one who would ever understand what he had experienced and been through.

She further said on her experiences upon returning home,

As I checked into my flight, I couldn’t help but feel confusion engulf my mind: what was I supposed to do now? How was I supposed to cope in a world that that knew nothing of what I had experienced, a world that knew not the journey I had just taken, the things I had learned, the people I had met, or who I had become. How was I to cope?

As she walked through the airport in route to the departure gate for the flight that was to take her to her final destination that day, these are some of the thoughts that flooded her mind. When she arrived at the gate, she observed people standing up and cheering. Through the disillusionment that she was experiencing at the time, it appeared to her that people were standing and cheering for her – a missionary who had just returned home with honor, but in reality, the crowd that day were cheering as three older, uniformed men were pushed through the airport in wheelchairs. These men were wearing WWII and Korean War Veteran hats. She also recalls standing and joining with the crowd as they applauded these brave soldiers who had valiantly fought to protect the freedoms that she and everyone around her cherishes. As she stood to applaud, the thought occurred to her,

Those men had probably been shot at, beaten, abused, held in captivity, scared, seen their friends die and yet they had continued to fight. I am sure that they had served to the best of their ability; that they had given all that they had. They likely had experienced and endured many things that no man or woman should ever experience, things that no one would ever understand without being in combat. They had fought for their families, their friends, their country, their religions, and for me. I was grateful for their service.

When the final boarding call was made, and she was about to board her plane, she started to reflect upon her service as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ. Like the soldiers, she too had been in the thick of a war, a spiritual war. Her battlefield included the areas of Arlington, Alexandria, and Fredericksburg, Virginia. During the time of her mission, she had seen people who were battle worn from the heavy burdens that they carried – individuals who prayed for help and relief. She had been one who had been called upon to rescue those souls from the heat of the battle. Although she gave her service valiantly, there were those who cursed her, despised her, and rejected her help – her message of hope. She too bore battle scars – bloody and callused knuckles from knocking on thousands of doors, and blistered feet from walking countless miles through all of the streets in the areas where she served, in every type of weather imaginable.

However, through it all, Sister Raynor, like the many returned soldiers from war, can hold her head high, knowing that she had done what her Commander-in-Chief had asked her to do and that she had served to the best of her ability. She, like the soldiers, had stood on the front lines battle – the soldiers as representatives of the country that they love, and she as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. She further commented,

I had bags under my eyes from exhaustion. I had experienced physical and spiritual highs and lows that no one would ever understand. I had served the Lord to the best of my ability. And now, I had a permanent smile on my face from an indescribable joy that I felt from serving my brothers and sisters. I had done the best I could.  I had been obedient.  As I boarded the plane, I felt a wave of satisfaction sweep over me and a confirmation of God’s acceptance of my sacrifice. I knew that up in heaven, there were people, friends and relatives, standing and cheering for me, grateful for my individual efforts in fighting this spiritual war on earth.

Many different cultures around the world observe similar religious practices albeit in varying manners. The word “worship” can basically be defined as “reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.” Therefore, when a person “worships,” he is showing reverence and adoration for a deity, or depending on his culture and religious belief system, he may be participating in religious rites which honor a sacred personage, or in some instances, veneration for an object that is regarded as sacred.

The Mode and Method of Worship

In Christendom, worshipping God is considered a reverent act and experience substantiated by faith and humility. In the Holy Bible, in the New Testament book of James, the Apostle exhorts:

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up (James 4:6-10).

Therefore, the believers’ purpose in worship is to glorify, honor, praise, and exalt God. Furthermore, those who worship God, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Said the Master,

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

Wherefore, true worship must show adoration to God for His amazing grace proffered to all mankind through the vicarious atonement of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, which provides a way to escape the wages of sin and allows the blessed opportunity of receiving the gift of salvation which He wants all of His children to have. Scriptures teach us:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (Romans 5:6-10).

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus (Romans 3:22-26).

The Incomparable Power of Fervent Prayer and Fasting

Another important component of worship is fervent prayer. Dictionary.com defines prayer as, “a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.” The Savior taught, “men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (see Luke 18:1). In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 we are commanded to “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (a governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others), in his address titled Pray Always given during the 178^th Semiannual General Conference, stated,

Petitioning Heavenly Father for the blessings we desire in our personal lives is good and proper. However, praying earnestly for others, both those whom we love and those who despitefully use us, is also an important element of meaningful prayer. Just as expressing gratitude more often in our prayers enlarges the conduit for revelation, so praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord.

We learn a vital lesson from the example of Lehi in the Book of Mormon. Lehi responded in faith to prophetic instruction and warnings concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. He then prayed unto the Lord “with all his heart, in behalf of his people” (1 Nephi 1:5; emphasis added). In answer to this fervent prayer, Lehi was blessed with a glorious vision of God and His Son and of the impending destruction of Jerusalem (see 1 Nephi 1:6–9, 13, and 18). Consequently, Lehi rejoiced, and his whole heart was filled because of the things which the Lord had shown him (see 1 Nephi 1:15). Please note that the vision came in response to a prayer for others and not as a result of a request for personal edification or guidance.

Fervent prayer is often accompanied by unabashed fasting. Fasting may be defined as “an act of willing abstention from all food, drink, or both, for a period of time, especially as a religious observance.” In teaching the proper posture for fasting, our Great Exemplar taught,

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:16-18).

In a video clip of a 2010 interview with Elder David A. Bednar in which he talked about his ministry as a modern day Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, he recounted the following story concerning what fasting is and what fasting is not:

A sister in Africa who had only been a member of the church for eight months…she was teaching a class about fasting.  Now, at the time I was fifty-four years old, member of the church since I was eight and an apostle for two years.  Now remember, she’s been a member of the church for eight months.

This is in a place in Africa where they’re not starving but they’re hungry most of the time.  And they would probably have one meal a day as we understand it.  This woman was teaching the sisters in Relief Society and she said, “Sisters, there are many days when we do not have food and we do not eat.  That is not fasting.  It’s only fasting on a day when we have food and we can choose not to eat it.”

I had been a member of the church all my life and I had to go to Africa to learn from a woman who joined the church just eight months earlier what it really meant to fast.

Although there may be some, even good-hearted Christians, who may feel that the principles of fervent prayer and fasting are not relevant for our day and time, the truth is that both prayer and fasting are perhaps needed more today than at any other time. In an article titled The Power of Prayer and Fasting, Marilyn Hickey, an American Christian minister and Christian television televangelist and personality who teaches Bible studies both nationally and internationally, commented:

The combination of fasting and praying is not a fad or a novelty approach to spiritual discipline. Fasting and praying are not part of a human-engineered method or plan. They are not the means to manipulate a situation or to create a circumstance. Fasting and praying are Bible-based disciplines that are appropriate for all believers of all ages throughout all centuries in all parts of the world.

Those who fast often experience greater discernment of good and evil. In fact, it seems to be a major by-product of fasting. God seems to give us an opportunity as we fast to take a look again at our lives and the world around us and to discern what is good and what is evil. [3] 

Mormons fast on a regular basis, the first Sunday of each month, for 24 hours, or two meals.  They give the money they would have spent on food in order to succor the poor and needy.  Mormons also fast on any occasion during which they desire to give their prayers a stronger focus.  Mormon families, and extended families often fast and pray together when a family member is sick or otherwise afflicted.

The Muslim Faith and Ramadan

The heretofore discussed principles of worship, prayer, and fasting are practiced in somewhat similar manner by those of the Muslim faith in their observance of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset. It is of noteworthy interest that in the Muslim calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day. Therefore, although the observance of Ramadan officially began on Tuesday, 9 July 2013, Muslims began the celebration at sunset on Monday, 8 July 2013. The celebration will continue for a period of 30 days, until Wednesday, 7 August 2013.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting. This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in hadiths. The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness. Fasting is fardh (obligatory) for adult Muslims, except those who are ill, travelling, pregnant, diabetic or going through menstrual bleeding.

While fasting from dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing. Food and drink is served daily, before sunrise and after sunset. According to Islam, the thawab (rewards) of fasting are many, but in this month they are believed to be multiplied. Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of salat (prayers) and recitation of the Quran. [4] 

In the Quran, chapter 2, Revelation 185 states:

The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful. (Quran 2:185).

Thus, according to the Quran, Muhammad first received revelations in the lunar month of Ramadan. Therefore, the month of Ramadan is considered to be the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar. And so, to reiterate the opening statement of this treatise, many different cultures around the world observe similar religious practices albeit in varying manners. Whether reference is made to Christendom or to members of other faiths such as Islam, the principles and practices of humble worship, fervent prayer, and unabashed fasting are of equal importance and significance to all concerned.

The atonement of Jesus Christ is central to Mormonism.

To understand Mormonism, you must focus on core doctrines, those things which are canonized as official doctrine and taught consistently. While church practices sometimes change, truth does not.

There are a few guidelines that can help you evaluate whether or not a teaching is a core doctrine—or even a true doctrine of Mormonism.

First, it is important to understand that every word spoken by a prophet is not necessarily doctrine, particularly in the earliest days of the church. In the beginnings, the church was run much more informally. People talked among themselves and sometimes others took notes and published those conversations or informal speculations of church leaders.

The Journal of Discourses is the usual source for speculations by people of other religions. Journal of Discourses is not an official church publication and is not used as a source of official doctrine. It was compiled by people who took notes of speeches, prayers, sermons, and other events in shorthand and then transcribed them. However, not all the transcriptions were accurate. None were evaluated by or approved by church leaders as being official pronouncements of doctrine. It was privately published in England to provide income for the owner of the journals, although Brigham Young approved the project as a way for European Mormons to find out what was going on in Utah. It was basically the equivalent of a newspaper. Today, the Mormons own Deseret News, but articles that appear in the newspaper are not considered official doctrine, and neither are articles in the Journal of Discourses. With the availability of modern technology, many errors have been officially documented.

Because the church was small, even in General Conference, today a very formal event, people were free to ask questions. Because Mormonism focuses on continuing revelation and learning “line upon line” much of the doctrine was not yet known. Therefore, leaders sometimes speculated about possible answers. These speculations did not become doctrine unless Brigham Young or other prophets prayed and received confirmation of the truthfulness of the doctrine. Otherwise, it was just personal opinion and even a prophet is allowed to have an opinion.

So how does one know if something is an official doctrine? Both official Mormon websites, Mormon.org (intended for people who are not LDS) and LDS.org (aimed more toward Mormons but open to anyone) contain official statements of doctrine. Look for official announcements there.

It is important to remember that not all doctrine is given equal weight or importance in Mormonism. It is also important to remember that in a church that does not refuse to allow God to continue to speak and to lead, doctrine is given in increasing steps, what Mormons call learning line upon line. This means Mormons have, over the years, been given doctrine suitable just for one time period or doctrine that might be considered beginner doctrine. As the church membership grew and people became more informed about the gospel, God gradually added to their knowledge. An easy way to understand how this works is to read the lesson manuals written for children. Although the same subject might be covered in each age group, older children are given more complex information because they are ready for it. Mormons are taught by God in increasingly sophisticated stages.

Joseph Smith outlined thirteen Articles of Faith that explained the core beliefs of Mormonism at that time. These are still taught and even memorized by children. Reading them can help earnest students of Mormonism, those determined to learn only what is true about Mormons, to recognize core doctrine. The first Article of Faith is the very core of Mormonism:

“We believe in God the eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”

This creates a foundation on which all other doctrines are based. The first Article of Faith makes possible the fourth, which succinctly summarizes the core of Mormonism:

“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Faith in Jesus Christ is critical to the mission and doctrine of Mormon beliefs. Repentance, the second portion of this article of faith, refers to Mormon belief in the atonement of Jesus Christ and the importance of both grace and repentance in the process of living a Christian lifestyle. Baptism, performed after the manner in which Jesus was baptized, allows people to be forgiven of their sins and is a result of grace, which came to us through the atonement. The Holy Ghost was a gift Jesus Himself promised to send to His followers once He was gone.

Another principle of Mormonism is that of continuing revelation. Nowhere does the Bible state that once Jesus died, God would no longer be willing to communicate with His children or to send them prophets. While the apostles lived, they received revelation and guidance from God and functioned as apostles, seers, and revelators. Once they died, God did withdraw for a time, an event known as an apostasy. It is not that God is not willing to have prophets on the earth at any given time, but mortals are not always willing to accept and honor prophets. When this happens, they are the ones who remove the gift of prophecy from the earth. This happened frequently throughout the Bible and happened for the longest period of time after the apostles died.

However, the Bible assures us that God will do nothing except through his prophets. (See Amos 3:7.) This means that in order to prepare us for the return of Jesus Christ, another core doctrine of Mormonism, God must restore prophets to the earth. He did this when He chose Joseph Smith as His first prophet in the last days. Today, the Church is led by Thomas S. Monson, the Mormon prophet.

There is no question as to the need for a prophet in today’s world. A short drive around most towns will show a large number of churches, all with conflicting doctrine. Clearly, original doctrine has been corrupted over time—this process started even during the New Testament times, leaving the apostles to regularly fight to overcome misunderstandings in doctrine. Without a prophet, no man can do any more than just guess at what God wants of us today or of what specific doctrines mean. Modern-day revelation is key to giving people a fair chance to prepare for the Second Coming.

Another core doctrine of Mormonism is family life. Mormon beliefs include strong teachings on the sacredness of the family unit. Families were planned by God to help Him further His work on earth and are one reason we came to earth. Mormons teach that God’s plan for families today are that families consist of one mother and one father and are meant to last forever. Mormons can be married in a Mormon temple and have their marriages “sealed” for time and all eternity. This means they do not get a divorce at death, but continue the marriage forever if they live worthy of God’s greatest blessings. In addition, parents and children are joined together forever, something most people instinctively understand, even if they say they don’t believe it. Listening to comments at a funeral often reveal a deep belief in eternal families. (“Mom and Dad are together again.”)

Central to Mormon doctrine is the Plan of Salvation. It is the story of our eternal life and unifies the most important teachings of the Mormons.

Our stories began when God created our spirits. We lived with Him as spirits for a very long time, learning truth, learning to love God, and deciding what kind of person we wanted to be. Eventually, as is the case with children living at home, we could progress no further without leaving home and going out “into the world, one God and Jesus would prepare for us. He explained that when we went there we would lose our memory of our time with Him because this journey was about faith. However, we would gain bodies and families and the Spirit of Christ would go with us to help us recognize truth if we wanted to find it.

During our time here we would face trials—different trials for each person—and we could choose our responses to them. Agency was, in fact, key to the experience. Our choices would, as Mormon prophet Thomas Monson likes to say, determine our destiny. However, we could not choose the consequences of those actions.

God knew we would all sin, and He wanted to make it possible for us to return to Him even when we did sin. He loves us and wants us all to make it back home. For this reason, He promised to send a Savior who would live on earth for a time, teach the gospel, and take our sins on Himself, saving us through grace. This grace would allow us to rise from the dead, repent, and make it back to God if we kept the commandments. Grace cannot be bought—we do not have, in ourselves, the power to bring about resurrection or forgiveness. However, the Bible is very clear that only those who keep the commandments and who repent of sins will be allowed to return to God.

“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). The Bible warns us that faith without works is dead. If you say you believe and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are saying only words unless obedience follows the words.

Some were unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, preferring Satan’s unscriptural promise to save people without any risk of any kind. That meant we would also have no agency. We would simply be puppets of Satan and this would render life meaningless. One-third of the spirits chose to follow Satan and were denied the chance to come to earth. All those who were willing to make a commitment to Jesus were allowed to be born.

Life here on earth is not easy, but it is designed to allow us to have opportunities for growth. It allows us to seek out and find truth if at all possible.

But of course, it is not possible for everyone. Some people live their entire lives never having heard of Jesus Christ—some because they lived before He was born and some because the gospel simply never reached them. Over the centuries, theologians have debated what happens to those people. Would God unfairly punish them for something out of their control?

No, of course not. God is loving and fair and He sent us here. This means He will give everyone a fair chance to accept or reject His gospel. Those who die without being given that opportunity will receive it after their death—not a second chance, but a first chance, the only way a loving God would choose to do it. They can, just as we can, accept or reject Jesus Christ’s teachings and accept the blessings and consequences of their choice.

The Plan of Salvation is a kind, loving, and brilliant plan by our Heavenly Father, designed to give us an opportunity to become everything He intended us to become.

As you continue to study official church websites, take note of what Mormons are being currently taught in their classes. The lesson manuals are all openly online. Those teachings are the core. Mormons are impacted only by core doctrines—those taught by current prophets that affect our eternal salvation.

There are many reasons a person might do this. While most people who leave a religion—any religion—simply join a new one or abandon organized religion and go about their new lives quietly, a few feel a need to attack and to demonstrate hatred for the life they left behind. Some who do this had a disagreement with another member or with a leader. Some objected to counsel given to them by a leader. These people find themselves unable or unwilling to forgive or to resolve the matter in an amicable and Christ-like manner and as a result, organize their new life around a pattern of revenge. Some are unhappy at the church’s unwillingness to let fads and fashion dictate truth, and are resentful that the Church has chosen not to make their favorite sins acceptable. Others feel uncertain about their decision and feel the only way to justify their choice is to “prove” the church is untrue. They feel if they can find or invent enough negatives and convince others to agree with them, it will help to justify their actions, even though the only people they need to convince are themselves and God.

Frequently their behavior demonstrates itself in repeating very old and usually disproven arguments to those who have not taken the time to research them, in hopes of bringing other religious people into their fold. They sometimes hold the Book of Mormon to a different standard than they hold the Bible. For instance, they write long papers on the lack of scientific evidence for horses in the Americas in ancient times, while ignoring the  lack of scientific evidence for lions in the Biblical lands. These arguments frequently confuse faith and science. Generally, the arguments developed, with minor tweaks, back in the early days of the church and regenerate each generation.

The majority of religious people are not especially interested in attacking Mormons and so these numbers, while working hard to maintain a loud presence, really make up a very small segment of the religious population or even the former Mormon population.

There is a story in the Book of Mormon about a prophet named Lehi and his son Nephi, who also became a prophet. Lehi saw a vision that was later shown to Nephi, who recorded it in the early chapters of the book. In this vision, there was a beautiful tree. Lehi understood the tree’s fruit was highly desirable and eating it will bring great joy. He invited his family to eat the fruit, and the righteous family members did, but the unrighteous chose not to partake.

There is a river running toward the tree, and a straight and narrow path beside it. Along the path is an iron rod. As multitudes of people strove to reach the tree, a mist of darkness arose, making it difficult for people to see how to reach the tree. However, those who held onto the rod—which represents God’s word—reached the tree safely. Those who did not were lost.

Some ignored the rod or got tired of holding on and let go; these fell away and were lost. Others held onto the rod and reached the tree. They tasted it, but were unable somehow to experience the joy others felt upon tasting it. This is because they looked around to see how others were reacting to all this. Those people noted a large and spacious building nearby, filled with people in expensive, elegant clothing. The people in the building were laughing, mocking, and harassing those who ate the fruit. Of course, some were secure enough to trust their own judgment and wisdom and they ignored the mockers, enjoying the full benefits of the fruit, which represented God’s love. Others, though, could not tune out the mockers. These people were embarrassed at being laughed at, and listened to the words of the mockers. They wandered off the path and went back to their former lives or chose new ones, forgetting or ignoring the goal they had once worked to achieve. However, some simply could not just move on. They went to the building and joined the mockers in a life filled with the emptiness of contention and anger.

This is, in many ways, representative of the exmormon world. Mormons feel sorrow for those who leave. They are Mormons because they believe it is the straight and narrow road to Christ. Those who leave are not usually overwhelmingly obsessed with what they left behind, although they often have a sense of what they have lost if they have maintained contact with the Spirit. Most Christians are too busy living lives of Christian service and sharing their own beliefs to worry too much about the teachings of others. Those who abandoned religion completely generally just move on to a secular life.

It is those who hang out in the great and spacious building and devote their lives to mocking and attacking who generally receive the title of exmormon. Rather than focusing on the love and service Christ taught us to live by, they remain trapped in a world of anger and contention. Paul warned:

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. (See Titus 3)

The Church hopes former members will allow healing to enter into their hearts and longs for their return.

In 1985, at Christmas time, the leaders of the church prepared a special invitation to those who had left the Church. It read in part:

We are aware of some who are inactive, of others who have become critical and are prone to find fault, and of those who have been disfellowshipped or excommunicated because of serious transgressions.

To all such we reach out in love. We are anxious to forgive in the spirit of Him who said: “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” (D&C 64:10.)

We encourage Church members to forgive those who may have wronged them. To those who have ceased activity and to those who have become critical, we say, “Come back. Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the Saints.”

We are confident that many have longed to return, but have felt awkward about doing so. We assure you that you will find open arms to receive you and willing hands to assist you. (See News of the Church,” Ensign, Mar 1986, 82–88.)

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

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

What is grace?

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

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

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

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

Why does repentance matter?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Book of Mormon teaches:

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

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.  (2 Nephi 25)

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

Personal Response by Lance

I have known for a long time that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, but only in the last couple of years, while serving as a Mormon missionary, was I finally able to put into words the way that my answer came. There is a promise given by Moroni at the end of the Book of Mormon that if a person reads, ponders, and prays to know the Book of Mormon is true, the truth will be manifest to them by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3-5)

I read the Book of Mormon a few times growing up and I always felt that it was true, but I could never clearly express how I had come to that knowledge. I could honestly say that I knew by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, but I couldn’t describe what that meant. It was more than just a simple feeling. It was a strong conviction.

As a missionary I came across people who had highly varying beliefs about the Holy Ghost and the way that the Holy Ghost affects us. This caused me to search even more to find a way to clearly explain how I had received a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true. I was reading in the Book of Mormon one day and I found my answer.

In the beginning of the book of Mosiah there is an account of a prophet and king named Benjamin. Just before he died he preached a powerful sermon to all the people of his kingdom. At the end of this sermon he asked the people if they believed his words. Their response, exactly what I had been searching for, is given in Mosiah 5:2: “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”

The people of King Benjamin testified that they knew his words were true because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, or in other words, by the power of the Holy Ghost. The part of this verse that stuck out to me was that they described the effect that the Holy Ghost had on them. They said that the Spirit “wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”

As I read this verse I realized how I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true because when I read it my heart is changed by the Holy Ghost. I don’t simply feel that it is true. It motivates me to change and to be more Christlike. I want to be a better person. My very desires are changed. My desire to sin is removed and I am given a greater desire to serve my Father in Heaven and my fellowmen.

I invite anyone who may read this to read the Book of Mormon along with the Bible. I can promise, just as the prophet Moroni promises, that anyone who sincerely reads and ponders the Book of Mormon and asks God in faith to know that it is true will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true. This can’t be just a simple prayer of interest either. We must ask “with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ” (Moroni 10:4). Real intent means that we are willing to act on the answer that we receive. God will only let us know of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon if we intend to follow His teachings. The Holy Ghost will change your heart and guide you to live a more Christlike life. Living the teachings of the Lord in the Book of Mormon as well as in the Bible has brought so much joy to my life and will do the same for everyone who follows the same course.

Answers to prayers come in many different ways. A good way to answer this question may be to explain some of the generic ways prayers are answered.

There is a method of seeking revelation (communication from God to man) that allows prayers to be answered. Seeking revelation correctly begins through effort on our part. A simple prayer is often not enough. Important steps to consider are fasting, pondering, and building faith to accept an answer. As we fulfill these steps, God will see our efforts and bless us accordingly. Often the best method of seeking revelation or answers to prayers is to make a tentative decision after our fasting, pondering, and faith building. Once we feel we have a good preliminary decision, we take the decision to the Lord and ask for His confirmation.

Confirmation through the Holy Spirit is certainly an answer to prayers and the most common way that I have found God answers my prayers. When I turn to the Lord in prayer, asking if a choice is correct, it is truly a miracle to feel the peace in my heart, the clearness of my thoughts, and the knowledge that I know a prayer has been answered. When a tentative decision I have made is not correct in the Lord’s eyes, I will feel uneasy and my thoughts will not be clear regarding the issue. In the April 2007 general conference Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorom of the Twelve Apostles spoke on this topic. Please see his talk, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer.”

The scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit gives us revelation, or answers to prayers, in many ways. See if you can relate to any of these ways in which the Holy Spirit answers our prayers:

John 14:26 -Teaches truth and brings it to remembrance
Romans 15:13 -Gives feelings of love, joy, peace, patience, meekness, gentleness, faith, and hope
2 Nephi 32:1-5 -Tells what to do
Mosiah 5:2-5 -Strengthens the desire to avoid evil and obey the commandments
Alma 19:6 -Replaces darkness with light
Joseph Smith-History 1:11-12 -Helps scriptures have strong effect
Doctrine and Covenants 50:13-22 -Edifies both teacher and student
Preach My Gospel (Salt Lake City: Intellectual Reserve, 2004), 96-97.

Many people are lead to God’s true teachings through answers to prayers. I have observed countless people search, ponder, and sincerely ask the Lord for direction and then receive confirmation from the Holy Spirit that the subject they have been studying is true. This process that I have attempted to explain is the way I know that I am following the path God wants me to follow.

I believe this is a very profound question that has undoubtedly been asked by millions of people from the beginning of time. Life can seem unfair at times as we experience our own personal suffering, and witness through our own eyes or through the media, the incredible suffering that seems to be such an integral part of the daily lives of people all over the world.

I had to come to grips with this question on a personal level when 19 years ago I broke my neck, severed my spinal cord, and became paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator dependent.

Approximately 6 years ago I had an experience with my son-in-law that I believe will shed some light on this fundamental question about life.

One morning I received a phone call from my son-in-law, Matt. He was enrolled in the MBA program at UC Irvine which is about 20 minutes from our home. The Dean of the MBA program had just announced to all the students that were there that day that one of their classmates by the name of Michael Johnson, had drowned in a swimming accident in Northern California the day before. Michael was one of the brightest students and leaders in the MBA class. He was very charismatic and his future as a leader in the business world appeared to be limitless. His fellow classmates, including my son-in-law, were just stunned when they received the news regarding Michael. After conferring with the Dean and several classmates Matt volunteered me to come to UC Irvine to speak to the 50 or 60 students who were there that day for just a few minutes.

Matt came home, loaded me into my modified van, and drove me up to the campus. As we went into the room where the students were gathered together you could just feel the spirit of sorrow, and I could sense that many were asking themselves, “Why did something like this happen to such a good, wonderful, person like Michael Johnson? Couldn’t God have prevented it from happening?”

As I looked at these students it was impressed upon me very strongly to share with them the conversation I had with Dennis Praeger almost 15 years ago when I appeared on his talk radio show in Los Angeles. Toward the end of the hour he said “Jack, what brings you the most peace and comfort — to believe that God brought the wave that broke your neck or to believe that it was just an accident?” I, in essence, told him that I had spent very little time asking myself why the accident took place. The only thing I knew for sure was that there was a loving and kind God that would help us get through anything life would bring our way if we had sufficient faith and trust in Him.

I told the students that afternoon that each one of us has our agency and that we are not puppets of deity. We live our lives exercising our agency as we choose to do so, but there is also at play natural law. Oftentimes in exercising our agency we hit natural law head on and then experience the consequences for our actions. When I went body surfing at Laguna Beach that beautiful August day, it was something I chose to do. I firmly believe that a loving God could have protected me but he doesn’t interfere with our agency and natural law. In my own mind the “Why” question is absolutely the worst question we can ever ask ourselves when something like this happens. God could prevent every disaster or catastrophe from happening, but he doesn’t, because of his love for us and his understanding of the importance of agency.

And so things happen in life like swimming accidents, cancer, tsunamis, earthquakes, murder, abuse, and etc. — the list is endless. God doesn’t cause these things to happen and he could certainly prevent them, but in doing so we would lose the priceless gift of agency.

Mortality brings to us a variety of experiences — some wonderful and some not so wonderful. However, through all of the experiences we have we gain knowledge, and a wise and loving God, the Father of us all, will never rob us of the priceless gift of agency. The students seemed to respond to this line of reasoning.

Life is so very precious and yet it can be taken in an instant. I am very impressed that in most countries in the world there is such a desire to preserve life. You see it every day reported in newspapers and on TV where hundreds and thousands will seek to recover a lost or kidnapped child for example. If someone is injured in a car accident or stranded on a cliff and etc. many caring people are willing to risk their lives to save the life of another. Medical science can do so much to preserve and improve the quality of human life. I believe this is pleasing to God and hopefully through an extended life we can fulfill the measure of our creation and be prepared to take the next step forward in our eternal progression.

There is no price we can put on mortal life. What a gift a loving and kind Heavenly Father has given to each one of us. Each day is precious and priceless!

We also do not see what happens after people pass through this portal of life. It is not an end but a continuation of life and service. We don’t know how one’s ministering from the other side of the veil, or beyond this life, will impact their earthly friends and families as well as those they meet in their spiritual resting place. A benevolent and perfect God has factored all of that in, and has seen to every need of every individual. He hasn’t let something slip by him, or work to a unused end. There is no waste and no incidental event that won’t turn to someone’s glory. Our not seeing those results should not cause us to waiver in knowing that God is in control, and that death and suffering are not in vain, but will work towards God’s perfect loving design for each of us–while granting us our agency on the way.

My wife and I have also been blessed with miracles in our marriage. Our pleas for help have been answered in the form of unexpected monetary gifts, unsolicited job offers, as well as impressions that have led us to do something that was needed, but not solicited, for one another. We attribute these miracles to the covenant relationship that we have with God. As our benevolent Heavenly Father, we believe that God is involved with the details of our lives. His omniscience and omnipotence enable Him to bless us with extraordinary events that we are not able to experience otherwise. It’s like having God as a contributing partner in our marital relationship.

A few days ago, I woke up to the beautiful silhouette of my wife lying beside me. I was filled with so much gratitude for her and for the blessing that we can spend eternity together. Eternity sounds like a long time, but when you’re spending it with someone who you love completely, you’ll be grateful that you can spend eternity with him or her.

I saw that sparkle, that light, in the eyes of many people during my mission as they followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. James is one of those people. We first met James when he was in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. His eyes were clouded and unfocused, he had difficulty reading the small print in the scriptures, and he was battling addiction to drugs and alcohol. In the first lesson, my companion and I taught James about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, prayer, and the Holy Ghost. James prayed with us and he immediately felt the Holy Ghost testifying to him that the message we had shared was true. My companion and I visited James once or twice a week for the next month until we were transferred from the area. Close to the end of that time, James told us that it was easier for him to read the words in the Book of Mormon. James was also finding it much easier to combat the cravings for drugs and alcohol. After we left, James continued to study the scriptures and pray often, as well as attend Mormon church meetings. Four months after I left the area, it was time for me to complete my mission. Before I came home, I went to visit James. The first thing I noticed when I saw James was the sparkle in his eyes. James was happy. I’ve often heard that the eyes are the window to the soul, but until that moment I didn’t believe that statement. The expression in James’s eyes was clear, focused, bright, and full of joy and hope. I immediately knew that James was still doing all he could to follow Jesus Christ because his eyes were “sparkling.”

James and I are not the only people who have experienced the enlightening and joy-filling power of the Holy Ghost. Millions of people around the world have been blessed by the influence of the Holy Ghost, which has testified to them of the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church). I know that as we truly seek to follow Christ, we will be blessed with the fruits of the Spirit. I also know that the Book of Mormon, as well as the Bible, is the word of God and invites all men to believe in Jesus Christ and obey His teachings. I know that when we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will be happier than if we don’t follow the gospel. The message of the gospel is one of joy and gladness. The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! . . . Glad tidings of great joy.” How did serving a Mormon mission bless me and those I served? We were blessed with happiness, joy, and gladness (some of the fruits of the Holy Ghost) when we followed the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.