The Love of God the Father

We learn that scripture, even though it can be written about what happened to someone else, still applies to our lives and God’s blessings described therein can be our blessings also.  I’ve just read the inspired account of Moses’ vision of God and encounter with Satan, as recorded in a modern volume of scripture known as The Pearl of Great Price: Book of Moses.

What Moses learned in his vision about God, his relationship with Him, and the blessings and strength in that relationship as a child of God, can also be applied to myself. The first part of this revelation that affects my relationship with God are the words endless, without end, and never cease. This beginning part of the revelation teaches me about the steadfastnesss of God and reminds me of the promise that our Heavenly Father is always there. God’s love, support, and power are never ceasing.

After the vision described in Moses  …..(see below Moses 1:10)  and Moses is fallen to the earth and finally regains his strength like unto a man he realizes that man is nothing, which is something he hadn’t before realized. This statement reminds me of the scripture that says you cannot serve God and mammon. It helps me to remember that we are here because of our Heavenly Father and that without Him and his gospel we are nothing.

 And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.

 

God is Our Literal Father

I like this because it is humbling and reminds me that we need to respect, love and honor our Heavenly Father above all others. My favorite part about Moses and what he learned is when he is approached by Satan. Moses’s simple answer to Satan when asked who art thou is “I am a son of God.” I love this simple and powerful statement. This reminds me about God our Heavenly Father that He is like our earthly father. He is here to guide us, give us comfort,give us reproach, to listen and love.

This strengthens my relationship with my Heavenly Father because I know He is like my own father. His hand is continually reaching out to support me, but it is my job to have faith and put my hand in his to receive his guidance. I love that Moses learns that his Heavenly Father does not abandon him. When Satan is in his presence and he feels such despair he calls upon the strength of the Holy Ghost and his Heavenly Father. It is a powerful example to me. Moses was literally face to face with Satan. I only face temptation and sometimes my faith can waiver. To surely know that God, your Heavenly Father is always there is a great faith builder to me.

God’s Irrefutable Love

The last excerpt that left an impression on me is when Heavenly Father tells Moses that his work and his glory is to “bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.” If this doesn’t tell us of  about God’s irrefutable love for his children then I don’t know what does. Our Heavenly Father’s goal is to help us make it back to Him and knowing that He is there to help me accomplish this is a great blessing in my life.

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.

When Matthew quoted the prophecy “Assuredly, my Lord will give you a sign of His own accord! Look, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son. Let her name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 Jewish Publication Society of America), he translated the original Hebrew text or used the Greek Septuagint version with one slight change. He replaced the Greek word for “young woman” with the word for “virgin,” thus reinforcing the messianic nature of the prophecy (see Matthew 1:23).

Based on Matthew’s interpretation and the story found in the Gospel of Luke, Christians accepted from an early period that Mary was not only a young woman but also a virgin when Jesus Christ was conceived. Both Matthew and Luke independently reinforce each other’s story about this amazing event, providing a basis to accept that they have reported reliable historical information about Jesus.

Over the centuries, some Christians have questioned Matthew’s interpretation, but it has withstood the test of time as one of Christianity’s fundamental beliefs: Jesus of Nazareth was born to a virgin named Mary. Latter-day Saints accept the New Testament as scripture and find additional validation to the concept of virgin conception in their other scriptural records. The Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, offers the testimony of Nephi, an ancient prophet, who heard an angel declare, “Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh” (1 Nephi 11:18). Additionally, Nephi rendered Isaiah’s prophecy the same way Matthew did: “Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign–Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (2 Nephi 17:14). The Book of Mormon prophet Alma testified that Jesus “shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God” (Alma 7:10).

In the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ (inadvertently called the Mormon Church) some speculated about “how” God accomplished this miracle, much as Jews and Christians have attempted to identify how God used natural law in the case of the Flood, the dividing of the Red Sea, or the gift of manna in the wilderness, believing that miracles conform to natural laws that are hidden to mortals. Despite any attempt to explain “how,” the Church has consistently taught that the Jesus Christ was the unique Son of God—different from all other mortals who had lived, were living, and would yet live. Current official Mormon Church doctrine and teachings by Church leaders in public and private let the scriptural record stand without commentary, accepting that “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Matthew 1 : 20 – 21 states,  “But while he thought on these things , behold , the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream , saying , Joseph , thou son of David , fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son , and thou shalt call his name JESUS : for he shall save his people from their sins…”   But this does not mean that Jesus was the son of the Holy Ghost.   Many times in the Bible, Jesus is identified as the Son of God, and the Only Begotten Son of God.  (See (John 1:14; 3:16; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:10; 1 John 5:13; John 1:34; John 1:49; Mark 1:1; Matthew 14:33; Acts 9:20; John 6:69; John 3:17; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 16:16; John 11:4; 1 John 4:9; Mark 5:7; 1 John 5:9; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Romans 1:4; Acts 8:37, to name a few scriptures.)

A rosary is a set of chained beads used to mark the recitation of certain prayers by Catholics. Typically, it consists of 50 beads, in groups of ten (a decade), with a larger bead before each decade. Specific memorized prayers are recited as a way of remembering aspects of the life and mission of the Savior. Catholics, with a deep sense of devotion and love of the Savior, reflect on His life and mission as they engage in these prayers and as they participate in the rituals and liturgy of the Catholic faith. We have great respect for their devotion to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) don’t use a rosary, or set of beads marking a series of prayers, as used by Roman-Catholics or Anglo-Catholics.

Mormons share expressions in prayer that are self-generated, dependent on the circumstances and events in their lives a t the moment of prayer. We see prayers as personal expressions of thanks, praise, desire, sharing, and longing before the Lord, and each one as unique as the moment it’s uttered. Our prayers do follow the scriptural pattern which invites us to 1) recognize and address Father in Heaven as our Father, 2) give meaningful thanks for noticed gifts from Him in our life, 3) petition him for forgiveness, and 4) pour out our hearts to Him in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Though we follow that pattern, we do not recite prescribed memorized prayers, such as the “Our Father,” for example, verbatim.

How we engage the Father is a purely personal thing and depends on how openly and honestly and deeply we wish to commune with him. Rote prayers, uttered without thought, by any of us of any faith, miss the mark in the sense that they fail to reflect deep and spontaneous engagement in conversation with God. They don’t lead us closer or bring us further along in our personal relationship any more than duplicating yesterday’s phone conversation with a friend day after day would deepen that relationship. Prayer, in the sense that we practice it, is conversation with God that draws us nearer to Him and Him to us. It involves a process of self-discovery and reaching as we tap into our deepest thoughts and share those with Him who knows us best of all, and as we receive His responses along the way.

We respect others’ faith in Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him, regardless of the differences in theology. Sharing the commonalities and differences helps us to see and understand each other better. Another difference between Catholics and Mormons in regard to prayer is illuminated through one said after the rosary, which follows:

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

To Mormons, Mary is not an intercessor. We pray directly to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. He alone is our Advocate with the Father. We do revere Mary, as do Catholics, as the mother of Jesus Christ, and love her faith, humility, goodness, purity, and willingness to bring Jesus Christ into the world.

This rosary prayer reflects another fundamental difference between Catholics and Mormons. While we believe, as Catholics, that Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, we also believe that the step towards becoming mortal was essential to the plan for our happiness. Mormons, therefore, rejoice that we have been gifted this possibility to learn through this imperfect earth experience, how to progress eternally and to return to our heavenly home. We see ourselves as daughters of God, as do Catholics, and also as women of great opportunity, away from home for a season, endowed with His power and the ability to become the highest in us through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

While we rejoice in the beauty of the gospel plan, and share the commitment to Jesus Christ of many of other faiths, we differ in these respects as we pray and commune with the Father of our individual spirits, in the name of His Son, a separate Being, even Jesus Christ.

I testify that the doctrines concerning Jesus Christ have been restored to the earth, and that they can be found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.