Article of Faith # 13

13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:13)

Much of the sentiment from this Article of Faith comes from Philippians 4:8 where it states, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

I love that the final Article of Faith is a statement of optimism. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News that gives hope to all mankind. Its purpose and intent is to help raise us up and bring us closer to our Father in Heaven. The gospel of Jesus Christ is Living Water for spiritually thirsty souls. It will spring up in us as everlasting life, and will draw us to the Tree of Life, whose fruit is the greatest of all the gifts of God, see 1
Nephi 15:36 and Doctrine and Covenants 14:7

Article of Faith # 12

12 We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:12)

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe that is important to follow the law wherever they live. Members of the church (Saints) that live in the United States, are expected to follow the laws of the United States, Saints that live in Russia are expected to follow the laws of Russia.

The church’s doctrine regarding governments can be found in Section 134 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which reads in part:

1 WE believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
6 We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.
7 We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.
8 We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.
9 We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.
10 We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 134:1 - 10)

Finally, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is running for the office of President of the United States, I hear and read where people are worried that if he was elected that the country would then more or less be run by the church. As can be read above, particularly in verse 9, we see that would be against the church’s own doctrines. One of the fundamental pillars of our religion is the freedom to choose. We are free to choose to be members of this church and follow its teachings, and likewise, we are free to choose not to.

Article of Faith #11

11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:11)

This great country of ours was built on the principles of religious freedom and tolerance. Many of our founding fathers came here to escape religious persecutions. This was so important to them, that it became the 1st amendment of the Bill of Rights, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

In the Doctrine and Covenants 134:4 it states, “We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.”

As I look around the world today at all of the various religions, it is hard not to see the religious bigotry and intolerance that is rampant among many if not most religions. I do not need to tear down your religion to make mine look better. I believe that there is a Buddhist saying that states, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

As I study the scriptures, I see a God that loves all of His children, and is no respecter of them. In The New Testament, Acts 10:34-35 we read:
34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

I am grateful to live in a country that allows me the privilege to worship the Lord as I choose.

Article of Faith #10

10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:10)

The ten tribes of Israel were unified through the reign of King Solomon in the Old Testament. After King Solomon passed away, his son, Rehoboam began to reign in his stead. Solomon heavily taxed his people in order to build the temple. When he died, the people hoped that their taxation would be decreased. Rehoboam’s older advisors agreed that he should decrease the burden on the people, while his younger advisors, lobbied for the opposite. Rehoboam followed the counsel of his younger advisors, and most of the tribes of Israel stopped following his rule.

The kingdom of Israel was then effectively split in half between Judah in the south, and Ephraim in the north. The Northern kingdom was destroyed/scattered by the Assyrians. Subsequently, the kingdom of Judah was carried away captive by the Babylonians.

Eventually, some form the kingdom of Judah, (The Jews), return to Jerusalem, but the other tribes of Israel have not been gathered back in again.

The scriptures bare witness that the Lord has not forgotten His chosen people, and they will yet be brought back. In Isaiah 49:22 it states, “22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.”

We profess that Zion, a new Jerusalem, will be established on this continent, see Ether 13:6, and D&C 45:66-67.

We testify that Christ will again rule and reign on this earth, and will be the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The scriptures are replete with signs that would precede His second coming. Some can be found in Matthew 24. The signs of the times are being fulfilled which suggests that His second coming is drawing near. However, we are not told exactly when that day will be. In verse 36 of Matthew 24 we read, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

When He comes again, the earth will be restored to its paradisiacal glory as it existed in the Garden of Eden. See Isaiah 11:1-9.

Article of Faith # 9

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:9)

The world is facing challenges that are unlike those of any past generation. Several countries have the ability to push a button and unleash nuclear destruction on their neighbors. The epidemic of drugs, violence, filth, and hatred are covering the globe in ways previously unthinkable.

In the 24th Chapter of Matthew, the Savior described some of the events that would precede His second coming:

3 ¶ And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

That passage of scripture sounds like the evening news. Where can we turn to find peace? Is there anyone on earth that authoritatively speaks in the name of Jesus? Is there any reason to believe that the voice of the Lord could be heard now?

I do not believe that there ever was a time, people, or place, where the reassuring voice of the Lord was more desperately needed than it is now. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints declares unequivocally that the heavens are still open. God is not dead, He does not sleep, and He is not ambivalent about what happens to His children.

In Amos 3:7 we read:

7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Anciently, the Lord revealed Himself to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, etc. About 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ Himself came to earth to establish His church and to set the example for us to follow.

Borrowing a line from one of my favorite sermons of Hugh B. Brown, “It has been standard procedure through all recorded time for God to talk to man.”

In fact, I like that sermon so much, here it is:
President Hugh B. Brown Of the First Presidency
October Conference 1967
My brothers and sisters who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and my brothers and sisters who are members of other churches, or of none; all who may be listening to the proceedings of this conference, I salute and welcome as my brothers and sisters because I believe in the universal Fatherhood of God and the consequent universal brotherhood of man.
I should like to support and bear witness to the claim that the gospel of Jesus Christ as it was taught by him and his apostles in the meridian of time was restored in the state of New York in 1830 by Jesus the Christ, and was organized under his direction through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I should like to give some reasons for this faith and attempt to justify my allegiance to the Church. Perhaps I can do this best by referring again to an interview I had in London, England, in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II.
I had met a very prominent English gentleman, a member of the House of Commons and formerly one of the justices of the supreme court of Britain. In a series of conversations on various subjects, "vexations of the soul," he called them, we talked about business and law; about politics, international relations, and war; and we frequently discussed religion.
He called me on the phone one day and asked if I would meet him at his office and explain some phases of my faith. He said, "There is going to be a war, and you will have to return to America, and we may not meet again." His statement regarding the imminence of war and the possibility that we would not meet again proved to be prophetic.
When I went to his office, he said he had been intrigued by some things I had told about my church. He asked me if I would prepare a brief on Mormonism and discuss it with him as I would discuss a legal problem. He said, "You have told me that you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that you believe that God the Father and Jesus of Nazareth appeared to him in vision.
"I cannot understand," he said, "how a barrister and solicitor from Canada, a man trained in logic and evidence and unemotional cold fact, could accept such absurd statements. What you tell me about Joseph Smith seems fantastic, but I wish you would take three days at least to prepare a brief and permit me to examine it and question you on it."
I suggested that, as I had been working on such a brief for more than 50 years, we proceed at once to have an examination for discovery, which is briefly a meeting of the opposing sides in a lawsuit where the plaintiff and defendant, with their attorneys, meet to examine each other's claims and see whether they can find some area of agreement and thus save the time of the court later on.
I said perhaps we could find some common ground from which we could discuss my "fantastic ideas." He agreed, and we proceeded with our "examination for discovery."
Hugh B. Brown, Conference Report, October 1967, p.117
Because of time limitations, I can only give a condensed or abbreviated synopsis of the three-hour conversation that followed. I began by asking, "May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?"
"I am."
"I assume that you believe in the Bible -- the Old and New Testaments?"
"I do!"
"Do you believe in prayer?"
"I do!"
"You say that my belief that God spoke to a man in this age is fantastic and absurd?"
"To me it is."
"Do you believe that God ever did speak to anyone?"
"Certainly, all through the Bible we have evidence of that."
"Did he speak to Adam?"
"Yes."
"To Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, and to others of the prophets?"
"I believe he spoke to each of them."
"Do you believe that contact between God and man ceased when Jesus appeared on the earth?"
"Certainly not. Such communication reached its climax, its apex at that time."
"Do you believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God?"
"He was."
"Do you believe, sir, that after the resurrection of Christ, God ever spoke to any man?"
He thought for a moment and then said, "I remember one Saul of Tarsus who was going down to Damascus to persecute the saints and who had a vision, was stricken blind, in fact, and heard a voice."
"Whose voice did he hear?"
"Well," he said, "the voice said `I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.'"
"Do you believe that actually took place?"
"I do."
"Then, my Lord" -- that is the way we address judges in the British commonwealth -- "my Lord, I am submitting to you in all seriousness that it was standard procedure in Bible times for God to talk to men."
"I think I will admit that, but it stopped shortly after the first century of the Christian era."
"Why do you think it stopped?"
"I can't say."
"You think that God hasn't spoken since then?"
"Not to my knowledge."
"May I suggest some possible reasons why he has not spoken. Perhaps it is because he cannot. He has lost the power."
He said, "Of course that would be blasphemous."
"Well, then, if you don't accept that, perhaps he doesn't speak to men because he doesn't love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men."
"No," he said, "God loves all men, and he is no respecter of persons."
"Well, then, if you don't accept that he loves us, then the only other possible answer as I see it is that we don't need him. We have made such rapid strides in education and science that we don't need God any more."
And then he said, and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war, "Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why he doesn't speak."
My answer was, "He does speak, he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him."
Then we proceeded to examine what I may call a "profile of a prophet."
We agreed that any man who claims to be a prophet should have at least the following characteristics:
1. He will boldly but humbly declare, "God has spoken to me."
2. His message will be dignified, intelligent, earnest, and honest, but he will not necessarily he a learned person.
3. There will he no spiritualistic claims of communion with the dead, no clairvoyance or legerdemain.
4. Generally he will he a young man such as Samuel; a man having good parentage and associates.
5. His message must he reasonable and scriptural.
6. He will be fearless and positive, unmindful of current opinion and the creeds of the day.
7. He will make no concessions to public opinion or the effect upon himself or his reputation or personal fortune.
8. His message must be current, unusual, but historically consistent.
9. He will simply but earnestly tell what he has seen and heard.
10. His message, not himself, will be important to him.
11. He will boldly declare, "Thus saith the Lord!"
12. He will predict future events in the name of the Lord, events that he could not control, events that only God could bring to pass.
13. His message will be important not only for his generation but for all time, such as the messages of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.
14. He will have courage, fortitude, and faith enough to endure persecution and, if necessary, to give his life for his testimony, and be willing to seal his testimony with his blood as did Peter and Paul.
15. He will denounce wickedness fearlessly and be rejected and ridiculed therefor.
16. He will do superhuman things, things that only a man inspired of God could do.
17. The consequence of his teachings will be convincing evidence of his prophetic calling: "By their fruits ye shall know them."
18. His word and message will live after him.
19. All of his teachings will be scriptural. In fact, his words, writings, and message will become scripture. "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Pet. 1:21.)
I believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God because he gave to this world some of the greatest revelations of all time. I believe that he was a prophet of God because he foretold many things that have come to pass, things that only God could bring to pass.
John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, declared, ". . . the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev. 19:10.) If Joseph Smith had the testimony of Jesus, he had the spirit of prophecy, and if he had the spirit of prophecy, he was a prophet. I submitted to my friend, that as much as any man who ever lived, the Prophet Joseph had a testimony of Jesus, for, like the apostles of old, he saw him and heard him speak, and like them he gave his life for that testimony. I know of no one who has given more convincing evidence of the divine calling of Jesus Christ than did Joseph Smith.
I believe Joseph Smith was a prophet because he did many superhuman things. One was translating the Book of Mormon, which is a history of the ancient inhabitants of America. Some people will not agree, but I submit that Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon did a superhuman work I ask anyone to undertake to write the story of the ancient inhabitants of America, to write as he did without any source material. He must include in the story 54 chapters dealing with wars, 21 historical chapters, 55 chapters on visions and prophecies (and remember, when the writer begins to write on visions and prophecies, he must have the record agree meticulously with the Bible). He must write 71 chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and here too, he must check every statement with the scriptures or he will be proved to be a fraud. He must write 21 chapters on the ministry of Christ, and everything the writer claims Jesus said and did and every testimony he writes in the book about him must agree absolutely with the New Testament.
I ask, would anyone like to undertake such a task? I point out, too, that he must employ figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narration, exposition, description, oratory, epic, lyric, logic, and parables. I ask the writer to remember that the man who translated the Book of Mormon was a young man who had very little schooling, and yet he dictated that book in just a little over two months and made very few, if any, corrections. For over one hundred years, some of the best students and scholars of the world have been trying to prove from the Bible that the Book of Mormon is a fraud, but not one of them has been able to prove that anything in it was contrary to the scriptures, the Bible, the word of God.
The Book of Mormon not only declares on the title page that its purpose is to convince Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, but this truth is also the burden of its message.
In Third Nephi it is recorded that multitudes of people testified, "We saw him, we felt of his hands and his side, we know he is the Christ. . . ." (See 3 Ne. 11:14-15.)
Joseph Smith undertook and accomplished other superhuman tasks. Among them I list the following: He organized the Church. (I call attention to the fact that no constitution effected by human ingenuity has survived one hundred years without modification or amendment, even the Constitution of the United States. The basic law or constitution of the Church has never been altered.) He undertook to carry the gospel message to all nations, which is a superhuman task and is still progressing with accelerated speed. He undertook, by divine command, to gather thousands of people to Zion. He instituted vicarious work for the dead and built temples for that purpose. He promised that certain signs should follow the believers. There are tens of thousands of witnesses who certify that this promise has been fulfilled.
I said to my friend, "My Lord, I cannot understand your saying to me that my claims are fantastic. Nor can I understand why Christians who claim to believe in Christ would persecute and put to death a man whose whole purpose was to prove the truth of the things they themselves were teaching, namely, that Jesus is the Christ. I could understand their persecuting Joseph if he had said, `I am Christ,' or if he had said, `There is no Christ,' or if he had said someone else is Christ; then Christians believing in Christ would be justified in opposing him.
Hugh B. Brown, Conference Report, October 1967, p.120
"But what he said was, `Him whom ye claim to believe in, declare I unto you.' Paraphrasing what Paul said in Athens, `Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.' (Acts 17:23.) Joseph said to the Christians of his day, `You claim to believe in Jesus Christ. I testify that I saw him and I talked with him. He is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. Why persecute me for that?'
"When Joseph came out of the woods where he had this vision, he had learned at least four fundamental truths, and he announced them to the world: first, that the Father and the Son are separate and distinct individuals; second, that the canon of scripture is not complete; third, that man was actually created in the image of God; and fourth, that the channel of communication between earth and heaven is open, and revelation is continuous."
The judge sat and listened intently. He asked some very pointed and searching questions, and at the end of the interview he said, "Mr. Brown, I wonder if your people appreciate the import of your message. Do you?" He said, "If what you have told me is true, it is the greatest message that has come to earth since the angels announced the birth of Christ."
This was a learned judge speaking, a great statesman, an intelligent man. He threw out the challenge, "Do you appreciate the import of what you say?" He added: "I wish it were true. I hope it may be true. God knows it ought to be true. I would to God," he said, his voice trembling, "that some man would appear on the earth and authoritatively say, `Thus saith the Lord.'"
As I intimated, we did not meet again. I have mentioned very briefly some of the reasons why I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
But undergirding and over-arching all that, I say from the very center of my heart that by the revelations of the Holy Ghost I know, and you may know, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. While the evidences I have mentioned and many others that could be cited may have the effect of giving one an intellectual conviction, only by the whisperings of the Holy Spirit can one come to know the things of God. By those whisperings I say I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I thank God for that knowledge. I pray that you may in humility ask him whether it be true, and I promise you that he will respond and that you will know from the warmth in your heart that what I have said this morning is God's eternal truth, to which I humbly bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Article of Faith # 8

8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:8)

I am often asked by non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, if we believe to Bible to be the word of God, or do we just use our “own” Bible, i.e. The Book of Mormon.

Ironically, on this point, the Book of Mormon speaks of the Bible as being the word of God, see 2 Nephi 29:1-6. The answer therefore is a resounding, yes we do believe that the Bible is the word of God.

In the April 2007 General Conference of the church, Elder M. Russell Ballard, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “My brothers and sisters, the Holy Bible is a miracle! It is a miracle that the Bible’s 4,000 years of sacred and secular history were recorded and preserved by the prophets, apostles, and inspired churchmen.
It is a miracle that we have the Bible’s powerful doctrine, principles, poetry, and stories. But most of all, it is a wonderful miracle that we have the account of the life, ministry, and words of Jesus, which was protected through the Dark Ages and through the conflicts of countless generations so that we may have it today.
It is a miracle that the Bible literally contains within its pages the converting, healing Spirit of Christ, which has turned men’s hearts for centuries, leading them to pray, to choose right paths, and to search to find their Savior.
The Holy Bible is well named. It is holy because it teaches truth, holy because it warms us with its spirit, holy because it teaches us to know God and understand His dealings with men, and holy because it testifies throughout its pages of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Abraham Lincoln said of the Bible: “This Great Book … is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong” (Speeches and Writings, 1859–1865 [1989], 628).
It is not by chance or coincidence that we have the Bible today. Righteous individuals were prompted by the Spirit to record both the sacred things they saw and the inspired words they heard and spoke. Other devoted people were prompted to protect and preserve these records. Men like John Wycliffe, the courageous William Tyndale, and Johannes Gutenberg were prompted against much opposition to translate the Bible into language people could understand and to publish it in books people could read. I believe even the scholars of King James had spiritual promptings in their translation work.
The Dark Ages were dark because the light of the gospel was hidden from the people. They did not have the apostles or prophets, nor did they have access to the Bible. The clergy kept the scriptures secret and unavailable to the people. We owe much to the many brave martyrs and reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Huss who demanded freedom to worship and common access to the holy books.
William Tyndale gave his life because he believed so deeply in the power of the Bible. He said, “The nature of God’s word is, that whosoever read it, or hear it reasoned and disputed before him, it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man” (in S. Michael Wilcox, Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale—Martyr, Father of the English Bible [2004], xv).
Honest, diligent study of the Bible does make us better and better, and we must ever remember the countless martyrs who knew of its power and who gave their lives that we may be able to find within its words the path to the eternal happiness and the peace of our Heavenly Father’s kingdom.” For the full discourse, click here.

If we believe the Bible to be the word of God, then why do we need the Book of Mormon? As luck would have it, we can find the answer to that question in the Bible. See 2 Corinthians 13:1. Where it states, “THIS is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”
The Holy Bible is one witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Likewise, the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus’ divinity.
Speaking of this, the Book of Mormon states, “7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.” See (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 29:7 - 9).

I am grateful for both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They teach of Christ, and help me to better understand Him. As John 17:3 states, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

Article of Faith # 7

7 We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:7)

Certain signs, gifts, and abilities have always followed those that believe. For some examples please see, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, and Mark 16:17-18.

On the day of Pentecost, spoken of in Acts 2:4-11, we see that the gift of tongues is used for others, that speak different languages, to be able to hear the gospel message in their own language. It was not a simple parlor trick used to try and deceive or confuse, but rather allows the speaker to speak in such a way, that those listening to him can hear the speaker in their native language.

One of my favorites verses on prophecy can be found in Revelations 19:10.

It is important to note, that these signs and gifts are intended for those, “that believe,” as previously stated in Mark 16:17. Signs are never given as a form of convincing one that some particular church or doctrine is true. This is pointed out by the Savior in Matthew 12:38-39, where it states, “38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:”

But for those that already believe, the Lord wishes to bless His children and will do so in mighty and miraculous ways.

Article of Faith #6

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

(Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:6)

If you’re looking for Christ’s church on the earth today, it would do well to study what it looked like when He was on the earth, and then look for that.

As I pondered what to write for this posting, I remembered many years ago a story about the 17 Points of the True Church. Much of what follows comes from that treatise, with my comments added.

Seventeen Points of the True Church:
1. Christ organized the church. Eph. 4:11-14. This seems readily apparent, and I’m sure that most Christians believe that He organized their church as well.
2. The church must bear the name of Jesus Christ. Eph. 5:23. See also 3 Nephi 27:8. On the surface, this might seem obvious, until you stop to consider how many Christian churches do not carry His name. Just in case anyone is wondering. The official name of my church is NOT the Mormon Church. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We have been nicknamed Mormons, or the Mormon Church by others.
3. The church must have a foundation of Apostles & Prophets. Eph. 2:19-20. The view of needing apostles is not something created by our religion. Indeed, many of the ministers in what is referred to as the Reformation believed that Christ needed to send apostles to the earth again. In a talk to the church, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated, “Roger Williams, my volatile and determined 10th great-grandfather, fled—not entirely of his own volition—from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and settled in what is now the state of Rhode Island. He called his headquarters Providence, the very name itself revealing his lifelong quest for divine interventions and heavenly manifestations. But he never found what he felt was the true New Testament church of earlier times. Of this disappointed seeker the legendary Cotton Mather said, “Mr. Williams [finally] told [his followers] ‘that being himself misled, he had [misled them,’ and] he was now satisfied that there was none upon earth that could administer baptism [or any of the ordinances of the gospel], … [so] he advised them therefore to forego all … and wait for the coming of new apostles.” (Magnalia Christi Americana (1853), 2:498.) Roger Williams did not live to see those longed-for new Apostles raised up, but in a future time I hope to be able to tell him personally that his posterity did live to see such.
Anxiety and expectation regarding the need for divine direction was not uncommon among those religious reformers who set the stage for the Restoration of the gospel. One of the most famous of the New England preachers, Jonathan Edwards, said, “It seems to me a[n] … unreasonable thing, to suppose that there should be a God … that has so much concern [for us], … and yet that he should never speak, … that there should be no word [from him].” (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 18, The “Miscellanies” 501–832, ed. Ava Chamberlain (2000), 89–90.)
Later, the incomparable Ralph Waldo Emerson rocked the very foundations of New England ecclesiastical orthodoxy when he said to the Divinity School at Harvard: “It is my duty to say to you that the need was never greater [for] new revelation than now.” “The doctrine of inspiration is lost. … Miracles, prophecy, … the holy life, exist as ancient history [only]. … Men have come to speak of … revelation as somewhat long ago given and done, as if God were dead. … It is the office of a true teacher,” he warned, “to show us that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake.” (The Complete Essays and Other Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, ed. Brooks Atkinson (1940), 75, 71, 80.) In essence, Mr. Emerson was saying, “If you persist in handing out stones when people ask for bread, they will eventually stop coming to the bakery.” (Louis Cassels, quoted in Howard W. Hunter, “Spiritual Famine,” Ensign, Jan. 1973, 64.) For the entire discourse click here.

4. The church must have the same organization as Christ’s church. Eph. 4:11-14 In verse 13 we learn, that we need apostles and prophets, “Till we all come in the unity of faith…” With thousands of different “Christian” sects, not to mention how many other religions, with their sects exist, I think that it is safe to say we haven’t arrived at the unity of the faith mentioned in Ephesians. Hence, we still need apostles and prophets.
5. The church must claim divine authority. Heb. 5:4-10. How Aaron received the priesthood can be found in Exodus 28:1. Those that “claim” they act in Christ’s name, but lack His authority are described in Matthew 7:22-23.
6. The church must have no paid ministry. Isa. 45:13, 1 Peter 5:2 Nuff said.
7. The church must baptize by immersion. Matt 3:13-15 You and I get baptized to exercise our faith, show our willingness to repent of our sins, and to take upon us His name. However, why was He baptized? He didn’t need to be forgiven of any sins, since He didn’t commit any. Verse 15 from Matthew 3 gives an idea. Click here and read verses 5-7
8. The church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Acts 8:14-17 The blessings afforded mankind, because of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, can not be understated. The Savior’s thoughts on the Holy Ghost can be found in John 14:26, John 15:26, and John 16:13.
9. The church must practice divine healings. See Mark 3:14-15. I have seen the power of the Lord manifest through the administration of the priesthood on numerous occasions.
10. The church must teach Jesus Christ & God are separate and distinct beings. John 17:11 & 20:17 Please see my posting on Article of Faith #1.
11. The church must teach God & Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone. Luke 24:36-39, Acts 1:9-11 After Jesus was resurrected He showed his body to His disciples. They touched Him, and felt His body. The only rational way for Him to have lost His body, would’ve been to die again, else why show His disciples His body of flesh and bone?
12. The officers must be called by God. Heb. 5:4, Exodus 28:1 & 40:13-16 Jesus told His apostles, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” See John 15:16.
13. The church must claim revelation from God. Amos 3:7 In an October 2006 Conference talk, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated, “It is no trivial matter for this Church to declare to the world prophecy, seership, and revelation, but we do declare it.” To read the entire talk click here. Think of it; what value would you place on being able to hear someone authoritatively state, “Thus saith the Lord?” There is a prophet of God on earth today, and he speaks the words that the Lord wants us to hear.
14. The church must be a missionary church. Matt. 28:19-20 We’ve all seen them. Those clean cut, bike riding, Book of Mormon toting, young men. The church currently has over 50,000 missionaries world wide, all trying to share a message of love and hope.
15. The church must be a restored church. Acts 3:19-20 There are plenty of scriptures that clearly state that there will be an apostasy. See 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3, and Acts 20:29.
16. The church must practice baptisms for the dead. 1 Cor. 15:29 Clearly, baptisms for the dead were practiced by the early church in Christ’s day. I only know of one church that still practices this. You guessed it, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. These sacred ordinances are performed in our temples. There are many scriptures that teach the necessity of baptism. John 3:5 is one of them. If baptism is necessary, what happens to all of the people that lived and died, without ever knowing about Jesus Christ? Obviously, they were never baptized. Would a loving God simply cast away some of His children, because they were unfortunate enough to live some place where the blessings of the gospel were not available? Go ask your Mormon friend or neighbor to give you a more in depth explanation of this important doctrine.
17. By their fruits ye shall know them. Matt. 7:20 I could go on and on, and discuss the fruits of the church, i.e. very low divorce rate compared to other groups, very high educational rates compared to other groups, tremendous acts of charity and selfless service given in time of need. If you're interested research the church’s response to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, and the Tsunami in Indonesia a few years back. But more than anything else, look at your LDS friends. We’re not perfect, at least I’m not. But as a group, the fruits of love, sincerity, and kindness are clearly manifest by the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

If you have been impressed with what you have read above, and would like to know more about the LDS church go here to find the closest LDS church where you live. Stop by on Sunday and see for yourself what you think.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know, and I’ll try to answer them as best I can.

Article of Faith # 5

5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:5)

What does it mean to be called of God? If I feel a closeness to the Savior does that qualify me? Let me say at the outset that feeling a closeness to the Savior is definitely a good start, but is it sufficient in and of itself to proclaim myself a minister of His word? On this subject Hebrews 5:4 states, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” The question then becomes, who was Aaron, and how was he called?

Aaron was Moses’ brother. In Exodus 28:1 it states, “AND take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.”

The Lord spoke directly to Moses and told him to call his brother to the ministry. So it is today; the Lord reveals His will to his chosen leaders, who then “call” worthy and qualified individuals to the ministry. Additionally, the Lord reminds us that He calls us and not the other way around in John 15:16.

Some of the qualifications to be called can be found in Acts 6:3, 2 Corinthians 4:2 and, Alma 13:3.

The sacredness of serving as a High Priest is described well in D & C 1:38, and, D & C 21:5.

I am grateful that there are men, called of God, on earth today to lead and guide us.

Article of Faith # 4

4 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.

(Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:4)

Faith – Faith is a principle of power, when it is used as the impetus for action. The 11th Chapter of Hebrews is a classic example of faith motivating an individual to do something. In all of the examples cited in that chapter, not one shows a person casually stating that they believed in something. Rather, their faith caused them to do things, and through their faith, they accomplished things greater than what man, left to his own devices, could accomplish. In the 2nd Chapter of James, verse 18 we read, “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Perhaps some good questions to ask each day are, “What good thing is my faith going to motivate me to do today? How can I help serve the Lord and His children today?” The 11th Chapter of Hebrews cites “big miracles” that were performed, but I haven’t been asked to build an ark.

Though Christ’s miracles were mighty, they seemed frequently to be on the micro level, as opposed to the macro level, i.e. many of his miracles blessed the life of an individual. He did feed thousands with a loaf of bread and a few fish, but he also restored sight to individuals, or healed the sick individually, or restored faith to people on an individual basis.

One of my favorite stories on faith can be found in the 8th Chapter of Matthew, see Matthew 8:5-10. Here a centurion beseeches the Lord to heal his servant. The Lord agrees to come with him, but the centurion, with his military background, states that he merely has to command people to go and do something and it gets done. Likewise, he knew that all the Lord had to do was speak the words, and his servant could be healed. That is the kind of faith that creates miracles.

A fantastic primer on faith, i.e. what it is, and how to activate it in your life can be found in the 32nd Chapter of Alma, verses 21 to 43. Click here to read this passage.

Repentance – After faith comes repentance. As our faith in Christ grows, we feel a greater desire to repent of our sins, so that we can draw nearer unto him. See D & C 88:63.

We will begin to exercise our faith unto repentance. See Alma 34:15-17

My absolute favorite example of someone that exercised their faith to repentance is Enos
See: Enos verses 1 through 8. Enos’ faith motivated him to repent. After struggling with the Lord in mighty prayer, all day and well into the night, he received the peace and comfort that comes to the truly penitent. In verse 8, he is told that it was his faith that brought about the forgiveness of sin.

Some of the most spiritual experiences in my life have come as I have sought forgiveness. There are times, after much effort, that the love of the Lord has surrounded me like a blanket, and I felt His peace, and love from head to toe.

Baptism – After we have planted the seed of faith in our heart, and repented of our sins, we wish to stay clean and pure, and to follow the commandments of God. See Moroni 8:25 and Mosiah 18:7-11

The necessity of being baptized was taught by Jesus in John 3:5 where he said, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

You and I get baptized to receive a remission for our sins, but Jesus was not tainted by sin. And yet, He went to John the Baptist to be baptized Himself. If it was important for Him to be baptized to set the example for me, then I need to follow suit and be baptized as well.

The gift of the Holy Ghost – One of the greatest blessings a person can receive is the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is given by Melchizedek Priesthood holders as they lay their hands on the head of the person receiving it. In the October 1996 General Conference of the church, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said this regarding the gift of the Holy Ghost, “President Wilford Woodruff called the gift of the Holy Ghost the greatest gift we can receive in mortality (see The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, ed. G. Homer Durham [1990], 5). Unfortunately, the great value of that gift and the important conditions for its fulfillment are not well understood. Nephi prophesied that in the last days churches would be built up that would “teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance” (2 Ne. 28:4). He also pronounced “wo” upon “him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!” (2 Ne. 28:26).
The Bible tells us that when the Savior gave his final instructions to his disciples, he promised that he would send them “the Comforter” (John 16:7). Earlier, he had taught them the mission of this comforter, which is otherwise referred to as the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord, or simply the Spirit. That comforter dwells in us (see John 14:17). He teaches us all things and brings all things to our remembrance (see John 14:26). He guides us into truth and shows us things to come (see John 16:13). He testifies of the Son (see John 15:26; 1 Cor. 12:3). The Bible also teaches that the Savior and his servants will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire (see Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 1:5). I will speak of the meaning of that teaching later.
The Bible’s teachings about the Holy Ghost are reaffirmed and elaborated in the Book of Mormon and in modern revelations. The Holy Ghost is the means by which God inspires and reveals his will to his children (e.g., D&C 8:2–3). The Holy Ghost bears record of the Father and of the Son (see 3 Ne. 28:11; D&C 20:27; D&C 42:17). He enlightens our minds and fills us with joy (see D&C 11:13). By the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things (see Moro. 10:5). By his power we may have the mysteries of God unfolded to us (see 1 Ne. 10:19), all things which are expedient (see D&C 18:18; D&C 39:6). The Holy Ghost shows us what we should do (see 2 Ne. 32:5). We teach the gospel as we are directed by the Holy Ghost, which carries our words into the hearts of those we teach (see 2 Ne. 33:1).
Latter-day scriptures also teach that the remission of sins, which is made possible by the Atonement, comes “by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost” (D&C 19:31; see also 2 Ne. 31:17). Thus, the Risen Lord pleaded with the Nephites to repent and come unto him and be baptized “that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Ne. 27:20).
The gift of the Holy Ghost is so important to our faith that a prophet gave it unique emphasis in a conversation with the president of the United States. Joseph Smith had journeyed to Washington to seek help in recovering compensation for injuries and losses the Saints had suffered in the Missouri persecutions. In his meeting with the president, Joseph was asked how this Church differed from the other religions of the day. The Prophet replied that “we differed in mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands” (History of the Church, 4:42). He later explained that this answer was given because “all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost” (History of the Church, 4:42).” His entire talk can be found here.


The companionship of the Holy Ghost in my life has been a constant source of comfort and guidance. The Holy Ghost has guided me away from sin, it has enlightened my mind with the things I needed to say, at just the moment that I needed to say something. It helps me find calm in an ever more turbulent world.
Dan

Article of Faith # 3

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

(Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:3)

President Hinckley gives a beautiful testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

For commentary on, "by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel," Please see my post on Thoughts on Grace vs. Works: http://thoughtsonlds.blogspot.com/2008/01/thoughts-on-grace-vs-works.html

Article of Faith # 2

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

(Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:2)

Prior to partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. They were completely innocent, not knowing the difference between good and evil. I’ve heard many good people exclaim something along the lines of, “If only Adam and Eve hadn’t eaten that fruit, we’d all be living in paradise right now.” It seems readily apparent to me from the account in Genesis that if Adam and Eve hadn’t eaten the fruit, that you and I wouldn’t be here. They’d still be living in paradise…alone. Read carefully:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

(Old Testament Genesis 3:3 - 11)

A couple of interesting points:

1. They were immortal in the Garden of Eden – see verse 3.
2. Prior to eating the fruit they did not know good from evil – see verse 5.
3. In the garden, they walked around naked, and didn’t think anything of it – see verses 7,10, & 11, and Gen 2:25, i.e. they did not procreate.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

(Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 2:22 - 25)

Please note that it wasn’t until after the fall that Adam “knew” his wife and had children. See Gen 4:1.

Adam’s transgression brought mortality into the world. It also brought into the world the opportunity for you and me to exist. Here we are mortal and live, “by the sweat of (our) brow…” Moses 5:1.

What about “Original Sin?” Do I carry around the sin of what Adam did?

As stated above, the Fall of Adam, brought with it consequences. Specifically, mortality:

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

(New Testament 1 Corinthians 15:22)

As can be seen above, Adam brought death through the fall, but that is taken care of by Christ. Will I be punished for what Adam did?

6 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

(Old Testament Deuteronomy 24:16)

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

(Old Testament Ezekiel 18:20)

3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other—
5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.

(Book of Mormon Alma 41:3 - 6)

In Summary, Adam transgressed God’s law by partaking of the forbidden fruit, and death, or mortality, was brought into the world. However, in this life, you and I will be judged based on what we do, not on what someone else does.

How can you know if this is true? In the scriptures, (Since I’m LDS, I’m including the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price) the word “pray” is used 415 times. The word “prayer” is used 183 times. The word “prayers” is used 81 times. The word “seek” is used 355 times.

I do not believe that Heavenly Father would be that emphatic on the concept of praying to Him, if He was unwilling, or unable to answer. I testify that He has heard and answered my prayers on many occasions. If you humbly ask, He will answer yours as well. If you’re real lucky, maybe He’ll send a couple of missionaries in your direction.

Dan Olsen

The Articles of Faith

In 1842, Mr. John Wentworth, the editor of the Chicago Democrat, wrote to Joseph Smith to request information about the church. The “Wentworth Letter,” as it came to be known, was written in response to this inquiry. The letter concisely described the early history of the church and finished with 13 basic articles of the church. These articles have since been called the Thirteen Articles of Faith.

It is these Articles of Faith that I choose to discuss now, as they will give the reader an insight into LDS views and beliefs.

Article # 1 – We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

Much of traditional Christianity gets their understanding of the Godhead from the Nicene Creed, and the later Athanasian Creed. The Nicene Creed was initially written in AD 325. Several leading bishops were gathered together by the decree of Constantine, the Roman Emperor. The council of Nicaea was called to settle disagreements of various doctrines. The Nicene Creed was a compromise, as the participants of the council could not all agree on the nature of God, and Jesus Christ.

To read the Nicene Creed go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed

In addition to the Nicene Creed, the concept of the Trinity came into existence about 500 A.D. according to Wikipedia probably in Gaul. The Athanasian Creed can be found here: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02033b.htm

For me personally, the creeds are confusing and difficult to understand. Part of the Athanasian Creed states: “The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Eternal and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible.”

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we believe that a boy named Joseph Smith read in the Bible:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

(New Testament James 1:5)

Afterwards, he stated,

12 Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
13 At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to "ask of God," concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

(Pearl of Great Price JS-History 1:12 - 13)

Subsequently, he retired to a grove of trees near his family’s farm and asked God, which of all the churches was true. In response, he received a glorious manifestation of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. From this experience he learned for himself that God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, His Son, were separate and distinct persons.

He had a similar experience to Stephen in the New Testament:

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

(New Testament Acts 7:55 - 56)

Other scriptures from the New Testament, that support the view that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct include:

13 ¶ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

(New Testament Matthew 3:13 - 17)

Here, we have all three members of the Godhead, the Father – whose voice was heard from heaven, the Son, who was in the water with John, and the Holy Ghost – who descended like a dove. Ventriloquism would’ve been required, if Jesus and His Father were the same entity.

While in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said:

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

(New Testament Matthew 26:39)

If He and the Father were the same person, then this request becomes illogical, doesn’t it?

One final passage, though many more could be used, as Jesus hung on the Cross he said:

34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…

(New Testament Luke 23:34)

It would stand to reason that if He were the Father, He would’ve said something like, “I forgive you because you know not what you do.” Instead, He asked His Father to forgive them.

And yet, there are passages in the scripture that suggest they are the same. How can this be, and how can I know what is right?

One example that could be confusing is:

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

(New Testament John 14:9)

Here Jesus intimates that if you have seen him, you have seen the Father. Confusing?

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

(Old Testament Genesis 1:26 - 27)

In this passage we learn that Adam was created in the image of God. On a side note, this passage in the Old Testament shows a plural concept to God, when it uses pronouns like “us” and “our.”

From modern revelation we learn:

26 And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so. And I, God, said: Let them have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.

(Pearl of Great Price Moses 2:26 - 27)

This shows that God, the Father, and His Only Begotten, Jesus, had the same image, as did Adam for that matter, i.e. they looked the same. To look at one was like looking at the other. In the citation of John 14:9, shown above, Jesus is telling Phillip, that if you’ve seen one of them, you know what they both look like.

One of the most enlightening passages of scripture on this subject can be found in the 17th Chapter of John. It is referred to as the Intercessory Prayer, where Christ is praying to His Father (a strange thing to do if He and His Father are the same person) on behalf of His apostles and disciples. In part it reads (emphasis added):

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

(New Testament John 17:11)

And:

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

(New Testament John 17:20 - 23)

Obviously, Jesus wasn’t asking that all of his disciples be turned into the same person. Rather, He asked that they be one, in the same sense that He and His Father are one. That is, one in purpose, one in thought, one in action, and one in righteousness.

The Godhead was not intended to be “Incomprehensible,” as Jesus said:

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

(New Testament John 17:3)

How can you learn if these things are true? Don’t believe them just because I wrote them, even though I seem to have tied together several different passages of scripture. Instead, follow the admonition of James 1:5, and go ask your loving Father in Heaven. If you ask sincerely, with real intent, the truth will be given to you.

I have put James’ challenge to the test for myself. I know that God lives, and that Jesus is the Christ.