The Man Called Joseph Smith

Photos From LDS Media Library

The name of Joseph Smith is known across the globe, far and wide.  Some connect this name with an inspirational prophet, and others with a wicked religious group.  And yet others have no opinion on the name, but have simply heard it.  Who is the man with the name known all around the world?

His fame started when he was still a teenager.  In his own words:  "It caused me serious reflection then, and often since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years of age ... should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day" (Joseph Smith-History 1:23).  It began with  when he prayed to the Lord to know which church he was to join.  He was a God-fearing boy that wanted to do what was right in the sight of God, and the first step was to join the pure religion of Christ.  However, he didn't know which religion contained the pure gospel, and so he prayed to find an answer.  In response to this boy's honest and sincere prayer, a vision appeared in front of him - God, the Father of heaven and earth, alongside His Son, Jesus Christ - descended to teach Joseph Smith concerning the true doctrine of the Lord.

The Calling of a Prophet

The First Vision

In biblical times it was typical for God to appear to his next prophet, calling them to their work.  And, as odd as it sounds, it is not unheard of boys being called to be prophets for the Lord, to guide his people.  Samuel, one of the most recognized prophets in the days of the Israelites, was called when a young child.  When the Lord's people lacked a leader to speak the divine word, a new prophet was called to the work.  Going back to the last known time prophets were called - when the Lord Jesus Christ personally lived on the earth - the New Testament teaches us that after the death of Christ, the rest of those that followed his teachings were persecuted, and eventually put to death as well.  Other religions sprouted back up, restoring the parts of the gospel that they could based off of tradition and scripture, but the pure gospel as taught by Christ was no longer available.  This was foretold by Christ and his apostles.  Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that "that day [when Christ comes a second time] shall not come, except there come a falling away first" (2 Thes. 2:3).

As in ancient times, to restore the lost truths, God needed to call a prophet to bring them back to light.  This he did when he visited Joseph Smith in 1820.  In answer to the young Smith's question - no church at that time contained the full gospel, because it was lost with the death of the ancient apostles, and Joseph was to be the prophet that restored the lost truths again to the world.

Prophetic Scripture
With the restoration of these truths came new scripture:  The Book of Mormon.  This is in accordance to the Lord's divine pattern.  What is the Bible, if not a collection of continual scripture written by prophets as ages passed?  Moses wrote four books of the Old Testament, and brought the Mosaic law from Sinai, then new scripture to the people.  We could go through the Bible and see all the prophets that have brought forth new scripture during their calling to lead the people - Isaiah recorded the most notable Messianic prophecies of any prophet, Jeremiah was writing new revelation approximately 600 B.C., thousands of years after Moses' original records, and so on.

Scripture brought forth by the prophets were most often direction from the Lord to the people of that time period.  The Mosaic law was given by God to the Israelites, to be followed until the birth of the Savior, who would present a higher law.  Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, and many others, received revelation from the Lord to the kings and rulers of their times, to guide the people through secular hardship.  When Joseph Smith restored the gospel in our time, the Lord had to reveal new direction specifically for our times.  Alongside the Book of Mormon - a spiritual guide for our lives - came the Doctrine and Covenants, which contains secular guidance.  Later came the Pearl of Great Price and other biblical writings, to further teach us spiritually.

Priesthood Authority
With the restoration of the gospel and God's word, must of necessity come the restoration of authority over spiritual matters - the Priesthood.  Since earliest days in the Old Testament we read of the priesthood.  The lesser, or Aaronic, priesthood was ordained upon Aaron the priest, and all his generations after him until the time of Christ.  This priesthood gave the priests authority to perform the outward ordinances of the church - baptism, sacrifices (later the Lord's supper taking place of sacrifices), among others.  The greater, or Melchizedek, priesthood was ordained upon the prophets, allowing them the authority from God to preside over spiritual matters - ordinations, blessings, healing, and other matters.

On May 15th of the year 1829, the man known as John the Baptist appeared in the presence of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, ordaining them to the Aaronic priesthood.  John was the last prophet of the Bible to fully exercise this authority, baptizing and preparing people for the coming of the Messiah, being the Elias who was prophesied to come at that time.  Therefore, it was through him that the priesthood was again ordained onto another prophet.  Sometime following the visit of John the Baptist came the visitation of Peter, James and John the Beloved - the three presiding apostles in the ancient church.  These three ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Melchizedek priesthood.  With these two priesthoods Joseph Smith had the authority to restore the gospel and organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I Believe...
Although I did not know the man called Joseph Smith, I have studied his words and deeds, and prayed concerning the Church he organized in 1830.  I believe with all my heart that this is the true church of God, containing the pure gospel of Jesus Christ, which, if we follow, we will return to live in the kingdom of heaven.

Faith is a Verb

Jesus Christ - Media Library

There are two parts to having faith in Jesus Christ - the first being to have "a firm belief that He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.  It means believing that He suffered for your sins and afflictions (Faith in Jesus Christ)."  When I hear most people talk about having faith this is the part they focus on.  However, there is a second part to it that is just as important:  to act on that belief.

Go, and Do

After giving the parable of the good Samaritan the Lord asked who was a true neighbor to the injured man.  The response he received was "He that showed mercy on him."  To this the Savior said, "Go, and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:37.)  Likewise we learn from James:

"Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:  shew me thy faith without works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works... Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" (James 2:17-18,22.)

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us many things during his mortal ministry:  Prayer, the sacrament, the Beatitudes, etc.  We also learn many things from him through the many revelations and teachings of prophets throughout the Old Testament and Book of Mormon, but we must not only know these things in our minds, but must know them in our hearts - we must act on them.  It is good to know how to pray, but it will do no good if we do not pray.  Understanding the sacrament, or Lord's Supper, is wonderful, but we must partake of it also.

Faith Taught By a Living Apostle

Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches:

"True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action.  The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that 'faith [is] the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness; and that it is also 'the principle of action in all intelligent beings' (Lectures on Faith).  Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in accordance with correct principles is a central component of faith." (Ask in Faith, April 2008 General Conference.)

Christ - The Perfect Example of Faith in Action

The Lord taught us again and again throughout his life that we must serve others.  James, of the New Testament and someone who was close to Christ, wrote that "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27.)

Never did Jesus turn away someone that came to him for help.  He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, cured leprosy and many other ailments.  He not only taught us how to serve, but he showed us how to do it.  He forgave those that did wrong against him or others, and then showed them how to be a righteous person.

And, in the final moments of his mortal life, he showed faith in his Father's Plan of Salvation by giving his life for us.  He not only taught the atonement, but he lived the atonement, for all of us.

It is important to know the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to have faith in the Lord, but to show our faith we must act on it.  For "we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23, emphasis added.)

Mormonism Teachings: Enduring to the End

*Photo from Wikimedia Commons*
by James Padgett

An oft said phrase in the teachings of Mormonism is this:  "Endure to the end."  This line can be found numerous times in the Standard Works of the Church.  The question asked in relation to this is - How does one endure to the end?

In an earlier post I have tried to answer this question using the example of Christ found in the book of Matthew (See Withstanding Temptations Through Christ).  I now come back to this topic using the example of Job, of the Old Testament.  The prophets of the scripture have all had their great trials and tribulations - Moses leading Israel; David fighting Goliath; Elijah with the prophets of Baal; etc. - but the man that impresses me the most with perseverance is Job.

Job, in the beginning of his record, had it all - land, house, workers, crop, animals, etc. - the scripture says that he "was the greatest of all the men of the east."  In addition to this he was also a man of great faith in Jesus Christ.  It is written "that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:3, 1 respectively)

There came a time in his life that he was greatly tempted of the devil to see whether or not he would still be a man of great faith.  At first his herds were taken, his servants were taken, and even all of his children were taken from him.  Job's reply to all of this was:  "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither:  the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)

Photo:
'Welcome' by Del Parson

The lesson I get out of his reply is that we are all born with nothing.  All things on the earth, and the earth itself, were created by the Lord, and anything we gain in this life is thanks to him.  We should thank the Lord for the things we have while we have them.  And when those things are no longer in our lives we can be glad we had them when we did, and know the Lord is still in charge.

After being tested with the things around him, and proving himself faithful, Job was tried again.  This time with physical ailments.  From head to foot he was covered in boils.  His reply to this one?  "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10)

His comment echoes a great truth:  Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  Life doesn't always go perfect, even if you are doing your best to be righteous and faithful.  Sometimes a challenge presents itself.  It is in those times that we must do our best to keep our faith strong in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In our challenging circumstances, let us remember these words of Job:  "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:  but I will maintain mine own ways before him.  He also shall be my salvation" (Job 13:15-16).

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Listen to Al Fox share her feelings on how and why we should press forward, enduring to the end with faith:

 

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If you have any questions concerning the teachings of Mormonism that are not explained here, ask the Mormon missionaries.  They will help answer any of your questions:

Missionary Chat | http://mormon.org/chat

What is Mormonism: Articles of Faith - Article #8

What is Mormonism? - Article of Faith #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.

The Bible
The Holy Bible is a marvelous book of holy writ.  Contained within its pages are many of the teachings, prophecies and revelations of the ancient prophets, and even those of Christ himself.  Four of the books are of the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Truly this is a sacred volume of scripture.

So why do we say it is the word of God only so far "as it is translated correctly"?  One must understand that the scrolls and documents and other manuscripts that are now recorded in the Bible are thousands of years old.  The New Testament took place approximately 2,000 years ago, and the Old Testament before that.  These books have been rewritten time and time again for centuries.  In addition, these scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek.  They have been translated numerous times before they have become what they are today, in our English.  As the Bible was translated more and more, some of the passages have been altered.

To learn more on this we can go the words of Nephi, an ancient prophet that was shown the history of the Bible.

"...Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record  and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.

"Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

"And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away."
- 1 Nephi 13:24-26 -

In summary, some passages have been lost to time, some have been removed by people, but the Holy Bible, if read and understood correctly, contains the word of God and is a book of holy scripture.


The Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ
The Book of Mormon does not have the same history that the Bible does.  It was not translated time and time again with time, but only once.  After the records now called the Book of Mormon were complete, the prophet Moroni hid them where they would not be disturbed until the Lord wanted them to be found.  That was approximately 420 A.D.  In the early nineteenth century the Lord sent again Moroni, now as a an angel, to guide Joseph Smith to the place he hid these records.

Just as the Bible is a record of ancient civilizations, and the spiritual teachings, prophecies and revelations, etc., so is the Book of Mormon.  The Bible is a record of the tribe of Judah and the Book of Mormon is a record of part of the tribes of Joseph.  The Bible in the Old World and the Book of Mormon in the New World.

Together these two canonized books of scripture contain the full gospel of Jesus Christ, and are the words of God.

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To learn more about Mormonism, visit here: http://mormontopics.org/eng/christ
More on Mormonism's belief of the Bible: http://www.squidoo.com/mormonisms-take-on-the-holy-bible
Ask any questions you have here: http://mormon.org/chat

Withstanding Temptation Through Christ

Today's Mormonism message comes from the recordings of St. Matthew.  When we need guidance what better place can we go for help than the scriptures?  And who could be a better teacher than Christ himself?  With that knowledge I'm going to use a story of Christ to explain how we can resist the devil's temptations (and therefore be closer to Christ).

As I typically do, first I'll share the story and then give my explanations and thoughts.

JST Matthew 4:1-11
1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be with God.
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and had communed with God, he was afterwards an hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil,
3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5. Then Jesus was taken up into the holy city, and the Spirit setteth him on the pinnacle of the temple.
6. Then the devil came unto him and said, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:  for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:  and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8. And again, Jesus was in the Spirit, and it taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And the devil came unto him again, and said, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:  for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11. Then the devil leaveth him...

In the beginning of this, before the Tempter even approached Christ, we read that Jesus was fasting and 'communed with God.'  This is one thing we can do to withstand temptation.

Joseph B. Wirthlin has said:
"Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful.  It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit.  It can strengthen us against time of temptation."

After fasting many days the devil approached Jesus, tempting him.  In reply Christ says, "It is written," and then goes on to quote scripture.  Scriptures are another tool we can use to withstand the devil's temptations.  In reading the scriptures we learn the stories of Christ, we learn the gospel, and most importantly we learn about our relationship with God.  And with this knowledge we are better prepared to face trials and temptations.

A family, in the July 2012 Liahona magazine, wrote the following:
"We read the scriptures and study the teachings of Jesus Christ with our parents every evening.  When we hear Church leaders speak in conference and quote stories from the scriptures, we recognize the teachings because we have studied them in our family.  We understand the importance of daily scripture study.  We know we are Heavenly Father's children, that He lives, and that He and Jesus Christ love us."

When we know that Jesus and Heavenly Father love us and we love them, then we are more likely to listen to God's will over the devil's.

The next time Satan approached Jesus Christ to tempt him, Jesus answered with, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."  Again Christ is showing his knowledge of the scriptures.  With a knowledge of the scriptures comes a knowledge of the commandments of God.  If we know God's commandments then we should already know for ourselves that following Satan's temptations is wrong.

The final time that the devil tempted Jesus the reply from the Savior was, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."  In addition to the scripture just quoted I'd like to add another one:

"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." (3 Nephi 13:24)

With these statements by the Savior we can learn a great truth in connection to withstanding temptation.  If we are serving Christ then we cannot be serving Satan.  We serve Christ by going to church, by showing charity, by doing temple work, etc.  When we are doing these things we are building stronger defenses against temptation.

And now a quick summary.  These are some things we can be doing to withstand the temptations of the adversary, as shown by Christ is his mortal ministry:

• Fasting
• Prayer
• Scripture Study
• Learning/Following the Commandments
• Follow Christ (Church participation, Temple work, etc.)

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As is always the case, if you have any questions you can ask the missionaries. (Click the picture below.)

LEGION: A Powerful Example of Christ's Healing Powers

The very center of Mormonism is Jesus Christ.  It is the Lord Jesus Christ that performed the Atonement that can cleanse all mankind from sins so that they can return to the presence of God.  Alma taught:  "...Have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness." (Alma 7:14.)

One of the greatest examples of Christ's cleansing power, and one of my personal favorite scripture stories, is that of the Legion.  I will now share the story, as recorded in the book of Mark, and then give my thoughts on it.

Mark 5
1. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3. Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4. Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces:  neither could any man tame him.
5. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him,
7. And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?  I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9. And he asked him, What is thy name?  And he answered, saying, My name is Legion:  for we are many.
10. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave.  And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine:  and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind:  and they were afraid.
16. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

The real significance of this passage of scripture makes itself known when one understands the Law of Moses.  This law is not practiced as widely as it was in Biblical times, but fortunately for us it was recorded by Moses in the Old Testament.

Christ and his apostles went to the land of the Gadarenes, a Gentile nation.  Up until Peter's vision on the rooftop (Acts 10) the Gentiles were unclean to the Jews.  The man they found lived in the tombs.  According to the Law of Moses, touching dead things was considered unclean (Leviticus 11:31-32).  This man was possessed by unclean devils.

The scripture attests that this man was always "crying, and cutting himself with stones."  It is possible that this man was so tormented with the legion of devils that he wanted to die (hence the cutting himself and living in the tombs).

It is not known how long this man was possessed by these devils, but eventually Jesus Christ showed up.  The Lord then cast out the devils from this man thoroughly considered unclean by the Jews.  As if to further prove his cleansing powers God then allows the legion to enter into a herd of swine.  Again the Law of Moses teaches that these animals are unclean (Leviticus 11:7).

In one final demonstration of cleansing, the swine run into the sea.  Water is a great symbol of cleanliness or becoming clean.  (Consider baptism by water.)

Christ Jesus is the master-healer.  Because of his infinite atonement there is no one that is too far out of his loving reach.  Just as Christ was able to clean this 'unclean' man from the devils, so can Christ heal us, through his atonement, heal us from our pains and sins.

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Any Questions?
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Back to the Basics: Prayer

At the moment I'd like to go back to the basics.  Not the basics of 'Mormonism' alone, but to the basics of all Christianity:  Prayer.  I do not know of a Christian religion that does not pray to God.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no different.

What is prayer?  For the answer I turn to 'Guide to the Scriptures' as published by the Church of Jesus Christ.  "A reverent communication with God during which a person gives thanks and asks for blessings."

One definition of 'reverence' is "deeply respectful."  If we think of prayer as a deeply respectful communication with God during which a person gives thanks and asks for blessings, then we can see that prayer is more than simple spoken words.  Prayer can be spoken or silent.  Quoting again the guide to the scriptures we read, "A person's thoughts may also be a prayer if they are directed to God."  God knows our thoughts (see Matthew 12:25, Luke 6:8, etc.) and therefore we can pray through thoughts.  The Book of Mormon teaches, "He commanded the multitude that they should cease to pray, and also his disciples.  And he commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts." (3 Nephi 20:1)

Why should we pray to God?  To answer this question I turn to the LDS Bible Dictionary.  "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part."

I love the record of St. Matthew because it shows this:

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
"Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
- Matthew 7:7-11 -

God is the father of our spirits.  He knows what we need and how to give it to us, we simply need to ask him in faith, as St. Matthew has written.  Before this life we lived with him as his children, and if we live according to his commandments we will live with him again after this life.  (Learn more about that here.)

I like to think of it this way - Do you remember going on a vacation for the first time without your parents?  Or you can even think of it as moving out of home for the first time.  Most people in these situations want to call their parents to talk with them, share the exciting times and get guidance.  Likewise, the parents await to hear from their kids in these circumstances to share with the child in their excitement and to offer their guidance.  Prayer is no different.  We are a long way from our spiritual father and he is willing to talk to us if we are willing to talk to him.  He will share in our excitement, misery, or pain.  He will give us guidance and counsel as needed.

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Back to the Beginning of 'Mormonism' - Prayer

When people hear the word 'Mormonism' they often think first of Joseph Smith.  That makes sense in a way, as Joseph Smith was the prophet that restored the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but we must remember how "Mormonism" started.  As a teenager Joseph, not of any church, wanted to know which church he was supposed to be a part of.  He found way to the answer through the words of the ancient apostle James:

"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.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
-James 1:5,6-

More times than not, after this scripture is read people tend to move on to how Joseph prayed to know the truth and then the other things that came about from the Lord through Joseph Smith.  But, unlike most people, I'd like to stop here and focus on this scripture itself.  There are two verses, so lets take one at a time.

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James 1:5
"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."

In his mortal life Christ told us more than once to "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9).  The Lord does not want us to live in ignorance.  When we are in need of wisdom or guidance or any other assistance he would that we ask God.  James is plainly telling us here that we can pray to God for answers and will receive them.  Some have said something similar to:  "This was written two-thousand years ago and does not apply anymore."  To reply to this I go to the words of Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews.  Paul writes:

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
-Hebrews 13:8-

If Christ could do it in the past, he can do it in the present.  If he can do it in the present, he will be able to do it in the future.  That is what Paul is trying to teach here.  And so, applying this to James' scripture we know that God can answer any prayer, liberally and without upbraiding (reproach), just as he has done in the past, and just as he will in the future.

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James 1:6
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

To gain the needed wisdom mentioned in the previous verse we need to ask with faith that we will receive our answer.  But how does a person receive the faith necessary to do this?  This is a common question, and a good one.  I will answer this, in part, using words from the Book of Mormon.  Alma and Amulek, two prophets of the Book of Mormon, tried to teach this very same thing.  Here is a portion of their words:

"Now, as I said concerning faith - that it was not a perfect knowledge - even so it is with my words.  Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.  But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."
-Alma 32:26,27-

No one is expected to have perfect faith to begin with.  As Alma spoke, "even if ye can no more than desire to believe" then work with that.  He goes on to compare faith to a seed, something that Christ has done in the New Testament.  Faith is very similar to a seed.  Begin with a desire and work with that.  As you gain a testimony from that desire, as small as it may be, you then have something bigger to work with.  And as the seed of faith grows your ability to work with faith grows, until you can do what James has written:  "ask in faith, nothing wavering."

Summing it all up, we can see that God will answer our prayers and give us the needed guidance and wisdom, so long as we ask in faith.

"Let Brotherly Love Continue"

Today, rather than writing as I normally do, I'd like to share my favorite biblical scripture and then expound upon it.  I may use additional scriptures from the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenant or Pearl of Great Price.  I may expound upon some Mormonism teachings or I may simply share personal thoughts.

My favorite scripture in the Holy Bible is found in the book of Hebrews, chapter thirteen and verse one:
"Let brotherly love continue."

Whenever I hear or speak these words what comes to mind is the question a certain lawyer in the Meridian of Time asked Jesus Christ.  This experience can be found in the record of St. Matthew, chapter 22 verses 35-40:
"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment."

Why is the greatest commandment to love the Lord?  Why does this take precedence above all other commands?  I have spent much though on this and can give my best guess.  We are told to love the Lord with "all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."  This is not saying, "Think of God every Sunday," or, "Pray to the Lord when you feel like it."  If a person loves God as that scripture says to, then that person would not want to do anything to disappoint God.  Loving someone with all our souls is a love that would do anything for them.  We would never intentionally hurt someone we love that much.

If we love the Lord our God with all our hearts and soul and mind, then we will, as just mentioned, we will do our best to not disappoint or hurt the Lord.  This may lead us to ask, "What would hurt the Lord?"  I think this is a simple question to answer.  When the children of Israel were led out of Egyptian bondage they were given commandments that he wanted them to follow.  I'd imagine when the Israelites followed these commandments the Lord was very pleased.  And when they did not follow these commandments I think the Lord was hurt by it.  What were these commandments?  Exodus chapter twenty reveals the answer:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honour thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet.

These ten things are what the Lord asked the children of Israel to follow, now referred to as the Ten Commandments.  Taken one at a time, or all together, these are all things that any person who loves the Lord with all their hearts, souls and mind would do without needing to be asked.

If we love the Lord completely and thoroughly will we need or even want to worship another god?  Especially a man-made one. If we do not want to worship another god would we bother making a graven image?  If we do not want another god then we do not want a graven image of one.  What comes next is vainly using the Lord's name.  If we love God with all our hearts would we not treat his name with reverence?  The Sabbath day, often called the Lord's day, is just that.  Following the previous three commandments and moved with love towards him, we would want to have a day set apart for worship, to stay away from the worldly things.

The remaining commandments do not seemingly have to do with God as the previous ones do, but when looked at closer we can see that they do as well.  Going back to the lawyer and Christ we read next in the record:
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

What does this second commandment have to do with the first?  Why do all the law and the prophets hang upon it?  And what does it have to do with the remaining ten commandments?  Just as we would do our best to help out and refrain from hurting the Lord when we have a deep love for him, so we would treat our neighbors should we hold the same love for them.  This is doubly so when we know that all people are God's children and therefore we should respect them as we would respect Him.

And now we get to the remaining commandments, with that knowledge in mind.  Honor thy father and thy mother.  Parents should be given proper respect by their children.  With some unfortunate exceptions, parents have the wisdom that only comes with age and experience.  A mother or father that love the Lord will raise their children to do so.

Next comes the command to not kill.  I personally take this to mean someone should not kill anyone, including themselves   All people are the children of God, as mentioned before.  And all people have great potential.  No man or woman should have the right to take away the life from another man or woman.  "This life," as Alma teaches in the Book of Mormon, "is the time for men to prepare to meet God" (Alma 34:32).  When a person is taken early from this preparatory life they lose that time.

God commands next to keep from committing adultery.  In the Sermon on the Mount Christ expands on this by saying, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)  Thoughts lead to actions and so our thoughts must be pure as well as our actions.  But if we love God, and love his children, we would show proper respect towards them, and not do these things with them.

The next two are quite similar:  Theft and false witness.  Theft, robbery, cheating, lying, stealing, plundering and robbery, as well as many other things, can all fall under these two great commandments.  Just a couple days ago I came across the following quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Every man takes care that his neighbor shall not cheat him.  But a day comes he begins to care that he does not cheat his neighbor.  Then all goes well."
When we show this Christ-like love towards our neighbors we will then not want to rob or lie to them, and when they see that we do not want to do such things to them they will likely not want to do such things back to us.  "Then all goes well."

We come finally to the tenth commandment:  Thou shalt not covet.  Most people now days would use the word 'jealousy' to explain this commandment.  Refrain from jealousy.  Becoming jealous of another person's possessions leads to thoughts of wanting to obtain those possessions, which then leads to the previous commandments.

How did all of this start?  I go back to the very beginning of this page, to my favorite Bible scripture:  Let brotherly love continue.  Only four words.

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Read also:
- Short Scriptures Have Great Power

If you'd like to know more about Mormonism, the Ten Commandments, the Holy Bible, or any other gospel topic, talk to a missionary about one:
Ask Someone Here

A Joyful Lesson From Alma Jr. - Mormonism Teaches Repentance

For the past little while I have shared some posts relating to Mormonism.  In brief, 'Mormonism' is a word some people use when talking about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or what the Church believes.  This particular post is on the topics of repentance and atonement.

"Repentance," as defined as LDS.org, "is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness.  It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings.  It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world."  Repentance, in short, is the process to change.  Big or small, whatever the sin, repentance is a gift to become a happier person.

The atonement is what makes this all possible.  Again using definitions from LDS.org, the atonement "to atone is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God.  Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind.  Because of His Atonement, all people will be resurrected, and those who obey His gospel will receive the gift of eternal life."

Due to the effects of the Fall of Adam, all people would fall short of the Celestial Kingdom without some sort of atonement to redeem them from this fall.  That is what the atonement does.  Christ has paid the atonement for mankind to rise above this fall, on condition that they follow him.  If they do so they will return to the kingdom of God.  (This is talked about in more detail in my previous post, here.)  But everyone makes mistakes, and repentance is the process to get past these mistakes.

The scriptures contain countless examples of repentance.  In the Bible there can be seen the conversion of the great missionary Paul, before named Saul.  But the example I wish to use is from the Book of Mormon.  This is the story of Alma Jr.  Alma, much like Saul of Tarsus, went around persecuting those that believed in Christ.  This is his story, as he himself told it to his son Helaman, found in Alma chapter 36:

6.  For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.
7.  And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
8.  But behold, the voice said unto me:  Arise.  And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.
9.  And he said unto me:  If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.
10.  And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
11.  And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words - If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God - I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12.  But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13.  Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
14.  Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God di rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15.  Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
16.  And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
17.  And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
18.  Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart:  O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19.  And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20.  And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
21.  Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains.  Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
- Alma 36:6-21 -

When people follow the steps of repentance it is rarely through such a dramatic way as it was for Alma.  But the end result can always be the same:  Our "souls [can be] filled with joy as exceeding as was [our] pain!"

If you have questions on repentance or the atonement, you can ask someone here and they will be happy to answer your questions.

Mormonism: The First Presidency

The First Presidency is the name given to the highest governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This governing body is made up of three apostles.  And so one must ask what an apostle is.  The dictionary's definition of 'apostle' is "any of the early followers of Jesus who carried the Christian message into the world."  But how does Mormonism define an apostle?  LDS.org defines it as follows:

"An 'apostle' is an ordained leader in the Melchizedek Priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Apostles are chosen through inspiration by the President of the Church, sustained by the general membership of the Church, and ordained by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the laying on of hands.  In addition to serving as witnesses of Jesus Christ to all the world, as Jesus' apostles did, members of the current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles hold the keys of the priesthood - that is, the rights of presidency."

When Christ lived on earth he chose twelve of his followers to be apostles.  These twelve helped watch over the disciples and teach them the gospel.  When the Lord visited those in the Western Hemisphere after his resurrection he did the same thing, choosing twelve to be apostles to watch over the church with the prophet.  And again, in the 19th century, when Christ was restoring his church on the earth he chose those to lead it.

In this dispensation fifteen apostles are chosen to watch over the church.  The senior apostle, the one who has served the longest in the calling of apostle, is also prophet of the church.  Of the remaining apostles that prophet chooses two counselors.  These three make the First Presidency.  The twelve remaining apostles make up what is called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

During the year 2008 the previous prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away and the next senior apostle took his place as prophet.  That apostle was Thomas S. Monson, having served as apostle since 1963.  His counselors are Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Here is a video with pictures of the First Presidencies, past and present, from Joseph Smith through Thomas S. Monson.  The video, titled "Mormonism:  The First Presidency," plays the song "We Thank Thee, O God, For A Prophet," as played by Spencer Mangum.  Music is used with permission.



For a little additional fun, I have created a couple quizzes on these first presidencies.  When you have watched the video enough and think you know who all the prophets are, follow the link below and take the prophet quizzes.

Name That Prophet!

The second Mormonism quiz on the presidency I created is much tougher.  This set of quizzes asks about the counselors to the prophets.  If you think you know the counselors over the years then follow the link below and see how much you know.

Mormonism Pop Quiz - The First Presidency

McConkie on Life's Purpose

While reading Andrew C. Skinner's "Third Nephi - The Fifth Gospel," I came across the following quote by Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

"Viewed from our mortal position, the gospel is all that is required to take us back to the Eternal Presence, there to be crowned with glory and honor, immortality and eternal life.  To gain these greatest of all rewards, two things are required.  The first is the atonement by which all men are raised in immortality, with those who believe and obey ascending also unto eternal life.  This atoning sacrifice was the work of our Blessed Lord, and he has done his work.  The second requisite is obedience on our part to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.  Thus the gospel is, in effect, the atonement."

What I believe he is saying is that the entire purpose of life is the gospel of Jesus Christ, which can be toned down to two parts:  The atonement and our obedience.  The atonement was Christ's role to play, and he did so,  In Gethsemane he atoned for our sins, on Golgotha he died, and in the sepulcher he was resurrected.

That leaves the second part, for us to obey the commandments of God.  In order to obey them though, we must know what they are.  Often I think when we hear the word "commandments" we think of the ten commandments as set forth by the Law of Moses:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3; Mosiah 12:35)

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. (Exodus 20:4; Mosiah 12:36)

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7; Mosiah 13:15)

4.Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:8; Mosiah 13:16)

5. Honour thy father and thy mother. (Exodus 20:12; Mosiah 13:20; Matthew 19:19)

6. Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13; Mosiah 13:21; Matthew 19:18)

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14; Mosiah 13:22; Matthew 19:18)

8. Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15; Mosiah 13:22; Matthew 19:18)

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness. (Exodus 20:16; Mosiah 13:23; Matthew 19:18)

10. Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 20:17; Mosiah 13:24)

When Christ came to live out his mortal ministry on earth he brought with him the higher law, one to replace the fulfilled Law of Moses.  This higher law was given during the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon includes the Be-attitudes, and greater commandments.  This sermon can be found in the New Testament's book of Matthew chapter 5.  It is by following these commandments set forth here by the Savior that we may inherit the rewards of immortality and eternal life talked about by Elder McConkie.

Learn More:
Click the link below to read more about the Atonement:
https://ourpurposeinlife.wordpress.com/why-were-here/atonement/
Click the link below to read what more people have to say on the purpose of life:
http://mormon.org/faq/purpose-of-life/

Hosanna Shout - Reflecting Words of Thomas S. Monson

Because of the upcoming dedication of the Brigham City, Utah temple I have been doing some reading on the topic.  In the April session of General Conference in 2009, Thomas S. Monson made the following remark:

"In the near future we will be dedicating the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, and then in the coming months and years there will be many more dedications.  We look forward to these occasions.  There is something about a temple dedication which prompts a reevaluation of one's own performance and a sincere desire to do even better."

What is it about a temple dedication that prompts one to reevaluate and with to do even better?  I feel it has much to do with the Hosanna Shout.  And to help those that have not been a part of a Hosanna Shout understand it, I will explain the roots of that practice.  The roots of the Hosanna Shout can be found in the Holy Bible.  In the book of Matthew chapter 21 we find the following:

"And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
"Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her:  loose them, and bring them unto me.
"And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them...
"And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
"And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
"And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
"And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:  Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
"And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
"And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
"And Jesus went into the temple of God..."
- Matthew 21:1-12 -

The word "Hosanna" means "Save us now," or "God save us."  At the time of Jesus the Jews were in bondage to the Romans.  In the city of Jerusalem could be found a Roman government building of sorts where they ruled over the Jews.  When Jesus began his journey into the city the people came to greet him as their Savior from the Roman rule.  They, in a red-carpet kind of way, laid out their garments and waved palm leaves shouting Hosanna, that is to say, "God save us from the Romans!"

The Lord, Jesus Christ, did a couple significant, often overlooked, things at this time.  If he was truly going to go to war and save the Jews from the Romans he would have rode into the city on a horse.  But it says in the scripture that he was riding a colt, which was then a sign of peace.  He did not wish to make war with the Roman government.  Secondly, when he entered into the city, rather than going to the Roman government he turned and went to the temple.  I feel that by doing this while they were shouting "Save us" he was pointing out to them that he was not there to save them from a government rule, but from the bondage of sin.  He was saving them, but not as they expected it.

His first actions after that momentous entrance into the city was to cleanse the temple of traders and thieves, and then to heal the sick.  By so doing he was teaching these people the importance of the temple.  The temple is to be a holy place where people go to fulfill ordinances that save them from the bondage of sin and be healed (coupled with the power of the Atonement that Christ would soon perform).

These scriptures emphasize, in part, why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds such revered feelings towards temples.  It is a place where people can go to be closer to God and Salvation through the Savior.  And as we strive to be closer to God at the temple, and by following the example set by Christ, we are prompted to make a reevaluation of our own performance and obtain a sincere desire to do even better.

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If you have any questions about the temple or Thomas S. Monson you can ask a missionary.  They will do their best to answer any questions.  Missionary Chat Here

In The World, But Not of The World

There is a popular phrase among the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that goes, "In the world, but not of the world."  This short line holds two important ideas.  The first being that we live in the world, and the second being that we try to not be of the world.  The popular phrase comes from the scripture in the Bible that says, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17:16).  I want to take this simple line and separate it into its two parts.  And after talking about each part I'll talk about why they are important together.

In The World...
To explain why we must be in this world, must be born at all, we would need to explain the very purpose of life on earth.  To briefly share it, when we were in heaven, before life on earth, we were only spirits.  Our God was the only one with a physical body, all of us only had a spirit.  God proposed a way for us to obtain a body as well as a spirit, which plan is called the Plan of Salvation.  God's plan was for us to come to this earth and live with a physical body, proving we can overcome the temptation that come with these bodies, and make it back to his presence.  If we do so, following His commandments to the best of our abilities, we are then granted Eternal Life, or Salvation.  But a body was needed, otherwise we are incomplete, only a spirit.  This was taught by Joseph Smith when he said, "No person can have this salvation except through a tabernacle" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 306).

(To read more on the Plan of Salvation, visit OurPurposeInLife.wordpress.com)

...But Not of the World
When Christ or a prophet or an apostle speak of not being of the world they are often referring to moral standards.  Gordon B. Hinckley, former prophet of the Church, has shared the following passage on this topic:

"They live at a time when a great tide of evil is washing over the earth.  It seems to be everywhere.  Old standards are discarded.  Principles of virtue and integrity are cast aside.  But we find literally hundreds of thousands of our young people holding to the high standards of the gospel" (The Church Grows Stronger, April 2004 General Conference).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has published a pamphlet with the name, "For the Strength of Youth."  This pamphlet contains 19 sections, each focusing on one standard or area (i.e. Honesty, Music, Language, etc).  These are not all the standards that are talked about inside the Church or world, but they are some of them.  At the same time that members of the Church hold to these standards, those that are of the world are lowering these standards.  Lying, cheating, stealing, promiscuous activity and many other things have been increasing world-wide.  While this is going on, the Church teaches being not of the world, meaning we need to stick to the higher standards.

The Importance of the Two Together
I go to the Bible and Book of Mormon to help explain the importance of these two phrases together.

"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16; see also 3 Nephi 12:14-16).

I will explain it a little backwards now.  We must not be of the world, not lower ourselves to the standards of the world, so that we may have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  And we must be in the world, with that Holy Ghost, so that we can be a light and example unto those that do not have this Holy Ghost that may want it through us.  Earlier I quoted President Hinckley, and now I finish that passage with, "They are improving their minds with education and their skills with discipline, and their influence for good is felt ever more widely" (The Church Grows Stronger, emphasis added).  With the light of Christ in our lives we can spread the happiness of the gospel.

Short Scriptures Have Great Power

I wish to expound upon one small verse found in the Book of Mormon.  The verse reads as follows:

"And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chemish" (Omni 1:8).

When I was in seminary my teacher thought this was one of the most pointless verses in the book.  For a while I agreed with him on the matter, but after a couple years I began thinking about this.  There are some famous short verses found in the scriptures that are not often considered pointless though short.  I wish to comment on a couple of these.

First example is, "Jesus wept," (John 11:35).  This verse is the absolute shortest verse in all of the Standard Works and is full of important meaning.  Jesus wept.  What does that tell us about Jesus Christ?  I have before written something on this matter:
'While reading the [scriptures] I have come to realize something.  Christ, as far as emotions are concerned, is quite similar to us.  I understand he is a perfect being and all, but the scriptures say, "the wrath of the Lord," and, "he wept, and the multitude bear record of it," and, "I, the Lord, am well pleased."'
The Lord, like us has emotions and feelings.  He can laugh or cry or be angry.  That is a characteristic of Christ that I feel is important to understand.

My second example is Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife."  Not only is this verse an important one to understand, but it is so important that an apostle, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, gave an hour long devotional dedicated to this.  Why do we need to remember Lot's wife?  In the words of Elder Holland, as no one can say better, "Apparently what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t just looking back; in her heart she wanted to go back."  We need to remember that hope is in the future.  With faith and hope in the Lord we must move forward and not look back.

I'd suggest listening to this talk by Elder Holland.  To watch the video of his talk, click here.  To read the text of his talk, click here.

And now we get back to the verse I want to focus on.  "And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chemish."  Mormon, the man who abridged the plates and put this verse in there, had to of had a reason to do so.  As was written many times, the plates were small, and everything on the plates had to have some significance.  So why this seemingly pointless verse about who has the plates?  The answer can actually be found in the Book of Mormon.  I will give some scriptural references.

1 Nephi 3:12 - "And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father."

Jarom 1:1 - "Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept."

2 Nephi 3:4 - "For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt."

Mormon 1:5 - "And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father's name was Mormon) I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me."

Alma 10:2-3 - "I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was that same Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God.  And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren."

And so now we can answer just what it is that Amaron, son of Omni, son of Jarom, son of Enos, son of Jacob, brother of Nephi, son of Lehi, was getting at when he said he was handing the plates to his brother Chemish.  It all comes down to genealogy!  This was important to these people.  Nephi writes that his father was desirous for the genealogy in the brass plates.  Jarom writes that it was a commandments handed down to record the genealogy.  Amulek was able to trace his genealogy all the way back to Lehi, who could that trace it back to Joseph of Egypt.  Zarahemla, not listed above, had his genealogy memorized back to the time they left the tower of Babel.

Jacob wrote, "I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates."  They literally had to engrave their words into the metal plates.  This took time and effort, meaning everything they wrote down had to be of utmost importance to them.  Considering how many prophets in the Book of Mormon wrote of their genealogy emphasizes the importance of it.  Why is this so important?  Jacob continues his words by saying, "Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents" (Jacob 4:1-3).

Genealogy bring joy to the younger generations.  Knowing who you are and where you come from is always something people strive for.  It was important to these prophets because the generations after them would then know who they are, where they are from, what their 'first parents' were like.  Knowing who you are is important.  Consider genealogy when reading this quote my Thomas S. Monson:

"Some are young people who don't know who they are, what they can be or even want to be.  They are afraid, but they don't know of what.  They are angry, but they don't know at whom.  They are rejected and they don't know why.  All they want is to be somebody" (Pathways To Perfection).

This, I feel, is much like what Jacob was saying.  He wrote his genealogy, and commanded his posterity to do the same, so that they would know who they are.  When they know who they are they then know who they can become and what they can do.

Going back to the joy of knowing your genealogy, it was touched upon in an interview by Larry King on CNN with President Gordon B. Hinckley, in 2004.  Here is an excerpt from that interview:

KING: One of the things that the Mormon Church is famous for worldwide is its expertise in genealogy - it may be the number one - looking back and telling people where they came from and why.
And tonight before we went on, President Hinckley presented me with - I can't believe this - the genealogy of my own family. The arrival of my mother and my father at Ellis Island in 1907 and 1923. The papers they filled out at Ellis Island.
How do you do this?
HINCKLEY: Well, we have a ...
KING: I'm so honored by it. I can't tell you what this means to me.
HINCKLEY: We have a tremendous family history resource, perhaps the greatest in the world in many respects. And we have some very dedicated and very able people.
And sometime ago, they went to work on your genealogy. And when they heard that we were going to be on this show, they finished it off in a hurry and brought to me, so that I can make a presentation to you.
And I'm pleased and happy to do so.
KING: I'm pleased and honored to accept it.

To read the full transcript click here.

Larry King was presented with his genealogy, both from his mother and father's side.  This brought joy to him to have this information on his parents and other predecessors.

So now, in closing this thought, I want to go back to the original verse that started it all.  "And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chemish."  This short verse is most wonderful.  Like all the other great and famous verses in the scriptures, this one was put there for a reason.

Baptism Explained

Baptism is the first saving ordinance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Ordinances, as defined by LDS.org, are "sacred rites and ceremonies.  Ordinances consist of acts that have spiritual meanings.  Ordinances can also mean God's laws and statutes."  A saving ordinance is an ordinance of the gospel required to return to the Celestial Kingdom, or the Kingdom or God.  Christ taught this truth to Nicodemus, of the Pharisees.  Record of this can be found in John chapter 3.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
"Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
"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."
- John 3:3-5 -

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit.  What exactly does this mean?  Joseph Smith clarifies by saying, "Baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception of the Holy Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be administered. (History of the Church 3:379)

Baptism is a symbolism of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The water represents the grave.  We, when baptized, are submerged under the water representing death, and are brought back out just as Christ was resurrected and brought back to life.  In this way we are born of water.  We are born of the Spirit when we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  This is different than the gift of the Holy Ghost, which we receive after baptism.  Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost means we are now able to have the companionship of the Spirit, so long as we live according to the commandments of God.  Joseph Smith taught, "Baptism is a covenant with God that we will do his will" (Discourses, 273).  We are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and when we live righteously we obtain the companionship of the Holy Ghost, meaning we have the Spirit with us.  In this way we are born of the Spirit.

Just how important is the ordinance of baptism?  For this we can look to the life of Christ.  Jesus, as mentioned earlier, taught that no one can be admitted to the Kingdom of God without this ordinance, and not even he, a perfect person, was excluded from this.  The Gospels record that the Savior was baptized by John the baptist in the Jordan River.  Through his example we know that no one is exempt from this ordinance.

This is further understood by the many references and sermons given about baptism in holy scripture.  The book of Acts reads:

"Now when they heard this, thy were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
- Acts 2:37-38 -

In the book of Moses, of the Pearl of Great Price, we learn that even Adam, the first man, was baptized.

"And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
"And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit."
- Moses 6:64-68 -

This has been practiced since the days of our first parents.  And now, having learned of the importance of the ordinance, must understand how it is performed.  Is the person supposed to be completely buried in the water, or is it more of a sprinkling on the head?  Or is it something between these two?  Again we can look to the scriptures for the answer.  Written in the Book of Mormon is the following:

"And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.
"And again, Alma took another, and went forth a second time into the water, and baptized him according to the first, only he did not bury himself again in the water."
- Mosiah 18:14-15 -

So why is it that we must be buried by submersion?  I have touched upon this earlier when talking about the symbolism of baptism to the death and resurrection of Christ.  Now let's read the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"The word baptize is derived from the Greek verb 'baptiso,' and means to immerse or overwhelm, and that sprinkle is from the Greek verb 'rantiso,' and means to scatter on by particles" (Discourses, 92-93).

Baptism, the word itself, means to immerse and anything other than to fully immerse in water does not follow under the word "baptism."  One is fully immersed in the water, representing a burial in the grave, and is then brought out of the water, as a spiritual re-birth, representing the resurrection.

Now understanding the importance and process of baptism we must ask - When is someone supposed to be baptized?  This doctrine is taught in many ways in our world today, but what is the correct answer?  Like before, the scriptures hold the answers to even this question.  But first let's return to the words of Joseph smith, "Baptism is a covenant with God that we will do his will."  To covenant with God to follow his commandments we must first know his commandments and be in a state of understanding them.  There are people that are in a state of innocence, not fully knowing good from evil yet.  And who are these people?  Children.

Let's read the words of Christ to Mormon:

"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God.  Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them;"
- Moroni 8:8 -

Young children are still learning and are not at an age of accountability.  What is the age of accountability?  "And I will establish a covenant with thee," God told Moses, "that thou mayest know for ever that children are not accountable before me until they are eight years old" (JST Genesis 17:11).  Thus we learn that a person need not be baptized until at least eight years old.  That is the age of accountability.  This does not mean that a person needs to be baptized right when they turn eight, but that is the time when this ordinance is now available to them.  At any age from this point on, so long as the person understands the commandments of God and seeks to follow them they can be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

And what of those children who die before they turn eight and have the opportunity to be baptized?  Again the Prophet answers, "All children are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the moment they leave this world they are taken to the bosom of Abraham" (Discourses, 273).  Through the Atonement of Christ they are saved.

We now approach the final topic of baptism:  Baptism for the dead.  From the apostle Peter we hear that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34).  If this be the case then there must be a way for every person to receive the saving ordinances.  As was just said, some children die before the age of accountability and therefore do not receive the ordinance of baptism.  There are also those who died without the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ or the knowledge of baptism.  If God is no respecter of persons then there must be a way provided for all of these people to receive this ordinance as well.  The way provided is what is known as baptism for the dead.

This baptism for deceased members of mankind is not a new doctrine.  We can find teachings of it in the Holy Bible.  Consider the words found in 1 Corinthians:

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?  Why are they then baptized for the dead?"
- 1 Corinthians 15:29 -

This practice is done today by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  A member of the Church, by one with the Priesthood, is baptized, as a proxy, for a deceased person.  "By performing proxy baptisms in behalf of those who have died," we read on LDS.org, "Church members offer these blessings to deceased ancestors.  Individuals can then choose to accept or reject what has been done in their behalf."

The last part of that quote is important, so let's go over it again.  "Individuals can then choose to accept or reject what has been done on their behalf."  We understand from this that simply because a proxy has been baptized for them on the earth, the people, now in the Spirit World, are not automatically made a member of the Church.  It is still their choice, as it is in life on earth, to follow the commandments of God and accept the ordinance done for them.  Through this practice of baptizing for dead ancestors, all people of the human race are offered the chance to be born again by water and the Spirit and receive the saving ordinance of baptism.