Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that provides us an opportunity to express gratitude to God, our families, our friends, and our employers for the many blessings we have.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all blessings come from God. It is important to acknowledge God's hand in all aspects of our lives. In fact, expressing gratitude is a commandment from God. "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things." Doctrine and Covenants 59:7. For those who are thankful, the Lord has promised "[H]e who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious." Doctrine and Covenants 78:19.

All of us should make an effort to pray to God and thank Him for the blessings in our lives. We should also extend thanksgiving not only to those we love but also to those who have treated us unkindly. By blessing our enemies and doing good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us, we will become "the children of [our] Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:43-45.

The Purpose of Life

All of us, at one point or another, are likely to ask questions like, "Where did I come from?", "Why am I here?", and "Where am I going after this life?" Such soul-searching questions often arise during those quiet moments of pondering when we are trying to step back and determine what we are supposed to be doing with our lives.

As the restored gospel of Jesus Christ again on the Earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS Church") teaches that God has a plan for us, His children, to return and live with Him again after this life. The blessing of living with God again depends on our obedience to His commandments while in this life. In a short space, I will do my best to explain the purpose of life as taught by the holy scriptures and God's modern-day prophets and apostles, the leaders of the LDS Church.

Pre-Mortal Life
Before we were born on this Earth, we lived with God as His spirit sons and daughters (Acts 17:16-34). He loved us and taught us. He wanted us to become like Him. However, we were different from Him in two ways: we lacked a body and we lacked experience. In order for us to obtain these two vital things, He devised a plan for us to be born on Earth, gain bodies, gain experience, die, and return to live with Him again (Moses 1:39). This plan is called the Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Salvation. He would give us commandments to live by, which would be a roadmap t0 happiness and peace. God knew that we would be imperfect and that we would make many mistakes. These mistakes, or sins, make us unworthy and unclean because they are contrary to God's will and commandments. This is called spiritual death because it separates us from God. He also knew that we could not return to live with Him in an imperfect and unclean state. So, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins. Jesus would pay the price of all our sins; He would suffer on our behalf so that if we repented, had faith in Him, and kept the commandments, we could return and live with God again.

Mortal Life
This is where we are now. Life is essentially a test (Abraham 3:24-25). God provides us with prophets (i.e., Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc.) who teach us how we should live and how to return with God. It is our duty to learn these commandments and obey them. When we follow the commandments, we are happy. Unfortunately, many temptations try to lead us astray. These temptations may provide fleeting pleasure or worldly power, but ultimately lead to sadness. We are constantly tempted to act carnally, violently, and foolishly. Our mortal experience is designed for us to learn wisdom by learning truth and obeying God's commandments through loving God and our fellow men. We should repent constantly of our weaknesses and sins and rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ to save us from our transgressions. At the end of mortal life, we all die. We cannot overcome this physical death by ourselves, just as we could not overcome spiritual death without Jesus' atonement.

After This Life
When we die, we return to God. We will await the resurrection of all men and women, when each of our bodies will be reunited with our spirits. Because of Jesus Christ's resurrection, we will all be resurrected. We will then be immortal and live forever. We will be judged of our works, words, and thoughts in the great judgment. God knows each of us individually, and will judge us individually. He knows our trials, temptations, and limitations. He has promised that He will judge us mercifully if we judge others mercifully during our mortal lives. After the judgment, we will be assigned to one of three kingdoms of glory; the Celestial Kingdom (where we will live with God and become like Him), the Terrestrial Kingdom, or the Telestial Kingdom. The glory of each of these kingdoms is as the glory of the sun, moon, and stars (1 Corinth. 15:40-42).

Summary of the Plan of Happiness
We lived with God before we were born. We were sent to Earth to gain bodies and gain experience through living mortal lives. However, we all sin which separates us from God (spiritual death) and we all die (physical death). To overcome both deaths, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins and to be resurrected. All of us will someday be resurrected which is a free gift from Christ, but not all of us will repent of our sins. That is a choice we must make individually. After this life, we will return to God to be judged. We are then assigned a kingdom of glory where we will live forever.

To learn more about the Plan of Happiness, click here. In fact, www.mormon.org is an excellent resource for all those with questions about LDS Church teachings, the purpose of life, and how to find peace and happiness.

Author's Note: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not have a monopoly on truth. Many readers will discover that the truth about the purpose of life as taught by the LDS Church includes many teachings from their own churches. That is because God, in His mercy, has blessed many individuals and peoples with portions of the truth to bring them joy and happiness. To each of you, the LDS Church extends the invitation to bring all that you have that is good and true, and see if the Church can add to it. The fullness of the truth regarding the purpose of life can be found only in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Church and Polygamy

Recently, a colleague at work asked about the Church and polygamy. What is the LDS Church's stance on plural marriage? It is a valid question that deserves a thoughtful answer.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in 1830 in western New York. Because of persecution, members of the Church ("Saints" or "Mormons") were forced to settle in Ohio, then Missouri, and finally in Illinois. During this difficult time, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation from the Lord commanding some of the Saints to practice plural marriage. Following the Prophet's assassination in 1844 in Carthage, Illinois, the Saints continued practicing polygamy as they moved west to Utah with Brigham Young as the next president of the Church. It was an extremely difficult commandment to follow for the Saints, and one that was a significant trial of faith. It required constant personal revelation and divine help from the Lord.

Plural marriage was continued in the Church until 1890 when the President of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, announced the end of the practice. Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman. Anyone advocating or living a different standard is excommunicated from the Church.

Many ask why the Lord commanded the early Saints to engage in plural marriage. One reason given by the Lord for plural marriage is mentioned in the Book of Mormon: “If I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall [have only one wife]” (Jacob 2:30; see also v. 27). Like Abraham, Jacob, and other servants of God in the Bible, early leaders of the LDS Church were commanded by the Lord to take multiple wives. I am grateful for the sacrifices of these early Saints in keeping God's commandments and even MORE grateful that the commandment is no longer in force.

I do not understand all the dealings of God with His children. As the Lord told His children in the Old Testament, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." (Isaiah 55:8). Certainly, God has a purpose for all His commandments. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he did what the Lord commanded him to do.

Some of the material of this post can be attributed to the Church's website. To read more about the Church's stance on marriage, plural marriage, and Mormons' early practice of polygamy, click here.

Prayer

Latter-day Saints believe firmly in the power and importance of personal and family prayer. We believe that God is our Father in Heaven and that He loves each of us, deeply. We are His children and He wants us to be close to Him. We can speak to Him and He can speak to us through prayer.

Prayers can be spoken or silent. They can be done on our knees in our bedrooms or standing at a pulpit in church. They can be a few seconds or a few hours. They can be individual or offered up in behalf of an entire family or congregation. They should be personal and heartfelt. They should not be memorized or recited prayers. Instead, we should ponder and think carefully about what we should say beforehand. We then offer up prayers that are the result of careful thought and reflection of the desires of our hearts.

We pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. We begin a prayer by addressing our Father in Heaven. We then thank Him for the many blessings we have. We acknowledge our faults and weaknesses and ask for forgiveness through the atonement of Jesus. We then ask for blessings. These blessings can be big or small. We have been promised that if we ask for blessings, with faith in Jesus Christ, they will be given to us if they are according to the will of God. We then close the prayer in the name of the Jesus Christ.

We are commanded to pray always. This means that we should have a prayer in our hearts at all times. We should kneel in prayer in the mornings and in the evenings to express gratitude for the many blessings we have received. We should also gather our families together in the morning, at meal times, and in the evenings for prayer. This bonds a family together in unity and helps children to know that God loves them and watches over them.

Prayer is essential to our relationship with God. The Bible Dictionary included in the LDS publications of the King James Version of the Holy Bible states, "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. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. the object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others, blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

For an excellent webpage on prayer and its meaning in our lives, click here.

A Few Basic Facts About Mormons

I am revisiting an earlier post because I think it is important to correct any misconceptions as to who Mormons are. The following statements are largely taken from a post I made in July. I have made a few revisions and additions to clarify certain points.

To best understand the beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is important to know some basic facts about the Church and its members.

1. “Mormon” is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members are often referred to as “Mormons,” “Latter-day Saints,” or “LDS.” The term “Saint” means “member.” When Paul wrote to the members of the Church in the New Testament, he referred to them as "Saints." The use of "Latter-day Saints" in the name of the Church is to distinguish between the restored Church of Christ in modern times with Christ's original church in ancient times.

2. The Church was restored in 1830 in western New York with Joseph Smith as its first prophet and president. Most members of the Church, under the direction of Brigham Young, the second prophet and president of the Church, relocated to Utah in 1847 to escape persecution. Today it is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah with Thomas S. Monson as the present prophet and president of the Church. He is assisted by two counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Church in modern times has the same organization and authority as the Church in the time of Christ.

3. There are now over 13 million members in 176 countries and territories. About 6 million of these members are in the United States, making it the fourth largest Christian denomination in America.

4. Local congregations are led by volunteer, unpaid members. Both men and women serve in assigned leadership positions. Every member is given a "calling" or a responsibility in the Church.

5. Members of the Church are encouraged to receive a good education. Members serve in high and trusted positions throughout the world in business, medicine, law, education, media, sports, and entertainment. Mormons are also well-represented in politics and government (in the United States, 16 members of Congress, from both political parties, are practicing Mormons).

6. Certain aspects of Mormon practice include the paying of tithing (10 percent of a member’s income), the Word of Wisdom (health code that prohibits the use of tobacco and drugs and the drinking of alcohol, coffee, and tea), and the law of chastity (which proscribes abstinence before marriage and complete fidelity after marriage).

Taken from a General Conference address of the Church by Elder M. Russell Ballard in October 2007. For the full address, click here.

Growth of the Church

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. Recently, I have been asked by friends why the LDS Church is growing so fast. To what can we attribute the world-wide growth of the Church? This post will briefly examine the recent growth of the LDS Church and explore why such growth has occurred and why it will continue to occur.

Growth of the Church

The Church of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth on April 6, 1830 in Western New York. The Church was organized with six individuals. In 2008, just 178 years after its incorporation, church members now number more than 13 million people in all parts of the world. Countries with the most members of the Church are the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and the Philippines. However, Church congregations and temples can be found throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and Australia. The Church is now the fourth-largest denomination in the United States. A majority of members in the United States are in the Western states, although, church congregations are found throughout the U.S.

Why has the Church grown so fast?

There are likely numerous reasons why the Church has enjoyed such a miraculous growth rate. A few of these reasons will be noted here.

First, the Bible prophecies of the time when God would again restore His Church on the earth in preparation for the Second Coming of His Son. It was prophesied that this gospel message would be preached throughout the world and that all nations would hear the "good news" of Jesus Christ. "I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder . . ." (Isaiah 29:14). In large part, the dramatic growth of the Church can be attributed to the miraculous dealings of God with His children. In His infinite mercy and love, He has restored the kingdom of God on Earth and He is gathering His children into His Church. In the Old Testament, the prophet Daniel prophesied that the restored gospel in the last days would be like a little stone cut without hands, rolling down the mountain until it will fill the whole earth (Daniel 2:34-35).

Second, Christ commanded his followers to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:20). The Church takes this missionary charge very seriously. There are now more than 52,000 full-time missionaries of the Church in the world teaching the gospel and baptizing those who have faith in Jesus Christ and who repent of their sins. These missionaries pay their own way to preach the gospel. They share with others their testimonies of Jesus and His restored Church and invite others to "come and see" for themselves. We invite everyone to find out for themselves if the Church is true by (1) studying the scriptures and learning the teachings of the Church, (2) pondering and praying to know if it is true, and (3) living the teachings of the Church to see the change in their lives.

Third, in my opinion, people are yearning for something more to life. The current mores and standards of the world are "anything goes" and "do what feels good." I am sure that I am not alone in asking such questions as "Who am I?", "Where did I come from?", "What am I supposed to do in life?", and "What happens after this life?" In searching for meaning and order in life, many turn to religion to see if they can find an answer to life's mysteries. In coming across The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they find something special and different. We expect something out of our members--every member in the Church has a calling. We have commandments from God that must be strictly observed. We fellowship, serve, and love one another. We have a Prophet and Twelve Apostles who guide the Church under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. We "seal" families together for all eternity. We believe that because of the atonement of Jesus Christ and through our obedience, we can live with God again, and indeed, become like Him in the eternities to come (Romans 8:16-17; Luke 12:42-44; Psalm 82:6).

Future of the Church

The world is in commotion, but the Church will go forward and continue to spread out across the Earth. The LDS Church invites everyone to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Church will continue to grow and build temples where faithful members can make sacred covenants with God and seal families together for all eternity. The Church welcomes everyone who desires to follow God and to learn more of Him. This requires faith, discipline, humility, and love. But for those who make the journey into the The Church of Jesus Christ, it is worth it! My life has been blessed more than I could have imagined because of my association with the restored Church.

Financial Stewardship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that individuals and families must be wise financial stewards. Self-sufficiency and modesty in our wants and possessions are not only "good advice," but are actually sound gospel principles that Mormons are taught.

After Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread . . ." (Genesis 3:19). That commandment remains in effect today. Latter-day Saints are taught to obtain all the education they can and to find employment that provides their families with (at a minimum) the basic necessities of life. This economic self-reliance provides individuals with self-respect, satisfaction, and happiness. In addition to economic self-reliance, individuals must also strive to be socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically self-reliant. Where individuals cannot meet these needs, they can turn to family (first) and the Church (second).

In order to be truly self-reliant, the Church teaches that families should (1) avoid debt, (2) maintain a financial reserve, and (3) attain a year's supply of food. To assist families in accumulating food storage, the Church owns canneries around the world where members of the Church can purchase and package food in bulk. In doing so, families will be prepared for the "rainy days" that inevitably come. In addition, by avoiding debt and having a healthy savings account, families will feel peace and security during times of distress and uncertainty in the world.

Our responsibilities do not end with ourselves and our families. Not only must we be self-reliant, but members of the Church must also care for the poor and needy. One of the ways Latter-day Saints care for the poor is by donating to the Church a "fast offering." Once a month, Church members are asked to abstain from eating or drinking for two meals (or 24 hours). The money they saved from fasting (and any additional generosity) is then donated to the Church for assisting in helping the poor and needy.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes seriously the charge to care for those who are in need. Many additional resources such as employment centers, welfare plans, educational loans, food, and basic necessities are provided to those in need. All of the Church's welfare is done with the goal of helping others "help themselves" by becoming self-reliant.

The Church maintains a website, www.providentliving.org with resources, lessons, statistics, and services in temporal and spiritual welfare. For additional information on the Church's teachings on welfare, click here.

Citizenship and the Role of Government

Latter-day Saints believe that it is the duty of members of the Church to be good citizens wherever they live. The twelfth article of faith of the Church states, "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." Members of the Church are expected to be law-abiding citizens and to serve their fellow countrymen for the good of society. Citizenship entails participating in the political process, serving the community, nation, or world, raising a righteous posterity, seeking an education, obtaining gainful employment, and being hard-working and honest in one's labors and pursuits. Latter-day Saints believe in the value and necessity of hard work and sincere efforts in the workplace, the home, and in the community.

In addition to the twelfth article of faith, the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church also discuss the role of government. "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. . . ." (D&C 134:1).

Latter-day Saints believe that God gave men freedom and that such freedom should be protected by the government. With this God-given freedom comes responsibility. We, as citizens, are responsible for electing wise and righteous leaders who will preserve our freedoms and enact laws to protect individuals, families, and society. Such an effort requires both education and action on our behalf. We must learn and study the issues of the day. We must seek to know who the candidates are and what ideals they represent. We must become active in civic affairs and to make the world a better place to live. Most importantly, we must seek to maintain our freedoms, our families, our rights of worship, and encourage our government leaders to do the same.

We must do this on our own--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not choose political candidates or parties for us. The Church is neutral when it comes to politics--but it does strongly encourage its members to get involved. The Church website makes clear in this statement that the Church avoids weighing in on political matters when at all possible. "The Church does not endorse political parties or candidates, nor does it permit the use of its buildings for political purposes. The Church does not participate in politics unless there is a moral question at issue, in which case the Church will often speak out." Most recently, the Church has spoken out against legalizing same-sex marriage in order to preserve the sanctity of the traditional family.

To read the recent letter from Church leaders to members of the Church on political participation, click here. To read the Church statement on "The Divine Institution of Marriage" (why the Church opposes same-sex marriage) click here.

Atonement of Jesus Christ

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and as our Savior and Redeemer.

We believe that Christ came to live on Earth to (1) provide a perfect example of how to live, (2) atone for our sins, (3) die for us, and (4) live again through the resurrection.

Jesus of Nazareth lived a perfect and sin-free life. He taught us how to love God and our fellow men. He instructed us to keep the commandments, serve and love others, and to forgive others their faults. He lived these teachings and showed us by example how we should live and how we can return and live with Him and the Father again after this life. But He is more than a great teacher and perfect example--He is also our Savior from our sins.

In order to return and live again with God, we must be completely free from sin ("no unclean thing can dwell with God" 1 Nephi 10:21). Unfortunately, none of us are free from sin. We are all imperfect. Therefore, without a Savior to pay the price for our sins and make us clean, we cannot return to live with God. Jesus Christ is that Savior.

He suffered for all our sins, weaknesses, sicknesses, and faults (Alma 7:11-12). He paid the terrible price for us. This occurred as Jesus suffered and died on the Cross at Calvary. All that He asks in return is that we believe in Him and follow Him. This requires that we have faith, repent of our sins (i.e., changing our sinful ways), be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost, and keep all His commandments. This is not always easy, but with God's help, we can do it.

If we have faith, repent, and keep his commandments, then will his grace save us from our sins. We can be made clean and feel peace and love in our hearts, knowing that we will be saved from both sin and death. I testify that His mercy is abundant and will fill our hearts with immeasurable joy. He is waiting to extend His grace and mercy to us, if we will but have faith and repent of our sins.

To learn more about the atonement of Jesus Christ, click here. The painting used in this post of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane is used courtesy of http://www.lds.org/.

God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost

The first Article of Faith for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Latter-day Saints believe that although one in purpose and unity, the three persons in the Godhead are distinct and separate from one another. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ have physical bodies of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, which allows him to dwell in our hearts and witness the truthfulness of the gospel.

Each member of the Godhead has specific roles. The Father and the Holy Ghost bear witness of the Son. Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost bear witness of the Father. The Holy Ghost bears witness to us of the truthfulness of all things. All three in the Godhead are "one" in purpose. Just as the Godhead are "one" in unity, we too may be "one" with them. When Christ prayed to the Father in John 17, He prayed that all those who believe in Him would "be one, as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." (John 17:21).

This belief differs from Protestant and Catholic teachings, who believe that the persons in the Godhead are not separate--but instead, are three persons in one. We believe that the true nature and character of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost was one of the principles lost during the Great Apostasy (the falling away of the truth following the death of Christ and His apostles). The truth regarding the Godhead was revealed in latter-days primarily through the visitation of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820.

For further reading on this important doctrinal topic, click here for a message by President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008), former President of the Church.