I was recently approached my cousin to help her with a speech for one of her college classes. The assignment was to interview the person of their choosing on the assigned subject. She was given the topic of religion and automatically thought of me since I'm a Mormon.
I can't tell you how happy and overwhelmed I was to be asked. I always love sharing my beliefs and about my faith (who doesn't?) but to sum up the beliefs that define my life on a peice of paper.... I'd be writing a novel. So the task seemed very daunting. So I went to the very basic of basics and she still has a pretty long email to read! SoOoOo... since I took all the time writing it down AND I haven't blogged in forever, I thought I would share it on here! Yay for you :)
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. I am a memeber of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. While I do use doctorine in the blog, I also use my own interpretations and my beliefs. If there are any errors, they are my own and not the church's. So if you're going to judge, judge me, and not my church, if you have any questions or descrepencies, check it out for yourself, at Mormon.org
While often referred to as Mormons, as a nick name, we are members of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The name says a lot
about our church. We are followers of Christ. We are Christians. We
believe our church is the restored gospel that was in place in the time
of Christ before the great apostasy as described in the king James
Version of the bible. A common misconception is that Joseph Smith
founded the church and that we worship him. While we do acknowledge
him as a prophet of God, we do not worship him. He was merely the
vessel in which to bring forth the Lord's work of restoring his gospel
in the latter days.
We have been given the nick name of Mormons in reference to The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is not another Bible. It is another
testament of Jesus Christ comparable to the Bible. It is record of
God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the America's written
through revelation by the prophets of their time. The Book of Mormon
consists of two civilizations. One group traveled to America from
Jerusalem in 600 BC and later separated into the two nations of the
Nephites and the Lamanites. The other, came much earlier,the Jaredites,
who were guided to the promised land (America) after the Lord
confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. After thousands of
years, they were all destroyed, except for the Lamanites and they are
among the l ancestors of the Native Americans. The crowning event
recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord
Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts
forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and
tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal
salvation in the life to come.
( I have a read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover) and have a
personal testimony that this doctrine is of God. It is divinely
inspired by God through his prophets. I know that it was written for
our benefit and is applicable to our daily lives and the trouble we
face. I have read it in its entirety and prayed to know if the things
contained in the book, were true. I received a very strong
confirmation of this and as I read it, I felt an overwhelming feeling
of love and comfort. It testifies of Christ and God's love for his
children, it spells out the plan of salvation and further explains his
gospel.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The name says a lot
about our church. We are followers of Christ. We are Christians. We
believe our church is the restored gospel that was in place in the time
of Christ before the great apostasy as described in the king James
Version of the bible. A common misconception is that Joseph Smith
founded the church and that we worship him. While we do acknowledge
him as a prophet of God, we do not worship him. He was merely the
vessel in which to bring forth the Lord's work of restoring his gospel
in the latter days.
We have been given the nick name of Mormons in reference to The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is not another Bible. It is another
testament of Jesus Christ comparable to the Bible. It is record of
God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the America's written
through revelation by the prophets of their time. The Book of Mormon
consists of two civilizations. One group traveled to America from
Jerusalem in 600 BC and later separated into the two nations of the
Nephites and the Lamanites. The other, came much earlier,the Jaredites,
who were guided to the promised land (America) after the Lord
confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. After thousands of
years, they were all destroyed, except for the Lamanites and they are
among the l ancestors of the Native Americans. The crowning event
recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord
Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts
forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and
tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal
salvation in the life to come.
( I have a read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover) and have a
personal testimony that this doctrine is of God. It is divinely
inspired by God through his prophets. I know that it was written for
our benefit and is applicable to our daily lives and the trouble we
face. I have read it in its entirety and prayed to know if the things
contained in the book, were true. I received a very strong
confirmation of this and as I read it, I felt an overwhelming feeling
of love and comfort. It testifies of Christ and God's love for his
children, it spells out the plan of salvation and further explains his
gospel.)
We believe in the Word of Wisdom, which is a modern revelation the
prohpet Joseph Smith. This was before modern medicine or before there
was evidence that smoking was bad for you. (The following was taken directly from the website, LDS.ORG) The Word of Wisdom is a law
of health revealed by the Lord for the physical and spiritual benefit
of His children. On February 27, 1833, as recorded in section 89 of the
Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord revealed which foods are good for us
to eat and which substances are not good for the human body. He also
promised health, protection, knowledge, and wisdom to those who obey
the Word of Wisdom. Harmful substances are alcohol, tobacco, coffee and
tea.
When people purposefully take anything harmful into their bodies, they
are not living in harmony with the Word of Wisdom. Illegal drugs can
especially destroy those who use them. The abuse of prescription drugs
is also destructive spiritually and physically.
The Lord also declared in the Word of Wisdom that the following foods
are good:
Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and
thanksgiving” (see D&C 89:10-11).
The flesh “of beasts and of the fowls of the air,” which is “to be used
sparingly” (see D&C 89:12-13).
Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life”
(see D&C 89:14-17).
To those who keep the Word of Wisdom, the Lord promised:
“All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in
obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and
marrow to their bones;
”And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden
treasures;
“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
”And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel
shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them“ (D&C
89:18-21).
The best course is to completely avoid the substances that the Lord
prohibits in the Word of Wisdom. Those who have engaged in addictive
behaviors can stop and become free from addiction. Through personal
effort, strength from the Lord, help from family members and friends,
and guidance from Church leaders, anyone can overcome addiction.
Since addictions destroy families, the church advises against any
addictive behavior since the family is so important. The famil is so
importat in the church's view, that they actually released a document
on the Family. titled, The Family: A Proclamation to the World. This
is a big deal because the church very rarely makes a public statement
on any matter, but this is so important, that they did. I've listed it
below:
WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the
Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a
man and a woman is ordained of God and that the
family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal
destiny of His children.
ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the
image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of
heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature
and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual
premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew
and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted
His plan by which His children could obtain a physical
body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection
and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as
an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables
family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.
Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy
temples make it possible for individuals to return to the
presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and
Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband
and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for
His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains
in force. We further declare that God has commanded
that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed
only between man and woman, lawfully wedded
as husband and wife.
WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to
be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of
its importance in God’s eternal plan.
HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love
and care for each other and for their children. “Children
are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a
sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness,
to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to
teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the
commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens
wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and
fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge
of these obligations.
THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man
and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are
entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be
reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows
with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely
to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are
established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer,
repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work,
and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design,
fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness
and are responsible to provide the necessities of
life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily
responsible for the nurture of their children. In these
sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated
to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or
other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation.
Extended families should lend support when needed.
WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of
chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to
fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable
before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration
of the family will bring upon individuals, communities,
and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and
modern prophets.
WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of
government everywhere to promote those measures
designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the
fundamental unit of society.
I thought I'd use the Article of Faith, which are literally what the
title implies, a list of our basic beliefs, as a guideline for the
interview.
1.We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
prohpet Joseph Smith. This was before modern medicine or before there
was evidence that smoking was bad for you. (The following was taken directly from the website, LDS.ORG) The Word of Wisdom is a law
of health revealed by the Lord for the physical and spiritual benefit
of His children. On February 27, 1833, as recorded in section 89 of the
Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord revealed which foods are good for us
to eat and which substances are not good for the human body. He also
promised health, protection, knowledge, and wisdom to those who obey
the Word of Wisdom. Harmful substances are alcohol, tobacco, coffee and
tea.
When people purposefully take anything harmful into their bodies, they
are not living in harmony with the Word of Wisdom. Illegal drugs can
especially destroy those who use them. The abuse of prescription drugs
is also destructive spiritually and physically.
The Lord also declared in the Word of Wisdom that the following foods
are good:
Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and
thanksgiving” (see D&C 89:10-11).
The flesh “of beasts and of the fowls of the air,” which is “to be used
sparingly” (see D&C 89:12-13).
Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life”
(see D&C 89:14-17).
To those who keep the Word of Wisdom, the Lord promised:
“All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in
obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and
marrow to their bones;
”And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden
treasures;
“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
”And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel
shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them“ (D&C
89:18-21).
The best course is to completely avoid the substances that the Lord
prohibits in the Word of Wisdom. Those who have engaged in addictive
behaviors can stop and become free from addiction. Through personal
effort, strength from the Lord, help from family members and friends,
and guidance from Church leaders, anyone can overcome addiction.
Since addictions destroy families, the church advises against any
addictive behavior since the family is so important. The famil is so
importat in the church's view, that they actually released a document
on the Family. titled, The Family: A Proclamation to the World. This
is a big deal because the church very rarely makes a public statement
on any matter, but this is so important, that they did. I've listed it
below:
WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the
Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a
man and a woman is ordained of God and that the
family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal
destiny of His children.
ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the
image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of
heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature
and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual
premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew
and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted
His plan by which His children could obtain a physical
body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection
and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as
an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables
family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.
Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy
temples make it possible for individuals to return to the
presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and
Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband
and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for
His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains
in force. We further declare that God has commanded
that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed
only between man and woman, lawfully wedded
as husband and wife.
WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to
be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of
its importance in God’s eternal plan.
HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love
and care for each other and for their children. “Children
are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a
sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness,
to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to
teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the
commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens
wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and
fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge
of these obligations.
THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man
and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are
entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be
reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows
with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely
to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are
established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer,
repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work,
and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design,
fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness
and are responsible to provide the necessities of
life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily
responsible for the nurture of their children. In these
sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated
to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or
other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation.
Extended families should lend support when needed.
WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of
chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to
fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable
before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration
of the family will bring upon individuals, communities,
and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and
modern prophets.
WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of
government everywhere to promote those measures
designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the
fundamental unit of society.
I thought I'd use the Article of Faith, which are literally what the
title implies, a list of our basic beliefs, as a guideline for the
interview.
1.We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are two separate
beings with bodies just like us. The Holy Ghost does not have a
physical body, but together all three, make up the one godhead.
2.We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgressions.
beings with bodies just like us. The Holy Ghost does not have a
physical body, but together all three, make up the one godhead.
2.We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgressions.
We have free agency to choose right or wrong and are held accountable for our decisions. If we make a mistake, we have the opportunity to repent and can be forgiven of our sins. We arenot responsible for the sins of our ancestors. We believe individuals are born innocent, and will one day sin, but are not born sinners. They are newly arrived beings from heaven and are pure. We do not believe if a baby is born and dies before being baptized that they will go to hell. They are innocent beings and will not be held accountable
for lack of knowledge of right or wrong.
3.We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
for lack of knowledge of right or wrong.
3.We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
We believe that through Christ's atonement we are given the ability to
repent of our sins and return to live with our Father in Heaven in the
next life. It's not only by accepting Christ's as our savior but all
by our works to follow His plan and live a life of righteousness. We
are not perfect and will fall short of the Glory of God no matter how
hard we try, and that is when our Savior, Jesus Christ, comes in as our
mediator on judgement day and it is His grace that saves us, after all
we can do.
4.We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; Second, Repentance; third,
Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
repent of our sins and return to live with our Father in Heaven in the
next life. It's not only by accepting Christ's as our savior but all
by our works to follow His plan and live a life of righteousness. We
are not perfect and will fall short of the Glory of God no matter how
hard we try, and that is when our Savior, Jesus Christ, comes in as our
mediator on judgement day and it is His grace that saves us, after all
we can do.
4.We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; Second, Repentance; third,
Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
In our faith, we consider the age of accountability to be 8 years of age. At this age, you have a firm grasp of right or wrong. We believe if you die before this age, you are not held accountable for your sins and will not go to hell. At this age, you can be baptized to become a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. We believe that you must be baptized to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. Not because Jesus Christ had sinned and needed to be cleansed, but to set an example for us, to show us the way. He was baptized by immersion, fully underwater. We follow Christ's example, so after confirming that an individual does indeed, have faith in Christ and wants to be baptized, they are baptized by a man who holds the priesthood (the same priesthood, John the Baptist
held, as a power from God) and immersed completely under the water and
brought back up. After the member is baptized, they are blessed with
the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Which is worthy
priesthood holders, lay their hands on the individual's head and
bestows the gift of the Holy Ghost to be a companion to them , to have
with them always as they are righteous and follow God's commandments.
The gift of the Holy Ghost allows us to tell right from wrong, comfort
us, teach us. It's a still small voice (not a literal voice) that can
prompt us and help us find answers. It's more of a feeling. We
believe all people have the light of Christ within them and are able to
recognize good from evil and have spiritual revelations but only those
who are baptized can truly have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5.We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances thereof.
held, as a power from God) and immersed completely under the water and
brought back up. After the member is baptized, they are blessed with
the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Which is worthy
priesthood holders, lay their hands on the individual's head and
bestows the gift of the Holy Ghost to be a companion to them , to have
with them always as they are righteous and follow God's commandments.
The gift of the Holy Ghost allows us to tell right from wrong, comfort
us, teach us. It's a still small voice (not a literal voice) that can
prompt us and help us find answers. It's more of a feeling. We
believe all people have the light of Christ within them and are able to
recognize good from evil and have spiritual revelations but only those
who are baptized can truly have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5.We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances thereof.
We believe that you must be called of God to proclaim his gospel, such as our prophet and his apostles. The men that hold these callings are not voted upon by the members but are called through revelation and we as members have the opportunity to sustain them. Also missionaries in our church, typically males over the age of 18 and females over the age of 21, serve missions. They pay to serve the Lord for two years and do not get to request where they get to go, but they are called to the destination where the Lord inspires the leaders of the church to send them. We have missionaries being sent to all places of the world. I know that these are truly special people who choose to give up
everything for two years to serve their Lord. They are ordinary people
who make a great sacrifice but are blessed for full devoting themselves
to the gospel.
6. We believe in the same aorganization that existed in the Primitive
Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
everything for two years to serve their Lord. They are ordinary people
who make a great sacrifice but are blessed for full devoting themselves
to the gospel.
6. We believe in the same aorganization that existed in the Primitive
Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
Our church is perfectly organized just as the original church was.
There is a calling or position to cover all aspects of leadership or
organization needed and it is universal. It is the same church and
organization no matter where you would attend in the world. (For
example, I could go to church in Brazil, and they would be teaching the
same lessons as were taught in a church in Irmo, SC)
In our church, the leaders, teachers, organizations are not paid. We
have callings and we believe that we are called of God to serve in our
respective callings. The church is organized just as the Church in
Christ's time was organized. We believe we have a living prophet who
communicated with God, his name is Thomas S. Monson, and he is the
President of our Church. He has two counselors, and their are twelve
apostles that preside over the church, which is worldwide. Over each
church, there is a bishop who presides over the church which would most
likely be comparable to a preacher or pastor, except the bishop only
presides over the meetings at church. The actual members are called
and assigned to topics to speak on at church in lou of a sermon from
one pastor. This allows the speaker to seek inspiration and rely on
the Spirit to say the things the Lord would have them say. Members of
the church come from all backgrounds and professions. There is no
formal education or university for the members to go to to be educated
in the gospel. Members seek out the knowledge through personal
scripture study and attending church meetings. Everyone has an equal
oppoturnity to partake of the gospel and strengthen their testimony.
No matter what their background or circumstance, everyone is a child of
God and you can see that unity in the church. On a particular Sunday,
you might see a doctor, a mechanic, and a stay at home mom, and all
will be able to speak on their topic as a child of God and teach the
congregation by the spirit. It's one of the things I love most about
our church and makes us unique. All Sunday school teachers or leaders
are called to serve in their positions. No one signs up or says I want
to fulfil this position, but each calling is prayed about by the bishop
and his counselors and then the member is asked to fulfill the calling.
Since there are no paid positions, all tithes go towards
humanitarian efforts and to helping further the Lord's work. We are
completely non profit and the church is truely ran by service and
desire to love the Lord and serve their fellowman.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions,
healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
There is a calling or position to cover all aspects of leadership or
organization needed and it is universal. It is the same church and
organization no matter where you would attend in the world. (For
example, I could go to church in Brazil, and they would be teaching the
same lessons as were taught in a church in Irmo, SC)
In our church, the leaders, teachers, organizations are not paid. We
have callings and we believe that we are called of God to serve in our
respective callings. The church is organized just as the Church in
Christ's time was organized. We believe we have a living prophet who
communicated with God, his name is Thomas S. Monson, and he is the
President of our Church. He has two counselors, and their are twelve
apostles that preside over the church, which is worldwide. Over each
church, there is a bishop who presides over the church which would most
likely be comparable to a preacher or pastor, except the bishop only
presides over the meetings at church. The actual members are called
and assigned to topics to speak on at church in lou of a sermon from
one pastor. This allows the speaker to seek inspiration and rely on
the Spirit to say the things the Lord would have them say. Members of
the church come from all backgrounds and professions. There is no
formal education or university for the members to go to to be educated
in the gospel. Members seek out the knowledge through personal
scripture study and attending church meetings. Everyone has an equal
oppoturnity to partake of the gospel and strengthen their testimony.
No matter what their background or circumstance, everyone is a child of
God and you can see that unity in the church. On a particular Sunday,
you might see a doctor, a mechanic, and a stay at home mom, and all
will be able to speak on their topic as a child of God and teach the
congregation by the spirit. It's one of the things I love most about
our church and makes us unique. All Sunday school teachers or leaders
are called to serve in their positions. No one signs up or says I want
to fulfil this position, but each calling is prayed about by the bishop
and his counselors and then the member is asked to fulfill the calling.
Since there are no paid positions, all tithes go towards
humanitarian efforts and to helping further the Lord's work. We are
completely non profit and the church is truely ran by service and
desire to love the Lord and serve their fellowman.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions,
healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
Just as in the Bible, God communicated with his people, blessed them, and performed miracles. This has not changed. We believe that God still has a living prophet, that He still reveal things to His children. We belive in the power of the preisthood (which is the the power to act in God's name) used to give a blessing on someone, can heal them from afflictions. We believe in the gift of tongues,everyday there are hundreds of missionaries going out into the mission field and are called to go to far away countries and to speak a foreign language
to people they've never met in a language they've never heard of it. They learn this langauge in a very short period of time and are able to master what takes others years to acheive. There is no trick to this, other than the gift of the Spirit. It is through prayer and the gift of tongues these young men and young women are able to learn a langauge so quickly in order to preach the gospel and likewise, to be able to interpret the foreign language from the people the come in contact with.
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.
to people they've never met in a language they've never heard of it. They learn this langauge in a very short period of time and are able to master what takes others years to acheive. There is no trick to this, other than the gift of the Spirit. It is through prayer and the gift of tongues these young men and young women are able to learn a langauge so quickly in order to preach the gospel and likewise, to be able to interpret the foreign language from the people the come in contact with.
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.
Unlike the Book of Mormon, which has only been translated once
through revelation from God, from the orginal documentation of the
prohpehts that wrote the books contained, there in. The Bible has been
translated many times by several different men and women over time and
interpretted even more times than that from different people. Over
time, things have been taken out or tweeked to suit the beliefs at that
time or to support a politcal agenda. This is not discrediting or
devaluing the worth of the Bible as the word of God. This statement is
just stating, we belive it to be the word of God as far as it is
translated correctly. We all know how the telephone game works, as the
saying is repeated from person to person, words are changed and left
out and that can the total meaning of the original phrase. Similar
things have happened with the Bible, and as it is translated and
revamped to suit the desires of man, the meaning can be lost. We, as
members, are encouraged to pray before we read the scriptures to have
the spirit with us, that we might be able to interpret what the Lord
would have us know from His Scriptures, instead of having someone else
or man interpret them for us and tell them what it means. That's
another thing I love about my faith, is that we can challenge
everything we are taught, by kneeling in prayer, and asking God if what
we have been taught is true. I know for asurety, that this is true, as
I have tested this on many occasions and my faith has grown from this.
We were given minds to use them and decide for ourselves. Since the
Book of Mormon, is directly from those who wrote the accounts, we have
a more pure or accurate depiction of the things that occured and the
messages given. Again, I truely know without a shadow of a doubt that
the Book of Mormon is an inspired work and is the word of God.
Everytime I read it, my testimony of its truthfulness grows. It
confirms the truthfulness of the gospel and adds upon the fullness of
His gospel.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,
and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
through revelation from God, from the orginal documentation of the
prohpehts that wrote the books contained, there in. The Bible has been
translated many times by several different men and women over time and
interpretted even more times than that from different people. Over
time, things have been taken out or tweeked to suit the beliefs at that
time or to support a politcal agenda. This is not discrediting or
devaluing the worth of the Bible as the word of God. This statement is
just stating, we belive it to be the word of God as far as it is
translated correctly. We all know how the telephone game works, as the
saying is repeated from person to person, words are changed and left
out and that can the total meaning of the original phrase. Similar
things have happened with the Bible, and as it is translated and
revamped to suit the desires of man, the meaning can be lost. We, as
members, are encouraged to pray before we read the scriptures to have
the spirit with us, that we might be able to interpret what the Lord
would have us know from His Scriptures, instead of having someone else
or man interpret them for us and tell them what it means. That's
another thing I love about my faith, is that we can challenge
everything we are taught, by kneeling in prayer, and asking God if what
we have been taught is true. I know for asurety, that this is true, as
I have tested this on many occasions and my faith has grown from this.
We were given minds to use them and decide for ourselves. Since the
Book of Mormon, is directly from those who wrote the accounts, we have
a more pure or accurate depiction of the things that occured and the
messages given. Again, I truely know without a shadow of a doubt that
the Book of Mormon is an inspired work and is the word of God.
Everytime I read it, my testimony of its truthfulness grows. It
confirms the truthfulness of the gospel and adds upon the fullness of
His gospel.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,
and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
We belive all the teachings of the ancient prophets and live by their commandments. We believe that prophets and leaders of the church still recieve and share revelations with us and we uphold them as revelations and we believe that God will continue to reveal things to His people, as He sees we are prepared. He is our Father in Heaven and He would not leave us in the dark, as to what to do. While the Bible is a helpful tool and a source of great comfort, He loves us and still wants to communicate with His children. The knowledge and anwsers are there, all we have to do is ask. We belive He will continue to reveal things to help us attain our eternal salvation, as we keep our faith.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
As prophesied in the scriptures, we believe that America, truly is the Promised Land. This is a nation founded in God. Christ did come to the Americas and promised He would return. We belive when Christ comes again, that it will be in the Americas and He will come to Zion and that He will reign again over this earth, and that after the Second Coming and Judgement Day, the earth will be cleansed and it will literally be Heaven on earth.
11.We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
11.We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
We hold the right to worship and believe as we desire and also believe the same for others not of our faith. We all have a free agency to choose who, how and what we will worship and we respect that right. We don't judge those who belive differently than our beliefs because we are all Children of God.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
Although we belive in a celestial law and live by the laws of our faith, we also live by the laws of the land. We do not participate or condone any illegal practices. We believe in honoring all laws and being honest in our dealings with our fellowman. The church also stays out of any politcal issues in honoring the seperation or church and state.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the
admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have
endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there
is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we
seek after these things.
This accurately depicts life as Mormon. We believe in being honest in all things and holding integrity with high regards. We are true to our beliefs and try to fulfil them to the best of our abilities. We are witnesses of Christ and try to live as He did and follow His example. We are benevolent, we truly are a church of service and try to exhibit the true meaning of charity and Christ-like love to all mankind. We are chaste.We believe in being virtuousous and in doing good. We believe that are bodies are temples. That they are truly a gift from God. Our bodies house our spirits which is a very sacred thing. Because of this we don't believe in pre-marital relations, participating in such behavior is a mockery of God and His purpose of the sacred action. We believe that physical relations are only to be shared between one married man and one married woman and with no one else. We don't condone participating in any form of pornography or any other harmful or addictive behavior. We belive in dressing modeslty to prevent sexual temptations and to show respect for our bodies. We try to always choose the right and help others we see in need. To love those, who others have overlooked. If it is a good thing, we seek after it. We, as a church, have been persecuted and experience many hardships, and have endured. We continue to face harsh criticisms and assumptions, our religion is mocked on a daily basis and people are constantly out to rip apart our beliefs, but we endure and are unmoved. I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ, it contains the fullness of the gospel. And nothing can shake my faith in this. We are good people, Christians. And we strive to serve God and our fellowman, just as Christ did. The people in the church are not
perfect, but the gospel is. I cannot find any flaw within our beliefs
and I know with all my heart that the church is true.
*MY CONVERSION STORY:
(Side note...THIS IS VERY CONDENSED VERSION...a more detailed account is on my to do list) I've always known that the church was true. I've been a member all
of my life and have endured many hardships in this life, but my faith
has helped me endured and provided solace despite life's difficulties.
While I knew the church was true, I struggled with the circumstances
of life, and as its common for teenagers to do, I chose my friends over
family and gave in to peer pressure at times. It's hard to be a
teenager. My parents have always been supportive of me, and while my
actions, may not have been wrong to the world, they were wrong to me.
I never realized I was techincally "inactive" at church. It was a
gradual slope of falling away, so to speak. After a few years of
"making my own decisons" I took a look in the mirror (figuratively)
speaking and did not like the person I saw. Now given, I was not what
you would consider a "bad" person, but in my perspective, I was not
living up to my standards. I didn't like who I was, or where my life
seemed to be headed. I'd felt like I lost track of the girl that I
once was, full of faith and hope, care and consideration of others and
the desire to truly serve my fellow man. I felt an overwhelming
emotion of empitness like my life was missing something. I didn't like
this at all and I knew something needed to change. So that night, I
got down on my knees, something I hadn't done in a long time, and I
poured my heart out to my Father in Heaven. Literally cried and told
Him everything in my heart and expressed my desire to change and find
happiness no matter what the cost. At the time, I was dating a guy who
was not a member of my church and was actually, whole heartedly against
my faith. We were at an empasse where marriage was discussed and no
matter how hard I prayed things just never seemed to work out. After a
lot of prayer and sincere thought, I recieved a very strong
confirmation that this was not the right decision, so strong that I
could not deny it and immediately called this man to break up. It was
one of the hardest things I thought I'd ever do, but it is one of the
best things, I've ever done. That night I poured my heart out again
and just prayed for comfort and the strength to follow through. Most
of my break ups resulted in days of crying and depression from
heartbreak, but the next day, I woke up as if nothing has happened. I
was calm and peaceful. That very same day, I went to a conference for
the Young Single Adults (18-30) in our church and met the most
wonderful people. They made me feel so welcome and I felt the Spirit
so strongly. It was at that point that I made the decision that no
matter what I had to do,whether people talked to me or not... if I had
to stand alone, I would, but I was going back to church. And I did, I
never looked back. I was recieved with such love and care and the gap,
that emptiness was filled with the gospel. I felt whole again. Through
my Savior's Atonement, I was able to fully repent and become clean
again and I have been so blessed by this. I had gained a personal
testimony of the gospel and the truthfullness. In no other place, in
my entire life, have I been fulfilled like I have by being a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was during this
time, that I truly knew I was a Child of God, I was His daughter, and
He loved me. That He knew me personally, He knew my names and my
needs, that He never gave up on me and welcomed me back with open arms.
My life was so blessed and I finally found the happiness I had been
searching for. I was given all that I had asked for and more and
became the person I desired so badly to be. I sought after the gospel
and tried to soak up as much knowledge as I could and my testimony kept
growing. Shortly after this time, I met my husband. He was everything
I had prayed for in a companion and we were sealed in the temple for
time and all eternity 8 months later. We now have a beautiful little
girl, Bella and she is such a blessing to our lives. I am so grateful
we are a forever family. I owe everything that I have to my Father in
Heaven and my Savior. This gospel means everything to me. I could not
imagine living my life without my faith to guide and protect me. Life
is hard, but the gospel makes it possible to endure to the end. I
would not be the person I am today without the gospel of Jesus Christ
in my life.
Sorry this is so long, but believe it or not... this is just the
surface of our beliefs LOL Feel free to use whatever you can. If you
have any other questions, you can always ask me or you can go to
Mormon.org or LDS.org.. they are awesome resources. I hope it goes
well :)
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the
admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have
endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there
is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we
seek after these things.
This accurately depicts life as Mormon. We believe in being honest in all things and holding integrity with high regards. We are true to our beliefs and try to fulfil them to the best of our abilities. We are witnesses of Christ and try to live as He did and follow His example. We are benevolent, we truly are a church of service and try to exhibit the true meaning of charity and Christ-like love to all mankind. We are chaste.We believe in being virtuousous and in doing good. We believe that are bodies are temples. That they are truly a gift from God. Our bodies house our spirits which is a very sacred thing. Because of this we don't believe in pre-marital relations, participating in such behavior is a mockery of God and His purpose of the sacred action. We believe that physical relations are only to be shared between one married man and one married woman and with no one else. We don't condone participating in any form of pornography or any other harmful or addictive behavior. We belive in dressing modeslty to prevent sexual temptations and to show respect for our bodies. We try to always choose the right and help others we see in need. To love those, who others have overlooked. If it is a good thing, we seek after it. We, as a church, have been persecuted and experience many hardships, and have endured. We continue to face harsh criticisms and assumptions, our religion is mocked on a daily basis and people are constantly out to rip apart our beliefs, but we endure and are unmoved. I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ, it contains the fullness of the gospel. And nothing can shake my faith in this. We are good people, Christians. And we strive to serve God and our fellowman, just as Christ did. The people in the church are not
perfect, but the gospel is. I cannot find any flaw within our beliefs
and I know with all my heart that the church is true.
*MY CONVERSION STORY:
(Side note...THIS IS VERY CONDENSED VERSION...a more detailed account is on my to do list) I've always known that the church was true. I've been a member all
of my life and have endured many hardships in this life, but my faith
has helped me endured and provided solace despite life's difficulties.
While I knew the church was true, I struggled with the circumstances
of life, and as its common for teenagers to do, I chose my friends over
family and gave in to peer pressure at times. It's hard to be a
teenager. My parents have always been supportive of me, and while my
actions, may not have been wrong to the world, they were wrong to me.
I never realized I was techincally "inactive" at church. It was a
gradual slope of falling away, so to speak. After a few years of
"making my own decisons" I took a look in the mirror (figuratively)
speaking and did not like the person I saw. Now given, I was not what
you would consider a "bad" person, but in my perspective, I was not
living up to my standards. I didn't like who I was, or where my life
seemed to be headed. I'd felt like I lost track of the girl that I
once was, full of faith and hope, care and consideration of others and
the desire to truly serve my fellow man. I felt an overwhelming
emotion of empitness like my life was missing something. I didn't like
this at all and I knew something needed to change. So that night, I
got down on my knees, something I hadn't done in a long time, and I
poured my heart out to my Father in Heaven. Literally cried and told
Him everything in my heart and expressed my desire to change and find
happiness no matter what the cost. At the time, I was dating a guy who
was not a member of my church and was actually, whole heartedly against
my faith. We were at an empasse where marriage was discussed and no
matter how hard I prayed things just never seemed to work out. After a
lot of prayer and sincere thought, I recieved a very strong
confirmation that this was not the right decision, so strong that I
could not deny it and immediately called this man to break up. It was
one of the hardest things I thought I'd ever do, but it is one of the
best things, I've ever done. That night I poured my heart out again
and just prayed for comfort and the strength to follow through. Most
of my break ups resulted in days of crying and depression from
heartbreak, but the next day, I woke up as if nothing has happened. I
was calm and peaceful. That very same day, I went to a conference for
the Young Single Adults (18-30) in our church and met the most
wonderful people. They made me feel so welcome and I felt the Spirit
so strongly. It was at that point that I made the decision that no
matter what I had to do,whether people talked to me or not... if I had
to stand alone, I would, but I was going back to church. And I did, I
never looked back. I was recieved with such love and care and the gap,
that emptiness was filled with the gospel. I felt whole again. Through
my Savior's Atonement, I was able to fully repent and become clean
again and I have been so blessed by this. I had gained a personal
testimony of the gospel and the truthfullness. In no other place, in
my entire life, have I been fulfilled like I have by being a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was during this
time, that I truly knew I was a Child of God, I was His daughter, and
He loved me. That He knew me personally, He knew my names and my
needs, that He never gave up on me and welcomed me back with open arms.
My life was so blessed and I finally found the happiness I had been
searching for. I was given all that I had asked for and more and
became the person I desired so badly to be. I sought after the gospel
and tried to soak up as much knowledge as I could and my testimony kept
growing. Shortly after this time, I met my husband. He was everything
I had prayed for in a companion and we were sealed in the temple for
time and all eternity 8 months later. We now have a beautiful little
girl, Bella and she is such a blessing to our lives. I am so grateful
we are a forever family. I owe everything that I have to my Father in
Heaven and my Savior. This gospel means everything to me. I could not
imagine living my life without my faith to guide and protect me. Life
is hard, but the gospel makes it possible to endure to the end. I
would not be the person I am today without the gospel of Jesus Christ
in my life.
Sorry this is so long, but believe it or not... this is just the
surface of our beliefs LOL Feel free to use whatever you can. If you
have any other questions, you can always ask me or you can go to
Mormon.org or LDS.org.. they are awesome resources. I hope it goes
well :)
So folks, there you have it... a very small and simple BUT personal account of my beliefs and testimony. This doesn't cover everything I believe but it should be enough to possibly spark some interest within you... if you want to know more, you can always ask me or go to LDS.org or Mormon.org. They are excellent resources, I don't recommened other sources because the validity and accuracy of the information decreases and there's alot of anti-Mormon stuff out there with crazy ideas... you wouldn't go to a chicken to try and get milk so don't ask a Non- Mormon about our religion, it just doesn't make much sense.
My name is Ashley Howe, and I'm a Mormon.
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