Why Are You a Mormon? My Personal Answer

To date, I have extensively studied and documented here on my blog thousands of reasons why Mormons believe what we do, but I have yet to directly give my readers a personal answer to this question. Well of late, I've felt the Spirit of the Lord urging me to do just that, so here it is.



Mormonism: A Most Outlandish Religion

Why am I a Mormon of all things, you ask? The question is an understandable one.

Mormonism has got to be the most outlandish and unlikely of religions on the planet. We believe in Jesus Christ and strive to live His teachings, yet our beliefs concerning the nature of God do not qualify us in the eyes of others to be called Christians. (see my articles: Latter-Day Saints and the Creeds of Christendom, Holy Trinity, He is Risen) We believe that our Church is destined to put the capstone on the promises which God made to the Jews anciently, saying the Gentiles would help gather them, re-establish their nation, and even provide the means for them to rebuild their temple at the coming of their Messiah, yet we are not Jews. (see my article on The Savior's Parable of the Fig Tree, Ezekiel 37) We are the only religion on earth that believes in the operation of living oracles as did the people of the Bible - the primary reason why the world has labeled us a cult, just as it once did both Judaism and Christianity. (see my article: Is Mormonism a Cult? Answered By a Mormon) Our doctrines and practices are unique, to say the least. Yet the more I study, the more I see how perfectly our religion fits the teachings of the Bible. (see my Beliefs of the LDS Church page) We believe God has given more scripture in resumption of a divine pattern established and repeated many, many times throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Malachi and Matthew to Revelation - the same God, yesterday, today, and forever! (see my articles: The Importance of "New" Scripture, Biblical Reasons Why Everyone Should Want to Read the Book of Mormon, Hebrews 13:8) We are easily the most peculiar religion on earth - a thing which we consider to be an identifying feature of the kingdom of God in every dispensation, including our own. (1 Peter 2:6-9)

I could get into the work scholars have done both inside and outside the Church which has cast light on ancient evidences of our doctrines and practices and even the historicity of both the Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon. I could get into archaeological and genetic discoveries made in North America that prove Jews were here in the Book of Mormon time frame. I could get into the weapons and highways and architecture discovered in South America that match Book of Mormon descriptions. (see my article The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon) I could tell you of ancient evidences of Mormon temple practices in early Christianity. (see the Fair Mormon article: The Israelite Temple and The Early Christians) I could tell you of the many things I personally have discovered in the Bible and elsewhere that for me uniquely identify the LDS Church as the kingdom of God in latter days. (see my LDS Beliefs page again, link provided above)

All these things reaffirm my faith, but they are not the real reasons why I - or any of us - has joined the Mormon church.

 So, why Mormonism of all things? Why have millions of ordinary, fairly intelligent, unassuming, genuinely religious people, including myself, gathered to its ensign over the last two centuries? Why is Mormonism one of the few religions on earth that is still growing? Why am I personally a Mormon, you ask?

For me, and for every other devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the answer centers around a steady stream of deeply personal spiritual experiences. Although they make no sense to those who do not believe in such things, these experiences are very real, and they answer questions and fill soul-deep holes that cannot be answered or filled in any other way. (1 Corinthians 2:9-14)


Mormonism and Jesus Christ

I am a Mormon because my faith has shown me the way to see the salvation of my God, who is that same Jesus of Nazareth who was born in a manger, lifted up upon the cross, and slain for the sins of the world.

My favorite character in the Bible is the apostle Paul, because he shows me how to deal with my "thorns in the flesh". He shows me how to "take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake", how to become strong and have the Lord's all-sufficient grace in my life by admitting my weakness before Him. He shows me how, when I finally start succeeding at my efforts to live the gospel, "laboring more than they all", the real power is "not I but grace which was in me." (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, 1 Corinthians 15:9-10) I love the words of Isaiah who taught me how the Lord causes those who "wait upon [Him]" to "mount up with wings" and "run and not be weary and walk and not faint". ( Isaiah 40:31) Isaiah taught me to seek to have the Lord make me into a "tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:1-3) He taught me to impose on the Lord, to let His chastisement and His stripes and suffering buy me peace, not just by way of salvation from sin but also in all adversity and injustice. (Isaiah 53:5). He taught me to freely and frequently partake of the Lord's grace to enable me to do all He requires of me. (Isaiah 55:1-3, compare John 4:10-14) I love the words of Jesus Himself who so freely offered to bear up our burdens and our pains - to join us and pull with us in our heavy yoke, if we would but believe and let Him. (Matthew 11:28-30) I love His teaching about my need to abide in His love, to connect into His "true vine" in order to "bring forth much fruit". (John 15:1-8)

But I don't just have the likes of Paul and Jesus and Isaiah and so many more from the Bible to teach me these things.

I first learned them from Alma the Younger whose exquisite and bitter pains in sin were replaced by the exquisite and sweet joy of redemption when his mind caught hold of the memory of his father prophesying about the coming of "one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world." (Alma 36:11-22) He went from considering himself to be "the vilest of sinners" to being a powerful missionary who helped convert thousands at the city of Ammonihah and worked to strengthen the church in the valley of Gideon. (Mosiah 28:4) Talk about becoming a new creature in Christ! Alma the Younger taught me that, although God does not always take our troubles away, he does "deliver us out of them all" in the sense that he walks with us and succors us in the midst of our trials "according to our infirmities". (Alma 7:11-12,see also Psalms 34:19)  In speaking of his father's ministry, he gave me the hope of having bands of my own loosed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and he encouraged me work toward the day when I too got to feel of His redemption and "sing the song of redeeming love!" Because of the words of Alma the Younger, I sought to have "a mighty change wrought in [my] heart", to be "born again!"  (Alma 5:3-14)

I testify that I went on to obtain in abundance!

I learned from the example of Nephi the importance of having a personal relationship with "my Jesus", of "[knowing] the God in whom I have trusted". (2 Nephi 4:19-34, 2 Nephi 33:6) I learned from Enoch to at least begin learning to "walk with God". (see Moses 6:39) I learned from the prophet king Benjamin to seek to lose my disposition to do evil and have it replaced with a "disposition to do good continually", that if I would do so the day would come when "my [mouth would be shut] that [I] could not find utterance, so exceedingly great [would be] my joy!" (see Mosiah 5:2, Mosiah 4:20) Such is the joy of freedom from sin. I learned from Zeniff and king Limhi and Ammon about my need to "serve the Lord with all diligence of mind" and fight my battles "in the strength of the Lord" if I would be "[delivered] out of bondage" in sin. (Mosiah 7:29-33, Mosiah 10:10) I learned from Mormon my need to have the Lord "make weak things become strong unto me". (Ether 12:27-28) I learned from Helaman about reading the scriptures and following the witness of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Helaman 3:29-30, see also Ephesians 6:10-17), and I learned from him what the Lord meant when He said "build upon [my] rock". (see Helaman 5:12, compare Matthew 7:24-27)

The Book of Mormon has played a major role in my life, in leading me to come unto Christ and be saved in Him!

See my article: What Jesus Christ Means to Me

 

Restoration and Revelation

I believe God works miracles and gives revelation only according to our faith. If we believe He does no such things, we preclude Him from doing them among us. Our lack of faith becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Joseph Smith had faith in God's willingness to communicate His wisdom to mankind. He showed us that what the apostle James had taught was true: personal revelation is available to all who "ask in faith, nothing wavering!" (see James 1:5-6)

I myself have felt what it is to pray and have the Lord confirm His truths to me by the witness of His Spirit. I trust and believe because I know by extensive experience that God can and does speak, not so much by "visions" or "voices", but directly to the human soul through His Spirit, and God does not lie.

How to Obtain a Spiritual Witness
How to Pray
Harden Not Your Hearts Any Longer; Believe in Christ



The prophet Amos foretold of a time when there would be a "famine of hearing the word of the Lord." (Amos 8:11) Isaiah prophesied of a time when the Lord would pour out a deep spiritual sleep upon the earth; He would "cover" the prophets and the seers.  In a time when the fear of God is "taught by the precept of men", the Lord would do a marvelous work and a wonder whose advent would be marked by the publication of a sealed book read by the unlearned. This was to become "one in thine hand" with the Bible - more scripture! (see Isaiah 29, Ezekiel 37:15-20)

The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians Christ would not come "except there come a falling away first". The New Testament is full of evidences that early Christian church leaders were already having trouble keeping the Church from going astray. (e.g. 2 Thessalonians 2) John the Revelator lived at a time when the fullness of the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ were on the earth. I believe he foresaw a time when, by angelic ministration, that same Church and gospel would be restored to the earth again, there being an evident need for it:

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7, emphasis added, compare D&C133:36-39)

I believe the words of Jesus Christ concerning our time:

"I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world... That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness..." (D&C 1:17-18, 23-24)

"...this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness..." (D&C 33:5, compare Revelation 12:6, The Amazing Christian Escape)

"For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (D&C 115:4)

I believe that, because of the lack of faith and because the people of His Church did not heed them, the Lord withdrew his prophets and apostles anciently - he did indeed cover the seers! And I believe that, because of faith, He has uncovered them again in our time, just as He promised He would! To me, His Church truly is a marvelous work and a wonder!

 
LDS Lower Light:
General Apostasy & Restoration Foretold
General Apostasy & Restoration Fulfilled

 

Earliest Experiences

Like Clark Kent discovering something glowing in his barn, I remember some of my earliest experiences with the witness of the Holy Ghost, whispering like a secret something, "You're a stranger here". I remember in my youth that sweet influence working in my mind and gently burning in my heart, infusing me with conviction no earthly proof or reason alone could ever hope to match. I remember the light and the power that flowed through me when, as a child, I first sang those words in Primary:

"The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!
The latter-day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning,
And angels are coming to visit the earth.

The Lord is extending the Saints' understanding,
Restoring their judges and all as at first.
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o'er the earth is beginning to burst.

We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!"


LDS Hymns #2 - The Spirit of God
 
I came away from that experience without any doubt whatsoever that an ancient God of miracles and prophets and angels and revelation and visions and glory had begun His work in the earth once again. That conviction has only deepened with time and study.


Deepening Convictions and The Life-Changing Power of Baptism

I still remember what it felt like to be baptized. I remember feeling the joy of being so perfectly clean that I walked as on eggshells for days, trying desperately not to mess it up, to hold on to something that seemed to be slipping through my young fingers. It was so real to me that it was almost tangible. That experience ignited in me a yearning to get back to that purity, that indescribable joy! It was a yearning that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would continue to drive my passionate pursuit of spiritual things for the rest of my life.

Being a music person, I leaned heavily on the Primary Children's Songbook and the hymns for getting through some rough patches in junior high school. The many powerful experiences this provided served to further deepen both my conviction and my pursuit of spiritual things. It also gave me a powerful desire to serve as a full-time LDS missionary in my youth.


 The Temple and A Long-Forgotten Home

Again, like Clark Kent, casting his crystal out onto the glacier, the day came when I experienced going to the temple for the first time. Suddenly, the house of the Lord became a place where I could go to learn of my First Parents, of my origins, of my journey to Earth, and of my Heavenly Father's reasons for sending me to crash-land in this forlorn realm. This was a place where I could go to train in the tools I needed to to succeed in my earthly mission here in mortality. Here, I could complete the training which the Bible and Book of Mormon had afforded me - training that to this day still leads me to come unto Christ. Strange and beautiful at the same time, going to the temple was like being reunited with an ages-old keepsake, an ancient heirloom reminiscent of a long-forgotten Home!

 
Pre-Mortal Existence

I am a Mormon because Mormonism tells me where I came from before I came to earth. I believe what the Lord told Jeremiah is true for all of us: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

I don't just have the Bible to tell me; I feel it deep inside: something of me existed before I was ever conceived in my mother's womb! I believe we were there when the Father and the Son took counsel together to organize a place where we could come to experience mortality and be proven in our faith and obedience in all things. (see Abraham 3:22-25, John 1:1-2)

I believe all of us saw "[God lay] the foundations of the earth, and... [we] shouted for joy!" (Job 38:4-7)

 
Purpose in Mortality

I don't believe the Fall of mankind was an accident; nor do I believe God is in recovery mode. Surely He who counseled us not to build a tower without first counting the cost knew the end from the beginning before He created anything that was made. (Luke 14:28) He knew Adam and Eve would partake of the tree of knowledge, that it would open the way for their mortal probation to begin. I believe what father Lehi said: "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

I believe that although Adam and Eve grieved over their transgression and were required to repent of it, ultimately the Savior turned their sorrow into great reason to rejoice! What began in sorrow and grief ended up being the very doorway into mortality through which all mankind had to enter if they would experience redemption or ever see a resurrection in glory! (see 1 Corinthians 15:22, Moses 5:10-11)

I believe we also knew at least something of what we were getting into when we came here. We knew there would be suffering and injustice, adversity and tragedy - even unimaginable pain, unbearable loss, and great evil in the world. But I believe we also trusted in the redemption of almighty God. We knew that enduring our trials and temptations in an imperfect world was the only way we could begin to have physical experiences, the only way we could obtain saving ordinances, the only way we could come to truly understand and deeply value the perfect world into which our Savior was offering to save us. We knew that a grueling sojourn in just such a world was necessary for us to truly understand what it would someday mean for our God to save us into a world where we would rest eternally from all these things. We trusted that all we stood to lose would be restored one day. We trusted that there would be great joy and glory hereafter, insomuch that we shouted with joy when the foundations of the earth were laid! 

I believe experiencing just such a Fall, making the everyday mistakes of mortality, and then growing in redemption through the blood of Christ, causes us to truly see what the prophets mean when they testify that God is mighty save; it causes us to deeply value the very real miracle that is salvation from sin. Redemption from sin and from the Fall makes us deeply indebted to Him. This in turn makes higher quality disciples and better candidates for salvation into His heaven. (see Luke 7:37-50, D&C 19:16-19)

Here in mortality, life may be hard and even painful at times, but it gives me great joy and great hope to hold tight to the promise of the apostle Paul: "...the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

I believe there is great purpose in mortality!

 
Death

I am a Mormon because to us, mortality is just a temporary state, and death, though painful, is just a point in time fixed by God where we transition to the next phase of our eternal existence. The Lord, through the ordinances of His temple, has provided us the means to keep the only things that really matter, even in death: our eternal families. So for us, there is no such thing as a forever goodbye - only the pain of longing for a reunion we cannot yet see. 

If we let it, death can teach us something of the eternal nature of the human soul. Any honest person who has ever attended the viewing of a departed loved one knows at first glance that what they see is a whole lot less than their loved one with the batteries pulled out. What they see is no longer their loved one - only an expired imitation, a mockery of what we knew with that person in life. A familiar physical appearance may yet lie motionless before us, but the person we knew is no longer there. Something eternal has gone missing - he, or she, has gone somewhere else!

I believe that deep within each of us, some way, somehow, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we just know: there is no end, only impenetrable yet temporary absence!

 
Salvation for the Dead

I am a Mormon because I believe that, whether in life or in death, God gives all of us an equal chance to partake in that which He has offered His children by the atoning blood of His Only Begotten Son. I believe "Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." (Romans 14:9)

I believe in a God who is no respecter of persons, a Good Shepherd who even in death still leaves the ninety-and nine to go after one who is lost. I believe "it is not the will of the Father that any of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:11-14)

I believe the words of Paul who said, "For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law..." (Romans 2:11-12) There are millions upon millions of people who have lived and died without ever hearing - much less accepting - the word of God. I do not believe a just God can or will judge these people by a standard they were never taught. I believe the great mercy of God extends even to those wicked souls who died in the great flood at the time of Noah, to whom the Lord went and preached, following His death. (see 1 Peter 3:18-20, 1 Peter 4:6) I believe all people deserve an opportunity to partake of the ordinances of salvation in an unpolluted dispensation, one that has not been corrupted by the wayward philosophies of men, mingled with scripture.

For all these reasons, it gives me great joy to spend my Sunday afternoons searching out my ancestors, an occasional Saturday at the temple performing saving ordinances in their behalf, as was done anciently. (see 1 Corinthians 15:29) There is no weird stuff here, no one obligated against their will - only me doing dear friends a favor that will be with them forever if they want it to be. We don't "contact the dead" or anything strange like that. But I personally have felt the veil between heaven and earth grow very thin while I worked. I have felt the prayers of my ancestors, and I have felt their great joy at knowing I was searching them out and getting their temple work done! For me, the work of saving the dead is not just very real, it is always deeply personal!

 
LDS Lower Light: Temple Work for the Dead
www.ancestry.com
www.familysearch.org

 
Forever Love

In every love song ever sung, every love poem ever written, people have long expressed a yearning to love "forever". Even references to "til death do us part" are often described as being "forever". Notions of "love" and "forever" seem permanently conjoined, deeply interwoven together into the fabric of the human spirit.

In my own experience both in being single and in being married, in having children and not, in knowing my Savior and not, I have found that my personal relationships with God, with my wife, and with my children represent my greatest potential for meaning and joy in life. I cannot fathom the idea of permanently losing what I have with them in death! I cannot fathom all of us passing through death, eventually to end up in the same heaven, and not being reunited as an eternal family!

I believe our God created for us "among the mansions of His Father" a heavenly abode where, if we are faithful, we will live forever. I believe in a Heavenly Father who created us with the longing to love forever. And I believe He has provided the means for us to enjoy our heavenly abode with our loving families, together, for time and for all eternity! I don't believe heaven would be any heaven at all without my wife and children and parents and siblings and everyone else in my family there to share in it with me. I believe the Lord has once again granted the power to bind and to loose on earth and in heaven so that when we die, we have the promise of someday being "gathered to [our] people", never to bid farewell again! (see Genesis 49:33)

 
LDS Lower Light: Temple Ordinances


What I Feel At Church

On my first Sunday as a missionary in Venezuela, I attended church in a chapel unlike any I had ever seen before. This one had linoleum floors, and instead of panes in the windows, it had horizontal glass slats that could be opened to admit fresh air or closed to shut out the fury of the frequent tropical storms. It had no organ and no piano - only a CD player and the hymn accompaniments on CD, played over a microphone. I scarcely understood a word on that first day, though the bishop did ask me to address the congregation briefly in my new language.

But this humble South American chapel had something in common with every other chapel in which I had ever attended: it had a quiet Spirit that seemed to walk the halls with me.

Both during my mission and since, I have seen a handful of people join the Church because of the feeling they found in our places of worship. It's a gentle sort of spiritual fire that warms you inside if you are open to it - one that makes very evident the fact that God needs no imagining. He is not merely real; He is there! (John 14:16-18; Matthew 18:20, Habakkuk 2:18-20)


 
What It's Like to Become a Mormon - The Story of Nillia Telleria's conversion

 
It was in a chapel setting I first learned and felt the meaning of these words:

"Heavenly Father, are you really there?
And do you really answer every child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away,
But I feel it all around me as I pray!"

(Children's Primary Songbook #12 - A Child's Prayer)


All of these things together are the "reason of the hope that is in me." (1 Peter 3:15) These are my reasons why I am and always will be a Mormon!

Come to church with us!  www.mormon.org/meetinghouse
Meet with LDS missionaries www.mormon.org/missionaries

LDS Lower Light: What is Mormonism?

Why Aren't Mormon Women Ordained to the Priesthood?

One question that frequently gets asked about the Mormon Church - both inside and outside of it - is, "Why aren't Mormon women ordained to the priesthood?


Gender Sameness or Gender Equality?

I believe this question finds its basis in the fact that the world defines and manages gender equality differently than we do. Increasingly, the world seems to think that the only way men and women can be equal is if they are the same and are given identical opportunities in life. But in everything from physiology to emotional make-up, to the way our brains are wired for different tasks, we are anything but. To deny this is to ignore basic human science.

In the Mormon Church, gender equality - indeed human equality - is about the worth of the human soul, combined with much-variegated individual potential. My wife happens to be better at taking care of our children than I am, and I happen to be better at earning the money that makes our household operate. This has more to do with career training  than with our physiology or personal talents. That doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't be allowed to switch roles if we choose to, but neither does it mean we should be expected to. My wife and I are very different in a lot of ways. But that doesn't stop us from being a team, nor does it make one of us more of a human being than the other.

One of the most important tenets of the Mormon faith - one made possible by the priesthood - is this: that my wife and I have been ordained and prepared to take on equally important yet different roles in the hereafter as we inherit the kingdom of God together.

Additionally, as members of the Church and believers in Christ, many of us have felt the great love and personal involvement of God touch our lives. Nothing increases the sense of worth of any human being like feeling the power of the Savior's atoning sacrifice at work in your mind and heart, feeling that you are truly worth the time, trouble, and even great sacrifice of almighty God. It truly is a life-changing experience to know and experience in a very real way the fact that the Lord did and and will still do such great and marvelous things for me, and for you. This experience causes us to cease to concern ourselves with our own worth, or with comparing ourselves to each other, and instead causes us to see other human beings as equally in need of the Lord's grace, and as being in need of something I personally may have to offer.


The Irrelevance of Status

Another social issue with which the world is concerned - especially in the context of gender equality - is equal opportunity. The world strives to offer equal opportunity in compensation - a noble enough thing in itself, but there is no compensation for service rendered under the auspices of the lay clergy in the LDS church - not in the Relief Society, and not in the Priesthood. 

Not understanding what the priesthood is, the world views advancement in the LDS priesthood as ascension of a hierarchy - an opportunity not afforded to women. The members of the Church at the time of Christ made this same mistake of believing the priesthood to be an opportunity for achieving status in the kingdom of God. In response to this, the Savior taught them what I personally consider to be the central doctrine of the priesthood - one that turned their concern about status on its head:

"...he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.  And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." (Mark 9:33-35)

"...Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)

Even the priesthood that lends God his power and authority in His kingdom is more about service to us, more about His ability to make grace available to us, than about anything else. To put it in the words of the Savior, "...my grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in (mortal) weakness..." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Status vs. "Licensing"

My upcoming ordination to become a high priest has caused me deep reflection that has made me realize some things about the priesthood.

Far from being an opportunity for achievement of status, the priesthood really is about service to others. The priesthood organizes the service efforts of the men by way of, not so much a hierarchy, but rather by what I'll call "licensing". For the world to ask why Mormon women aren't ordained to the priesthood is tantamount to asking why the airlines don't offer RN certification to their stewardesses. For starters, per the organization of His Church and the commandments God has given us for its operation, it isn't ours to offer, and secondly, the "licensing" afforded by the priesthood makes it legal in the kingdom of God for men to perform tasks other than those required of the women of the Church. We'll talk more about that in a moment. 

Most adults in the United States have a class "D" driver license that allows them to operate a motor vehicle on public roadways. We don't look at bus drivers and wonder why we're not allowed to have a class A endorsement. We don't look at truck drivers and wonder why we can't have a CDL. We don't view truck drivers or bus drivers as being of higher status, or better human beings than the rest of us. The reason for this is that we don't consider the question of status to be relevant in this context. 

The more I "advance" in the priesthood, the more I realize the same very much applies here. In placing me in this new office, the Lord and His Church give me, not a higher status, but rather a higher expectation that more service of a specific nature be rendered on my part. They make it legal for me to perform that function, by virtue of my having proven myself to be as prepared for it as a weak mortal such as myself can hope to be, just as any other license indicates and follows appropriate training. My "advancement" in the priesthood does not constitute ascension of a hierarchy any more than getting my class A endorsement would. It just means I have a new "office" or "endorsement" in the priesthood. 

In placing me as a high priest in the Melchizedek priesthood, the Lord has given me neither crown nor throne, neither robe nor scepter. Quite to the contrary, the Lord has but approved my apprenticeship in His service - training that is certain to be grueling. In doing so, he has not afforded me a position of greatness. Rather, he has put me at the feet of the members of the Church and handed me a wash basin. Soon, He will expect me to follow in His footsteps, and learn to wash the feet of those whom I am called to serve. I pray that He may make of my hands a cleansing and a healing agent to dirty, sore, and injured feet that are traveling rough roads. I pray He will make me worthy to walk in the footsteps He left behind - footsteps that lead inevitably toward no more than service to others.

While it is perfectly natural for human beings to seek opportunities to prove their worth in the world, the way the Church helps us do that is by offering us opportunities to serve that are perfectly tailored to our capabilities and needs, not as the world sees them, but as God sees them. It is by taking Him up on that offer and by getting outside ourselves to serve others, rather than by seeking or achieving status that we leave our most significant mark on the world.

The Offices of Mother and Wife

Anyone who has had, not just a biological source from whence they sprang, but an actual hard-working, sacrificing, faith-testing, courage-mustering, devoted, full-time parenting Mother, will put such a woman on a pedestal and consider her title of "Mother" to be a higher office in the priesthood than that of any deacon, teacher, priest, high priest, patriarch, sealer, prophet, seer, or revelator. 

Any man who has had for his wife a best friend, an equal, a partner, a counselor, and a trainer in the acquisition of true manhood in the gospel will put his Wife on a similar pedestal, and call her office as such a higher office in the priesthood than any he will ever come to hold.

Because of the gospel, and by virtue of the ordinances of the priesthood, I have had the unimaginably great blessing of being raised by just such a mother, and of being married to just such a wife. The priesthood ordinance of sealing made husband and wife of my mother and father, and I was born into the covenant of the priesthood because of it. In giving birth to me, and in fulfilling all the Lord required of her in raising and training me in the priesthood, my Mother officiated in and executed her responsibility in the priesthood. Similarly, the priesthood made my best friend my wife. By virtue of that sealing, and in the fulfillment of her covenants with respect to me, she has officiated in and fulfilled her responsibilities in the priesthood.

In so doing, these women, without the benefit of holding the priesthood themselves, have demonstrated their worth in the eyes of God, and proven to be of eternal worth to me. It has been their service rendered and not any office or calling in the Church that made it so.

If the priesthood can be said to be a ladder to climb, then I defy any member of the LDS Church to argue with this statement:  as high as he may be said to have climbed, Thomas S. Monson, the current president and the prophet, seer, and revelator, the only man on the earth to hold all the offices, keys and authorities of the priesthood, looks up to his Mother. He looks up to his Wife. Neither of these women hold the priesthood, but without them, his own priesthood would never have been possible.

Without the women of the Church, there would be no prophet or apostle, or any other "officer" in the priesthood - both because we would never have been born and because we would never have been properly trained to receive it.

Remedial Training

Earlier, I referred to the fact that women and men have different tasks in the Church. The end purpose of the Church is to serve the spiritual and temporal needs of its people. This requires organization, an attitude and willingness to serve others, and a capacity to nurture. 

Good women naturally sacrifice in order to organize, serve, and nurture, usually without even being asked to do so. But even good men, by our nature, will thumb our noses at the Honey-Do list taped on the refrigerator and circled in red, find some munchies in the house, and sit down to watch the Superbowl.

The priesthood is a remedial course designed to organize, train, and motivate the men of the Church to strive to emulate our Mothers and our Spouses in the hope of one day being able to consider ourselves worthy of them. Because of their natural tendency to do these things, the women of the Church are not required to advance through training and licensing in the offices of the priesthood - they are permitted to simply get to work serving others.

In taking upon myself new offices in the priesthood over the years, I have not felt that I had received a new stripe or medal to wear on some uniform, or that I had acquired more bullet-list items to place on some spiritual resume. Rather, I have merely demonstrated that in my life, the remedial training is working. My becoming a high priest only means that I have qualified to receive remedial training for the "big leagues": more intense, more demanding, more service-oriented callings in the Church.

The Relief Society - An Help Meet For the Priesthood

The world has failed to take notice of the fact that Mormon women have an exclusive organization all their own - one in which men are not allowed to be officers or to participate in any way. 

Some may ask why women are not seen passing the sacrament or performing baptisms. When a young girl asked this question, her mother answered it by asking why men don't have babies! In the process of childbearing, the women procreate and then "train up in the way they should go" the future bearers of the priesthood and leaders of the Church. (see Proverbs 22:6) 

We might also ask why it is that when the bishop appropriates ward resources for meeting the needs of someone in the neighborhood, it isn't the men who are mobilized - at least not initially. The men or the local priesthood may be asked to support this effort, but it is carried out under the leadership of the Relief Society presidency. Not only that, but only women of the Relief Society are allowed to hold presiding positions in the children's Primary and in the Young Women organizations. While serving as a Primary teacher myself, I served under the leadership of the Primary - a presidency composed of women.

Just as Eve was to be considered "an help meet" - an equal - to Adam, even so, the Relief Society is considered to be "an help meet" for the priesthood - an equal. The priesthood is organized to address the spiritual needs of the people who hold it as also of those whom they serve. But the Relief Society was organized to address the spiritual needs of those who belong to it and the temporal and spiritual needs of those whom they serve. In terms of real output, here in the Mormon Church, the Relief Society holds equal importance to the Priesthood. 

The Relief Society is actually an extension of the priesthood. While Mormon women may not be ordained to the priesthood, when they hold office or perform any service in the Relief Society, they hold an office organized and authorized by the priesthood. They have authority to designate other leaders - an authority given them through the priesthood. They perform services that are essential to the mission and function of the priesthood. The women in our Church are, in fact, thus allowed full participation in the priesthood through the organization of the Relief Society in the way which the Lord whose Church this is has designed and ordered.


The Purpose of the Priesthood

The world - including some members of the Church - seems to think the Mormon Priesthood is a status symbol or a means of aggrandizement in some sense. I'll reiterate here: it is not. Our prophets and apostles have been very clear: the priesthood is a humbling burden to bear, an opportunity to be not so much a leader as a servant. The priesthood is designed to reflect something the Savior taught: 

"...he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:11-12) 

The functions of the Church were designed by our Creator and tailored to the needs of those asked to shoulder them. Those needs are spiritual needs defined by Him, not the needs defined by the world or by society. Men are given the priesthood, not because we deserve it, but because we need it in order to learn things we came into mortality to learn. Women are not given the priesthood because it isn't what they need for their spiritual development. In so many ways, women are naturally wired to sacrifice and to serve those around them. I have been utterly amazed at the ways my wife sacrifices for me and my children. I don't consider myself capable of this same kind of sacrifice, and this is precisely why I need the priesthood. The priesthood calls upon me to sacrifice time and effort, to act in the service of others in a way that requires me to be more and better than I would otherwise be. The priesthood calls upon me to step up to the spiritual plate, to be worthy of the companionship of my wife and of my association with the other women around me, both inside and outside the Church.

My wife and I may be very different, and I may hold the priesthood, while she does not. But we consider ourselves equals in all things. In Mormon theology, the "head of the household" is organizational only, more a label than a fact. I may technically be the "head of the household" and am therefore responsible for the spiritual instruction of my family. But my wife and I both know that, in many ways, she's the one who "wears the pants". There is in truth no "winning vote". Consensus is reached because we trust each other to be more concerned about doing what is right than we are about who made the decision. We are able to trust each other in this way because, with rare exception, we actually are more concerned about doing what is right for our family than about who made the decision. It helps a great deal that our decision to marry was built in no small part on the fact that we knew each other deeply enough to realize how closely aligned our priorities and values are.

The world seems to feel that women ought to be entitled to the "status" of the priesthood - a "status" that for faithful Latter-Day Saints (both men and women) does not exist. Those concerned about such status should know that, as of this writing and notwithstanding my upcoming ordination as a high priest, since our marriage, my wife has held higher, more visible positions in our congregation than I have, despite not being ordained to the priesthood.  She has served as the second counselor in the Young Women organization, whereas I've hidden on the bench behind the organ during the hymns in sacrament meeting. Those concerned with such status should know that there are about as many callings and offices in the Church exclusively filled by women as by men. Just look at the number of organizations in which the women alone are allowed to preside. Those concerned with such status should know that, while the men are tied up making administrative decisions and allocating resources, the women are in the trenches, overseeing the execution of those decisions and personally seeing to the placement of those resources right where the need for them is most poignantly felt: in the personal lives of the members of the Church and their neighbors. Their work is often much more visible, and much more deeply felt and recognized.

After I am ordained a high priest, and no matter what calling I may asked to bear because of it, I will still always value deeply the women in my life; I will still always very much look up to my Mother, look up to my Wife, and look up to my "little" Sister. (She's all grown up now) And in the course of fulfilling such callings, I will likely have both opportunity and obligation to depend upon and to recognize the great value the women bring to our Church, position in the priesthood - or lack thereof - notwithstanding.




Also of Interest


for comparison:


Offices of the Priesthood in the Ancient Church
Offices of the Priesthood in the Latter-Day Church

Priesthood Leaders Must Be Called of God/Unpaid - Ancient Church 
Priesthood Leaders Must Be Called of God/Unpaid - Latter-Day Church

Church page


Mormon.org: Women in the Church
Elder Ballard: Women Are Essential to God's Work
Roles of LDS Women: http://melissabeutler.blogspot.com/

The Canonization of the New Testament

We know that, at the time of the Savior's earthly ministry, the "scriptures" were "the law and the prophets" - the Old Testament. Those of us familiar with it also know that the New Testament contains the writings and words of the Savior and of His apostles and prophets of that time - words that also went on to become scripture.


Those Heretical Christians

The New Testament tells of the great persecution which the early Christians bore because of their faith in Christ and because of their treasuring up the words of His prophets and apostles. They were persecuted because they had the nerve to believe that their scriptures were indeed fulfillment of the law and the prophets, that their Jesus was in fact the Jewish Messiah which was promised and prophesied in the Old Testament. 

In Paul's second epistle to Timothy, Paul testifies of the truthfulness and divine origin of both the Old Testament and of what went on to become the New Testament:

"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:10-17)

We know from studies about the origins of the New Testament that early Christians collected the writings of contemporary prophets and apostles. As the faith grew, so also did a need for a canon of sorts, a rigorous record of the events of Christ's life and resurrection, as also a collection of the teachings of the prophets and apostles thereafter. They sought to have not only the Old Testament, but another Testament - one that would record and testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ and of the fulfillment of then-ancient prophecy.

The result was the compilation of what we now call the Bible, containing the law and the prophets - the Old Testament, the gospels, the epistles of Peter and Paul, and the writings of John the Revelator - the New Testament.

The Importance of the New Testament

Those of us willing to study it know that the New Testament is important because it represents the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies of the Old Testament. In it we see the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies concerning the Savior. To name a few: 

• the Father sending angels to announce the birth of His Son
• the Messiah being called a "Nazarene"
• Christ restoring His ancient church with apostles and seventy (see Mark 3:14-21)
• the birth of "a sceptre out of Bethlehem"
• Isaiah's prophecy concerning the suffering and death of Christ to atone for our sins fulfilled (Isaiah 22, 53) even to the point of describing crucifixion - a practice that wasn't invented until more than six hundred years later. 
• Isaiah's prophesy that the Savior would be buried "with the rich". In the New Testament, we see Joseph of Arimithea - a rich Pharisee - offer his family tomb as the eventual burial place of the Savior. (Isaiah 53:9, John 19:38-40)
• the Savior entering Jerusalem days before His death, amid the waving of palms, just as Zehcariah had foreseen. (Zechariah 9:9, John 12:12-16)
• the Savior rising again the third day, as prophesied for hundreds of years.  (Isaiah 25:8, Matthew 28:5-7)

For reference, see the following articles:

What's in the Bible? Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Old Testament prophecies about the birth of Christ)
Offices of the Priesthood in the ancient Church

There are hundreds of other examples of prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled in the form and personage of Jesus Christ in the pages of the New Testament.

The New Testament turned out to be the ultimate yet unfinished vindication of the prophets of the Old.

The Importance of "New" Scripture

Mainstream Christianity has long objected to Mormonism with its "new Bible". Similarly, the Jews have refused to recognize the Christians with their "new scriptures". No doubt, various sects of Judaism throughout the history of the Bible have rejected writings that have since been included in the Bible. What people don't realize is, every part of the scriptures we now have was "new" at one point. Every part faced great rejection and persecution along its journey into canonized scripture. As I've shown in this and other articles, we've been receiving "new" scripture through the prophets in jumps and starts since the time of Adam.

It has long been the lamentation of Christians that more Jews and Gentiles would be Christians if only they'd familiarize themselves more deeply with both the Old and New Testaments! If only they would look and see for themselves how the two complement each other, how beautifully, intricately, and powerfully they anticipate and then fulfill each other!

New Scripture Vindicates the Old

Similarly, the Latter-Day Saints have born persecution for claiming to have more scripture and to be a movement that fulfills prophecies of the Old and New Testaments. It has long been our lamentation and our testimony to the world that more Gentiles, Christians and Jews would be Latter-Day Saints if only they'd familiarize themselves more deeply with the Old and New Testaments, and then read in earnest the Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants. Having grown up in the LDS Church, I have learned more about Mormonism from recent study in the Old and New Testaments than I ever imagined was possible. I have seen detailed references to the temples and ordinances performed therein as contained and described in both testaments. (see my temple-related links on my Church page) I have enjoyed the blessings of the last dispensation of the fulness of times as prophesied by Paul and recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. (see my articles on general apostasy and restoration both prophesied and fulfilled) I have seen Israel become a nation, its people return to their homeland as prophesied in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon - both written thousands of years before these events transpired. (see Ezekiel 37:21-23) I have studied about the return of Elijah and of temple work on behalf of ancestors in April of 1836 as promised by Malachi and recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. (see Malachi 4:5-6, D&C 110) I have read about an angel which John the Revelator saw flying in the midst of heaven - an angel who delivered to an unlearned farm boy Isaiah's sealed book containing the fullness of the gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people! That book turned out to be the record of the descendants of Jacob and of Joseph who had "run over the wall" - a record that was to aid gentiles adopted into the house of Ephraim in bringing about the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. (see Revelation 14:6, Genesis 49:22, Isaiah 9:8-10, Joseph Smith History). In latter days, the records of Judah and of Joseph have been combined and printed as one book, just as Ezekiel foresaw (see Ezekiel 37:16-20 and D&C 27:5)

For extensive prophecy uttered by the Savior concerning all of these things - promises He made to Jews living in ancient America, see 3 Nephi 21.

Although its coming has been extensively prophesied in the Old and New Testaments, the world scoffs at the Book of Mormon because it claims to be scripture. But the world scoffed at the Book of Genesis when it was first published by a desert hermit who had been exiled from Pharoah's court. It took the Jews forty years of wandering in the wilderness, seeing the power of God firsthand to believe and then observe what their children came to call the "law". Each of the "prophets" - including the Savior - was persecuted and many killed along the way for claiming to be who they were. They reviled the New Testament for claiming that a young Jewish peasant born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazereth could be the Jewish Messiah and the Great I Am. Yet all of these things were first prophesied in one volume of scripture and then fulfilled extensively and intricately and recorded in the next. Likewise, the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants contain prophecies and recorded events that inform the future in the latter days and extensively and intricately fulfill the promises and prophecies of the Old and New Testaments in startling, life-changing detail!

Read what the Lord has to say about His own ability to teach His word among all nations as He sees fit. (see 2 Nephi 29)

In short, in refusing to acknowledge the coming of new scripture, given by God through His prophets, we blind ourselves to the full value of that which we have already been given. Accepting the New Testament, the Book of Mormon or the Doctrine & Covenants does not mean abrogating or displacing the Old and New Testaments - it means discovering their fulfillment, giving them much, much more meaning! What's more, all this fulfillment means the scriptures prove abundantly that there is an all-knowing God who communicates to us through His prophets, and He is not dead, nor doth He sleep! How else can documents proven to be thousands of years old predict events that took place hundreds and even thousands of years after they were foretold?

Latter-Day Scripture Challenge
 

It is the claim of the Latter-Day Saints that, just as the church of Jesus Christ produced scripture at the time of Adam and Noah and Abraham and Moses, Paul and Peter and James and John the Revelator, so it has done again at the time of Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Helaman, Ether, Mormon and Moroni, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Thomas S. Monson, and an ever-growing list of modern prophets, apostles, and seventy, each hand-picked by the resurrected Lord himself, here and now, in the latter days. 

I challenge my reader to investigate these claims for yourself. Read the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants for yourself, and then ask God if these things are of Him. If you do so earnestly, you will come to learn by the whisperings of His still, small voice  and you will know as I do that Daniel's prophecy concerning a marvelous work and a wonder - a stone cut out of the mountain without hands and Paul's last dispensation of the gospel in the fulness of times in the latter days has at last come to pass! (see Daniel 2, Ephesians 1:10, Doctrine & Covenants 11:1-2)

How to Obtain a Spiritual Witness
How to Pray

It may save you considerable effort to read my articles about these passages of scripture. They are quick-start guides to help you familiarize yourself with these prophecies and their fulfillment. To begin, see my Church page and my Gospel Study page.


Also of Interest

Get a free copy of the Book of Mormon
Read the scriptures online
Come to church with us! 
Meet with LDS missionaries - get your questions answered!

What's in the Bible? The Importance of Scripture Study: They are They Which Testify of Me

The Savior taught: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)

During His ministry, the Savior made the bold claim that He was the Savior and the Messiah which the prophets had promised for millennia would come to dwell among the Jews in the flesh. By the time he made that statement, He had worked enough miracles that the Jews could have easily identified Him as their Messiah if they had only been familiar with the scriptures.


The Scriptures Are Not a Smorgasbord

Before then and ever since, the world has had a habit of approaching the scriptures smorgasbord-style, believing and teaching to believe only that which they find palatable or believable. In many cases, the world has believed and taught things that can and should be disproved or understood differently, given a holistic approach to scripture study. The secular world cares only to accept that part of the scriptures which has historicity they cannot disprove, while relegating the accounts of miraculous events to a category of "Christian fables" and the commandments and warnings of God and his prophets to that of "adult material" as though teaching such things constitutes emotional abuse to those who "can't handle it".

They are forgetting that the Gospel of Luke together with the book of Acts was written by a professional historian who went to great lengths to gather eyewitness accounts. (see Luke 1:1-4) They are forgetting that the other gospel writers followed suit and also gathered eyewitness of the things they too remembered and cherished about the ministry of the Savior among them. They are forgetting that, when they overlap, scriptural accounts corroborate each other without being so close to each other in their wording or details as to make room for collusion. They are forgetting that in most cases, the prophets who testified of things that are impossible for the spiritually ignorant to believe asserted these things to have equal historicity with that which the world has been unable to disprove. They are forgetting that, where available, outside sources such as Roman and Egyptian records validate the scriptural accounts.

In so doing, the world and even much of Christianity has missed out on the spiritual feast provided by our loving Heavenly Father and His prophets.

Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ

Evidences supporting the Book of Abraham
Examination of text written by Josephus in Rome



A Quick Word About Priestcraft


The Pharisees and Sadducees of the Savior's day did not teach their people to be literate, let alone that they should study their scriptures. Yet they knew the Old Testament forwards and backwards - they had every word of it memorized before they were allowed to teach! They knew who the Savior was! It was the Sadducees and Pharisees with whom Herod consulted when the wise men came, announcing the appearance of a new star and the birth of a king.  (see Matthew 2:1-12)


Yet they were not about to teach the people of Israel these things. Why? Their knowlegde of "the law" gave them money and power. They could not have a young upstart from the tiny village of Bethlehem threaten their power over the minds of the people and destroy their living. They were not about to teach Israel the prophecies that would have enabled them to identify Jesus for who He was. Because of it, they are largely to blame for the fact that the vast majority of Israel missed the coming and going of their promised Messiah in the flesh. 


Following the passing of the prophet and apostles in that period of time, this tradition of earning by preaching - or preachers keeping the word of God to themselves - crept into Christianity. Too many preachers of the Christian faith tell their respective flocks that they are the stewards of the word of God in their behalf, that respecting the word of God and interpreting it correctly means leaving it to their religious leaders. They are not about to teach the world that Jesus Himself invited all to "study the scriptures" and "learn of me" for themselves. It destroys their value proposition. If people did that, what need would they have of a preacher? What influence could a preacher have to stop people from believing what they find in the scriptures? In the mind of any sensible human being, this should beg the question: what else aren't they teaching me? What are they hiding in the Bible? What is it they don't want me to find out?

Don't get me wrong; I believe there have been millions of men and women of the cloth who did their level best to pass on the word of God as best they knew how. Thank goodness for them, for without them, we would not have the Bible today! I believe the majority of preachers in our day do it with that same goal in mind. But I for one believe those early preachers who corrupted Christianity by this tradition did so under the impetus of far less holy motives - the same motives that drove the Sadducees and Pharisees to have the Savior crucified.


Read about the importance of having an unpaid ministry in the Bible and in latter-day scripture.




By Their Fruits Shall Ye Know Them

There is another aspect to the scriptures - one that the spiritually uneducated cannot know: the authors of scripture have always been spiritual people. These were people who kept commandments such as "thou shalt not bear false witness" and "thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain".  Yet they told accounts that can only be believed by those willing to become familiar with the workings of God, and they testified of the truthfulness of these things in His sacred name. These were people who were honest enough to admit imperfection and weakness - even their sense of being overwhelmed at the Lord's request that they teach and record the things He had given them. (see Ether 12:22-26, Mormon 8:12-21, Mormon 9:30-31)

The prophet Daniel was proven to be just such a person. In his time, there were those who sought to discredit him before the king, to find fault with him in an effort to destroy him and thus garner more power for themselves:

"Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." (Daniel 6:3-4)

Similarly, in a bid for what they call "freedom" (I call it latitude for lasciviousness) or for power over the minds of those whom they lead, people seek to twist the word of God or even destroy Christianity in our day, and in the process, "take away the righteousness of the righteous from him." (Isaiah 5:20-23).

In so deceitful a world as ours and therefore not unduly cynical, it seems impossible that honest and genuine people could exist and write such marvelous things as those found in the scriptures, claiming and testifying that they had actually witnessed these events. Yet those of us familiar with the scriptures know that the careful study and diligent application of them produces such people. "By their fruits shall ye know them." the Savior said. (see Matthew 7:15-20) Knowing of the great and essential power which intense personal scripture study brings to my own walk with Christ, I would be deeply distrustful of anyone who forbids it.

Why God and His Prophets Give Us These Things

Joseph Smith: These Things Should be Attended To

Joseph Smith eloquently expressed the feeling that motivates all prophets and, indeed, all who follow Christ, to bring forth and share His truths with the world:

"And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart— For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—  Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—  These should then be attended to with great earnestness. Let no man count them as small things..." (Doctrine & Covenants 123:11-15)

Nephi: That Our Children May Know

Nephi said:

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26)

Nephi's Love for the Scriptures

Nephi had an extraordinary love for the scriptures:

"...and upon these [plates] I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." (2 Nephi 4:16-17)

Through the study of the scriptures, I have come to feel as Nephi did, "for my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for... learning and... profit (in a spiritual sense)" of myself and others.

A Strait and Narrow Way, An Iron Rod, A Tree of Life, and Living Water

Speaking of the life-changing power of the scriptures, Nephi and his father, Lehi, likened them to an iron rod which was "strong and bright and true", leading us perfectly down the Lord's straight and narrow path toward the tree of life which symbolized the ultimate manifestation of the pure love of God. They also spoke of a fountain of living water that provides spiritual power for making the journey, joyfully doing the things that the scriptures teach us.

"And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood. And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain..." (1 Nephi 8:19-20)

"I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow. And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all."(1 Nephi 11:8-0)

"I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?  And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.  And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul... And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God." (1 Nephi 11:20-25) 

LDS Hymns #274 - The Iron Rod

Nephi and his father gave us what they knew of the word of God because it was a source of great joy and spiritual power for them. They knew that if we would follow it, the word of God would always be and do the same for us. 

Jesus gave us His words and His doctrine because He wanted so very badly to help us as only a God can! Said He:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls..." (Matthew 11:28-29, emphasis added)

Moroni: Ye May Know the Truth of All Things

Moroni taught us how to make the most of the scriptures:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5)

Moroni: Come Unto Christ

Near the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni summarized his reasons for contributing to this volume of scripture as the the Lord had commanded him. To Moroni, the whole point of the scriptures was to invite people to come unto Christ:

"And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true. And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.  And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot." (Moroni 10:29-33)
  

A Treasure Buried in Scripture: Soul-Changing Joy!

Why do the prophets preach the things they do? Why do they teach the importance of the remission of sin, of becoming "holy, without spot"? King Benjamin pointed out the reason why he wanted his people to experience a remission of their sins:

"And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has [the Lord] suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy." (Mosiah 4:20)

With the help of the scriptures, Philip, a missionary in the New Testament, taught a eunuch to believe in Christ. Through a remission of his sins in baptism he experienced great joy:

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.  And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:35-39)

Baptism in the Bible
Baptism in Latter-Day Scripture

At a time of great persecution, through His prophet, the Savior told the Latter-Day Saints:

"...fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full." (Doctrine and Covenants 101:36)

We have been blessed with the gift of the restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its incredible beauty and life-changing power are right under our noses. Are we paying attention? We need to feel the beauty of the scriptures and the beauty of the unbelievably powerful love of God every day!

Not Just Nice Words on a Page - Quick and Powerful!

As we read the scriptures, if we're not careful, there's a tendency to gloss over the words without stopping to think deeply about what they mean, or to realize what they could do for us in our lives. It's easy to think of some of the strange things we read in the scriptures as just nice words on a page. 

The scriptures contain principles that provide power for changing, overcoming habits and even addictions. In his abridgement, the prophet Mormon preserved stories about people being subjected to captivity because of their sins. These can be likened to our struggles to overcome. Note how one group responded to their situation:

"And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage." (Mosiah 21:36)

Following their study of the scriptures, they began to leverage the power of prayer; they came to know their God and make a covenant with Him. Because of all these things, they were ultimately delivered out of captivity by miraculous means. If we find ourselves in captivity to our choices, we too stand in need to be delivered from our sins by means that are no less miraculous! 

My intent in telling you about my own struggles is to show you why I have interpreted and applied the principles of the scriptures in my life the way I describe in my articles. In showing you my own, personal, down-in-the-mud applications of gospel principles, I hope to preclude the possibility that any of us will any longer be able to dismiss the things we read in scripture as mere "nice words on a page".  I sincerely hope to get you thinking deeply about what the scriptures mean to you.

In my own life, I have noticed that when I let my scripture study slip, everything becomes more temporal and less spiritual, even to the point that spirituality has nothing to do with anything. When I get my scripture study where it should be, everything temporal is also spiritual. Without scripture study, I find myself living "in a carnal state", doing way too much of living "without God in the world". (see Alma 41:11) With scripture study in my life, I find the words of the prophets flowing through my mind and heart often throughout each day. (see Alma 12:9-10) 

The scriptures truly open the way into godliness.

To me, the scriptures contain real principles that have changed my life. Every time I let go of them, as I too often do, I feel my "salt" losing its "savor" all over again, I feel myself becoming spiritually lukewarm yet again, and I feel my life starting to look and feel too much like it did before I ever knew my Savior. But every time I take hold of these principles once again, and put them back into play in my life, I feel more power, wisdom, joy, meaning, and purpose flow into my life than I could ever hope to invent in my own humble imagination. I feel as though I am captained by Christ anew, bought with a price once more, and born again! 

When I am diligently applying these lessons in my life, the power, living water, and healing I need to succeed at living the gospel just seem to flow naturally into my life as though from a pool that has no bottom and no end, which pool is the very Fountain of All Righteousness, even Jesus Christ! (see Ether 12:27-28)

Through the words of the scriptures, it is the prophets of old whom I have to thank for showing me the way unto my Savior. I love the words of the prophet Helaman who said:

"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked— And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." (Helaman 3:27-31) 

I testify that the things the scriptures teach are quick - meaning "alive" - and they are powerful!   



That the World Through Him Might Be Saved

The world increasingly speaks poorly of the Bible because of its many do's and don'ts and its many warnings from God and His prophets concerning those who stand in need of repentance. Inasmuch as the world gains exposure to the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, they'll do the same with these volumes of scripture, and for all the same reasons. 

But let me point out that the scriptures are replete with reminders of the Father's unceasing good will toward men. 

Here I give a series of examples, these being but a few among many.

The Book of Mormon prophet Alma the Younger tells us why the Lord was to come to earth to dwell among us:

 "And behold, he shall be born of Mary... she being a virgin, ...who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God. And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.  And he will take upon him death, ...and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:10-12)

When Jesus was born, His Father sent angels to shepherds "keeping watch over their flocks by night", announcing it and expressing His good will toward those whom the Lord was born to save: 

"...And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them...  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord... And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:8-14)

Isaiah prophesied of the ministry of the Savior, and of the purposes for His being sent to dwell among us in the flesh: 

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Isaiah foresees the birth of Christ, who illuminated a dark world and whose government taught us principles of peace:

 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.  For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor... For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (2 Nephi 19:2-6, compare Isaiah 9:2-6)

Isaiah forsees the suffering of the Savior on behalf of the transgressors:

 "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:2-12)

The the Good Shepherd told us how He feels about all people, whether they choose to follow Him or not:

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for ...the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:10-14)

This is how the Lord feels when we don't let Him help:

 "...how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.  O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:5-6, compare Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, D & C 43:24-25, D & C 10:57-69)

Given all the Lord has invested in mankind, from the creation of the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are, to the atoning  sacrifice and resurrection, I would have given anything to be there to see the conviction in His countenance and hear the passion in His voice when the Lord spoke those oft-quoted words to Moses:

"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)

 And last, though certainly not least, the Savior Himself said:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

God has given us his prohpets, His words, and His scriptures because He loves us dearly!

We Need to Study the Scriptures - Urgently!

God has restored the fulness of His gospel in the latter days. He gave it to a handful of people and commanded them to give it to a world that is quickly running out of time:

"And now, verily saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you, O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many that dwell on the earth. And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.  And the servants of God shall go forth, saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come;" (Doctrine and Covenants 133:36-38, cross reference: Revelation 14:6)

Speaking the whole of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord said:

"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—  The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—  But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;  That faith also might increase in the earth;  That mine everlasting covenant might be established;  That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.  Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:17-24)

The Lord has many things He would teach us, to warn us of the consequences of doing evil, and to guide us toward the joy and the happiness that we can only find in Him. His love and wisdom are not just for those who currently believe in Him. His priesthood ordinances, prophets and apostles - indeed, the fulness of the restored gospel - are for everyone! It is for this reason He has called prophets and apostles in our day as in times of old, to have them restore and teach us the fullness of His ancient, timeless gospel:

"And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons..." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:34-35)


Receive Ye, Therefore, My Law

The Savior reminded the leaders of the Church that the attaining of heavenly glory is predicated on obedience to His law:

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory. For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.  But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also. This is eternal lives—to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law." (D&C 132:22-24, cross reference: John 17:3)

How can we come to be where He is if we don't read up on how to follow Him? How can we know Him and thus experience eternal life, if we don't "receive His law?" Can we say we have received his law if our scriptures, which contain it, sit on the shelf, unread?

If, as the Savior pointed out, in the scriptures we "have eternal life", then it is also true that our personal scripture study defines the limits of our salvation. Joseph Smith taught: "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (Doctrine and Covenants 131:6) He of all people should know, for it was his personal scripture study that opened the way for Paul's prophecy concerning a "dispensation of the fulness of times" to begin to be fulfilled!

Feast Upon the Words of Christ

Nephi taught his people:

"...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)

It isn't enough to get baptized. To enter into the "strait and narrow way", we also have to receive a remission of our sins - a blessing predicated upon obedience to the laws of heaven, laws that must be studied and applied. Once we have gotten to this point, Nephi talks about what needs to happen next. Notice the importance he places on familiarizing ourselves with the word of God:

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.  And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." (2 Nephi 31:19-21, emphasis added)

The Worth of the Word of God

A Book of Mormon prophet by the name of Abinidi taught a wicked king Noah and his court from the scriptures. This he did, knowing it would cost him his life. Abinidi did it willingly because he knew the worth of the word of God and of those who preach it. When the priests of king Noah asked him about the meaning of a certain verse in Isaiah, Abinidi took the opportunity to tell them:

"Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets... are they not his seed?  ...and these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!  And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!  And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!  And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!  And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; (Mosiah 15:11-18, cross reference: Isaiah 52:7)

As a missionary, I myself experienced the deep gratitude of those who accepted the gospel because I knocked on their door. They could not believe that as a youth, I had left home, learned a new language, adjusted to a new culture, and come to bring them good tidings.

 King Noah's response to Abinidi's passionate message of hope and salvation was to have him burned at the stake. Abinidi died not knowing if his words had affected his audience in the least. But, among the priests of king Noah's court was found one Alma, later known as Alma the Elder. He heard the words of Abinidi and believed. Having been so directed of God, he built up the church and began to teach the words of Abinidi, words that changed enough people's lives that they built a city together.  (see Mosiah 23:9-22) After the story of Abinidi, the remainder of the book of Mosiah was written by Alma the Elder. The book of Alma was written by his son, Alma the Younger. The book of Helaman was written Alma's son and grandson, both named Helaman. Third Nephi was written by the latter Helaman's son, Nephi. Ether and Mormon were written by Mormon, who was charged by a descendant of this Nephi to recover the records and abridge them according to the word of God. The book of Moroni was written by Moroni - Mormon's son. In other words, Abinidi gave his life so that you and I could have Mosiah chapter eighteen and everything that comes after it!

Read how Joseph Smith's study of Mosiah 18 likely led to the restoration of the priesthood
 

In similar fashion, the scriptures from previous generations have aided in passing down and preserving the gospel in its fulness.The scriptures of old and scriptures given anew have aided in the restoration of the gospel, even the opening of every new dispensation since the time of Adam. Thus, all the prophets of old and of this last dispensation in the fulness of times have labored and sacrificed, in many cases sealing their testimonies with the loss of their lives, so that you and I could partake of the fruit of the tree of life, so that you and I could have living water to feed our souls and give us spiritual fuel for our journey through life, so that you and I could know for ourselves the sweetness and incomparable joy of experiencing the infinite and pure love of God!

Let us not allow the labors of the Lord, the sacrifices of the prophets, or the keys to receiving this great and eternal blessing sit on the shelf, gathering dust! The study of the scriptures is so important that the LDS missionaries will not allow someone to be baptized unless they are reading on a regular basis. Let us as members - and anyone else who would come unto Christ - read our scriptures every day for the rest of our lives!


Also of Interest

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King Josiah and his people learn the importance of the word of God

Come to church with us!
Meet with LDS missionaries

What's in the Book of Mormon? The Pride of the World vs. Living Water

Fox News: The Forbidden Bible 

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