The Gospel Blesses Families
17 Jul 2010 2 Comments
in Restoration of the Church Tags: Armor of God, Arts, Book of Mormon, Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dramas, Earth, Evangelism, Genesis, God, God the Father, Gordon B. Hinckley, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lds, mormons, Religion and Spirituality, Salvation
“No success can compensate for failure in the home.” –Former Church President David O. McKay
Families are ordained of God. They are the most important social unit in time and in eternity.
God has established families to bring happiness to His children, allow them to learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and prepare them to return to Him after they die. Because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and in eternity.
Marriage (Genesis 2:18) and family ( Genesis 1:28) are central focal points in God’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. Your Heavenly Father wants you to do all you can during your time on Earth to prepare yourself to live in an eternal family.
Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on sound principles, like those that Jesus Christ taught. These principles include faith in Jesus Christ, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. A home established on gospel principles is a place of refuge and safety, where the Spirit of the Lord can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy, and happiness (“ The Family: A Proclamation to the World”).
No marriage or family is perfect. When dealing with challenging relationships, it may help to remember that each person on this earth is a beloved son or daughter of God and has a divine nature and destiny. Learning to love and serve your family members, as Christ taught, will help you become more like your Heavenly Father and will help you prepare to live with Him again in an eternal family.
I know personally how much my family has been blessed by the gospel, and how much the gospel means for my family. Whenever times are tough, i can always turn to my family for love and support. This also makes it easier to find my way back to my Heavenly Father and pray to Him for His guidance and support. I know that this church is true with all my heart, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that Heavenly Father loves and knows each and every one of His children and wants us all to return to live with Him someday. I leave these words in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
The First Vision/ Restoration of the Church
17 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Restoration of the Church Tags: Armor of God, Book of Mormon, Christ's Second Coming, Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Earth, First Vision, Generation, God, God the Father, Gordon B. Hinckley, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Lamanite, Lds, mormons, Nephite, Religion and Spirituality, Salvation, Stripling Warriors, United States
The First Vision/ Restoration of the Church
In 1820, as He had done throughout history, Father in Heaven again chose a prophet to restore the gospel and the priesthood to the earth. He called a young man named Joseph Smith, and through him, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth.
Joseph Smith lived in the United States, which was perhaps the only country to enjoy religious freedom at the time. It was at a time of great religious excitement in the eastern United States, and Joseph Smith’s family members were deeply religious and constantly sought for truth. The Holy Bible taught that there was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” ( Ephesians 4:5), but many ministers claimed to have the true gospel. Joseph attended different churches, but he was confused about which church he should join and desired “to know which of all the sects was right” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:18). He later wrote:
“So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was . . . to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. . . . In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:8, 10).
As Joseph sought truth among the different faiths, he turned to the Bible for guidance. He read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” ( James 1:5). Because of this passage, Joseph decided to ask God what he should do. In the spring of 1820 he went to a nearby grove of trees and knelt in prayer. He described his experience: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, 
above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17). In this vision God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith. The Savior told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for they “were all wrong.” The Savior stated, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:19).
Although many good people believed in Christ and tried to understand and teach His gospel, they did not have the fulness of truth or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances at that time. They had inherited a state of apostasy, as each generation was influenced by what the previous one passed on, including changes in the doctrines and in ordinances, such as baptism.
Joseph Smith’s First Vision marked the beginning of the Restoration of Jesus Christ’s Church to the earth. In subsequent years, Christ restored His priesthood and reorganized His Church. He has continued to reveal truths to His prophets and to restore the blessings that were taken from the earth for a time.
The Apostle Peter prophesied of the “restitution of all things” before Christ’s Second Coming ( Acts 3:19–21). The Restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth has made available the opportunity for all to once again receive all of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is the reason why I get up each and every morning with the purpose of spreading forth Thy restored Gospel as a full time missionary!! I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove in 1820. This Church is true, Heavenly Father has restored the fullness of the gospel to us in this last dispensation. Nothing in this life has brought me as great comfort and happiness to know that I am a member of His restored gospel, that I hold His Holy Priesthood, that I try my hardest to follow each and every one of His commandments, and that HE Loves Me!!! I say these things in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
Why Mormons build Temples
17 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Temples Tags: Architecture, Arts, Book of Mormon, Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Earth, God, God the Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Lamanite, Lds, Lord, mormons, Religion and Spirituality, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Stripling Warriors, Temple
Temples are literally houses of the Lord. Throughout history, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. The Church is working to build temples all over the world to make temple blessings more available for a greater number of Heavenly Father’s children.
13 Articles of Faith
16 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Church Articles Tags: Armor of God, Articles of Faith, Bible, Book of Mormon, Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, God, God the Father, Great Commandment, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Lamanite, Lds, mormons, Nephite, New Jerusalem, Religion and Spirituality, Salvation, Satan, Second Coming of Christ, Stripling Warriors
Two years before he died, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote them in a letter to a newspaper editor, John Wentworth, who had asked for information about the Church.
Ever since the Articles of Faith were written, they’ve inspired and directed us in the basic principles of our gospel. They enhance our understanding of certain doctrines and help us commit to living them. They invite further thought. And they’re a good tool for explaining our beliefs to people unfamiliar with them.
- 1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
- 2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
- 3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
- 4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- 5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
- 6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
- 7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
- 8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
- 9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
- 10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
- 11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
- 12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
- 13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
These outline what our church believes in, if any of you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop me a line. Can’t wait to hear from you!!!
LIFE IS GOOD!!!!
