Al Fox joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2009. She’s been sharing her journey of faith on her blog, “In the Head of Al Fox.” She recently celebrated two years as a Latter-day Saint, and shared a letter she wrote about her conversion to the Mormon Church.

How I became a convert really has quite an easy answer. It was the spirit. It was the spirit that the missionaries had with them every time we met. It was the spirit that I could see in their eyes and hearts when they would teach me, and it was the spirit that had prompted me to keep going, keep learning, keep praying and to keep being excited about it all.

Sometimes people ask about what Mormons can or can’t do, and sometimes our standards can be seen by some as restrictive. But I love how Al talks about how making changes for God, in faith, made overcoming previous habits do-able and meaningful.

I had tried to quit [my bad habits] before but it was unbearable and could not succeed. But this time was different. This time I was getting something in return. This time I had faith. This time I was starting to work on my salvation. This time I was starting my eternal journey. This time I knew I was going to become who was meant to be all along. And this time, I knew, I could continue to put my trust in the spirit and in the Lord.

The Spirit led her to make the choice to be baptized, and she describes the happiness she has felt since that day. She was, as she said, already a happy person, but the gospel brought something more into her life.

That morning [the morning she decided to be baptized] I was incredibly happy, a happiness I have never been before and didn’t even know existed. That happiness I had that morning has not gone away yet. Since then, and through my baptism, and through receiving the Holy Ghost, that happiness has only gotten stronger. Every day with all my energy I will testify that the Lord’s path is open to all those that are willing, and is the only eternal path to a never ending, overwhelming, indescribable happiness that continues to grow…..

As soon as I stepped out of the baptismal waters, I felt anxious more than anything else. Anxious to tell my story, anxious to talk about everything I learned, anxious to teach what I know from my experiences, anxious to motivate and inspire….

The phrase that comes to mind when I read her words and hear her talk is that she is “on fire.” Now, in addition to her blog, Al is sharing her story and her faith through videos. In the video (linked below) entitled “Never Alone,” she shares her testimony of the Savior, and of the happiness the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought into her life.

She’s also shared her testimony of The Book of Mormon at BookofMormonBelieve.com

The post “Find Yourself in Christ” — Mormon Convert Shares Her Testimony appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Danielle is an Episcopal priest, an academic, a teacher and lecturer, a writer, and a life coach. She holds multiple degrees and has a passion for using her skills to serve and help others. (You can read more about Danielle at her website.) 

Her article, “What mainstream Christians could learn from the Mormon faith“, originally appeared in the Guardian. The article, and her photo, are shared here with her permission. 

When my husband and I exited the interstate to Palmyra, New York, the first thing we saw was nature having its way with the earth. There were overgrown bushes and thick forests, but no towns, not even a farm, that human attempt to control chlorophyll.

Then we saw a sign: pageant traffic ahead. Prepare to stop. Police directed us to a field-turned-parking lot with the vehicles of 6,000 pilgrims here for the Hill Cumorah Pageant, a 90-minute extravaganza chronicling the Book of Mormon. It stars a cast of 800 – all Latter Day Saints – a script composed by Orson Scott Card, music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and a 40-storey fire-and-water-spewing set.

How could someone like myself, who is fascinated by all things religious, skip such an event? “We are so glad you decided to join us tonight,” the parking attendant said as we stepped outside. “Are you Mormon? You look Mormon.”

“We’re Christian,” I said, worried the woman would start proselytising. After all, Mormons are famous for selling their product, and though we were just window shoppers, we were also in the store, after hours, with the doors locked.

“Well, welcome,” she beamed. “I feel the spirit so deeply here; I hope you’ll feel it too.” Not the reaction I expected, but before I could respond, someone else began to speak. “Joseph Smith” was a compulsive liar, and he hunted for buried treasure using a peep stone,” a protester called through a loudspeaker. “He told a lie, and it snowballed. What Mormonism became is a sex cult.” “Jesus died on the cross so that you can be reconciled to God,” another protester said. “But you don’t care. Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!”

We hurried past the protesters to the pageant grounds and as we sat down, a father and son approached, looking like they’d walked straight off The Ten Commandments’ set. They told us where they were from (Utah), and the scene they acted in (the Restoration). After they departed, another set of cast members approached, this time two teenage girls embarking on a mission. Following them came two cousins. Then a mother and toddler. Then a family of four.

All told us what scene they were in; some shared their testimony; one asked why my husband didn’t want to be married to me for all eternity (because in Mormon culture you are). These volunteers were bright-eyed, earnest, and if they drank coffee, I would have described them as caffeinated with faith.

If I’d rehearsed 15 hours a day and camped for a week to prepare like they had, I would have looked like I had just finished a 40-year stint in the wilderness.

But the hard work their faith is known for paid off: the pageant itself was so spectacular it made Transformers look understated. The nearly 1,000-member cast moved seamlessly – crossing oceans, fighting battles, burning prophets. At one point, Jesus – wearing illumined robes – descended from the starry night to the ground.

It was a vision designed to impress, to inspire, and though confused by the characters whose names all seemed to begin with “L” and end with “I,” we never felt disconnected, because we knew at least one actor in each scene.

So was all this effusive kindness and personalisation a cunning strategy to facilitate our conversion? It was easy to imagine a consultant – armed with PowerPoint – giving tips to higher-ups on how to sell faith: never leave people alone; don’t be too forceful; smile.

But while it may have been intelligent marketing, the brilliance lay in the sincerity. Ironically, while we worried about hostility from the Mormons, the only aggression we experienced was from those who, like us, identified as “Christian.” The Mormons were kind and welcomed us not seven times but 70 times, so that even if we disagreed with their theology, we could not help but be moved by their authenticity.

As we departed, two performers approached, a convert and a disabled teenager who spoke in slow but determined English, “I’d like to bear my testimony to you. I know Jesus Christ saved us and that he sent his angel Moroni to reveal the truth to Joseph Smith. I knelt down and asked God, and I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know it in my heart.”

Mainstream Christianity could learn a lot from Mormons about how to communicate faith, I thought. Because, though I didn’t buy the religion they sold, it’s hard to argue with a testimony like that.

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For a chronology of latter-day Church History, see here.

For more on the Restoration of the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ, see the many sections of information here: “The Restoration of Truth.”

For more on the prophet, Joseph Smith, through whom the Church was restored, visit here (unofficial site) or here (Church’s official site).

The post The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Organized 180 Years Ago Today appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

For 12 months or more I have been a distracted disciple. A year ago we sold our home in hopes of finding the “perfect” place (within budget constraints) to raise our family in California. I now know that this search for perfection has distracted my mind and heart away from God. Since moving three times in one year, we found three things out about ourselves:

1. A bigger house didn’t make us any happier.
2. A spiffy neighborhood didn’t make us happier.
3. Our children attending a higher rated school didn’t make us any happier.

What previously made us happy was the people we served, the interconnectedness and interdependence of our previous neighborhood and lives. We have met and loved new people while living in our rental homes, but because we saw ourselves as transient, we didn’t throw ourselves into serving our neighbors and ward members. What a mistake! We sought to find ourselves a new life, but our self interest left us spiritually adrift.

About six months ago I realized I was off track and committed myself to follow a self-made discipleship chart. My chart included regular family prayer, family scripture study, service, temple work and visiting teaching with the assumption of keeping the commandments. I did okay, and admittedly was doing better than the months prior to starting my chart, but at the end of a few weeks of dutifully following my chart I was left feeling overwhelmed and undernourished. I learned that goals are good, and should be made to make me a more effective servant of the Lord, but true discipleship wasn’t in check-marks and to-do lists.

Months passed, and I continued to think about discipleship. Some clarity came to me while listening to our Primary sing “Love One Another” during sacrament meeting last Sunday. This song led me to ponder on some of my favorite teachings of Jesus Christ.

Mark 8: 35-36

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall again the whole world (or a perfect house), and lose his own soul?

John 13: 34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye alove one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 22: 36- 40

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

In these scriptures I found a key to becoming a better disciple: love. I also found my perfect place to live: with God. What I missed most about my old life was how connected I felt to the Lord. I felt Him guiding me to serve my neighbors and friends. Realizing that loving God and serving others is what brings me happiness, has reduced the pressure to find the “perfect” place to live. Opportunities for love and service can be found everywhere. I don’t need to be a distracted disciple any longer. I can recommit. I can reconnect. I can repent. I can learn to love God “with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind” again.

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To read more on discipleship please read the following articles.

The Path of Discipleship – By Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Discipleship by James E. Faust

Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship by Robert E. Hales

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For more We Believe posts, click here.

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I love Christmas lights. As I write this, I’m sitting by our Christmas tree with no lights on in the room except for those on the tree. I keep them on until right before I go to bed every night, and look for excuses to sit here and enjoy the quiet glow.

Where I live, many people decorate the outside of their homes with lights. They make going out in the cold more bearable! I love what the Church does at Temple Square and in other locations with light displays.

I love the imagery of light in the scriptures, too. At this time of year, I like to ponder how light plays into the Christmas story, both in the Old World, and in the New.

As prophets had foretold, a new star appeared when Jesus was born. I sometimes imagine what it must have been like to be anticipating the coming of the Messiah, and to see the sign that the time had come! Shepherds and wise men looked to that star to guide them to the Savior.

Likewise, in the New World, the Book of Mormon tells us that a prophet had foretold the signs that would let the people who lived on the American continent know that the Savior was born.

“And behold, this will I give unto you for a ^asign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
“Therefore, there shall be one ^aday and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is ^bborn.
“And behold, there shall a new ^astar arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
“And behold this is not all, there shall be many ^asigns and wonders in heaven.” (Helaman 14:3-6)

I will never forget the religion class I sat in years ago, when I was a freshman in college. We were studying The Book of Mormon. We had reached the place in our study where this prophecy was about to be fulfilled. I will never forget how I felt as this teacher recreated the event for us.

His voice choked with emotion as he spoke of the day and night and day with no darkness, that miraculous sign for which the believers had earnestly waited. They had put their lives on the line for their faith, for the unbelievers had threatened to kill them if the sign did not come on that very day.

The room was absolutely still. We all felt the power of the Lord’s Spirit testifying to us of the reality of this miracle. Of the reality of the Savior of the World.

There is much of darkness and difficulty in this mortal journey we call life. It can sometimes be difficult and lonely to be one willing to look for the Savior, to follow Him, to choose to seek light. But I take great comfort from stories like those of the shepherds who saw the star and ran with haste, the wise men who studied the skies and sought the Savior, the Nephites in the Book of Mormon who watched steadfastly for the light they believed would come.

Just as the light guided them, I believe the Light of the World, our bright and morning star, can guide us all as we seek Him. At this this time of year, and always, may we seek Him. May we bask in the light of His love, His mercy, His power to heal and guide and forgive and bless. May we follow His light by seeking to be more like Him.

I love this quote from President Howard W. Hunter, 14th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

“This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.”

Enjoy this video, entitled “Come See the Light,” depicting scenes from the life and ministry of the Savior, depicting events recorded in both the Bible and The Book of Mormon.

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For more We Believe posts, click here.

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When I was six months pregnant with my third child, my family took a camping vacation to the redwoods. In the middle of the night I woke up to sharp pains in my abdomen and back. I tried to wait the pain out, hoping it would pass, but finally I decided to pray. In answer to my prayer I felt impressed to go to a hospital as fast as possible. I woke my husband and children and asked my husband for a Priesthood blessing. In the blessing, he asked that the Doctors and nurses would be able to correctly identify my ailment and treat me accordingly.

As we rushed to the hospital overwhelming pain overtook my body and I could feel contractions starting on the front of my belly, but the bulk of the pain resonated in my lower back. The nearest hospital was called Saint Dominic, a Catholic hospital, and it was over 12 miles away.

I was immediately admitted into Labor and Delivery because of my contractions. My body arched and dry heaved, not knowing how to rid itself of the pain. After asking me several questions about the source and type of pain I was experiencing, one nurse whispered to my husband, “I think she has a kidney stone, the contractions are just a reaction.”

After dozens of unsuccessful injections and IV attempts to stop the pain, my nurse was moved by an overwhelming compassion for me. We found ourselves alone for a moment because my husband had taken my children into to the hall to shield them from my screams.

She said, “I feel that you are a Christian.”

“Yes.”

“Can I pray over you?”

“Yes.”

Then she offered an open and heartfelt prayer to God pleading for Him to burst my yet undiagnosed kidney stone into a million pieces, that it might pass and let my body rest. She repeated her request over and over. I poured my faith in Jesus Christ into her prayer and we both said, “Amen.”

Hours later, results from my X-rays confirmed a badly swollen kidney due to a kidney stone. I was advised to get a shunt placed into my body to relieve the swelling in my kidney. After learning about the shunt I was worried and knew that I would prefer the stone to pass, as my nurse prayed for, if at all possible.

The next day, my kidney stone burst into a million pieces, without any medical treatments, as my nurse had requested.

This experience reminded me of a scripture found in the Bible.

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 18:18-19

There are many differences in doctrine taught by the various Christian denominations. But this experience taught me that when two people are united in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, despite differences that may exist in doctrine, miracles can and will happen. I know God lives. I know God loves me. I know God is good. My nurse knew these things too.

I believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, is true. I believe that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that prophets continue to deliver God’s word to men and women today as they did in the past. But I also believe in Christianity as a whole. I find it powerful that so many people of different ethnicities, countries of origin and religious traditions can “agree on earth” that Jesus is the Christ. In fact, because we agree or touch on that one vital truth, I believe that Jesus Christ can be in the midst of us all.

For more We Believe posts, click here.

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To watch the broadcast, you can go here. The live broadcast will be at 6:00 p.m. MST on December 6, 2009. But you can also watch the archived version anytime after the live broadcast at that link. If you are interested in live audio streams in a different language, look at the bottom of the live broadcast page for a list of languages that are available.

You can also listen to a live audio feed at Mormon Channel, the official online LDS radio station.

The 2008 First Presidency Devotional can be found here. It can be heard in the following languages: Arabic, Armenian, Bulgarian, Cambodian, Cantonese, Cebuano, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Fijian, Finnish, French, German, Guarani, Haitian Creole, Hindi (Fiji), Hmong, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Marshallese, Mongolian, Navajo, Norwegian, Papiamento, Pohnpeian, Portuguese, Portuguese (EU), Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tahitian, Thai, Tongan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

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For another wonderful live broadcast, this of a concert by various choirs and the philharmonic orchestra at Brigham Young University, you can go to Classical89.org tonight at 7:30 p.m. MST. This concert, A Celebration of Christmas, includes a variety of music, including a few fun traditional Christmas songs like Sleigh Ride. But the true celebration is of the Savior, Jesus Christ, the focal point of our faith.

This concert will also be rebroadcast on Classical89.org on December 20, 2009 at 5:00 p.m., MST.

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If you get a chance to listen to either of these broadcasts, we invite you to share what you liked.

The post Links We Like: First Presidency Devotional; Christmas Concert Broadcast Tonight! appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

My kids have a favorite Strawberry Shortcake book. We picked it up at the Deseret Industries [the Church’s thrift store — more info here]. It’s called Strawberry Shortcake and Sad Mr. Sun. The Strawberry kids write a heart-shaped note to the sun because he’s grumpy and hasn’t been shining in their valley for a while.

It says:

For days, and days,

We’ve missed your warm rays.

We thank you, dear Sun,

For all that you’ve done.

It’s been a trial –

Come back, and we’ll smile!

There was a while there recently when we had a lot of cloudy weather, and I didn’t really realize how much I had missed the sun when it came out. I’m a pretty content person in whatever circumstances I find myself in, but those couple of days with sunshine were amazing. I felt brighter, more ambitious, more perky. The kids played outside with reckless abandon. We walked to preschool. There was a spring in our step that was directly related to that dear sun shining in the sky. (Not having to worry about coats, hats, boots, gloves, etc. helped, too!)

It makes me think about my relationship with the Son. I think it’s very similar. I’m pretty content and upbeat by nature, but when I really focus on Christ and bask in the warmth of His Spirit, there’s a new level of happiness that I can enjoy. The great thing about Christ’s light, too, is that it’s available year round, regardless of the season.

So, if I could write a note on a heart-shaped leaf and send it to the sun on the string of a balloon, I would. Instead, I’ll refocus and show my thanks to Heavenly Father for His Son, and for this season of the year and this season of my life.

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