Editor’s note: This is another article in our series of BYU students sharing letters and reflections on scripture. Thanks to Derrik for sharing his thoughts.

I am so grateful to know that we are children of God. It amazes me to really contemplate what this really means. We lived with him and He wants us to be like him and return to him. In this world there is so much confusion and misdirection about our purpose of life. The scriptures give us the direction we need to direct our lives and help us be truly happy and satisfied with life.

In class we discussed the analogy of climbing a mountain. We have all inherited a fallen state, subject to sickness, pain, trials, weaknesses and with sin we are distanced from the Lord. We must overcome these in order to become like Him and live in His presence. We must climb the mountain. We do this by looking to our Savior and striving to become like him. He is our perfect example. The scriptures help us by showing us what to do to live his teachings. We are all at different places in our journey up this “mountain.”

As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had the privilege of meeting some amazing people doing very well on their way up the mountain. Some even knew the scriptures way better than I did. One might think what could I possible offer to someone like that but then I was reminded of my sacred calling. I was called by the Lord to “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end” (Preach My Gospel 1). This reminded me of another part in Preach my Gospel which states:

Our invitation to you and all people is to add to the truths you already treasure. Consider our evidence that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have again reached out to God’s children in love and revealed the fulness of the gospel to a prophet. This prophet’s name is Joseph Smith. The evidence of this glorious truth is found in a book—the Book of Mormon—which you can read, ponder, and pray about. If you pray with a sincere heart, with real intent and faith in Christ, God will tell you by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.

I had something marvelous to offer all people who wanted to continue on the climb and return to our Heavenly Father. The ordinances of baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost must be performed by the proper authority. This is evident in the story recorded in Acts 19. Paul sees men who had been baptized previously. It had been a great experience- a great vista on journey up. We don’t in anyway want to take away from the experience they already had because it definitely was a step in coming unto Christ. Our God, is a God of order and in order to receive the fullness of the blessings we must obey his laws in the way He has set them forth. Baptism and the conferring of the Holy Ghost must be done by the proper authority. Paul and the ancient apostles held this authority. When they were killed, this authority taken from the Earth. Because our Father in Heaven loves us so much he called prophets again starting with Joseph Smith in 1830 and delegated this authority once again.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints can help anyone who is on this mountain climb and wants to be closer to their Heavenly Father and be able to be clean and return to live with Him, by offering a fullness of the Gospel and these saving ordinances by those authorized by Him. Without it we can’t fully make it to the top by any other means. As the Book of Mormon prophet said it so beautifully, “ And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.”

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We are starting a new series at Mormon Women, where students at Brigham Young University will be sharing letters and reflections on scriptures from the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Brigham Young University is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (while often called the “Mormon Church” we prefer the full name of the Church to be used because it captures our central belief in Jesus Christ).

As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series, students currently enrolled in scripture study classes will be sharing their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these letters, we fulfill the students’ desire to speak to all of us relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, of God’s plan of happiness for each of us, and of the Book of Mormon as a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in and cherish the Bible. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be scripture. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.

Some of the names you will see in letters sharing Book of Mormon scriptures may be unfamiliar; these names are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ: Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and others. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.

As we share these letters here at Mormon Women, we welcome your thoughts about how the scriptures they quote (or other verses) help you in your own life. We invite you to share these letters with a friend.

And please let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon.

The post New series: BYU Students Share Letters and Reflections on Scripture appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

You might enjoy using the list of the New Testament scriptures referenced in the video for personal study this week as you prepare for Easter.

Find text, video, or audio links to President Monson’s April 2010 conference address “He Is Risen!”

The post “His Sacred Name — An Easter Declaration” (video) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

If you are a parent, what’s your favorite way to help your children understand the scriptures?

After the New Testament

The post New Testament Stories Videos – Great for teaching children appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I love to garden, not only because I adore flowers, but because the act of gardening teaches me so many things about life. Growing plants is much like raising children but there is more; gardening helps me to slow down and put things into perspective.

Recently we had a bit of a crisis in the garden. The spigot I turn on and off to allow water to flow through the hose I use to give my plants life-giving water, broke.

It had not been working for quite some time. In fact, it had been leaking quite a lot for years. My husband and I went to the hardware store and purchased a new spigot some years ago. However, when we got it home, we realized that we would need to actually cut a hole in the wall of the house and cut the pipe, the one the spigot was attached to, in order to make the switch from the old, leaky spigot to the new one.

Believing that the repair was too hard for our limited skills and not having the money to pay a plumber, we chose to ignore the problem.

Soon, the leaking became worse.  When I turned it on, the spigot would spray water in all directions. My way of dealing with this was to fit a bucket up under the spigot, held in place by the air conditioning unit just below, and to use the water that accumulated in the bucket to water the larger plants in my garden. I chose to use this system for a number of years, in spite of the fact that it was heavy and burdensome which caused pain in my shoulders and elbows.

Then, one day last week, the problem became a crisis and could no longer be ignored. The spigot broke so that it could not be turned off and water sprayed all over the yard at great speed. We had no choice but to cut off the water supply to our house and make a trip to the hardware store. In the end, we were faced with the same choice; buy a new spigot, make a hole in the wall and cut the pipe so the new spigot could be properly attached. Since this is not our area of expertise, it took a great deal of effort on our part including hours spent without water to our house, to achieve this repair, but we did it!

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After it was all done and I was enjoying watering my garden without needing to heave that heavy, water-filled bucket around the yard, I chided myself for not making the repair earlier. How could I have not done what needed to be done so long ago? It took a full-blown crisis before we were willing—forced—to address the problem. In the end, we were able to do it—it was only our fear that got in our way in the past.

I reflected on how often our choices in life are dictated by fear. How often do we refrain from doing something because we are afraid we will fail or that it will be too hard or that our efforts will all be in vain?

Sin is like a heavy bucket filled with water, water we do NOT need to carry around. Repair is like repentance, something we are often afraid to attempt because it might be hard or too much will be asked of us—or we fear that it will avail us not.

In the New Testament of the Bible, 2 Peter 3:9, we read:  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Knowing that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, wants us to repent, how can we fail?

The post A Mormon Woman’s Reflections on Gardening . . . and Repentance appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Normally Romans is not one of my favorite books in the New Testament, I reserve that for the books of John, Hebrews, and Revelation. Yet a few weeks ago I was reading in the book of Romans, and I was struck by the following:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
(Romans 5:1-5)

I love Moroni’s discourse on faith, hope and charity, but somehow this statement by Paul is just as touching. I never noticed experience after patience before. And then there is hope. What is it about experience that brings hope into our lives, and what is it about patience that brings experience? If everything were easy, as often times we want, then would we really learn patience that brings experience and ultimately hope?

So many times I have put down my own trials as not significant because I see so much suffering among others I love. I see their lives as so much harder. But in doing so, do I discount what I learn from my own sorrow and tribulation? Perhaps they see life much the same way?

I remember being in nursing school, single, taking 20 + credits a semester. Life was busy, but I just had me to worry about. There were married women, some divorced, all trying to carry the burden of raising a family at the same time they were going through school. I was amazed at how they did it; I was sure I could not do the same. One of them said to me: ” I do not know how you do it.” I was one of the few freshmen in the class, not only taking the nursing classes, but also doing the prerequisite courses that the others had already completed to get into the program. (Going into the program right out of high school, those courses had to been done at the same time as the nursing classes.) I was also doing the required classes for my music scholarship, and institute classes. I was busy but I thought to myself, “I just have to worry about feeding me; I do not have to worry about feeding a family, or doing laundry for more than myself.” I thought I had it easy.

Those of us on either side of the fence thought it was harder for the other. I think we were in awe of what the other was doing. Did that mean that we learned patience? What about experience? I know that, of the things I have learned, I am not sure I have learned to completely appreciate my trials. I am not one of those that can say “I am glad I have gone through them.” There are many that I wish I did not have to go through, and I never want to walk through those refining fires again. They about did me in. Am I stronger for them? I honestly do not know. Am I better for them? Probably.

Hopefully I am more understanding and more forgiving than I was 20 years ago. I felt I learned something as I pondered this section of scripture. I learned something new, a new dimension to a favorite theme. I feel as if I have seen a harmonic chord rather than hearing it. I think this chapter deserves more time and pondering on my part. It has been a while since a scripture has touched me like that.

Learning is not always easy, but I enjoy it when it comes. So Paul, thank you for your discourse; I needed to be reminded of the grace given to all of us, and that all things are taught in time and in order, one little baby step at a time.

———

For more First Person essays, please click here.

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I love the Bible. Sometimes my friends of other faiths are surprised to hear that Mormons use the same Bible as the rest of the Christian world. We use the King James version of the Bible as part of our scripture. I doubt there is anything more precious to me than the records kept of Jesus’ life as contained in the four gospels and the Book of Acts. I love the Old Testament too. I love the record of God speaking to people through Prophets like Moses and Abraham. In conversations I’ve had with friends who wanted to know more about me and my faith, there is one question I’ve heard many times. Where are the Prophets when we need them the most?

This is one of my favorite questions to answer! I recently went to a production that answered that very question.

Recently, the missionaries from my area presented a musical fireside entitled “A Long Silence Broken,” a musical tribute to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Missionaries shared their musical talents with the audience. One missionary was highlighted for his extraordinary musical talent and how music strengthened his testimony of Jesus Christ. (While at BYU, a news production team put together a short video segment highlighting Elder Keith and his astonishing talent. Jonathan Keith on BYU Weekly.)

The fireside began with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ through song and the spoken word. Although I do not have audio recordings of the actual performers from this fireside, here is a video of one of the songs presented to give Testimony to the life of Jesus Christ. In the song His Hands, there is a special emphasis on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

After a beautiful rendition of His Hands, by Kelly Lord, another soloist sang a song I had never heard before entitled Him and Him Alone. It described our absolute reliance on Jesus Christ. The missionary who sang this song, Elder Excell, sang it with such conviction that I was moved to tears. I felt my personal need for a Savior during that song.

Next, there was a photo slideshow of Prophets from the Old Testament including Adam, Moses and Abraham, then on to the ministries of Peter, the Apostle Paul and others as contained in the New Testament. After the wonderful musical tribute to the greatness and glory of our Savior Jesus Christ, this section was a welcome reminder of the love God shows us by revealing Himself to Prophets. Prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection, He set up a form of church government that would be on earth after His ascension. Jesus called twelve apostles to lead and teach and bear special witness to the people of His life and His sacrifice.

After many years of successful missionary work, all of these Holy Apostles were hunted down and killed or exiled, thus leaving the church to govern itself without the divine authority of the Priesthood. Instead of Prophets and Apostles leading the church, members filled the void of leadership with the voice of its members through voting on doctrines and accepted creeds.

Several hundred years later righteous men like John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, William Tyndale and John Calvin recognized that the doctrines of their church were not in line with the teachings contained in the Holy Bible. They protested and demanded reform. Many gave their lives in protest, and started the Protestant movement. These reformers and protesters were persecuted in their home lands, but some were blessed with the opportunity to try their faith in a new world, America.

Joseph Smith was born in America, the land of freedom of religion, where all people were given the opportunity to worship God however they chose.  Because of this freedom, there were many, many religions to choose from. So many that even though Joseph’s family loved and knew the Bible, they were divided as to what religion to join.  Many of  Joseph’s family had already joined the Methodist church, but Joseph was unsure which of all churches was the correct one. At age 14, Joseph wanted to do what was best, and what God wanted.

To illustrate Joseph’s feelings during this time, a soloist named Elder Seu sang My Soul Hungered. [Again, I do not have audio recordings from this particular event, but I wanted to share the link above, so you could hear for yourself this beautiful song.]

Joseph took his concerns to the Bible and read this verse in James 1:5, which reads:

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.

With a trust and faith that typically attends the young, Joseph sought out a solitary and peaceful place to pray, believing that God would answer him. And God did answer him!

At this point in the fireside Elder Seu sang the song Joseph Smith’s First Prayer. [To hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this song please follow this link.] Here are some of the words from this Hymn:

Humbly kneeling, sweet appealing – Twas the boy’s first uttered prayer….

…Suddenly a light descended, Brighter far than noon-day sun,
And a shining glorious pillar O’er him fell, around him shone.
While appeared two heav’n-ly beings, God the Father and the Son.

“Joseph, this is my Beloved: Hear him!” Oh, how sweet the word!
Joseph’s humble prayer was answered, And he listened to the Lord.
Oh, what rapture filled his bosom, For he saw the living God.

A long silence broken!

Just as Abraham, Isaac, Moses and others were called of God to be Prophets to the people of their day, Joseph Smith was called to prophesy, reveal and lead in his day.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormon church, has a living Prophet today who we look to for guidance and authority from God. We love Thomas S. Monson and all the Prophets since Joseph Smith. We worship God the Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ, but we are still grateful for Prophets to guide us morally, spiritually and temporally in the modern days.

The Missionary choir then sang Praise to the Man, a beloved LDS hymn (Mormon Tabernacle Choir rendition to video can be found here). My husband and I were astonished by the wonderful testimonies born through music on this fantastic night. I hope I was able to give you just a glimpse of the talent and testimonies of some wonderful Mormon missionaries, and to show how grateful I am for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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