I really loved this simple story and wanted to share.

Jim Cook, a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was quoted in the BYU President’s Report. He joined the Church as a young adult. The experience that spurred his years-long process of investigating the Church began in a class at San Jose State University.

Jim says:

“The professor brought up the Church. When he got to Joseph Smith’s claim to have seen God and Jesus Christ, the class began to laugh. Through the laughter, the professor said, ‘If you think that’s funny, let me tell you another story. There was a man 2,000 years ago who said He was the Son of God–now you must think that’s hysterical?’ The class fell silent.”

A foundation of our faith as members of the “Mormon” Church is the belief that Joseph Smith experienced what he said he experienced. He saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. That experience as a 14-year-old boy began the process we call the Restoration, which included the translation of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of priesthood authority via heavenly messengers (John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John), the formal organization of the Church in 1830, and more.

I have read the Book of Mormon countless times. The Holy Spirit has affirmed to me that it is, indeed, true. Its core purpose is to be another witness that Jesus Christ truly is the living Son of God. The book also is key to discovering the truth of Joseph Smith’s claims. He really did see God and Jesus Christ, and was called to restore Christ’s church and authority to play a pivotal role in preparing the earth for the Savior’s Second Coming.

Hilarious or true? We invite all to explore and discover the answer for themselves, especially through the process of reading the Book of Mormon and personally engaging God through prayer.

You can request a free copy of the Book of Mormon if you are interested in engaging your own quest to learn more about the Savior and His restored Church.

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This is a great thought from Clayton Christensen (renowned Harvard business professor, who is also a Mormon (member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Professor Christensen’s thoughts were recently summarized by Andy Proctor here.

“[Clayton Christensen has] referred to heaven as an immense library that was [and is!] full of books and that those books had [and have!] the answers to all questions. Yes, ALL questions. We just had to request the books and we could find the answers. He used this example to teach about the restoration of the gospel – that up until the time of Joseph Smith, no one believed that we could ask questions because they supposed all the answers had been given. So people stopped asking questions. And they stopped receiving answers.

Then Joseph asked.”

(For more information about Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel and the answers that came to his heartfelt questions, see Mormon.org.)

I’ve had the opportunity to hear Brother Christensen talk about this. He testifies that God desires with all His heart to give us answers, but if He were to give us answers where we don’t have questions, those answers wouldn’t have the same meaning and “sticking power.” We have the opportunity have to create spaces in our minds and hearts and spirits so that the answers have a space to be received and to stay and take root.

How often when we have questions do we, instead, turn to Google or Facebook for answers? (See Andy’s post for some stats that show the kinds of questions people take to the internet.)

The blog post author continues:

“When was the last time you asked God a question?

When was the last time He answered?…

[T]here is an actual library that you can go to and that there is information just waiting to be checked out or in our digital lingo, queried. We cannot ask too many questions nor can we query heaven too much. There is no heavenly query limit. No server downtime. No system errors and we all have free access to the largest database of information in the universe. Do we believe this? Because this is true. There is no limit to the revelation that we can receive from heaven.”

Read more http://www.thereturnedmissionary.com/heaven-is-a-library-check-out-more-books/

I know from my own personal experience that this pattern of asking and receiving answers is real. God hears prayers and questions can be answered. He gives some of those answers through living prophets and through honest seekers of truth. Answers often distill over time — like when you go to a library to do extensive research. It’s a thrilling process to discover how close truth really is when I’m willing to seek, ask, knock — and then receive and act upon what answers come.

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~by Michelle

As part of our Family Home Evening, I asked my children (all tween/teen ages) what one thing they would want to share about the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what they said.

The fact that there are three separate Beings in the Godhead.

He loves us with more love than any other human or any other being can give. Even though He loves us all individually, it doesn’t exclude anyone. It’s not a competition.

When we have trials it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us. He’s helping our faith. He doesn’t just give us trials, He’s walking with us and helping us through.

God does speak through angels. Some people may think that we are strange to say Joseph Smith had angels come, but it’s true. It’s just one of the ways that God talks to us. If something is really important to Him, I think He’ll send an angel. This truth also ties to the New Testament and the Old Testament. For example, Peter, James and John came back, and Elijah, and John the Baptist.

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We recently received this comment/question from a reader, Katie.

So, I have a question about what mormons believe. Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and that not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.” In 2 Nephi it says: For we know it is by grace we are saved after all you can do. When I asked my mormon friend what is it that you can do, she replied to try & live a good life the best we can. so my question is, how do you know when you have done “all you can do”? How do you know you’ve done your best, or could you possibly have done any better? I mean, even when we try so hard to do good, we still have broken God’s law and since God is a righteous God as well as forgiving, he demands that justice be paid.”for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in christ jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) If a criminal asked a judge in court to forgive him & say he tried to live right & the judge let him go unpunished, wouldn’t he not be a good judge? Jesus is the only way we can have eternal life as it says in John 14:6 “Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the father except through me.” Many places in the bible say that it’s only by grace we are saved, not by anything we do. It says that salvation is a free gift to anyone you believes in his name, not by works. so then why do you believe that water baptism, repentance, and trying to live a good life to the best ability will contribute to salvation as well as God sending his son to dies for our sins? I hope I am not sounding offensive, I do not mean it at all that way! I love you guys, I am just trying to better understand why you believe what you do. I’m a senior in high school & have been studying a lot about this! Also, you teach that there will be marriage in heaven but in Matthew 22:30 it says there will not be marriage. I’m confused. Do you have an answer to my questions? Thank you so much for your time!(and being patient because this message is so long!

Thanks, Katie, for your questions. Your questions are not uncommon ones, and they hit at the core of our beliefs. I’m just one person, and my responses will not be able to capture all the facets of our faith. There is always much more that could be said about these topics. But so much of it is to be experienced and learned through your own seeking and study and prayer, so I hope you will continue such seeking! God will help you as you ask for His guidance.

First of all, before I get to your specific questions, I think it’s important to understand a little about what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call the Restoration. We believe in the Bible and in the teachings therein. We believe in the teachings of the Savior and of His apostles, such as Paul, whom you quote above. We also believe that after Christ’s death, after Jesus’ apostles whom He called during New Testament times died, the authority He gave them to administer His church and teach in His place died with them.

You’ve probably heard about Joseph Smith and how he struggled as a young man with how the different Christian denominations around him would interpret and practice Biblical teachings. I imagine that some of the very questions you ask were ones that probably plagued his mind. He didn’t know whom or what to believe. He prayed about it, and got a response he wasn’t expecting — God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him that Christ’s church would be restored through him. He had a specific and world-changing work to do!

Through the course of the next several years, he was taught by heavenly messengers; given (and given power to translate) the original plates of the ancient record known as the Book of Mormon; visited by some of the ancient Church leaders who restored sacred priesthood authority to him (John the Baptist (who restored the authority to baptize) and Peter, James, and John (who restored higher authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost and administer the Church and its ordinances); and guided to restore Jesus’ Church to the earth.

From that time forward, there has been a living prophet and living apostles continually guiding the Church, using ancient texts as foundations to their teachings, but also receiving current and continuous divine guidance. So, for example, the doctrines surrounding eternal marriage were received through Joseph Smith over time after the Church was organized.

I’ll address your questions about grace and works (baptism, etc.) in a separate post. 🙂

God bless you in your faith journey.

Warmly,

Michelle

Editor, Mormon Women: Who We Are

The post What Mormons believe: About grace, about baptism, about marriage (part 1) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Michelle

As part of our family scripture study one night this week, we sang, “Angels We Have Heard on High” and we talked a little about our belief about the reality of angels. When I consider the Christmas story, I am struck by the important role angels played in this sacred event.

Last year, in the First Presidency Christmas devotional, President Henry B. Eyring reminded us:

No recounting of the Christmas story is complete without hearing words of an angel sent to prepare the way for His arrival. At the heart of the account of the birth of Jesus Christ is the testimony of angels, as recorded by the Apostles Jesus called and ordained.

God sent the angel Gabriel to Zacharias. The angel told him of the birth to the righteous and barren Elisabeth of John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Jesus. Mary received the same heavenly messenger to prepare her to become the mother of the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah.

When we declare our belief in the Christmas story, we are declaring our belief that angels are real, and that they play an important role in God’s work. An angel visited the shepherds, and Joseph as well. Wise men received messages from heaven; visions and dreams were also part of how God communicated to those who played a key role in the Nativity story.

Yes, we believe in angels. We believe in communication from God through various means.

Our belief in angels and heavenly communication, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, doesn’t stop with the Bible, however.

Today is December 23. For Mormons, this day is significant. It’s the birthday of Joseph Smith, whom we believe to be a prophet called to restore Jesus Christ’s church and priesthood power to the earth. We do not worship him, but we believe he had an important role to play in helping the world prepare for Jesus’ second coming. The patterns seen in the Nativity of heavenly messages from heavenly messengers have played out again in more modern times.

Again, from President Eyring:

[Joseph Smith’s] unwavering testimony that the angel Moroni, an ancient prophet, came to him is in perfect accord with the experiences of the Wise Men; of Zacharias; Elisabeth; Mary, the mother of our Lord; Joseph, and innumerable others…. By personal appearance of the Father Himself and of the Son, and through angels, He has restored the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days. He has called prophets and apostles to guide us to safety in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

To read more of the story of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days, and of the authority held by ancient prophets and apostles, and of the role of angels in the process of this restoration, see the Joseph Smith page at mormon.org, as well as FAQs about Joseph Smith.

Or you can watch the following full-length film called “Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration.”

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As part of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, priesthood authority that Jesus Christ gave to His apostles in His ancient church was restored to the earth through Joseph Smith. Saving ordinances, such as baptism and confirmation, are performed through this priesthood authority.

There are also priesthood blessings that can be given with this authority that are not saving ordinances, but can provide great comfort, guidance, and power in an individual’s life.

This recent article by Elder Dallin H. Oaks explains what priesthood blessings are, how and where and by whom they are administered, and how they play an important role in the lives of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Those who are not members of the Church can also ask for priesthood blessings from Mormon men who hold the Melchizedek priesthood.

Elder Oaks also explains other ways priesthood can be used to bless people’s lives and help in God’s work on the earth.

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Here are a few post links, and a video, celebrating the birthday of  Joseph Smith (a little late for his birthday at time of posting, but still worth sharing):

Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning:

“Happy birthday to one of my most revered heroes—Joseph Smith. Because of his influence in my life, I have a deeper understanding of my reason for being and a clearer, more compelling purpose for continuing on. Thanks to him I have a good grasp on my origin and my destination, and a comprehension that my journey is about joy. He has helped nurture my faith in God, in truth, and in myself.”

The Love of God — the Most Desirable of All Things: This post beautifully connects the Christmas season with Joseph Smith’s mission to share the message of the love of God as shown through His Son, Jesus Christ.

“At this season, we hurry and scurry, we work and prepare, and at times become frustrated, discouraged, even angry at the things that stand in our way. Unexpected trials and difficulties loom up to daunt us and remind us of our weaknesses and frailties — or of the cruel uncertainty of most things in our mortal lives. But one thing is certain, and the young prophet knew it and clung to it, during the long days and weeks of Liberty Jail — during the months and years of his tempestuous and challenging life. Speaking to Nephi, the angel declared: “Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father; Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? “… 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. … Yea, and the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:21-23).”

Joseph Smith: the Boy, the Man, the Prophet (Mormon Voice at Chron.com, by Heather Hemingway)

When I looked at my calendar for December, I realized that it was Joseph Smith’s birthday this month. To be clear, we do not worship Joseph Smith and the first article of our faith is “We believe in God the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”  However, Joseph Smith is still very important to me and to our Church since we believe that Joseph was chosen by God to be a modern-day prophet and to restore the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mormons honor Joseph Smith as the Witness of Christ that he was. From this Church News article:

At this time when the world celebrates Christ’s birth, it can be said that no man has born a stronger witness to the reality of the Savior than did Joseph Smith, President Hinckley said. He added, “His written testimony is repeated, it is echoed and re-echoed in scores of languages throughout the world. In an age of skepticism and doubt, his witness is unequivocal and certain. …

“We speak our personal testimony that he who was born here on Dec. 23, 1805, was the instrument in the hands of the Almighty in restoring to earth the ancient gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Church News, Dec. 31, 2005, p. 3).

Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration (feature-length film about the life and mission of Joseph Smith)

The post Reflections about Joseph Smith appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

A key to understanding our beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is understanding what we call the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ organized His church when He was alive, giving priesthood authority to His twelve apostles. Peter, James, and John and other apostles directed the Church after Christ’s death. Through the priesthood, these leaders were authorized to perform saving ordinances like baptism and confirmation, and to teach the doctrine of Christ. But after time, most of these leaders were killed, priesthood authority was lost, and many of the truths of the gospel were also lost.

After centuries of this period that we call The Great Apostasy, the heavens were opened once again and a prophet was called to re-establish Christ’s Church. Joseph Smith was the man who was called by God and Jesus Christ to be a prophet to do this work.

The following full-length film tells more about the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, how he received priesthood authority, how The Book of Mormon was translated and The Church of Jesus Christ was organized, and more. [Edited to add] There is a high-definition version of this film also available for download.

This film is similar to one that was shown for some time in the Church’s Legacy Theater in Salt Lake City, as well as various LDS Church visitor’s centers. However, the version below has been updated. As stated on the LDS Newsroom site:

The film will…help people better understand Latter-day Saint belief in modern prophets, the purpose of temples, and the eternal nature of family relationships. There is also additional context around historical events such as the First Vision — when God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith when he was 14 years old.

“Our hope is that people who aren’t familiar with the story will come away with an increased understanding of the role Joseph Smith played in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ,” John Garbett, who produced the new movie, said. [Links in original article.]

You can also watch “Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration” on YouTube

Do you have questions or would you like to know more? You can chat anytime with a Mormon missionary.

The post “Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration” (movie online) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

It started with what we call his First Vision at age 14. He was deeply concerned about the salvation of his soul and was searching for a church to join.

Verses in the Bible in James 1:5-6 inspired him to pray and ask God what he should do. On a spring morning in 1820, he went to a grove of trees near his home and sought God in prayer. In answer to his prayer, the world was changed forever. Joseph was visited by God the Father and by Jesus Christ. In his own words, Joseph Smith describes the 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).

Over the next decade, Joseph Smith received more visitations and revelations that brought forth The Book of Mormon, restored priesthood authority, and enabled him to formally re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830.

Why was a restoration necessary? Listen to a podcast on the Mormon Channel about Joseph Smith’s First Vision that explains the Great Apostasy which took place after Jesus’ early apostles were killed and the authority of God was lost. Although during this time of apostasy, many good people lived and did much for the cause of truth and light (including the important, inspired work that many did during times in history such as the Renaissance and Reformation), Christ’s church was no longer on the earth. Many truths had been lost and and authorized ordinances of salvation were no longer performed. Many thought the day of revelations and visions was no more.

But the Restoration through Joseph Smith, beginning with the First Vision, led to the fulfillment of ancient prophecies that after a “falling away,” a “restitution of all things” would happen before Christ’s Second Coming. Once again, the heavens were opened!

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declare that the heavens are still open. God still speaks through living prophets.

The following video shares the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

(You can watch part 1 of the Joseph Smith story here.)

For more on Joseph Smith and the First Vision, see the following links:

Joseph Smith, Prophet

What is the First Vision?

Joseph Smith – The First Vision

“This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Joseph Smith, a seeker of truth

Mormons around the world testify of the divine calling of Joseph Smith and the reality of the Restoration

Related scriptures and articles on this topic:

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