Experiencing Our Debt

The realization of our powerlessness without the Lord Jesus Christ‘s divine help allows us to rely on His grace as our true source of strength. The words of the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of every Blessing” emphasize how easy it is for human souls to stray and how indebted we are to our Savior’s grace to bind our wandering souls to Him.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the god I love;

Here’s my heart, o take and seal it,

Seal it for thy courts above.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths), we believe that we are all debtors to our Savior’s infinite grace—a debt we can never repay. We are all lost sheep in need of our shepherd’s constant guidance. Even as members of Jesus Christ’s restored Church we are lost sheep, prone to wander because we often overemphasize our finite part in the gospel covenant. In doing so, we are in danger of overlooking the fact that we are wholly reliant on our Savior’s grace.

Many of us misinterpret Nephi’s statement (Nephi is a prophet in the Book of Mormon), “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). Some have interpreted this verse to say that we must do everything we possibly can to perfect ourselves; then, once we have exhausted every ounce of self-sufficiency, self-discipline, and self-righteousness, the Lord will complete whatever perfecting is left over.

When we do this, we are in danger of taking an almost anti-Christ position by placing our reliance on the god of self. We seem to be saying that most of the merit for our salvation goes to ourselves. It also seems to be saying that we should try everything in our power to not need the Savior’s help; however, if we should fall a little short, we will gladly allow Him to make up the difference. This reveals a very shallow understanding of the Lord’s infinite contribution to our covenant relationship. Only by being in a covenant relationship with Christ, an infinite being, can our spiritual account reflect the infinite merits sufficient to save and exalt us. Our finite part will never begin to be sufficient.

A formula that might assist us in understanding the drastic difference between our insufficient (finite) part in the covenant and the Savior’s sufficient (infinite) part, is this: I – F = I. In other words, the difference between that which is infinite and that, which is finite, is always an infinite difference. The difference between what we do and what the Savior does for us will always be infinite. Even if we took F and raised it to the one-hundredth power, the difference would be the same—infinite.

No matter how big F becomes, the difference between something infinite and something finite will always be an infinite difference. No matter how much effort we put into our part of the covenant, we will still be completely reliant on the Savior’s infinite power to save us. As fallen mortals, we are always “unprofitable servants” (Mosiah 2:21).

We should give Jesus Christ all the glory for His infinite contribution to our salvation. We should rejoice in knowing that He carried out the infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice for us. We should praise and worship Him for his amazing grace. It is an infinite gift that we could never provide for ourselves.

What do we think we can accomplish by ourselves, anyway? Although our willing participation is essential, nothing we do will ever be sufficient. All we can do is come to Jesus Christ, partake of His saving grace, and be reconciled to our Father through His atoning blood. We are, of course, completely reliant on His grace as He enables us even in taking those steps. We are dependent on His grace to enable us in exercising faith. We are dependent on His grace to enable us in our strivings to obey His commandments. We are debtors to His grace every step of the way.

Jacob (a Book of Mormon prophet), who had seen the Savior in his youth, taught of our reliance on the Savior’s grace: “Reconcile yourselves to the will of god, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto god, that it is only in and through the grace of god that ye are saved” (2 Nephi 10:24).

Moroni (another prophet who testified of Christ in the Book of Mormon) testified that salvation is available when we come to Jesus Christ and let the enabling power of His grace work in us to complete and perfect us. He said, “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” (Moroni 10:32).

Sydney Reynolds, speaking at a Brigham Young University (BYU) Women’s Conference, said, “The kind of perfection Moroni was talking about when he invites us to come unto Christ has nothing to do with flawless accomplishment. It does not even have anything to do with exceptional competence or skill in a given area, but it has everything to do with having faith in the Lord, repenting of sin, and keeping the Lord’s commandments.”6 As Neal A Maxwell said, “The Church is ‘for perfecting the Saints’ (Ephesians 4:12); it is not a well-provisioned rest home for the already perfected.”7

Notice that Moroni did not say, “Perfect yourself first, and then you can come unto Christ.” We have absolutely no power as fallen men to make or keep ourselves worthy without the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. We are told to first come to Christ, and He will begin the process of perfecting and completing us in Him. Then is His grace sufficient to enable us to deny ourselves of ungodliness. His grace, then, continues to work in us by sanctifying us and making us holy without spot. This is done only in and through His grace and His atoning blood.

Moroni continues: “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 is the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:33).

Additional Resources:

For more information about Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement and grace, please visit the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church“).

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is paramount to the beliefs of the Mormons.

Source:

R. Brown, Experiencing Christ, (Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, Inc., 2009), 41-44.

Experiencing Living Waters: Jesus Christ Quenches Our Spiritual Thirst

While working as a seminary teacher–a religious youth instructor for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to by the media as the “Mormon Church”)– I heard the analogy that in our fallen state, each of us is like a person stranded in a burning desert, dying of thirst. At the point of complete exhaustion and dehydration, we suddenly notice a pitcher of cold water sitting on top of a sand dune. If we choose to crawl to the water and drink it, we can be saved. In this example, what actually saves us? Is it our own efforts to crawl to the water, or is it the water itself? While our efforts to crawl to the water are necessary and essential, they alone cannot save us. only the water possesses the elements sufficient to sustain life. We can crawl to the ends of the earth, but without the life-saving elements contained in the water, there is no salvation.

My carnal-minded understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ had me crawling like a crazy person but never arriving at the life-saving refreshment only the Savior offers. I was desperately trying to do what I thought was necessary without experiencing that which was sufficient. Carnal-mindedness kept me from believing in Jesus Christ’s almighty power of deliverance. It kept me trying to resolve life’s problems on my own, and it caused me to forsake the fountain of living water. The Lord, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, said, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

While in mortality, we journey in a distant land. This fallen world is not our home; we are but strangers here. As the Latter-day Saint (Mormon) hymn “O My Father” says, “yet ofttimes a secret something whispered, ‘you’re a stranger here,’ And I felt that I had wandered from a more exalted sphere.”13

On this journey, many of us have lost sight of our dependence on the Savior to direct our way; many of us seek to quench our nagging thirst in ways that will never satisfy or sustain life. Our broken cisterns cannot sustain spiritual life because they contain no living water. They represent our false gods with no life-giving water to offer. We erect these barriers to grace as we seek happiness in and of ourselves and as we cling to vanity and unbelief. These broken cisterns can be anything from our personal aspirations to our man-made philosophies for happiness.

In our search for that which can satisfy our parched spirits, Satan may present fulfillment in the false god of self. This broken cistern will impede us from coming to our Savior and experiencing life in Jesus Christ.

For some of us, the modern god of self beckons us with programs for self-development, fulfillment, and achievement. We may feel that the next goal or the next diet will finally satisfy that for which we deeply thirst. Perhaps our personal ambitions or our hunger for personal achievement become the barriers that keep us from taking Christ’s yoke upon us and relying wholly upon Him. Maybe our hearts are set on the next bonus check, the incentive trip, or even the next promotion. Maybe it’s a certain income, an award, or an academic degree. For others it might be the showplace home, the new car, or the dream vacation. None of these things in and of themselves are evil, but when our hearts are set solely upon them, they become our gods and deprive us of living water.

As we continue on our wilderness journey toward realizing the privilege of beholding our Savior’s face, we will experience an emptying or hollowing process. Spencer J. Condie, an LDS Church leader, said, “ofttimes we must hollow our lives before the Lord can hallow them. . . . Emptiness precedes the fulness.”14

Rather than hallowing us and leading us to the deeper levels of humility, these false gods fill us with pride and self-centeredness. They are distractions from the hallowing process, and they will deter us from experiencing Jesus Christ. They will keep us living far below our spiritual privileges as they prohibit us from surrendering our lives to Christ. They will keep us from “com[ing] boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) and claiming the gifts and privileges the Lord is eager to grant us.

Our broken cisterns will never allow us the experience of coming directly to our Savior, that He may receive us into the arms of His love and quench our thirst with living water. His invitation to each of us is this: “Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely” (Alma 5:34).

We are all invited to come and partake freely of all our Savior has to offer. No one is forbidden. There is no other way.

Source:

R. Brown, Experiencing Living Waters: Jesus Christ Quenches Our Spiritual Thirst, (Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, Inc., 2009, pp 45-92.

Additional Resources:

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon; Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for us from an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faith).

Learn what you can do to Come Unto Jesus Christ.

Notes

1. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New york: HarperCollins, 2001), 165.

2. Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, 181.

3. Robert L. Millet, Alive In Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997),112.

4. Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 71.

5. Colleen C. Harrison, He Did Deliver Me From Bondage, 8.

6. Don Colbert, M.D., Deadly Emotions (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 9.

7. Ibid., 20.

8. Ibid., 46.

9. Ibid., 101.

10. Shayne M. Bowen, “The Atonement Can Clean, Reclaim, and Sanctify our Lives,” Ensign, Nov. 2006.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. “O My Father,” Hymns, no. 292.

14. Spencer J. Condie, The Song of Redeeming Love, 1–2.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) believe that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer and Lord over all mankind. He was born of the virgin Mary and was conceived and brought forth by the power of God. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ was the literal son of God in the flesh, and that Jesus Christ suffered for all the sins of mankind so that all people might be able to repent and be made clean from their sins in order to return back to live with God our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ came forth as the resurrected Lord on the 3rd day after His death. He lives today, and leads and directs the affairs of His kingdom on this earth.

The Divinity of Jesus Christ and His Atonement

The subtitle of the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” The Old Testament in the Bible contains prophesies of the birth, ministry, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Then in the New Testament are found four eyewitness accounts of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies, making the Bible a powerful testament that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Savior of the world. The Book of Mormon contains numerous, inspired prophecies and testimonies of the birth, ministry, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as well as the account of the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ in ancient America shortly after His ascension in Jerusalem, and thus fulfills the law of witnesses by joining the Bible as “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”

The Book of Mormon is full of prophecies of the Savior’s life and mission. Consider the following powerful statements of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Between 600 and 592 bc, Nephi recorded a vision he had of the birth and baptism of the Savior:

I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white. . . . And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! . . . And I looked, and beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him. . . . And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove. (1 Nephi 11:13, 21, 24, 27)

Nephi also witnessed the Savior’s ministry and His crucifixion:

And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them. And I also beheld twelve others following him. . . . And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out. . . . And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world. . . . And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world. (1 Nephi 11:28–29, 31–33)

In addition to this amazing prophecy of the ministry and crucifixion of the Savior, Nephi also recorded a masterful testimony by his younger brother Jacob in 2 Nephi 9. This chapter contains 54 verses and beautifully explains how the “infinite atonement” of Jesus Christ ransoms mankind from the Fall of Adam and eve.

O how great the goodness of our God, who pre- pareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. . . . O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell…which is endless torment….And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men . . . who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. . . . O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation. (2 Nephi 9:10, 19, 21–23, 45)

Repeated readings of 2 Nephi 9 with sincere prayer and pondering could motivate a grievous sinner to repent and receive mercy and forgiveness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, an apostle of Jesus Christ, called Jacob’s discourse, “one of the most enlightening discourses ever delivered in regard to the atonement. . . . It should be carefully read by every person seeking salvation.”1

The first four hundred pages of the Book of Mormon contain the prophecies of more than a dozen different prophets who testified of the birth and saving Atonement of Jesus Christ. Consider the specificity of the following prophecy given by Nephi, given around 545 bc, shortly before his death: “There is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews. For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (2 Nephi 25:18–19).

How could it be clearer? To help us understand how important the knowledge of the Savior was to Nephi and his people, he explained: “We labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ. . . . 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 25:23, 26).

Various Book of Mormon prophets prophesied and bore testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ from hundreds of years before the Savior’s birth right up to 5 bc:

• Enos—Between 544 and 421 bc (enos 1:26–27) • Amaleki—Between 279 and 130 bc (omni 1:26) • King Benjamin—About 124 bc (Mosiah 3:5–8, 17) • Abinadi—About 150 bc (Mosiah 16:6–13) • Alma the Elder—Between 100 and 92 bc (Mosiah 26:22–26—words of the Savior) • Alma the Younger—Between 83–73 bc (Alma 5:48; 7:7–14; 34:4–8; 36:17–20) 38 • Aaron—About 90 bc (Alma 22:12–14) Helaman, son of Helaman—About 30 bc (Helaman 5:9–12) Samuel the Lamanite—5 bc (Helaman 14:2–8)

The Book of Mormon contains the sacred account of the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America, after his crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem. The following was recorded by another prophet named Nephi, who lived on the American continent in ad 34, as he related the account of a group of people gathered in the land called Bountiful:

They heard a voice as if it came out of heaven . . . and it said unto them: Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him. And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multi- tude were turned upon him. . . . And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying: Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. . . . And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come. And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him (3 Nephi 11:3, 6–10, 15 –17).

The resurrected Lord and Redeemer then taught these people his gospel, called twelve special witnesses, gave them power and authority to baptize, organized His Church, instituted the sacrament, and ministered among the people for three days. Third Nephi chapters 12–30 is the account of the resurrected Christ’s ministry among the Nephites in America in ad 34. Third Nephi contains the actual teachings of the resurrected Christ and may be referred to as the fifth Gospel, along with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Following the Savior’s ministry in America the people enjoyed, an unprecedented, millennial-like era that lasted for nearly two hundred years. The four-page book of Fourth Nephi is a brief account of this peaceful time during which “there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God” (4 Nephi 1:15–16).

The prophet Mormon lived about ad 310–385. At age ten, he was recognized as a serious-minded youth, and at age fifteen he became a military leader among the Nephites. Mormon was selected by the Lord to make an abridgment of the sacred history of his people and was the principle recorder of the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. Mormon was a great prophet and witnessed the downfall of his people. He prophesied that the record he made on plates of gold would be brought to light in the latter days. Of this record, Mormon declared,

Now these things are written . . . to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time . . . they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord. And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God . . . unto the fulfilling of his covenant; and also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel (Mormon 5:12–15).

Mormon’s son, Moroni, the last of the Book of Mormon prophets, recorded his testimony of Jesus Christ before burying the plates in the hill Cumorah: “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and 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” (Moroni 10:32).

“The principal and commanding figure in the Book of Mormon, from first chapter to last, is the Lord Jesus Christ. In its unparalleled focus on the Messianic message of the Savior of the world, the Book of Mormon is rightly referred to as . . . ‘another testament’ of Jesus Christ.”2

The Book of Mormon testifies of the redeeming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ by relating accounts of the change of heart experienced by the “most vile” of sinners. The list includes Alma the elder, Alma the younger, the four sons of king Mosiah, king Lamoni’s father, and Zeezrom, a wicked lawyer.

Additional Resources:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is paramount to the beliefs of Mormons. Learn more at the official site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. Request a free copy today.

Attend a local meetinghouse.

Source:

T. Rose, How to Know the Book of Mormon is True, (Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, Inc., 2010), 35-41.

We are not left alone on this earth. Jesus Christ was sent to this earth to give us the strength to overcome challenges, problems, and sin. To overcome sin. He asks us to look to Him with faith that He knows what is best for us. There is a pathway that the Lord Jesus Christ has provided for us so that we might be able to find peace in this life and eternal life in the next life. He has given us the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord prospers all those who follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. In The Book of Mormon, a record of the teachings of Jesus Christ that God gave to the ancient inhabitants of the American continent, it says:

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

In the Holy Bible Jesus Christ said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:34).” I have found that some of my greatest joys in life come from serving other people. As I try to show the love for others as the Savior did for me, He blesses me with peace, and He helps me love others even more. I know that true happiness only comes to those who seek to love and serve God and all His children. Listen to these words of a modern day apostle of Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Get a free copy of the Holy Bible.

Read a modern apostles words on becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ at the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”).

Learn about how a belief in Jesus Christ can help you.

In this world full of trouble, sin, hardship and challenges, it would seem that there is no hope. That there is nothing to hold on to or rely on. But I testify that this is not true. The Lord Jesus Christ came down to this earth and took upon himself our pains, sins, sufferings and death. He made it possible for all wrongs to be made right. Because of Him we will all be resurrected from the dead. Because of Him we can find peace even in the most difficult and distressing times of our life. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that we can find safety for the soul and peace. In the Book of Mormon, a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the American continent, it testifies of Jesus Christ and His mission. It says:

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, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; 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.

I testify that Jesus Christ lives and that because He lives, we don’t need to be afraid. When we turn our lives to Him we can feel of His love and power and strength. I have felt this strength when I put my trust in Him and follow the gospel that He has given to all of us so that we might find peace.

Additional Resources:

Find a church meetinghouse.

Learn more about the peace that Jesus Christ has to offer us at an official website for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”).

Learn more about God’s plan of happiness for us in this life and the next life.

By Elisa T., member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and student at Brigham Young University (BYU).

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) I appreciate the things I’ve gained from reading the first chapter in the Book of Moses, a book of modern revelation compiled in a volume known as The Pearl Great Price. In Moses’ conversation with God he learns four key principles about his relationship to God that strengthens me personally and helps me better understand my relationship to God.

The Lord begins the conversation by telling Moses about his infinite nature. The Lord defines himself as endless. Through this dialogue Moses learns the stability that he can find in his relationship with the Lord. This realization is extremely comforting for us in mortality. Our lives seem to be in constant motion. Change is simply unavoidable, but as we cultivate a relationship of trust in God we bring into our lives the only thing we can be sure will be constant.

In verse four the Lord defines His relationship to Moses: “Thou art my son.” I love that the Lord speaks directly so that there can be no error. Moses is His son. That too can be applied to us. We are His children. This knowledge becomes a powerful tool to Moses later when he is confronted with the adversary. In verse thirteen Moses questions the adversary’s power, “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.”

The Lord then deepens His relationship with Moses by giving Moses stewardship and a work to do. What an honor to be trusted by the Lord to help! The most incredible thing to me is that the Lord doesn’t come up with some chore to keep Moses busy, but rather He allows Moses to help with the Lord’s own work. We can sense that Moses understands this privilege when he later in verse thirty-six begins to refer to himself while talking to the Lord as “thy servant.” In my life, I can’t think of anything that has brought me greater joy than the times that I have felt this type of relationship with the Lord.

Through his experience in conversing with the Lord, Moses learns that his relationship with the Lord is one of open communication. In verse eighteen he says, “I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to require of him.” And then in verse twenty he does just that as he trusts in God and calls upon Him when he begins to fear and sees the bitterness of hell. This is the aspect of my relationship with God that I am trying to strengthen right now. I noticed that it was Moses’ natural response to turn to the Lord with his questions or concerns, which isn’t always my response, but I have noticed that the more I turn to the Lord throughout the day it is becoming more of a natural response for me to turn to the Lord.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about God and His nature.

Find a local meetinghouse and learn more about God.

Believe in Jesus Christ

To believe in Jesus Christ is to trust Him, rely on Him, depend on Him and His grace. The Savior’s grace is His enabling power that flows to us unmerited, and it  comes by virtue of the Savior’s solitary, singular, magnificent atonement.

What is His atonement?  How does He give His grace? Let’s talk about that for a minute, not comprehensively for that’s impossible in this or any space, but sufficiently to understand the simplicity and profundity of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, death, Resurrection for us.

Jesus died to pay the price of our sins, weaknesses, poor judgments, and to suffer for our pains, sicknesses, injustices, and confusions.  He has already finished that atoning sacrifice!  He agonized in Gethsemane and on the cross for your sins and mine, to pay the debt that justice asks to erase the full penalty of sin. Through that payment, requiring His life, He met justice fairly and satisfied it, opening the door to mercy for each of us! Jesus Christ went willingly. His atonement was not an accident nor a diversion, nor an unintended event in God’s or His plan. It was foreordained. Jesus could have prevented it at any point along the way as the Son of God, but He chose to suffer it out of profound and personal love for each of us. He finished His course–His infinite sacrifice–and He did it for you. He did it for me.

The atonement, then, is already wrapped up and handed to you.  It’s just for you and I and each of us to accept it and to apply it by repenting or turning away from sin. We know what sin is. We have a sense of right and wrong with which we enter the world, as God’s children. Turning from it and toward the light, toward the Light of the World, brings us to a place of joy and resolution, a life that begins to expand in Jesus Christ.

To be baptized by immersion in Christ’s Church–The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, The Mormon Church)–is to submit to the ordinance which our Lord fulfilled at Jordan, to which the converted ones submitted at Pentecost, to which the jailer yielded obedience the very night of his conversion, and which John the Baptist called the repentant to undergo. While the outward sign or ordinance is required by the Savior Jesus Christ by one who hold His authority and power alone does not save, it sets forth and symbolizes to us and witnesses our death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus. Like the Sacrament, or the Lord’s Supper, where we renew those covenants with Jesus Christ each Sunday in return for forgiveness and grace to serve, it is not to be neglected.

From baptism by one holding the authority of Christ (found only in The Church of Jesus Christ), you may begin your journey closer to Him, and find your real mission in life. Then, you will be able to dismiss your fears, find answers, feel hope, and see direction unfold out of the chaos you may be in, or the order of your present circumstances. And in the strength you will gain and that each of us gains from Him–His grace–we are fed, refreshed, filled and renewed to labour for Him and to His glory, which brings us great joy and allows us to reach our own potential.

Remember the promise, the invitation, the call to you and to each of us from Jesus Christ Our Lord:

by Eric Kotter, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon“), student at BYU-Idaho studying communications, and freelance writer.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, The Mormon Church), I have sought to gain a personal testimony of Jesus Christ. As a little child I was taught about Jesus Christ, I remember going to church and learning about Him. There is one particular time at church when I was being a little fussy and impatient. I remember my Mom telling me to do my best to think about Jesus Christ during sacrament meeting (similar and yet different from Catholic Communion). I remember asking my mother, “How do I think of Him?”;  my mother said that I need to remember the things He did for us. This memory stands out to me because it reminds me of a point in my life when I started developing a more serious and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Not too many years after that experience, I was sitting in my home watching a video about Jesus Christ with my family. The video showed the sufferings of Christ–His sufferings in Gethsemane for our sins and His subsequent sufferings on the cross. As I watched the video, I remember my feelings of awe and wonder that someone would go through so much pain. I wondered, “Why would anyone go through so much pain?” After watching the solemn scene of the video for awhile, I went into the kitchen where my mother was making a meal, and I asked her, “Why would Christ do that for us? Why would He go through so much pain?’ Her reply was simple but it affected me in a deep and powerful way. She said, “Because He loves us.” When she said those words, I felt a wonderful feeling of love that is difficult to describe. I felt the Spirit of the Lord testify to me that this was true–that Jesus Christ was real and that He loves us more than we can imagine. I felt a deep burning love so much that it made me cry. I know that this experience came from God. It was a testimony to me of the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ.

Throughout my life I’ve come to learn more and more about Jesus Christ and what His purpose was. I’ve learned that Jesus Christ came to this earth on a mission–a mission to pay a debt. This debt was to pay for all of our sins, as well as our sufferings and hardships. He did this to make it possible for all of us to return to God and have eternal life if we follow His gospel. He also made it possible to receive enabling grace to help strengthen us through life’s hardships, even small ones. Many people might wonder why they should have hope or how they can have peace. I testify that it is only through Jesus Christ that we can have a sure hope, and true peace. I have found that it is only by putting my trust in Jesus Christ and following His gospel that I find true peace. An ancient prophet named Moroni, talked about where we should put our hope. He said,

And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. (The Book of Mormon Moroni 7:41)

Jesus Christ is the reason we can have hope and rejoice! Because He gave His life for us, we can find peace through the storms and challenges we all face. On the third day after His death, Jesus Christ arose from the grave as a resurrected being. He overcame death and made it possible for all of us to overcome death. This gives me great hope that I will be able to see my loved ones again that have passed away. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have learned that Jesus Christ’s gospel, as it was when He was on the earth, was restored to the earth through a living prophet. Today there are prophets and apostles who speak to us, and help us know what the Lord would have us do. I know that as we do our best to follow Jesus Christ and live the life that He lived, then we find peace. My mother has said to me many times, “Do your best, and the Lord will take care of the rest.” His grace is there for us. As we seek Him, we can be filled with His love and have our burdens lightened, hope strengthened, and peace restored. In the New Testament in the Bible Jesus Christ said,

“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 11:29)

I know Jesus Christ lives and that He loves us. Jesus Christ shows us what is truly important in this life. I know that when I follow Him and seek to serve others, there is a happiness that enters my life that can be found in no other way.

Additional Resources:

Find a meeting house to learn more about Jesus Christ.

Learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about Jesus Christ from mormon.org

Emily Spencer is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon woman”), freelance writer, concert artist, sacred choral music arranger, and mother of four.

I was once asked in an interview if I had a role model for the ideal “Mormon woman” (female member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).  “What exactly is meant by ‘ideal Mormon woman’?” I asked.  “Does such a prototype really even exist?”  The discussion that followed was an intriguing one, because it hadn’t been too long before that, that I’d pined for female role models in my own life – ones that were iconic, prophetic, visionary – and mused not only about this elusive “ideal Mormon woman,” but more broadly about “ideal women” in general.  What exactly was considered “ideal,” according to whose standards, and why?

Around this same time, I sat in a Gospel Doctrine class (one of the Sunday school classes offered to adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed “Mormons“) where the topic of the day happened to be Nephi’s vision of the Tree of Life from the Book of Mormon, a book regarded by Latter-day Saints to be a volume of scripture witnessing alongside the Bible of the divinity of Jesus Christ.  I’d read the account what seemed like a thousand times, and so, admittedly, I felt my interest wane as the instructor guided the class through its verses.  The passage, found in the early chapters of the Book of Mormon, details how Nephi, the son of the prophet Lehi and himself a prophet, desired to behold and understand the interpretation of a dream his father had had regarding a glorious tree whose fruit was “most sweet, above all that [he] ever before tasted” and that “filled [his] soul with exceedingly great joy” (1 Nephi 8:10-12).

Nephi’s desire was granted, and he found himself “caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain,” where his own visionary experience followed (1 Nephi 11:1).  The Spirit accompanied him, acting as a sort of “tour guide,” highlighting and explaining salient elements of the dream in order for Nephi to understand its meaning.  It is a beautiful account, indeed, yet my mind drifted.  I found myself wondering especially about Nephi’s wife.  What transcendent visions could have been hers; had she had her own mountain heights to ascend?  ..If it had not been her lot to haul water, or scrub vessels in the creek?  Or, if she did in fact have them, how would we ever know?  Considering her time and culture, would her writings have even been seen fit for inclusion in any existing body of canon?  Was she even literate?

Lost in my thoughts, I skimmed the familiar verses, apart from the class discussion going on around me.  As I sat there, a striking epiphany quite suddenly began to emerge in my mind – a perspective I’d never considered before, and one that hit me with great force.  Here was Nephi, having been whisked up to a mountain top, where the Creator of the Universe had at his command a vast array of powerful and stunning cosmic demonstrations with which to instruct his pupil – a pupil who happened to be a prophet.  How would God choose to distill perhaps the most important concept of all – the nature of His love – upon one of his most elect servants?  What astounding object lesson would He employ?  In the passage, 1 Nephi chapter 11, the Spirit shows Nephi a virgin “most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” and asks him, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?”  Nephi answers, “I know that He loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”  Then the Spirit explains, “Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.”  Then Nephi looks and beholds “the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.”

Prior to his vision, Nephi had “sat pondering in [his] heart,” wondering about the possible interpretations of the tree.  These questions apparently weighed on his mind a great deal, as the text suggests he’d devoted some time to their reflection.  In spite of this, enough uncertainty remained that he ultimately went to the Lord , Jesus Christ, for definitive answers.  After having given Nephi the opportunity to observe this sweet and simple scene of a mother holding her child, the angel asks him the culminating question, and the very question that initiated Nephi’s quest in the first place, bringing him full-circle:  “Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?”  This time, Nephi knows, and he knows instantly, requiring no time at all to ruminate.  He beholds Mary bearing her precious baby in her arms, and declares: “Yea, it is the love of God….” (v. 22).

My heart swelled as I sat in that classroom and contemplated this exchange.  So this is how God teaches a prophet about the nature of His love!  I had just been wallowing in my dismay over the seeming inequity of Nephi’s wife’s comparatively lackluster mission (and the fact that we don’t even know her name!) when my Heavenly Father enlightened my mind and showed me that, even with the entire universe as his classroom, it was through the most simple and most fundamental act of womanhood and nurture that his own mission could most clearly and potently be exemplified.  And it was modeled through a role in which I currently found myself!  Loving and caring for little ones – obviously important, but unglamorous and easily lumped in by the world with the other seemingly pedestrian tasks of day-to-day living – was in fact the summative symbol of God’s love for humankind!

To whom did the Lord point when this ancient American prophet, Nephi, needed a model?  When Nephi needed the key to the dream’s interpretation?  Not to figures adorned in glory, wielding might, courageously striking down foes.  Not to riveting orators or captivating statesmen.  Not to men or women with dazzling intellectual acuity, stunning beauty, or accolades streaming endlessly from their names.  God’s own mission, nature, and character – his ideal – was demonstrated through a quiet, one-to-one act – one which expressed tenderness, compassion, love unfailing, and without attachment to any public display or acknowledgement.  It was also portrayed through a role we can all relate to, as all of us have been nurtured by our own mothers, are parents ourselves, or have the opportunity to nurture those around us in some capacity.

I’ve reflected on that experience many times since.  I think there were several things my Father in Heaven intended me to glean in that moment of introspection that day.  I think He wanted me to know that the greatest hero of all, Jesus Christ, He who possessed “no form nor comeliness; …no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2), beholds every act, knows every sincere desire, and esteems every noble endeavor, even when they aren’t widely known or extolled.  I think He wanted me to know that all, “black and white, bond and free, male and female…are alike unto God,” and the Savior and that “He denieth none,” that “He inviteth them all to come unto Him and partake of his goodness” (2 Nephi 26:33).  I think He wanted me to know that His love, the most joyous to be had, would not be found in striving after the ideals held up by others, but instead by embracing the ideals held up by Him, Our Redeemer.  I think He wanted me to know that what He cares about far more than what I have accomplished is if my heart has been transformed – if I am prepared to subjugate the ever-beckoning cause of self in order to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (Modern Revelation: Doctrine and Covenants 81:5).  I think He wanted me to know that His love, “the most desirable above all things” and “the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22-23) is far more accessible than I might have imagined, and that the opportunities to partake of it abundantly were right under my nose, to be had at any time or place.

Upon having partaken of the precious fruit, Lehi declared his very first impulse: “I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also” (1 Nephi 8:12).  As we are filled with the love of our Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are moved upon to in turn shed that love upon others; in so doing, we discover that sharing is, in fact, partaking – a gift that is always multiplied but never divided.  So goes the Lord’s one, eternal round, as he ceaselessly works to make sanctified creatures of each one of us.  Herein is his ideal accomplished, which in the end is what makes us “ideal”:  through the love of Christ purified, through receiving, through giving, He makes us his own.

Addition Resources:

Learn more about the role of Mormon women and families.

Request a free copy of The Book of Mormon.

Karen Trifiletti, MA is a Philadelphia-born convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, single mother of two, writer, and non-profit business professional.

When my best efforts seem miniscule in standing as the Savior’s witness or in mothering my children, or in serving in the workplace, or in life in general, I am always reminded by the Savior, Jesus Christ, that they are not so in His eyes.  They matter to Him. My efforts, your efforts, our clumps of dandelion-deeds that we bring Him day by day, to please and glorify Him, are known to Him. and appreciated by Him. I feel that. I hope you feel that, and that if you don’t, you’ll dig deeper to find Him.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, wants to be found. He wants you to know you are known by Him.

As a Mother: Jesus Christ Knows and Sees Us

I remember a time as a young mother of two, feeling the incessant demands–sometimes sweet, sometimes screechy–of little ones beckoning for food, shelter, stories, sleep, cuddles, drinks, more food, diaper changes, help, love, learning, attention, and more. Sometimes it was as if the surround sound of those little lives was turned up and drowning out my ability to hear myself think. While I loved and love being a mother, I remember temporary moments of fatigue and faint-heartedness in the midst of that glorious calling producing life’s greatest joys. One afternoon, after putting my little ones down to nap; I collapsed on the couch and the small set of scriptures (which I could then read), called for some attention.  On this occasion, they seemed to fall open to the gospel of Matthew.  I found myself reading the account of Jesus Christ and the disciples on the shore of Galilee.

The multitude that always gathered round Him, had been taught. But they weren’t leaving. Not yet. They were hungry. Jesus may have been as well. The apostles were eager to shew them away, thinking their job was done or  wanting some respite perhaps for the Savior Himself, who just earlier that day had lost his dear friend and cousin, John the Baptist. Nonetheless, the Savior bid the crowd stay.  He knew the clinging of needy children, and understood the cries and the desires for spiritual and physical food.  He fed the multitude.  Interestingly, the apostles left the stage then.  And the Savior tarried to finish up. Only then, after all of that, did the Savior Jesus Christ depart and find a place apart, to be alone.

I marveled at what I read, anew with fresh eyes. Jesus Christ knew my experience. He knew what it was to be continually surrounded by those beckoning for care and healing hands.  He knew what it was to be tired, and to provide. He even knew, I thought to myself in a casual sort of way, what it’s like to be the last one out of the kitchen. He was the last to leave the dinner table and the dinner. I bet He cleaned up.  He knew me, He saw me, He loved me that afternoon.  He knows you, He sees you, He loves you today.

As a Friend:  He Sees Us, He Knows Us

As disciples of  Jesus Christ, as Latter-day Saint women (“nicknamed Mormon women”), as Christian women, we want to be there for others, to bear their burdens, to speak the right words, to know that we are led by the Lord as we strive to be on His errand.  The other day I felt prompted to make a phone call to a friend, recently widowed.  I caught her in, in spite of her working several jobs, tending to selling her car, and her interviewing schedule for a better position.  I asked what she might need and how things were going.  She ended up telling me that she’d interviewed twice for a teaching position in a particular school district and needed some help identifying where she was in the process of re-certification. She just hadn’t the time to pull that together and wanted to share that with those screening her.  In a small way, I was able to help her.  The next day, I received, as I read my scriptures, an affirmation that the Lord, Jesus Christ, knew that my heart was inclined towards Him. He knows your efforts to be a friend. Not one is missed. He has seen you and seen those today.

He knows when we’ve given “all” our living–not just financially–but emotionally, spiritually, socially.  Just as he saw the unnamed widow’s offering, he sees ours, in unlit arenas and unmarked pages of our lives. They are marked in the Savior’s book of life. In the compelling, inspired words of a living apostle of Jesus Christ,

No matter where you live, no matter how humble your circumstances, how meager your employment, how little your abilities, how ordinary your appearance, or  how little your calling in the Church may appear to you,  you are not invisible to your Heavenly Father. He loves you. He knows your humble heart and your acts of  love and kindness. Together they form a testimony of your fidelity and faith.

As His Children

Recently, in the 181st Semi-Annual Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed Mormons), a living apostle of Jesus Christ, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, addressed a global audience of members and friends of other faiths invited to participate.  He reminded us that we are not forgotten. Elder Uchtdorf said the following about our place in God’s plan:

The most powerful Being in the universe is also the Father of our Spirits.

We are everything to God.  We are the reason God created the universe. … We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation (eternal life with God and the redeemed of His children), worlds without ends, within our grasp and it is God’s greatest desire to help us reach it.

Satan intends to focus our sight on our insignificance until we begin to doubt that we have much worth. He tells us that we are too small for anyone to take notice. He tells us that we are forgotten–especially by God. … [But we are not forgotten.]

The Lord doesn’t care at all if we spend our days working in marble halls or stable stalls. He knows where we are, no matter how humble our circumstances. He will use in His own way, and for His holy purposes, those who incline their hearts to Him.

At times we may feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember: You matter to Him.

Just as the Lord Jesus Christ rewarded the unnamed widow with everlasting remembrance in our hearts, and in His, so will He reward our personal service to Him with His appreciation and the power and beauty of His presence.

I bear witness that it is true, as recorded in the Holy Bible,  and as a modern apostle attested to us in the recent October gathering of The Church of Jesus Christ available to all the world, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). He sees the good you do; He knows you; He loves you.  And He will help us overcome whatever is left.