Elizabeth Hill has four children is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”) residing in Montana.

Have you ever wondered why there are never any small children helping on cooking shows like Rachel Ray and Emeril? Sources tell me the shows would have to be taped from a padded room because you would have to be clinically insane to attempt measuring, stirring and any -ing with the little guys.

Anytime you introduce highly powdery elements like flour, sticky ones like honey and slick ones like oil–exciting things are in store. So, why in the world do I allow, even welcome my three girls and one son to assist me in baking/cooking?

It has been a process…

I have been through phases where during dinner preparation I wanted to install those applause signs (maybe Rachel or Emeril could have one I could borrow!) but I would change the lettering to read, “Get Out!”. I have found myself saying phrases (not always in the Mrs. Cleaver voice) such as “Go play”, “Go watch a movie” or even just plain “shoo, shoo, shoo!”

I felt like it was time to have some peace and become one with my outdated appliances.

I felt that with being with them all day, this was my one respite before the craziness of bedtime and whiny children.

One night after a particularly “shooing” time had put all of us on the fast track to Prozac, I did some reflecting. At the end of the day (when I am good) I pray and read my scriptures and as I do I think about the choices I made, especially with my family. This is when I feel my Heavenly Father helping me be a better mom by nudging me to be a little better: say it this way next time, maybe not yell “shoo” five times in a row in a snarly voice. That sort of thing.

I was reading in the Bible of when Jesus blessed the 5,000 and did the whole miracle of the loaves and fishes. And as I was reading I realized in all the scriptures we have telling us words of the Savior his anthem is “Come”. “Come unto me…” “Come follow me…” Come. Come. Come.

No shooing. I cannot recall one instance when he tells folks to go away.

I was reading to what happens before the miracle and realized even more how far I have to go to become more like Him. Before the teaching and the miracle he is told about John the Baptist’s beheading and his disciples tell him to basically go where he can be alone, which he does. But the people follow him.

Now if this were me, I would tell these five thousand, “Listen, I am having a little ‘me time’ here. My cousin was just murdered and I need some space. Come back tomorrow and BYOFAB (Bring Your Own Fish and Bread). Don’t be early and don’t be hungry.”

Instead, he heals them, teaches them and feeds them. He welcomes them. He shows them this by allowing them to be where he is.

Do you see what I am getting at here? I am not saying I want to spend every waking second with my children all velcroed to my side. I just want them to remember me enjoying their company rather than putting up huge neon signs proclaiming the “Get Out Gospel”.

As I was reading this and feeling this enlightenment it also hit me how short a time I have until they really don’t want to be around me as much. Right now they believe (almost) everything I tell them. They are so eager! Eager to learn, to feel, to touch to be right next to me.

So, I change. I breathe. I let them in–welcome them, even. I take down my electric sign, grit my teeth and realize that it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. As it often is in mothering, it all lies in my attitude how the winds of emotions blow. My stove is still old and my counters are cluttered but I have a feeling the layers of sticky and floury substances show proof that I am trying a little more everyday to be more like Him—the one who always beckons, “Come.”

Additional Resources:

Christ always asks us to “come” and follow him. Learn more at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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

Attend a local meetinghouse.

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as a High Priest Group Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

The tiny babe who in Bethlehem’s manger lay was no ordinary child. Some people called Him the son of David. Others called Him the son of Joseph. The scriptures call Him the son of David, the son of Mary, the son of man, the Son of God. He whose name is Immanuel, meaning God is with us, was born to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This child was the promised Messiah – even Jesus the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. For hundreds of years prophecies had foretold the birth of a Messiah, and on that starry night in the city of David, the One who would fulfill those prophecies was born in a humble stable with a manger as His cradle.

In the Book of Mormon, in 3 Nephi 1: 13 we read, “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.”

Whether by His own voice or by the mouth of His holy prophets, God always fulfills His promises. In the Grand Council in Heaven, our Heavenly Father promised to send a Savior who would atone for our sins so that we could live with Him again. The Apostle John testifies of this and tells us in his words as recorded in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

How did Heavenly Father send His Son to the earth? He sent Him as a newborn baby and He allowed Him to learn and grow, just as we learn and grow. We learn in Luke 2:40 that “the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” Throughout His mortal life He did all things according to the will of His Father who had sent Him. And because of His great love for us, He would willingly give His life as a ransom for us by becoming sin’s final sacrifice. But, the Good News is that the story does not end there. Three days later He triumphantly arose from the grave and lives forever more seated at the right hand of God the Father. And because of His glorious resurrection, death has been forever conquered, and we too shall be resurrected and live again. What a wondrous blessing Jesus Christ is to mankind. Heavenly Father had promised to send a Savior, and He kept His promise.

Before His humble birth in Bethlehem, prophets of old taught about the Messiah who was soon to come, and did indeed come. Let us take a brief look at some of the things that they taught.

More than 700 years prior to the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah, as recorded in Isaiah 7:14-15 prophesied that the Messiah was to be born of a virgin. We read, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.”

The prophet Micah, as recorded in Micah 5:2 prophesied that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. We read, “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Among the ancient prophecies we also learn of the lineage of Jesus Christ. We learn that the Messiah was to be a descendant of Abraham. In Genesis 12:3 we read, “. . . .in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The fulfillment of that prophecy is found in the genealogical family tree recorded in Matthew 1:1, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Following the line of Abraham, the Messiah was also to be a descendent of David. We read in Isaiah 9:7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” We find the fulfillment of that prophecy in Luke 1:31-33:

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

We also learn of the purpose of Jesus’ birth. We read as recorded in the words of Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 61:1-3 these words:

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

And in the New Testament in the Gospel of Luke, in the fourth chapter and verses 16-21, we read about the Savior Jesus Christ in Nazareth:

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Brothers and Sisters, for some, Christmas day is nothing more than another day to have another celebration. It is a time to celebrate; however, we should be rejoicing in the fact that two thousand years ago our loving Heavenly Father gave to the world the greatest Christmas gift ever known to mankind. It was a very special gift, wrapped in the Divine love of the Father Himself. That gift was His Only Begotten Son – He who was born King – the Messiah – the Savior of the world – the Redeemer and Lover of our souls – the Lord Jesus Christ. When asked, “What is the true meaning of Christmas?” those are the things that we should be willing to share with family, friends, and all those we come in contact with this season.

Sadly, there are those who doubt Him and say they don’t need Him. There are even those who will argue that He was just a man. Yes, He was a man, but not just an ordinary man. He was both God and man. He lived and walked among men, yet the life that He lived was not an ordinary life. His life had a major impact on the entire world. No other life can begin to compare to this One Solitary Life.

Down through the ages He has been ridiculed, despised, and rejected and yet wise men still seek Him today. Regardless of what men say about Him, it does not change the fact that He has always been and always will be the Eternal Son of the Living God. One day, as the Scriptures clearly teach us, at His name “every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). He is the One about whom the universe revolves; in whom the hopes and fears of all the years have found their joyous fulfillment. O’ Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord!

I leave these thoughts with you humbly, in the name of Him whose name is indeed Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace – He who is the Light and the Life of the world, even the Lord Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Additional Resources:

The birth of Jesus Christ is one of the most significant events in Christianity. Learn more at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon, which also testifies of the birth of Christ.

Attend a local meetinghouse.

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.

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

In the first chapter of the Book of Moses, a book of ancient scripture translated by the power of God into a volume called the Pearl of Great Price, we learn of an encounter that Moses had where he came to know God face to face. In this encounter we learn of God’s relationship to Moses. There are many ways that the relationship between God and Moses helps me to feel closer to our Heavenly Father. Moses is explicitly told that he is a son of God. The importance of the gospel is also emphasized through their relationship. Moses trusts God and God trusts Moses. Moses also realizes the necessity of having our Heavenly Father in our lives. Having an example of a mortal man that was here on earth helps me to realize that I can have this same close relationship with our Father in Heaven.

When God comes to visit Moses on the mountain, he tells Moses that Moses is His son. This explicit proclamation telling Moses that he is a son of God helps give me confirmation that I am also a child of God. When Satan comes to tempt Moses, he proudly exclaims that “I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten”. It seems as though Moses is honored to be a son of God. Realizing that I have that same opportunity also makes me honored to know God and be one of His children.

The care that Heavenly Father takes to show and explain things to Moses helps me to know God wants me to understand these things as well. The fact that he has provided the means for us to have these writings through the power of God Joseph Smith shows me just how important it is that we understand this portion of the gospel. It also helps me know God cares about us enough that He has made sure we have all information necessary for us to have at this point in time.

God shows Moses all of the creations that he has made and tells him that “no man can behold all my works except he behold all my glory” (Moses 1:5). In the verse He is referring to the fact that Moses was transfigured in order to see the spiritual things he was being shown. However, I also feel as if we are being told that we cannot comprehend God’s works unless we believe Him to be a glorious being. We must have trust in His abilities as a God to completely comprehend all the things He has created and all the doctrines He teaches us. This definitely makes me more determined to increase my faith in God in order to better comprehend His teachings and the teachings of modern prophets of the Lord Jesus Christ.

After God the Father leaves Moses, Moses cannot get up for several hours. Once he finally regains strength he realizes that “man is nothing” (Moses 1:10). The footnotes guide us to Ether 3:2, a book in an ancient record of holy scriptures called The Book of Mormon, where the brother of Jared exclaims that we are weak before God, but that if we call upon Him, He may fulfill our desires. This testimony of the power of prayer encourages me to approach our Father in Heaven with my desires. With the glory and power of God we can become everything instead of being nothing. We must rely on Him and pray to Him constantly in order to become better people.

As Moses is being shown the whole earth, he sees every inhabitant “and there was not a soul which he beheld not” (Moses 1:28). Realizing that Moses was able to see me and the things I have done makes me think back on my life. God can see everything I do as well. God probably has more interest in the things I do than Moses did as he saw each and every soul. Realizing God’s ability to see all things encourages me to serve others. It also gives me the desire to help others to realize His profound love for them.

I don’t believe it will ever be possible for us to completely comprehend the love God has for us. However, I do know God loves me. I know that I am His child. I know that He watches over me. I know that He will always answer my prayers and that He will always be there to guide and protect me. I am so grateful, as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) that I was born into a family that has been fortunate enough to find His gospel. I pray that I will be able to pass His teachings along to His children.

Additional Resources:

Knowing God and the His plan for you.

The Book of Mormon is a companion to the Bible and helps us grow closer to God.

Attend a local meetinghouse and develop your relationship with God.

by Jacob L., member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and student at Brigham Young University (BYU).

Often in testimony meeting, we hear members say how they are grateful for the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Indeed, we have all felt and do feel God’s love for us as we draw nearer to him by obedience to His commandments, and even when we feel we are undeserving of His love. But as I read and reread Enoch’s vision of God, I learned more of the nature of God the Father and Jesus Christ than ever before. Indeed, learning about God our Father that He is magnificent and glorious, that He has passion and eternal feelings, that He can at times feel devastated when we don’t love our brethren and choose to neglect Him. The other piece of doctrine that I have learned from analyzing Moses 7 is that of God’s law in dealing with His people collectively. I will compare the land of Canaan with the people of Enoch. Doing so has given me a deeper understanding of what eventually can happen to a righteous people if they fail to keep the commandments of God.

About God: God feels compassion for us         

First, I had no idea that God could weep. This means that our Heavenly Father has feelings just like ours, but I imagine eternally profound and deep, more than I can understand. We see this when Enoch, during the vision of seeing all of God’s creations turns towards God and sees Him weeping. Enoch must have been shocked! He must have been so amazingly stunned to see the most powerful being in the universe weep! I would have! I quote from the text “And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? And also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever; And peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?”

I personally, found it somewhat unusual to believe at first. That the most merciful, peaceful yet most glorious being in the universe (for we know that one has to be transfigured as to not wither away because of His glory) would weep because of His people. Why do we cry as normal human beings? Maybe we have had a bad day. Maybe we are going through a hard time in our marriage. Perhaps we have lost one of our family members to addictions, or even lost a loved one to a fateful illness. Nevertheless, God the Eternal Father weeps because “They are without affection, and they hate their own blood”. Knowing about God, that He is so full of passion(something that many faiths do not believe) is amazing and wonderful to me. How much God really does love His children that He weeps for them when they do not love one another.

About God: He blesses those who follow Him

Second, as I was analyzing the verses 8 through 23, I was reminded of a recurring theme and also learned much more about that principle. It is one that we have seen time and time again in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon. It is that the Lords righteous make covenants with God and are given a promise that where they can be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth if they will diligently keep the commandments of God. But if they will not, they will be cast out of the land of their inheritance, usually by their enemies. As I studied about God and the theme of making covenants with God in order to be blessed and remain in the Promised Land, I studied other examples in the Bible that dealt with those who for one reason or another, ceased to keep the commandments and therefore, lost the privilege and right to remain in the land of their inheritance. For example in Leviticus 18:25 we read “ And the land is defiled: Therefore I do visit the iniquities thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants”. 

So how does the Lord vomit out her inhabitants from the Promised Land? He does it by ceasing to protect them from their enemies. For example, we have seen this with the Jews being taken captive in Babylon. The Lord also curses the land if His people become unrighteous. “For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the  barrenness thereof shall go forth forever;  Have we not seen this with examples of the Latter-Day pioneers who did not pay their tithing? Or when Joseph’s people experienced a terrible famine? One thing that I learned was most interesting and usually sparks the interest of Latter-Day Saints and nonmembers alike. The rights and privileges of ones Promised Land can be taken away if a people break their covenants with God. For example, the Jews, who covenanted with God that they would be the people of Jerusalem and there be blessed and prosper were taken away when they fell away and broke their covenants with God. As a result, the Jews were scattered upon the whole earth and taken away from their covenanted land. Today, we see that the Jews are seeking to reclaim their land in Jerusalem. But, we know that they have broken their covenant and lost their rights to the land and therefore, should have no legal rights to it. However, the Jews have taken much of their land by force because they see themselves as descendants of Jews who once lived there. How incorrect they are! How unjustly have they killed and taken lives in order to lay claim upon a land that isn’t rightfully theirs. No one can reclaim lost land after thousands of years saying that the land is rightfully theirs. We should seek never to break our covenants with Heavenly Father or we will lose our promised blessings.

What we should seek is the example of the city of Enoch. His people were the righteous ones that eventually we taken into the bosom of the Father. Not only did they prosper in the land of their inheritance, but they eventually were taken up to live with God. It is hard to know exactly at what point a people is considered righteous enough to be taken into heaven. We know that us as individuals are God’s creations but have come into a fallen world to learn to obey God and become like Him, a thing that takes time. Knowing that a people actually achieved this is somewhat puzzling (not saying that it is not possible). Perhaps God had other reasons to take them up unto Him. We read “, And lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven”. Nevertheless, examining God’s dealings with His children in all ages have helped me come to understand the necessity of being “one” in purpose, as a people. It was interesting to compare civilizations, especially the two that were talked about in Moses 7. As a result of this, I now know how important it is for God’s people to love one another and to serve God as one.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about the nature of God.

The Book of Mormon helps us know more about who God is. Request your free copy.

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

Have you ever had just a strong desire to know something? You may be confused with how to do a certain math problem, or it might be something bigger such as understanding how to find more meaning in your life. This is the same way a young 14 year old boy felt. As a young teenager, a boy by the name of Joseph Smith wondered about religion and salvation. He wanted to know and understand the things that God wanted him to do in order to return back to Him.

In around 1820, Joseph Smith started to get involved with some of the religious excitement that was going on at the time where he was living in Palmyra, New York. Using his own words from Joseph Smith History it says,

During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong (Joseph Smith History 1:8).

Joseph Smith wanted to find truth. He wanted to understand what was right, good, and true. He went to many different religions trying to study things out and figure out what was the right thing to do. During his search, he was reading in the Epistle of James in the King James version of the Bible, and he came across a verse, James 1:5 whi, “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.” Joseph Smith said, “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart” (Joseph Smith History 1:12).

There have been many many times in my life when I have lacked wisdom. There was one time in my life that I was feeling overwhelmed with a problem I was facing in my life. I wanted to overcome some challenges in my life, so I prayed for God’s help. One day I went to a fireside (inspirational meeting) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, “The Mormon Church”). The speaker at the fireside gave a very good talk. I really felt like the things that he said applied directly to me in helping me to overcome my concerns. Basically, the speaker talked about self improvement, and how we need to improve ourselves one step at a time so that we don’t get overwhelmed. This experience showed to me that the Lord is very aware of me and my needs. He answered my prayer and continues to answer my prayers. I know that God will answer everyone’s prayers as we seek out the answers. Joseph Smith followed the counsel of James 1:5 and decided to ask God.

On a spring day in April 1820 Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees near his house in Palmyra, New York. He went there and knelt down and began to offer up the desires of his heart. As he did so he began to feel overcome by darkness. The adversary of all righteousness was trying to stop him from seeking the Lord’s help, but Joseph called out to God for deliverance, and these are the words of his experience of what happened next:

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. 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 1:17).

This is such a marvelous experience. Even though I wasn’t there when Joseph Smith experienced this vision, I know that it happened. There have been many times, as a missionary of Jesus Christ, when I have related this experience to others. As I told Joseph Smith’s experience to others, I have felt the spirit of the Lord testify to me that this experience really happened. I’ve felt a calming assurance that God the Father, and His son Jesus Christ really did appear to Joseph Smith. I’ve felt the Holy Spirit testify to me that God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph for a wise purpose. Joseph was told by Jesus Christ to join none of the churches. The Lord said, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith History 1:19). Joseph was told that he would be used as an instrument in restoring The church of Jesus Christ back to the earth as it was when He was on the the earth. Joseph was to be called as a prophet, just as Moses in the Bible was called, to help establish the Lord’s church back on the earth in its fulness.

It is comforting to me to know that this experience really occurred! Knowing that God hasn’t abandoned us, but on the contrary, is very aware of us, gives me peace. He has called prophets to guide His children since Adam and Eve–it is wonderful that He still does so today.

I’m impressed with how much faith and strength Joseph had since the time he was a child. For example, after getting an infection in his leg which was brought on by typhus fever, Joseph had to under go surgery to fix the bone in his leg that was affected by the infection. The doctors told Joseph they were going to tie him down during the surgery so he wouldn’t thrash around because of the severe pain. But Joseph instead asked that he not be tied down, but asked that his father might hold him in his arms while the surgery took place. When offered brandy or wine to numb the pain, Joseph Smith declined saying, if my father will hold me, I can do what I need to. This show of courage made by Joseph is amazing to me. It also reminds me of God our Heavenly Father, and how they can help us and hold us in times that are difficult. In the New Testament of the Bible it says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philipians 4:13). Joseph Smith showed a strong faith in Christ all throughout his life.

After the marvelous experience in the grove of trees, Joseph Smith waited a few years before receiving further instruction from the Lord. He was in his room one night seeking forgiveness from his sins and follies, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in his room. The angel’s name is Moroni. Moroni told Joseph Smith that the Lord had a work for him to do. He told Joseph about a hill nearby to where he lived that contained gold plates of ancient writings. These ancient writings contain a record of a civilization that lived on the American continent. It contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and gives an account of God’s dealings with them. Joseph Smith was informed that the Lord wanted him to translate this record and publish it as another witness of Jesus Christ comparable to the Bible. Through Joseph’s obedience to the Lord, he was guided and given revelations from God, one step at a time, to establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly misnamed “The Mormon Church“). I have read The Book of Mormon for myself–I have felt it bring peace into my life as I have read it, believed in the teachings of Jesus Christ contained in it, and lived by those teachings.

Joseph Smith exhibited a Christ-like life. He always sought to be a better person and treat those around him with respect. He wasn’t perfect but he always strived to do better. There is an experience that David Whitmer, an early Latter-day Saint church leader, told about Joseph Smith.

David Whitmer recounted: “One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, asked Emma’s forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, pg.116)

This story shows to me that Joseph truly was a servant of the Lord. The work he did wasn’t about himself, it is the Lord’s work. He couldn’t do it on his own, even if he tried. The Lord needed him to be worthy in order to use him as His instrument. I’m grateful that Joseph Smith tried to live a Christ-like life so that the Lord could use him to restore His church on the earth.

We as Latter-day Saints, worship the Savior Jesus Christ, not prophets. Prophets have been around since man was created. The Lord called and authorized prophets such as Adam, Moses, and Abraham to teach His gospel and administer the ordinances of salvation to the whole world so all of us might know the way back to Heavenly Father. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ spoke to Joseph Smith and called him as a prophet to restore the Savior’s church to the earth. He was just as much of a prophet as Moses was. The sweet feelings of peace and truth have witnessed to my soul that The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness. When I hear the modern day prophet speak, President Thomas S. Monson, I know he speaks by the power of revelation. He speaks for Jesus Christ and tells the world what the Savior would tell us if He were here. The prophet gives us the direction and counsel we need for our day. I can feel the Savior’s love for me when the prophet speaks. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and is aware of us, and speaks to us today through living prophets and apostles. I know Joseph Smith spoke the words of Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Get a free copy of The Book of Mormon.

Watch a video about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about how Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ at lds.org.

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.

The Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Holy Ghost, was given to us by God in order to guide us and strengthen us here in this earth life. The Holy Spirit is an actual person, but he doesn’t have a physical body, He has a spirit. The Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father are three separate beings that are all a part of the Godhead. They all have the same purpose, which is to help bring us back into the presence of God so that we might have eternal life.

There are two parts to understanding the Holy Spirit. There is the power of the Holy Spirit, and there is the gift of the Holy Spirit, or gift of the Holy Ghost. Before someone is baptized and given the gift of the Holy Ghost, they can feel the power and influence of the Holy Spirit testify to their hearts of things that are true. It can help them feel peace and lead them to what is right and good. When the spirit leads others to truth, it prompts them act on those truths. For example, after finding out that Jesus Christ asks us to get baptized, the Holy Spirit would then prompt that person to make changes in their lives in order to get ready for baptism. After baptism, when given under proper priesthood authority, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost which is the right to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost whenever one is worthy. The gift of the Holy Ghost has a sanctifying effect on the body, and helps remove the desires to do evil and sin. It helps us literally become like Jesus Christ, and allows us to be cleansed from our sins.

One purpose of the Holy Spirit is to testify of all truth. In The Book of Mormon, a volume of ancient holy scripture which testifies of Jesus Christ, it says, “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is” (Book of Mormon: Moroni 10:5-6). The Holy Spirit speaks to us through our thoughts and feelings. When Heavenly Father sent us to this earth He did not want to leave us alone and lost without any way of knowing what is right and what is wrong, what is true and what isn’t, so He gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through thoughts, feelings, and impressions. The Holy Ghost speaks to us more as a still small voice rather than a loud voice. An apostle of Jesus Christ said, “That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound” (Elder Boyd K. Packer). The book of Galatians in the Bible helps us recognize when we are feeling the influence of the Holy Spirit. It says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). When I feel the spirit it helps me want to be more loving, kind, patient and good. When I feel the spirit, I want to be more like Jesus Christ. I know that I am feeling the Holy Ghost when I feel calm and at peace, and when confusion and doubt clears away. When I feel this way, it helps me know what is true and good. I have felt that way about Jesus Christ and His restored church. I know that His church has been restored to the earth. Just as a blind man knows that the sun exists because he can feel its heat, I know that Jesus Christ lives because I can feel His love for me when I read about Him, and follow His counsel to love and serve others. I also know that there are living prophets and apostles on this earth who speak for Jesus Christ by revelation. I have felt the same feelings of the Holy Spirit testify to me that these things are true.

When I was a child of eight years old, I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Commonly misnamed “The Mormon Church“) and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through the authority of God, which is called the priesthood, I was baptized, and then hands were laid on my head to confer upon me the gift of the Holy Ghost. I don’t remember everything that was said at the baptism, but I do remember the feeling I felt. I felt clean–clean spiritually. I felt happy and peaceful. I felt that the Lord was pleased with my decision of committing to follow Him. The Holy Spirit rested upon me and I felt the Lord’s love. The Holy Spirit has been a tremendous blessing in my life. Without it, I would be lost in this world of confusion. I know that it is real. I have felt it’s power and influence lift me, teach me, and testify to me of the reality of Jesus Christ. I know that the Holy Spirit can be felt by all who honestly want to do what’s right and find truth.

Additional Resources:

Obtain a free copy of The Book of Mormon

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Read more about the Holy Ghost from an apostle of Jesus Christ at the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Bible often refers to the hand of the Lord. This is generally used metaphorically to represent God’s interactions with man. The interactions are sometimes described as being punishing due to sins, and other times, are comforting or

rewarding, in response to valiant behavior.

Listen to the words of Mormon: ‘Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power?’” (Morm. 5:23).

Hands are one of the symbolically expressive parts of the body. In Hebrew, yad, the most common word for “hand,” is also used metaphorically to mean power, strength, might (see William Wilson, Old Testament Word Studies [1978], 205). Thus, hands signify power and strength.” (W. Craig Zwick, “The Lord Thy God Will Hold Thy Hand,” Liahona, Nov 2003, 34–36).

The scripture quoted here is from the Book of Mormon, which also uses the phrase often. The Bible shows this is applied to individuals as well: “And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me,” (Ezra 7:28).

Elder Zwick continues to explain the analogy:

Consider John’s words describing the resurrected and glorified Savior: “And when I saw him, …he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; … I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore” (Rev. 1:17–18). When He lays His hand upon us, we, like John, can be alive in Him.

To be in the hands of God would suggest that we are not only under His watchful care but also that we are guarded and protected by His wondrous power.

Throughout the scriptures, reference is made to the hand of the Lord. His divine assistance is evidenced over and over again. His powerful hands created worlds, and yet they were gentle enough to bless the little children.

Mormons believe in a very hands-on, involved God. While some today think God withdrew from His children after the Savior’s time on earth, Mormons believe God continues to love us, to watch over us, and to be actively involved in the lives of His children as they prepare for the Second Coming.

This interaction in our lives began long before we were born. Prior to our births, we lived with God as spirits. He created our spirits and we lived with Him, developing a loving relationship. He was directly involved with our lives at that time, and He has never withdrawn. Because He is literally the Father of our spirits, He loves us as would any parent. Good fathers don’t abandon their children. Jesus Christ became our Savior and also promised to watch over us and to help us through the challenges of life. Elder Zwick assures us:

We must all remember that we are sons and daughters of God and that He loves us very much. If we truly understand who we are, we will have an unfailing source of hope and comfort.

We can never complete “the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1) without placing our hand in the Lord’s.

Several years ago, our only daughter decided to compete in a marathon. She trained and worked very hard, along with some of her friends. The race was difficult, and there were times when she wanted to quit. But she kept going, just concentrating on one step at a time. As she was approaching the middle part of the course, she heard someone behind her shout out, “Blind man on your left.”

She turned her head only to see a blind man overtake her, holding the hand of another man. They were both running the race. As they passed, she could see how tightly the blind man held the hand of his friend.

Overcome with her own physical pain, she was lifted as she watched these two men run hand in hand. He who could see was motivated by his blind friend, and the blind man depended upon the connection he had to his friend’s hand. Our daughter knew the blind man could never finish the race alone. She was inspired by the trust of the blind man and the devoted love of his friend.

In like manner, the Savior has stretched forth His hand to each of us so that we don’t have to run alone. “To those [of us] who [occasionally] stagger or stumble, He is there to steady and strengthen” (Trusting Jesus, 43). As we advance toward the finish line, He will be there to save us; and for all this He gave His life.

Imagine the wounds in His hands. His weathered hands, yes, even His hands of torn flesh and physical sacrifice, give our own hands greater power and direction.

It is the wounded Christ who leads us through our moments of difficulty. It is He who bears us up when we need more air to breathe or direction to follow or even more courage to continue.

If we will keep the commandments of God and walk hand in hand with Him in His paths, we will go forward with faith and never feel alone.

Trust in His promise of eternal life, and allow peace and hope to distill upon you.

When we connect with the Author of Peace and with His perfect and redeeming love, then we can come to know the reality of the Lord’s promise: “I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying … , Fear not; I will help thee” (Isa. 41:13).

I testify of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and living Savior.

I testify that He lives and extends His loving hand to each of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The hand of the Lord, then is always stretched out for us, prepared to help us, guide us, and reassure us when we’re working to stay on the path described by the Savior. It’s a hand we don’t ever need to fear as long as we’re trying to do the right thing and to make wise choices. By studying the scriptures, praying, and building our relationship with God, we can come to recognize our hand in the very details of our lives.

Jesus

went to the temple during the feast of the Tabernacles. The temple was lit by four very large candelabra and their light could be seen for a great distance. Here, he rescued the woman about to be stoned for adultery and then  proclaimed to those who watched the event, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Darkness, in a spiritual sense, frequently refers to sin or to confusion about truth. Just as in life, the darkness can hide evil or distort what is real, in the spiritual world, it can distort truth and make it difficult to see or understand truth. However, God created both day and night, and He does not expect us to live our lives in darkness. He wants us to live out our lives in the light, and that light comes from the Savior.

Jesus Christ came to earth to fulfill prophecy and to fulfill a promise He made to us before we were born; He promised to come and redeem us from our sins. Prior to this, He taught the gospel, helping those who listened see beyond the Law of Moses to the new higher laws of love.

He taught His followers to follow His example and to live a law that would bring them closer to God. Those who did no more than to watch Him would be enlightened as to the kind of Being God Himself was and the kind of person each of us should strive to be. In the aforementioned incident involving the woman who was to be stoned, He responded to questions designed to trap Him concerning the woman’s fate under the law. Rather than telling the men the law was not right, as they hoped, He simply said that the first stone should be thrown by the person in the group who had no sin. Of course, only Jesus Himself met that criteria, but when the men faded away, He too refused to judge her. He only instructed her to abandon her sin.

In His brief ministry, He healed the sick, treated with respect those who were treated by the world as nothing, refused to turn away children when He was tired, and gave up everything to devote His life to teaching the gospel. When His mission came to a close, He took on Himself the sins of the world and then voluntarily allowed Himself to be killed. He overcame that death and rose again.

Today, even though He isn’t with us on earth, we can still be guided by His light. His light is one of love, and staying in its path will keep us safe. In the Book of Mormon, there is a vision given to a prophet who saw a path that led to a beautiful tree. The tree was filled with magnificent, sweet fruit. A mist of darkness overcame the path, making it difficult for those on the path to know how to reach the tree. However, alongside the path was an iron rod. The tree and its fruit, representing God’s love, could be safely obtained only by holding onto the iron rod, which represented God’s word. Those who let go, who wandered off to explore side paths, lost the opportunity to receive the rewards.

One way we can stay on the path and protect our grasp on the iron rod is by learning to recognize and obey the Light of Christ, and when we receive it, the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Through the Light of Christ, which is available to all of us, we can learn to recognize the truth when it is presented to us. Often, as a great truth is imparted, something deep inside of us stirs, leaving us with a warm safe feeling. This is the Light of Christ, testifying to us of this truth. Through this truth some of the great questions of the ages can be answered: Who Am I? Why am I here on Earth? Where am I going when I die? When every religion teaches something different, how can I know which one is teaching what the Savior Himself taught?

There are some who try to convince people they must not ask God these great questions, must not turn to Him in prayer for advice. However, Jesus Himself prayed, and James, believed to be the Savior’s own half-brother, taught, “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. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” (James 1:5-6, King James translation of the Bible.)

The reason some give for advising people against praying to know the truth is often that the person praying will not know who is answering the prayer. However, Mormons believe that God never makes a promise He can’t keep, and that He promised, as we read in the James 1:5, that God has promised to give us the wisdom we ask for. Is it possible God could answer our prayers in a way that leaves no doubt as to who is communicating with us? “For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37.) Mormons believe in a God who can do anything He says He will do. They know that as they continue to pray and to develop their relationship with God, that He will help them learn to recognize how He communicates with them, and improve their ability to recognize answers to prayer.

As Mormons—and all who have faith in God and in Jesus Christ—improve the quality of their prayers and their ability to receive answers, the light within them grows, so that no matter how dark the day or the situation of life, they are surrounded by peace, joy, and truth. This is why Jesus is called the light of the world: His light is the only source of the joy God has promised can be ours.

The evening before the Lamb of God was to be crucified for the sins of the world and hours before He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus was sitting with his Apostles in a “large upper room” (Mark 14:15). It was here that He first instituted the sacrament: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples,” (Matthew 26:26). Then He said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me” 1 Corinthians 11:24). Then, “After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Thus, the purpose of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is to look back and remember Jesus the Christ and what He has done for each of us. Everything points “to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice [is] the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:14). Blood sacrifices looked forward; the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper looks backward, and the central act—the atonement of Jesus Christ—is right in the middle—the meridian of time.

In the previous two articles about the law of sacrifice, we have discussed how the law was used anciently to teach God’s children to look forward to this “great and last sacrifice.” With the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice, the law of Moses was done away. The law of Moses, however, “is not the same thing as the law of sacrifice” (M. Russell Ballard, “The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct 1998, 7). The Savior said after His resurrection from the dead, “And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood . . . [but] ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:19-20). Hence, what we sacrifice has changed; that we sacrifice, and the reasons why we sacrifice have remained the same.

The word sacrifice means to make holy. It also means “To surrender or give up (something) for the attainment of some higher advantage or dearer object” (Oxford English Dictionary, “Sacrifice”). Or, as Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Bruce R. McConkie put it, “Sacrifice involves giving up the things of this world because of the promises of blessings to be gained in a better world” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. “Sacrifice,” Bookcraft: 1966).

But what is a broken heart and a contrite spirit? A broken heart is the opposite of a hard heart. The image of a hard heart is used in the scriptures to denote pride. Hence, a person with a broken heart is one who is humble. The word contrite means repentant. A person with a contrite spirit is one who has an awareness of his or her guilt. This person remembers the things he or she has done wrong, but because the person is repentant, he or she strives to change and be better than before. This person knows that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, he or she can overcome all obstacles.

To have a broken heart and a contrite spirit therefore means we are willing to submit to God. We are willing to submit to God as Christ was willing to submit to His father. The Savior said, “And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men, even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil” (3 Nephi 27:14).

God loves us. He wants us to come unto Him. The law of sacrifice tests us and assists us in coming unto Christ (M. Russell Ballard, “The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct 1998, 7). Another Apostle of the Church, Russell M. Nelson, has taught: “Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God” (“Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 88). Hence, “the sacrifice changed from the offering to the offerer” (M. Russell Ballard, “The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct 1998, 7).

Sacrifice is therefore a wonderful blessing. Joseph Smith said, “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation” (Lectures on Faith 6:7). In other words, sacrifice gives us faith, and with faith we can receive salvation. It is not always easy to give up something we want, especially when we can’t actually see the end results. But I testify that it is worth it in the end. Sometimes we must take a few steps into the darkness in order for the light to turn on and go before us. That’s faith. And sacrifice takes faith.

I end with one of my favorite quotes on the law of sacrifice: “Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!” (Neal A. Maxwell “ ‘Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness,’ ” Ensign, May 1995, 68).