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 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.

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 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, teaches that after the death of the Savior and His apostles, priesthood authority to administer God’s church was withdrawn from the earth. 3276People disagreed over what the scriptures meant and over what Jesus had taught, and as a result, thousands of Christian churches teaching conflicting doctrine began to appear across the earth. Although Christianity continued to be taught and its core doctrine, that of the Savior’s divinity, spread, each church had its own version of Christianity. Many of the doctrines were critical to salvation, and so, as the last days before the second coming of Christ approached, it was important that the truth be completely restored.

It was in preparation for this eternally significant moment that a fourteen-year-old boy named Joseph Smith found himself becoming very interested in religion. The area in which he lived was in the midst of a religious fervor. There were revivals and many people were deciding which church to join. Joseph’s family participated in this movement, and Joseph wanted to choose a church as well. However, his visits to various churches and revivals left him confused. No one could explain to him how to know which of the conflicting teachings he heard in the various churches was right. He knew they couldn’t be right. God is not a God of confusion. If a doctrinal teaching was essential to salvation, it could only have one answer.

He began reading the Bible, looking for his own answers. There, he found James 1:5, believed to have been written by the brother of Jesus Christ. He read:

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. (James 1:5)

As Joseph thought about this verse, he realized this was the best solution to his problem. Men gave him conflicting information, but God knew what was true. He trusted this counsel and set off for the woods to pray, the first time he would pray aloud. His prayer was answered, just as promised, but in a way he could not have anticipated. This prayer was the moment chosen by God to take the first step toward the restoration. Like many Biblical prophets, a young boy was given a powerful spiritual experience to prepare him for events to come. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him. God introduced the Savior, who then instructed him not to join any of the churches, because the complete gospel was not yet on the earth.

It would be a number of years before the restoration began, as Joseph Smith grew up and matured. He was then tutored by an angel named Moroni, who taught Joseph the important initial principles of the gospel and also helped him develop the maturity to cope with the challenges ahead.

The restored gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ, as He taught it when He lived on the earth. He is the head of the restored church and guides it from day to day. The Mormons have a prophet who leads the church on earth, but the prophet himself is lead by the Savior, and can’t do anything of himself. He can’t invent doctrine or put truth to a vote. He is not permitted to “keep up with the times” by altering doctrine to make the church more popular with society. Only the Savior decides what is truth and He directs the church leadership accordingly.

There are many articles appearing in the press advising the church to make changes to its doctrine in order to become more acceptable to a changing world. However, this suggests that we must counsel God, instead of taking our counsel from God.

Russell M. Nelson, an apostle of the Lord in modern times, taught:

Another unchanging principle is that of divine or moral law. Transgression of moral law brings retribution; obedience to it brings blessings “immutable and unchangeable” (D&C 104:2). Blessings are always predicated upon obedience to law. 39 So the Church teaches us to embrace the right and to renounce the wrong—that we might have joy. 40

The Savior and His servants 41 do not speak words of complacency but teach what people need to know. Through the ages, history attests that contemporary critics have pressed Church leaders to modify a decree of the Lord. 42 But such is eternal law, and it cannot be altered. Not even for His Beloved Son could God change the law that required the Atonement. Divine doctrines cannot be squeezed into compact molds to make them fit fashionable patterns of the day. Nor can they be fully expressed on a bumper sticker (Russell M. Nelson, “Constancy amid Change,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 33).

It is reassuring to those who have found the source of truth to know that truth is unchanging. In a world where everything changes by the moment, a few things will never change. We can always depend on God’s truth. Practices might change, but principles of truth do not.

The Savior is the head of the restored gospel. Any person is given the ability to do as Joseph Smith did and turn to God for counsel on which church to join. This is not an opportunity reserved for future prophets, but something every person can do. People who meet with Mormon missionaries are taught that before baptism, they must ask God if this is the true church, so they will know for themselves, rather than relying on the testimony of men. Those who honestly do this are able to develop an unshakable testimony because they received their knowledge personally from God and Jesus Christ.

While most people will not receive a personal visit from God, since they aren’t being prepared to restore the gospel, they will receive a sure knowledge of truth in their hearts. When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He taught that prayer was an essential part of the spiritual life. It is equally essential today, and because God promised us wisdom if we ask for it, as recorded by James in the New Testament, He will give us that answer in a way we can recognize as His, if we are patient and come to Him with complete faith.

The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ “embraces, sustains, supports, and gives life to all other gospel doctrines.  It is the foundation upon which all truth rests and all things grow out of it and come because of it.”1 “The wondrous and glorious Atonement was the central act in all of human history.”2 Because of these statements, all things also point to Christ and His atonement.  Those who lived before Christ looked forward to Him and His infinite and eternal sacrifice.  Those who live after Christ look back to this greatest of all events and “remember what was done.”3

There were many different ways in which the blood sacrifices before Christ were types and shadows of the great and last sacrifice.  Note a few of the details:

First, like Christ, the [sacrificial] animal was chosen and anointed by the laying on of hands. (The Hebrew title Messiah and the Greek title Christ both mean “the Anointed One.”) Second, the animal was to have its life’s blood spilt. Third, it had to be without blemish—totally free from physical

flaws, complete, whole, and perfect. Fourth, the sacrifice had to be clean and worthy. Fifth, the sacrifice had to be domesticated; that is, not wild but tame and of help to man (see Lev. 1:2–3, 10; Lev. 22:21). Sixth and seventh, for the original sacrifice practiced by Adam and the most common sacrifice in the law of Moses, the animal had to be a firstborn and a male (see Ex. 12:5; Lev. 1:3; Lev. 22:18–25). Eighth, the sacrifice of grain had to be ground into flour and made into breadstuffs, which reminds us of our Lord’s title the Bread of Life (see John 6:48). Ninth, the firstfruits that were offered remind us that Christ was the firstfruits of the Resurrection.”4

About 74 years before Christ, the prophet Amulek wrote about how Christ’s sacrifice would eventually end blood sacrifices:

It is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice . . .
And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. (Alma 34:10, 14)

Nine years before that, the prophet Alma also testified of Christ,

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. (Alma 7:11-12)

The Savior of all mankind came and fulfilled the law.  He is the great and last sacrifice.  The pain that He went through was “so hard to bear” that we cannot comprehend it, and His suffering was so great that He–God, the greatest of all–trembled because of the pain, bled from every pore, and suffered both body and spirit (See Doctrine and Covenants 19:18).

With His death, the law of Moses was fulfilled.  Yet, the law of Moses is not exactly the same thing as the law of sacrifice.5 We still keep the law of sacrifice.  The Savior taught concerning the fulfilling of the law and what we are to sacrifice nowadays:

And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost. (3 Nephi 9:19-20)

Malachi 3:8-10 is often quoted to motivate us to pay our tithes and offerings.  “Will a man rob God?” the record reads,

Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings.
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  (Malachi 3:8-10)

Because one of the offerings we are to give to the Lord is “a broken heart and a contrite spirit,” the same principle of blessings applies.  I testify that when we offer up to the Lord a broken heart and a contrite spirit that He will pour out a blessing upon us that is so great that we will not have room enough to receive it.  Our cup of blessings will fill to overflowing, even so much that those around us will also receive blessings.

Yet, no matter how contrite our spirit or how broken our heart, our sacrifice is nothing compared to the one that happened in the meridian of time.  Indeed, there is one offering that pours out a blessing so great upon all of mankind, that none can even begin to comprehend the greatness of it.  This offering is so great that it has power to bless—and save—all mankind: “black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33).

In conclusion, hear another testimony from another prophet in the Book of Mormon–King Benjamin:

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.
And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.
For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned. (Mosiah 3:7-11)

Hence, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”6

Notes

1 Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966, 60.
2 Neal A. Maxwell, “Willing to Submit,” Ensign, May 1985, 70.
3 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Salt Lake City, 1980, 185.
4 M. Russell Ballard, “The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct 1998, 7.
5 Ibid.
6 Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Ed. Joseph F. Smith, Deseret Book: Salt Lake City, 1976, 121.

Before I say anything else, I want to make it clear that the real answer to this question is beyond the scope of this article; indeed, it is beyond the scope of mortality and all things temporal: for “this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Furthermore, “it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned [all the principles of exaltation]. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:306-7).

I am now able to attempt a basic answer to the above question.

One of the most profound statements that will act as a beginning to our answer was made by the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said, “It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. 1938. 345). Because “character” means both “attributes” and “nature” (Cf. Gordon B. Hinckley. Faith: The Essence of True Religion. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. 1989. 20-27.), in order to know God and thereby receive eternal life, we must learn of both his divine attributes and his divine nature. For “Knowledge of divine and spiritual things is absolutely essential for one’s salvation” (Bible Dictionary, “Knowledge,” see also Romans 10:14). There has been much written regarding God’s divine attributes, so in this article I will attempt a short explanation of the other meaning of character, one that is seldom spoken of—the divine nature of God.

I have already stated that it is “the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God.” In addition, “If men [and women] do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938], p. 343). This is because “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1995.).

The reason men and women are created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27) is because “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 130: 22). This is the basic, corporeal nature of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ the premortal Jehovah, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct personages (Cf. Jeffery Holland. The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent. Broken Things to Mend. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. 2008. 208-214.).

For some, it may be a strange thing to say that God has a body as tangible (or “able to touch and feel”) as man’s.  Jeffery R. Holland eloquently stated,

“If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant, why are the central doctrines and singularly most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the physical Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ. No one claiming to be a true Christian will want to do that” (Ibid.).

It is easy to come to the conclusion that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, has “a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s,” for He said so Himself (Cf. Luke 24:39). Jesus the Christ was resurrected, and to be resurrected means “the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided” (Bible Dictionary, “Resurrection”). There were many who touched the palms of His hands, felt the nail prints in his feet, and thrust their hands into His side (Cf. John 20:27, 3 Nephi 11:14-15).

It is also easy to come to the conclusion that the Holy Ghost “has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, [He] could not dwell in us” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Hence His name is the Holy Spirit.

However, to say that God the Father has “a body of flesh and bones” is a bold statement, especially when considering some seemingly contradictory statements found in the New Testament. One of the most perplexing of these statements is given by the Savior Himself: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

This passage is often taken out of context. In John chapter four, the Savior was teaching the woman of Samaria how to worship. He was not giving her a discourse on His Father’s corporeal nature—or lack of it. But out of context or not, just because God is a Spirit does not mean that he is only a spirit and not anything else. Indeed, “man is spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33), and God is, therefore, a Spirit in the same sense that we are spirits—namely a spirit body clothed with a physical body (Cf. Ether 3:9). Finally, the common translation of this passage (John 4:24) is in error. A more complete version of it was given to the prophet Joseph Smith by revelation and confirms that the Savior is teaching how to worship, “For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth” (JST John 4:26).

God’s body is, of course, different from ours. It is immortal, perfected, glorified, and resurrected. And because Jesus the Christ was resurrected and has broken the bands of death, all who have ever lived and will ever live on the earth will also be resurrected and receive their bodies after they die–bodies that are immortal, perfected, and glorified.  The the most faithful will receive celestial bodies (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 40-42).

Hence, “if men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”

Finally, something must be said about the “oneness” of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  The biblical passage in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one,” is often misunderstood.  The word “one” means completely unified, one in accord, and in perfect harmony.  A husband and wife are counseled to be “one” (Ephesians 5:31), as are all those who abide in Christ (see Galatians 3:28).  Hence, God the Father and Jesus Christ are not the same personage, but separate and distinct personages who are one, or work in perfect harmony, in bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Joseph Smith said that “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” Jesus the Christ is central to everything. He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). It is “by him, and through him, and of him the worlds are and were created and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:24). He was resurrected from the dead and He and His Father did not only show themselves in vision to Stephen during his martyrdom (Acts 7:56), but They also appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, early in the Spring of the year 1820. Of Them, the Prophet declared that he “saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description . . . 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).

It’s human nature to want to stay in charge of our own lives. Turning decisions that affect us can be very frightening. However, we see the world with a very limited vision. There is no way for us to see what will happen in the long term.

The scriptures contain many stories of people who were forced to trust God’s advice even when the advice’s wisdom wasn’t obvious. As is often pointed out, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark. Living where he did, it’s likely he couldn’t even imagine what a flood would look like.

The Bible tells of the widow of Zarephath. The prophet Elijah was commanded by God to go to Zarephath during a serious drought and famine, explaining that He had instructed the widow to feed Elijah. When Elijah found her, he asked her for water and bread. She responded, “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.(1 Kings 17:12)

Even though God had instructed her to provide this bread for the prophet, somewhere in the back of her mind must have been some concern about this. She didn’t even have enough to care for herself or her child, and she was being asked to feed a prophet. Why couldn’t he go to someone who had more than she had?

Elijah reassured her, “Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”

Now the widow has a decision to make. Should she do what seems logical and sensible-take care of herself and her son first, because they have so little, sending the prophet on to someone who was better off? Or…should she trust the promise of the prophet, and by extension, God?

Notice that Elijah gave her a specific order-feed him first, and then herself and her son. She had to exercise faith in God before even beginning to care for herself and her child. She had no proof the prophet was telling her the truth. For her, it was a moment of commitment-she had to decide if she had a testimony of the prophet and of her own personal revelation from God that she was to do this.

What did she choose? She didn’t have days and hours to go in, pray, and come to a decision. She had just a moment to make a choice that would affect the rest of her life and even her eternal life.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

With but a moment to choose, the widow chose to trust God’s wisdom in a situation that seemed entirely unlikely. Her life wasn’t easy after this, or without trial, but because she trusted God, she and her child lived.

With our limited mortal vision, it’s impossible to see the long-term possibilities in a given situation. Losing a job can seem, on the surface, to be a tragedy, but the next year, the person may have launched a successful business of his own, and will later look back and celebrate the day he lost his job. At the moment of the trial, there were no blessings in sight, but a year later, the man can see it spurred him to do something he loved.

One of the reasons God sent us to earth was so we could have experiences and learn to make choices. Knowing we’d

have difficulty making those choices with our limited vision, He gave us a resource to use as we go through our lives. He offered us the ability to pray and to receive personal revelation that can guide us through the challenging decisions we have to make.

Each person has the light of Christ to guide him from birth. This light comes from God through Jesus Christ, and it is what testifies of us what is true and what is right. Sometimes people refer to their conscious, which is really the Light of Christ whispering the right thing to do. When a person decides to seek out the truth about God, and select a church to join, it’s the light of Christ, not the missionary or friend, who will tell the person what is true in a way that cannot be denied.

When someone is baptized by a priesthood holder with the proper authority, he becomes eligible for the gift of the Holy Ghost. which some people call the Holy Spirit. Mormon beliefs teach each person must be baptized by one with authority. Following the baptism, either that day or soon after, the person is confirmed a member of the church. This is done by priesthood holders who place their hands on the head of the new convert, proclaim him a member, and then command him to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The gift of the Holy Ghost allows the member to have the Holy Ghost with him all the time, as long as he’s living worthy to receive it. The Holy Ghost cannot be where evil is, so a person who ignores a prompting to remove himself from a bad situation or to stop doing something wrong will find he is alone to cope with the consequences of his decisions.

The Holy Ghost’s guidance allows us to access God’s wisdom in every situation. When we’re confronted with a decision to make, the Holy Ghost will tell us what God wants us to do. As we follow that counsel, either from the Light of Christ or the Holy Ghost, we should notice the results. While some results might not be apparent for many years, and God’s choices may even be more for the benefit of another than for you, we will often be able to see the wisdom in the advice we were given. Over time, this will help us to learn to trust God and to follow His instructions even when the answer doesn’t seem to make any sense to us with our limited vision.

Scott Livingston

It was a cold February morning when my wife, Kristina, and newborn, Cameron Van, set out through Logan Canyon on the 40 mile drive from our home in Bear Lake to the hospital to get Cameron’s bilirubin level tested. We arrived safely in Logan on time and checked in with the receptionist. They called us in, gave Cameron a small poke on his heel and the nurse sent us on our way, saying they would call us at home with the results. This had become a daily routine since Cameron’s birth a week earlier. He was born with high bilirubin levels and the doctor wanted to monitor it until he was confident that Cameron’s body would take control.

After a few errands in Logan, milk, eggs, prescriptions, etc., we began our trek through Logan Canyon. As usual the road was covered in snow and ice but we had become used to it as we drove the canyon everyday the previous week. Kristina and I were concerned about the canyon before Cameron’s birth. We were worried that when the time came the canyon would be closed and we would have to deliver the baby at home, or worse in a Suburban stuck in the snow somewhere in the canyon. But after a scheduled induction a week early to take advantage of the good weather, a relatively easy delivery, and short recovery, we had shelved our concerns. It was a sunny drive back home but as we pulled into the Garden City the weather began to turn.

After getting the kids back in the house and beginning preparations for dinner, Kristina received a call from the doctor. He explained that Cameron’s bilirubin levels had shot up to dangerous levels and prescribed bili lights for Cameron. He asked if we were still in Logan so we could come back to the hospital. He expressed great concern when Kristina told him that we were already in Bear Lake and asked if we could bring Cameron back. The weather had really gotten bad and they decided that it was best to find another option. The doctor told her that Cameron really should be in the hospital but due to the weather and deteriorating road conditions it would be best if we could somehow get some lights to Cameron, wait out the storm, and then take him in when it was safe. The doctor said he would try to arrange for home hospice to deliver the lights but was concerned it was getting too late for deliveries since the home hospice closed soon. Kristina agreed to call around Bear Lake to see if anyone had some by chance.

When I learned of this I took it lightly to say the least. I made jokes about being stranded and having to make our own lights with duct tape and chicken wire like MacGyver. I really didn’t realize the severity of the situation and wandered around the house making jokes with the kids for a good half-hour while Kristina worked the phone.

Being an adventure seeker I joked with Kristina about hiking or snowmobiling over the canyon in the blizzard, giving me the opportunity to play “arctic explorer” or “Himalayan expedition” like I had fantasized about as a young scout when we used to dig snow caves on the Klondike derby. As a young adult when I began snowmobiling in the backcountry, I always had an appetite for the extreme. I have crossed mountains in blizzards, dug in and spent the night atop mountain peaks, raced through tight timbered forests in the middle of the night at near 80 miles per hour and was always hungry for more.

I had acquired the best gear money could buy and daydreamed like a child in math class of how I would get myself out of a terrible blizzard after a severe crash,  returning safely to thousands of screaming fans. I carried a great deal of pride that in all my days snowmobiling, Jeeping, motorcycling, and canyoneering, I have never left anyone or any vehicle behind and never had to call for help. I was always able to MacGyver my way out. Even the time that I found myself in a one way slot canyon without a rope at the top of a 60 foot cliff after 11 miles of extreme DCing(a climbing term for squeezing your body through a vertical crack to go up or down) with seemingly no way out, I made it out. It required throwing all my gear off the 60 foot cliff and climbing back up, what the guidebook said couldn’t be done, and hike 35 miles in the middle of the night to my mangled pack at the bottom of the cliff and spent a few hours sleeping in the crevasse before hiking out in the morning.

And there was the time I used electrical tape to reattach a driveline to an old blazer on one of Moab’s toughest 4×4 trails and drove it out on it’s own power. I had this appetite for extreme sports but I would find myself hoping that something would go terribly wrong just to have the challenge of getting out.

Kristina got another call from the doctor and explained to him that she was unable to find any bili lights in town; he told her that he had already made arrangements with the home hospice and they were on their way. For a few moments we presumed that everything was going to be fine until the next call came. It was the home hospice delivery guy calling to say that he was stopped at the bottom of the canyon; the highway Patrol had closed it due to the raging storm. He asked if it would be all right if he came the next morning. Kristina said that was fine with her but that she would call the doctor just to be sure.

The reaction from the doctor couldn’t have been worse; he told her that Cameron’s levels were so high that if he didn’t get on lights soon, he would not survive until morning. The doctor called the home hospice in both Montpelier, Idaho and Evanston, Wyoming and got them both on their way at the same time. We figured that one of them would surely make it as the roads from both directions were relatively flat and the bulk of the storm was west in the mountains.

We hunkered down at home feeling assured that we had good people taking care of our needs. In the next few minutes things really took a turn for the worse. Within minutes of each other, we received the news that both highways were closed and they were not able to get through. This was when things got serious. I did not believe either one of them; after all it wasn’t even snowing at our house. After a lousy attempt at calming down Kristina, we decided that I would go out and try driving to Montpelier because it was closest. Kristina called the home hospice and requested that he wait at the road block for us to meet him. He agreed even though this potentially meant he would be sitting all night.

I set out North in my white Suburban to check out the road and see just how bad it was. It was bad. I called the Montpelier sheriff’s office and explained my situation to dispatch and asked permission to go through. The dispatch woman told me there was no way I would make it. She explained that two troopers had gotten stuck trying to rescue stranded motorists just 4 miles out of town. The wind was so strong that although it hadn’t started snowing yet, 4 foot high drifts had piled up all over the roads. The plows were ineffective since the drivers couldn’t see and the drifts piled up too fast. Visibility was at zero and she advised me to turn back now before they had to rescue me too. I told her that I had to try and I wouldn’t expect a rescue; I hung up the phone and figured I would go as far as I could until I could come up with a better plan. I knew that driving was a futile effort but doing nothing was not an option.

The wind was so severe that the Suburban shook side-to-side and I could hardly see past the hood. The snowdrifts were so high that I decided to turn back, making it no more than a few miles. I called dispatch back and asked if (or told her that) I was going back home to get my snowmobile and was coming though. I gave her my description and asked that she radio to all officers in the area to ask that they not try and stop me. She strongly objected to my request and said that there was no visibility and I would surely get lost. In my most confident voice I told her again that I was coming through.

She agreed to heed my request and radio the officers. This was when the adrenaline stated to kick in. I called Kristina and calmly told her what I was going to do and that I needed to talk to Miranda (our 14 year old). When Miranda got on the phone I directed her to go to the basement and get my gear. What I needed was neatly organized on the shelf. She had everything at the front door when I got there.

This was when I started to panic: the thought of being out in that storm frightened me, and going 40 miles each way was a daunting task. I wasn’t even sure if I could go that far on a single tank of gas. This is when I stopped, bowed my head, and prayed for help. I asked my Heavenly Father if this was the right thing to do. I felt a small comfort and the panic attack subsided. I backed into the driveway and hitched up my enclosed trailer. The work involved in hitching up the trailer also calmed me.

I went in the house. Miranda had everything ready exactly how I had asked. I threw my gear on, told Kristina not to worry, and headed out. The gas tank in the snowmobile was full. It was usually stored full to save time on a good-powder day. I jumped in the Suburban and pulled out of the driveway. Having the trailer on made it difficult to drive in the deep snow but I felt inclined to drive the Suburban as far as I could out of fear of having to be out in the storm.

I received a phone call from dispatch; two paramedics in a 4-wheel drive ambulance had volunteered to bring the lights. They had met the hospice guy at the roadblock, picked up the lights, and headed my way. Eight miles south of Montpelier they became stuck and radioed in their location. I told her to tell them to keep their flashing lights on and I would find them. I asked her to give them thanks for going above and beyond their duties. She wished me luck and hung up.

This was when the real fear set in. My heart began pounding, I had to think of little Cameron; I was his only chance he had. I had to stay focused on what I had to do. The drifts were getting higher and longer so that when I hit one the floorboards would drag and as I reached the other side the trailer would drag even harder. I had to floor it just to get it out.

I wondered when I should park and unload the snowmobile; this was when I really began to pray. I knew I had to drive as far as possible so I would have enough gas to make it on the snowmobile. I prayed aloud in the Suburban, “Help me Heavenly Father. Please show me where to stop. Guide me Heavenly Father. Please show me the way. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

And again, and again, I prayed. Soon realized that the short prayers weren’t working for I had a stupor of thought between them. I remembered something I learned a year before when preparing a talk for sacrament meeting that we should wait for an answer before closing our prayers. So I tried again with a long pause and tried to listen for a still small voice to say, at the stop sign or at the next corner, but no answer came. I began to get emotional and begged for guidance.

What became an emotional tirade eventually turned into repetition of the same sentence, “lead me, guide me, help me find the way”. I had been repeating this for some time when I realized what it was; it was the primary song “I am a Child of God”. I felt a surge of energy and began singing the whole song out loud. The act of negotiating each snowdrift became routine; I kept up the speed to provide momentum to blast through each bump. I felt thankful for the years I had spent as a 4×4 enthusiast which had prepared me for this moment. “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with him some day.” At that moment I needed to keep going.

I had made it farther than I thought and rolled into the town of St. Charles. The wind was getting worse and the visibility was so bad that I rolled my window down and had to look at the ground beside me. “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.” Just then a clearing in the storm revealed the blinking yellow light of a road grader and the St. Charles chapel.

I was overwhelmed by the spirit and knew that this was my answer. The large building served as a wind break, and the dutiful man that was running that grader to clear the snow for the next days services had cleared a wide enough place in the road for me to slow down, turn around and park without getting stuck. When I got out of the Suburban I was amazed at how calm it was, I knew that Heavenly Father had heard me and had provided me with a literal calm in the storm to make the transition to snowmobile. A surge of confidence came over me for I knew that God was with me. I hurried into my helmet and gloves, fired up the 800cc monster and shot off down the snowdrift-covered highway.

It wasn’t 100 feet when I hit a drift 6 feet high and at least 60 feet across, which surely would have buried the Suburban. As I passed the outskirts of town the visibility worsened so I couldn’t even see the hood. I had to lean off the right side to barely see the ground. The wind blew sideways at a good 60 mph with gusts of at least 80mph maybe more. What I assumed was the highway was nothing but drifts. The only way I knew I was on the road was by occasionally making out the squared edge left by a plow from a previous storm.

Although I had on 2 layers of Performance Fleece,  Under Armour base and a full Gore-Tex shell the wind blew right through to my skin. Snow began to build up between the sealed lenses of my top of the line helmet. Every breath was like inhaling desert sand until it melted at the back of my throat. I continued to sing aloud in my helmet because I knew that if I didn’t keep the spirit with me I would be lost and I had a long way to go.

After what seemed like an hour I could make out a small light straight ahead of me. I worried for a moment that I was off course out in some field and just happened to be headed straight for a house. A car maybe, no there’s only one light. It couldn’t be the ambulance because I guessed had another ten miles to go before even getting close. As I got closer I saw a snowmobile right in the middle of the road facing me blocked from the wind by some kind of building. I slowed down to check it out. As I was about to pass I saw a person out of the corner of my eye waving their arms. I stopped and 4 more people emerged out of the darkness.

I opened my helmet and asked “Who are you?”

A woman’s voice replied, “I have the lights”. I was ecstatic, I jumped off my snowmobile and hugged every one of them and thanked them for bringing the lights. They were a group of firemen, paramedics, and search and rescue persons that had heard what was happening on the police scanner and organized a small party to retrieve the lights from the ambulance and find me somewhere as they made their way back to rescue the two paramedics in the ambulance as well as the stranded motorists and 2 troopers. These five were angels sent to lessen my burden.

I quickly jumped back on my snowmobile and took off again back home. I was thinking, halfway, all I have to do is follow my tracks back to the Suburban and I’m home free. Wrong. My tracks were gone after the first hundred feet and it was even harder to see as my lens was nearly packed full of snow. I kept singing,  ”lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.” I couldn’t see a thing; it was pure white darkness. All I could see was the inside of my helmet. I stayed focused on controlling the throttle up and down as I felt each drift go under me. I found the Suburban in that surreal calm in the storm loaded up and headed for home. Bucking the drifts was a bit easier going back even though all evidence of my first pass was gone. Anything seemed easy after those 20 long miles on the snowmobile.

I arrived home and immediately went to work getting Cameron on the lights. As soon as we got them working Kristina called the doctor and told him the good news. He seemed relieved but instructed us to get him to the hospital as soon as the storm broke and the roads reopened. I called dispatch and declared mission accomplished and thanked her for all her help. She agreed to forward my thanks on to the others involved.

The next morning the storm had broke and the canyon opened. We loaded Cameron up and got him in to the hospital. Cameron spent two days in what looked like a tanning bed with two large spot lights shining on him. He had to wear a special mask to protect his eyes from the intense light therapy. He was released and is doing well other than his pooping, crying, and slobbering all over but we love him anyway.

We just celebrated Cameron’s first birthday and I look back at that eventful storm and give thanks to Heavenly Father who walked beside me that night and showed me the way. I know that I could not have done it alone, there was just no way. In times of desperation when we feel like our prayers aren’t being heard we just need to hang in there, maybe sing a little, and trust that God has a plan for us. I remembered all the experiences I have had (the broken driveline, stuck in a slot canyon, etc.) and realize that God was teaching me and preparing me to raise my family. All of us will have different storms and how we deal with them and who we turn to for help will determine how well we make it through.

We are all in an economic storm that has put a lot of us into a panic, despair, and loss of ambition. Now, more than ever we need to put our trust in the Lord and be patient for He will provide us a calm in the storm and prepare us for the next leg of our journey. He has a plan for each of us but we need to be listening so we don’t miss it. My faith was strengthened by this experience and I hope that by sharing it, yours will be too.

Mormons describe four important steps to becoming a member of God’s kingdom, and they refer to these as the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. They form the foundation of a Mormon‘s relationship with God and Jesus Christ, and set the basis for his membership in the church.

These principles are outlined in a document called, ” The Articles of Faith.” The Articles of Faith are thirteen core beliefs of the church. The first one states, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” This is important for understanding the four principles, and is followed by statements on personal responsibility for actions and on the Atonement of Christ.

The first principles are listed as the fourth Article of Faith. It states: “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.” These principles are organized in the order in which they must be obtained. Each one builds on the others.

The first principle is faith. Faith is believing in something you can’t see and don’t have physical proof of. Alma, an ancient prophet in the Book of Mormon, gave the classic sermon on faith. In it, he explained, “Now, as I said concerning faith-that it was not a perfect knowledge-even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge. But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. (Alma 32:26-27)

From Alma, we learn that even the smallest glimmer of faith-even a longing to believe– is enough to begin with, and that we can use that hope or glimmer to begin the process of developing a personal relationship with God and with the Savior.

The second principle of the gospel is repentance. Once we have faith and a strong love for God, we begin to feel a sorrow for all the things we did wrong before we gained our faith. This sorrow provides a starting place for repentance. The process of repentance involves a true sorrow for the sin, not just for the consequences of sin. Next, the person must make restitution for his sins, apologizing to all those who were hurt and trying to make things right as far as possible. The next step is to go to God, asking forgiveness of Him. Finally, the person must forsake the sin, never returning to it. If the sin is repeated, the process begins again until he has finally gained mastery over that aspect of his life.

After he has gained faith and gone through the repentance process, he can begin to evaluate his life against the principles of the gospel. Once he has achieved a certain level of testimony and obedience, and has repented fully, he can be baptized. This is the third step of the four critical principles and ordinances. Mormon baptism follows the example of the Savior’s own baptism, in that it is done by complete immersion. This immersion represents the death and resurrection of the Savior, as well as symbolizing a cleansing of the soul. The baptism must be done by a person who has the authority to do so, just as Jesus went to John the Baptist, who was authorized to baptize.

During the baptism, the person makes covenants with God. A covenant is a two-way promise between man and God, with God setting the terms. He covenants to take on the name of the Savior and to keep the commandments of God. Mormons do not baptize anyone until the age of eight, since they must be old enough to be accountable for their sins and to understand what they’ve committed to do.

The fourth step in this process is to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. All people have the Spirit of Christ to guide them and can receive ministrations from the Holy Ghost. However, once the person has formally received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, he can have it with him at all times, as long as he’s living worthy of it. This gift helps him to discern truth from falsehood, right from wrong, and safety from danger. This gift is administered by a worthy priesthood holder with the authority to give it. At the same time, membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often nicknamed the Mormons) is conferred.

Other ordinances will occur in the members life, and of course, there are many other principles by which the Mormons live, but these form the foundation for all the others.