Jesus Christ

by Nora Just before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ kept the passover with His disciples. He spoke to them with great love as He comforted them concerning His impending death. He blessed them with His peace: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). After washing their feet, sharing this special meal with them, teaching them, expressing His love for them, and praying for them, the Lord Jesus Christ left for the Garden of Gethsemane, where the suffering of the Atonement began. Jesus’s disciples, who did not really understand that He was about to suffer and die for mankind, felt great anguish and despair as they watched Him die and be laid in the tomb. Where could they find peace? Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (nicknamed “Mormons“) believe that true peace can only be found by following the teachings of Jesus Christ. We can... Read the rest of this entry »

Hurricanes rage and tsunamis flood, killing people and destroying homes. Dictators oppress their people; destitute children beg in the streets of major cities throughout the world. Loved ones die, and family members suffer. If God is loving, we may ask, why is there suffering in the world? God Himself has answered these questions in the scriptures. Every moment of every day, He remembers us: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands… (Isaiah49:15-16) But still the question remains: if He remembers us and loves us so completely, why does He allow us to suffer? God loves us, so He sent us to earth to choose between good and evil The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called “The Mormon Church” by the media) teaches that God has a plan for us. In The Pearl of Great Price, which contains... Read the rest of this entry »

As a young member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (inadvertently called “The Mormon Church” by the media), I learned about the atonement of Jesus Christ at a very young age. I prayed in His name, was baptized in His name, and partook of the bread and water of the sacrament weekly, just as He did with his disciples before his crucifixion (Luke 22:18-19). In my prayers, I promised God that I would follow Jesus and serve Him with my life; if I had broken one of His commandments, I asked forgiveness. I worshipped and asked for help every day. In my early 20′s, I went to the temple, where members of The Church of Jesus Christ (Mormons) covenant to follow Christ, keep His commandments, and sacrifice all they have to Him. Yet it was not until I reached the age of 31 that I truly came to understand what Jesus did for me when He suffered in Gethsemane, died on the cross, and was resurrected. Needing the Savior I spent Christmas of 1991 in the hospital, fighting... Read the rest of this entry »

  As the “Mormon moment” extends into 2012, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life today released a groundbreaking new survey, the first ever published by a non-LDS research organization to focus exclusively on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their beliefs, values, perceptions and political preferences. Entitled “Mormons in America: Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society,” the survey was conducted between Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, 2011 among a national sample of 1,019 respondents who identified themselves as Mormons. The results validate a number of long-held stereotypes (most American Mormons are white, well-educated, politically conservative and religiously observant) while providing a few interesting surprises (care for the poor and needy is high on the list of LDS priorities, while drinking coffee and watching R-rated movies aren’t as taboo among the rank and file as you might think). “While this... Read the rest of this entry »

Experiencing Our Debt The realization of our powerlessness without the Lord Jesus Christ‘s divine help allows us to rely on His grace as our true source of strength. The words of the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of every Blessing” emphasize how easy it is for human souls to stray and how indebted we are to our Savior’s grace to bind our wandering souls to Him. O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the god I love; Here’s my heart, o take and seal it, Seal it for thy courts above. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths), we believe that we are all debtors to our Savior’s infinite grace—a debt we can never repay. We are all lost sheep in need of our shepherd’s constant guidance. Even as members of Jesus Christ’s restored Church we are lost... Read the rest of this entry »

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

Most Christian faiths believe that these are the “last days,” meaning the final days before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which will bring the destruction of the wicked and the ushering in of the “millennium,” one thousand years of perfect peace under the leadership of Christ Himself.  Christ has told us that no man knows the exact hour of His coming: And they have done unto the Son of Man even as they listed; and he has taken his power on the right hand of his glory, and now reigneth in the heavens, and will reign till he descends on the earth to put all enemies under his feet, which time is nigh at hand—   I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes (Doctrine and Covenants 49:6, 7). Yet, Christ has also indicated that there would be signs leading up to His coming and that those who are watchful and wait for Him will be able to see and understand those signs: And... Read the rest of this entry »

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... Read the rest of this entry »

Tiffany Sowby is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”) and mother of five. She tries to find humor, joy and contentment in the little things life has to offer. How do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) celebrate Christmas? Is it all about Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve night and what presents have been purchased for loved ones? Or is Christmas about remembering the birth of Jesus Christ? Growing up as a child in England, Religious studies were a part of the daily school curriculum. I spent many Decembers working on art projects and essays depicting what most in the Christian world refers to as ‘The First Christmas’. I specifically recall making a time-line of events with pictures beginning with Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth to Baby Jesus laying in a manger. I remember my third grade class painting gold angels, that I placed proudly on... Read the rest of this entry »

Marcus is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”). Tried by adversity as a teenager, he now shares his story of healing. Marcus has also enjoyed filming a nationally televised commercial and traveling to South America. It was a bright and sunny day as we left the OBGYN office that afternoon but the cloud of despair that had just been cast over us seemed to block out any sunlight. As we drove home in silence, all I could think about was the news we had just been given. The words “you won’t be able to get pregnant” went through my mind over and over again. My wife of almost 2 years had just been diagnosed with PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is related to an imbalance in female hormones. In my wife’s case, this imbalance was causing her eggs to not mature and not be released from her ovaries which then formed ovarian cysts. This condition was the cause of her infertility. Maybe... Read the rest of this entry »