The Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ, is the religious history of a people that inhabited the Americas from around 600 BC to 400 AD. It was translated by Joseph Smith from an ancient record by the gift and power of God. As its title indicates, its teachings about Jesus Christ combine with the teachings of the Old and New Testaments to help form the foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the nickname “Mormons” comes from its title. In the Book of Mormon, Jesus himself talks about how He no longer requires animal sacrifices. Instead, He requires the sacrifice of a broken heart:

I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

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…

Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:18-21).

In his new book, Enabled by the Power of Christ, E. Richard Packham describes how a broken heart can bring us to our Savior, Jesus Christ:

One day a number of years ago, I was using an unabridged dictionary to look up the spelling of a particular word. As my finger ran down the column of words, all of a sudden a very familiar term jumped out: broken heart. I could not help but stop and see what Mr. Webster had to contribute to my understanding. One concept proposed that the term meant, “A theological term meaning to be crushed spiritually.” The thought ran through my mind, “What is there in the gospel that would cause us to be crushed spiritually?” Every gospel principle that is taught brings joy and happiness—eternal marriage, the resurrection, the Plan of Sa1vation, and so forth. All of a sudden, the thought filled my being that perhaps as people, we come to understand the profound suffering of the Savior’s Atonement by realizing that we personally contributed to that suffering. We then are “drawn to Christ.” In this realization, it breaks our hearts and brings a contrition of spirit, increasing the commitment to a changed life that can come in no other way. It penetrates us to the point of not wanting to make that great offering of love, an offering made in vain. It produces godly sorrow to the point of breaking our hard hearts, opening ourselves to the commit-ment, and changing our lives to be completely submissive to Him who gave so much…

I obtained permission from Lynn McKinley, a retired professor at BYU, to quote a sacred, personal experience that profoundly describes this process as it happened to him:

Such laboring in the spirit I have never known before. My wife and children were away for an hour or so, visiting her mother, and I was in the house alone. I felt the old familiar earthborn loneliness but was entirely unprepared for that which came. I knelt down beside the couch, began to pray to draw the Spirit to my breast for comfort and relief. But soon I felt an overwhelming power fill my being—not a power of light and exaltation which I wanted and expected, that I’d tasted measurably before at times, but a power that seemed almost to bruise my flesh and crush my spirit with the awful knowledge of my earthly guilt. The shameful vivid memories of sins that I had committed—tore my heart apart as they passed before my eyes and settled in my bosom. I could almost feel the anguish that the Master bore for me there in Gethsemane; the aching sorrow that I felt, to know with burning knowledge every sin I had committed or—God help me—I might yet commit, had of necessity to be absolved by bitter pain within his own pure, perfect, patient body. How the sobs tore through my throat. My spirit groaned with grief. With all the strength in me I bared my soul, confessed as deeply as my consciousness could stretch and still beyond, and plead forgiveness at the feet of him, my Savior and my King. I offered him my life, whatever it was worth to him. He bought it with his blood, the blood that oozed from every pore.

Could such a total commitment come without an awareness of the incomprehensible suffering of the Savior? Truly, a broken heart is the final capstone in the repentance process that provides the commitment, the purging, and the cleansing that allows a knowledge of forgiveness to come. (Enabled by the Power of Christ, by E. Richard Packham. 2008. Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, Inc.)

When we truly allow ourselves to experience the effects of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, it will break our hearts with a knowledge of our sins. But when our hearts are broken, they can also finally be purged and healed through His marvelous love and power as we turn our lives completely over to Him.

In Humility, Our Savior

In humility, our Savior,

Grant thy Spirit here, we pray,

As we bless the bread and water

In thy name this holy day.

Let me not forget, O Savior,

thou didst bleed and die for me

When thy heart was stilled and broken

On the cross at Calvary.

Fill our hearts with sweet forgiving;

Teach us tolerance and love.

Let our prayers find access to thee

In thy holy courts above.

Then, when we have proven worthy

Of thy sacrifice divine,

Lord, let us regain thy presence;

Let thy glory ’round us shine.

(“In Humility, Our Savior,” by Mabel Jones Gabbott and Roland Prichard, Hymns #172)

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ is the Way

A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit

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?

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 ancient writings of Abraham and Moses as well as modern revelation, God explains that we are His work and His glory:

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39)

Mortal life is not the beginning of our existence, and it is not the end. As the literal spirit children of God, our Heavenly Father, we lived with Him before we came to earth. We are here because of His loving plan for us to learn, grow, and become more like Him, so that we can have eternal life and experience the fulness of joy that He experiences. To be like Him, we need physical bodies like His, and the opportunity to choose between good and evil. God loves us so much that  He allows the natural processes of the world to go forward so we can fully experience mortal life and the ultimate gift of eternal life. He loves each of His children, even those who choose evil and cause others to suffer. Because He loves us so much, He allows us to suffer at the the hands of others so that we each can experience fully the consequences of choosing good or evil. Because He loves each one of His children so much, He allows everyone to choose good or evil, to make real decisions with real consequences.

In this environment, we are required to act for ourselves and prove to ourselves and to God whether we would keep all of His commandments and overcome sin and opposition…The Father’s desire is to provide all of us with the opportunity to receive a fulness of joy, even the fulness that He possesses in His perfected and glorified state.(Christoffel Golden Jr., Our Father’s Plan, October 2001 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

By choosing to overcome evil and opposition, our natures can eventually become like His, thus allowing us to feel as He feels and live as He lives.

God loves us, so He sent Jesus Christ to atone for us

Because God loves us enough to let us each choose, the choices other people make often cause us pain and suffering. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide a way for us to overcome the suffering others may cause us to experience, as well as the suffering we bring upon ourselves though sin. The atonement of Jesus Christ mitigates the effects of sin and suffering in our lives if we learn to choose good by repenting of our sins and keeping His commandments. The gift of the Savior is the greatest evidence of all of God’s love for us:

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. (John 3:16)

Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh, willingly took upon Him the suffering of all men because of His great love for us. Our Savior, who had committed no sin, suffered beyond our ability to comprehend and died for our sins. In The New Testament and in The Doctrine and Covenants, a book of revelations to modern prophets, Christ describes His love and His sufferings. No greater love could ever be shown (see John 15:13 and Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-13). Jesus Christ’s sufferings in Gethsemane and on the cross paid the price for our sins, on condition of repentance; His resurrection from the dead broke the bands of death and physical suffering for all men. The atonement protects us from being destroyed by the struggles of our lives. Because of our Savior’s sacrifice, we can have our burdens lifted in mortality and return to God to live with Him eternally.

We can personally experience God’s love here on earth

Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can feel the great love God has for us here on earth. Many Christians throughout history can testify of the joy and healing they have felt as they have experienced God’s love. The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is the modern translation of some records of God’s dealings with an ancient people in the Americas. One story contained in it is the story of Alma the younger, who was the son of the prophet of an ancient people. Alma caused great pain to his father and others by actively going about, seeking to destroy the faith of the Christians who lived during his time. One day while he was traveling with his companions, he experienced a vision similar to Paul’s in which he was commanded to cease his work of destruction. He suddenly realized the terrible harm he had done to his people, and he fell to the ground, unable to move, consumed by despair. For three days he was wracked with torment at the thought of his sins. But at the end of the three days, he remembered the things he had been taught concerning the atonement of Christ. He called upon Jesus Christ for help and for forgiveness:

Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. (The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Alma 36:18-23)

When we are overwhelmed with sin or despair, we too can call upon our loving Heavenly Father for help. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can feel His great love and be healed. Other Book of Mormon prophets described a Tree of Life, whose fruit represented the love of God. They described God’s love as filling their souls with great joy (1 Nephi 8:12), and being “most precious, …sweet above all that is sweet, and pure above all that is pure,” (Alma 32:42) so that by feasting upon it, they hungered and thirsted no more.

talk more about how we suffer for others’ sins, agency

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ, Our Savior

Finding Ourselves in Lehi’s Dream

Amazing Grace: Sarah’s Story

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 for the lives of my unborn twin daughters. They were not due for 12 more weeks, but because of serious complications their lives were in danger. I had blown up like a balloon and was at constant risk of going into labor. My husband and I prayed constantly for our babies’ health and safety, but still felt continual fear. Our three little boys could not understand why Mommy was not home for Christmas.

Three days after Christmas, one of the twins died, and the other was delivered by Caesarian section. Her life, too, hung in the balance as she was rushed to a nearby children’s hospital, given three full units of blood, and placed on life support. In shock and pain, grieving the loss of her sister, we continued to pray for the miracle of health for our remaining daughter, whom we named Sarah.

In a few weeks the verdict was in: Sarah, although healthy in body, had suffered an almost complete loss of mental capacity. Her brain was damaged beyond repair, with only enough healthy tissue left to keep her heart beating and her lungs breathing as the rest slowly died and disappeared. We were devastated. How could God have treated us this way? We were His beloved children, and we worshipped Him and followed our Savior, Jesus Christ, who had miraculously healed the sick and brought the dead to life! Where was the Lord when we needed Him?

As we brought home our tiny, four-pound premie, I tried to settle into life as the mother of a profoundly handicapped child. Sarah required round-the-clock feeding and attention. She did not sleep normally; she fed listlessly; she could not keep her tiny meals down; she cried and arched her back painfully whenever she was not being held. With three other young children who needed me and a still grieving heart, I felt completely overwhelmed. Again I sought help from God through prayer. One day, as I was reading in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, I came across the following lines in Mosiah 24:13-15. Jesus Christ said to a group of ancient Christians who were enslaved to their enemies:

“Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; …and I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs.”

The Miracle of Grace: Lifting our Burdens

Grace is the miracle the Lord God offers to us, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, that lifts us to Him beyond anything we can do or ever hope to do in this life. “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 25:23). We must put forth our very best efforts all through our lives to keep the Lord’s commandments–but we will inevitably fall far short. Grace is the gift through which God strengthens us along the way and makes up the difference. One of the three essential gifts we receive by grace through the atonement of Jesus Christ is the gift of comfort and healing. Alma, an ancient prophet, calls it “succor:”

And [Jesus Christ] 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 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 (Book of Mormon, Alma 7:11-12).

Relief and hope flooded my heart as I read the words of the Lord. I began to pray differently: not that my Savior would remove my burdens, but that, through the atonement, he would “ease my burdens” and provide succor for my soul. It was then that our miracle began–not a miracle of the flesh, but a miracle of the heart. I began to sense the presence of my tiny daughter’s pure, magnificent soul, and the presence of the angelic spirits who tended to her as she endured her physical trials. Earthly angels entered my life in the guise of loving friends, wise doctors, and understanding social workers who eased my burdens of worry and exhaustion. By the time a few months had passed, I was rejoicing in the opportunity to nurture my beautiful daughter.

 

The Miracle of Healing our Bodies

In order to heal, I needed a second gift of grace. As a Mormon, I believed Sarah’s damaged body housed an immortal spirit that was a literal spirit child of God the Father. Although her brain could not function, her spirit was still experiencing mortal life through her body. When she felt pain, I suffered, knowing she could not remember or anticipate it. Nor could she organize the continual bombardment she experienced through her senses. She could not, for example, tolerate both a breeze and a song at the same time. Nevertheless, her mortal experience was important to her eternal life. I had faith that after this life, she would remember and learn essential truths from what she experienced here. I sang to her, and her spirit responded to the sounds. She would relax in my arms, a rare blessingfor her, as I sang her  a favorite children’s song from a songbook published by The Church of Jesus Christ:

          I Will Follow God’s Plan

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.

My life has a purpose; in heaven it began.

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth

And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.

I will follow God’s plan for me,

Holding fast to his words and his love.

I will work, and I will pray.

I will always walk in his way.

Then I will be happy on earth

And in my home above.

“I Will Follow God’s Plan,” by Vanya Watkins

I had faith in my heart that, through the grace of the resurrection of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, Sarah would one day fully experience life in a healthy, perfect immortal body. By understanding her past as a spirit daughter of God, her present mortal experience, and the perfection to which she would one day be raised, I found comfort despite her occasional sufferings.

On a trip to visit family just seven months after her birth, Sarah contracted a sudden, severe case of pneumonia. In the whirlwind of rushing her to the emergency room trying to help her breathe, I was forced to decide if the doctors should use oxygen or a ventilator in order to save her life. Visions of her early suffering in the NICU arose in my mind. There was no time to calmly review each choice, and although we prayed, answers were not immediately evident. I tried to see my daughter’s life in terms of the learning and growth of her immortal spirit, and made a decision to withhold treatment. She died in our arms at home just a few hours later, breaking my heart once again.

The Miracle of Forgiveness

The last grace I needed through the atonement of Jesus Christ was perhaps the most serious of all. While I had made the best decision I could, I had made an irrevocable choice in allowing my daughter to move on in her eternal life by leaving this one. If that was a mistake, it was a big one. Like all parents, I agonized over my imperfections. Like all mortals, I was lost unless my Redeemer intervened in my behalf. Without the Savior’s atonement, Sarah was gone forever; and I was cut off from God unless Jesus Christ atoned for all my sins. I reached up and grasped His promises with both hands. Isaiah’s promise was a light in the darkness to me: 

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Amazing Grace: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

The world has never been the same for me since Sarah lived and died. Sarah brought me face to face with suffering, sin, and death, and my own great need for a Savior and Redeemer. Despite my best efforts, in the depths of my need, I was indeed lost. Through the sacrifice of the blood and body of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I was strengthened, healed, forgiven, and found. He has paid my debt, and I owe every breath of my life to Him. I live in hope of a glorious resurrection where Sarah will be reunited with our family, our physical bodies made perfect, to continue to grow in God’s presence for all eternity. Through Jesus’ grace we have been saved, after all we could do. It is indeed Amazing Grace to me.

Nora Moore Hess

          Nora Moore Hess is a writer and musician living in Lindon, Utah. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Nora and her husband, Bret, are the parents of seven biological and three adopted children.

Additional Resources: 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God

Jesus Christ, Our Savior

The Living Christ

Amazing Grace Video

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 survey comes amid a contentious election campaign, it is not solely or even chiefly about politics,” said Luis Lugo, Pew Research Center director, in the published survey’s preface. “Rather, we hope that it will contribute to a broader public understanding of Mormons and Mormonism at a time of great interest in both.”

For example, in one very interesting section of the new survey, respondents were asked several questions about what is essential to being a good Mormon. According to the survey, 80 percent said “believing Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ” is essential to being a good Mormon, 73 percent said “working to help the poor,” 51 percent said “regular Family Home Evenings,” 49 percent said “not drinking coffee and tea” and 32 percent said “not watching R-rated movies.

“To be honest, I found the strong sentiment that ‘working to help the poor’ is essential to being a good Mormon refreshing and a little surprising,” said David Campbell, an LDS Church member who is an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame and who consulted with the Pew Research Center on the new survey. “As a Mormon, I would hope it would be that way, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s good to see the church’s genuine compassion for the poor and needy reflected in these numbers.”

People outside the church may or may not be aware of the LDS propensity for compassionate service and other . According to the survey, 62 percent of Mormons think that Americans are generally uninformed about Mormonism, and 68 percent feel that they are not viewed as part of mainstream American society. But they remain optimistic, with 63 percent expressing the belief that Mormonism will eventually become part of mainstream society and 56 percent saying that the American people are ready for a Mormon president.

In fact, optimism is one of the themes to emerge from the survey relative to Latter-day Saints. Some 87 percent say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their own life, and 92 percent say their respective communities are excellent (52 percent) or good (40 percent) places to live (this is especially true among Mormons in Utah, of whom 71 percent say their communities are excellent).

But evidently, optimism only goes so far with Mormons.

“I think it is interesting that the respondents are overwhelmingly positive about their communities. They love their communities and everything’s fine there,” said Marie Cornwall, professor of sociology at Brigham Young University and another advisor to the Pew Research Center on this study. “But when you ask them about the way things are going in the country today, they are overwhelmingly (75 percent) dissatisfied. You would think that their satisfaction with their personal lives would factor into their feelings about how things are going in the country, but there seems to be a total disconnect there.”

It should be noted that the Mormon view of how things are going in the country today closely resembles the view of the American public as a whole, among whom 78 percent said they were dissatisfied in an October 2011 Pew Research Center survey.

Generally speaking, the new survey looks at Mormons and their perspectives in four key areas: politics and ideology, religious beliefs and practices, cultural and moral issues and family life.

Politically, there are few surprises. Most Mormons (66 percent) describe themselves as politically conservative, and 74 percent of Mormon voters identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Philosophically, 75 percent of respondents said they prefer a smaller government providing fewer services to a bigger government providing more services.

Among a number of politicians currently in the spotlight, Mitt Romney is a favorite, being viewed favorably by 86 percent of all Mormons and 94 percent of Mormon Republicans. Even among Mormon Democrats, 62 percent rate Romney favorably.

The other Mormon running for president, Jon Huntsman, is viewed favorably by 50 percent of Mormon voters, while President Barack Obama is viewed favorably by 25 percent — slightly ahead of the rating Mormons bestowed upon another one of their own: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (22 percent).

Interestingly, Latter-day Saints seem to be somewhat divided on the issue of immigration. They are fairly evenly split on whether immigrants strengthen the U.S. because of their hard work and talents (45 percent) or burden the U.S. by taking American jobs, housing and health care (41 percent).

Campbell, who is an expert in the field of religion, politics and civic engagement, said he wasn’t surprised by that result.

“Although Mormons are caricatured as being really right wing, on the issue of immigration they are not,” he said. “The church itself has been quite a voice of moderation on this issue, and that has resulted in Mormons being more positive toward immigrants than other conservative religious groups tend to be.”

Campbell suggests that the LDS Church’s missionary program has something to do with that, with Latter-day Saints tending to develop a broader worldview as a result of their missionary service around the world. In any event, he said, “this result really does cut against the stereotype.”

In terms of religious beliefs and practices, the survey makes it clear that Mormons are highly religious — again, not a big surprise. Eighty-two percent say that religion is very important in their lives, and 77 percent say they believe wholeheartedly in all of the church’s teachings. Fully 83 percent say they pray every day, 79 percent say they donate 10 percent of their earnings to the church in tithing and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. According to Pew, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants.”

Looking at basic, core religious beliefs, 98 percent say they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 94 percent believe the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God, 95 percent believe that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies, 94 percent believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical beings and 91 percent believe that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets.

Clearly, Mormons are believers.

But are they Christian? Ninety-seven percent of Mormons think so. And when asked to volunteer the one word that best describes Mormons, the most common responses were “Christian” and “Christ-centered.” By way of contrast, a November Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half (49 percent) of non-Mormon U.S. adults say that Mormonism is NOT Christian or that they are unsure whether or not it is Christian. In that same survey, when respondents were asked for one word that best describes the LDS Church, the most commonly offered response was “cult.”

Culturally, Mormon conservatism extends to a wide variety of moral issues. Polygamy (86 percent), sex between unmarried adults (79 percent), abortion (74 percent) and drinking alcohol (54 percent) are viewed as morally wrong. Divorce, on the other hand, is largely considered “not a moral issue” by respondents (46 percent).

Similarly, 65 percent of respondents said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society, compared with 58 percent of the general public who say homosexuality should be accepted by society.

“Mormons like to use the phrase, ‘Be in the world but not of the world,’” Campbell noted. “They are active and involved in their communities, but they have these beliefs and practices that set them apart a little bit, and sometimes that creates conflict or tension. [Homosexuality] is one of those issues where, rightly or wrongly, Mormons just have a different position than most of the rest of America.”

The survey also illustrates how important family life is to most members of the LDS Church. Among life’s priorities, being a good parent (81 percent) and having a successful marriage (73 percent) place higher than career concerns, having free time or even living a religious life. Some 67 percent of Mormon adults are married (compared with 52 percent of the general public), and 85 percent of them are married to another Mormon.

“As the Church and its members are increasingly the focus of media attention, we’re eager to participate in conversations that help the public get to know us better,” said LDS Church spokesman Michael Purdy. “Even though the recent Pew study did not survey any of the Church’s eight million members who live outside the U.S., it highlights some important aspects regarding who we are and what we believe.

“For example,” Purdy continued, “the study found that Church members subscribe to traditional Christian beliefs, have high moral standards, are overwhelmingly satisfied with their lives and communities, are active in serving others and have a profound dedication to family. These results reflect the Church’s message that a deep commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ brings lasting happiness.”

Speaking for the Pew Research Center, Lugo said the idea for the survey was born last summer, “around the time that a Newsweek cover story and a New York Times article declared that the United States was experiencing a ‘Mormon moment.’”

“That got us thinking,” Lugo said in the survey’s preface.

Over the years, numerous polls have gauged public attitudes toward Mormons, who make up about 2 percent of all U.S. adults. But what do Mormons think about their place in American life? With the rising prominence of members of the LDS Church in politics, popular culture and the media, do Mormons feel more secure and accepted in American society? What do they think about other religions? What do they believe, how do they practice their faith and what do they see as essential to being a good Mormon and to leading a good life?

An advisory panel was recruited to help the Pew Forum staff create the survey. The panel featured a number of Latter-day Saints who have professional experience in Mormon studies and research, including Campbell, Cornwall, Matthew Bowman of Hampden-Sydney College, Terryl Givens of the University of Richmond and Allison Pond of the Deseret News.

“We helped them to formulate the questions, and to frame them in the kind of language that Mormons use,” Campbell said.

After a period of testing, the survey was conducted among respondents who identified themselves as Mormons (it also included qualifying questions that made it clear that respondents were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as opposed to other churches whose members may refer to themselves as Mormons).

“Since Mormons represent about 2 percent of the population, you’d have to call 98 people before you’d get a Mormon, and that would be very expensive,” said Cornwall, who is also editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. “But they had a fancy way of finding Mormons, including going back to Mormons they had found in the course of doing previous surveys, so they were able to get their sample in a cost-effective way.”

Care was also taken to make sure the survey included those who had land lines as well as those who have only cell phones — a growing area of concern among those who conduct public opinion research today.

• 71 percent of respondents reside in the American West, including 53 percent who live in the Mountain states and 34 percent who live in Utah;

• 88 percent are white, 7 percent Hispanic, 1 percent black and 4 percent other racial and ethnic backgrounds;

• 50 percent say that evangelical Christians are generally unfriendly to Mormons;

• 54 percent say that the way their religion is portrayed on television and in movies hurts society’s image of Mormons;

• 57 percent of Mormons said that most or all of their close friends are other Mormons (this number was significantly higher in Utah, where the number climbed to 73 percent);

 
Pew Study on Mormons in America

• 65 percent of respondents say they hold a current temple recommend;

• 27 percent say they believe in yoga not just as exercise but as a spiritual practice;

• 11 percent say they believe in reincarnation;

• 74 percent were raised in the LDS Church;

• 59 percent of converts cite the church’s beliefs as the main reason they joined the church;

• 59 percent of converts joined the church between the ages of 18 and 35;

• 27 percent have served a full-time mission, including 43 percent of men and 11 percent of women;

• 82 percent say they have a supply of food in storage, and 58 percent keep at least a three-month supply.

The margin of error for the survey is =/- 4.5 percentage points.

“I think this survey is a really good summary of the hyper-committed Mormon community that shows up at church every week,” Cornwall said. “I’m not sure it captures Mormons on the margins very well, but that’s OK — hopefully we can do that the next time. Meanwhile, this is a pretty good picture — and an interesting picture — of Mormons

By Joseph Walker, Deseret News

Additional Resources:

Full original source Deseret News article: Pew Study on Mormons in America.

Learn more about the results of this survey of Mormons in America.

See infographic from the Deseret News article.

Pew Mormon Study Highlights Christianity.

Experiencing Our Debt

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

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the god I love;

Here’s my heart, o take and seal it,

Seal it for thy courts above.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moroni (another prophet who testified of Christ in the Book of Mormon) testified that salvation is available when we come to Jesus Christ and let the enabling power of His grace work in us to complete and perfect us. He said, “yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love god with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of god ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of god” (Moroni 10:32).

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

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

Moroni continues: “And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of god, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is is the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:33).

Additional Resources:

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

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

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

Source:

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

Experiencing Living Waters: Jesus Christ Quenches Our Spiritual Thirst

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source:

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

Additional Resources:

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

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

Learn what you can do to Come Unto Jesus Christ.

Notes

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

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

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

4. Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 71.

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

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

7. Ibid., 20.

8. Ibid., 46.

9. Ibid., 101.

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

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. “O My Father,” Hymns, no. 292.

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

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 he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;   When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.   So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand (Luke 21:29-31).

Many scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments predict events that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has the revelations of modern prophets to give us added information and to confirm that which has been given in the Bible.  Some events have already taken place, and others are yet to come.

When are the Last Days?

The Final Dispensation of Time before the Second Coming is dedicated to preparations needed to prepare the Church for that event, to gather the righteous and call the wicked to repentance.  This dispensation began in 1820 with the First Vision of young Joseph Smith, who was called by Christ to be the first prophet of this, the last dispensation.  In keeping with patterns of old, heavenly messengers restored lost “keys” necessary to lead this dispensation.  In Doctrine and Covenants, Section 110, there is an account of visitations of Moses, who restored the keys of the gathering of Israel; Elijah, who restored the power to seal in heaven what is sealed on earth; and Elias, who restored the “dispensation of the gospel of Abraham.”  John the Baptist had already appeared to restore the Aaronic Priesthood, and Peter, James, and John had already appeared to restore the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The Lord said the following, as the work of sending the restored gospel to the nations commenced:

And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.   And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them (Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 5).

And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;  For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;  They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall (vs 14-16).

For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.  And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world (vs 35, 36).

Signs of the Times Found in the Bible

1. There will be many false Christs that would lead away many. (Also see Revelation 13:13-14; Joseph Smith 1:22.)
2. False prophets will also arise, the (original) apostles would be killed, and a general apostasy would occur.
3. Worldly knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:4).
4. The gospel of Christ in its fulness will be restored (Isaiah 2; 4; 5; 10; 11; 13; 18; 24; 29; 33; 34; 35; 51; 52; 54; 60; 63; 64; 65; 66; Revelation 14:6-8; Doctrine and Covenants 133:36-41).
5. The Church and God’s kingdom will be reestablished (Daniel 2:31-45; Doctrine and Covenants 20; 128:20).
6. The kingdom will roll forth and grow (Daniel 2:44; Moses 7:60-66; Doctrine and Covenants 65; Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14).
7. Two opposing kingdoms, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan, will exist in the last days. The kingdom of Satan utters great blasphemies against Christ. An anti-Christ will hold great power, upheld by the “Beast,” for three and a half years (Revelation 15, 16). There will be a separation of the righteous and the wicked (see Alma 10:23).
8. The kingdom of Satan and the anti-Christ will establish a world monetary system (Revelation 14, 15).
9. Elijah will return (Malachi 3:1-6; Doctrine and Covenants 110).
10. The spirit of Elijah will fill the earth, turning the hearts of the children to their fathers (family history and genealogy work).
11. Iniquity will abound, causing the love of men to wax cold.
12. The Jews will be scattered among all nations; they will again be gathered prior to the Second Coming (Acts 1:6-11; Doctrine and Covenants 110:11; Doctrine and Covenants 133:13).
13. The Ten Lost Tribes will return (Esdras 13:40-47). They will bring scriptures to add the canon of scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-34).
14. There will be “wars and rumors of wars.”
15. The war of Armageddon will rage for three and a half years (Zechariah 12; 13; 14; Ezekiel 38; 39; Revelation 9; Doctrine and Covenants 29:14-21).
16. Two prophets will prophesy in Jerusalem and protect the city for three and a half years, until they themselves are killed (Doctrine and Covenants 77:15; Revelation 11).
17. Jerusalem would be overcome, leading to the “abomination of desolation.”
18. A tremendous earthquake will change the face of the earth; the Mt. of Olives will cleave, the surviving Jews will escape through the cleft, and Christ will descend to save them from the destroying armies (Ezekiel 38; Zechariah 14:4, 5; Revelation 6:12-17).
19. Christ will destroy Israel’s enemies (Zechariah 14:12, 13).
20. The Jews will recognize Christ and mourn (Zechariah 14:2-6; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48-53).
21. Jerusalem will become a glorious and holy city (2 Nephi 14:2-6, Isaiah).
22. A river of water will flow east and west from the Jerusalem temple mount, healing the Dead Sea.
23. ^{144,000 missionaries, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, will be called, protected (sealed in their foreheads) and sent forth to attempt one last gathering of the pure of heart (Revelation 7:2-8; 14:1-5; Doctrine and Covenants 77:11).}
24. There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes.
25. The waves of the sea will roar (Luke 21); the seas shall heave beyond their bounds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:90).
26. First a portion of sea life dies, then all life in the sea dies (Revelation 16:1).
27. There will be a plague of hail (Revelation 11:19; 16:21).
28. There will be a day, a night without darkness, and a day (Zechariah 14:6, 7).
29. There will be signs on earth and in the heavens (Doctrine and Covenants 45:39-42; Joel 2:30-31).
30. The sun will darken, the moon turn to blood, the stars fall (Doctrine and Covenants 29:14; Acts 2:20; Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:33).
31. Voices will be heard from heaven (Revelation 11:15; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48, 49; Doctrine and Covenants 88:92-94). The trump of God will announce the Second Coming. All men will witness it together.
32. Babylon, the “great and abominable church” will fall (1 Nephi 13:5; Doctrine and Covenants 88:94; 29:21; Ezekiel 38; 39; Revelation 17; 18).
33. The wicked will be burned as stubble (Malachi 4; Doctrine and Covenants 29:9-10; 63:34, 54; 101:23-31; 133:63-640).
34. The earth will be cleansed by fire and the wicked consumed (Revelation 18:17, 18, 23, 24).
35. The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars shall fall, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
36. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.
37. The heavens will open and the Son of Man will appear.  All shall see Him together.
38. A resurrection of the just will occur. The righteous who are living will be caught up to meet Christ in the clouds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:95-98; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Signs of the Times Predicted in Mormon Scripture

1. America will be discovered and settled by Europeans (Ether 2:7-12; 1 Nephi 13:1-19).
2. The American nation will be established with inspired leaders and an inspired constitution (2 Nephi 10:9-19; 3 Nephi 21:4; Doctrine and Covenants 98:4-10; 134; 101:76-80).
3. Additional scripture will come forth, including the Book of Mormon, or “stick of Joseph,” to join the Bible, or “stick of Judah” (Isaiah 29; Ezekiel 37; 2 Nephi 3:12; 2 Nephi 27, 29; 3 Nephi 21; Mormon 8).
4. There will be opposition to the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 29).
5. There will be a restoration of priesthood authority and keys (Doctrine and Covenants 13; 27; 128).
6. The Saints will be persecuted (Doctrine and Covenants 45:18-32).
7. The spirit (of Christ) will be poured out on all flesh (Joel 2:28-32; Joseph Smith 2:41).
8. The gospel will be preached to every nation, tongue and kindred (Joseph Smith 1:31; Doctrine and Covenants 133:37).
9. There will be many false churches (Mormon 8:26-41).
10. The Lamanites will blossom as the rose (Doctrine and Covenants 49:24-25).
11. The Jews will begin to believe in Christ (2 Nephi 30:7).
12. Temples will be built all over the world and the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt (Isaiah 2:1-5; Micah 4:1-7; Ezekiel 37; Doctrine and Covenants 133:13; 124:25-42).
13. Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be established on the American continent and will be a place of refuge for the righteous (Articles of Faith, 10).
14. Wars will rage worldwide. There will be wars on the American continent (Doctrinal History of the Church, 3:391; Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-71; 63:33; 97:22-24).
15. Mormon missionaries will be called home. ^[3]
16. The Ten Lost Tribes will return (Esdras 13:40-47). They will bring scriptures to add the canon of scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-34).
17. The times of the Gentiles (wherein the Gentiles have precedence in receiving the gospel) will be fulfilled (1 Nephi 13:42; Luke 21:24; Doctrine and Covenants 45:24-30; Inspired Version:Luke 21:24-32).
18. There will be a great council at Adam-ondi-Ahman whereat all the prophets will turn their keys of administration over to Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:4-14; 116).
19. Disasters and calamities will abound (Doctrine and Covenants 61:4-5, 14-15) and strikes, anarchy, and violence will increase (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26).
20. Iniquity (wickedness) will abound (Joseph Smith 1:30).
21. The Lord will cease to strive with the wicked and will withdraw from them (Doctrine and Covenants 63:32; 1:33).
22. Peace will be taken from the earth (Doctrine and Covenants 1:35).
23. Destroying angels will be released (Doctrine and Covenants 38:12).
24. There will be an “overflowing scourge” to afflict men (Doctrine and Covenants 45:31).
25. The Lord will come “suddenly to His temple” (Malachi 3:1; Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-10).
26. The continents will become connected again—”He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like it was in the days before it was divided” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:21-24).
27. Absence of rainbows the year of Christ’s coming (Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 340).
28. Men’s hearts shall fail them.

Other prophecies are found in Mormon scripture.  Many in the Book of Mormon pertain to the establishment of America on the land where the book was written.  Many prophecies of Joseph Smith have to do with the going forth of the restored gospel.  The Lord revealed to him:

“The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.” (D&C 65:2.)

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.

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 my family’s Christmas tree. One of my favorite parts of December as a school child were joining with the rest of the school and singing the old Christmas favorites, Away in a Manger and Silent Night.

My children now bring home from school Rudolphs made of construction paper, and red and green tissue paper wreath’s that adorn our counters, fridges and doors. Furthermore, any singing my children do at school during the month of December is limited strictly to songs about reindeer, snowmen, and of course, good old Santa Claus himself.

Too often now, the balance of Christmas is left out.

As a child growing up in England my family was (and still are) active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). Our personal family celebrations and traditions intermixed with the celebrations of our local church congregation and the school festivities all had very similar tones. We celebrated Christmas. And though we certainly had our fair share of Christmas candy, visits to/from Santa Claus and non-religious Christmas songs, one thing was never neglected, the recognition and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Is it possible to enjoy the traditional parts of Christmas that include Santa Claus, candy canes, and gingerbread houses AND the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth?

Absolutely!

There is much to love about the Christmas season. Christmas music, wrapping presents, garlands on banisters and the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree are high on my list of Christmas favorites. I love the excitement on children’s faces in anticipation of Santa Claus, and I love chocolate in my stocking.

I love the kindness that seems to be in the air at Christmas time. It seems hearts stretch a little more and wallets open a little wider with a turn of the calendar page. Yet even with all the distractions of a commercialized holiday, there is room for quiet moments of reflection about what Christmas is really about.

Though my children may not experience the same balance of Christmas celebrations in school as I once did, they experience both parts of Christmas within our Mormon Christ-centered home, our church (The Church of Jesus Christ) and among extended family and friends.

Typically Latter Day Saint (Mormon) Sunday meetings in December focus on the true meaning of Christmas, but there are plenty of opportunities to balance the other parts of Christmas within our church buildings. I have participated in numerous Christmas dinners in a church setting that may include a energetic rendition of Jingle Bells as Santa enters the room or it may include young children dressed in robes and sheets re-enacting the scene in Bethlehem on that first Christmas night. I’ve joined church groups making Christmas crafts and decorations, and I’ve joined church groups supplying Christmas to a homeless shelter.

We live in a world that has made Christmas far more than the simplicity of a sacred night more than 2,000 years ago. We’ve even moved on from the simple times of excitment over a single orange left under a tree. We live in a world that fills December with gift exchanges, dinner parties, stocking stuffers and all sorts of anxiety and stresses that result from the search for the perfect gift or celebration.

In my family, despite my best efforts to balance all aspects of the Christmas season, on occasion Christmas Day has come and gone with our full focus on unwrapping presents, Santa Claus’ visit, and answering the repeated question, “What did you get?” The Nativity re-enactments, carols and scriptural readings of the previous night are suddenly forgotten in the whirlwind of toys, gadgets and chocolate on Christmas morning.

Several years ago my Latter-day Saint (Mormon) grandmother introduced a new tradition into the Christmas afternoon dinner she has always hosted. Sometimes close to 40 people squeeze into her modest front room. Amidst piles of gift bags and hand-wrapped presents, she has a previously assigned person read to us, “And Santa whispered, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas.’ Using a somewhat dated flannel board, we watch and listen as some typically commercialized Christmas symbols are related to Jesus Christ.

It isn’t the piece of writing itself that draws a special spirit into the room, and it certainly isn’t the visual aid. It is the acknowledgment and remembrance of Jesus Christ’s simple birth and what His life means to each one of us. While wrapped presents under a lit Christmas tree sit waiting to be torn into, we are reverently reminded that Christmas is more than the gifts under a tree.

My family has spent many a Christmas season reading from the book of Luke in the Bible. We have spent many evenings dressed up in bath-robes and sheets depicting angels, wise-men and shepherds. We have spent hours in discount stores and shopping malls searching for the right gifts for under-privileged families and children. We’ve dropped loose change in the buckets of Salvation Army’s Bell Ringers.

And yet without fail, every Christmas Eve night we retire to bed with grand hopes that Santa will come while we sleep.

There is without a doubt, room for all sorts of Christmas celebrations within the month of December. While keeping all things in moderation, there is plenty of joy to be felt at Christmas. The kind of joy that stretches even beyond discarded tin-foil angel halos, crumpled wrappings and door-bell ditched Sub-for-Santa gifts. The joy comes from only one place-holding in our hearts the sacred reminder of our Savior’s birth and life.

Additional Resources:

Christmas should be fun, but it should also focus on the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Watch Bible videos about the birth of Jesus Christ.

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon, along with the Bible it testifies of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Attend a local meetinghouse.