Jesus Christ

In the English language, the word “disciple” can be used as both a noun and a verb. When used as a noun, the word refers to “one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.” In the realm of Christianity, the term suggests “a personal follower of Jesus Christ during his life, especially one of the twelve Apostles.” Used as a verb, to disciple someone means to “guide (someone) in becoming a follower of Jesus Christ or another leader.” And so, it follows that suitable synonyms for the word “disciple” are: follower, pupil, adherent, student, apprentice, and learner. The word “disciple” is very closely related to the word “discipline” which can be defined as “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior.” Therefore, it could be said that a disciple is a disciplined pupil or adherent. The prophet Mormon, in the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ), declared to the people,... Read the rest of this entry »

During the first weekend in April, and the first weekend of October of each year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducts its perspective annual and semiannual General Conference of the Church. Each session of the Conference is replete with uplifting and inspiring messages in word and in song that provide nourishment for the hungering soul, and a cool refreshing drink from the springs of Living Water. While listening to the messages presented during the 183rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ held in April 2013, there was a particular message delivered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest presiding group within the LDS Church) during the Sunday afternoon session that seemed to resonate within my soul. The title of his message was Lord, I Believe. “If Thou Canst Believe. . . .” In his gospel account, Mark recounts the story of a loving father, who perhaps in final... Read the rest of this entry »

When I was growing up, I remember my parents teaching us about Adam and Eve. How Heavenly Father created them, and put them in the Garden of Eden, and then how they ate the forbidden fruit and were cast out. I remember thinking, “Why’d they have to ruin it for us?” I thought that surely if they had stayed there, then we all would just be living in the beautiful garden, and be immortal. It would be great! Later, though, I came to understand the true doctrine of the Fall, and the important place it holds in Heavenly Father’s plan for each of us. What Exactly Does “The Fall” Mean? In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes  inadvertently called the “Mormon Church,” we call these events the Fall because Adam and Eve fell from the presence of God to mortality. Before the Fall, when they were in the garden, they didn’t know good from evil, and were immortal. After the Fall, they had knowledge of good and evil, and became... Read the rest of this entry »

“What happens when we die?” This is one of the pressing questions about life that people all across the world grapple with every day. Most of the time, we don’t think about it. People we don’t know die, people far away and unconnected with our own lives. Then, when someone we love and care about is facing death or suddenly taken from us, or we ourselves are facing death, this question looms bigger than ever before. Sometimes, the uncertainty of what lies ahead can be overwhelming or even paralyzing. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church,” offers an explanation of what happens when we die that brings family and friends peace, hope and comfort. The Spirit and the Body Latter-day Saints, also called Mormons, believe that the body and spirit are two separate things. Our bodies are like a glove; objects that can’t move or touch or feel unless there is a hand in them. Our spirits... Read the rest of this entry »

Fasting was hard. Really hard. Going without food or water for 24 hours—that was a whole day! It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I could never do it. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church,” my family fasted every month on Fast Sunday. And it was hard. I had been told that I was supposed to fast with a specific purpose in mind, but I could never think of a good enough reason, so I would use that as an excuse not to fast at all. Then, when I was in high school, life was suddenly getting more complicated. I had to make some big decisions about college and a career, and I was confused. In The Church of Jesus Christ, we believe in and follow our Savior’s example in all things, including fasting and prayer. We believe these actions are important to increase our spirituality and help us draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I decided to follow what my... Read the rest of this entry »

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Mormon Church) is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the same gospel and church that Christ established when He was on the earth over 2000 years ago. When the Church was established in 1830, there were hundreds of Christian churches on earth, each professing to have the truth. Joseph Smith, a young man living in New York in the early 1800s, was also puzzled by the number of churches. He decided to pray to God to know which church was true. When his prayer was answered, he was told to “join none of them, for they were all wrong” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19). How could so many churches all be wrong, and all profess to be right? The answer is the Great Apostasy. Prophecies about the Apostasy The Apostasy is an event foretold by both Old and New Testament prophets. Paul spoke of the Apostasy in more than one of his epistles. In 2 Timothy, Paul states that “the... Read the rest of this entry »

An Old Testament Woman of Faith In the Old Testament there is a wonderful story of a faithful woman – Rebekah, wife of Isaac, son of Abraham.  In Genesis 25, it recounts that Rebekah was barren.  Through her and Isaac’s faith, she conceived two twin sons.   During her pregnancy she felt concerned because of the struggle of the children in her womb: “22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.” And she received her answer.  The Lord told her that her two sons would be two separate nations, one ruling over the other. This story is one of Christianity’s earliest examples of simple, but powerful, faith in action.  Rebekah’s husband was the prophet of God, His messenger on earth.  And yet, Rebekah took this matter about her life directly to The Lord.  This account is a really beautiful way for us to remember that God is watching over us and that with... Read the rest of this entry »

In today’s world, people often wonder, “Who is God?” The next questions that often come up are: Does He know me? Do I matter to Him? These are age-old questions, and really the questions of life. If we know the answers to these questions, then we can put our life on earth into perspective. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church, I believe that God is my Heavenly Father. In the Articles of Faith (13 points of belief that outline basic teachings and ordinances in the Mormon Church), the first one is: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” They are three separate and distinct beings. God is our Eternal Father, our Father in Heaven. If you look “God” up in the Latter-day Saint version of the Bible Dictionary, it says: “[God is] the supreme Governor of the universe and the Father of mankind.” ‘Our Father... Read the rest of this entry »

There is not much about Heaven in the Bible.  We know it’s a wonderful place.  The apostle Stephen’s vision showed God on His throne and Jesus at His right hand (Acts 7:55).  Paul spoke of being caught up to the third heaven, and though he also spoke of Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial glory, most of Christendom does not know what he is referring to (1 Corinthians 15:40-42).  Visions have shown angels singing praises to God, and Ezekiel saw heavenly beasts he could not identify.  The apostles of ancient times told us we could become co-heirs with Christ, and Christians everywhere see Heaven as being with God, and “hell” as being without Him. We, God’s children, are now blessed to have more information about the afterlife, and this has been  received through modern prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church. The Spirit World When Christ hung on the cross at Calvary, he... Read the rest of this entry »

Most of Christendom is familiar with the prophecies of old which foretold of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. In like manner, they are also acquainted with the accounts of the Savior’s actual birth, as these are some of the main passages of scripture that are focused upon, especially during the Christmas season. In that same vein, there are many who do not believe that Mormons (Latter-day Saints, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) are Christian and therefore they must have an entirely different understanding about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, a careful study of what Latter-day Saints believe and teach will reveal that their understanding of the events surrounding Christ’s birth is in direct line with what the Bible teaches. Prophets Foretold of the Coming Messiah – the Savior of the World Perhaps one of the most familiar passages of scripture in the Bible which reveal the... Read the rest of this entry »