Jesus Christ

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 »

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 »

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes. In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward... Read the rest of this entry »

The Garden of Eden holds a place of significance in Mormon belief about God’s plan of salvation for his children. Plan of Salvation Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the Mormon Church, believe all human beings are children of God who once lived in heaven with Him prior to the creation of the earth. Because He is a loving Heavenly Father, He organized a plan for the growth and eternal salvation of His children. The Family: A Proclamation to the World, issued by the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ, summarizes God’s plan: “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life.”1 Adam and Eve, the first... Read the rest of this entry »

In the summer of 2007, my husband and I moved our kids almost 1,000 miles from one Rocky Mountain town to another several states away. We knew spiritually it was right. And it was a great move for all of us in every way…except financially. It was the largest dichotomy I have ever experienced. I had a strong support network in our new town. My kids had friends. It was really a great move. But financially, we went down in flames. My husband and I have never been rich (in terms of money), but we always made it. We had one credit card on which we owed and a home mortgage. We had moved in 2003 and were able to buy a house before the real estate market in our little resort town boomed. So in 2005, we used some of the equity in our home to make a “sure thing” investment: We bought a vacant lot in our neighborhood and were planning to build on it. We thought we could make enough money to buy a bigger house for our growing family, ensuring our longevity... Read the rest of this entry »

I have had as many miscarriages as babies born: four of each. After I survived a foreclosure and bankruptcy, I thought I could handle any trial that the Lord sent me. So He tested me, and boy, was I wrong. The financial trials were humbling, but the next wave of adversity hit me to the very core of my being. I have always known when it was time to have a child. And, for the most part, I knew who was coming. I felt confident in the spiritual connection I had with my babies before they were born. My husband and I even chose their names before we ever had the first one. The first three came relatively easily. I had a miscarriage between the third and the fourth. That was heart-wrenching, but I got pregnant again within a few months. And I soon saw the reason for the delay in my son’s coming— the pregnancy I lost was due in July 2007; but in July 2007, we were in a state of transition and chaos. So it was a blessing. In June 2009, my husband came to me... Read the rest of this entry »

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” BYU students take nearly a semester of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes. Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend. Jesus Christ: Why Do We Need a Savior? A letter to an investigator We’ve had many discussions about the need of Jesus Christ in our lives. Why do we need... Read the rest of this entry »

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes. In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward... Read the rest of this entry »

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes. Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend. Jesus Christ:  A Testimony I am a believer in Christ. I believe that He is the son of God and that His mission... Read the rest of this entry »

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes. Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend. Jesus Christ: 1 Thessalonians 2:8 For as long as I can remember, I’ve really been frustrated with the emotional... Read the rest of this entry »