One morning, when I was four-years-old, I awoke earlier than usual and said goodbye to my daddy when he left for work. It was six days before Christmas and that was the last time I ever saw him. He died in a car accident that night. A few years later, I went to bed and woke up the next morning to find that my mother had passed away during the night. My sister and I went to live with my mother's parents who raised us to adulthood..
As a young child, I was left with some very deep questions. "Where were my parents?" "Would I ever see them again?" "What happens when we die?"
Before my mother's death, she'd investigated many religions looking for her own answers including the Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and Unity Church. While at Unity Church one Sunday, I asked about Jesus. I wanted to know more about him and who he was. I was told he was everywhere. "In my hair," I asked.
"Oh, yes," the lady said.
"What about in my fingernail?"
"Yes, he's there too."
Well, I looked at my fingernails and clearly, Jesus was not in them.. Her answer made no sense to me. Though I'd had very little religious training at this point, I did pray. And when I prayed at night in my room, I envisioned a man with a white robe with bare feet, listening to me. In fact, when I concluded my prayers, I quickly opened my eyes each time because I was sure I'd catch Jesus in the room with me. I was certain that Jesus and God, were separate people, real people with bodies. Like I said, I had no real religious teachings. My parents were not religious at all. We'd never gone to church before my father's death that I can remember. Yet, I was certain that the answers to my questions from the lady at the Unity Church didn't jive with what I knew in my heart.
Thus began my search. I wanted to know where my deceased parents were. I knew their bodies were in the cemetery that overlooks the ocean in Santa Barbara, but I didn't think that was it. I felt like they were actually somewhere else. Somewhere that I couldn't see.
One day, we drove past a large white building and I asked my grandmother about the building. She told me it was a Mormon Church and that she was a Mormon. I'd been living with her for some time and we hadn't ever been to church so I asked her if we could go.
The next Sunday, my sister, my grandma, and I all attended church at that big white building.
And you know what? When I asked the hard questions about my parents, these people had answers. Real answers. Answers that felt right in my little-girl heart. Answers that made sense to me.
My parents' mortal bodies are in that cemetery, but their spirits are not. Spirits do not die. Of this, I am sure. Many experiences in my life have proven this. There have been times when I knew my mother was so close, I could almost reach out and touch her. Times when others who have died have been near enough for me to feel their presence. Life does not end with death. And if it does not end with death, it cannot begin with birth. We are eternal beings.
For every hard question I've posed over the years, I can find answers. The teachings and beliefs, based on the gospel of Jesus Christ, taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints make sense to me. They resonate with me. And, most importantly, I've prayed and received my own answers from God.
I have a firm testimony that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. That he once lived on this earth with a mortal body and took upon himself my sins and suffered for them before he was crucified on a cross. I know that he rose that third day and was resurrected. And because he was, so will my parents. Just as Jesus saw his disciples and those he loved after he was resurrected, I will see my parents and those I've loved and lost over the years. Because Jesus then returned to live with His Father, I may also return to live with Him.
I am Mormon because in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have found the answers. I have found peace and joy in living the gospel. My life has had its share of trials, but through them all, I have had comfort and peace from my Heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and cares what happens to me.
That's why I am Mormon.
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Faith of Jesus Christ
I love General Conference weekend. It’s a wonderful opportunity to snuggle with the family and listen to the messages. We eat plenty of popcorn and other treats while we relax. It’s hard to pinpoint my favorite talk because I enjoy all of them. Each of the talks has something for me. Even through the television broadcast, I can feel the strong testimonies of those speaking and the Spirit fills my home.
At the last conference, I believe, Elder Wirthlin struggled a bit with keeping steady during his talk. Russell M. Nelson stood up behind him and gave him the extra support he needed to finish his talk. That simple gesture brought tears to my eyes and communicated the great love and respect the brethren have for each other.
One of the talks that especially struck me during this conference was Jeffrey R. Holland's talk on the atonement. Though there was some chattering going on at my house, the Spirit enveloped us as he spoke about the Savior’s last days of mortality.
I listened to his talk through tears because I felt completely wrapped in the Spirit. He recounted the time in the Garden of Gethsemane. Honestly, I have absolutely no idea how the Savior physically endured such sorrow and agony. I know how painful it is to lose someone I love to death or, worse, lose them to sin. I cannot imagine the depth of the pain he suffered, or how he did it.
I don’t know that I’ll ever fully comprehend His sacrifice for me. I have thought about it over the years as I’ve struggled through my own trials. Knowing that He experienced all the feelings that I have has helped me. One thing I’ve never considered, though, until Elder Holland's talk was His faith.
Since Jesus communicated regularly with Heavenly Father and lead a perfect life in which He was entitled to the constant companionship of the Father, I never thought about what it must have felt like when the Father withdrew as Jesus hung on the cross and uttered, “ . . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? “ (Matthew 27:46). During that period of time, Jesus had to rely on His own faith that though He couldn’t feel the Father’s presence, He was still there. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Isn’t that how it is for us? I have felt Heavenly Father’s influence more strongly at certain times of my life. I have experienced undeniable answers to prayers, but as time passes and memory dims, I have to rely on my faith that He’s still there, that He still hears and answers prayers, that He is real.
During that critical time on the cross, Jesus did, in fact, experience what it is like to be mortal without that constant connection to Heavenly Father. Not only does the Savior know every emotion that we can have, He also knows what it’s like to experience mortality without the direct influence of Heavenly Father.
Jesus has experienced the range of emotions that we have. He knows what it’s like to feel the Spirit depart—just like we do when we break a commandment. He understands each of us because he’s experienced it, including relying on faith. That’s why the atonement works and why we must allow it to work in our own lives. He is the Redeemer of the world.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
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At the last conference, I believe, Elder Wirthlin struggled a bit with keeping steady during his talk. Russell M. Nelson stood up behind him and gave him the extra support he needed to finish his talk. That simple gesture brought tears to my eyes and communicated the great love and respect the brethren have for each other.
One of the talks that especially struck me during this conference was Jeffrey R. Holland's talk on the atonement. Though there was some chattering going on at my house, the Spirit enveloped us as he spoke about the Savior’s last days of mortality.
I listened to his talk through tears because I felt completely wrapped in the Spirit. He recounted the time in the Garden of Gethsemane. Honestly, I have absolutely no idea how the Savior physically endured such sorrow and agony. I know how painful it is to lose someone I love to death or, worse, lose them to sin. I cannot imagine the depth of the pain he suffered, or how he did it.
I don’t know that I’ll ever fully comprehend His sacrifice for me. I have thought about it over the years as I’ve struggled through my own trials. Knowing that He experienced all the feelings that I have has helped me. One thing I’ve never considered, though, until Elder Holland's talk was His faith.
Since Jesus communicated regularly with Heavenly Father and lead a perfect life in which He was entitled to the constant companionship of the Father, I never thought about what it must have felt like when the Father withdrew as Jesus hung on the cross and uttered, “ . . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? “ (Matthew 27:46). During that period of time, Jesus had to rely on His own faith that though He couldn’t feel the Father’s presence, He was still there. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Isn’t that how it is for us? I have felt Heavenly Father’s influence more strongly at certain times of my life. I have experienced undeniable answers to prayers, but as time passes and memory dims, I have to rely on my faith that He’s still there, that He still hears and answers prayers, that He is real.
During that critical time on the cross, Jesus did, in fact, experience what it is like to be mortal without that constant connection to Heavenly Father. Not only does the Savior know every emotion that we can have, He also knows what it’s like to experience mortality without the direct influence of Heavenly Father.
Jesus has experienced the range of emotions that we have. He knows what it’s like to feel the Spirit depart—just like we do when we break a commandment. He understands each of us because he’s experienced it, including relying on faith. That’s why the atonement works and why we must allow it to work in our own lives. He is the Redeemer of the world.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
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Monday, January 19, 2009
Following Christ
The world sends confusing and conflicting messages. It may be hard to navigate the waters of morality when it seems to be so relative these days. What is right? What is wrong? Is there a way to know which path to follow to have joy and peace in an ever-increasingly turbulent world?
The answer is yes. We can find peace and joy. We can know what’s right and what’s wrong. We have a light to guide us in the darkness. It is in following the example of Jesus Christ, in becoming like him, that we can overcome the mixed messages of the world as well as our own weaknesses and find our way back to our Heavenly Father.
As we read and study the scriptures, we can emulate The Savior’s qualities and characteristics. We know that he was meek. Does that mean he was weak? Absolutely not. He was willing to submit his will to the Father’s, but he was never weak. He was humble and lowly of heart, which means he did not think he knew more than Heavenly Father. Yes, he had the power to forgo the agony of the atonement, but he was willing to do his father’s will no matter how painful. He came to glorify the Father not himself.
He was full of love and compassion. His love was unconditional. Sometimes, it’s difficult to understand the concept of loving someone, but not loving his or her choices. We’re told by loved ones or friends that if we don’t accept their lifestyle choices then we don’t love them, They do not understand the concept of unconditional love. The Savior loves us all despite the choices we make and the sins we commit. Does he approve of, or accept, sin? No. He cannot look on sin with the least degree of allowance, yet he still loves us.
Jesus was constantly serving others. He didn’t focus on himself, he lost himself in the service of others. He spent time teaching, healing, and speaking to those that would listen and believe. He spent hours upon hours at a time teaching the gospel without complaint.
He was obedient. He did not argue or complain, he simply followed the commands of Heavenly Father. Through the story of Saul in the Old Testament we learn how important it is to be obedient and Jesus was the ultimate example of obedience.
As we face different decisions in our life, we can follow the pattern he’s set for us and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Would he yell at the person who cut him off in line, call someone an ugly name, or belittle someone? Would he be impatient, unkind, or cruel? Would he lie, cheat, or steal? Would he gossip, avoid a calling, or skip church to go to the lake? When we ask ourselves what the Savior would do, it makes the decision much clearer than when we depend on our own ability to make decisions.
It is a lifelong pursuit to become like the Savior. It’s not easy to overcome our human tendencies. But, the more that we follow his example, the easier it will be to overcome our weaknesses, make better decisions, and become like him. The Savior said, “Come follow me.” As we do this, we will find the peace that only he can offer us.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
The answer is yes. We can find peace and joy. We can know what’s right and what’s wrong. We have a light to guide us in the darkness. It is in following the example of Jesus Christ, in becoming like him, that we can overcome the mixed messages of the world as well as our own weaknesses and find our way back to our Heavenly Father.
As we read and study the scriptures, we can emulate The Savior’s qualities and characteristics. We know that he was meek. Does that mean he was weak? Absolutely not. He was willing to submit his will to the Father’s, but he was never weak. He was humble and lowly of heart, which means he did not think he knew more than Heavenly Father. Yes, he had the power to forgo the agony of the atonement, but he was willing to do his father’s will no matter how painful. He came to glorify the Father not himself.
He was full of love and compassion. His love was unconditional. Sometimes, it’s difficult to understand the concept of loving someone, but not loving his or her choices. We’re told by loved ones or friends that if we don’t accept their lifestyle choices then we don’t love them, They do not understand the concept of unconditional love. The Savior loves us all despite the choices we make and the sins we commit. Does he approve of, or accept, sin? No. He cannot look on sin with the least degree of allowance, yet he still loves us.
Jesus was constantly serving others. He didn’t focus on himself, he lost himself in the service of others. He spent time teaching, healing, and speaking to those that would listen and believe. He spent hours upon hours at a time teaching the gospel without complaint.
He was obedient. He did not argue or complain, he simply followed the commands of Heavenly Father. Through the story of Saul in the Old Testament we learn how important it is to be obedient and Jesus was the ultimate example of obedience.
As we face different decisions in our life, we can follow the pattern he’s set for us and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Would he yell at the person who cut him off in line, call someone an ugly name, or belittle someone? Would he be impatient, unkind, or cruel? Would he lie, cheat, or steal? Would he gossip, avoid a calling, or skip church to go to the lake? When we ask ourselves what the Savior would do, it makes the decision much clearer than when we depend on our own ability to make decisions.
It is a lifelong pursuit to become like the Savior. It’s not easy to overcome our human tendencies. But, the more that we follow his example, the easier it will be to overcome our weaknesses, make better decisions, and become like him. The Savior said, “Come follow me.” As we do this, we will find the peace that only he can offer us.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Atonement
For Christmas, we received the book, Reflections of Christ, by Mark Mabry. It is a collection of photos representing the life of the Savior. As I thumbed through its pages, I couldn’t help but feel a deep reverence for the Savior and his mission here on earth because this book presents such a powerful representation of the Savior’s birth, baptism, calling to teach, his crucifixion, and finally his triumphant resurrection.
I again looked through this book while listening to Oh Lord, My Redeemer by Jeff Goodrich on his album, I Heard Him Come. I felt an overwhelming sense of the Spirit and, once, again, my testimony of the Savior and his atoning sacrifice grew.
The depth of the atonement is hard to understand. I have no idea how Jesus was able to physically take upon him the sins of the world. I can’t comprehend how that was accomplished, but I know, somehow, it was. I know the pain and sorrow I’ve felt at different times in my life, I can’t fathom what he felt as he knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane as my own pain was multiplied by everyone who ever has, or ever will, live on this earth. No wonder he bled from every pore. He suffered something that none of us can begin to grasp.
I find it difficult to view photos or paintings depicting his crucifixion because I imagine the agony and physical pain he endured for me. It’s hard to think about that. It’s even harder to think about how often I need the atonement and the pain that I’ve personally caused the Savior.
The atonement has loosed the bands of death that came as a result of Adam’s transgression. Every single person that has ever lived on the earth, or will ever live on the earth, will be resurrected and live again. That is a gift to all of humanity. But, the most important part of the atonement is that Jesus paid the price for our sins, and if we are willing the make the atonement effective in our lives, we can once again return to him. He paid the price so we don’t have to. All we have to do is look to him and choose to take advantage of the atonement by repenting of our sins and then following his commandments.
I think it’s important for each of us to think about what the atonement means to us personally. Do we truly have our own testimony that Jesus is the Son of God and his willing sacrifice made it possible to return to Heavenly Father? Do we make the atonement effective in our own individual lives? What do we need to do each day to take advantage of what the atonement offers us?
Though my finite, mortal mind cannot fully comprehend the atonement, I have a testimony that it exists and that Jesus is the Christ. I have a testimony that he is my Savior and my Redeemer and if I can be humble enough to repent of my sins and come unto him, I can someday return to my Heavenly Father and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
I again looked through this book while listening to Oh Lord, My Redeemer by Jeff Goodrich on his album, I Heard Him Come. I felt an overwhelming sense of the Spirit and, once, again, my testimony of the Savior and his atoning sacrifice grew.
The depth of the atonement is hard to understand. I have no idea how Jesus was able to physically take upon him the sins of the world. I can’t comprehend how that was accomplished, but I know, somehow, it was. I know the pain and sorrow I’ve felt at different times in my life, I can’t fathom what he felt as he knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane as my own pain was multiplied by everyone who ever has, or ever will, live on this earth. No wonder he bled from every pore. He suffered something that none of us can begin to grasp.
I find it difficult to view photos or paintings depicting his crucifixion because I imagine the agony and physical pain he endured for me. It’s hard to think about that. It’s even harder to think about how often I need the atonement and the pain that I’ve personally caused the Savior.
The atonement has loosed the bands of death that came as a result of Adam’s transgression. Every single person that has ever lived on the earth, or will ever live on the earth, will be resurrected and live again. That is a gift to all of humanity. But, the most important part of the atonement is that Jesus paid the price for our sins, and if we are willing the make the atonement effective in our lives, we can once again return to him. He paid the price so we don’t have to. All we have to do is look to him and choose to take advantage of the atonement by repenting of our sins and then following his commandments.
I think it’s important for each of us to think about what the atonement means to us personally. Do we truly have our own testimony that Jesus is the Son of God and his willing sacrifice made it possible to return to Heavenly Father? Do we make the atonement effective in our own individual lives? What do we need to do each day to take advantage of what the atonement offers us?
Though my finite, mortal mind cannot fully comprehend the atonement, I have a testimony that it exists and that Jesus is the Christ. I have a testimony that he is my Savior and my Redeemer and if I can be humble enough to repent of my sins and come unto him, I can someday return to my Heavenly Father and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What the Savior's Birth Means to Me
On December 19, 1968 I awoke early and told my father goodbye as he left for work. I even rushed to my bedroom window to watch his car leave our cul-de-sac and drive along the road out of our subdivision. I didn't usually wake up early to see my father off, but I did that day.
My mother took my baby sister and me Christmas shopping. We ended up at my grandmother's house later that day to spend the night. Long after we'd gone to bed, I was awakened by the ringing of the telephone. Though I was quite young, I realized that the late-night phone call meant my life would never be the same. My father's mortal existence had ended in a mangled heap of a car on a dark, unlit road. He was such a young man filled with so much life and vitality. He'd hardly had a chance to live. He had a promising career, a beautiful wife, and two young daughters. His funeral was on Christmas Eve.
Every year I think about my father and his short life. I think of what could have been and, of course, I wish this story had a different ending. But, I also find great hope and comfort as I celebrate the birth of the Savior. Because Jesus was born into mortality, willingly chose to lay down his life, and was then resurrected, so too will my father (and my mother, my grandparents, my father-in-law, other family members, and my friends) be resurrected. The birth and life of the Savior means that I will someday be reunited with my father and all of those I've loved and lost.
The Savior's birth makes it possible for me to someday have the family I didn't have in mortality. Yes, it's been hard not having my parents. Yes, it makes me sad that they both died before they could see and know my children in mortality. Yes, I've often wished to build a time machine to go back and know my parents. But, in the eternal scheme of things, time is only relative. The significance of the birth of Jesus transcends time and heals the aching heart.
His birth means that I can have an eternal family and that brings me incredible peace and joy.
My mother took my baby sister and me Christmas shopping. We ended up at my grandmother's house later that day to spend the night. Long after we'd gone to bed, I was awakened by the ringing of the telephone. Though I was quite young, I realized that the late-night phone call meant my life would never be the same. My father's mortal existence had ended in a mangled heap of a car on a dark, unlit road. He was such a young man filled with so much life and vitality. He'd hardly had a chance to live. He had a promising career, a beautiful wife, and two young daughters. His funeral was on Christmas Eve.
Every year I think about my father and his short life. I think of what could have been and, of course, I wish this story had a different ending. But, I also find great hope and comfort as I celebrate the birth of the Savior. Because Jesus was born into mortality, willingly chose to lay down his life, and was then resurrected, so too will my father (and my mother, my grandparents, my father-in-law, other family members, and my friends) be resurrected. The birth and life of the Savior means that I will someday be reunited with my father and all of those I've loved and lost.
The Savior's birth makes it possible for me to someday have the family I didn't have in mortality. Yes, it's been hard not having my parents. Yes, it makes me sad that they both died before they could see and know my children in mortality. Yes, I've often wished to build a time machine to go back and know my parents. But, in the eternal scheme of things, time is only relative. The significance of the birth of Jesus transcends time and heals the aching heart.
His birth means that I can have an eternal family and that brings me incredible peace and joy.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Jesus: The Reason for the Season
Every year our elementary school has a Christmas Program—at least that’s what it used to be called. It’s now politically incorrect to refer to it as a Christmas Program. It was the Holiday Program for a few years but is now called the Winter Program.
When my oldest daughter was in 2nd grade, she played the part of Mary and we had a program based on the Nativity. It was, by far, the best program I’ve ever seen our elementary school perform. Since then, we’ve had shows about penguins, Hansel and Gretel (another daughter played Gretel), the Abominable Snowman (my son played that part), and coyotes. This year it’s about musicians and a Hopi myth. While I like to learn about other cultures, having a program about Hopi Indians, instead of the Nativity, during the Christmas season seems out of place to me.
Our elementary school shies away from anything religious. My question is always, “If our program isn’t about celebrating Christmas, why do it in December (one of the busiest months of the year)?” I have yet to receive an answer to that question.
I’ve noticed over the years that while many minority groups have enjoyed greater respect and inclusion (as they should), it’s been at the exclusion of Christian groups. Our school district bends over backwards to accommodate every group under the sun except Christian groups. We aren’t allowed to pray in school. My nephew was told by a teacher that he couldn’t pray at all in school, not even silently. He responded that he could pray anywhere, anytime and no one could stop him.
If we claim a belief in God, more and more people scoff at the idea. People have gone so far as to claim that Jesus is a myth and the whole Nativity story is fashioned after the story of the Egyptian God Horus. They say that the Christian believers made up the story of Jesus and wrote the Bible in an effort to perpetuate the myth. They claim the Bible has been fabricated and cannot be a reliable historic source because those who kept the records only did so to fool people into believing Jesus was born and then crucified for our sins.
The only way we can know if the story of the Christ child is real or fabricated is to receive our own witness of the truth. Once the Holy Ghost has witnessed to our spirit that Jesus did in fact walk the earth and then willingly laid down his life to atone for our sins, there is no room for discussion or alternate versions of reality. We must each receive that witness.
For me, I have no doubt that Jesus is the Christ. I have no doubt he was born into mortality, walked the earth, and then took upon him the sins of the world as he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. How he did that, I don’t understand, but I have faith that he did. I’ve had my own witness.
It is his birth that we celebrate. May we all remember the reason for the season, proclaim our belief in the Savior, and enjoy a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
When my oldest daughter was in 2nd grade, she played the part of Mary and we had a program based on the Nativity. It was, by far, the best program I’ve ever seen our elementary school perform. Since then, we’ve had shows about penguins, Hansel and Gretel (another daughter played Gretel), the Abominable Snowman (my son played that part), and coyotes. This year it’s about musicians and a Hopi myth. While I like to learn about other cultures, having a program about Hopi Indians, instead of the Nativity, during the Christmas season seems out of place to me.
Our elementary school shies away from anything religious. My question is always, “If our program isn’t about celebrating Christmas, why do it in December (one of the busiest months of the year)?” I have yet to receive an answer to that question.
I’ve noticed over the years that while many minority groups have enjoyed greater respect and inclusion (as they should), it’s been at the exclusion of Christian groups. Our school district bends over backwards to accommodate every group under the sun except Christian groups. We aren’t allowed to pray in school. My nephew was told by a teacher that he couldn’t pray at all in school, not even silently. He responded that he could pray anywhere, anytime and no one could stop him.
If we claim a belief in God, more and more people scoff at the idea. People have gone so far as to claim that Jesus is a myth and the whole Nativity story is fashioned after the story of the Egyptian God Horus. They say that the Christian believers made up the story of Jesus and wrote the Bible in an effort to perpetuate the myth. They claim the Bible has been fabricated and cannot be a reliable historic source because those who kept the records only did so to fool people into believing Jesus was born and then crucified for our sins.
The only way we can know if the story of the Christ child is real or fabricated is to receive our own witness of the truth. Once the Holy Ghost has witnessed to our spirit that Jesus did in fact walk the earth and then willingly laid down his life to atone for our sins, there is no room for discussion or alternate versions of reality. We must each receive that witness.
For me, I have no doubt that Jesus is the Christ. I have no doubt he was born into mortality, walked the earth, and then took upon him the sins of the world as he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. How he did that, I don’t understand, but I have faith that he did. I’ve had my own witness.
It is his birth that we celebrate. May we all remember the reason for the season, proclaim our belief in the Savior, and enjoy a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Monday, October 13, 2008
My Beginnings
Like most, my testimony started as a tiny seed.
By the time I was 9 years old, both of my parents had died and my sister and I lived with our maternal grandparents. Both of my grandparents were members of the LDS Church, but neither was active. My grandmother simply fell out of activity, while my grandfather nursed deep-seeded bitterness toward the Church.
One day, I was riding in the car with Grandma and we passed a white brick building with a tall steeple. I asked her about the building and she replied that she was a member of the Church. I asked if we could attend. Almost as soon as we stepped into the building that next Sunday, we were assigned a home teacher.
I started attending Primary, was soon baptized, and spent the next 10 years attending church at that building.
I recently returned to that same building and attended sacrament meeting. It was an incredible experience as I stepped into the building where it all began for me. I walked through the patio where I spent my Primary years, including the room where I attended junior Sunday school and the priests blessed and passed the sacrament to the children.
I saw the baptismal font where I stepped into the waters of baptism and began my new life as a member of the LDS Church.
I
reminisced as I looked at the room where we held seminary. Admittedly, I spent some of my seminary time passing notes to my friends, but I also learned about the gospel every morning before school.
I walked across the highly-polished wood floor listening to my footsteps echo. I could almost see all of us as teenagers as we practiced for a road show about family pictures and for a dance festival we performed one summer in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. I could envision all the ward dinners I’d attended with Grandma, and her dish holder bag in which we brought our own dishes to dinners.
I sat in the chapel and remembered so many talks and watching the young men bless and pass the sacrament. I remembered singing and feeling the Spirit. I remembered my friends and the good influence they had on me as a youth.
This was where it all started, where I first gained my testimony, and where I continued to feed it. This is where I first felt the love of my Savior. At times, I could almost feel His arms wrap around me while I struggled during my teenage years.
Many years have passed since then. I’ve worked hard to strengthen my testimony. I don’t know everything about the scriptures, Church history, or the gospel. I’m still learning every day to be a better person and to more fully live the gospel. Line upon line, I’m learning to be more like my Savior, Jesus Christ.
But, this I know. My Savior lives and He loves even me, a simple, unimportant woman. I know that He willingly laid down His life for me. I know that He is real and someday, He will return in glory to this earth. I cannot deny what has been witnessed to my soul, that He lives. I will spend my life trying to become like Him so that when my time is over in mortality, I can run to His outstretched arms and He will hold me close and whisper in my ear, “Welcome home.”
Return to the neighborhood.
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By the time I was 9 years old, both of my parents had died and my sister and I lived with our maternal grandparents. Both of my grandparents were members of the LDS Church, but neither was active. My grandmother simply fell out of activity, while my grandfather nursed deep-seeded bitterness toward the Church.
One day, I was riding in the car with Grandma and we passed a white brick building with a tall steeple. I asked her about the building and she replied that she was a member of the Church. I asked if we could attend. Almost as soon as we stepped into the building that next Sunday, we were assigned a home teacher.
I started attending Primary, was soon baptized, and spent the next 10 years attending church at that building.
I recently returned to that same building and attended sacrament meeting. It was an incredible experience as I stepped into the building where it all began for me. I walked through the patio where I spent my Primary years, including the room where I attended junior Sunday school and the priests blessed and passed the sacrament to the children.
I saw the baptismal font where I stepped into the waters of baptism and began my new life as a member of the LDS Church.
I
reminisced as I looked at the room where we held seminary. Admittedly, I spent some of my seminary time passing notes to my friends, but I also learned about the gospel every morning before school.
I walked across the highly-polished wood floor listening to my footsteps echo. I could almost see all of us as teenagers as we practiced for a road show about family pictures and for a dance festival we performed one summer in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. I could envision all the ward dinners I’d attended with Grandma, and her dish holder bag in which we brought our own dishes to dinners.
I sat in the chapel and remembered so many talks and watching the young men bless and pass the sacrament. I remembered singing and feeling the Spirit. I remembered my friends and the good influence they had on me as a youth.
This was where it all started, where I first gained my testimony, and where I continued to feed it. This is where I first felt the love of my Savior. At times, I could almost feel His arms wrap around me while I struggled during my teenage years.
Many years have passed since then. I’ve worked hard to strengthen my testimony. I don’t know everything about the scriptures, Church history, or the gospel. I’m still learning every day to be a better person and to more fully live the gospel. Line upon line, I’m learning to be more like my Savior, Jesus Christ.
But, this I know. My Savior lives and He loves even me, a simple, unimportant woman. I know that He willingly laid down His life for me. I know that He is real and someday, He will return in glory to this earth. I cannot deny what has been witnessed to my soul, that He lives. I will spend my life trying to become like Him so that when my time is over in mortality, I can run to His outstretched arms and He will hold me close and whisper in my ear, “Welcome home.”
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Baptism: A Fundamental Ordinance
A fundamental gospel ordinance is baptism. We believe that those who perform the baptism must have the authority to do so. Many people, when investigating the church, say they have already been baptized and don’t need another baptism. We believe that in order for a baptism to be recognized by God, it must be done under his direction using the priesthood.
In the LDS Church we do not practice infant baptism. Children are baptized when they are eight years old because that’s when they are accountable to the Lord for their actions. (Doctrine and Covenants 68:27).
We believe in baptism by immersion as demonstrated by the Savior himself when he was baptized by John the Baptist. Baptism by immersion is symbolic. It is as if laying down your old life into the grave, and then coming up into a new life, a new birth.
Baptism is so important that the Savior, though he was perfect and did not need baptism, was baptized. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17). Heavenly Father was pleased that his son, the Savior of the world, was baptized. Isn’t he then pleased when each of us is baptized?
The Savior set the example because this ordinance is integral to our eternal salvation. We must be baptized. This is why we perform baptisms for the dead. In Corinthians 15:29 it reads, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?” Since many people have died before having the opportunity to hear the gospel or be baptized with the proper authority, members of the LDS Church do baptisms vicariously for those who have gone to the other side of the veil. We want all of Heavenly Father’s children to have the blessings of the gospel, even if they have already died.
When a baptism is performed, it is done in an orderly fashion with the same words offered for each baptism. It’s also mandatory that two priesthood holders witness the baptism to make sure that the person, or proxy for someone who has died, is completely immersed.
Baptism is the start of a new life as all the old sins are washed away. I’ve often wished that I could be baptized everyday just to feel that clean, pure feeling and have a fresh start. We are very blessed to now have the authority to perform baptisms and I’m certain that Heavenly Father is pleased each time one of his sons or daughters is baptized.
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In the LDS Church we do not practice infant baptism. Children are baptized when they are eight years old because that’s when they are accountable to the Lord for their actions. (Doctrine and Covenants 68:27).
We believe in baptism by immersion as demonstrated by the Savior himself when he was baptized by John the Baptist. Baptism by immersion is symbolic. It is as if laying down your old life into the grave, and then coming up into a new life, a new birth.
Baptism is so important that the Savior, though he was perfect and did not need baptism, was baptized. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17). Heavenly Father was pleased that his son, the Savior of the world, was baptized. Isn’t he then pleased when each of us is baptized?
The Savior set the example because this ordinance is integral to our eternal salvation. We must be baptized. This is why we perform baptisms for the dead. In Corinthians 15:29 it reads, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?” Since many people have died before having the opportunity to hear the gospel or be baptized with the proper authority, members of the LDS Church do baptisms vicariously for those who have gone to the other side of the veil. We want all of Heavenly Father’s children to have the blessings of the gospel, even if they have already died.
When a baptism is performed, it is done in an orderly fashion with the same words offered for each baptism. It’s also mandatory that two priesthood holders witness the baptism to make sure that the person, or proxy for someone who has died, is completely immersed.
Baptism is the start of a new life as all the old sins are washed away. I’ve often wished that I could be baptized everyday just to feel that clean, pure feeling and have a fresh start. We are very blessed to now have the authority to perform baptisms and I’m certain that Heavenly Father is pleased each time one of his sons or daughters is baptized.
Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood.com newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.
Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
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Friday, August 1, 2008
Repentance
The second principle of the gospel, according to the 4th Article of Faith, is repentance.
Why is repentance so important?
We all make mistakes and commit sins. If we do not repent of these, we will not be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God. We must all repent, each and every day. Spencer W. Kimball said, “There is never a day in any man’s life when repentance is not essential to his well-being and eternal progress.”
We may think that unless we commit a serious sin, we do not need repentance. Not true. Most of us will never murder someone, rob a bank, or perjure ourselves in court. Yet, as President Kimball said, we all need to repent.
Why?
Because any sin, small or large, will keep us out of the celestial kingdom.
Obviously, we need to repent when we break the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, or a temple covenant. But, we also need to repent when we gossip, are impatient with our kids, say something unkind to our spouse, disrespect a parent, fail to fulfill a calling, tell a white lie, keep the extra change from the grocery store, rebel against counsel from a priesthood leader or forget to pray. Each one of us needs the power of the atonement in our lives, even if our sins seem to be small and insignificant.
True repentance follows certain steps. The first step is to recognize that we’ve done something wrong. When I was a kid we didn’t keep the Sabbath Day holy. We went to the beach, swam, shopped, and watched TV. It wasn’t until I got married that I recognized that what I was doing on Sunday was wrong and I needed to repent.
The next step is to feel sorry about what we’ve done. It isn’t enough to just give the mistake a simple nod, but to feel Godly sorrow, to feel so bad that we won’t repeat it again. We should truly regret what we’ve done or said.
Next, we need to confess what we’ve done. Some sins require that we visit with our bishop. For those mistakes or things we do that don’t require a bishop’s interview, we still need to confess to the person we’ve wronged and then confess it to Heavenly Father. Of course, Heavenly Father already knows what we’ve done, but we must still confess it to him
After we’ve confessed the wrong, we must attempt to restore that which we’ve taken or destroyed. If we’ve taken a candy bar from the grocery store we can pay for it. If we’ve said something unkind to someone we can apologize. Some things, though, aren’t so easily replaced. Just as we cannot gather all the feathers blown about by a gust of wind, we can’t recall the words we’ve said when we’ve passed a rumor. It’s impossible to restore virtue and, sometimes, almost as difficult to regain trust, but we must do all in our power to right the wrong.
The last step is to forsake the sin and never do it again. This can be a difficult step, especially if what we’ve been doing is a habit. With the Lord’s help, though, nothing is impossible and he can give us the strength to overcome our weaknesses.
As we seek to repent, we will become closer to our Heavenly Father and we will be motivated to make our lives right before him. This is why repentance is such a fundamental part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Why is repentance so important?
We all make mistakes and commit sins. If we do not repent of these, we will not be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God. We must all repent, each and every day. Spencer W. Kimball said, “There is never a day in any man’s life when repentance is not essential to his well-being and eternal progress.”
We may think that unless we commit a serious sin, we do not need repentance. Not true. Most of us will never murder someone, rob a bank, or perjure ourselves in court. Yet, as President Kimball said, we all need to repent.
Why?
Because any sin, small or large, will keep us out of the celestial kingdom.
Obviously, we need to repent when we break the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, or a temple covenant. But, we also need to repent when we gossip, are impatient with our kids, say something unkind to our spouse, disrespect a parent, fail to fulfill a calling, tell a white lie, keep the extra change from the grocery store, rebel against counsel from a priesthood leader or forget to pray. Each one of us needs the power of the atonement in our lives, even if our sins seem to be small and insignificant.
True repentance follows certain steps. The first step is to recognize that we’ve done something wrong. When I was a kid we didn’t keep the Sabbath Day holy. We went to the beach, swam, shopped, and watched TV. It wasn’t until I got married that I recognized that what I was doing on Sunday was wrong and I needed to repent.
The next step is to feel sorry about what we’ve done. It isn’t enough to just give the mistake a simple nod, but to feel Godly sorrow, to feel so bad that we won’t repeat it again. We should truly regret what we’ve done or said.
Next, we need to confess what we’ve done. Some sins require that we visit with our bishop. For those mistakes or things we do that don’t require a bishop’s interview, we still need to confess to the person we’ve wronged and then confess it to Heavenly Father. Of course, Heavenly Father already knows what we’ve done, but we must still confess it to him
After we’ve confessed the wrong, we must attempt to restore that which we’ve taken or destroyed. If we’ve taken a candy bar from the grocery store we can pay for it. If we’ve said something unkind to someone we can apologize. Some things, though, aren’t so easily replaced. Just as we cannot gather all the feathers blown about by a gust of wind, we can’t recall the words we’ve said when we’ve passed a rumor. It’s impossible to restore virtue and, sometimes, almost as difficult to regain trust, but we must do all in our power to right the wrong.
The last step is to forsake the sin and never do it again. This can be a difficult step, especially if what we’ve been doing is a habit. With the Lord’s help, though, nothing is impossible and he can give us the strength to overcome our weaknesses.
As we seek to repent, we will become closer to our Heavenly Father and we will be motivated to make our lives right before him. This is why repentance is such a fundamental part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood.com newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.
Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
The 4th Article of Faith states, “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
The most basic, fundamental belief we have is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is what motivates us to do what we do. Faith is what changes us and transforms us.
When I was a young girl, I did not have religion in my life, Yet, I had this simple faith that God was real and he heard my prayers. After my mother died, I used to plead in my prayers that my grandparents would live for a long time so I wouldn’t be left again. Both of my grandparents lived to their mid-late eighties and died long after I was married with my own family. I remember just feeling that if I prayed about something Heavenly Father would hear me.
Over the years, my faith has been tested. One of my daughters was born with an infection. The doctors thought it was meningitis which, at her age, would’ve been fatal. I prayed and prayed for her and it seemed as though whatever I prayed for wasn’t answered. In fact, it seemed like the opposite occurred. I remember feeling completely broken, thinking that for some reason Heavenly Father wasn’t answering my prayers. Yet, at the moment when I most needed a confirmation of my faith, I received it. From this experience I learned I must trust in Heavenly Father and that he knows more than I do. In the end, my daughter was fine and has suffered no ill effects from her infection, but the refining of the experience strengthened my faith and taught me that, sometimes, we do have to have our faith tested.
In order for our faith to grow we must feed it. One of my favorite Primary songs is Faith. In this song we sing about how faith is like a seed. Faith is often compared to a mustard seed, the tiniest of seeds. Yet, when it’s properly fed and nourished it grows into an enormous plant.
We must continually feed and nourish our faith. We do this by attending our meetings, serving in our callings, magnifying those callings, saying our prayers, attending the temple, and doing all in our power to keep the commandments that we understand. Each time we pay our tithing we are exhibiting our faith and it is growing. Every time we do our visiting teaching or home teaching we are showing our faith and allowing it to grow. Sometimes, our faith grows most when our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be answered.
My niece lost her mother, my sister-in-law, to cancer last year. Of course, we all prayed that her mother would be healed, but that didn’t happen. Not long ago, this niece bore such a sweet and strong testimony and I marveled at her incredible faith to endure such a trial.
Faith is the foremost principle of the gospel. When we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, everything else will fall into place.
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Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
Return to the neighborhood.
The most basic, fundamental belief we have is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is what motivates us to do what we do. Faith is what changes us and transforms us.
When I was a young girl, I did not have religion in my life, Yet, I had this simple faith that God was real and he heard my prayers. After my mother died, I used to plead in my prayers that my grandparents would live for a long time so I wouldn’t be left again. Both of my grandparents lived to their mid-late eighties and died long after I was married with my own family. I remember just feeling that if I prayed about something Heavenly Father would hear me.
Over the years, my faith has been tested. One of my daughters was born with an infection. The doctors thought it was meningitis which, at her age, would’ve been fatal. I prayed and prayed for her and it seemed as though whatever I prayed for wasn’t answered. In fact, it seemed like the opposite occurred. I remember feeling completely broken, thinking that for some reason Heavenly Father wasn’t answering my prayers. Yet, at the moment when I most needed a confirmation of my faith, I received it. From this experience I learned I must trust in Heavenly Father and that he knows more than I do. In the end, my daughter was fine and has suffered no ill effects from her infection, but the refining of the experience strengthened my faith and taught me that, sometimes, we do have to have our faith tested.
In order for our faith to grow we must feed it. One of my favorite Primary songs is Faith. In this song we sing about how faith is like a seed. Faith is often compared to a mustard seed, the tiniest of seeds. Yet, when it’s properly fed and nourished it grows into an enormous plant.
We must continually feed and nourish our faith. We do this by attending our meetings, serving in our callings, magnifying those callings, saying our prayers, attending the temple, and doing all in our power to keep the commandments that we understand. Each time we pay our tithing we are exhibiting our faith and it is growing. Every time we do our visiting teaching or home teaching we are showing our faith and allowing it to grow. Sometimes, our faith grows most when our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be answered.
My niece lost her mother, my sister-in-law, to cancer last year. Of course, we all prayed that her mother would be healed, but that didn’t happen. Not long ago, this niece bore such a sweet and strong testimony and I marveled at her incredible faith to endure such a trial.
Faith is the foremost principle of the gospel. When we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, everything else will fall into place.
Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood.com newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.
Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
Return to the neighborhood.
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Father and The Son: Separate and Distinct
“We ought to be real students—students like no one else. … If we, in this lay Church, don’t become proficient in learning the gospel of Jesus Christ, who on earth will? If the elders of Israel do not become profound theologians, who on earth will? If you mothers and mothers-to-be don’t learn the gospel sufficiently to teach your children, who on earth will? And, you missionaries, if you don’t learn the message the Lord would have you teach, who on earth will? Many painfully discover the obvious—you can’t teach well that which you do not know!” (Joe J. Christensen, “Learning Is Everybody’s Business,” Ensign, Feb. 1979, pp. 64–65).
I’m going to focus on this quote as I blog about missionary work over the next several weeks. I will be writing about the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hopes that those who are not of our faith can learn more about us, and those of us who are LDS can strengthen our knowledge and be more effective as we teach the gospel to others.
The First Article of Faith states, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” As we consider this basic belief, we must also contemplate the First Vision wherein Joseph Smith literally saw the Father and the Son.
One of the most important aspects that we learn from the First Vision is that young Joseph saw two distinct personages. Both the Father and the Son appeared and both spoke to him (Joseph Smith History 1:17-20). Many churches today believe in the trinity, that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one being, not distinct separate, beings. We have been blessed to know that each member of the Godhead is distinct and separate from the other.
When I was a little girl, my mother was in search of the truth. After my father’s death, she desperately wanted answers. As a result, we investigated many different religions. I remember a specific instance when I was in a class and asked about where Jesus resided. The teacher responded that Jesus was all around us. I asked if he was in my heart and she said he was. I asked if he was in my hair and she said he was. I then asked if he was in my fingernail and, again, she replied that he was because he was everywhere all the time. Even though I was young, this simply did not make sense to me. I couldn’t believe that Jesus was everywhere all the time. I had always envisioned him as a person (in fact, I would say my prayers and then open my eyes as quickly as possible because I was sure he was there and I was determined to see him before he left my room). The idea that he was some sort of mist that could be everywhere at the same time didn’t seem right to me.
After my mother’s death, I discovered the LDS Church and soon learned that Jesus was once a mortal man who walked on the earth. He is now a resurrected being with flesh and bones, as is Heavenly Father. “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; . . .” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Heavenly Father and Jesus are separate personages.
This makes perfect sense to me.
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Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
Return to the neighborhood.
I’m going to focus on this quote as I blog about missionary work over the next several weeks. I will be writing about the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hopes that those who are not of our faith can learn more about us, and those of us who are LDS can strengthen our knowledge and be more effective as we teach the gospel to others.
The First Article of Faith states, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” As we consider this basic belief, we must also contemplate the First Vision wherein Joseph Smith literally saw the Father and the Son.
One of the most important aspects that we learn from the First Vision is that young Joseph saw two distinct personages. Both the Father and the Son appeared and both spoke to him (Joseph Smith History 1:17-20). Many churches today believe in the trinity, that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one being, not distinct separate, beings. We have been blessed to know that each member of the Godhead is distinct and separate from the other.
When I was a little girl, my mother was in search of the truth. After my father’s death, she desperately wanted answers. As a result, we investigated many different religions. I remember a specific instance when I was in a class and asked about where Jesus resided. The teacher responded that Jesus was all around us. I asked if he was in my heart and she said he was. I asked if he was in my hair and she said he was. I then asked if he was in my fingernail and, again, she replied that he was because he was everywhere all the time. Even though I was young, this simply did not make sense to me. I couldn’t believe that Jesus was everywhere all the time. I had always envisioned him as a person (in fact, I would say my prayers and then open my eyes as quickly as possible because I was sure he was there and I was determined to see him before he left my room). The idea that he was some sort of mist that could be everywhere at the same time didn’t seem right to me.
After my mother’s death, I discovered the LDS Church and soon learned that Jesus was once a mortal man who walked on the earth. He is now a resurrected being with flesh and bones, as is Heavenly Father. “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; . . .” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Heavenly Father and Jesus are separate personages.
This makes perfect sense to me.
Join the Neighborhood Newsletter . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the yourLDSneighborhood.com newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods® (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), cruises, and more.
Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by clicking here.
Return to the neighborhood.
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