Moral Courage
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Finding Happiness, Finding Truth, Jesus Christ, Leading a Balanced Life, Obedience
One of the purposes of mortal life is to prove to God that we will keep His commandments when that takes courage (Henry B. Eyring, “Moral Courage,” Liahona, Mar 2010, 4–7).
An important aspect of Mormon beliefs is that one purpose of our life on earth is to be tested. Passing the test requires moral courage, because if it were easy, the test would be meaningless. Read more
Should Mormons Offer Physical Proof of the Book of Mormon?
Filed under: Book of Mormon, Book of Mormon, D & C, Pearl of Great Price, Frequently Asked Questions, History of the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, The Restoration
When people attempt to argue Mormonism, they usually begin with some commentary on proof. They want proof—physical, tangible, and scientific—that it is true. When science or history discovers something that might help to “prove” an aspect of Mormonism, Mormons are generally interested, but these things don’t strengthen their testimonies. They are merely interesting.
While this might irritate some Christians, it must be remembered that much of the Bible can’t be proven, either. Science has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the possibility of God, whose existence cannot be scientifically proven. Nor has science proven the Creation. We can’t fit some historical stories into the known political leadership of the time. We don’t have the bones of Adam and Eve. We haven’t found the ark, or proven the entire world once flooded at once. There are creatures mentioned in the Bible we haven’t been able to prove just yet—no dragons or unicorns have emerged during archaeological expeditions.
Does this shake the faith of the average Christian? Of course not. Faith is not about proof. If it can be proven, it doesn’t require faith. The Bible is filled with admonitions to have faith, not to have proof.
Paul gave a powerful sermon on faith in Hebrews, chapter 11 (King James version of the Bible): “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. He reminds us of many Biblical heroes who lived their lives based on faith, not proof. Noah didn’t ask for proof of an impending flood before building the ark, Paul said, nor did Abraham ask for proof before moving to a new land or taking Isaac to be sacrificed. They trusted God and their own testimonies and acted without any proof at all that these things were necessary.
Faith is an essential element of religion. Mormons teach that faith is one of the primary reasons God sent us here to earth. Could we learn to believe in Him and trust Him when He isn’t right here, in our sight? We believed we could and agreed to come to earth to gain faith, to be tested, and to obtain families and bodies.
Most Christians accept a responsibility to develop faith in Jesus Christ, and to agree to accept Him as our Savior without any physical proof of His existence. We don’t know where He is buried. There are no official records recording His life. He never wrote a word that we have on hand, and no one painted His picture or sculpted His likeness. We don’t know what He looked like. We can only make assumptions based on historical knowledge of the time and place in which He lived, and we must trust the recorded words of others as to His existence and teachings. And yet, with all this lack of physical proof, billions of people have believed in Jesus Christ and modeled their lives on His teachings.
Mormons, like other Christians, know that testimony isn’t about physical proof. It is about learning to know and to trust God. Testimony is about faith, which is a higher law than proof. Faith is an eternal-life-giving law.
Christians, including Mormons, know that faith is a verb. A passive faith is not really faith. When we know that putting our hands into a fire will burn them, we don’t put our hands into the fire. We act on those things we truly know. Faith, then, must be an active faith. It isn’t enough to say we believe God has taught us not to kill, for instance. We must also act on that belief. A true Christian keeps the commandments of God as evidence of His faith. Just as Noah didn’t ask for proof, neither do Christians ask for proof before deciding to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.
While it is possible to keep the commandments without faith, it is not possible to have true faith and refuse to keep the commandments. No one is perfect, but a person with faith is constantly striving to live as Jesus taught. James taught,“ 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2)
These verses do not mean we can be saved by works done without faith, but simply for show. It means that a person who believes in and loves God will keep His commandments as a natural part of that love and faith.
Christians, including Mormons, keep the commandments even though they lack physical proof that rewards will come, either in this life or the next. For them, faith is enough to inspire a Christian lifestyle.
“Faith in Jesus Christ and a testimony of Him and His universal Atonement is not just a doctrine with great theological value. Such faith is a universal gift, glorious for all cultural regions of this earth, irrespective of race, color, language, nationality, or socioeconomic circumstance. The powers of reason may be used to try to understand this gift, but those who feel its effects most deeply are those who are willing to accept its blessings, which come from a pure and clean life of following the path of true repentance and living the commandments of God” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Precious Fruits of the First Vision,” Ensign, Feb 2009, 4–8).
Physical proof that Mormonism is true is no more essential to a Mormon than is physical proof of God, Jesus, or the Bible to any other Christian. Faith and testimony isn’t brought about by proof, but by a personal knowledge of God, and the willingness to turn to Him as the source of all truth. Science is constantly changing its mind about proof, but God never changes His mind. It comes down to this question: Who is our God—God, or science? Mormons, while respecting the role of science, choose God.
Why Do Mormons Obey Their Prophet?
Filed under: Basic LDS Beliefs, Church Organization, Counsel from Church Leaders, Jesus Christ, LDS Q&A
Mormonism is often known as a strict religion with many rules. Mormons are often asked why they obey and why they let others decide how they should live.
It is helpful to understand a little about the role of the Mormon prophet and how Mormons view him. With this knowledge, it is easier to understand why Mormons are willing to follow a prophet.
Students of the Bible are familiar with the concept of prophets. In Old Testament times, God called men to be prophets to deliver God’s word to the people. While each person is able to pray to God privately and learn His word, it would be very complicated to pray about each possible doctrine individually. God also has messages for us we might not think to pray for. A prophet serves as a channel for all the information a person needs to live according to God’s plan. In a world in which many prominent people are willing to guess at God’s word, and to teach their personal beliefs as scripture, a prophet is a sure source of information. Christians want to be certain they are living as Jesus taught, and not as someone else has decided they should live.
Adam was the first prophet on earth, speaking directly to God to learn truth and to find out what God wanted Him to do. Other prophets soon followed. Of course, there have been times when God withdrew prophecy because the people refused to listen or to honor the prophets, but He has always restored them. Prophets were on the earth to prepare the people for the first coming of Christ, and as we approach the second coming, we naturally need prophets again. For this reason, God restored prophets to the earth in modern times. The second coming requires as much preparation as did the first coming.
But how do the Mormons know their prophet really is the prophet God has chosen for this time? Mormons are taught from early childhood, and, if they are considering becoming Mormon, to ask God who the prophet is. They are instructed not to take the word of anyone on earth—not the Church’s word, not that of their parents, not that of their teachers. All of those sources are a place to be taught the gospel, but no one can give another person a testimony. A testimony can come only from God through confirmation from the Holy Ghost.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him,” taught James, believed by many scholars to be the half-brother of Jesus. (See James 1:5) Each person is entitled to turn to God for wisdom and to find out for Himself, from the only source that is completely trustworthy, that the head of the Mormon church is indeed God’s prophet. Prior to baptism, prospective members are interviewed and asked if they have taken this step.
Once a member has gained a testimony of the prophet, they can trust His teachings. However, should they at any time feel uneasy about something, they can again return to God to pray about it. This is why Mormons who have taken the time to pray about their choices are unshakable. They gained their testimonies directly from God.
Some outsiders will warn their members not to pray about which church to join, or about the prophets, because they claim the petitioner won’t know who is answering. Mormons, however, trust God. Because God promised in the Bible that we could ask Him anything and receive an answer, we trust Him to keep that promise. We know God can do anything, including answering us in a way we can recognize as coming from Him. The better we know God, and the more time we spend talking to Him and “listening” to Him, the more familiar His “voice” will become to us. Of course, prayer answers seldom come through a voice, so this is a symbolic way of speaking. It means we can recognize the ways he communicates with us, and understand how to know what the answer is. Mormons ask God because they believe Him when He makes promises.
Learn how to recognize answers to prayers.
Having an understanding of the process followed by Mormons to learn whether or not God speaks to us through prophets as well as individually, you are ready to understand why Mormons are willing to take direction from this prophet. You may already understand it, if you are a person who always strives to do what God wants you to do.
Mormons are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is revealed in the scriptures. These scriptures include both the Old and New Testaments, as well as scriptures revealed through prophets in modern times, including the Book of Mormon and also as it is revealed to the prophets.
These scriptures teach us both the penalties for ignoring God and the blessings that come from obedience. We’ve seen throughout history that fear of punishment is not enough to make people obey God. Noah relentlessly taught the gospel to the people, and warned them of the upcoming flood. Despite this, they chose to ignore his warnings and continue in their sins. Why did they do this? Some probably didn’t believe Noah. Others thought it couldn’t happen to them. Most disobeyed simply because they did not love God more than they loved their sins.
Although Mormons are taught the consequences of disobedience, they don’t focus on them. Instead, they are taught to obey out of love for God. “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” Jesus taught. (See John 14:15) Love should always be the reason for obedience. Obedience that grows out of love for God is sincere and powerful. It is easier to keep the commandments for One we love, and the greater our love, the greater our obedience. Obedience that comes from fear or from a mere sense of obligation seldom lasts and does not produce all the blessings of obedience done from the heart. Obeying from love enlarges our spirit, increases our testimony, and helps us to become a better person. It allows us to become more like Jesus Christ.
A previous Mormon prophet, Ezra Taft Benson, taught, “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.” (See Elder Donald L. Staheli Of the Seventy CES Fireside for Young Adults on 2 March 2003.)
Parable of the Talents
Filed under: Bible, Finding Happiness, Jesus Christ, New Testament, Teachings of Christ, The Bible
In the New Testament, Jesus told a parable of a man who, about to leave on a trip, gave each of his servants some talents (coins) to have stewardship over. Each received a different amount. Most of them used the talents in such a way as to increase the value of the stewardship by the time the master returned. However, the person who had received the smallest number of talents—only one—hid his in the ground to protect it, rather than working to make it worth more than it was worth originally.
Even though the man had only one talent, and others had as many as five, he was expected to make good use of that talent and to expand its value, rather than to bury it where it couldn’t help anyone.
Today, we often look around and see that others have far more talent than we do. When our talents don’t seem as many, we might feel less valued by God. When our talents are less great, we might wonder if it’s even worth doing anything with them.
Mormon beliefs teach that our talents are gifts from God. The number we’re given, or even the extent of them, really isn’t the point of the talents. They were given to us to do something with, and if we use them well, they will have value and even increase.
I’m an author. I didn’t write something publishable the first time I sat down to write. It took many years of writing badly written stories, articles, and books—beginning when I was only six years old—before I wrote something anyone was willing to publish. I received a large stack of rejection letters over the years before I received the first acceptance letter, and still receive rejections today, even after publishing a book that got good reviews.
My books will never be best sellers. I simply don’t have that kind of talent. Does that mean I shouldn’t write? Of course not. What I write may not make history, but it has helped a few people, and so has value. I’ve improved my ability to write over the years, and since I can live forever through the atonement, I expect I will improve a great deal in the next few million years. However, I can’t wait for the next life to get started; mproving my talents is one of my earthly assignments.
Sometimes we misjudge how talent and success work. I decided many years ago to return to school and take a math class, because I wanted to better help my children with their math. I’d always been awful at math, and was extremely frightened to take this class. However, I ended up getting straight A’s in every test, the first A’s I had ever received in math. A student who was not doing well noted my grade on the posted grade sheet and complained it wasn’t fair that I got A’s. He said it was easy for me because I was naturally good at math. I explained my history of math failures. My grades weren’t the result of talent; they were the result of hard work. We were required to do every other odd numbered problem. I did every problem, often three or four times. I worked a few weeks ahead of the class in case I got stuck and I received one-on-one help from the professor almost weekly by making use of office hours. I even cornered a professor or two I wasn’t taking classes from when I was really desperate.
Talent can help us to be successful, but hard work is also critical. I may never be a math genius, because my brain isn’t configured for that type of thinking. My talent in math was miniscule, but hard work made up some of the difference. Even with great talent, work is critical.
Of course, hard work can’t turn you into a genius in every case. Anyone who has heard me singing to my toddlers in the church nursery knows I’m never going to be a great singer, but even though singing might not be my talent, I can still sing, at least to toddlers who don’t care. I used to worry a lot about what I wasn’t good at. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve stopped worrying about this so much and I’ve begun to focus on what I can do, or might be able to do if I really worked at it.
When I felt overwhelmed about writing a book, a friend pointed out that if I wrote only one page a day, I’d have a book in a year. I only had to focus on my one little page. Many of us are very busy and don’t feel we have much time for talents. However, if we give that talent even fifteen minutes of our time each day, we will be working toward something that will be ready for our greater attention in a few years, when we have more time.
The Savior, Jesus Christ, instructed us to make wise use of every gift God has given us. If we take even our tiniest talents and work at them, turning to God for help, we can magnify them and thereby honor the giver of the gift. The parable of the talents was given to us to remind us to make use of our God-given gifts to become the person God knows we can be.
Reading the Book of Mormon to Learn Virtue
Filed under: Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, Young Women
Recently, we’ve been studying how the Mormons are teaching their teenagers to live a virtuous life. The girls-and in some areas, the boys-work to achieve goals in a number of areas known as values. The newest value is virtue. As part of completing the Virtue Value, the teenagers are asked to read the entire Book of Mormon. Read more
Jesus Christ: The Greatest of Us All
Filed under: Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Plan of Salvation
What can I say about Jesus Christ, the Greatest of us All that has not already been said. From “The Living Christ” signed and dated by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles we learn of our Savior:
He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.
He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.
We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.
He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10). (The Living Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
There is such power in a prophet and apostles testifying of Jesus Christ and all His glory. I could quote scripture after scripture, prophet after prophet, apostle after apostle and disciple after disciple and all would say the same thing: Jesus Chris is the Son of God. He is our Savior and Redeemer and only through Him, and by Him, may we be saved.
Only because of the crowning glory of creation, the Atonement, paid for in blood by Jesus Christ, are we able to attain eternal life. Only because He allowed Himself to be unjustly crucified and then broke the bands of death with His resurrection, did the grave lose its sting.
Only because He and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr. in the spring of 1820 have the full keys and authority of the priesthood been restored upon the earth. Only because He chose that boy, Joseph, to be our prophet was the kingdom of God restored in its entirety to the children of God on the earth. Only because Jesus Christ loves us beyond all comprehension is He our advocate to the Father.
I testify with all my heart and soul that Jesus is the Christ. He is that one prophesied of for millennia and He was born into the world over 2,000 years ago fulfilling that prophecy. He is our King, our Lord, our Savior and our Redeemer. He did walk the dusty paths of the Middle East teaching the purity of the Gospel once again. Without prevarication I testify that He did suffer for all our sins, sorrows, illnesses and grief, meeting the demands of eternal law and justice. He paid the price for us and asks only that we offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit in return. I assure you He was raised up on the cross and died 1,975 years ago, just before the Jewish Sabbath began. His broken and torn body was taken down and lovingly carried to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and Jesus arose from the grave three days later, breaking the bands of death. I promise you that the Resurrection is real and guaranteed to every human being who has lived on, is living on or ever will live on this world of God’s creation. Believe, my friends, for it is truth I offer you.
Jesus Christ asks us to remember who we are. He wants us to remember the divine heritage from which we come. He wants us to remember Him. He wants us to remember our Heavenly Father. In all things, Jesus Christ stands for us, just as He told that prophet of old, Moses:
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)
He asks so little of us, can we not give Him our loyalty and love in return?
Redemption After Repentance
Filed under: Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Plan of Salvation
All of us at different points in our lives have made mistakes. Some are small and some are huge. Depending on the magnitude of that sin, you may be saying to yourself: “I’m useless. There is no hope for me. I am not loved. God is ashamed of me. My family is ashamed of me. I can’t believe I made that mistake, there is no way back for me now.”
My friends, those are complete and utter lies. Satan is the master deceiver and you must not believe him. His only goal is to destroy and bind you completely so that you will never think to turn back from the darkness. Your Heavenly Father pleads with you to turn back to Him and let Him help you on that path to repentance. Our Savior Jesus Christ willingly paid the price of your mistakes and because He did so, there is always a path back to Them.
Sin is an insidious and dangerous thing. It chips away at your armor and then eats away at your soul until you are figuratively curled in a small ball in the farthest corner you can find from everyone. This is not as your Heavenly Father would have it. He would have you recognize what you have done, forsake that sin and come back.
There are two great examples in scriptural history of heinous crimes being committed and the complete transformation of body and spirit which occurred.
First, we have Saul of Tarsus:
A dramatic change came to Saul when he was on his way to Damascus. Saul had been “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). As he was on his way to Damascus, a light from heaven shone about him.
“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 9:4–5).
Perhaps Saul’s heart had been softened when the mob cast Stephen out of the city and stoned him and laid their clothes at Saul’s feet. But there was no doubt on the road to Damascus when he heard the voice of the Lord, which said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”
“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6). Saul was blind when he arose and had to be taken to Damascus, where his sight was restored to him and he was baptized. He immediately began to preach “Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20). Saul, who later became known as Paul, experienced a change that was total, absolute, complete, and unwavering until his death. (James E. Faust, “The Power to Change,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 122–24)
Saul, who stoned Christians, became Paul the Apostle, a man who dedicated his life to God once he’d seen the error of his ways. Without question, I’m certain, once he realized what he’d done, he suffered a great harrowing of his soul as he sought forgiveness for the murders he’d instigated. His repentance was complete, forgiveness was granted and redemption was found. It could not have been an easy path, but the point is that path was traversed and at the end, our Savior stood waiting to welcome him into His arms.
Repentance seems like such a scary thing, when in reality it is not only the forsaking of those behaviors and action, but also the willingness, in other words . . . loving yourself enough, to accept the forgiveness your Savior is offering you. Your Father in Heaven loves you, as does Jesus Christ, far more than you could ever imagine or understand. Yes, their hearts are saddened when sins are committed, for each sin committed draws you a little further from Them and little closer to the one who would have you drowning in an endless pool of misery.
A second example we will touch on is that of Alma the Younger:
Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.
And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.
And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king—
And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;
And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.
Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.
And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.
And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.
Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off.
And now it came to pass that these were the last words which the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed. (Mosiah 27:8-17)
Now, that’s a wakeup call! For two days and two nights Alma lay in a state of stupor, unable to speak or move. He was suffering the tortures of the damned as everything he had done was played over and over in his mind while Satan did his best to make sure Alma stayed forever in a state of abject misery. But while this was happening, his father, Alma the Elder, along with the high priests of the Church were fasting and praying.
At his darkest moment, Alma remember his father’s teachings and he cried out to Jesus Christ for rescue from this hell. He was freed from Satan’s grasp, regained his strength and ability to speak and arose a new man. One of the greatest missionaries in the history of the world, Alma the Younger eventually cried:
O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. (Alma 29:1-2)
So, as you see my friends, there is great hope. The Savior will respond to all who cry unto Him. You have only to recognize that you are worthy of forgiveness and then you must forgive yourself. You must shake off those behaviors, turning to the Savior for strength if you cannot accomplish that.
What I would have you remember, above all else, there is hope. You must never believe the lies being told to you, or the ones running through your head. You made a mistake, now it is time to rectify it and receive that great peace of mind and heart which awaits the repentance that our Savior made possible.
An Interview with Author, Loralee Evans
Filed under: Book of Mormon, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Plan of Salvation
Lorlee Evans and I belong to the same writers group, and as such, I have the privilege of being able to listen to testimonies being born on a number of gospel principles.
I am a single mom with four children, and am a high school English teacher. I have written two books based on events in The Book of Mormon. One is called The King’s Heir, the other is called The Birthright. I am working on a third book, and have tentatively entitled it, The Shores of Bountiful. (Loralee Evans, 28 July 2008)
Today, I invited Loralee to sit down with me and discuss the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Candace: Loralee, as an author of Book of Mormon historical fiction, you have immersed yourself in the scriptures and then brought them to life through the medium of the modern written word. Please share with us why you chose the Book of Mormon and those particular stories to weave your tales around?
Loralee: I chose the Book of Mormon because there are so many possibilities for great stories within it. The scribes, Mormon and others, didn’t have much space on the plates, or time to dedicate to things other than what was absolutely necessary to write for our day, and therefore there are many things that happened, that are mentioned very briefly in the Book of Mormon, but not explored in depth. For example what kind of young lady was the girl who fled from Morianton and ran and told Captain Moroni all of his plans? I’ve often wondered what kind of person she was, because to do something like that, I think would take a lot of gumption and courage. Also, who was the servant of Teancum in Alma 51:33 who went with him when he went down into the camp of the Lamanites and killed Amalickiah in his sleep? Or who was the servant of Helaman in Helaman 2:6-9 who was out by night, and had learned “through disguise” about the plans of the Gadiantons? These had to be pretty gutsy, special people to do what they did, and I find it fascinating to explore what kinds of people they might have been.
Candace: What is your favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon and why? And then, adding all the scriptures in, is it still your favorite, and if not, which one is and why?
Loralee: I think the Psalm of Nephi, 2 Nephi 4:15-35 is my most favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon. Because it shows both that Nephi struggled with life, just like the rest of us, yet found strength when he put his trust in God. That scripture is very comforting to me when I am dealing with life’s struggles.
I think my favorite scripture out of all the scriptures is Isaiah 40:31. “For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” The reason why, is that I love the promises in that scripture that those who serve the Lord by obeying Him and doing what is right, will be rewarded for it. The natural consequences of their choices will come back to them in good ways.
Candace: Who is your favorite Book of Mormon prophet and why?
Loralee: My favorite Book of Mormon prophet is Abinadi. He did not see the results of his efforts before he died, but because of him, countless lives were changed for the better.
Candace: Will you please share with us your conversion? All of us, whether we are born into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not, have a moment of conversion.
Loralee: My freshman year in high school, was the year we were studying the Book of Mormon, and my seminary teacher, Sister Bradshaw, challenged us to read the Book of Mormon and also to take Moroni’s challenge in Moroni 10:3-5 to find out for ourselves about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. When I tested Moroni’s promise, I was able to find out for myself that the Book of Mormon is indeed true, and that it is everything Joseph Smith said it was.
Candace: Will you please share your personal testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ?
Loralee: I am very grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the hope that it gives us all, so that we can repent of our mistakes, and get back on track. Without Christ’s example for us to follow, and the Atonement, there wouldn’t be much purpose to life.
Candace: Christians across the globe face an ever-increasing battle against those who would destroy and erase all that our Savior has done for us. What would you say to them, iven the chance?
Loralee: I would say be more concerned about doing what is right, than what is popular. There are certain rights and wrongs in this world, and they do not change just because popular opinion changes.
Candace: Please share your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope it brings to every human soul.
Loralee: The Gospel of Jesus Christ helps me understand my own worth, and the worth of other people. As people come to learn of the Gospel, they come to see their own great worth. We are not here by accident. We are children of God, and our worth is greater than we can realize. As people come to realize this, they see themselves and others the way God wants them to.
Candace: You stand, as it were, on a world stage. In that circumstance, what message do you have for this troubled world?
Loralee: I would say, don’t be afraid to do what’s right, no matter how tough it may seem at the time. Don’t forget that you are a son or daughter of God, and thus, have worth far greater than you may know. Follow the good examples you see around you, especially the one perfect example of Jesus Christ. Doing what is right, and having the courage to stand up and defend what is right may be difficult, but it is worth it.
Loralee, thank you for being willing to share your testimony and knowledge of Jesus Christ and His Gospel with the world.
Making the Most of Personal Revelation
Filed under: Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Plan of Salvation
Personal revelation is one of the key differences between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormons, and other Christian churches. We believe we have the right to speak with and be spoken to by our Heavenly Father.
Brigham Young taught:
This people believe in revelation. This people did believe and do believe that the Lord has spoken from the heavens. They did believe and do believe that God has sent angels to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, according to the testimony of John [see Revelation 14:6–7] (DBY, 38).
We often hear it said that the living oracles must be in the Church, in order that the Kingdom of God may be established and prosper on the earth. I will give another version of this sentiment. I say that the living oracles of God, or the Spirit of revelation must be in each and every individual, to know the plan of salvation and keep in the path that leads them to the presence of God (DBY, 38).
The Lord is not everywhere in person; but he has his agents speaking and acting for him. His angels, his messengers, his apostles and servants are appointed and authorized to act in his name. And his servants are authorized to counsel and dictate in the greatest and what might be deemed the most trifling matters, to instruct, direct and guide his Saints (DBY, 41).
No man can gain influence in this Kingdom, and maintain himself in it, magnify his calling without the power of God being with him. Persons must so live that they can enjoy the light of the Holy Spirit, or they will have no confidence in themselves, in their religion, or in their God, and will sooner or later turn from the faith (DBY, 33).
It was asked me by a gentleman how I guided the people by revelation. I teach them to live so that the Spirit of revelation may make plain to them their duty day by day that they are able to guide themselves. To get this revelation it is necessary that the people live so that their spirits are as pure and clean as a piece of blank paper that lies on the desk before the [writer], ready to receive any mark the writer may make upon it (DBY, 41).
No earthly argument, no earthly reasoning can open the minds of intelligent beings and show them heavenly things; that can only be done by the Spirit of revelation [see 1 Corinthians 2:9–14] (DBY, 37).(“Chapter 6: The Communication between God and Man,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 41)
Indeed, we not only have the right to answers for our prayers, but we have the right to be inspired, guided and protected by our Father in Heaven.
Elder Richard G. Scott, a living apostle, spoke in length about getting the most of any personal revelation that is received in a CES (Church Educational System) Symposium in 1998. Without going into any great length, and breaking it down to a simple statement, he said that if we were to write down any revelation we receive and then ask if there were more, more would come. His talk detailed this process in detail as well as offering the caution to be humble and teachable.
Take this advice to heart, I have received the most precious and personal revelation, pertaining to me and my family, that I never would have imagined. You must understand, our Father in Heaven waits to hear from each of us. Much as you would call your mother or father now, to catch up and re-establish and strengthen that love and familial connection, our Heavenly Father wishes for you to do the same.
My friends, remember who you are. For you are children of God, beloved of our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. Who you are matters to Heavenly Father. Your happiness or sorrow matter to Jesus Christ. Your life, every minute of every day, is lovingly watched over, rejoiced over, grieved over and wept over as decisions are made and consequences are met, be they positive or negative.
You have a right to kneel, pour your heart out and if you are willing to be still and listen, hear, literally hear the words with your heart, our Father in Heaven wishes you to feel or hear.
The first place to start would be to shake off your preconceptions and prejudices, with a humble and loving heart, kneel and ask: Is Jesus Christ the Messiah? Did He redeem the world? Is He the Son of God? Are you my Heavenly Father? Do you love me? Do you believe in me? Will you help me?
I assure you, the answers will come. Maybe not immediately, maybe a day, week, month, year or decades later, but the answer will come and you will clearly remember your question when the answer comes. When you finish praying, and listening, write all your thoughts down and then place them in a quiet and safe place where you can turn back to them often.
Your Father in Heaven did not send you to mortality without the means to “call home.” Prayer is that very sacred manner by which we may “call home.” I urge you to do it and do it often. You may be completely surprised by the changes which will take place in your life.
Prepared to Serve the Lord
Filed under: Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ
As Latter-day Saints, Mormons, we are prepared from our youth to serve the Lord. It has nothing to do with being programmed or brainwashed, but rather we are taught from birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and His great and glorious sacrifice that we might be saved and resurrected, rather than permanently consigned to the grave with no hope of an eternal future. Our Lord has paid that price and with a clear understanding of who He is to us, we are encouraged to seek out this knowledge, understanding and testimony for ourselves.
Modern day apostle, Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke about a member of the Seventy, Elder D. Todd Christofferson and his teenage years:
As a teenager living in Somerset, New Jersey, Todd Christofferson participated in the cast of the Hill Cumorah Pageant near Palmyra, New York, for two summers. During the production his first year, young Todd remembered the words of a former bishop. He had encouraged the youth of the ward to never give up striving with the Lord until they had “burned into [their] hearts a testimony of the gospel. (Elder Quentin L. Cook, Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Prepared to Serve the Lord, Ensign, August 2008 10)
What we as youth were expected to do, and I did, was read the scriptures, studying the words of ancient and modern prophets and apostles in order that we may learn for ourselves the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A testimony, or witness–as other religions call it, is simply an expression of faith and knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the long foretold Messiah and our Redeemer. A firm conviction that His gospel is the path by which we may return to our heavenly home. Indeed, that we know this life is about more than the next party, game, movie, t.v. show or video game.
Latter-day Saint youth are blessed with the knowledge of how to pray and receive answers for themselves. No one says to them, this is what you believe, go with it. No, we are taught to seek for ourselves and once we know, to testify of Jesus Christ and His divine mission. As I grew older I immersed myself in the scriptures, both ancient and modern, and, later, the words of trusted theologians. I have studied every aspect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and welcome the principles, practices and precepts as old friends and a way by which I choose to live my life.
Forty-five years after my birth, I stand as a witness of Jesus Christ with a firm testimony of His divinity and His mission:
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)
Immortality was achieved for mankind when Jesus Christ broke the bands of death and arose from the grave.
Eternal Life became attainable when He suffered the Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane and again while He hung on the cross.
Our Savior has done His part. Now, what will you do?