The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others) convenes a General Conference twice a year. The Conference is normally held during the first weekend in April, and then again during the first weekend in October. It is broadcast to members of the Church worldwide and consists of uplifting and inspiring messages from the First Presidency of the Church and other General Authorities and auxiliary leaders.

As a person prayerfully listens to the messages that are delivered, as well as the beautiful music that is sung, he may begin to reflect on his own personal life, and how a particular message, or messages, may apply directly to his station in life at that particular moment in time. Such was the case as I listened to the discourses that were delivered during the 183^rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that was held in April 2013.

Having Faith for the Journey

There is no doubt that this life is a test. It is a test of our obedience and our faithfulness to endure to the end. On our life’s journey we will travel down some roads that are as smooth as glass, but there will also be other roads that are filled with potholes and other obstructions which we must, by faith, learn to maneuver around in order to continue to press forward. But, what is faith?

In Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews we learn, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1.) And, in the Book of Mormon, which Latter-day Saints testify is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, recorded in Ether 12:6 are these words, “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” [Emphasis added]

Therefore, we must never allow the obstacles that we face to deter us from reaching the finishing line – enduring to the end. Said J.R.R. Tolkein, an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the highly acclaimed classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

Life Consists of Mountain Top and Valley Experiences

When I think of faith, and how having faith has strengthened my own life, I often reflect on the blessings of the mountain top experiences that I have had in my young life, as well as, what I call, the down in the valley experiences that I have endured. Life consists of both. I believe that it is quite natural to want to spend our lives atop the high and lofty mountains, but when the winds of adversity begin to blow, and we find ourselves in the depths of the valley, we oftentimes find ourselves crying out in desperation, “Why is this happening to me?” As Dr. Seuss, the famous author of such classic children’s book as Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat once said concerning life, “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

If I encounter a person who has been blessed to only experience thus far the mountain top experiences, I would say to him, just keep living. None of us were ever promised a ride through life on a bed of roses. Those roses come from bushes that have thorns, and those thorns tend to prick us from time to time.

On the other hand, when I encounter a person that feels that his life is full of down in the valley experiences, I would say to him, never give up hope. Never give up trusting and believing in God. I testify that God will never let us down, but rather it is we who so often let Him down. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Therefore, none of us are ever truly alone on our journey through life.

I believe that God, our Heavenly Father, gives us certain mountain top experiences in our lives in response to our faithfulness and obedience. However, it is those experiences that should keep us ever reaching for what the Apostle Paul described as “the prize of the high calling.” Although we may reach the pinnacle of a mountain, Our Heavenly Father gently reminds us that we need not become boastful nor proud of our accomplishment. Instead we should humbly thank Him in awe and reverence for allowing us to have such experiences, realizing that He may need us to go even higher. Therefore, reaching the top of a mountain in our life is not the time to relax and put our faith on hold, for it may only be a beginning, but not necessarily an end. There may be even more mountains in life yet to conquer.

Likewise, I believe that God, our Heavenly Father, gives us down in the valley experiences, not to punish us per se, but to teach us humility. It is often when a man is at his lowest point or lying flat on his back that he tends to look up the most. Knowing this, our Heavenly Father often places us in situations that help us to return our focus upon the One from whence truly comes our help – He whom the Psalmist declares is a “very present help in time of trouble.” As we look up from the depths of the valley we may be able to gain a magnificent glimpse of the splendor of the mountains above, and perhaps just a small glimpse of what being on top of those mountains would be like. Therefore, being in the bowels of the valley is not necessarily an end to all things, but rather a beginning of new things that are yet to come.

The Lord never promised any of us that we would journey through this life riding upon a bed of comfort. However, He did promise us that if we will be faithful and endure until the end of the journey, it will be worth it all.

Regardless of the size of the mountains we must conquer in this life, or the depths of the valleys that we may sometimes find ourselves having to endure, it is our measure of faith that will allow us to overcome every obstacle that we face. For we are told that if we have faith, even as the grain of a mustard seed, we will be able to say unto the mountain before us, “Be thou removed and cast into the sea” and it shall be moved.

Until After the Trial of Your Faith

I know that the things that I have shared thus far are true from personal experiences that I have had. I will share just one example to help emphasize what has been said to this point.

My mother passed away at the young age of 59 years after a battle with breast cancer in June 1997. In July 2004, my father remarried. I will only say that things did not go well from the start. As his son, I was left to continually pray and have faith that things would work out for him. I must also admit that there were times when my heart was filled with fear for him, and sometimes I would find myself even doubting my own faith and thinking about what his end would be if things did not take a turn for the better. On 20 November 2006, those fears became a reality when I received a telephone call at work from the older of my two sisters informing me that our father had not come home the night before, and that a missing person’s report had been filed. I earnestly prayed, and wanted more than anything for this to just be a bad dream, but by 6:00 PM that evening, I had received another telephone call and now found myself talking with a detective who informed me that my father had been found dead in a landfill area. My father was only 71 years of age.

In the days following my father’s death, I would say for almost a year afterwards, I literally became consumed with wanting to have some answers to what might have happened. I desperately tried to have faith to know that whatever happened God knew all about it, but I admit that there were times when just having faith seemed to not be enough. I spent many nights trying to sleep, and wetting my pillow with tears just wanting answers that never came. As a result of worrying so much over the matter, I began to have constant headaches, feel sick, and even had a few anxiety attacks.

Now, I ask that you, the reader, not be too critical or judgmental of me. I humbly submit that it is extremely easy to give counsel to someone who is going through a difficult time in their life and to say things like, “Hang in there!”, “Stay Strong”, or “Keep the faith.” I submit that it is easy to do that when we are not the ones walking in their shoes at that time, or the ones feeling the hurt, the pain, the grief, the sorrow, and even often times, the anguish that gets mixed in with all of that. It is real easy to make rash judgments about a person when we are the ones on the outside looking in.

May I offer a word of counsel to each of us? Instead of ever being critical or judgmental of a person who is going through a tough time, let us learn to be more patient, more loving, kinder, and more understanding, just as our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself would be. I also humbly submit that during those difficult moments that a person is experiencing, he does not necessarily need to hear one more sermon. What he does need is for someone to be his friend. What he does not necessarily need is someone who knows how to use their voice, but rather what he does need is someone who has ears that will listen, and a heart that is full of compassion.

For approximately a year I found myself on a real emotional rollercoaster ride. At times I kept myself purposefully busy in order to be able to focus on other things. It was not until one night alone in my apartment as I cried out to my Father in Heaven once again for peace that I received the answer that the reason that I had not been at peace the entire time was because of my own worry and my own anxiety that got in the way of receiving the peace that had already been given. It was not until then, there alone in my apartment, in the lowest depths of the valley that I finally came to terms with the matter. It was then that I decided to put it all in the hands of the Lord and leave it there. I did have faith all along, but it was my refusal to “let go” that was standing in the way of my faith. I was doing exactly what Moroni warned us not to do. I was disputing the entire matter simply because I did not have anything tangible that I could hold on to that would reasonably explain my father’s death. It was only when I finally decided to let go; only after the trial of my faith, did the witness of true and lasting peace return to my life.

I boldly testify that although there may be seemingly insurmountable mountains that we must climb, or down in the valley experiences that we must endure in this life, the Lord also understands that there must be a period of rest from our journeying. It is during those times that He safely leads us beside the still waters and causes us to lay down in green pastures as He restores our souls, thus giving us the necessary strength to press forward and endure to the end of our journey.

Life is full of tests and trials with many obstacles which we will face along the way. But, let us take heart that at no time on our journey are we ever alone. He is always right there beside us. Our part is to remain faithful and obedient to His will, and endure to the end. I testify that I do not know about tomorrow, but I do KNOW the One who holds all of my tomorrows in the palms of His hands, and I am determined to continue to press forward by faith.

I leave you that witness and testimony in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Additional Resources:

What Mormons Believe

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

During the 2012 U.S. presidential election much was written in the press about Mormons and government, but these press releases barely touched the surface of this subject.  Of all religions in the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the “Mormon Church,” has perhaps the most to say about good government.

The Book of Mormon and Government

The Book of Mormon, like the Holy Bible, is a record containing the writings of many prophets.  These collected writings encompass the religious and secular doings of peoples who lived during 1,000 years in the Americas, most of them descendents of Jacob, whom the Lord called Israel.  They were covenant people led out of Jerusalem before the Babylonian captivity, so that the Lord could raise up to Himself a protected branch in a far part of His vineyard.  Although they kept the Law of Moses, their prophets ever prophesied of the Messiah to come, and this by name—Jesus Christ.  They taught that salvation only could come through Christ.  Christ Himself visited the Book of Mormon peoples after His resurrection, making the Book of Mormon a second witness of Him, and a support to the biblical account.

There is a great deal in the Book of Mormon about the wars and contentions among the people.  There is also much regarding how they governed themselves during certain periods.  There were periods when organized crime destroyed whole societies, and the accounts of these situations yield important warnings for our day.  There were periods when the people enjoyed real freedom, and periods when there were dictators and absolute monarchies.  There are accounts of assassinations and coups, righteous and unrighteous wars, intrigue, and genocide.  In fact, the Book of Mormon is the record of a fallen people.  God guided Mormon, a warrior-prophet who lived around 400 A.D., in abridging ancient scriptures to deliver to us in modern times what would best help us navigate the tumult and confusion of the Last Days.  Mormons would probably universally agree that in these modern, unstable times, reading the Book of Mormon can be like reading today’s newspaper.

Through this lens we can see the importance of freedom, and the selection of good leaders.  By good, we mean not only capable, but moral.  One reoccurring theme is that the leader of all is the servant of all.  Some Book of Mormon kings took nothing for their service and labored for their own support.  Another theme is what happens when a fallen people create laws—the law becomes corrupt and upholds wickedness.  Good people making good laws are important in the Book of Mormon.

American exceptionalism is also taught in the Book of Mormon.  Its prophets made a point of teaching that God would allow no people to prosper in America, unless they would be righteous.  If righteous, they would always be free, but if wicked, they would be subjected and eventually swept off.

A few quotes from the Book of Mormon regarding government:

• For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up [secret combinations] seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved (Ether 8:25, 26).

• For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted (Helaman 5:2).
• For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off (Ether 2:10).
• Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written (Ether 2:12).

Prophecy and Government (The Doctrine and Covenants and the U.S. Constitution)

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of modern revelations received by prophets in our day, mostly by the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith.  Among these revelations are several which directly refer to American government.

• The Mormons, who had been ruthlessly set upon on numerous occasions by mobs, should seek redress from local, state, and federal governments.  (This was attempted, but was usually fruitless.) (See
• The Founding Fathers were raised up by the Lord for the purpose of creating the Constitution of the United States, which the Lord calls an inspired document.
• If the people of America are righteous, they will always be free.
• Latter-day Saints should seek capable, righteous people to govern them.
• A New Jerusalem will be founded in America with its center point in Independence, Missouri.  It will follow the governing philosophies of the Constitution of the United States.

Some quotes from the Doctrine and Covenants:

• We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience (D&C 134:5).
• We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded (D&C 134:11).  (See the rest of Section 134, which deals with government.)
• Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood (D&C 101:79, 80).

The Articles of Faith

The thirteen Articles of Faith are a concise explanation of the basic doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ.  They were written by Prophet Joseph Smith in response to a request for an outline of Mormon belief from journalist William Wentworth.  The Articles of Faith were canonized by the Church and can be found in The Pearl of Great Price, a book of Mormon scripture.  The 12th Article of Faith explains that Mormons strive to be good citizens wherever they reside.  It says,. . .

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

There is an understood caveat.  Tyranny and oppression need not be upheld.  Although a soldier cannot be guilty of murder if he kills during war, the Doctrine and Covenants and Book of Mormon only uphold defensive wars as moral—in defense of family, property, and freedom—and only after a great deal of provocation and forgiveness rebuffed. (See Joseph Smith’s prophecy on war, Section 87 of the Doctrine and Covenants.)

This Article of Faith also means that Mormons will not do missionary work where they are not invited or recognized.  Most countries are anxious for Mormons to establish themselves within their borders because of their good citizenship and charitable outreach.

Temporal and Spiritual are combined in God’s True Church

A starving man is in no condition to hear and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, and part of Christ’s commandment to His children is to serve one another.  The two great commandments, to love God and to love one’s neighbor, mean that we are bound to help one another in times of need.  The Church of Jesus Christ has always been involved with both the spiritual and temporal welfare of its own members and neighbors no matter what their faith.   The Church of Jesus Christ works with governments and all sorts of charity organizations worldwide to bring disaster relief and welfare assistance wherever it is needed.

What All This Means on the Ground and in Everyday Life

Having just concluded a year and half’s service for The Church of Jesus Christ in Southeast Asia, I have witnessed some of these principles in action.  In respect for one country’s desire NOT to have its Moslem population proselytized, the Church will not teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Moslem citizens or allow them on church property to attend Christian meetings.  The Church of Jesus Christ has performed numerous acts of charity for this same population, providing access to clean water, providing wheelchairs and training for needy citizens, and other worthy and well-received projects.

Read more: A Welfare System That Works

Heavenly Father Watches Over His Kingdom on Earth

How involved is God in the workings of our lives?  How involved is He in the affairs of men, and in the spread of His gospel on the earth?  Does He care enough to open the doors of heaven and send angels to make sure we have the truth?  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, declare that He is involved in our affairs, and He has and does open the heavens to enlighten and save His children.  The heavens are open, and the revealed gospel in its fullness is available to us today.

For our Father in Heaven, it was not enough that wise, brave, and devoted men should risk their lives to try to recapture lost aspects of Christ’s original church.  He had promised the original disciples of Christ that His kingdom would never fail, and though it splintered and drifted for hundreds of years after the original apostles were martyred, Heavenly Father was already sowing the seeds of a complete restoration of Christ’s church.

Some scholars have marveled that the ancient Church of Jesus Christ thought it could succeed.  With the distances the apostles and seventies had to travel, the variety of pagan teachings and philosophies abounding in the Holy Roman Empire, and the inability to communicate except by epistle and personal visit, modern scholars see no way the gospel could remain pure, undefiled, and perfectly organized in the ancient world.  God knew this, too.  He was already preparing men with ideas of freedom of choice, respect for self-volition and personal reason, and toleration for new thoughts in order to create an environment wherein His Church could be restored.  By the time America was founded, these movements and ideas converged to create a country with freedom of religion, and a Great Awakening of personal spiritual sense and expectation of personal inspiration from God.  Not only that, but every person could have his- or her own scriptures, and through personal prayer, find the Savior.

The Church of Christ on Earth Joins the Church of Christ in Heaven

It is proof of God’s love for us and the absolute order of His kingdom, that he opened the doors of His Church in heaven to share authority and power with His Church on earth and restore completely the parts which had been lost.

Twice each year, The Church of Jesus Christ holds a “general conference” in which prophets, seers, and revelators deliver pertinent and poignant messages to Latter-day Saints and friends of other faiths.  Through modern technology, the proceedings are carried across the world in a multitude of languages and media.  Latter-day Saints, now numbering nearly 15 million, and others interested in truth, may all witness the proceedings of general conference.  In the April 2013 general conference, Russell M. Nelson, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, exclaimed how miraculous and stunning was (and is) the restoration of lost gospel truth and authority.  The power to perform miracles and administer the affairs of the kingdom had been lost when the original apostles were martyred.  God sent the angels Peter, James, and John to restore this authority.  Thus, every man who holds the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ, can trace his priesthood authority back to Christ.  Other heavenly messengers restored lost keys, powers, and authority.  All things were done in perfect order.

The Stunning Restoration of Christ’s True Church

Said Elder Nelson:

This wave of truth and righteousness is wondrous! It is not man-made! It comes from the Lord, who said, “I will hasten my work in its time.” This wave is empowered by a divine announcement made 193 years ago. It consisted of only seven words: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”⁸ Uttered by Almighty God, that announcement introduced a young Joseph Smith to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those seven words launched the Restoration of His gospel. Why? Because our living God is a loving God! He wants His children to know Him and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent!⁹ And He wants His children to gain immortality and eternal life.

“…some 2,000 years ago, the Lord established His Church. After His Crucifixion and the death of His Apostles, men changed the Church and its doctrine. Then, after generations of spiritual darkness, and as predicted by previous prophets,¹¹ Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ restored the Church, its doctrine, and its priesthood authority. Because of that Restoration, knowledge and essential ordinances for salvation and exaltation are again available to all people. Ultimately, that exaltation allows each of us to dwell with our families in the presence of God and Jesus Christ forever!

I cannot speak of the Restoration in tempered tones. This fact of history is absolutely stunning! It is incredible! It is breathtaking! How amazing is it that messengers from heaven came to give authority and power to this work?

Our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ made multiple appearances to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Under Their direction, other heavenly messengers came, each with a specific purpose. For example:

1. The angel Moroni revealed the Book of Mormon.
2. John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood.
3. Peter, James, and John restored the Melchizedek Priesthood.
4. Moses bestowed keys for the gathering of Israel.
5. Elias conferred keys of knowledge about Abraham.
6. Elijah restored keys of the sealing authority.

In addition, the Restoration added knowledge that Saints had anciently. The Lord provided a new book of scripture. To the Holy Bible, He added the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is a record of prophecies and the ministry of the resurrected Lord to the people of ancient America. It explains God’s great plan of happiness—the plan of salvation. The Book of Mormon is in full harmony with the Bible. Both sacred records affirm the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of His Atonement….

Together, members and missionaries invite all to learn of God, of Jesus Christ, and of His gospel. Each inquiring individual should seek earnestly and pray fervently for the assurance that these things are true. The truth will be manifest by the power of the Holy Ghost.

I thank God and His Son, Jesus Christ, for the Restoration and its power to propel a magnificent wave of truth and righteousness across the earth. May we catch this wave and fulfill the Lord’s command to take the gospel “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,”  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Recently, I read an article in the Ensign Magazine, a publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the “Mormon Church.”  The article was called “Raising Resilient Children,” and it struck me in many ways.  Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back after encountering a setback or obstacle.  No one gets through life without facing trials, no matter how righteous he might be.  Bad things do happen to good people, even people of faith.  Their resilience is the result of a combination of inborn traits, training, and trust in the Lord.

The article was written by Lyle J. Burrup, and he had experience counseling young Mormon missionaries while they were in the first weeks of their missions, at a Missionary Training Center (MTC).  Mormon missions are very challenging for the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ.  Missionaries keep a rigorous schedule, face many daunting circumstances, and often must learn a new language and adjust to a new culture far away from home.  Missionaries are young! The qualifying age to serve has just been lowered from 19 to 18 for young men, and from 21 to 19 for young women.  Some of the young men might end up as leaders of congregations in places where there are few Mormons.  In an age when young people are taking longer to mature, Mormon youth are stepping it up.  They must learn resilience even as they increase their faith.  It is hoped that this process began when they were very young.

In America, where the birth rate is declining, many people who have children have very few, maybe only one or two, and they tend to coddle them.  A new philosophy wherein everyone wins is meant to protect children from feeling inferior.  Children have little work to do that is very meaningful.  In prior generations on the farm, if anyone neglected chores, the family faced loss of crops, livestock, income, even their lives.  No one dies nowadays in America if Johnny doesn’t take out the trash.  Kids can grow up lazy and entitled, having faced few real obstacles in their lives.

As children become resilient, they understand and accept these two facts. They see life as challenging and ever changing, but they believe they can cope with those challenges and changes. They view mistakes and weaknesses as opportunities to learn, and they accept that losing may precede winning.

As children develop resilience, they believe they can influence and even control outcomes in their lives through effort, imagination, knowledge, and skill. With this attitude, they focus on what they can do rather than on what is outside their control.

Another mark of resilience is to see great purpose and meaning in life and people. A sense of purpose will help our children avoid giving up, in spite of setbacks and pressure to do so. If our children are becoming more resilient, they will develop deep values that guide them: charity, virtue, integrity, honesty, work ethic, and faith in God. They will involve themselves in what is happening around them and opt for commitment to values rather than feel alienated and avoid struggle.

Living according to the true gospel of Jesus Christ fosters resilience, and it’s much easier to be faithful to Christ, to have faith in Christ, if one is resilient.  Remember the parable of the sower.  For our faith to sink deep and take root, it must not be wilted by the parching wind or beating sun.

The following relate both to resilience and faith:

• Perfectionism undermines resilience.  We may want to be perfect out of love for God, but when He speaks of being perfect, He means becoming whole.  This is a process that is meant to stretch into the eternities and depends upon the grace of Christ.  God loves us when we are trying.  He knows we are imperfect.  He gives us weakness to encourage us to have faith in His grace.
• Children learn resilience when parents use natural consequences as discipline.  Standing in the way of natural consequences does not serve children well.  We all need to learn to see mistakes as opportunities to learn.  The doctrine of repentance is God’s way of doing this.  To repent, we need to become aware of our mistakes, desire to change, confess, make restitution if possible, forsake the sin, and return to righteous living.
• Everybody doesn’t win when we are dealing with earthly matters.  We all need to learn to deal with loss by developing an eternal perspective.  Losing the game, even if it’s our fault, is insignificant from that eternal perspective.  We need to learn to accept our losses and move on.
• The world is a competitive place.  Should we hinge our self-image on success in any worldly thing? Probably not.  We might not be the best in anything, but we still can become co-heirs with Christ in eternity.  An eternal perspective helps us to see everything in mortality as temporary.  Loss is part of our experience here on earth.  Both children and adults should be allowed to lose.
• God values our effort most of all, and parents should focus on effort, rather than achievement, as well.
• Nothing is free.  For every blessing, someone pays, whether in effort, time, or money.  If children learn to pay their own way, they learn to value all they have.  If they see others’ sacrifice in order to provide for them, they develop reverence and respect for those who aid them.

A person who is trained to be resilient from childhood (read the article to see how parents can train children to be resilient), will have an easier time developing deep faith in God.  In Hebrew, the word for faith means “trust.”  Even in the face of great trial, a resilient person will keep returning to God.  If this is true, it’s no wonder that in these modern times, people are becoming less religious.  Laziness, entitlement, the “everybody wins” idea, cradle to grave care, are all enemies to real faith.  The reality of the gospel is that “in the world we will have tribulation, but Christ has overcome the world.” (See Online Bible, John 16:33).

Additional Resource:

Come to Know Jesus Christ

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Mormon Beliefs: One Piece of Bread at a Time

I just wanted to take a minute and share something with you that I learned in my Book of Mormon class this week that completely changed the way I look at the Sacrament (or Communion). And, hopefully this gives you something to think about during Sacrament meeting this Sunday.

In the first verse of 3 Nephi 18 in the Book of Mormon, we find Jesus Christ, who has just finished teaching and praying with the people of the Americas, commanding His disciples to bring bread and wine to Him. If you’re like me, you’ve never thought about this before, but why didn’t Jesus just make the bread and wine Himself? I mean, there is no question that the bread and wine Jesus creates is going to be better than anything His disciples can bring Him. So, why not just make it Himself?

Well, as is the case with the majority of the Gospel’s ordinances, the Sacrament is given to us because WE need it, not because God needs it. So, in a very real sense, Christ is telling His disciples: “Because you are in need of it, you go get the bread and wine, and I will plead with the Father so that he might sanctify it for you.” Isn’t that cool? When looking at it this way, it is very easy to see how the Sacrament is a covenant between yourself and God; you give Him the bread and water, and promise to be part of His people, and He will sanctify it for you and promise to be your God.

Another cool thing I learned can be found in 3 Nephi 18:7. In this verse Jesus (speaking about the broken bread), says: “And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you.” From reading this verse, there is no question that Christ is referring to his resurrected, perfect body.

Now, I am going to be completely honest and say, whenever I took the Sacrament, I thought I had a pretty good idea of the covenant I was making. I mean, I had made that covenant when I was 8, now all I was doing was renewing it, right? Well, it turns out that I was merely going through the ceremonial steps of the Sacrament, and was not realizing that the act of taking the Sacrament goes much, MUCH, deeper than merely eating a piece of bread and drinking a cup of water.

Think about this: rather than viewing the bread as a mere reminder of Christ’s body, view it as a seed; a seed of Jesus Christ that, symbolically, becomes a part of you when you partake of the Sacrament. The same can be said of the water. When you drink that small cup of water, it is as if Christ’s blood is entering your body and becoming a part of you. Kind of weird isn’t it? But, by letting Him in, He helps us to become more like Him; one piece of bread and cup of water at a time.

In April 2013 the 183rd General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, and broadcast all over the world through various forms of modern technology.  Mormon General Conference, with five sessions spanning two days in April and October, is an opportunity for members of the Church of Jesus Christ to hear from church leaders, some of whom are apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.  These are revered as “prophets, seers, and revelators,” led by the president and prophet of the Church, who holds all the “keys” for the administration of God’s kingdom on earth.  As with the apostles of old, modern apostles are special witnesses of Jesus Christ.  They speak not from faith, but from knowledge, as they have seen Him.

The Saturday morning session of April 2013’s General Conference brought two undeniable apostolic witnesses that Jesus is the Christ.  Boyd K. Packer is now 88 years old.  He spoke of aging, and how as the body breaks down, the spirit continues to be enriched by the conveying of knowledge through the Holy Ghost.  At the end of his address, he bore testimony that he knows Jesus is the Christ.  He has a sure witness that has transcended faith.  Christ has revealed Himself to this apostle.

Later in the session, Henry B. Eyring, a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ, explained that he knows Jesus is the Christ the same way Joseph Smith knew it, by seeing the Lord.  In the Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of modern revelations, there are several accounts of Joseph’s Smith’s personal visitations and visions of the Christ.  In two of those experiences, Joseph wasn’t alone.

The first, of course, is what Mormons call “the first vision.”  A boy of 14, Joseph went into a woods on his father’s property to pray.  Confused by the conflicting doctrines of  various Protestant sects who all claimed the Bible as the basis for their teachings, Joseph felt like he couldn’t resort to the Bible to find out which of the sects was true.  Joseph had no idea his venture would lead to the restoration of lost priesthood keys and the re-establishment of the fullness of the gospel of Christ to the earth.  Joseph saw God the Father, and Christ the Son in that vision, and they instructed him personally.

In Section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants Joseph recorded another vision and series of visitations.  The occasion was the dedication of the Kirtland Ohio Temple, April 3, 1836, the second day of the Jewish Passover and “Bikkurim,” the Jewish festival associated with harvest first fruits.  Joseph and Oliver Cowdery would receive various priesthood keys from Elias, Moses, and Elijah that day, but first they saw the Savior:

The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened.  We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.

His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father (D&C 110:1-4).

Doctrine and Covenants, Section 76, is the account of a vision of the kingdoms of heaven experienced by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon.  It begins,

Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him there is no Savior.

Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doing none can find out.

We, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit on the sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two—By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God—

Of whom we bear record: and the record which we bear is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision.

…the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.   And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fullness.  And we saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—that by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God (D&C 76:1, 2, 11, 12, 14, 19-24).

The testimony of Elder Henry B. Eyring at the close of his talk was as follows:

I am a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord as surely as if I had been there in the evening with the two disciples in the house on Emmaus road. I know that He lives as surely as did Joseph Smith when he saw the Father and the Son in the light of a brilliant morning in a grove of trees in Palmyra.

This is the true Church of Jesus Christ. Only in the priesthood keys held by President Thomas S. Monson is the power for us to be sealed in families to live forever with our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We will on the Day of Judgment stand before the Savior, face to face. It will be a time of joy for those who have drawn close to Him in His service in this life. It will be a joy to hear the words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”19 I so testify as a witness of the risen Savior and our Redeemer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Modern apostles have been ordained of God beginning with the heavenly messengers who ordained the first prophet of this dispensation, Joseph Smith.  That authority comes from Christ Himself.  The authority and power and priesthood keys are the same as those exercised by Christ’s apostles in ancient times.  They have been called and set apart as special witnesses of Christ in preparation for His Second Coming.

Additional Resource:

Worship with Mormons

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.

Mormon Beliefs: All for Us

Throughout time God has given his people commandments and expected them to be obedient. However God has no need for these commandments, He will continue to live the same no matter what we do. Nothing we can do or give to God is something that he could ever need; after all he is God.

With this established we can assume that God isn’t giving us these commandments for Himself. If He isn’t giving these commandments for Himself, who are they for? The only plausible answer is that the commandments are for us.

God loves us enough to not only provide a way for us to become like Him, but also gives us step-by-step instructions on how to get there. Everything God does is for our salvation, and our happiness, all we need to do is follow Him to gain everything we could ever want.

Therefore our obedience is key. God has set up a covenant with us that as long as we acknowledge Him as God and follow His teachings we can return to Him one day and become like him. If we refuse to follow Him we will end up like all great societies of the past; destroyed. Nothing good comes to those who disobey God; wickedness never was happiness. God knows what will make us happy and gives us rules that enable us to be happy, and feel true joy. If we come unto Him He will turn us into something beyond our imaginations, something eternal.

Additional Resources:
Jesus Christ in Mormonism

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Mormon Beliefs: Everyone Is a Gift

Every day we undergo constant peer pressure. Whether it is “wear this” or “act exactly like so” it is really hard sometimes to sway away from the normal path. You are judged and criticized and such negative attention leads us to do the same to others. I don’t know what you think or how you behave, that is not something for me to make judgments about. However, I know I am guilty of judging people who I don’t know at all. What I’ve realized over the years is how ridiculous it is. We all hate being judged and experience such detrimental pain from it yet we turn around and do the same to others. It’s just silly.

Professor Griffin, in light of the topic, said, “When you judge others you are making fun of God’s gifts.” In 3 Nephi 13, in the Book of Mormon, it discusses how a possible downfall is for those further along to judge those behind them in the never-ending “razor back.” Each one of us was individually crafted by the hand of God. He loves every inch of us and has equipped all of us with talents for our benefit and growth. It is definitely not our place to judge others based on what they have and don’t have, because we all have faults. We mustn’t dwell on our faults but we must remember that we are not superior to another.

Every individual is an important tool in the hands of the Lord, but not everyone is the same tool. I just want you to remember that you are loved by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and so is everyone else. So treat them accordingly.

Additional Resources:
Jesus Christ in Mormonism

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Mormon Beliefs: We Are Loved

It is so amazing to me how much Christ loves us. There are three instances in 3 Nephi, in the Book of Mormon, that make this really stick out to me. The first is in chapter 17:1-2. He says that He recognizes that the people are weak and are having a hard time understanding, but instead of giving up on them, He tells them He will come back the next day. This shows me that the Savior won’t quit on us. He is so willing to help because we were not sent here to fail.

The next witness of His love comes in verse twenty-one, which says, “He wept…and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.” First, this scripture shows that we have a God who weeps, an incredible quality for our God to have. I love when it says he prayed for the children and blessed them one by one. This shows that intimate part of the atonement. He cares about each of us individually. He knows exactly how to bless each of us.

There is a song that I think captures this perfectly. “When He had a world to save, He had a world of time, to stop and hold a little child. He heals one by one, loves one by one…He knows us one by one. The way He loves you, is one by one.” God doesn’t just love “us,” He loves “you.”

The final instance I referred to is in chapter 18:31. “For behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered.” He knows and loves us more than we can understand. We are numbered to Him; He knows when we are lost, and He will help bring us back. I think it would help each of us a lot to “Remember the worth of souls,” our soul, “is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10).

Additional Resources:
Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.

Mormon Beliefs: It Will All Work Out

This week was pretty simple yet powerful. Last night as I was on a flight coming home I was reading and thinking about why Christ had to suffer as he did and why we have to still live the gospel if he already paid for our transgressions. I knew that whatever we had done it would be ok, he still beckons us to him.

As I sat there thinking, the stewardess sat down and we started talking. She told me a bit about her daughter working in Peru and her visits to her down there and I told her a bit about myself. Later, when she came back, I asked her about the rest of her children and she confessed that her youngest, a daughter, had passed away the year before in Las Vegas at a music festival. She was my age and so when she heard that I was from Las Vegas she said it brought back all of the memories.

As we talked I kept getting impressions of things to say and after a awhile she said that was exactly what she’d been feeling lately. I told her that the Lord will never give us trials greater than we can handle and is aware of us. That very morning, she told me, she’d received that impression on her walk. I promised her if she did all she could Christ has his arms extended to all, the living and the dead.

It was a very powerful experience for me that made me think a lot of my mission. When we strive to be worthy the Lord will use us as instruments in his hands. I’m so grateful he did what he did for all and I’m grateful for the opportunity to see again how much people need this good news, this hope.