One day I grew tired of his prodding, so with a little trepidation, I swung my leg over the bike and fired it up.  He gave me a quick lesson on shifting and braking and then I set out on the country road by our house.

I enjoyed testing out the steering along the bumpy road. The bends were conscious decisions rather than merely yielding to physics. I felt keenly aware of the wind on my face and through my hair. The air temperature played with the hairs on my skin as I neared irrigation sprinklers and then again as the air dried out. I determined which road to take and at what speed. Driving the motorcycle was completely different than being the passenger, and I loved it!

In seeking truth, I followed a similar path. Initially, I learned from others and I was content.  I felt comfortable riding on their vehicles of knowledge until one day I realized that teachers, friends, and family could not completely answer questions burning in my soul.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently called the Mormon Church), I believe in Jesus Christ.  His words to ancient and modern day prophets taught me how to become His disciple.  He taught the truths that can and do make us free through His perfect Gospel. My parents taught me that true answers come from God through the peaceful assurance of the Holy Spirit, who as a member of the Godhead, teaches and testifies of truth.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32).

My prayers became more meaningful as I sought to know truth.  As a Mormon, I had been taught, and believed, that all mankind are the spirit children of Almighty God sent to earth to gain bodies and choose to follow His commandments or not. After our opportunities on earth, I believe that our spirits and bodies will be resurrected—to live eternally. Knowing these truths of God’s plan of salvation gave me confidence in making decisions  to remain pure and chaste, to avoid alcohol and drugs, and to maintain integrity in my schoolwork against tough peer pressure as a teenager. In High School, I realized that keeping God’s commandments does bring true freedom!

While knowing the truths about God’s grand plan for mankind, sometimes it was still hard to know that He had a specific plan for me. Studying the scriptures opened amazing avenues of learning to me.  Almost every major trial I’ve experienced in life has been identified and answered by someone in the scriptures.  The mechanics of the my story and his or her story were often different (no mention of High School Choir trips or car accidents), but as I saw the hand of God in each scripture story, I began noticing His hand in my life as well. I gained faith in His purpose and in miracles.

What Is Truth? And How Can I Find Truth?

While reading the scriptures, I learned that “Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come. … And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth [God’s] commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24, 27-28).

A college friend took me for a motorcycle ride up a canyon one evening. I love riding in the coolness of evening time.  As he maneuvered the motorcycle, my thoughts wandered and I looked around aimlessly. I carelessly looked too far over my shoulder and the wind caught my glasses and blew them off my face.  My friend turned around and we quickly retraced our path.  The glasses were already smashed beyond repair by a car. I was left in near-sighted blindness.

An aimless, wandering approach to truth would not produce the effects I sought! The truths and freedom the Savior promised does not cross the careless, haphazard path of righteousness.  But, the promise is sure, “He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light…”

Clarity of vision comes through the Holy Ghost.  He is the Comforter, whom the Savior promised, “the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all thing to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

He testifies of the true nature of God. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

Joseph Smith’s Search For Truth

To have faith in God and Jesus Christ, one must have a true understanding of their characteristics.  The reestablishment of The Church of Jesus Christ in modern times began by an event known to Latter-day Saints as The First Vision.   After studying the tenets of religion and wanting to follow God’s commandment to be baptized, Joseph Smith read James 1:5 stating, “If any of you lack you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.”  Emboldened by God’s promise to answer his sincere prayer, Joseph knelt alone in a grove of trees to ask God which church he should join.

Joseph recorded,

I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him! (See Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17.)

God the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith!  The First Vision revealed God the Eternal Father and the Lord Jesus Christ again to mankind.  Their personal visitation corrected erroneous beliefs about the nature of the Godhead. God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct personages.  Knowing truth about the basic nature of God enables me freedom to build a true and lasting relationship with Deity.

How To Be Happy

In the record of the Savior’s people on the American continent called the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi taught his children about truth and choice. I’ve pondered a part of one verse for many years: “and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).  Joy in this world of hardship and depravity? Yes!

Lehi continued,

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself (2 Nephi 2:27).

We are free to choose happiness or misery. We are free to choose truth or remain in darkness.  We are free to be changed by what we learn—internalize and repent of sins—or study truth without every coming to a knowledge of the truth.

I invite you to seek, and be changed, by the Savior’s truths! He truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Light!

I learned the truth that because of the Savior’s redemption of mankind joy is a choice. I can enjoy this amazing world and my life because I know that Jesus Christ truly lived and died for me and all mankind. I know that His commandments provide safety and freedom. I know that according to God’s merciful plan for us, we will live again after we die. Truth brings His peace.

Almost nothing captivates me more than riding towards a glorious West Texas sunset. The entire western sky blazes with heavenly fire. The reds, yellows, oranges, and purple hues blend together in a perfect harmony of Divine majesty.  The truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ blend together even more gloriously, for they proclaim our divine nature as children of God and His eternal plan for us. How can I keep from rejoicing?!  My insatiable appetite to continue learning the truths of God compels me forward into that beautiful sunset.

Everything Centers Upon the Atonement of Christ

To atone means to reconcile a person to God by paying the price for the person’s sin, freeing the person from sin’s effects, enabling the person to return to God’s presence. The act of the Atonement includes Jesus Christ’s infinite suffering and offering Himself a ransom in the Garden of Gethsemane and on Calvary, His death, and resurrection.

The fall of Adam and Eve from the presence of God brought death and sin into the world. The effects of the Fall were overcome by the Atonement. The Atonement promises resurrection, the reuniting of body and spirit after death, to all who are born on earth. To be forgiven of sins, a person must have faith in Christ and repent of his or her sins.

The following quote by Church leader James E. Talmage about the need for a Savior impacted me so deeply that I wrote it in my scriptures and refer to it often:

Such then is the need of a Redeemer, for without Him mankind would forever remain in a fallen state, and as to hope of eternal progression would be inevitably lost. The mortal probation is provided as an opportunity of advancement, but so great are the difficulties and the dangers, so strong is the influence of evil in the world, and so weak is man in resistance thereto, that without the aid of a power above that of humanity, no soul would find its way back to God from whom it came. The need of a Redeemer lies in the inability of man to raise himself from the temporal to the spiritual plane, from the lower kingdom to the higher. (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pg 25).

Christ’s Atonement impacts mankind, but the effects it has on an individual life is truly remarkable. A parable and two scriptural stories illustrate my path in understanding and applying the Atonement in my life: the prodigal son, the woman with an issue of blood, and Abigail and David.

Sins Are Forgiven Through the Atonement

In several ways, the story of the prodigal son is my story. A son demanded his portion of the father’s inheritance.  The father compassionately complied with his son’s rude request.  The son took the inheritance and quickly squandered it. Eventually, he survived by feeding swine. Then, according to the Savior’s words, “when he came to himself, he said…I will arise and go to my father…” (Luke 15:17-18). When he came to himself, he thought of his father.  How often have I repeated that process!  I do not think of God, when I am in the midst of sin, but when I “come to myself,” my thoughts can turn again to Him.

Generally, the younger son is considered the prodigal in need of repentance and forgiveness, but I see myself sinning much more egregiously as the older son in the story.  The older son stayed with the father fulfilling his obligation.  When the repentant younger son returned to a robe, a ring, and the fatted calf, however, the older son’s pride and anger were as disrespectful to the father as the younger son’s impudence. The father implored the eldest son to join the him in celebrating the younger son’s return. The last line of the story is, “for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:32).  I have often wondered if the son joined the family celebration or not.  The open ended-ness of the story enabled me to see myself as the older brother.  I have a choice.  Do I swallow my pride and return to the Father?  His open invitation invites both brothers to return to Him.  His great mercy and compassion to the youngest son demonstrates His unfailing love and desire for every child to return.  His patient appeal to the oldest son entreats us to throw off our self-righteousness and pride and become like Him.

The parable of the prodigal son teaches me of God’s great love for me when I choose to run away from Him or become prideful and self-righteousness.  I can repent of my sins and through the Atonement’s grace can be forgiven for those sins.

The Atonement Heals All Injustices

The Savior also promises that His Atoning power heals all wounds, griefs, and injustices. The story of the woman with an issue of blood illustrates the power of the Savior to heal all wounds.

Behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour (Matthew 9:20-22 ).

The unnamed woman sought out Jesus believing that He could heal her affliction. She humbly approached Him and reached for His healing power. Her faith in Him enabled Him to heal her. I struggled with a victim mentality for years.  I could not find peace. I took my “issue” to the Lord many times. When I was finally willing to drop it at His feet determined that it would not define me anymore, and walk away, He healed me. While my wound was not instantly healed, over time I grew stronger and my perception of the world changed. One day my mother asked me about the incident and I realized I had not even thought of it in months. The wound was absolutely healed!  Through subsequent years, the Savior has even healed the scar. I have been reborn, a new creature.

Applying the Atonement’s Merciful Grace To Others

While in the wilderness of Paran, David and his band protected the shepherds and flocks of Nabal.  David sent messengers to Nabal requesting food and water. Nabal refused hospitality to David. Furious, David determined to kill Nabal’s household. A servant told Nabal’s wife, Abigail.  She hurriedly prepared food and sent the offering to David. She and her servants met David on his way to destroy them.

Abigail fell on her face at David’s feet and said the most remarkable thing, “Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be…I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid…” (1 Samuel 25:24, 28).

Without bitterness or anger, like the Savior, she took Nabal’s sin upon herself to save the lives of her household, and ultimately shielded David’s soul from a rash decision’s effects. I’m glad this story is not open ended.  David immediately came to himself and said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand” (1 Samuel 25:32-33).

As the Savior takes upon Himself the sins of others, He stands in their place before us and says, “upon me let this iniquity be: and…forgive the trespass…”  Just as I believe the Atonement can be efficacious in my life, I believe that the Atonement can be efficacious in the lives of everyone around me.  The Savior, and Abigail, teach me to see beyond sin and defensive pride into the heart of him who has offended me. Like me, he or she is also a child of God. The Savior’s Atonement enables me to become more like the Him and share the mercy He gives me with those around me.

I invite you to apply the Savior’s Atonement more fully in your own life.  If you have questions about the Atonement or how to repent, please contact the Mormon Missionaries.

Sometimes when I told new friends that I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently called the Mormon Church), some asked me why we had more scriptures than just the Bible.

A common verse of scripture from the Bible that Christian friends often shared with me to refute the Book of Mormon’s scriptural status was Revelation 22:18. The Apostle John wrote his apocalyptic vision of the world’s history and emphasized Jesus Christ’s role as mankind’s Savior and Redeemer. At the end of his book, he closes with the following warning, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.”

I had read the Book of Mormon, a book of scripture recorded by prophets on the American continent, several times before going to High School and knew that it was truly the word of God. But, I didn’t really know how to answer my friends’ questions about it. Throughout my life I had heard Church leaders encourage members to study scriptures and sincerely pray to God the Father to receive answers to questions, so I started studying that question.

I learned a couple of interesting things. Initially I noticed that John warned that man should not add to his book. He did not say God would not add to his book. Another thing I learned was that the book of Revelation itself was actually written about AD 95 before John’s other epistles written AD 96! The compilers of the Bible chose the layout of the book: the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles , and then John’s visionary Revelation. I discovered that not all scriptural texts available were included in the actual Bible. That taught me that John’s warning related specifically to his book of Revelation.

Later, while reading the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 4:2 jumped off the page at me! It said almost the same thing as Revelation 22:18. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” If I used the same logic for Deuteronomy 4:2 as purported for the verse in Revelation, then I would ignore all but the first four books of the Bible.

But, most importantly, I continued to receive the calm assurance from the Holy Ghost, who testifies of truth, that the Book of Mormon was the word of God! I received the spiritual confirmation from the Holy Ghost and the historical understanding I sought which answered my prayers and I knew I could share my beliefs with my friends.

Why Are More Scriptures Necessary?

Simply stated, Mormons “believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (9^th Article of Faith).

I believe that God followed a perfect pattern to share His Gospel with all of His children. He called a righteous prophet, or spokesman, to declare His commandments and counsel to the people in the prophet’s vicinity. The prophet generally wrote down the word received from God. As people spread across the globe, they still needed God’s commandments and direction, so He called a prophet there to share His word with those people, too.

The importance of having a “current” prophet is evidenced even in the Bible. While God’s commandments do not change from age to age, God’s instructions to Adam did not warn Noah of the flood or counsel Moses how to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. It also does not teach us how to navigate in our current world of modern technology and social media. God promises that He will guide and direct His people. Because we can read the scriptural history preserved by prophets, we can learn from the mistakes of past nations, follow examples of those who chose to follow God’s commandments and learn to trust in God and His word.

I’ve thought of this in relation to my parent’s family. I am the oldest of eight children. My youngest sister was born 18 years after me. If my parents had decided to give the house rules and guidance to only me, expecting me to pass on the information to my siblings, then Dionna would have been out of luck, because I left home before her birth. And while the household rules remained consistent, each child needed parental guidance specific to his or her personality, weaknesses or strengths.

For me, the fact that God continues communication to mankind is evidence of His deep love for us.

I appreciate the Lord’s own words found in the Book of Mormon on His ability to speak to us.

2 Nephi 29:8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another…

And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

Does God Continue to Speak Today?

God speaks through a prophet today!

The reestablishment of The Church of Jesus Christ in modern times began by an event known to Latter-day Saints as The First Vision. After studying the tenets of religion and wanting to obey God’s commandment to be baptized, Joseph Smith, then a teenager, read James 1:5. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” Emboldened by God’s promise to answer his sincere prayer, Joseph knelt alone in a grove of trees to ask God which church he should join.

Joseph recorded,

I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him! (SeeJoseph Smith-History 1:16-17.)

God the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith! They told Joseph not to join any church, that the Gospel in its fulness was not found on the earth and needed to be restored. God’s subsequent commandments and directions to Joseph Smith and other Church leaders, are recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. Mormons consider this book to be scripture as well.

Thomas S. Monson is the current prophet of God on the earth. He continues to share God’s counsel to mankind and does so generally twice a year in a world wide conference of The Church of Jesus Christ, as well as at other times through devotionals, Church magazines, and personally visiting the nations of the world.

I am so grateful for the scriptures! The stories of faith, hope, strength, weakness, struggle and triumph have increased my faith in Jesus Christ and trust in God. I know that God continues to speak to the world today through President Thomas S. Monson.

I invite you to receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon, read it and pray to know if it is the word of God!

James and John reacted similarly. “And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him” (Mark 1:20).

The calling of Apostles by Jesus Christ began the official organization of His Church in the meridian of time. Prior to this, the Savior initiated His ministry by being baptized by immersion by the only person with proper authority at the time, John the Baptist, and preached His doctrine to ever increasing throngs of people.

Eight additional Apostles were called. As their ministry continued, Jesus singled Peter out as the chief Apostle and Peter, James, and John as the head, or presidency, of the entire Church after His death and resurrection.

Paul taught the Ephesians about the organization of Christ’s Church and said there were “apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

The Church of Jesus Christ—The Same Organization as the Ancient Church

The Savior Jesus Christ re-established His Church’s doctrines and organizational structure when He organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the “Mormon Church,” in 1830 through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Mormons call this the “restoration” of the gospel, and it was done to prepare God’s kingdom on earth to receive the Savior when He comes the second time.

The First Vision: God the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ

The restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ in modern times commenced with an event known to Latter-day Saints (Mormons) as The First Vision. After studying the tenets of religion and wanting to obey God’s commandment to be baptized, Joseph Smith read James 1:5. “If any of you lack you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” Emboldened by God’s promise to answer his sincere prayer, Joseph knelt alone in a grove of trees to ask God which church he should join.

Joseph recorded,

I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him! (See Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17.)

God the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith! They told Joseph not to join any church, that the Gospel in its fulness was not found on the earth and needed to be restored.

The Savior Established the Foundation of His Church

The Lord commanded Joseph to organize His restored Church on April 6, 1830, and to call it The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (See Doctrine and Covenants 115:4.)

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ, I believe that Jesus Christ revealed His doctrine and principles to Joseph Smith and other Church leaders and that The Church of Jesus Christ functions today with the Priesthood, the power and authority of God, to act in an organized manner in His name on the earth today.

As members of the Church, “[we] believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth” (6^th and 7^th Articles of Faith). The Church has a First Presidency, like Peter, James, and John, and a Quorum of Twelve Apostles who are all prophets, seers, and revelators. Each of the other offices in the Primitive Church are found in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Mormon Doctrines Testify of Jesus Christ

The doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ affirm to me that it truly is the restored Church of Jesus Christ.

The Church’s 1^st Article of Faith states, “We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost” (1^st Article of Faith). Knowing that the first declaration of our faith centers on the existence and divinity of the Godhead emboldens my desire to pray and really communicate with God. It reminds me that only through the Grace of Jesus Christ can I approach the throne of God and that living worthily enables me to receive the peaceful companionship of the Holy Ghost who testifies of Christ and inspires me to do good.

Every tenet and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ reflects the mission and atoning sacrifice of the Savior Jesus Christ. The Savior Himself revealed commandments, covenants (two-way promises of an obligation fulfilled by man and a promised blessing by God) and ordinances (ritual acts, like baptism, that teach literally and metaphorically of man’s journey back to God’s presence).

“The first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (4^th Article of Faith). As I have obeyed God’s commandments, I have seen His hand and blessings in my life. True faith in Jesus Christ enables me to know who and how to worship Him. Repentance is a turning away from sin or error, by confessing that wrong to God. As I cast that burden on the Lord, I feel His forgiving power. My conscience is free from guilt and shame. I can stand with confidence again in the presence of God. Baptism physically and symbolically is being born again. Partaking of the Sacrament each Sunday reminds me of promises I made at baptism to follow Christ and remember Him. The Holy Ghost testifies of Christ. The Savior described the Holy Ghost in John 14:26. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored Church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. The Savior patterned it after the same organization of His Church during His ministry on the earth, with the offices and power of the Priesthood and the same spiritual gifts and doctrines.

To learn more about the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ, contact the Mormon missionaries. They would love to share with you the joy and hope available through the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I met Anthony Hargrove when he was 23 and I was 25. I invited him to attend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, with me. Several of Anthony’s employees were Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) and he was interested to see what Mormons believed. After the first church service, he scheduled an appointment with the Mormon missionaries to learn more. Anthony sought answers to questions about where he would go when he died and why God created family relationships on earth if those relationships wouldn’t continue after death. The Gospel of Jesus Christ restored fully in our times in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered his questions. Soon after his meeting with the missionaries, Anthony prayed to know if the Church was true. His prayers were answered affirmatively and my father baptized Anthony a member of The Church of Jesus Christ. Our relationship progressed and we determined to marry in the temple.

Mormon Temples

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ, Anthony and I believe that the temple is the House of the Lord. Temples are sacred buildings where ordinances–special acts or ceremonies that have spiritual meanings–are performed. One of those special ceremonies is a wedding. We believe that when married through God’s proper authority in a Latter-day Saint temple the marriage is bound on earth and in heaven. It’s called a ‘sealing’. Marriages performed without proper authority and outside the temple are bound only until the couple is parted by death.

Why Can’t I Enter a Mormon Temple?

Because temples are so sacred, strict standards are maintained regarding entrance. In reality, temples are accessible to every person willing to conform to the commandments of God. That standard includes exercising faith, repenting, being baptized by immersion by one holding proper authority into The Church of Jesus Christ, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and continuing a path of faithfulness by believing in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost, supporting Church leadership, maintaining appropriate family relationships, practicing chastity, honesty, and refraining from tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Living this standard qualifies us for a Temple Recommend, which is a small certificate signed by local ecclesiastical leaders recommending worthiness to enter the House of the Lord. Youth can enter the temple to perform baptisms for the dead after they turn twelve years old. To participate in other temple ordinances, an adult must have been a member of the Church in good standing for at least a year. Before a temple is dedicated, it is open to the public for viewing. Everyone in the community is invited to attend the temple’s open house. 

Weddings in temples are held in a lovely room without pomp and fanfare. Typically a bride and groom’s most intimate family and friends who have a temple recommend are invited to the wedding itself and then the couple holds a reception elsewhere for all other well wishers to attend.

Obeying God’s Commandment

While wonderful, faithful members of other Christian faiths, Anthony’s parents and brothers were not members of The Church of Jesus Christ. We explained that, for us, being married in the temple by someone having authority to marry us for eternity was a commandment from God and critical for us to obey. His parents offered their support to our union, but were very disappointed at not being able to attend the wedding of their youngest son. We lived in Lubbock, Texas, and his parents agreed to travel with us to the nearest temple in Dallas, Texas.

On our wedding day, Anthony and I brought our families to the temple. His parents waited outside of the temple with five of my siblings who were too young to attend the sealing. Anthony’s father asked my teenaged sisters if they were upset at not being able to attend the wedding. My sisters, who were 18 and 16 at the time, explained that they understood why they couldn’t participate and accepted it. While difficult to know parents felt excluded, the commandment to be married in the right place by someone with the right authority has blessed our marriage!

Anthony and I promised God and each other that we would be faithful to our marriage covenant. Because I know Anthony continues to be committed to live the standard to enter the temple, I can trust him implicitly! We are willing to work through hard things together and believe that because of the Savior’s Grace our marriage relationship will remain intact after we die.

If you would like to learn more about how your relationships can be blessed through the ordinances performed in Mormon Temples, I invite you to contact the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.