Taught to Pray—In the Car

In the quiet of the car, I do a lot of praying. Even on short drives, I find myself talking with my Father in Heaven. On longer drives—especially when I’m the only driver—I find myself pleading with the Lord to help us arrive at our destination safely. The scriptures teach us the pray always. One of my favorites is in the Book of Mormon—another testament of Jesus Christ, a companion scripture to the Bible and a record of God’s dealings with some of the peoples who lived in the ancient Americas.

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things ye shall be lifted up at the last day (Alma 37:37).

In these times of heartfelt prayer, I have received sweet answers of comfort. One such occurred in the summer of the year that my husband and I were married. I was in turmoil over a very personal issue, and I was driving on the freeway in Salt Lake City. I was crying, praying and asking my Heavenly Father why this event occurred. I looked up at a billboard and it read, in big, bold letters: Let it go. That was my answer. I had never seen that sign before, and I never saw it after that. But I was taught by God in the car that day to let go of the confusion and turmoil and allow the peaceful comfort of the Holy Spirit into my heart. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—with the First Presidency, the governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church—said:

Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies. … Remember, “God is not the author of confusion, but [the author] of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). [1]

Taught to Listen to the Promptings of the Holy Ghost—In the Car

 I grew up in Indiana but went to college in Idaho and Utah. Whenever my siblings and I went home, we always drove straight through without stopping for the night. I had two experiences during these 24-hour trips that taught me to always listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The first one happened one dark winter night when two of my sisters and I, crammed into the cab of a little Isuzu Pup truck, were driving home. I was behind the wheel, and all of a sudden the thought came to me that I needed to switch lanes. We were driving downhill on the Interstate, and there were no lights on the road. So I switched lanes. As soon as I did, we swooshed past a camper sitting in the lane we had just vacated. We were stunned. There were no lights on the camper, and I would not have seen it until we collided. I was shaken but grateful for the prompting that prevented an accident that dark winter night.

The second time, I didn’t listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. The summer that I graduated from college, my sister Rachel and I decided to visit our oldest sister in Arizona before heading home. As we were driving down an isolated two-lane highway somewhere in rural Utah, we needed to make a pit stop. To our left was a remote rest area, hidden from view of the road by trees. To our right was a gas station. Immediately the thought flashed in my mind that we needed to stop at the gas station. But I didn’t want to feel obligated to buy something, so we stopped at the rest area. I got out and used the facilities first. There was an eerie feeling, but I thought it was just me. Sometimes I have an overactive imagination. But I went as fast as I could, and prayed the entire time that I would be safe and protected and not hurt or killed. I thought it was all in my head until I got to the car and told Rachel it was her turn. She said, “I don’t have to go that bad. Let’s get out of here NOW.” We never found out the reason for those feelings, but I have always felt bad that I didn’t listen. Elder Boyd K. Packer, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, said:

It is difficult to separate from the confusion of life that quiet voice of inspiration. Unless you attune yourself, you will miss it. Answers to prayers come in a quiet way. The scriptures describe that voice of inspiration as a still, small voice. If you really try, you can learn to respond to that voice. [2]

As we turn to the Lord in all things, we are teachable. If we take the time to reflect upon the word of God and listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can be taught by God—even in the car.

prophet of God and a disciple of Jesus Christ, Mormon would not want to take any glory, fame or notoriety from the true head of the Church, Jesus Christ Himself. So although many people are more familiar with the name “Mormon Church,” that’s not the real name of the organization. It’s a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the Savior’s Church on the earth today. The teachings of Mormonism contain the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who is Mormon?

The Book of Mormon is a record of the peoples who lived in the ancient Americas and spans about 1,000 years. Mormon lived at the end of that time span. At the age of 10, Mormon was asked by Ammaron (the record keeper at the time) to prepare himself to take charge of the records of the Nephites—an ancient American civilization named after Nephi, another Book of Mormon prophet. In addition to keeping the record of his people, Mormon was a military general who led the Nephite armies from the age of 15 (Mormon 2:1-2). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (with the First Presidency, the governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ), said:

If Mormon had merely obeyed that original instruction from Ammaron it would have been challenge enough for any historian, for the story Mormon had to write was the long, terrible tale of the destruction of his people. But Mormon went beyond Ammaron’s admonition and prepared another record, abridging the entire history of his people. [1]

…After nearly a thousand years of Nephite history he was called of God to select and summarize the story of his people. That story tells in part of “peace in the land” and “all manner of miracles,” including the appearance and sermons of the resurrected Son of God.

But the story also contains the terror and depravity of that civilization gone awry, a dispensation concluding “without order and without mercy” in which women were fed on the flesh of their husbands and children were offered as sacrifice to dumb idols. In the end, Mormon’s was a painful and very lonely task. [2]

The Prophet Joseph Smith, the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ in modern times, wrote, “It was an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord” (Joseph Smith, Jr., History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1:226). And, Elder Holland said, Mormon must surely have felt the weight of that “awful responsibility.”

What is the Book of Mormon?

And now, I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon (Mormon 1:1).

Prophets, both ancient and modern, have said that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder L. Tom Perry, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:

Why is the reading of the Book of Mormon so important to us today? It is because the major writers of the Book of Mormon fully understood that their writings were primarily for the people of a future generation rather than for the people of their own generation. Moroni wrote to our generation, “I speak unto you as if ye were present” (Mormon 8:35).

…Each time we read the book we should probably ask ourselves: “Why did these writers choose these particular stories or events to include in the record? What value are they for us today?” [3]

Elder Holland said:

Mormon does not claim his abridgement will give equal time or equal emphasis to all historical events. He was not working at a flat-rate, assessing every event to be the equivalent of every other. For example, an account of war and civil disorder covering just a little over a dozen years is given nearly sixty pages of documentation (Alma 43–62), while the most righteous period in all of Nephite history—the two hundred years of peace and purity which prevailed after Christ’s appearance in the New World—receives less than two pages of review (4 Nephi 1).

Is Mormon, the Nephite soldier, preoccupied with these tragic warring cycles that began so early and were still recurring in his own day? Or is there perhaps something in the war accounts which our generation—or a later one—must learn, prompting Mormon to stress it? [1]

Lessons from the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets for our day. Mormon not only saw our day, but he lived through the destruction of his own people—times comparable to the ones we are in today. He witnessed the mistakes his people made, and through his writings we can see the results of their tragic error of turning away from God.

The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon:

I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.

Elder Perry said:

Among the lessons we learn from the Book of Mormon are the cause and effect of war and under what conditions it is justified. It tells of evils and dangers of secret

combinations, which are built up to get power and gain over the people. It tells of the reality of Satan and gives an indication of some of the methods he uses. It advises us on the proper use of wealth. It tells us of the plain and precious truths of the gospel and the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for all mankind. It informs us of the gathering of the house of Israel in the last days. It tells us of the purpose and principles of missionary work. It warns us against pride, indifference, procrastination, the dangers of false traditions, hypocrisy, and unchastity.

Now it is up to us to study the Book of Mormon and learn of its principles and apply them in our lives. [3]

Christ’s Church is to Bear His Name

The nickname “Mormon” distracts from the true nature of the Church—that it is Christ’s Church. When the Savior was visiting the Nephites, He taught them—or rather, commanded them—that His Church was to bear His name. He said:

How be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church (3 Nephi 27:8).

Thus this is not the Mormon Church—it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the Lord’s Church, restored to the earth in the latter days. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion because it testifies of Christ. We are honored to be called Mormons because of the greatness of the prophet Mormon and his contribution to our day. But, like any nickname, it is not the true name by which we are to be called. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We take upon ourselves Christ’s name at baptism. And it is by His name that we are known.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not fit the definition. There is no secrecy, isolation or indoctrination. Just the opposite is true: Members are encouraged to find out for themselves what is true. The Church openly and honestly discusses its doctrines and teachings, and invites honest seekers of truth to examine its precepts and form their own opinions.

In 1996, then President Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ, was interviewed by Mike Wallace of CBS’s “60 Minutes.” President Hinckley responded to the statement: “There are those who say Mormonism began as a cult. You don’t like to hear that.” President Hinckley said:

“I don’t know what that means, really. But if it has negative connotations, I don’t accept it as applying to this Church. People may have applied it; they may have applied it in the early days. But look, here is this great Church now. There are only six churches in America with more members than this Church. We are the second church in membership in the state of California. We are reaching out across the world. We are in more than 150 nations. This is a great, strong, viable organization with a tremendous outreach. … You will find our people in business institutions, high in educational circles, in politics, in government, in whatever. We are [rather] ordinary people trying to do an extraordinary work.”

Knowledge Comes Through Study, not Coercion

In The Church of Jesus Christ, members are not only free to think for themselves but are encouraged to do so. In The Church of Jesus Christ, members are encouraged to ask questions and find out for themselves if the teachings of the gospel are true.

Elder Robert D. Hales, a member of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (a governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ), told parents:

It is our imperative duty to help youth understand and believe the gospel in a deeply personal way. We can teach them to walk in the light, but that light cannot be borrowed. They must earn it for themselves. They must obtain their own light of testimony directly from the source of spiritual light—God Himself—through prayer and study and pondering. They must understand who they are and who Heavenly Father wants them to become.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a book of modern revelations in The Church of Jesus Christ. In Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9, the Lord tells us how we can know for ourselves what is right.

Behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right; and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.

This is not indoctrination, where people are told what to believe and coerced into action. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ are taught how to find out for themselves. The Lord tells us we can’t just ask and expect the information to be spoon-fed to us—that is not the way. We must do the work by studying the scriptures and the words of the prophets, and then ask in prayer and in faith after we have done our part. That is a very empowering concept.

Message of the Parable of the 10 Virgins: You Can’t Borrow ‘Light’

The Savior taught the importance of acquiring our own knowledge in the Parable of the 10 Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). When I was younger, I didn’t understand this parable, which tells of 10 virgins who were told to fill their lamps before the bridegroom came. “And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them; But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” When the bridegroom came, the five virgins who forgot to fill their lamps asked the others for oil. The five who brought oil said, “Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” While the five were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went in, and the door was shut. The five who were not ready came late and knocked on the door, but the Lord said, “I know you not.”

At first I wondered why the five wise virgins couldn’t share their oil. But now I understand. The parable is about having your own personal knowledge of Jesus Christ and His teachings. There came a time when it wasn’t enough for me to know that my parents believed and lived the gospel of Jesus Christ. I needed to know for myself that the gospel is true, and I had to decide for myself to live by its precepts. Just as the five foolish virgins couldn’t “borrow” knowledge from the five wise virgins, I couldn’t borrow knowledge from others. After I graduated from college, I did an internship in Ohio. The first Sunday I was there I went to church, and I didn’t know anyone. Only the bishop (the leader of the congregation) came up and introduced himself to me. I met very few people that day. After a few weeks, I thought, “I could stay home from church and no one would know.” But I would know. I was no longer able to live off borrowed light. I knew for myself, and I had to choose for myself. The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches the divine gift of choice—and that we are responsible for our own actions.

Temples are Sacred, not Secret

Some view the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ as secretive. Before a temple is dedicated, it is open for public tours. After the dedication, however, only members of The Church of Jesus Christ who are in good standing are allowed in this sacred and holy place. And members don’t discuss what happens within those walls. Elder Boyd K. Packer, current president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:

There are some things just too sacred to discuss. We know that as it relates to the temples. In our temples, sacred ordinances are performed; sacred experiences are enjoyed. And yet we do not, because of the nature of them, discuss them outside those sacred walls. It is not that they are secret, but they are sacred; not to be discussed, but to be harbored and to be protected and regarded with the deepest of reverence.

Members of the Church must be qualified to enter the temples and participate in the holy ordinances. As I was pondering this, I thought of a calculus class I took the summer between my junior and senior years of college. I tested out of math in college, and my course of study required a foreign language—not a math—curriculum. But my junior year I decided to minor in economics, which required math. I knew I was rusty since I hadn’t taken a math class in years, so I took the summer course. That way, I’d have more time to devote to my studies. I almost failed the class—and the only reason I didn’t was the professor gave us credit for doing the homework. Luckily, it didn’t have to be right.

I discovered the hard way that I didn’t have the fundamental understanding of the math concepts necessary to comprehend calculus. It is the same way with participating in the ordinances of the temple. If we don’t have the fundamental knowledge and understanding required, we won’t appreciate and fully comprehend the instruction we receive in the temple. Those are the reasons that all who enter the temple doors must have a Temple Recommend—so they are prepared to make and keep the sacred covenants therein. I have had many sacred and holy experiences in the walls of the holy temples. I have found guidance, direction and peace in times of need. I would not have had these experiences if I hadn’t prepared myself for the blessings of the temple beforehand. The temple ordinances are sacred and beautiful—not secret.

Understanding of The Church of Jesus Christ and its teachings dispels all myths that the Church is a cult. Often, it is ignorance and unfamiliarity with anything—teachings, doctrines, churches—that cause us to fear and think poorly of it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not operate behind closed doors or in secret. That is not the way of the Lord. The invitation is extended to all to come and learn of The Church of Jesus Christ and find out for yourself if the teachings are true.

Additional Resource:

Jesus Christ in Mormonism