The apostle Peter was addressing the early worthy members of Christ’s Church when he called them a “royal priesthood”:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light…(1 Peter 2:9).

Although some friends of other faiths think Christ was the great and last high priest, although He is the greatest high priest, the priesthood continued under His apostles even after Christ’s great sacrifice.  Priests were called as the apostles were called, from their worldly vocations, to serve in Christ’s Church.  This pattern, and the priesthood authority and power, have been restored in these latter days, the dispensation of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.

In Christ’s ancient church there was no paid clergy.  Although Christ’s followers were originally considered a sect of Judaism, Jesus never called any member of the paid Jewish clergy to administer in His Church.  Instead, seeing into the hearts of men, He called fishermen and publicans to be His under-shepherds.  This is also the pattern in Christ’s Church today.  There is no professional clergy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church.  All worthy men are eligible to hold some measure of priesthood, which is the power and authority to act in the name of God, a portion of the power by which God runs the universe.  Women share in this power, and it is by and through this power that every spiritual gift named in the Bible abounds in this, Christ’s true and living Church.

Administration and Ministration in the Mormon Priesthood

Nowadays, people seek spirituality as they shy away from organized religion.  This is in most part due to disappointment with religious organizations of our time and with the professional clergy of those churches.  God’s true Church, however, does exist on the earth, and it is remarkable because it has been organized by the Savior Himself through modern prophets, according to the organization of Christ’s ancient church.  In other words, God’s church should be the most organized religion on earth, and it is.

The administration of The Church of Jesus Christ is managed through the Church’s lay clergy.  At the top is the prophet, the apostles, and the seventies, just as in biblical times.  There are seventies over various areas of the world who oversee not only congregations (wards) and administered groups of congregations (stakes), but missions administered by mission presidents.  The prophet, apostles, and first two quorums of the seventy serve for life once they are called out of their worldly vocations.  Other seventies, bishops who lead congregations, and stake presidents who lead groups of congregations, usually serve in their positions for about 5 years.  Experienced leaders train new leaders.  Manuals and teaching materials are correlated and are the same world-wide, as are teaching schedules and activities.  The Church is the same wherever you go, and congregations are organized by locality, so members don’t flock to leaders with charisma.  The prophet and apostles and a few other higher leaders who serve long-term may receive a financial stipend if they need it (most don’t), but all other positions in the church are entirely unpaid.  This prevents “priestcraft,” or preaching for gain.  Mormons are counseled not to aspire to positions and reminded that “calls” to serve come from God through the promptings of the Holy Ghost to those who have stewardship over them.  As a woman in the Church who has served in many callings of great responsibility, I can testify that God does indeed choose Mormons for callings through their leaders, as I have taken those names to my bishop.  I received them through inspiration, and he confirmed them through inspiration.

Administration of The Church of Jesus Christ is shared by men and women.  While men are apostles, seventies, mission presidents, bishops and stake presidents, women head the Relief Society (women’s organization – over 6 million strong), Young Women, and Primary (children’s organization) of the Church.  Administration on the local level follows the same pattern.  All welfare requests go through both the Relief Society President and the Bishop of a congregation.  On the general church level, female leaders counsel with male leaders before and after decisions are made through revelation.

Ministering is also a shared responsibility, since service is the watchword for Mormons.  A great deal of good is performed by both men and women in the Church, both in planned service and spontaneous, private service:

Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness…(Doctrine and Covenants 58:27)

Offices of the Mormon Priesthood

As at the time of Christ, there are two priesthoods, the greater (Melchizedek) and the lesser (Aaronic) priesthoods.  The formal name of the higher priesthood is The Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God.  It is called the Melchizedek Priesthood (after Melchizedek, King of Salem, and great high priest of the Old Testament) to keep from using the name of deity too often.  It is referred to numerous times in the New Testament.  It is the priesthood the apostles held that enabled them to perform miracles of healing and other manifestations of God’s power.  This same power with the same results is fully manifest on the earth today in God’s true church.

Worthy young men as young as age 12 may become Aaronic priesthood holders as Deacons and at 14 may become Teachers, and at 16, Priests.  A priest can baptize and bless the sacrament (like the Eucharist).  The Aaronic priesthood deals with the foundational principles of the gospel — repentance and sacrifice — and holds the keys to the ministering of angels.

Worthy young men as young as 18 may be ordained to the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood.  Male Mormon missionaries receive this priesthood and make higher covenants in Mormon temples before they depart for missionary service.  Thus, while not holding the same administrative position in The Church of Jesus Christ as an apostle, they do hold the same priesthood power, just not the same keys for exercising it, nor the same callings in which to use it.

Women and the Priesthood

It is through priesthood power that miracles happen.  When people say there is power in prayer, it is the priesthood power that makes things happen — God’s priesthood, Christ’s priesthood.  Although women do not heal others through the laying on of hands as a pattern in the Church, through temple covenants, women share in the priesthood power of their husbands and may bring forth miracles through prayer.  They often receive revelation for guiding their families and performing their callings in the Church.

Women also exercise priesthood authority within the walls of Mormon temples, sealing ordinances upon other women there.  In the eternities, women will share every blessing and power with their husbands as priestesses to the Most High God, if they merit exaltation into His presence and become co-heirs with Christ.  There is no disadvantage to women in the assigning of men to certain positions of administration in the Church or to certain kinds of ministration in the Church.

What all worthy Mormons yearn for is to eventually have their “calling and election made sure.”  This is to receive by the sealing power of Elijah, the assurance that one will be sealed up to eternal life in the presence of the Father.  Women have all the power they need to eventually reach this point.  The more they progress in their attributes to become more like the Savior, the closer they get to the point where they can see Christ and know that He lives and be assured of eternal life.

As a Mormon woman married in the temple to a worthy Mormon priesthood holder, I have had many years of experience both in service and in receiving the myriad blessings of the priesthood.  When I or one of my children have been ill or confused, my husband has exercised his priesthood power through the laying on of hands to give us priesthood blessings of comfort and healing.  Many of these have been prophetic and have given us guidance to help us into the future.  I have also been able to call upon this shared power to heal my children or better understand them, through prayer.  These healings have been great.  I am the daughter of a mother with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and her mother was likewise afflicted.  Through the very real priesthood power, I have been healed of every injury —emotional, spiritual, and psychological — caused by that situation.  The priesthood is one of my greatest blessings.  I can’t imagine life without it.

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

See Doctrine and Covenants 89.

The revelation asked Mormons to avoid tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and tea. (Some Mormons avoid other forms of caffeine but that is not required. The term “hot drinks” in Joseph Smith’s time referred only to those drinks.) They were encouraged to eat a diet of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables in season, to enjoy herbs, and to eat meat sparingly. They were taught to get enough sleep. Those who followed this command would be healthy, have plenty of energy, enjoy wisdom, and be protected from Satan’s powers.

In his day, this might have seemed unusual, but over time, scientists began to be curious about the eating habits of Mormons. In 1925, Franklin S. Harris and Newbern Butts published a scientific study revealing Mormons had fewer incidents of cancer, tuberculosis, pneumonia and kidney diseases and were less likely to commit suicide or to kill others.

In 1975, a study out of UCLA showed that Mormons had far fewer heart problems than did other people—one third to one half fewer, in fact. Studies continued to show other health benefits—fewer cases of diabetes, continuing lower rates of cancer, and even a lifespan for highly committed Mormon men that was more than nine years longer than that of the average American male.

Scientists have begun to suspect that the Word of Wisdom might play a contributing role in these showings of good health. If it does, it can become a model for healthy eating, and in fact, many experts already recommend just such a pattern. As we better understand addiction, many are choosing to avoid addictive substances. Many are included more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in their diet.

Read more about studies on Mormon health.

Another aspect of Mormon life that scientists are beginning to become interested in is the monthly fast. Once a month, Mormons fast completely for twenty-four hours, avoiding all food and drink. The money they save by doing so is donated to the church to care for the poor in the congregation. This is done, of course, for spiritual benefit, allowing Mormons to become closer to God through the fasting process, as taught in the Bible. Jesus fasted prior to starting His mission. In addition, it allows Mormons the privilege of taking care of others. By experiencing hunger for a day, we can better understand the hunger faced by others on a regular basis and have the means to help resolve it without having to spend more money to do so.

However, Mormons believe all things are spiritual and so it turns out there may be a physical benefit as well. Some scientists believe it allows the body to reset itself and Mormons who fast have a forty percent lower risk of Coronary Artery Disease. The study factored in other Mormon health practices to isolate the actual benefit of fasting.

Mormons believe their bodies are a gift from God and that we must take care of them for this reason. They are essential to our growth and development on earth and were made in the image of God. Mormons try to show respect for their bodies by living a healthier lifestyle and also living a moral lifestyle. They practice the law of chastity—no sex outside of marriage. This helps to prevent a wide range of health problems, from sexually transmitted diseases to teen pregnancy.

They also try to make their primary identity be that of a child of God. By remembering who they are and that God loves them, they reduce their mental health risks. By trying to live a life of service to others, they increase their self-esteem and focus outwardly more often. All of this serves to lower stress when done with the proper attitude and eternal perspective.

While no lifestyle can prevent all health problems, Mormons are well on their way to a healthy life—and do so following a diet prescribed by God Himself.

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.

Mormonism: Focusing Our Lives

Hey family!!

As I have been contemplating what to share with you all this week, my mind was especially caught up in contemplating the principle of happiness. It seems to be something that each one of us tries for in life. We gain our happiness in a variety of ways, sharing time with family and friends, reading a good book, playing with our children, and countless other methods. I would honestly hope that everyone who reads this message has a desire to be happy in this life.

As I was pondering the meaning of happiness, I found myself in Alma 41 in the Book of Mormon. For those of you not super familiar with this part in the Book of Mormon, it is when Alma, the prophet at the time, is talking to his rebellious son Shiblon. Shiblon has done some really bad things in his life that, at first, appeared to give him the happiness that he sought, but he quickly learned when he was taught by his father about how true happiness is attained and I feel that it has application to our lives. Alma shares in verse 10 of chapter 41 that “wickedness never was happiness.” I want you guys to ponder on that for a moment. “Wickedness never was happiness.” How many times in life have we had choices to make that appeal to us as human beings? We are confronted every day with “methods of happiness” that the world would lead us to believe as the true ways to feel better about ourselves and to gain greater satisfaction in this life. Often those ideas lead us to focus on how we can get ourselves to feel better. It leads us to focus completely on what we want and what we need. We are then tempted to do things that initially bring us pleasure, but that ultimately cause the Spirit to leave. I testify that the only true way that we can receive lasting, deep happiness is by focusing our lives on the Savior Jesus Christ and living His Gospel.

I have not been exempt to the wicked ways of the world. There have been many times when I have thought of how I can gratify myself and gain what I thought was true happiness. I quickly learned, that these were merely empty feelings that quickly faded away unless I indulged constantly in them. I know that this is not the way.

I want each of you to know that I love you and that I truly want each of you to be happy. But I know that the only way that we can truly get that happiness is by following the Lord and doing all that He asks us to do through His living prophets. I know that we are guided by living prophets and that the Lord loves each of you so much!! He wants us all to be happy and to live together forever. My prayer is that each of us will look deep inside and try to see if what we are doing in our lives is truly giving us happiness and peace. If it’s not, let us make those changes so that we can feel the Spirit in our lives and be a forever family!!!

Love you all tons!!!
Kraig

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.

Mormonism: Saul and Repentance

In my religion course this semester we are studying the second half of the New Testament. This last week we had a discussion on Paul and the sins he committed before his conversion to the church. In the book of Acts chapter nine it gives the story of Saul and the sins he was committing throughout most of his life. However, as Saul was on his way to bring more righteous followers of the Christian church into captivity the Lord appeared to him in a vision. In the vision the Savior said to him “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” This part of the scripture really hit me hard. Because of the Savior’s atonement and the infinite love that He feels for every single person on this earth, if we harm anyone of our fellow men we are really harming the Savior.

Along with the important scripture on being kind to one another, my class continued to talk about the repentance that Saul went through before he became the amazing Paul we know him to be throughout the New Testament. For three days Saul was stricken blind and during this he probably had a lot of free time to think about what he had been doing for years to harm the Christian church and the vision he had just had of the Lord. If that won’t make you feel deep godly sorrow for your sins I don’t know what will. Anyway, my professor brought up a part of the novel “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” written by C.S. Lewis. In the story, Eustace, a boy who was rude and arrogant was turned into a dragon because of treasure he stole. After being a dragon for quite some time, Eustace was distraught and desperately wanted to change back into a human. Aslan, the Christ figure in these novels, came to Eustace and told him to start shedding or ripping off layers of his dragon skin. Eustace the dragon tried desperately to change himself back by ripping off the dragon skin, but in the end he couldn’t prevail by himself. Aslan stepped in explaining that if he really wants to change he would have to let Alsan shed his dragon skin away. Finally Eustace was human again and his whole nature was changed. This is a perfect pretrial of how true repentance is for every one of us. We can try over and over again to change, but in the end we must rely on the Savior and His atonement to truly change. Even though it may be painful, we will finally alter our nature and become a better person

 -Sarah Card

The average American spends about 48 hours a year volunteering for charity. That’s a lot, but Mormons volunteer for 427.9 hours per year. Much of that is spent teaching or leading or working in church positions that largely benefit other church members, but 151.9 hours are spent volunteering in church programs that are not religious in nature. They volunteer in the Boy Scouts of America or participate in non-sectarian humanitarian work or welfare programs.

Programs carried out within the Church are often open to people who are not Mormon and benefit the community as a whole. For instance, the literacy program, run by the Mormon women, certainly benefits the entire community, as does the employment program. When anyone in a community gets a better job, learns to read or to speak the native language, or improves his parenting skills, everyone in the entire community benefits and future generations are blessed. Mormon welfare programs, carried out largely for Latter-day Saints (Mormons), mean that Mormons are not taking money from the government or community charities, leaving those resources for those who cannot get them elsewhere. The Humanitarian Aid program provides initiatives that serve people regardless of faith. Donations to that fund are used exclusively to provide the actual care, with the administrative costs paid for through other church funds. The totals of moneys spent listed on the LDS website do not represent the full cost of services given, since it does not include those administrative costs, nor does it include the many other programs operated by the Church.

Mormons also donate 1,821 dollars a year to non-LDS charities and causes. These donations are in addition to their tithing. 88.8 percent of Mormons who are active in the Church pay a full ten percent tithe, as taught in the Bible.

One unique humanitarian program carried out by Mormons is the Fast Offering. One Sunday a month, Mormons go without food or drink for twenty-four hours—skipping two meals—and then donate the money saved to assist people in their congregation who are in need of food or shelter. This is an important aspect of the commandment to take care of our own. Mormons believe we should take care of those in our circles whenever possible. By going hungry for 24 hours, Mormons are able to prevent long-term hunger among their friends. This also helps them to gain a small understanding of what it means to be hungry in a world that seems to have plenty. Their temporary and voluntary hunger each month increases their compassion for those in need.

Mormon charitable giving of time and money is rooted in a commandment to become more like the Savior. Again and again, the Bible tells of the Savior’s concern for those who had the greatest need  He commanded His followers to be like Him and to love their neighbors as themselves. This motivates Mormons to serve others, both in and out of the church, with their time and their money.

Today, many people don’t realize who God is; some are unsure if God is real; and others believe God does not exist. Unfortunately, even many Christians don’t truly know the nature of God, and refer to Him in vague terms.

Many believe that there is a God, many say that they know there is a God, but many do not act like they know God. There is a great difference in believing or knowing that there is a God and in knowing God… [1]

Mormon Beliefs: Anyone Can Know God Through 3 Easy Steps

Bernard P. Brockbank explained three simple truths during the 1972 General Conference (a semi-annual broadcast worldwide by LDS church leaders). In the video below, he said that we should choose to follow God’s commandments “and not to be misled or deceived by the doctrines of men or the doctrines of devils.” The best way to individually learn about God is to be obedient to the commandments of Jesus Christ, study the doctrine written in the scriptures by prophets, and pray to Heavenly Father for guidance.

http://youtu.be/YVR0SuTdzGc

Mormon Beliefs #1: Be Obedient

“Knowing God is related to keeping his commandments. Knowing God must come by direct revelation from God. You cannot know by the power of flesh and blood.” [1] “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3–6). A husband doesn’t truly know his wife if he doesn’t listen to her, talk to her, and learn from her. It’s the same thing with Deity. How will we know truly God, if we don’t keep His commandments?

To know God as a living child of God, we should know our relationship to him, our divine potential, and we should know that in knowing God there is great responsibility to respect and love and follow his counsel and his doctrines and his commandments and to grow as a child to become more godlike. [1]

One way to know of God’s existence is to test it out by following His commandments as given through prophets. God speaks today to prophets like He always has in Bible times. I’m grateful that He cares about us and guides us through modern prophets, since 1820, when God restored the gospel of Jesus Christ. The prophet’s guidance has really blessed my life in so many ways. I’m happier when I keep God’s commandments and choose the right. I know that when we are righteous, God blesses us with safety, protection, and guidance.

You are responsible for the choices you make. God is mindful of you and will help you make good choices, even if your family and friends use their agency in ways that are not right. Have the moral courage to stand firm in obeying God’s will, even if you have to stand alone. As you do this, you set an example for others to follow. [2]

Mormon Beliefs #2: Read the Scriptures

Knowing God does not solve life’s problems, but gives purpose and strength in order to help us to master them. Jesus, with his knowledge of His Heavenly Father, still had his problems to meet and to work out.

The answers to knowing God the Eternal Father are found in and through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6.)

LDS members read the scriptures (including The Bible) regularly. The name Mormon originally came from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ. This scriptural account was recorded by ancient prophets in the Americas, who testified of Christ, the Son of God. I agree that “the Book of Mormon [is] 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.” [3] I love the Mormon book because it has brought me closer to my Lord Jesus Christ. I also feel connected to God as I learn more about my brother Jesus, Savior, and Redeemer.

 Mormon Beliefs #3: Pray to God

Consider the following questions as you evaluate your relationship with God:

Do you know God the Eternal Father in your home?

Do you pray to the living God?

Do you pray to the God that you know?

Do you know your relationship to Him? [1]

I know that we are children of God, and I treasure my relationship with my Heavenly Father. We are each a child of God with a divine nature, and He wants us to reach our potential—to become like Him. [4] Bernard said, “Children should know that they are in the image and likeness of God, that they have godlike attributes and divine potential, that they are literally and truly children of God, with godlike capacities.” [1] The modern apostle Richard G. Scott Prayer (witness of Christ) stated:

Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father… He knows how desperately we need His guidance…

It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer. [5]

I know He listens to me pray and answers my prayers. God is all-intelligent, all knowing, and all powerful, but He is also all personal. I know He will answer your prayers if you sincerely talk to Him. He is waiting for us with open arms and wants to bless our lives. I invite you to move a little closer to heaven, kneel down, and speak with your Father in Heaven.

Additional Resources:

 Read the Scriptures

What do Mormons believe about eternal life?

God’s Commandments

Elder Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explained the central beliefs of Mormonism with the very center being the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of Mankind.  Elder Holland explained that the Church of Jesus Christ is not part of the Christian reformation that sought to reform the abuses and missteps of Christian orthodoxy, but is instead the complete restoration of lost power and authority that used to reside with Christ’s original apostles.  He emphasized that this is the only Church on earth that has that power and authority, and that it has come from Christ Himself through heavenly messengers.

That some do not consider Mormons Christians, Elder Holland acknowledged.  He stated that Mormons believe in the Christ and Heavenly Father of the Bible and not of the Christian councils (like the Athanasian Councils) that redefined the Godhead into an incomprehensible being.

“What brings me to you today is not a message of reformation but of restoration,” he said, “the restoration of that church Christ established by His hand in the meridian of time and which He has reestablished by His hand in this present time.”

“We are not considered ‘Christian’ by some, I suppose because we are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Athanasian Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ,” he said. “No, when we speak of ‘restored Christianity’ we speak of the Church as it was [before] … great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed.  So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian.  Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know.  (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Thus, we teach that:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone.  As such we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament]”[15]  We take Christ literally at His word—that He “came down from heaven, not to do [His] own will, but the will of him that sent [him.]”[16]  Of His antagonists He said they have “hated both me and my Father.[17]  These, along with scores of other references, including His pleading prayers, make clear Jesus’ physical separation from His Father.  However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that They were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love.  They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are.  In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.

• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.”[18]   We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.  The Book of Mormon and other canonized scripture, as well as the role of living oracles, witnesses to the fact that God continues to speak.  We agree enthusiastically with the insightful Protestant scholar who inquired, “On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible . . . If the Spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same Spirit does not speak today . . . about matters that are of significant concern?”[19]

• Lastly, for today, we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called “our most distinguishing feature.”[20] That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization.  It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth.  Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God.  This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential, but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them.  Breaking ecclesiastically with his more famous brother John over the latter’s decision to ordain without any divine authority to do so, Charles Wesley wrote:

“How easily are bishops made

By man or woman’s whim:

Wesley his hands on Coke hath laid,

But who laid hands on him?”[21]

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself.  The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

 

 

*Read the full transcript of Elder Holland’s Talk.

*Listen to the Audio of the Question and Answer Period.

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints define the priesthood as “the eternal power and authority of God.” Members of the Church undeniably profess that through the priesthood God created and governs the heavens and the earth, and that it is through that power He redeems and exalts His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

President John Taylor, the 3rd President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught:

[Priesthood] is … the principle and power by which [God] regulates, controls, dictates and manages His affairs, His worlds, His kingdoms, His principalities, His powers, His intelligences, and all things that are underneath Him and above Him, and with which He has to do.

The power manifested by the priesthood is simply the power of God, for he is the head of the priesthood … ; and it is upon this principle that all the works of God have been accomplished, whether on the earth or in the heavens; and any manifestation of power through the priesthood on the earth is simply a delegated power from the priesthood in the heavens, and the more the priesthood on the earth becomes assimilated with and subject to the priesthood in the heavens the more of this power shall we possess.

Latter-day Saints believe that the Biblical miracles performed by prophets and apostles were performed by the power of the priesthood. These include the miracles of Jesus, who holds all of the keys of the priesthood. They further believe that the same priesthood power and authority which existed in Biblical times exists on the earth today. Therefore, Latter-day Saints believe the priesthood to be the power and authority of God, and that wherever that power and authority (and keys) are present, there is the priesthood. Hence, in modern times, the priesthood provides the authority for a priesthood holder to act as a leader in the Church and to perform sacred ordinances. Latter-day Saints further believe that acts (in particular, sacred ordinances) performed by someone holding priesthood authority are recognized by God and are binding in Heaven, on earth, and in the afterlife.

This principle is set forth in the scriptures as recorded in Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Modern day revelation as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 128, verse 8 provides further clarification to this teaching:

Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.

In the New Testament book of Revelation, in Revelation 1:6 are recorded these words, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Who are these “Priests” who comprise this “royal priesthood“? Modern day revelation found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 76, verses 54 through 60 gives some insight to help answer that question:

They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things.

In Matthew 22:14 are recorded these words, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Latter-day Saint doctrine teaches that in order to exercise priesthood power or authority a person must (1) be called by God, (2) be ordained or endowed with priesthood power by one having proper authority, and (3) receive the necessary priesthood keys, either through ordination to an office or through being set apart.

God gives priesthood authority to worthy male members of the Church so they can act in His name for the salvation of His children. Male members of the Church may begin their Mormon priesthood service when they reach the age of 12. They begin by holding the Aaronic Priesthood, and they later may qualify to have the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred on them. Priesthood holders can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern the kingdom of God on the earth. As they prepare themselves to receive different responsibilities, they hold different offices in the priesthood, such as deacon, teacher, or priest in the Aaronic Priesthood and elder or high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The fifth Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states, “We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.” And in the Bible, Hebrews 5:4 reminds us that, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Therefore, in order for a male member of the Church to hold the priesthood, it must be conferred upon him by an authorized priesthood holder who in turn ordains him to an office in that priesthood. This is further clarified in modern-day scripture as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 42:11, “Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.”

It should well be remembered and understood that although the authority of the priesthood is bestowed only on worthy male members of the Church, the blessings of the priesthood are available to all—men, women, and children. Everyone benefits from the influence of righteous priesthood leadership; therefore, everyone has the privilege of receiving the saving ordinances of the priesthood. The most important exercise of the priesthood takes place in the family. Each husband and father in the Church should strive to be worthy to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. With his wife as an equal partner, he presides in righteousness and love, serving as the spiritual leader of his home. He leads his family in regular prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evening. He gives priesthood blessings for direction, healing, and comfort. And, realizing that salvation is a family affair, he works with his wife to teach their children and help them prepare to receive the ordinances of salvation.  Mormon women perform priesthood ordinances in the temples of God, and the covenants they make in those same holy temples promise an eternal priesthood to every worthy woman in the Church.

In the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 2:9 are found these words, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” As priesthood holders – the “chosen generation” of the “royal priesthood”, the Savior gives this gentle reminder as recorded in the Bible, in John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Additional Resources:

 Mormon Temple Ritual

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Blacks in the Mormon Priesthood

Mormon Families

We Are All Children of Our Heavenly Father

During Moses’ visitation with God on the mountain, found in a scriptural account known as the Pearl of Great Price, he learned many truths that were completely unknown and almost incomprehensible to his time. He first learned as he stood face to face with God, that mortals physically resemble him. He also learned that we are Heavenly Father’s children as he heard God say, “thou art my son” (Moses 1:4). But when the presence of God withdrew from Moses, and he lost all of his strength, he realized another key point in our relation to God: “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” (Moses 1:10). This humbling experience gave Moses the confidence he needed to withstand the deceptive powers of Satan that soon followed because he knew that nothing was comparable to the greatness of God, including Satan himself. God then visited Moses again and revealed another great truth: although God has created an infinite universe and has all power, all of his work is done in order “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39).

President Uchtdorf (a member of the First Presidency in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) addressed this very story when he stated, “This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God” (General Conference October 2011). He continues by saying, “We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”

The truths that Moses learned in the mountain can profoundly affect our relationship with God. By realizing that we are Heavenly Father’s children, we also realize our potential to some day be like him. This in turn affects many of our daily decisions as we make choices based on our desire to be exalted, not our humanly urges of temporary satisfaction that Satan tries to tempt us with. These momentary things mean nothing compared to the eternal happiness we have been promised. And by understanding that we are nothing compared to him, we also know that we conquer anything with his help.

Knowing that he is our Father and that he cares about us also helps us to feel his love. Being conscious of God’s love gives us confidence that he is watching over us and that he hears our prayers. We then submit to his will because we know that “all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good” (D&C 122:7). The knowledge of Moses’ relationship with God affects everything about our relationship with Heavenly Father because we can finally understand it for the simple reality that it is: although we are nothing compared to him, we are everything to him. Since we are the center of his purpose in the heavens above, his will should in return be the center of our purpose here on earth. As we make this our objective, our relationship with the Father will only strengthen, and we will continue to draw closer and closer unto him until we have reached the ultimate goal of becoming one with him in the eternities above.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about how you can strengthen your relationship with our Heavenly Father at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).

What Do Mormons Believe about Life, Happiness, and Jesus Christ?

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon or Bible–both testaments of Jesus Christ.