Basic Beliefs of Mormons

Faith is the evidence of things hoped for but not seen. It only need to be the size of a mustard seed in order to move something as mighty as the Rocky Mountains. It seems to be something that is hard to believe in because it is nothing tangible that can be held, turned over and examined in your hands . . . and yet:

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

7 For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.

8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.

10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.

11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.

14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.

18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.

20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith.

21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.

22 And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the promise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ.

23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them; Ether 12:6-23

And by faith, these mighty things were wrought. Now, as I sit in the Surgery Waiting Room wait for news on my husband, faith is something great in my mind and heart. Faith is a gift given to us by our Lord God Jesus Christ. If we ask, if we believe, then the answers come to us. If we believe miracles will follow.

My husband suffers from kidney failure and all the associated illnesses and problems that come from an extended period of dialysis. My husband has been the recipient of many miracles over the last few years and it has strengthened our faith tremendously. But, even now, with the knowledge and testimony I have of the gospel, of the knowledge I have faith and utter belief I have in the Savior, I fear for my husband.

And so I contemplate faith. How do we strengthen our faith? By prayer. By active use of faith. By trusting in the arm of the Lord and believing that He not only knows who we are, but cares enough to grant us miracle after miracle. In the Bible Dictionary (an addition which accompanies every copy of King James version of the Holy Bible printed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we learn a little more:

Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Hebrews 11: 1; Alma 32: 21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him without reservation. Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith (Romans 10: 14-17). Miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one’s faith.

Faith is a principle of action and of power, and by it one can command the elements and/or heal the sick, or influence any number of circumstances when occasion warrants (Jacob 4: 4-7). Even more important, by faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God.

All true faith must be based upon correct knowledge or it cannot produce the desired results. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel and is more than belief, since true faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action; it carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for. A lack of faith leads one to despair, which comes because of iniquity.

Although faith is a gift, it must be cultured and sought after until it grows from a tiny seed to a great tree. The effects of true faith in Jesus Christ include1 an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is acceptable to the Lord (see Hebrews 11: 4);2 a reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life; and3 an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come. These things involve individual and personal testimony, guidance, revelation, and spiritual knowledge. Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that he gives to his saints. Jesus pointed out some obstacles to faith in John 5:44 and John 12:39-42 (cf. James 1: 6-8). Bible Dictionary: Faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Of this I know of a surety, I have absolute faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. He wishes only for the best in regards to our welfare. The more I learn of faith the more I realize what a precious and beautiful gift we have been given by our Father in Heaven. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain, only a smaller amount than that is needed to trust in the Lord to guide the hands of the surgeon, to strengthen my husband's body to withstand the rigors of this surgery, despite the fact that he is weakened by six years of kidney failure.

My husband is strong, vital and the faith I have in my heart, assisted by the priesthood blessing he received last night, carries me through with the knowledge that he will survive this and be stronger for it.

Yesterday, I received an email asking me a number of questions regarding the plan of salvation. I'd run across a question on Amazon.com: "Why did God create the world?"

I answered that question for this person and she emailed me with more. I did respond to her, but I thought I would post her questions and then my answers.

Question: I looked at the verses you recommended. Tell me if I'm just not interpreting them correctly.

(I have changed the wording of the scriptures she sent me to the King James version of the Bible.)

Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

Ephesians 1:4-5, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."

2 Timothy 1:9, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.."

Initially when I read these and at the start of my email, I didn't see how they were relevant to immortality. But as I reread them so that I could type them, it makes more sense. As far as scriptures that aren't in the bible, why aren't they? And who chose which scriptures would be included? And where were they discovered?

Answer: The scriptures you mentioned all speak of life before we came to earth. Revelations 12 also speaks of the war in heaven which was fought to insure that we would have the freedom on earth to choose our own paths. Heavenly Father, of course, prefers we choose to return to Him, but He will not force us for that was Satan's plan, to force everyone of us into returning. The freedom to choose right from wrong or vice versa is an eternal law that Satan tried to circumvent and Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father would not let him.

Yes, you are interpreting those scriptures properly. We did not begin when we were born and we will not end when we die. I've written several articles on this subject, which can be found here. It does put a whole new spin on things doesn't it? For me, it makes it easier to deal with the trials and tragedies of life knowing that I have a loving Savior watching over me. Our Father in Heaven did not put us on this earth without a road map. Everything we need to know to return to Him has been revealed, first to the prophets and apostles of old, and now to the prophets and apostles of this day and age. It is called the plan of salvation. Simply click on each link on the left, in succession, and it is explained in its entirety.

As to scriptures which are not in the Bible, the Council of Nicea, in 325 A.D., is who sat down and decided what would be in the Bible and what would not. As the Bible was translated, over and over, misinterpretation caused inaccuracies as did the wickedness of different individuals through history. Interestingly, Martin Luther, didn't like the books of Hebrews, James and Revelations. And yet within those books we find wonderful explanations of the doctrine that Jesus Christ taught before He was crucified. In Revelations, as I just mentioned, there is written knowledge of premortality, the life we lived before we came here. How precious these truths are that he dismissed out of hand. Martin Luther and the other Reformers performed a wonderful service in preparing the world for the full restoration of Christ's Church, but they were not infallible.

In John 20:30 we find: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book."

In the next chapter, John 21:15: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

In Ezekial 37:16-19 it reads: "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephriam, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand."

The stick of Judah, obviously, is the Bible. The stick of Joseph is a record of Jesus Christ's visit to North America after His crucifixion. There were other books written testifying of Jesus Christ, His teachings and His visits to other lands. The entire gospel of Jesus Christ, in its purest form, is revealed within the pages of the Book of Mormon, and is the stick of Joseph. When it was translated and printed in 1830, it was spread across the land until it is now translated. A full explanation of how the Book of Mormon came into being can be found here.

Question: In reference to Elder Neal A. Maxwell, how do we know he was a true apostle? Not just him, but anyone in modern day times claiming to be delivering the word of god?

Answer: Now, as to your question as to how to know if Neal A. Maxwell is an apostle of God, or how anyone in this day and age can make such a claim.

At the very end of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni tell us: "And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you. Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

This request and promise is given to readers of the Book of Mormon. But it applies in all facets of attempting to discern truth from error. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored Church of Jesus Christ, in its entirety, as it was set up by Jesus Christ in the meridian of time (0 A.D. to 33 A.D.) The authority bestowed upon the 12 Apostles by Jesus Christ is completely restored, the structure of which is described in Ephesians, a prophet and apostles are those that administer Christ's Church.

Ephesians 1:10 - "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times (now) He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him." (Restoration)

In Ephesians 2:20 - "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

With any knowledge that comes your way, it's important that you study and research it and then kneel before you Father in Heaven and sort out the truth. He will provide that for you. He has given us scripture describing how to recognize His answers:

D&C 9:7-9 - "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But 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; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me."

Really, what it boils down to is "by their fruits, ye shall know them." If hate and vitriol are the watchcry, that is not of Jesus Christ. If emulation of the Savior in all things is the watchcry, that is of Jesus Christ.

I can certainly testify to you that Jesus Christ's Church has been restored and that Gordon B. Hinckley, the living prophet today, is a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon holds within its pages the plain and precious truths removed from the Bible. As a companion book of scripture to the Bible, life as we were intended to understand it, will open up and you will begin to look at your daily life with new eyes and understanding of: Who am I? Why I am I here? and Where am I going? You will have the answers to those questions. I testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ, for He is God and He lives.

Just remember, turn to God for confirmation of your answers. Listen with your heart and know that He will answer you.

I was born in San Diego, California in 1963. Through the course of my life I have always had a deep love of the written word, particularly the scriptures. A promise in my patriarchal blessing states:

"Because of your taking advantage of every opportunity you have in the Church to gain experience and to learn the lessons of life, and because you have filled your mind with knowledge from the Standard Works of the Church, you will be ready with an answer for those who are honest in heart."

We have been cautioned to not allow anyone but family members to read our patriarchal blessings as they are deeply sacred and personal in nature. But I feel comfortable sharing this one paragraph because it helps to illustrate my point.

I am a daughter of God. You are a son or daughter of God. Nothing we say or do will ever change that. But we are intended to return to our Father in Heaven in glory, not in shame. To this end, I have devoted my life to learning more about the gospel from every reliable source I could find. I have studied the words of ancient and modern prophets and apostles. I read and prayed about the words of trusted theologians. I have tried to serve my fellow man and live a more Christlike life. And through it all, my testimony has grown so strong that I am as certain as anyone can be that we have a loving Heavenly Father who has given us every necessary tool to return to him.

My interest in writing began when I was eleven. So I took every class I could, took private instruction from writers who would teach, majored in Creative Writing in college . . . everything I could do to develop my skills as a writer. And yet, it was years of pondering and prayer before I truly understood my mission in life.

You see, our Heavenly Father sent each one of us to this earth with a purpose and specific missions to accomplish. It took a number of years before I understood mine. Once I did, I endeavored to do all I could to accomplish that mission. As I have done so, others have been revealed to me. And so I continue on, every day, attempting to live my life in such a fashion that I am able serve Him as He intends.

My parents did such a fantastic job of raising me. With eleven other children, it wasn't always the easiest thing for them. And yet there was never a doubt in my mind that their testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel were strong and unassailable. They taught us the gospel with every action and every night as we read the scriptures. My mother has a huge library which was a constant source of knowledge growing up. No matter why I called her, she had the answer or she found it within minutes. My parents are a large part of why I am who I am today.

My sweet husband has been a constant and loving companion. He makes me want to be a better person because of the kind of person he is. Together we continue our study of the gospel, attend church weekly and pray often. We date, we love, we support, we encourage each other to be the best we can be.

I am becoming who the Lord intending me to be. A strong, valiant daughter of God willing to stand and testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His gospel. I want to be so much better than I am. The happiness I find in my heart and spirit is the knowledge of who I am as a daughter of God. I attempt to balance my life properly so that I am the best servant of the Lord I can possibly be . . . and this is what I ask you --

Are you becoming who you are meant to be?

Joseph Smith, Jr., the prophet of the Restoration, said,

"Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense, and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is . . . In knowledge there is power."

The entire Restoration of the Savior's Church came about because Joseph was seeking answers regarding the questions he had about religion. He pored over the Bible night after night, reading by the light of candles, in order find the answers he sought. Like others of his day, religion occupied a great deal of this boy's mind. When he came upon James 1:5, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

This begin a lifelong journey to satisfy Joseph's thirst for knowledge. The more he learned, the more that was revealed, the more he asked for clarification from the Lord. In the Doctrine & Covenants, we are told,

"Seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). He has counseled us to learn the gospel and to gain an understanding "of things both in heaven and in the earth, . . . that [we] may be prepared in all things" (D&C 88:78–80).

Furthermore, we are told,

Schooling and Professional Training

We should always work to educate our minds and our hands so we can succeed in our chosen fields. Our education should be an influence for good and our use of it should distinguish us as people of integrity. A good education will prepare us for opportunities as they come and will help us be an asset to our families, the Church, and our communities.

Seminary and Institute

Throughout the world, Latter-day Saints ages 14 through 18 participate in seminary, which provides weekday instruction from the scriptures. Institutes of religion provide weekday courses in a variety of gospel subjects for Latter-day Saints ages 18 through 30. Children and adults are also encouraged to learn the gospel through daily, lifelong study and by participating in the programs and classes offered by the Church.

Lifelong Learning

In addition to furthering our education through formal schooling, we can continue learning by reading, attending wholesome cultural events, visiting museums and historic sites, and observing the world around us. (Gospel Topics - Education, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org 2007)

Every Mormon is encouraged to study, learn and grow throughout our entire lives. As Joseph said, "Knowledge is power," and indeed it is. For example:

Knowledge of our Founding Fathers and the founding of this nation allows us to stand for what we believe in and to continue to protect the Constitution and the United States of America.

Knowledge of basic first aid skills and herbal medicine help me to care of my family.

Knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ provides a path home to heaven and helps us to answer questions and share this knowledge with others.

Brigham Young once said that when he got to heaven he was going to immerse himself in those heavenly libraries and study and learn for eternity. That actually sounds nice to me. I thirst for knowledge, I thirst for understanding and in reading, studying and learning I gain that knowledge.

Because of the knowledge I have, buoyed by my faith in Jesus Christ, I stand inviolate against the world when I testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ. I testify that He is God and that through no other means may we be redeemed. He is my Lord and Savior and my love for Him knows no bounds.

I take Joseph's statement serious, "Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense, and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is . . . In knowledge there is power." Will you?

Mormons have a number of websites, provided by the Church, which enable us to prepare ourselves for any eventuality. Whether it is the main website which grants us access to all the words of modern prophets and apostles, the scriptures online, information about the Church, music . . . it doesn't matter. For the enterprising Latter-day Saint we can be prepared for anything. I invite you to drop in on any of these websites and enjoy the adventure.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the main website. Here we can find every aspect of the LDS religion and culture. Magazines, General Conference talks, music, temples, images of religious history, visiting and home teaching messages, etc. This is a site I frequent almost every day to find answers to questions or further clarification on points of doctrine. It is a wonderful resource for anyone.

Learn more about Mormons.

At this website every question you would have about the gospel of Jesus Christ will be answered here, or a path provided for those answers to be received.

In addition, there is a complete list of LDS churches worldwide that will enable you to attend a service. It's a wonderful site with basic information that will enlighten your mind.

This is also where you are able to ask any question and chat live with someone who can provide the answer. You will learn all the basics of the truth restored.

The Restoration of Truth

God is your loving Heavenly Father. Does God really know me? Does God really know me?

God is your Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9). We call God Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits and we are created in His image ( Genesis 1:27).

Learn more about Joseph Smith, Jr. at a website set aside to specifically help people better understand and learn about the prophet of the Restoration.

Provident Living

Welfare services is not only a program of relief for the needy; it is also a principle of the gospel, one of the basic principles. As President Marion G. Romney has said, "Welfare is not a program of the Church. It is the Church." It is the application of the teachings and principles of the gospel. Our purpose here on the earth is to perfect ourselves so that we can return to the presence of our Father in heaven.

Many of the spiritual truths we must learn and actions that must become part of our lives are inseparably connected to the concepts of welfare services. For instance, the first and great commandment is to love the Lord, and the second, which "is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). How do we show love? "If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me" (D&C 42:29). This is the principle of service. King Benjamin emphasized this when he said, "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).

(taken from the Ensign, Sept. 1973, p. 68)

This site is to help you learn these principles, and find opportunities to apply them in your life and in the lives of others.

Mormons learn alot about independence and caring for oneself and neighbors very early in life. I recall many a year when harvest came around. We would can fruits, vegetables, meats, stews and anything else that would sustain our family. I remember my back aching, my neck burning as we worked late into the night trying to get everything done. That food has fed our family through some very difficult times.

The Church of Jesus of Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages every member to prepare for the worst and expect the best. The Provident Living website takes you through different aspects of becoming self-reliant and preparing for the worst, such as the fires burning across the state of California, or ice storms in Virginia where utilities are lost for up to two weeks at a time, or in Florida where hurricanes ravage the coast with great ferocity, or tornadoes tearing through the heartland. We never know when disaster will strike, whether it is natural or man-made, like the loss of a job or ill health. Those who are prepared need not fear. That is the mantra of the LDS people, and it's a good one to have.

Family History is a crucial part of Mormon life. Commanded to "redeem our dead," which means to seek them out, go to the temple and perform, by proxy, the saving ordinances which they didn't have access to in life. Heavenly Father desires a solid chain from Adam down to each person living on this planet we call Earth. Family Search is the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world. Check out the Genealogy section of this site to learn more about how to do your genealogy.

Also, I invite you to drop by our Technology section to read reviews Moira is doing of different LDS related sites and blogs. She'll be starting those soon, so check back often.

These are just a few of the sites that help people around the world learn more about us. Please visit any of them. We welcome you and all your questions.

The prophet, Brigham Young said,

This people believe in revelation. This people did believe and do believe that the Lord has spoken from the heavens. They did believe and do believe that God has sent angels to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, according to the testimony of John [see Revelation 14:6–7] (DBY, 38).

We often hear it said that the living oracles must be in the Church, in order that the Kingdom of God may be established and prosper on the earth. I will give another version of this sentiment. I say that the living oracles of God, or the Spirit of revelation must be in each and every individual, to know the plan of salvation and keep in the path that leads them to the presence of God (DBY, 38).

The Lord is not everywhere in person; but he has his agents speaking and acting for him. His angels, his messengers, his apostles and servants are appointed and authorized to act in his name. And his servants are authorized to counsel and dictate in the greatest and what might be deemed the most trifling matters, to instruct, direct and guide his Saints (DBY, 41). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 42)

The Lord has never expected us to blindly follow His prophets in faith. We have long been taught and blessed with the ability to discern truth from error. We have been encouraged to pray over every aspect of the Lord's Church and receive confirmation for ourselves. When confusion arises, peace can be found in personal prayer. When asked how he guided the saints by revelation, Brigham Young replied:

I teach them to live so that the Spirit of revelation may make plain to them their duty day by day that they are able to guide themselves. To get this revelation it is necessary that the people live so that their spirits are as pure and clean as a piece of blank paper that lies on the desk before the [writer], ready to receive any mark the writer may make upon it (DBY, 41).

. . .

The revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of truth will detect everything, and enable all who possess it to understand truth from error, light from darkness, the things of God from the things not of God. It is the only thing that will enable us to understand the Gospel of the Son of God, the will of God, and how we can be saved. Follow it, and it will lead to God, the Fountain of light, where the gate will be open, and the mind will be enlightened so that we shall see, know and understand things as they are (DBY, 34). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 42,43)

We must "live so that [our] spirits are as pure and clean as a piece of paper." In other words, we must be striving on a daily basis to do what is right. It doesn't mean we won't stumble, and it doesn't mean occasionally we won't fall. What it means is that every day, regardless of what happens, we get back up with our hand outstretched to the Savior and keep moving forward.

There is only one who will tell you are not worthy to continue following the Savior. He is the master deceiver and his lies are the most dangerous and deadly of all. Never, ever forget the Atonement and the price Jesus Christ paid for you. It caused Him, even God, to tremble and bleed from every pore. You mattered that much to Him. If you can always remember that you will continue to constantly move forward.

This is where this beautiful gift of revelation comes into play. Mormons do believe in the right of all to receive personal revelation in regards to everything within their stewardship. If you are a parent, your children are within your stewardship and you are within your eternal right to receive revelation to help them. If you are a bishop, you are allowed to receive revelation for the entire ward and are indeed blessed to do so. However, if you are Joe Schmo down the street, you are not allowed to receive revelation for the Church. That responsibility lies on the shoulders of the prophet and the prophet alone.

When the Spirit of revelation from God inspires a man, his mind is opened to behold the beauty, order, and glory of the creation of this earth and its inhabitants, the object of its creation, and the purpose of its Creator in peopling it with his children. He can then clearly understand that our existence here is for the sole purpose of exaltation and restoration to the presence of our Father and God (DBY, 37). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 42,43)

The gift and power to discern truth from error, and act upon it, keeps us from being led down a dark and dangerous path.

It behooves us to remember that Heavenly Father did not send us into mortality without the tools we need to succeed. The ability to discern truth from error is a great and powerful gift that will keep us from traversing roads which will stall, hinder or even cause us to miss the blessing or responsibility the Lord intended to give us.

But we should all live so that the Spirit of revelation could dictate and write on the heart and tell us what we should do instead of the traditions of our parents and teachers. But to do this we must become like little children; and Jesus says if we do not we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. How simple it is! Live free from envy, malice, wrath, strife, bitter feelings, and evil speaking in our families and about our neighbors and friends and all the inhabitants of the earth, wherever we meet them. Live so that our consciences are free, clean and clear (DBY, 36). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 43)

He went on to say,

Were I to draw a distinction in all the duties that are required of the children of men, from first to last, I would place first and foremost the duty of seeking unto the Lord our God until we open the path of communication from heaven to earth—from God to our own souls. Keep every avenue of your hearts clean and pure before him (DBY, 41).

If we draw near to him, he will draw near to us; if we seek him early, we shall find him; if we apply our minds faithfully and diligently day by day, to know and understand the mind and will of God, it is as easy as, yes, I will say easier than it is to know the minds of each other (DBY, 42).

Let us be humble, fervent, submissive, yielding ourselves to the will of the Lord, and there is no danger but that we shall have his Spirit to guide us. If we will open our lips and call upon our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we will have the spirit of prayer (DBY, 44). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 44)

We have the word of a prophet of God here, Brigham Young. What more do we need? Let me close with one more bit advice from Brother Brigham.

If the Devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, tell him it is none of his business, and pray until that species of insanity is dispelled and serenity is restored to the mind (DBY, 45). (Teachings of the Presidents: Brigham Young, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, 1997 45)

I would never presume to live my life without listening to and heeding the Holy Ghost as direction is whispered to me. Why would I try?

Filling the well within is an interesting concept. Some people take it to the extreme, others don't do it all. Like everything else Jesus Christ taught us, balance is critical to being a worthwhile servant of God.

In the situation with Mary and Martha, the Savior taught us a valuable lesson:

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:38-42)

The Lord is not encouraging Mary and Martha to eschew all their reseponsibilities and duties, but is reminding Martha that there is a time to stop and listen, to fill the well within. Mary chose to sit at the feet of her Savior and listen rather than clean and cook.

How should we apply this in our day? Several years ago I was stretched to the limit. I worked full time, had just suffered another miscarriage, was the Young Women's President (the leader of the Young Womens organization which includes teenage girls from age 12 to 17) a new wife and mother to a teenage boy (my husband's youngest brother.) Stressed beyond all belief I no longer had time for the things I enjoyed. No gardening, no cross stitch, no reading, no movies, no dates with my husband, no football games, no trips to the temple. It was all about work, home and church, that was it.

At one point I came home from work and kissed my husband goodbye as he left for work. I walked upstairs to the kitchen table and sat down . . . and stayed there. Five minutes later my husband walked back in the door. Surprised, I looked down at him.

"The Spirit whispered to me to return home and give you the blessing you need." He promptly walked up the stairs, laid his hands on my head and through the power of the Holy Melchizedek priesthood he held, he offered me the blessing the Lord had in mind.

Specifically, I was told that I had to take time for myself. I had to time for gardening, for cross stitch, for football games, for temple attendance . . . all the things that gave me joy. The Lord said that I was of little use to Him if I was so strung out I couldn't accomplish anything with any of my responsibilities. He reminded me that balance in all things is required and that above all, my happiness was critical to Him.

This taught me a powerful lesson. We must take the time to pause and fill the well within. Should you abandon your family on a daily basis to fill the well? No, of course not. But take time to drive up the canyon and visit your favorite spot in the mountains. Take time to go to lunch with family or friends. Take time to go on a weekly date with your spouse. Take time to do that which fills your spirit. For when your spirit is filled the Savior can do so much with you, for you and in spite of you.

So be as Mary of old, kneel at the feet of the Savior and let yourself be fed. And also be as Martha of old, keeping to your responsibilities, but not so much so that all that brightens your life is strangled out of it.

I have one line of my family history all the way back to Adam. Now, obviously, I was a little suspect when I connected these ancestors, so I traced them all the way back to be certain they were indeed . . . my ancestors.

In doing so, I've run across some really interesting characters, one of which is the Patron Saint of Beer, St. Arnold. I kid you not! There really is a Patron Saint of Beer and I'm related to the guy.

This is one of the really fun aspects of doing your genealogy. On top of the eternal aspect, which is pretty huge, you get to learn a little more than a name, birth date and death about the people from whom you are descended.

First, let's talk about Arnold and then I'll explain the eternal benefits of doing your genealogy.

St. Arnold -- According to Wikipedia,

Arnold of Soissons or Arnold of Oudenaarde (also Arnulf) is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He is often cited as the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers.

Arnold lived from 1040 to 1087. Born in Oudenaarde, Flanders, he was first a career soldier (Arnulph the Strong of Oudenaarde), before settling at the Benedictine monastery of Soissons, France. He spent his first three years as a hermit, but later rose to be abbot of the monastery. His hagiography states that he tried to refuse this honor and flee—a standard trope (compare Jiménez de Cisneros)— but was forced by a wolf to return. He then became a priest and finally a bishop, another honor that he sought to avoid. When his see was occupied by another bishop, rather than fighting, he took the opportunity to retire from public life, founding the Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg.

At the abbey, he began to brew beer, as essential in medieval life as water. He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its "gift of health." During the process of brewing, the water was boiled and thus, unknown to all, freed of pathogens. This same story is also told of Arnulf or Arnold of Metz, another patron of brewers. There are many depictions of St. Arnold with a mashing rake in his hand, to identify him. He is honored in July with a parade in Brussels on the "Day of Beer."

St. Arnold's feast day is on 8 July.

Is that just an interesting ancestor of note or what?

Now down to the reasons genealogy is so important. The Lord wants one solid line, from Adam down to you. Genealogical records are so important to the Lord that one of the twelve tribes of Israel was condemned because they didn't keep those records.

When Lehi and his family were commanded to flee Jerusalem, the Lord sent his sons back to retrieve the plates which contained their genealogy all the way back to Adam.

“What is our obligation then? Each one of us—if we pretend to obey the gospel at all—must search out our dead and have these saving ordinances performed for them.

“Many suppose that they are discharging their responsibilities by simply ‘going to the temple.’ But that is not wholly true. We must go to the temple, of course, and often. If we do not as yet have the records of our own dead kindred, then while we search for them, by all means let us help others with theirs.

“But be it understood that if we go to the temple, and not for our own dead, we are performing only a part of our duty, because we are also required to go there specifically to save our own dead relatives and bind the various generations together by the power of the holy priesthood.

“We must disabuse our minds of the idea that merely ‘going to the temple’ discharges our full responsibility, because it does not. That is not enough. …

“God holds each of us responsible for saving our own kindred — specifically our own.” (Ensign, May 1976, pp. 15–16.) George D. Durrant, “Genealogy and Temple Work: ‘You Can’t Have One without the Other’,” Ensign, Aug 1983, 18)

We literally participate in the redeeming of our ancestors when we find them and then take that ancestor's name to the temple and complete all the saving ordinances awaiting them. The joy which bursts from the other side of veil is tangible. An ancestor, waiting, for hundreds of years, for someone here to remember them and to go to the temple and act as proxy for them will forever aid you in your mortal existence. We have become, in essence, saviors on Mount Zion. In completing an ancestor's temple work, you have forged one more link in that eternal chain back to Adam.

If you don't know where to start, drop by our Genealogy section and take the advice of our expert, Summer Owens. You'll be forever glad you did.

There are so many ideas about heaven, including the "it doesn't exist" theory. Some picture us floating on a cloud, others picture it all ending in a cold, dark grave.

Let me shed some light on the subject, literally.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to the general membership of the Church in the spring of 1992 about this very topic.

Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death. Prior to our birth, we dwelled as spirit children with our Father in Heaven. There we eagerly anticipated the possibility of coming to earth and obtaining a physical body. Knowingly we wanted the risks of mortality, which would allow the exercise of agency and accountability. “This life [was to become] a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 12:24.) But we regarded the returning home as the best part of that long-awaited trip, just as we do now. Before embarking on any journey, we like to have some assurance of a round-trip ticket. Returning from earth to life in our heavenly home requires passage through—and not around—the doors of death. We were born to die, and we die to live. (See 2 Corinthians 6:9.) As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven. (Russell M. Nelson, “Doors of Death,” Ensign, May 1992, 72)

"We fully flower in heaven." Isn't that a beautiful thought? In previous posts we've discussed premortality and mortality, and the natural progression, as Elder Nelson states, is postmortality.

Phase 1: Paradise

Right after we have shuffled off this mortal coil we go to a place called Paradise, which Alma described as

11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow. (Alma 40:11–12.)

Paradise is pretty much a weigh station. Remember when the Savior was hanging on the cross?

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39-43)

Did you ever wonder why a thief would be in Paradise with our Lord God, Jesus Christ? This is why. Paradise is not heaven, but it is that place where we shall be between our mortal death and the resurrection.

Phase 2: Resurrection

Some facetiously state that nothing is as permanent as death. Not so! The grip of physical death is temporary. It began with the fall of Adam; it ended with the atonement of Jesus the Christ. The waiting period in paradise is temporary, too. It ends with the resurrection. From the Book of Mormon we learn that the “paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls.” (2 Nephi 9:13.) (Russell M. Nelson, “Doors of Death,” Ensign, May 1992, 72)

Ezra Taft Benson, the prophet from 1985 to 1994, stated the following about the resurrection:

There is the ever-present expectancy of death, but in reality there is no death—no permanent parting. The resurrection is a reality. The scriptures are replete with evidence. Almost immediately after the glorious resurrection of the Lord, Matthew records: “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matthew 27:52–53.) (Ezra Taft Benson, “Life Is Eternal,” Ensign, Aug 1991, 2)

Jesus Christ, the first to be resurrected, broke the bands of death caused by Adam's Fall. Upon His resurrection, others were resurrected and seen in the city of Jerusalem. This promise was given to us as well. At our appointed time our spirits and bodies will be reunited in perfect harmony, our bodies "shall be restored to [their] proper and perfect frame." (Alma 40:23; see also Alma 11:42–45.) Proper and perfect frame . . . oh, I cannot wait for that day!

Phase 3: Judgment

This is the phase of life, and yes premortality - mortalitly - postmortality consist of one life, is the one everyone seems to hold some dread in their heart.

Elder Nelson went on to say,

Our resurrection will not be an end but a new beginning. It will prepare us for judgment by the Lord, who said, “As I have been lifted up [upon the cross] by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works.” (3 Nephi 27:14.)

Even before we approach that threshold of the eternal court of justice, we know who will personally preside: “The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

“And whoso knocketh, to him will he open.” (2 Nephi 9:41–42.)

Now is the time to prepare for the day of our judgment. Taking stock of your life right now, what must you do to attain the highest level in the three degrees of glory? It may not be as complicated as you think. Elder Nelson was once in plane plummeting toward the earth and these are the thoughts that went through his head,

One of its engines suddenly burst open and caught on fire. The propeller of the flaming engine was starkly stilled. As we plummeted in a steep spiral dive toward the earth, I expected to die. Some of the passengers screamed in hysterical panic. Miraculously, the precipitous dive extinguished the flames. Then, by starting up the other engine, the pilot was able to stabilize the plane and bring us down safely.

Throughout that ordeal, though I “knew” death was coming, my paramount feeling was that I was not afraid to die. I remember a sense of returning home to meet ancestors for whom I had done temple work. I remember my deep sense of gratitude that my sweetheart and I had been sealed eternally to each other and to our children, born and reared in the covenant. I realized that our marriage in the temple was my most important accomplishment. Honors bestowed upon me by men could not approach the inner peace provided by sealings performed in the house of the Lord.

That harrowing experience consumed but a few minutes, yet my entire life flashed before my mind. Having had such rapid recall when facing death, I do not doubt the scriptural promise of “perfect remembrance” when facing judgment. (Alma 5:18; see also Alma 11:43.)

Are you living your life in such a way that you could look the Savior in the face and say, "I have served Thee and loved Thee. I have done the very best I could. I have done the work for my ancestors in the temples. We were sealed in the temple and all of our children were born in the covenant. I have raised my family up unto Thee. I wasn't perfect, but every day I tried to follow in Thy footsteps. Every day I tried to serve my fellowman. Every day I loved Thee and I am ever thy faithful servant."

I know I have done all that, but am I done? No. I'm not perfect and so every day I get up and think to myself, what does my Savior need me to do today. Following President Thomas S. Monson's suggestion to take care of the Lord's tasks first, I have found I accomplish much, much more in any given day.

I am determined to return to the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. That means I do what I set out to do when I left heaven. I work. I learn. I study. I pray. I grow.

We've talked about Premortality (Where Did I Come From?) So lets examine the next phase in our eternal existence is mortality, our Second Estate.

From Teachings of the Presidents: Spencer W. Kimball, we read:

We understood well before we came to this vale of tears that there would be sorrows, disappointments, hard work, blood, sweat, and tears; but in spite of all, we looked down and saw this earth being made ready for us, and we said, in effect, "Yes, Father, in spite of all those things I can see great blessings that could come to me as one of thy sons or daughters; in taking a body I can see that I will eventually become immortal like thee, that I might over the effects of sin and be perfected, and so I am anxious to go to the earth at the first opportunity." And so we came. (To Live With Him Some Day, Teachings of the Presidents: Spencer W. Kimball, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 2006 3)

Premortality was our First Estate and having successfully completed that First Estate; having sided with Jesus Christ in the war in heaven where a full third of the hosts of heaven followed Satan; and understanding that mortality was the next phase in our eternal progression, we were born. We obtained bodies of flesh, bone and blood which have been denied to Satan and his minions. This alone gives him great reason to seek our ultimate and eternal downfall. We can't let him.

Mortality is school and our Second Estate. We had progressed as far as we could go in heaven and now we are at college. We were not sent to earth in order to live lives rife with pleasure, sin and self-gratification. We were sent to learn to master the passions of the natural man and become as close to perfect as we could come.

This does not mean we become inhuman. We simply learn to control our passions. For example, the sanctity of marriage is an eternal principle. Family is an eternal unit. Yet the world would have us believe that faithfulness to a marriage partner isn't really necessary. We hear constantly how irresponsible it is to have children. We learn that family units do not need to be complete.

Satan has succeeded in corrupting the Father's eternal plan which "brings to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Again, we cannot let Satan succeed. He wishes to hasten us to eternal misery and sorrow, the Savior wishes for our eternal joy and progression. Faithfulness in marriage does matter, and in fact, is critical. The complete and solid family unit is what will save this world.

Heavenly Father did not send us down without a textbook. The scriptures, as well as modern prophets and apostles, have clearly outlined the expectations our Father in Heaven has for us. He misses us. He wants us to come home. To this end, He sent Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer.

We were,

". . . sent to this world with a very serious purpose. You are sent to school, for that matter, to begin as a human infant and grow to unbelievable proportions in wisdom, judgment, knowledge and power." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, Edward Kimball, Deseret Book 1982 31)

Our first responsibility in mortality is to prepare to meet God again. How do we do that? We seek after truth. We study the scriptures and the writings of modern prophets and apostles. We go to church every week and we seek answers. If the answers are not there, find them. Work every day to be a better person.

You see, we weren't put on earth to coast. We were put here to grow and develop to the fullest of our eternal potential. You already did it once . . . you can do it again!

Where did I come from?" is a common question asked by those seeking for something greater than the bright, shiny and often destructive things the world has to offer. Mormons actually have the answer to this question, or rather, the gospel of Jesus Christ provides the answer.

In premortality, or the place in which we lived prior to this life of mortality, we were spirit children of our Father in Heaven. We lived, we loved, we laughed, we learned and we grew. We grew as far as we could in our spirit state. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, an Apostle of Jesus Christ from July 24, 1981 to July 24, 2004, said,

"Early in the Restoration, by translation and revelation, numerous plain and precious truths appeared in fairly rapid succession. This occurred through Joseph Smith, the “choice seer.” (2 Nephi 3:6.) As when dinner guests arrive nearly all at once, Joseph, as host, received, welcomed, and duly noted each truth. Only later was there time and matured perceptivity to see their relationships and the antiquity of their credentials.

"Among these plain and precious truths was the doctrine of the premortal existence of mankind. (See 1 Nephi 13:39, 40.) Early on, Joseph received much concerning this truth, but just as the revelations concerning it came incrementally, so did Joseph’s understanding.

One of the “plain and precious things” long ago “kept back” or “taken away” (1 Nephi 13:34, 40), this enormously important truth did not reach the Holy Bible in an abundant degree, though it is surely there. (See Jeremiah 1:5; Ephesians 1:4–5; 2 Timothy 1:9.) It was briefly extant after the original Apostles. Alas, however, just as Paul foresaw, the time soon came when Church members did not “endure sound doctrine,” including this one. (See 2 Timothy 4:3.)

With the later disapprovals of councils, the doctrine of premortal existence demonstrably was not a doctrine which could have been reestablished by research. The doctrine does not abuse logic, for “truth is reason,” especially “truth eternal”, but is more than logic alone can fully support. (See Hymns, 1985, no. 292.) It could only come from restoration by modern revelation. It was certainly not abroad in the land of America until Joseph Smith’s articulations. (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Premortality, a Glorious Reality,” Ensign, Nov 1985, 15)

We did not come from nothing. Order and truth eternal dictate the heavens, for God would not be God if He broke eternal laws. And so we lived before we came and now is the time of our mortal probation. We had grown as far as we could grow . . . and now, here we are.

Do the fruits of your labors show you to be a son or daughter of God? Are you a true disciple of Jesus Christ in thought, action and voice? Do you fan that divine spark within you into a flame or have you completely blown it out? That divine spark can be reignited, Jesus Christ paid the price for that to be so through the Atonement.

President Spencer W. Kimball said,

"Celestial life may be had by every soul who will fill the requirements. To know is not enough. One must do. Righteousness is vital and ordinances are necessary." He went on to teach, "[the gospel] is a way of life, the plan of personal salvation, and is based upon personal responsibility. It is developed for man." (Teachings of the Presidents, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2006 1)

In the New Testament, in the Epistle of James 2:17-24,26 we read,

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

-and-

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James lays it out very clearly. In order to be saved, in other words redeemed by the price our Savior so handsomely paid, faith is not enough and neither are works.

The two must work hand in glove, as must man and woman, in order for redemption to be attained.

Moroni, the last prophet to write upon the ancient plates of the Book of Mormon, deemed his life was quickly coming to an end. To this end, he wrote of the most important precepts and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of faith he wrote:

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen (Moroni 7:40-48.)

There is no question what this ancient prophet is saying:

Faith ? Hope ? Meekness ? Charity -- all these things are required if we hope to gain the Celestial Kingdom, the highest kingdom in the order of heaven.

And so we see, if we wish to be redeemed as the Savior wishes us to be, we must live our lives in a matter befitting disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. " . . . by their fruits ye shall know them," should be the motto we live by.

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air; -- Pearl of Great Price, Moses 3:5

Is it so hard to believe that we did not come from nothing? For indeed, as the Lord God had created all things of the earth spiritually before creating them physically, so too was man.

There were seven periods in which the earth was created. I say periods, because that is the terminology used by the prophet, Abraham, in the Pearl of Great Price. This makes so much more sense then seven days, although, with God, nothing is impossible.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, one of fifteen living apostles of Jesus Christ, explained the seven periods:

Period One included the creation of atmospheric heavens and physical earth, culminating in the emergence of light from darkness. (Genesis 1:15 ?? Moses 2:1-5 ?? Abraham 4:1-5)

In Period Two, the waters were divided between the surface of the earth and its atmospheric heavens. Provision was made for clouds and rain to give life to all that would later dwell upon the earth. (Genesis 1:6–8 ?? Moses 2:6–8 ?? Abraham 4:6–8)

In Period Three, plant life began. The earth was organized to bring forth grass, herbs, trees, and vegetation—each growing from its own seed. (Genesis 1:9–13 ?? Moses 2:9–13 ?? Abraham 4:9–13)

Period Four was a time of further development. Lights in the expanse of the heaven were organized so there could be seasons and other means of measuring time. During this period, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the earth were placed in proper relationship to one another. (Genesis 1:14–19 ?? Moses 2:14–19 ?? Abraham 4:14–19) The sun, with its vast stores of hydrogen, was to serve as a giant furnace to provide light and heat for the earth and life upon it. (See Henry Eyring, “World of Evidence, World of Faith,” in Of Heaven and Earth: Reconciling Scientific Thought with LDS Theology, ed. and comp. David L. Clark (1998), 59

In Period Five, fish, fowl, and “every living creature” were added. (Abraham 4:20–21) They were made fruitful and able to multiply—in the sea and on the earth—each after its own kind. (Genesis 1:20–23 ?? Moses 2:20–23 ?? Abraham 4:22–23)

In the Sixth Period, creation of life continued. The beasts of the earth were made after their kind, cattle after their kind, and everything which “creepeth upon the earth”—again, after its own kind. (Genesis 1:24–31 ?? Moses 2:24–31 ?? Abraham 4:24–31) Then the Gods counseled together and said: “Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness. …

“So the Gods went down to organize man in their own image, in the image of the Gods to form they him, male and female to form they them.” (Abraham 4:26–27) Thus, Adam and Eve were formed. (Note that the Lord called the first man and woman “Adam” (Genesis 5:2 ?? Moses 6:9)) And they were blessed to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28 ?? Moses 2:28 ?? Abraham 4:28)

The Seventh Period was designated as a time of rest. (Genesis 2:1–3 ?? Moses 3:1–3 ?? Abraham 5:1–3)

And so the world was created. Then man and woman, Adam and Eve, were created and the Lord God's creation was finished. But what was the purpose of the Lord's creation?

Elder Nelson goes on to tell us:

This earth is but one of many creations over which God presides. “Worlds without number have I created,” He said. “And I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.” (Moses 1:33 ?? D&C 76:23–24) Grand as it is, planet Earth is part of something even grander—that great plan of God. Simply summarized, the earth was created that families might be. Scripture explains that a husband and wife “shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.” (D&C 49:16)

But the Plan of Salvation would be stalled if Adam and Eve remained in the Garden of Eden. For in the Garden they could not multiply and replenish the earth. And so the Fall was brought about and the full measure of the earth's creation and heaven's purpose could now be met.

Before the world began we were all residing in heaven with our Heavenly Father. At the time, with His children all around Him, the Father presented a plan in which all of us would have the chance to return to Him and attain our eternal glory.

Two sons stepped forward, each with different ideas to implement Heavenly Father's plan.

Lucifer, once a son of the morning and now called Satan, stepped forward and explained he would force each one of us to obey all the commandments, thereby returning every child back to Heavenly Father. He then demanded all the glory be given unto him if this was accomplished.

Jesus Christ stepped forward and agreed to implement the Plan as the Father had laid it out and offered Himself up as Savior to redeem all of mankind. He gave all the glory to God the Father. Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ and the war in heaven, described in Revelations Chapter 12, commenced.

This Plan had three critical parts and the Lord needed people whom He could count on to fulfill the Plan in its entirety.

"Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth (see Mosiah 3:8; Moses 2:1). From scripture revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we know that in the work of the Creation, the Lord organized elements that had already existed (see Abraham 3:24). He did not create the world "out of nothing," as some people believe. (Creation, Gospel Topics, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Elder Russell M. Nelson stated in his speech “The Creation:”

The entire Creation was planned by God. A council in heaven was once convened in which we participated. There our Heavenly Father announced His divine plan. It is also called the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption, the plan of restoration, the plan of mercy, the plan of deliverance, 1and the everlasting gospel. The purpose of the plan is to provide opportunity for the spirit children of God to progress toward an eternal exaltation. (Russell M. Nelson, (“The Creation,” Ensign, May 2000, 84)

The creation of this world testifies, at every level, of a Creator. Elder Nelson went on to say, "

I testify that the earth and all life upon it are of divine origin. The Creation did not happen by chance. It did not come ex nihilo (out of nothing). And human minds and hands able to build buildings or create computers are not accidental. It is God who made us and not we ourselves. We are His people! 38 The Creation itself testifies of a Creator. We cannot disregard the divine in the Creation. Without our grateful awareness of God’s hand in the Creation, we would be just as oblivious to our provider as are goldfish swimming in a bowl. (The Creation,” Ensign, May 2000, 84)

And so the world began and in a beautiful garden called Eden, the Lord placed Adam and Eve who were created in Heavenly Father's own image. Commanded to "multiply and replenish the earth" they were left to tend the garden and care for the animals that resided there.

Much speculation has occurred regarding the actual Fall, but Elder James E. Talmage states,

. . . the Fall was a result of partaking of the forbidden fruit and not a consequence of some other act: "here, let me say, that therein consisted the fall -- the eating of things unfit, . . . and I take this occasion to raise my voice against the false interpretation of scripture, which . . . is referred to in a hushed and half-secret way, that the fall of man consisted in some offense against the laws of chastity and virtue. Such a doctrine is an abomination. (The Infinite Atonement, Tad R. Callister, Deseret Book, 2000 p. 33)

Such as it was, Adam and Eve were cast from the garden and began life in the lone and dreary world. The Fall was critical to the plan. Had Adam and Eve not fallen, we would not be here. They were unable to hav children in the Garden of Eden, but once in the mortal world they were able to obey the commandment to "multiply and replenish."

So rather than blaming Eve for the Fall, thank God daily for the actions of Adam and Eve which provided the path for the Plan of Salvation to move forward.

Now that man was in a fallen state, it was necessary for a Savior to come and redeem mankind. 5,000 years after Adam and Eve were cast from the garden, the heavens heralded the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thirty years after that birth, Jesus Christ began His ministry. For three years He taught. He healed. He raised from the dead. He traveled from town to village to city, teaching in the synagogues and on the hillsides. Wherever people would listen the Savior taught.

At thirty-three years of age, our Savior, Jesus Christ, was betrayed by a childhood friend, the apostle Judas Iscariot.

After suffering, to the point of blood pouring from his pores, for our sins, sorrows, illnesses and griefs, the Savior healed the ear of a soldier who had come to take Him away. He was tried in a kangaroo court, beaten, whipped, tortured and mocked until finally He was forced to carry His own cross to Golgotha. He required help, and a man, touched upon by the Spirit, lifted that beam and carried it the remainder of the way.

Our Savior hung on the cross, suffering mightily as the soldiers cast lots for his clothing. Others who loved Him stood by weeping as they watched the Son of God hang in agony until the price had been paid, justice was satisfied and the Savior whispered, "It is finished."

Adam fell that men might be . . . the Savior died so we could live.

During the Savior's brief sojourn on earth, He organized His church with apostles, evangelists, teachers and more. When the Great Apostasy occurred, it required a complete restoration.

This happened in 1820 when Joseph Smith, Jr. knelt in that grove and God the Father and God the Son appeared to him. And thus the restoration began. I've already written about the apostasy and the restoration, and so I won't go into detail about it now.

Adam ? Jesus Christ ? Joseph Smith, Jr. Each played a pivotal part in the Plan of Salvation. It required man to fall and become mortal. It required a God to descend, and through His control of life and death, pay the price justice demands for sin as well as break the bands of death. It also required a man who would not falter, who would not fail, in the restoration of Christ's church on the earth. To each of these men and God, I express my heartfelt gratitude for your sacrifices. Because of you we live. Because of you we have hope of an eternal reward, if we will follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

Because of you.

With obesity sweeping the nation in alarmingly large numbers, many are turning to a variety of diets, exercise programs, surgeries . . . anything that help to get and keep the weight off.

The Lord revealed a "Word of Wisdom", that I believe will help all people seeking good health. The header to Section 89 of the Doctrine & Covenants says:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. HC 1: 327–329. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result. The first three verses were originally written as an inspired introduction and description by the Prophet.

A little more history here: Emma, Joseph's wife, was the one having to clean up the spitted tobacco all over the floor after the meetings were done. She became very tired of it and asked her husband to please do something about it. He inquired of the Lord and this revelation is the result.

In its entirety, it reads:

1 A Word OF Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—

2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—

3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

5 That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.

7 And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

8 And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

This is a diet presented by the Lord and one that has amazing effects on the body when kept.

The promises given those who follow these guidelines are amazing:

1. Health in the navel to the marrow of their bones;
2. Shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge; and
3. Shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint;

And perhaps the greatest promise of all: The destroying angel shall pass by those who live by these guidelines and not slay them.

These are amazing promises. As He does in all parts of our lives, Jesus Christ encourages balance amongst all things, including our diets. If we want to live healthy and strong, live by the standard of the Word of Wisdom.

Does this guarantee you will never have health problems? No. Does it increase your chances of good health? Without question.

Many people do not believe there was a need for the restoration of the gospel and church that Jesus Christ established during the meridian of time and in His mortal lifetime. Many deny The Great Apostasy ever took place, but I promise you that it did.

First, let's discuss the definition of apostasy:

When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy. One example is the Great Apostasy, which occurred after the Savior established His Church. After the deaths of the Savior and His Apostles, men corrupted the principles of the gospel and made unauthorized changes in Church organization and priesthood ordinances. Because of this widespread apostasy, the Lord withdrew the authority of the priesthood from the earth. This apostasy lasted until Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 and initiated the restoration of the fulness of the gospel. -- The Great Apostacy, Gospel Topics, www.lds.org.

The Twelve Apostles, along with their chosen disciples, tried desperately to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ as pure as it was when He taught them. With so many factions of Christians spreading across the Middle East, it was impossible to stay ahead of what was coming . . . corruption of the gospel as doctrines were discarded when they interfered in the lifestyle of those reputing to be Christians. As one apostle after another was killed the gospel of Jesus Christ slowly faded away until it became the gospel of mankind with a few teachings of the Savior's sprinkled amongst them.

As the last man who held priesthood authority was killed, the gospel of Jesus Christ ceased to exist. Authority was gone, as were the keys of the priesthood, and darkness spread over the earth until that spring morning in 1820.

Elder Dallin H. Oakes, apostle and former Supreme Court Justice of Utah, said of the apostasy:

"In the process of what we call the Apostasy, the tangible, personal God described in the Old and New Testaments was replaced by the abstract, incomprehensible deity defined by compromise with the speculative principles of Greek philosophy. The received language of the Bible remained, but the so-called “hidden meanings” of scriptural words were now explained in the vocabulary of a philosophy alien to their origins. In the language of that philosophy, God the Father ceased to be a Father in any but an allegorical sense. He ceased to exist as a comprehensible and compassionate being. And the separate identity of his Only Begotten Son was swallowed up in a philosophical abstraction that attempted to define a common substance and an incomprehensible relationship." Dalli