Basic Beliefs of Mormons

It is truly astonishing to Mormons how much is misunderstood about us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a video with Hall of Fame quarterback, Steve Young and former Miss America, Sharlene Hawkes.

First we are shown the misconceptions believed about Mormons and our faith, and they are astounding. Then we are shown the truth. You may watch the video: Mormon Myths & Realities by clicking on the link. This site, currently, does not allow embedded objects.

Are we Christians? Do we practice polygamy? Do we drink booze or smoke? Do we stick to ourselves? Do we all live in Utah? The answers to all these questions are in the video. The answers are yes we worship Jesus Christ and are Christians, no we do not practice polygamy, no we don't drink alcohol or smoke, no we do not stick to ourselves, and no we do not all live in Utah, less than half of the 13,000,000 plus members of the Church live outside the United States.

These are questions which have been asked of the Church since Mitt Romney began his run for the Presidency of the United States of America. He happens to be Mormon, as well as a statesman, and the questions are flying fast and furious because of his faith.

Even I have been somewhat startled at the breadth of the misconceptions about Mormons. What I'd like to talk about today is the particular and horrifying misconception that we don't worship anyone.

First, the official name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormon is a nickname that was given to us in the early days of the Church. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Lord and Redeemer, our King and only through Him may mankind be saved. He stands at the head of this church, because it is His Church, and it was restored in its entirety by Joseph Smith, Jr, under His guidance, on April 6, 1830. At that time there were six members of the Church, now there are over 13,000,000 of us spanning the globe.

Every single one of us worships Jesus Christ. We believe in the Godhead: Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, (Matthew 3:13–17; John 14:6–10; John 17:6–23; Acts 7:55–56; 2 Nephi 31:18; Mormon 7:5–7; D&C 76:20–24.) Jesus Christ, as He explained over and over in the New Testament, went about His Father's work on earth. He is the central figure of our religion. Everything about us revolves around Jesus Christ, His Atonement and His Resurrection.

The prophet and apostles have issued a statement to the world entitled The Living Christ and it begins like this:

As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

Read the rest of this incredible testimony of Jesus Christ by clicking on The Living Christ.

Gordon B. Hinckley, the living prophet of God, said of Jesus Christ:

Jesus was in very deed the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, who left His Father’s royal courts on high and condescended to come to earth as a babe born in the most humble of circumstances. His birth was foretold centuries earlier by Isaiah, who declared prophetically, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

This Jesus Christ of whom we solemnly testify is, as John the Revelator declared, “the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.” He “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” (Revelations 1:5–6) ...

Such is the witness of the testament of the Old World, the Holy Bible. And there is another voice, that of the testament of the New World, wherein the Father introduced His resurrected Son, declaring, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name.” (3 Nephi 11:7)

Added to all of this is the declaration of modern prophets: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (D&C 76:22) ...

It is proper during this season when we commemorate His birth that we remember the Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and with love. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has brought meaning to our mortal existence. He has given us the gift of eternal life. He was and is the Son of God, who was “made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

God be thanked for the gift of His Son, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the Prince of Life and Peace, the Holy One. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Testimony of the Son of God,” Ensign, Dec 2002, 2–5)

Oh yes, we worship someone . . . we worship God the Eternal Father and His Beloved and Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The day will come when I will fall at the feet of my Savior and worship Him with tears pouring down my face for the great love and sacrifices He made for the likes of me. It is my greatest hope and fondest desire that He gather me in His arms and whisper to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

For I am a servant of Jesus Christ and His Father, our Heavenly Father who is God the Eternal Father. Always, I will stand as a witness of them and shout hallelujah on the day Jesus Christ descends, once again, from His heavenly throne in triumphant glory, the enemies of God forever defeated and Satan, with his minions, forever cast away.

I testify to you that this is possible if we stay on the straight and narrow path, which is the plan of salvation, clinging to that iron rod, which is the word of God. Oh yes, Jesus Christ is my Divine Redeemer and forever will I glorify His name.

Joseph Smith, the prophet of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, said of the Book of Mormon during a meeting with the twelve apostles:

. . . 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 aiding by its precepts, than by any other book. (History of the Church, 4:461)

While the Bible has been through untold numbers of copyists, translators and corrupt religionists, the Book of Mormon has, according to modern-day prophet Ezra Taft Benson, "gone from writer to reader with one step of inspired translation."

Contrary to popular belief amongst friends of other faiths, the Book of Mormon is not about worshiping a prophet called Mormon, nor do we worship Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and Redeemer. Ezra Taft Benson told us:

The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion . . . There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of [Jesus] Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony. (Ezra Taft Benson, "The Book of Mormon -- Keystone of our Religion," Ensign, Nov 1986 4)

Keystone in our Witness of Jesus Christ: Much of the Christian world denies the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon provides that much needed second witness of His life, His divinity, His Atonement and His resurrection. He is the Son of God, the second member of the Godhead, He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the resurrected Messiah of the New Testament and the only path by which mankind may be redeemed.

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:23-26)

Yes, the Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ thousands upon thousands of times. We unashamedly testify to the world of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We shout to the world of His divinity, His pure love for mankind, His devotion to His Father and that He stands as the head of this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons.

Keystone of our Doctrine ? Every precious point of doctrine which was removed from the Holy Bible by the aforementioned methods is restored in the Book of Mormon.

Do you wish to learn about receiving answers to prayer? See Moroni 10:3-5.

Do you want to know more about faith and humility? See Alma 32.

Would you like to understand the heart of an ancient prophet? See 2 Nephi 4:15-35.

Would you like to know more of Jesus Christ's "other sheep have I which are not of this fold . . .?" See 3 Nephi.

Would you like to know more about the proper method of baptism? See Moroni 6.

We believe in Jesus Christ. We believe in Heavenly Father. We believe in the Holy Ghost. We believe in eternal life, therefore we believe Jesus Christ greatly suffered the Atonement, died by way of cruel and vicious crucifixion and the arose on the third day in glorious Resurrection. We believe through Jesus Christ all mankind may be redeemed and that eternal life awaits. We believe families are forever. We believe we lived before, that we earned life and through our actions in life may earn an eternal reward.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with hope, love, learning, strength and happiness. All of this is taught and testified of in the Book of Mormon.

President Ezra Taft Benson said,

As mentioned before, the Lord Himself has stated the the Book of Mormon contains the "fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ" (D&C 20-9.) That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation. The Book of Mormon offers so much that broadens our understanding of the doctrines of salvation. Without it, much of what is taught in other scriptures would not be nearly so plain and precious. (Ibid)

Keystone of our Testimony ? What is a testimony? "A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior's true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today. With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel. (Testimony - Gospel Topics, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, January 2008)

Truer words have rarely been spoken. My personal testimony of Jesus Christ and His eternal role in the redemption of mankind was strengthened by my study of the Book of Mormon. The more I read, pondered and prayed, the more Jesus Christ became real to me. No longer was He a misty figure in ancient history, but a living, breathing God who descended from on high to save us. The fulness of His gospel, provided in the pages of the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine & Covenants, have given me hope, strength and the sure knowledge of who I am and where I am headed.

And so I close this post with my testimony. He is Jesus Christ and through Him great and glorious rewards await if we will live by the principles, practices and precepts of His gospel. Through Him and the study of His gospel we learn the marked difference between secret and sacred. For when something is deeply sacred, as are covenants made between us and God, they are not be shouted to the world but held quiet and sure in our hearts as a constant reminder of our promises. In so doing, we live our lives patterned after Jesus Christ.

I testify to you that all the promises of the heavens are held within the gospel of Jesus Christ. Great happiness awaits, your heart will be lifted, your spirit will soar as the heavens are opened and the answers to your prayers will come. Oh life doesn't become automatically easy, for the stronger you become in the gospel of Jesus Christ the greater the opposition will be, but you stand not alone.

I testify to you that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration, and the man chosen by God to bring about the fulness of His gospel on the earth once again. I testify that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture which is a second witness of Jesus Christ and a companion to the Holy Bible. Hope awaits my friends, will you reach for it?

We must stand firm. We must hold back the world. If we do so, the Almighty will be our strength and our protector, our guide and our revelator. We shall have the comfort of knowing that we are doing what He would have us do. Others may not agree with us, but I am confident that they will respect us. We will not be left alone. There are many not of our faith but who feel as we do. They will support us. They will sustain us in our efforts.

We cannot be arrogant. We cannot be self-righteous. The very situation in which the Lord has placed us requires that we be humble as the beneficiaries of His direction.

While we cannot agree with others on certain matters, we must never be disagreeable. We must be friendly, soft-spoken, neighborly, and understanding.

Now I emphasize a theme already treated in this conference . . . I say, be true. Hold to the faith. Stand firmly for what you know to be right. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,” Ensign, Nov 2003, 82)

In April of 1993 I was given a very unique opportunity to stand before the world via television and testify of truth. I have been specifically asked to share this experience with you today, and I am pleased to do that.

From my youth I stood for what I believed, not only did I stand for this truth, but I also knew what I professed to believe. From an early age I studied the scriptures (the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) and as more and more books became available, written by modern prophets, apostles, general authorities and trusted theologians such as Hugh Nibley, Andrew Skinner, Catherine Thomas and Matthew B. Brown, to name a few, my heart and mind expanded in knowledge and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I arrived at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho I had developed the ability to stand in front of groups of people and speak about this gospel I loved so much and have come to love so much more. This only increased as time went on. In April of 1995 I came across an anti-Mormon book, which isn't even worth writing the name here, which presented Mormon women as uneducated, dominated and subjugated. I looked around at my family (I have six sisters), my friends and the circle of my acquaintances and saw lawyers, nurses, doctors, artists, musicians, writers, teachers, ranchers, farmers . . . not an uneducated, dominated or subjugated one in the bunch.

I read excerpts of this same book in a well-known women's magazine and decided to write a letter to the editor. Now knowing who that editor was I realize my letter found its way into that famous little round file found under her desk. But days after I mailed that letter I noticed the author of that book was going to be on the Phil Donahue Show. I stewed about that for a day or so and then made the decision to fax the producers a copy of the letter I'd written to the magazine. I did give them their own cover sheet. Within hours I'd received a phone call from one of Donahue's producers.

We spoke for quite some time and although I didn't feel confident about the interviewing of this sorely disturbed woman, I knew there was nothing I could do about it. A few hours later the producer called me and we spoke at length again. I didn't know why, I was a lowly Novell employee at the time, not the published author I am today, and I couldn't understand why she'd called, but I enjoyed the conversation nonetheless. I did ask that with 80,000 Mormons in the Northeastern part of the United States, that she find someone who was a valiant member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormons to appear on the show.

In case this moment in time is fuzzy to you, as it would be to me, it was the same weekend as the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles.

The weekend came and went, as did Monday, and on Tuesday morning I received a panicked call from that very same producer. The two men who'd been willing to fly to New York City and appear on the show had backed out because the shooting date had been changed and their schedules were not accommodating to the new date. She now had the author of that anti-Mormon book going on unopposed, she asked if I would fly to New York and appear on the show in defense of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I didn't hesitate, I only had to clear it with my boss. He graciously gave me permission and I was on a flight that afternoon, reading the aforementioned book as we flew eastward.

I'll admit, prior to reading the entire book I was quite angry at the author. Once I was done, I felt such immense pity for her it was amazing. She'd ridiculed the prophets and apostles, she'd mocked and twisted truths until they were unrecognizable, and yet, there was something about her that made me pity her greatly.

I arrived in New York City around midnight and was driven to the Drake Hotel in Manhattan. There I dropped off to sleep rather quickly only to awaken in the morning in a complete and utter panic.

Prior to leaving Utah I'd found two co-workers willing to give me a priesthood blessing of comfort and protection. I'd been promised by the Lord, through His willing and worthy servants, that I would not lose my temper, make a fool of myself or the Church and that I would be protected the entire time I was gone. I felt that cloak of heavenly protection settle around me, but when I awakened at 5:00 a.m. in the city where no one truly ever sleeps, I realized a cold hard truth.

While I'd flown to New York to appear on the Phil Donahue Show as Candace Sluyter (my maiden name) who happened to be a Mormon woman, I realized right then that the world would perceive me as Candace Sluyter Mormon Church. To say I was in an unrestrained panic would be putting it mildly. I crawled out of bed, knelt on the floor of that hotel room and began to pray. I prayed more fervently than I had ever prayed. I prayed for peace, for comfort and most importantly, for the ability to listen to Him for any inspiration He was willing to offer me during the taping of the show. I was literally cloaked in terror, but as I continued praying, slowly I began to feel a warmth overcome me. Beginning at the crown of my head it surrounded me completely until I felt it at the very core of my being. Within minutes all my panic and terror were gone and I felt peace and an overwhelming love which enveloped me head to toe. I was where I was supposed to be doing what I'd always loved doing, standing for what I believed in . . . I prayed a while longer thanking my Heavenly Father for always answering my prayers, for always hearing me when I cried unto Him, for always being there when I needed Him.

As the morning wore on into afternoon, I began to prepare myself to be on the Phil Donahue Show. The same producer I'd spoken with before called me and we went over every single thing Phil was going to ask me on the show. I felt a brief return of the panic just before the driver came to pick me up, but I quickly prayed once again and that peace returned.

I also spoke, in length, to my mother. Through and from her I received an additional layer of peace and comfort as she described the continual prayers being offered on my behalf. My mother is an incredibly strong woman and because of her I am the woman I am today.

Through the actual taping of the show I found myself facing the author, who'd had electric shock treatments and showed the effects of that with an incessant giggle and twitching eyes, another woman who'd started some kind of women's lib organization in her neighborhood for Mormon women and another woman who'd been a Mormon but had her name taken off the records of the Church. In other words, it was me, the lone Mormon against three sorely disturbed women, Phil Donahue and a studio audience that had not a single Mormon in it.

As the show progressed I listened to these women, offered comments when I felt it appropriate and answered all questions put to me. By the end of the show, the audience seemed friendly, the other women somewhat puzzled by me and I felt pretty good about the way things had come down. Certainly grateful that Heavenly Father's promise had been kept to me, I didn't lose my temper and I was able to answer every question. One of the women thought I spoke too authoritatively, Phil disagreed. Another thought I was sorely deceived in my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the other had no idea what to think of me at all. She believed I'd suffered no trials or worries in life. Hmmm.

What I do know is that I ended up not only defending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I ended up defending the priesthood, the men, of the Church. Oh certainly, I have known some downright scoundrels, even approaching evil men in my life, both inside and outside the Church. But I have known far more good men in my life than bad. Far more men dedicated to God rather than to their personal gratification . . . and so I willingly defended them and the gospel of Jesus Christ at the same time.

Once the show was finished being taped, Phil asked if we would line up on the stage and allow the audience to ask us more questions. I answered question after question about Mormon doctrine which is, as I have already mentioned, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I answered each and every one until I was hustled out of there to catch my flight back to Salt Lake City.

As I waited outside for my car, I heard "There she is . . " and I was surrounded once again. I continued to answer all questions thrown at me until my car arrived and I left for the airport.

Throughout the entire experience I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, nor I have felt the strength of protection again that I felt during that 24 hour period. During the taping of the show and the answering of the questions afterward I felt the Holy Ghost testifying to me over and over of the truthfulness of the answers I was giving to those questioning minds.

When I'd left Utah my testimony had been strong. When I returned, with so much having been testified to me by the Holy Ghost, my testimony was three to four times larger than it had been when I left, at a minimum. I know this: I stood for truth. I stood for righteousness. And I stood for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and for all truths the Lord has provided us in lighting that path through mortality and onward into the heavens.

I testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been fully restored and is taught in its entirety in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify we have a living prophet in Gordon B. Hinckley and he is the mouthpiece of the Lord and guides His Church today. I testify that God the Father and Jesus Christ did appear to Joseph Smith, Jr. in the spring of 1820 and over the course of the next fourteen years, Joseph restored Christ's gospel under His direction. I testify to you that the Book of Mormon is a divinely inspired book and stands as a second witness of Jesus Christ with the record of the peoples which inhabited the Americas from 600 B.C. until 421 B.C. I testify to you that the Savior stands at the head of this Church as its Chief Cornerstone.

Whether on a television show aired in 52 countries, or on the internet where billions can read it, or in a small congregation of a local church I will stand and testify that Jesus is the Christ, that He is the Son of God and is the only path by which mankind may be saved. He lives, and because He lives so do we. Because He suffered the Atonement He has redeemed us if we will but cast off the natural man, fan that spark of divinity within us and fulfill the full measure of our creation. Remember who you are . . . kneel in solemn and sincere prayer and truth will be testified of to you by the Holy Ghost, that Comforter who came to the apostles after Jesus Christ died, was resurrected and ascended into heaven.

Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated that “the world’s greatest champion of woman and womanhood is Jesus the Christ” (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 475).

And I, as a woman, even a daughter of God, strive to be the greatest champion of Jesus Christ. And this I testify of . . . without concern, without prevarication and without fear, I matter and because I matter, I testify of truth. Seek it out my dear friends, for greater joy you will never know when all the truths He has for you are revealed through the gospel principles, practices and precepts.