Basic Beliefs of Mormons

It's a common question asked amongst the good people of the world, no matter your religion, race or creed: "Why does God let bad things happen?"

No one, and I mean no one, escapes suffering in this phase of our eternal existence we call mortality or life. It's just the way it is. We came from heaven, known as premortality, determined to do our best, to prove to our Heavenly Father that we could be more like Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.

In heaven we were given the opportunity to make a choice. We could follow Heavenly Father's plan or we could follow Satan's. By virtue of your physical existence, you chose Heavenly Father's. The sticking point between the two plans? Free Agency.

Satan wanted to force us to live righteously and return every single one of us to Heavenly Father with no growth whatsoever, simply subjugated, dominated and uneducated.

Heavenly Father's plan included allowing us to choose for ourselves if we wanted to follow Him or turn our backs on Him and walk away. But He refused to force us. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Redeemer, to insure we would have a way to return home, whom President Thomas S. Monson, the living prophet of God, calls the Master Bridge Builder. Jesus Christ provided us bridges of obedience, service and prayer. In utilizing these bridges in mortality we are brought ever closer to our heavenly home.

In following Heavenly Father's plan we have been given the freedom to become more like Him or the freedom to choose to follow Satan to his fiery eternal destination.

Satan and his minions were cast out of heaven for rebellion against God the Eternal Father. (Revelations 12) He holds a grudge unlike anyone you have ever met since you were born on this earth. He wants every single one of us to fail. You have something he does not, a physical body and a chance at eternal life. He has nothing but his bitterness, anger and everlasting greed and bitterness to bring us all down.

So, there are several reasons why bad things happen:

1. Choices. If you choose to become addicted to drugs and involve yourself in the continual feeding of the habit you WILL eventually rob, permanently maim or murder another human being in order feed that habit. This can often spill over to innocent human beings who had nothing to do with your choices. But your choices never effect only you. They always, always effect at least one other person if not more.

2. Bad things that happen can be turned around if we seek help from our Heavenly Father. Indeed, our Father in Heaven will never rob us of our free agency on this earth. But He cannot, nor will He, protect us from the consequences of our actions. But if we turn to Him, He will strengthen us to survive, possibly overcome, if we are willing turn to Him permanently and remember who we are.

3. Sometimes trials are given to us to make us stronger. Indeed, if we lose the "woe is me" attitude along with the "why me, why me" questions and simply ask "what would You have me learn," then these trials become something which refine us into stronger, purer servants of God, much as gold is refined through the fires of forge, so too are we through the fires of our trials.

We have proof of a loving God, because if we turn to Him in times of unspeakable pain and horror we are given strength, comfort and peace to come this horrible time, even if it was caused by another's actions.

Jesus, the Bridge Builder, spanned that vast chasm we call death. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) He did for us what we could not do for ourselves; hence, humankind can cross the bridges He built—into life eternal.

I close by paraphrasing the poem “The Bridge Builder”:

“You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide—
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?”
“There followeth after me today
A vast throng whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that great throng may a pitfall be.
They too must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for them.”

(Thomas S. Monson, “The Master Bridge Builder,” Ensign, Jan 2008, 4–9)

Indeed, regardless of our circumstances in life or the horrible things which occur around the world, we are children of a loving Heavenly Father who allows each of us the freedom to be a savior or murderer of His children, you and me. The consequences of each are great . . . I'll leave it to you to figure out which set of consequences is preferable.

I have a rather unique mind with a vivid imagination. That's a combination that can get me into trouble on occasion. It also can paint scenarios in my mind that can take me on trips filled with hills, valleys and surprising curves, thus the topic of this blog came about.

If I had 30 minutes with Jesus Christ what would I do? Well, first I'd ask Him to stay longer, natch. But in all seriousness there is so much I would want to ask, so much I would want to learn . . . just to bask in the presence of our Lord and Savior, I cannot begin to imagine the incredible feelings which would wash over me.

From the time I was a small child I have always turned to the Savior for support when I needed it. I think I would spend at least half that time thanking Him for always being there when I needed Him.

I recall when I was 17-years-old and found out that I had a heart condition that would kill me if I didn't have surgery. Over the course of the next few months my health continued to grow worse until in August of 1981 I was wheeled into surgery. Elder Russell M. Nelson, then a world renowned heart surgeon and now a living apostle of Jesus Christ, performed that open heart surgery which saved my life. There was a brief moment, before the sedation took effect when fear swept through my entire body. Very sweetly and very kindly I heard, "Be at peace. All will be well."

Was that my Savior? I don't know, but I know no angels speak words that are not the words of Jesus Christ. So, in essence, it was my Savior assuring me I would survive that surgery and go on to live my life. I am now 44-years-old with no heart problems. This is one thing I would wish to thank Him for, face to face.

Through the last seven years as my husband has struggled with end-stage renal failure and drawn close to death over and over, I have continually leaned on my Savior for the strength to be the wife that I need to be, to love my husband as he deserves to be loved and to be the helpmate I promised to be before we came to this earth. I have leaned on my Savior as terror has swept over me as my husband was rushed from my side, blood pulsing from every part of his body. I have leaned on my Savior as my husband lay in a drug-induced coma, his stomach and abdomen still open from the life-saving surgery. Time and again, regardless of the situation, my Savior has granted me the strength and support I have so desperately needed to keep moving forward.

And so with my 30 minutes I believe I would express my gratitude, sit, listen and beg to be enfolded in His arms, cradled and protected from the onslaught of wickedness and evil so pervasive in our society. I would crave to hear, "Well done my daughter, thou hast served Me well." And then I would rest, assured that my Savior loved me and would walk the remainder of this mortal path with me.

I am a daughter of God. As such, I believe strongly that there is much I have to do in this life to prove to my Heavenly Father that He was right to send me to this earth that I might prove myself in this phase of eternity. Mortality.

The Plan of Salvation tells us we lived before we came to this earth. No, I am not speaking of reincarnation, which is a false doctrine, but of premortality, that phase of eternity where we lived as spirit children of our Heavenly Father. It was there we learned about the plan of salvation and the opportunity Heavenly Father would give us to come to earth, having proven ourselves in our first estate; having chosen the side of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the War in Heaven (Revelations 12:7-12) and been granted the gift of a physical body and the chance to prove ourselves in our second estate.

And now here I stand, a student of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a fierce defender of the faith. I have been called a Mormon apologist and I am that. I have been called a defender of truth and righteousness, and I am that as well. I stand, shoulder to shoulder, with my brothers and sisters in the gospel as standard bearers to the world testifying with all the might, power and strength the Holy Ghost can give us . . . of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

I have known from my earliest cognizant memory that He was my Redeemer and my Savior. I have testified of this in churches and homes, across pulpits and tables, even on the couches of friends and family. And this I feel compelled to testify of once again.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He suffered that we might live . . . so much did He suffer that it caused Him to bleed from every pore. (D&C 19:18) And as He hung from that cross on Golgotha, once again the weight of untold numbers of worlds fell upon His pain racked body and every farthing was paid that eternal justice might be satisfied. Three days passed, and on that beautiful morning 1,975years ago He broke the bands of death (John 20) and became the first fruits of the Resurrection.

Because of Jesus Christ's willingness to descend from heaven, leaving His heavenly throne, to come into the world in a lowly and meek manner . . . we will live forever. Every single human being ever born will be given the gift of resurrection. Eternal life . . . that's up to you.

So I will be as an ensign unto the nations, proclaiming to the world of the literal Son of God, Jesus Christ. And as Alma of old I cry unto the heavens:

O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the atrump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! (Alma 29:1)

When we fully come unto Jesus Christ, are we born again?

Conversion is a process, not an event. Conversion comes as a result of righteous efforts to follow the Savior. These efforts include exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of sin, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end in faith.

Although conversion is miraculous and life changing, it is a quiet miracle. Angelic visitations and other spectacular occurrences do not bring conversion. Even Alma, who saw an angel, became converted only after he "fasted and prayed many days" for a witness of the truth (Alma 5:46). And Paul, who saw the resurrected Savior, taught that "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 12:3) - (Gospel Topics: Conversion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org)

Lets examine these one by one . . . in order to be fully converted we must:

Exercise faith in Jesus Christ: Faith in Jesus Christ begins in one place. Is He your God, Redeemer and Savior? Do you accept Him as the Son of God, one chosen and foreordained from before the foundations of the world to save and redeem the children of God that we might continue forward in our eternal progression?

Once you have truly accepted those facts into your heart, a mighty change comes over you. You wish to be a better person. You wish to help others seeking, find Him. You change your thoughts and actions to be in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ. (Alma 13:12)

So no, you are not literally born again, but you are born anew as a son or daughter of God. In thus believing, you recognize that this mortal probation is about more than simply existing in the world, but is about growing, developing and triumphing over the world. That is faith in Jesus Christ.

Repent of our sins: We must cast off our sins and glory in being clean and new. The Atonement of Jesus Christ has given us the gift of being able to repent of our sins.

The full scope of the Atonement is something rarely understood, even by Mormons across the globe. If the weight of all the children of God's burdens caused Jesus Christ, even the Son of God, to bleed from every pore, how enormous was that burden? We, as mortals, will never be able to understand the depth and breadth of that price, but I invite you to understand a little more about what you've been given. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said,

"Nothing in the entire plan of salvation compares in any way in importance with that most transcendent of all events, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord. It is the most important single thing that has ever occurred in the entire history of created things; it is the rock foundation upon which the gospel and all other things rest." (Elder Bruce R. McConkie as quoted by Tad Callister in The Infinite Atonement, Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2000 4) - (Candace E. Salima, At-one-ment: Mormon Understanding of the Atonement, 2007, http://ldsblogs.com)

In so paying this enormous and incomprehensible price, Jesus Christ ransomed us, paying for our sins, sorrows and illnesses, that we might shake off the natural man, have the capacity to repent of our sins and walk with Him into eternity.

A greater gift I cannot imagine, and all we must do is repent of and forsake our sins.

Be baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost: The waters of baptism are an amazing thing. I was baptized when I was eight-years-old and while I don't remember the specifics of the occasion, I do remember coming up from those waters, held safe by my father's strong hands, and feeling clean.

Now I hadn't sinned much in the first eight years of my life, not many children do, but neither had I been perfect. For that brief shining moment I was clean of all my sins and it was the most powerful feeling. The burdens of mortality were lifted and I was given a gift, the gift of beginning again, when I was old enough to make decisions, to live this mortal life as I had intended to when I was looking down from heaven.

and,

After baptism, those with priesthood authority laid their hands on my head and bestowed the gift of the Holy Ghost to be my constant companion as long as I remained worthy of his presence in my life. What an incredible blessing that has been. In times of great danger I have felt the soft whisper of warning in my heart, altered my course of action and been preserved. In times of questioning and seeking for knowledge I have felt the confirmation of truth and the Holy Ghost testifying of divinity of Jesus Christ that I might know with my whole heart and soul that He lives and Has paid that price that we might live also.

Elder Henry B. Eyring tells us,

First, receiving the Holy Ghost takes faith in our Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. The memory of a great spiritual experience in which that truth was confirmed to you won’t be sufficient. You will need to be sure of your faith in the moment of crisis, which may come at any time, day or night, when you plead for the influence of the Spirit. You must then be unshaken in your confidence that God lives, that He hears your cry for help, and that the resurrected Savior will do for you what He promised to do for His servants in His mortal ministry:

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26) - (Henry B. Eyring, “Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times,” Ensign, Jun 2007, 18–24)

Endure to the end in faith: And finally, enduring to the end. That seems to be the hardest part for everyone. Mormon history is filled with story upon story of individuals who endured to the end, despite all odds. Many of us face obstacles that seem insurmountable at times, but that is merely an illusion. There is nothing given us that cannot be overcome and done so with great eternal glory.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf told of difficult times in his own life:

We all go through different life experiences. Some are filled with joy, and others with sorrow and uncertainty.

I remember a time when things didn’t look good for our family when I was a child. It was in the winter of 1944, one of the coldest during World War II. The war front was approaching our town, and my mother had to take us four children, leave all our possessions behind, and join the millions of fleeing refugees in a desperate search for a place to survive. Our father was still in the military, but he and Mother had agreed that if they were ever separated during the war, they would try to reunite at the hometown of my grandparents. They felt this place offered the greatest hope for shelter and safety.

With bombing raids during the night and air attacks during the day, it took us many days to reach my grandparents. My memories of those days are of darkness and coldness.

My father returned to us unharmed, but our future looked extremely bleak. We were living in the rubble of postwar Germany with a devastating feeling of hopelessness and darkness about our future.

In the middle of this despair, my family learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the healing message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This message made all the difference; it lifted us above our daily misery. Life was still thorny and the circumstances still horrible, but the gospel brought light, hope, and joy into our lives. The plain and simple truths of the gospel warmed our hearts and enlightened our minds. They helped us look at ourselves and the world around us with different eyes and from an elevated viewpoint.

My dear brothers and sisters, aren’t the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in His Church great reasons to rejoice?

Wherever you live on this earth and whatever your life’s situation may be, I testify to you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the divine power to lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness. The Lord knows your circumstances and your challenges. He said to Paul and to all of us, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” And like Paul we can answer: “My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) - (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 18–21)

I testify to you that Jesus Christ meant every word when He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) In this life we were never intended to carry our burdens alone. Therefore enduring to the end was never meant to be attempted with the aid, comfort and support of our Savior Jesus Christ.

And so, in living these principles in our lives we are fully converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to Him as our Lord, Savior and Redeemer. The Son of God who paid the ultimate sacrifice that we might be born anew, able to fully rejoice in the light and love of the one who ransomed Himself for us.

Each of us comes into this world with gifts, talents and skills. Society holds the actress/actor, singer, writer, athlete or politician high as a standard of talent which has been groomed and perfected. But there are other talents, not as evident, which are of greater value in the world.

God gave all His children talents that, if developed and utilized properly, will aid Him in bringing all the children of God back home . . . where He anxiously awaits our return.

In the book of Matthew we read of a group of men who were given the same number of talents and then we learn what each did. Some grew their talents, others buried them in the earth to protect them. Guess which ones the Master was happiest with? Oh yes, the one who grew his talents. Equate those with the talents you have been given.

Have you the gift of listening? Caring? Loving? Learning? Teaching? Preaching the word of God? There are untold and unheralded numbers of talents in the world. Perhaps you may have the gift of looking out at the world and seeing her majestic mountains, her jungles teeming with life, her desert sands with rock formations rising high above, all the earth with her many beauties. It is possible you have the gift of seeing beyond the wars, rumors of wars, crime, poverty, illness and sorrow to the eternities which we are reminded of in the smile of a baby. The more overt gifts were mentioned at the beginning. But these subtler gifts are the glue that holds society together.

If you pull them into your heart, never sharing these marvelous gifts, you will be as the one who buried his talent. Elder Ronald A. Rasband, of the Seventy, said:

Every person comes to earth as a unique individual. Similar threads may run in families, but each of us has a tapestry all our own. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote: "Each person in this life is endowed with those talents and capacities which his pre-earth life entitle him to receive. Some by obedience to law acquired one talent and some another.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (1966–73), 1:688)

The Lord made it clear that it is not good enough for us simply to return to Him the talents He has given us. We are to improve upon and add to our talents. He has promised that if we multiply our talents we will receive eternal joy.

In modern revelation the Lord affirmed the principles in this parable: “But with some I am not well pleased, for … they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. … Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known.” (D&C 60:2, 13) - (Ronald A. Rasband, “Parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Talents,” Ensign, Aug 2003, 32–35)

We, as the children of God, were sent to earth to grow. We grow by developing the skills and talents given us by God in order that we might help others to develop their talents and remember who they are.

Learn what yours are, develop them until you have become the master of those talents and then use them to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Above all, acknowledge Jesus Christ in your successes, for all our talents and abilities come from God. As you do so, the day will arrive where you too will hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Today, as my husband and I were driving home from the gym, I heard Rush Limbaugh ask his listeners to think of the things about America that made us proud. I've had time to contemplate that throughout the afternoon.

My father, Fritz, was born in Amsterdam and was four-years-old when Hitler's armies filled the skies and streets of Holland. He remembers, at four years of age, awakening to the sounds of the bombers overhead and soldiers goose-stepping through the cobblestone streets. There began year after year of unmitigated hell in my father's life.

He vividly recalled the lines for food, hours upon hours of waiting to receive one egg for the month to feed their little family. He recalled the need for a permit from the Nazis to travel from one block to the next. His nightmares are filled with the Nazis piling out of their trucks lining up all the men and boys in the neighborhood and gunning them down. After meting out unspeakable horror upon the Dutch, the Nazis would pile back into their trucks and speed away. And yet another memory took him back to his mother fighting hand-to-hand combat with her Dutch neighbors to get to their top floor apartment.

All these things were spoken of many times in the last years of my father's life. My parents instilled in me a deep and abiding love of America as well as the rights, privileges and responsibilities of being a citizen of this country.

We are coming up on an election in America . . . a hotly contested election. In Proverbs 29:2 we read:

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

My parents taught me wisdom, gave me knowledge and encouraged me to seek more, instilled courage deep within my soul and molded me into the woman I have become today. It is with these qualities I make an informed, and hopefully wise, decision when casting my vote.

There are many negative comments coming forth in this election about America which brings me back to the beginning, what is it about this country of which I am so proud.

Number One: I deeply enjoy the political process established by the Founding Fathers of America that allows one voice to be heard and counted.

Number Two: I enjoy the privilege of being able to express my opinions freely without fear of retribution or death from my government.

Number Three: I enjoy the right to pursue my dreams and work at any job I desire.

Number Four: I love the peaceful transfer of power every four years, a powerful example to the world.

Number Five: I love that America was the launching place of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it was established at the meridian of time by the Savior Himself.

Number Six: I adore the fact that no one, let alone my government, tells me how many children I may have.

Number Seven: I love that I can travel anywhere within the United States without the need to report to each city and state my whereabouts.

Number Eight: I love that we prosper as a nation and share with the world our bounty, strength and courage . . . although it is not as appreciated as I believe it should be.

Number Eight: I love that we value life, no matter what race, creed or culture.

We may not be a nation of perfect people, but we espouse these beliefs and I hold them dear.

On July 4th of 1776, the 13 colonies of America gathered together and these words were written:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. (The Declaration of Independence)

This is the core of what America is about. And it was in this climate in 1805 when the prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith, Jr., was born into the world. As the religious furor grew great Joseph sought after and found the truth as God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. It was only in a free nation that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored. And it was in this free country where man retained the right to worship according to the dictates of his conscience that this gospel took root and flourished spreading across the world to over 13,000,000 members.

My father knew the difference between a complete lack of freedom and the freedoms we enjoy in America. He was the fiercest patriot this nation has ever seen. He has now shuffled off this mortal coil and passed the torch of freedom and righteous to his children. I have picked up that torch and am politically involved, religiously devoted to my God and my family, loyal to my country and avail myself constantly of the freedoms of this nation as I fight to protect them.

I am my father's daughter and could not be more proud of that fact. So yes, Rush, I love my country with all her growing pains, weaknesses and imperfections. Because this is still the land where the Gospel was able to grow, dreams were fought for and achieved and a country established on the basic principles and rights given by God to every human being on the earth. It is in America we continue to fight for those rights.

As have the men and women who sacrificed their all to bring us this nation, I have dedicated my life to God and my country. The legacy given to me by my parents.

In the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, in the book of Mosiah 4:2-3 we read,

And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.

I find it very comforting that upon recognition of their carnal and fallen state the Holy Ghost, identified as the Spirit of the Lord, immediately responded to them. Now the interesting thing is they instantly received a remission of their sins. Certainly an example of Godly Mercy if I've ever seen one.

Now, in applying that to our lives we see the beauty of Godly Mercy anywhere we choose to seek it, if it is not in a carnal and fallen place of existence. Meaning, if you're looking for God, don't go to a bar, strip joint or casino to find Him.

Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ have exercised all Their efforts to the end of bringing us all home.

Jesus Christ said to the ancient prophet, Moses:

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

Whatever Jesus Christ's goal is, it is also Heavenly Father's goal. For Jesus Christ does NOTHING that the Father would not do. This being said, it is safe to assume that anytime we turn to Heavenly Father we have someone who will always listen and respond. Of course, the level of that response is contingent upon our worthiness.

If we are prone to drinking, drugs, promiscuity and the like of equally destructive behaviors we are not worthy of Godly Mercy. Godly Mercy takes effect if we have made the decision to turn from that lifestyle and seek after Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, then He stands ready and waiting to assist in every possible way. All you have to do is to really try.

This is how Godly Mercy works. There is no way we can achieve perfection during mortality. Only Jesus Christ, the literal Son of God, accomplished that task. But the mercy comes into play when we do all that we possibly can to reach Him once again.

Remember when the Savior taught His apostles and disciples to pray?

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

He goes on to say:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)

And this I add to my daily prayers. For the Mercy of God does exist simply in the proof we have of the scriptures which He has given us as a moral and ethical compass. All you have to do is turn from the world with its bright shiny things and reach toward that heavenly light which is Jesus Christ, then Godly Mercy will come into play in your life and you'll wonder what you ever saw in the world's offerings.

And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;

And do thou grant, Holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best books, and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou hast said; (D&C 109:7,14)

How I long to sit at the feet of the prophet, currently Thomas S. Monson, and simply listen as he teaches and instructs me in all the things of God. This, of course, will never happen. Although I am privileged to listen to him, along with anyone else willing to tune in, twice a year at General Conference.

We are told numerous times in the scriptures to seek God, seek His kingdom, seek His word and President Joseph F. Smith, the sixth called prophet of these modern times and the nephew of Joseph Smith, Jr., said:

If I have learned something through prayer, supplication, and perseverance in seeking to know the truth, and I tell it to you, it will not be knowledge unto you. I can tell you how you can obtain it, but I cannot give it to you. If we receive this knowledge, it must come from the Lord. He can touch your understandings and your spirits, so that you shall comprehend perfectly and not be mistaken. But I cannot do that. You can obtain this knowledge through repentance, humility, and seeking the Lord with full purpose of heart until you find Him. He is not afar off. It is not difficult to approach Him, if we will only do it with a broken and a contrite spirit, as did Nephi of old. (Joseph F. Smith, Conference Report, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, October 1899 71)

In essence, knowledge is something we seek after under the guidance and tutelage of the Holy Ghost, whose sole job is to testify of truth. If someone, who has spent their entire life seeking God receives more and more of the mysteries of heaven, it is not his or her job to share that knowledge with the world. But it is, as President Smith indicated, their job to share with us how to gain that knowledge. So this is what I share with you today.

Build a Firm Foundation: In seeking out the kingdom of God and the mysteries of heaven you must first build yourself a firm foundation in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To do that you must immerse yourself in the scriptures every day. I recommend the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Within the pages of these books you will find the firmest foundation which can be found. Add to that the words and teachings of both ancient and modern prophets, building upon the foundation, layer upon layer until your foundation is inviolate.

Prayer: Seek the Lord often and fervently in prayer. When studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is critical to do so under the power and influence of prayer. Meaning, one thing I always pray for as I began to study each day is the gift of discernment. In other words, I ask for the ability to discern truth from error or outright falsehoods. With this compass, constantly asking for confirmation from the Holy Ghost, I study the words of God conveyed through the writings of His prophets and apostles.

Contrite Spirit and a Broken Heart: When Jesus Christ administered the sacrament to the twelve apostles in the upper room the night before He was arrested He fulfilled the law of Moses. The sacrificial offerings of the unblemished firstlings of every flock were no longer necessary and now the sacrifice God asked of us was a "contrite spirit and a broken heart." In other words, drop to your knees in sincere and fervent prayer and beg forgiveness of your daily trespasses and sins. Acknowledge that eternal life is not possible without the Atonement Jesus Christ so lovingly endured on our behalf. Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the path and the way to eternal salvation. Acknowledge that you need Him every minute, hour and day of your life. Confess your worries, troubles and sins and make a covenant with Him that you will eschew the ways of the world which lead you into misery and sorrow and vow to always seek Him in all things. Realize that He wants you to be happy. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to come home and He wants you to want it as bad as He does. This, I think, is what is involved in a broken heart and contrite spirit.

Fasting: Fasting is a tried and true method of bringing you closer to God. Not fasting for days and weeks on end, but for a mere 24 hours. From the end of dinner on one day, to the sitting down of dinner the next day. During that time, kneel often in prayer and beg the Lord to accept the purpose of your fast, whatever it may be, and have the faith to believe He will grant it to you. Do everything I've listed above during this 24 hours and you will be startled as you begin to learn.

Faith: Lastly, what I would add to this daily regimen would be faith.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

. . .

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

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.

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.

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.

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.(Ether 12:6-13,18-22)

What more could I add to this set of scriptures? Faith is the evidence of things hoped for but not seen. As you study the word of God, more and more will be given to you. If you do not study, and do so with faith you shall remain in ignorance of the glory which awaits.

Which path will you choose?

One of the most precious things given to us, I believe, is the knowledge of who we were before we came to this earth.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, an apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, tell us:

"Being subject to law, and having their agency, all the spirits of men, while yet in the Eternal Presence, developed aptitudes, talents, capacities, and abilities of every sort, kind and degree . . . As the ages rolled, no two spirits remained alike. Mozart became a musician; Einstein centered his interest in mathematics; Michelangelo turned his attention to painting. Cain was a liar, a schemer, a rebel who maintained a close affinity to Lucifer. Abraham and Moses and all of the prophets sought and obtained the talent for spirituality. Mary and Eve were two of the greatest of all the spirit daughters of the Father . . . and so it went through all the hosts of heaven, each individual developing talents and abilities as his soul desired." (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Salt Lake City, Deseret Book 1979 1:23 497)

"Eternal Presence" is the presence of our Heavenly Father. We are His spirit sons and daughters, which gives me such a sense of completeness. I know who I am:

I know that I am a child of God.

I know that I lived before. And my personality now, was my personality then. It is clear that I loved knowledge, of all types. It is clear I had a gift and talent for the written word and that I probably spent a good portion of my heavenly time curled up in a comfy chair in the library to end all libraries, the library of God. It is clear I loved music, art, life, mountains, rivers and lakes. It is clear I loved sunrises and sunsets, flowers, animals and I clearly craved wide open spaces similar to the western part of the United States of America.

There is no question in my heart that I knew and associated with my friends and family in my heavenly home. The moment of instant recognition and "Where have you been?" when meeting these people in mortality assures me of this. My family here on earth is my strength, my joy and my testimony of a loving Heavenly Father. Is my family perfect? No, definitely not. We have our skeletons, our failures, our black sheep . . . but we also have our successes, our support, our strength.

Without question I adored and worshiped my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Without hesitation I defended Jesus Christ, along with the other hosts of heaven (and yes, that would be you too) against the uprising of Lucifer and the one third of the hosts of heaven who followed him.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelations 12:7-10)

My love and fierce defense of Jesus Christ here on earth, confirms to my heart that I did indeed stand for Him there too.

So let's step away from me and look at you. According to Elder McConkie, who we are here is who we were there. But the point of mortality is to take what we accomplished in our heavenly home and to continue to grow here.

If you have an affinity for light . . . you know Jesus Christ.

If you have an affinity for love . . . you know Jesus Christ.

If you have an affinity for hope . . . you know Jesus Christ.

If you have an affinity for joy . . . you know Jesus Christ.

If you have an affinity for life . . . you know Jesus Christ.

If you are enveloped in sorrow . . . you have forgotten Jesus Christ, remember Him.

If you are enveloped in hate . . . you have forgotten Jesus Christ and our heavenly home.

If you are enveloped in sin and degradation . . . you have forgotten who you are, remember.

Awake, my brothers and sisters. Stand and shake off all that keeps you from Him. Remember that He paid the ransom for your soul. You are free to walk the path you choose, although you cannot choose the consequences.

Your Father in Heaven did not abandon you to this world to struggle through on your own. He provided a Savior to show you the way and pay for your sins. He cast a veil over your mind so you would not remember your heavenly home, but you kept your personality, your hopes and dreams, and you kept your accomplishments.

You are not judged just on this mortal span alone. When we stand before God on Judgment Day He will take into account all that you have been, before your birth and after. All that you accomplished in heaven. All that you did to defend Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father's plan against Satan and his minions. All your growth, accomplishments, as well as your friendships and familial ties, were honored here on earth. And they will tip the good side of the heavenly scale of justice.

So you see, you've already triumphed in the first phase of your life, premortality. Now you are in the second phase, mortality.

There is hope, Jesus Christ. There is light, Jesus Christ. There is joy, Jesus Christ. It all stems from He who walked the dusty roads of the Middle East spreading His father's word. He descended to earth from His heavenly throne and gave His heart and soul to the redemption of mankind. He made sure there was a written record of His gospel from Adam and Eve forward, a map, as it were, which would lead us home. He lived His mortal life in such a way that we could follow Him, becoming more like Him and therefore, more like our Father.

I testify at this time that we did not begin with our mortal birth, nor will we end with our mortal death. We are eternal beings caught in a physical experience, which we begged our Father in Heaven for . . . the chance to be more like Him.

This is truth. This is hope. This is life. Please turn to Jesus Christ and know that in following His path the windows of heaven will open and blessings will pour out upon you. Your burdens will be lighter. Your accomplishments will be brighter. Your love will deeper and more abiding . . . the world has only cheap, shiny things to offer . . . Jesus Christ has your eternity.

Joseph Smith, Jr. is the prophet of my heart. What I mean by that is I have studied the prophets, from Adam forward, and have come to love each in my own way. But with Joseph Smith I spent two solid years, fourteen hours a day, studying his life and times. When I say I picked his life and the time he lived in apart, I mean I really picked it apart!

On the matter of faith this beloved prophet said:

“God ruleth all things after the counsel of his own will. My trust is in him. The salvation of my soul is of the most importance to me forasmuch as I know for a certainty of eternal things. If the heavens linger, it is nothing to me. I must steer my [ship] safe, which I intend to do. I want you to do the same. Yours forever.” (Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Mar. 21, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives.)

For seven long years my husband has battled end stage renal failure . . . in other words, his kidneys failed him. Over the course of these years we have received great miracles and yet at other times felt so overwhelmed we could scarcely continue another day.

A few months ago we believed we'd found a donor for my husband. She was a childhood friend of my sister's but circumstances arose in which she was unable to carry through with that desire. We were devastated. Over the last two years my sweetheart has weakened and my concern and anxiety levels rose accordingly. Our faith is strong, but even I was shaken at this point. I didn't know what the Lord had in mind for us, but it was difficult for me to let Him "steer my ship safe." I floundered for an evening and then picked myself up by my bootstraps and turned it completely over to the Lord.

A couple of weeks ago Alvin was in the hospital with a terrible fever, delirium, and then he went septic, in other words, the infection was in his blood. This is a very dangerous state, but one he has been in several times in the last two years. Yes, that makes for some exciting times in our life. For three days he was delirious, for two more he still wasn't quite with it and on the morning of the sixth day he awoke and wondered why he was in the hospital.

During that hospital stay a very sweet woman Alvin and I have known since she was a teenager, and we were newly married, came to visit. She found out that the donor we'd believed to be the one had been disqualified because of Crohn's Disease running through her family. She asked what was next and I answered,

"Well, anyone interested in giving Alvin a kidney has to have O+ or O- blood and then-"

"I'm O+. He can have my kidney."

I was shocked. This sweet woman is the mother of three wonderful, energetic children. Her husband is in Baghdad, Iraq serving his country and she wanted to donate a kidney, give the gift of life to my husband. Yes, I was stunned. I gave her the transplant nurse's phone number and felt a small spark of hope. The chance that she was a match was slim to none.

We received a call from the transplant team today. She's a perfect match!

Oh, how we've prayed for this moment. How often I've poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father begging for strength, for courage, to be the kind of wife my husband deserved. I begged for the restoration of his health. I begged for him to healed. I simply begged, morning, noon and night.

Sometimes the answers are not what we expect them to be. But I can assure you that faith plays a huge part in a real live miracle.

In Moroni 10, verses 20-23 we read:

Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.

And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me. (Moroni 10:20-23)

All things are possible with God. This I know of a certainty.

I testify the trials and tribulations we go through can be turned to our advantage, making us better, stronger and more capable servants of God. We can curl up in a little ball and simply weep for the pain in our hearts. And believe me, there are times when I have done that. But I know, for there is not one shred of doubt, that we are in the hands and hearts of a loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. There is not a moment when a strand of hair falls from our heads that They do not know.

Had I the choice, my husband would have been healed seven years ago. Completely. Unequivocally. His health restored as if nothing had ever happened was my desire. It was not His answer.

I can only begin to see the growth in the two of us which has occurred because of Alvin's ill health. I can only begin to appreciate emotional highs and extreme lows. I can tell you this . . . life is much harder to handle when you do not turn your burdens over to the Lord. For He will lighten those burdens, walk with you, so that you may grow closer to Him every step on that very difficult path. He will encourage you, lift you, guide you . . . and never will He turn away. Nor will I ever turn from Him.