Basic Beliefs of Mormons

Jesus Christ said,

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. (3 Nephi 27:13)

Paraphrasing that scripture, I heard a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons, paraphrase the Savior, saying,

I came into the world, because my Father asked it of Me.

This struck me hard. Jesus Christ, knowing what He was facing and His ultimate end, came into the world that He might pay for all the sins, sorrows and illnesses of every one of Heavenly Father's children (the Atonement), suffering unimaginable pain and grief in the Garden of Gethsemane, as well as break the bands of death (Resurrection) after being cruelly and inhumanely crucified, freeing all mankind from the grave. He knew, in theory, what He was facing.

And yet, when He was chosen by the Father in that Grand Council in heaven, He accepted this mission because of His deep and abiding love for Heavenly Father, and for each of us.

And so can we look over our lives, knowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been fully restored in these modern time through the Prophet of the Restoration. We were sent to live here in mortality, learn, grow and return in glory to our Father in Heaven. We are here, because He asked it of us.

While Jesus Christ is our Savior, Lord and Redeemer, we are foot soldiers in the army of the Lord. We have been asked to stand tall, bearing witness to the truthfulness of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Jehovah of the Old Testament and Messiah of the New Testament. We have been asked to bear witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, a history of Lehi and his family and their journey to the world, Jesus Christ's subsequent visit to a decimated America and the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We've been asked to bear witness of the fact that the Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ. We have been asked to live our lives according to the practices, principles and precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And why have we been asked and proceeded to do this?

Because our Lord asked this of us, as did His Father.

As the trials and tribulations of life grow heavier, I have paused amongst the chaos of preparing for my husband's kidney transplant on the 15th of April, to remember . . . I am here, because He asked it of me.

Our great Exemplar, Jesus Christ, has shown by every step He made, every word He spoke and every life He touched how we are to behave in every aspect of our lives. And this is another such example . . . we will do, because He asked it of us.

Thirteen years ago Alvin and I moved into the home we live in now. The ward we belonged to has turned out to be the most astounding group of people whom we have come to love and adore over the years of our acquaintance and friendship.

I was called to be the Young Women President within a month of our marriage. I was professional, young and apparently "hip," according to the girls. I wouldn't ever have classified myself as such, but there you have it . . . me . . . hip.

There were two particular girls, seniors, who were having personality conflicts with some of the people in the Young Women organization. They decided to give me one chance, on the day I was called and sustained, before leaving for good.

I stood that Sunday and bore my testimony of Jesus Christ, His Restored Gospel and the Book of Mormon as a second witness of Jesus Christ. I talked of how my study of the New Testament had led me to seeking my testimony and confirmation of the principles and precepts I'd been taught growing up. I spoke of the beauty of eternal marriage and having my family around me throughout the eternities. But most of all I spoke of how happy I was to be called as the Young Women President and was looking forward to getting to know each and every one of the girls.

Rosa and Tara became frequent visitors in our home. Alvin and I came to love them so deeply. Rosa eventually moved in with us before finally taking the leap and moving out on her own. Tara married a wonderful man who joined the military. They were stationed in Turkey and then ended up stateside before her husband was shipped out again, to Iraq.

Tara became my visiting teacher and I was privileged to get know her better, as a grown woman, wife and mother. She has grown into a marvelous woman, with a firm grasp of the gospel and an iron strength typical of military wives.

A few months ago, really probably about 8 to 10 weeks, Alvin was rushed to the hospital with yet another infection which threatened his life. He spent three days in ICU before they moved him to a regular floor. During that time Tara came to visit and she learned we'd lost the donor we thought was going to give Alvin a kidney. She asked me more questions and as we were walking down the halls of the hospital she asked what blood type Alvin was . . . I responded.

"That's my blood type. I'll give Alvin my kidney."

I was shocked, stunned . . . really, my head was reeling because of the suddenness. Although I knew the chance of her being a match was slim to none, I gave her the transplant coordinator's phone number. Three weeks later we received the call, Tara was a match! Now, on April 15th, as mentioned in a previous post, Tara will be giving a kidney to my husband.

I have paused to reflect over the last thirteen years and all the interactions between Tara, Alvin and me. I shudder to think, had we been condescending, arrogant, impatient or obnoxious at any given time in the last decade would be arriving at this moment today?

An age-old lesson applies here, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Never could I have imagined that Tara, with her husband in Baghdad, would one day be the one who would save Alvin's life. I can certainly say this much, we are forever indebted in gratitude to her for the astounding gift of life she has given him. Because of her Alvin will be able to live free of dialysis and all that comes with it.

May God open the windows of heaven and pour them out upon this little family that they may be protected and blessed beyond their wildest imagination.

The scriptures are filled with examples of what happens when we are obedient, and conversely, disobedient.

Noah was commanded to build a boat and gather the animals, male and female, because the Lord was going to flood the earth due to the extreme wickedness. (Good thing He promised to never do that again!) Noah obeyed and because he did, every single one of us is here. Every human being on this earth today is descended from Noah.

“A just man and perfect in his generations,” one who “walked with God,” (Genesis 6:9) was the prophet Noah. Ordained to the priesthood at an early age, “he became a preacher of righteousness and declared the gospel of Jesus Christ, … teaching faith, repentance, baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost.” (Bible Dictionary, “Noah,” 738–39) He warned that failure to heed his message would bring floods upon those who heard his voice, and yet they hearkened not to his words.

Noah heeded God’s command to build an ark that he and his family might be spared destruction. He followed God’s instructions to gather into the ark two or more of every living creature that they also might be saved from the floodwaters.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught in general conference more than half a century ago: “As yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. … [Noah’s] warnings were considered irrational. … How foolish to build an ark on dry ground with the sun shining and life moving forward as usual! But time ran out. … The floods came. The disobedient … were drowned. The miracle of the ark followed the faith manifested in its building.”

Noah had the unwavering faith to follow God’s commandments. May we ever do likewise. May we remember that the wisdom of God ofttimes appears as foolishness to men; but the greatest lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and we obey, we will always be right. (Thomas S. Monson, “They Marked the Path to Follow,” Ensign, Oct 2007, 4–9)

Sometimes it seems as if it is impossible for us to follow God's commands, but it behooves us to remember what Nephi tells us in the Book of Mormon:

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7)

This is a good lesson for me right now too. Heavenly Father is not a capricious God. Neither is His Son, Jesus Christ. When we are asked to do something it really is for our own good.

In 1833, Joseph Smith - the prophet of the restoration, received a revelation known as the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89) which gave Mormons a clear outline of the way to good health through diet. We were asked to not drink alcohol, smoke or chew tobacco or drink coffee. We were asked to eat meat, fruits and vegetable in their seasons, etc. In 1833 that seemed insane to many people. And yet look at what we know today.

Alcoholism is a crippling and destructive disease which decimates lives and families.

Smoking or chewing tobacco causes all kinds of horrible cancers.

Coffee can keep you awake, but it turns out caffeine coats your nerve endings and interrupts the messages being sent. In the long run, it can cause you so much damage.

Obedience, being the first law of heaven, helps us to understand that Heavenly Father is simply looking out for us. He would like us to go through this mortal phase of our eternal existence without chains which bind us physically, emotionally and psychologically . . . life is hard enough without being a slave to a destructive habit.

Nephi is right. There is nothing God commands we do that He does not prepare a way. Always, always . . . if we are willing to follow He lays the path. Jesus Christ, our Exemplar, Savior and Redeemer, is that path back to our Father in Heaven and our heavenly home. All we must understand is that obedience frees us from the chains and inevitable result of destruction on many levels.

President Boyd K. Packer:

“By following the rules,” said President Packer, “you will never make a serious mistake … either while you are on your mission or thereafter without being warned. You will never take the wrong road, you will never go around the wrong bend, or make the wrong decision without your having been warned. That pattern is the pattern of the Latter-day Saint. You were confirmed a member of the Church, and you had conferred upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost to be a guide and a companion to you.” (William D. Oswald, “The First Law of Heaven,” Ensign, Jan 2008, 10–11)

Indeed this is the promise given those who choose to live worthily enough that we may receive promptings from the Holy Ghost. Not to preclude all trials and tragedies we may face, but to face only those we must rather than those which are a direct consequence of our actions. We are given peace, comfort and strength from the Holy Ghost that we might return to our heavenly home in triumph. This is I testify to you is absolutely truth . . . you have been given the path and the way, follow it home.

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.

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.

Mormons are encouraged, from birth, to educate themselves as much as possible.

Elder Orson F. Whitney, an apostle of the Jesus Christ, said:

It suffices me to know, and to testify, that this people are the friends, not the foes, of education; that they are seekers after wisdom, lovers of light and truth, universal Truth, which, like the waters of earth, or the sunbeams of heaven, has but one Source, let its earthly origin be what it may.

"Truth is truth, wher'er 'tis found,
On Christian or on heathen ground,"

and worthy of our love and admiration, whether far or near, high or low, whether blazing as a star in the blue vault of heaven, or springing like a floweret from the soil. (Bishop Orson F. Whitney, Home Literature at the Y.M.M.I.A. Conference, June 3, 1888, and subsequently published July, 1888 in The Contributor)

Mormons are a curious people and we like to learn. As there are different levels of interest in education in the world, so too are there in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to as the Mormons.

Mormons have three institutions of higher learning as well as being associated with, while privately owned, numerous private colleges, universities and high schools. We have been told by the Lord, as has every person ever born to this earth, to:

Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." -- D&C 88:118

God has given us books of scripture, if we are an illiterate people how we are to learn, grow and succeed during our mortal probation? So yes, from Joseph Smith himself and every prophet, apostle and general authority thereafter we have been urged to educate ourselves.

A natural outreach of that is the onslaught of writers of fiction and nonfiction which come onto the market every year.

Elder Whitney went on to say:

Wake up! ye sons and daughters of God! Trim your lamps and go forth to meet your distiny [sic]. A world awaits you: rich and poor, high and low, learned and unlearned. All must be preached to; all must be sought after; all must be left without excuse. And whither we cannot go, we must send; where we cannot speak we must write; and in order to win men with our writings we must know how and what to write. If the learned will only listen to the learned, God will send them learned men, to meet them on their own ground, and show them that "Mormonism," the Gospel of Christ, is not only the gospel of truth, but the gospel of intelligence and culture. The Lord is not above doing this. He is merciful to all men, not willing that any should perish. or have it to say they were unfairly dealt with. For over fifty years the gospel has been preached to the poor and lowly. It will yet go to the high and mighty, even to kings and nobles, and penetrate and climb to places hitherto deemed inaccessible. Our literature will help to take it there; for this, like all else with which we have to do, must be made subservient to the building up of Zion. (Ibid)

And for those who would make their living at writing he promised:

We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own. God's ammunition is not exhausted. His brightest spirits are held in reserve for the latter times. In God's name and by his help we will build up a literature whose top shall touch heaven, though its foundations may now be low in earth. Let the smile of derision wreathe the face of scorn; let the frown of hatred darken the brow of bigotry. Small things are the seeds of great things, and, like the acorn that brings forth the oak, or the snowflake that forms the avalanche, God's kingdom will grow, and on wings of light and power soar to the summit of its destiny. (Ibid)

Elder Whitney's words have become the watchcry of Mormon writers, even inspiring the organization of The Whitney Awards, an award for excellence in fiction written by Mormon writers.

The LDS (Mormon) market regularly publishes books which sell between 3,000 and 10,000 copies, as well as those books which have sold into the hundreds of thousands and millions. Each of us, for I am one of those Mormon authors, in our hearts yearn to fulfill the words of Elder Whitney. Each of us work, constantly honing our craft that we might fulfill the full measure of our creation with the gifts given to us.

So yes, Mormons are a literate people. We have scriptorians (those who know the scriptures like the back of their hands,) theologians (those who know the Gospel of Jesus Christ deeply and well,) professors of science, medicine, education, history, students of life and all the beauty she has to offer, our search for knowledge stretches into the farthest reaches of the universe and lingers in the corner of a quiet garden.

So yes, we are a literate people and only intend to become moreso.

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.

“My son peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.” (D&C 121:7-9)

Joseph Smith, Jr. was told this by God while unlawfully imprisoned in Liberty Jail in Independence, Missouri. The Mormons were being raped, tortured, murdered and driven from Missouri and Joseph, always one who waded into a fight to defend the weak, remained locked away in a dark, dank dungeon with only a small rectangle window for weak light and a hole in the ceiling where his jailers would lower a wicked semblance of food. It tore at his heart, at his very sense of being a man and prophet of God, that he could not protect and defend his family, friends and the general membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons. He had surrendered himself into the custody of the Missouri militia, as had his brother, Hyrum, Parley P. Pratt and a few others in the hopes that the Extermination Order would be stayed, and the saints protected. It didn't work.

Take this scripture, and this lesson, and apply it to our lives today. Some people cruise through life with very little trouble, others fight with everything in them to simply survive another terrifying day. We cannot know what awaits us in life, on a day to day basis, but certainly there are times when it feels as if our burdens are too heavy to bear. As if the world rested on our shoulders, its burden far too heavy to bear, and it is impossible to move forward one more step.

These are the times, more than ever, when we must turn to our Savior, Jesus Christ and allow Him to life those burdens (Matthew 11:28) from our weary shoulders. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

But also, as mentioned in the scripture at the top of this post, we have trials and travails we are to endure and overcome as part of our mortal probation. But, in allowing our Savior to lighten those burdens, for that is what He's asked us to let Him do, we are better able to continue moving forward. President James E. Faust, formerly of The First Presidency, spoke on this very topic in an address to the general membership of the Church in February of 2006:

In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a Refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd.

Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The Apostle Paul referred to his own challenge: “And lest I should be exalted above measure … , there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.”

The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the Refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process. (James E. Faust, “Refined in Our Trials,” Ensign, Feb 2006, 2–7)

This then is the purpose of our trials, to become refined in the hands of the Savior. But on those days, when our burdens seem too heavy to bear, that is when we turn to our Heavenly Father and ask that the Savior help us carry these burdens. We must keep that eternal perspective if we hope to make it through these trials and tragedies with any semblance of peace, hope and comfort. Indeed we grow stronger and more refined, as servants of God, through these trials IF we keep that eternal perspective.

And so, as this new year begins, if your days seem long and your heart heavy, kneel in humble prayer to your Father in Heaven and ask Him for guidance, for the Savior to ease your burdens, and more than anything, ask for the ability to endure until you triumph over those trials. You heart will be lightened, your vision cleared and your shoulders straightened as you see the path you must take to walk out of this Refiner's fire whole, complete and ready to serve the Lord, your God.

You may or may not understand the confusion many friends of other faiths have about who Mormons worship. We worship God the Father (Heavenly Father, John 4:23) and God the Son (Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 25:26, 29.) The Bible clearly delineates between the two in numerous places, far too numerous to list them all: (Mark 14:36, John 14:6-13, John 14:23-24).

What I would like to speak of today is the deep compassion our Heavenly Father has for us.

Heavenly Father, as the father of our spirits, nurtured us in our spirit form until we had reached the level of knowledge which then required us to progress to the next stage of our eternal existence, mortality. Through the Creation, to the Garden of Eden, to the Fall, to the Atonement and Resurrection, to the Restoration, He has lovingly watched over us.

How His father's heart must have broken as He watched His Only Begotten Son, even Jesus the Christ, suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. Tears must have streamed down His face as blood seeped from His Son's pores. His heart must have been torn asunder when Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" as He hung, brutally nailed to a cross. I cannot imagine the pain in the Father as the Son suffered so.

What I can imagine, moreso, what I know, is the tremendous love our Father in Heaven has for each of us that He would allow the sacrifice of His Son for the redemption of mankind. How much He must love us that He always answers our prayers, no matter the sin we have committed. How great is His compassion that He will welcome us back to our heavenly home if we have done all we can do to live our lives according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. How deeply and irrevocably He loves us . . . and now one might ask how can we tap into that love? In the acts of the followers of Jesus Christ, for in knowing Jesus Christ we know our Heavenly Father, we find a semblance of the love He must feel for us. Therefore, in knowing His disciples we come to know the Father and the Son.

The story is told of a 14-year-old boy who had come to Nauvoo in search of his brother who lived near there. The young boy had arrived in winter with no money and no friends. When he inquired about his brother, the boy was taken to a large house that looked like a hotel. There he met a man who said, “Come in, son, we’ll take care of you.”

The boy accepted and was brought into the house, where he was fed, warmed, and was given a bed to sleep in.

The next day it was bitter cold, but in spite of that, the boy prepared himself to walk the eight miles to where his brother was staying.

When the man of the house saw this, he told the young boy to stay for a while. He said there would be a team coming soon and that he could ride back with them.

When the boy protested, saying that he had no money, the man told him not to worry about that, that they would take care of him.

Later the boy learned that the man of the house was none other than Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet. This boy remembered this act of charity for the rest of his life. (Mark L. McConkie, Remembering Joseph: Personal Recollections of Those Who Knew the Prophet Joseph Smith (2003), 57)

Here we find the prophet, Joseph Smith, exemplifying the very quality that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have asked of us:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

If we long to feel more fully of the compassion and love our Father in Heaven has for us, we must follow in the footsteps of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Promised Messiah, even the Anointed One. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles tells us, "Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Great Commandment,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 28–31)

I promise you the love your Father in Heaven feels for you is beyond your comprehension. He knows you, He cares for you, He loves you as only a Father can love a child. Know that He has laid out the path for your eternal salvation and His Son, Jesus Christ, came to this earth and showed us every step of the way. There is not one of us on this earth who needs to be lost . . . He has found you . . . will you come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ? Will you believe?

It's a frightening world we live in sometimes. Religion against religion, nation against nation, culture against culture, friend against friend and brother against brother. This is a time long prophesied of in the scriptures:

And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.

And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound.

And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;

But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. (D&C 45:26-29)

War is not new to the world, in fact, it was in existence long before the creation of this earth where we live. The war in heaven, as discussed the other day, was fought and won by the followers of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

Of this very topic, President Gordon B. Hinckley, the living prophet, seer and revelator of this time, said, with all the authority of his office:

The nations of the earth have been divided over the present situation. Feelings have run strong. There have been demonstrations for and against. We are now a world Church with members in most of the nations which have argued this matter. Our people have had feelings. They have had concerns.

War, of course, is not new. The weapons change. The ability to kill and destroy is constantly refined. But there has been conflict throughout the ages over essentially the same issues. . . .

We sometimes are prone to glorify the great empires of the past, such as the Ottoman Empire, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and in more recent times, the vast British Empire. But there is a darker side to every one of them. There is a grim and tragic overlay of brutal conquest, of subjugation, of repression, and an astronomical cost in life and treasure.

In the course of history tyrants have arisen from time to time who have oppressed their own people and threatened the world. Such is adjudged to be the case presently, and consequently great and terrifying forces with sophisticated and fearsome armaments have been engaged in battle. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “War and Peace,” Ensign, May 2003, 78)

I could scarcely put it more eloquently than he has done. But there is a light, that light spoken of in the Doctrine and Covenants, quoted above, and that light shines forth today, it is the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It may seem as if Satan rages over all the world, but I assure you there are more good people than bad. Followers of Jesus Christ are found in every land and across the globe, even those under Sharia Law. We as Mormons, love and support all people who are good, of all faiths, cultures and nations. Be you Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim . . . Mormons have no quarrel with any one religion, nor all of them. We stand and we fight against Satan, his armies and those who follow him.

So how do we shed that light over all the world? We go to church. We live what we believe. We become disciples of Christ therein living our lives according to how He lived His in the New Testament. We love our neighbors as we love ourselves, moreso actually. We worship our God. We study the scriptures and apply the saving principles written within those pages. We look to a living prophet, surrounded by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and we realize the great gift we have of living on the earth at this time and in this place.

Yes, the news is filled with wars and rumors of wars, but never forget that God is in charge and He will only allow Satan to rage so long. The day will quickly come when Jesus Christ will return in triumphant glory, until that day, it is our job to spread His message across the world with all the love, light and hope we hold in our hearts.

This will finish up the last of the Thirteen Articles of Faith which lay out the basic beliefs of the Mormon Church. The posts preceding this have the rest:

Mormon Articles of Faith: We Believe . . . Part 2
Mormon Articles of Faith: We Believe . . . Part 1

Eleventh: We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

This is a big one for Mormons. From the time Joseph Smith, Jr. had