The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Filed under: Basic Beliefs of Mormons, Basic LDS Beliefs, Bible, Book of Mormon, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Finding Happiness, Finding Truth, Gospel & Doctrine, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Judge of all Humanity, Mortal Ministry & Mission, Plan of Salvation, Premortal Life
When Jesus Christ went into the Garden of Gethsemane, He embarked on one of the most powerful experiences in human history. As He took on our sins, He suffered extraordinary pain. It was an experience that was essential for our own salvation but also one essential for His own calling in life. By experiencing the pain of sin, He became able, despite having never sinned Himself, to completely understand what we go through when we sin. This makes Him uniquely qualified to be our Savior and judge. What we’ve experienced, He has also experienced. In this article, and the one that follows, we will explore the nature of the atonement and what it means for us personally.
The Atonement is Personal
Atonement is a gift of love. Nephi, in the Book of Mormon, said, “But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love, (2 Nephi 1:15) Doesn’t that scripture help you understand the extraordinary gift of atonement? Picturing ourselves encircled in the arms of Jesus’ love is what the atonement does for us, and it’s why the atonement was done at all. Read more
The Spiritual Gift of Faith in Jesus Christ
Filed under: Basic Beliefs of Mormons, Basic LDS Beliefs, Bible, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Finding Happiness, Finding Truth, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Recognizing Truth, Teachings of Christ
Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is extremely tiny, but Jesus taught us that if we have even faith the size of a mustard seed we can do miracles.
When Jesus was asked why He had been able to cast out devils from a child when His disciples had not, He answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:20, King James Translation of the Bible.) Read more
Spiritual Gift of Prophecy
Filed under: Basic Beliefs of Mormons, Basic LDS Beliefs, Bible, Blessings, Church Organization, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Jesus Christ, The Prophet
In 1 Corinthians 12:10, we learn that one spiritual gift God gives to some people is the gift of prophecy. A spiritual gift is given to people in order to do God’s work and to bless others, and must not be used for personal gain. The gift comes through the Holy Ghost to those who are worthy and obedient to God’s commandments.
Although the Mormon church is headed by a prophet, the gift of prophecy referred to here is not referring to that prophet. The office of the prophet is held by the president of the Mormons. Only one person holds that office, but many people can have the gift of prophecy. Read more
Gifts of the Spirit
Filed under: Becoming Perfected in Christ, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Finding Truth, Gospel & Doctrine, Growing in Faith, Helping and Teaching Others, Jesus Christ, The Bible, Uncategorized
The Bible and other scriptures promise us we can receive gifts of the Spirit to help us in our spiritual journey, sometimes referred to in churches as a Christian walk. The Bible discusses a variety of gifts Christians can receive from God, through the Holy Ghost: Read more
Improving Your Bible Study
Filed under: Bible, Finding Truth, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Scripture Study Techniques, The Bible
It is very important to read the Bible every day, but sometimes we can find ourselves in checklist mode—read the number of chapters on our to-do list efficiently, cross them off our list, and move on to the next item on the list. While this does ensure we will read the scriptures daily, it doesn’t really serve much purpose. Reading the Bible is a commandment because God wants us to learn more about Him, to ponder what is inside, and to apply the lessons to ourselves. They help us develop a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and to build our testimony. Read more
Mormons Announce New Solar Powered Chapel
Filed under: Bible, Premortal Life, The Creation, The Prophet
On April 27, 2010, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, introduced its first solar-powered chapel, located in Farmington, Utah. “It’s about creating a place of worship that works in harmony with the environment. For decades we have looked for innovative ways to use natural resources in our meetinghouses that reflect our commitment as wise stewards of God’s creations.” Said H. David Burton Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the press conference. The new building is one of five pilot buildings designed to meet LEED certification standards. Read more
Why Do Mormons Obey Their Prophet?
Filed under: Basic LDS Beliefs, Church Organization, Counsel from Church Leaders, Jesus Christ, LDS Q&A
Mormonism is often known as a strict religion with many rules. Mormons are often asked why they obey and why they let others decide how they should live.
It is helpful to understand a little about the role of the Mormon prophet and how Mormons view him. With this knowledge, it is easier to understand why Mormons are willing to follow a prophet. Read more
What is the Statue on Top of Mormon Temple?
My first glimpse of a Mormon temple was of the statue at the very top. My family, lost and looking for an alternative Saturday activity, saw the statue and wound our way through the streets of Los Angeles—the City of Angels—until we found the building it was on. We learned it was a Mormon temple. We weren’t Mormons, but my parents noted there was a visitor’s center and decided it would be a good educational activity for us.
This statue is an angel. It represents a man named Moroni, whose writings during his lifetime are recorded in the Book of Mormon. He was, in fact, the son of Mormon, for whom the book is named. After his death, he became an angel and played an important role in the history of the Mormons. However, his role began when he was just a teenager.
Moroni and his father belonged to a group of people known as Nephites. In the beginning of the Book of Mormon, we meet the family of a prophet named Lehi. He lived in Jerusalem at the time of the prophet Jeremiah and was also a prophet. God instructed him to leave his wealth and home behind and take his family and a few others into the wilderness because his life was in danger from the enemies of the prophets. In time, they’d cross the ocean into the Americas.
Two of his sons were wicked and two were righteous. (Two younger sons, also righteous, would be born in the wilderness, and there were also daughters.) The oldest of the wicked sons was Laman. The younger of the two righteous sons was Nephi. In time, after the death of the parents, Laman and his followers become so violent that Nephi and his followers were forced to flee. The family divided into two groups, known as Lamanites and Nephites. Most of the time, the Nephites were righteous and had prophets in their line.
They had been promised that if they remained righteous, God would not allow them to be destroyed. However, they eventually fell away from God’s teachings and the Lamanites were permitted to destroy them in a series of deadly battles. Mormon, the prophet, and his son Moroni were among the last survivors of the Nephites when the battles ended, and soon, only Moroni, believed to be a teenager, remained. The Lamanites continued to seek him out, and he was forced into hiding.
Moroni’s father had worked to abridge the records kept by the prophets since the time of Laman, and which were engraved on plates. Moroni completed the book while in hiding and added the final ending to the story, as well as instructions to future generations who would read it. Then he buried the book in a hill called Cumorah and slipped away from the place he had been raised. Eventually, surprised to find himself still alive, he returned secretly and added further instructions before re-burying the book and again fleeing. We have no further record of him until after his death.
In the 1800s, in New York state, a young Joseph Smith receives a visit from Moroni, who is now an angel. As a teenager, Joseph had prayed to know which church to join and was visited in a vision by God and Jesus Christ. He was told the complete truth was not currently on the earth, and he must wait. Moroni was sent to begin the restoration of the complete gospel. While elements of truth remained, the large number of Christian churches, all teaching contradictory information about God, was proof that there had been an apostasy.
Moroni came to Joseph several times to tutor him in preparation for the restoration and to monitor Joseph’s maturity and worthiness to lead the restored church. When Joseph was nearly ready, Moroni showed him where the he had hidden the plates so long ago. However, it was several more years before Joseph was deemed worthy to begin his life’s work. He removed the plates and began the complex task of translating them and of finding a few people who had testimonies of the work at hand. Eventually, with the plates translated and the record published, the church was restored.
Moroni’s life was one of great hardship. He grew up in a world in which the number of good people was rapidly shrinking. He was fighting wars at an age when modern teens are worried about prom dates, and he had sole responsibility for guarding and completing the record of an entire nation when he was just a teenager. As a teenager, hundreds of people were out to kill him and he lived out the remainder of his teen years without family, friends, or even anyone who shared his religious faith. It would be enough to crush most teenagers, but Moroni never caved in to pressure to deny his God—the only way to end the persecution and attempts on his life. He remained strong and faithful through every trial.
It is fitting that he was chosen to bring the book to those for whom it was written. The ordinary Nephites didn’t have this book. They were instructed to keep the record for our time and to record those things that would be of value to us. As Moroni worked to complete the records, he was shown our day and understood what trials we would face and what we would need to know. He was, therefore, qualified to prepare a teenaged Joseph for a life that would be filled with similar trials resulting from the need to preserve God’s teachings.
The temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, built in Joseph Smith’s time, was the first to have an angel atop it. Like most buildings of the time, it had a weather vane, but the temple’s vane was a horizontal angel with a book in one hand and a horn at his lips. An actual statue of an angel was placed on top of the temple in Salt Lake City, Utah in pioneer times. The idea of using Moroni to top the temples was that of Cyrus Dallin, a sculptor who was not LDS, but who discovered Moroni while looking through LDS scriptures to decide what to put on the temple’s spire. He immediately recognized the importance of Moroni’s role in the restoration. Mormonism’s most recognizable symbol, then, was actually the inspiration of someone who was not LDS. Since 1980, this statue has been placed on most new temples, and added to many older ones. Read more
Mormon Meetinghouses: Relief Society and Primary Rooms
Filed under: Basic LDS Beliefs, Church Organization, Faith in God Program, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Scouting
Curious about what is inside a Mormon meetinghouse? Visitors are always welcome in these smaller buildings designed for regular worship and weekday activities. However, you can also tour a building virtually through a new feature on the Mormon’s official website.
Start the Mormon Meetinghouse tour. In the previous article, we explored the foyer and chapel and learned what went on during a service. Learn about the Mormon chapel.
Today, we’ll explore two special classrooms: The Relief Society and the Primary Rooms.
Look below the tour to see the map. The Relief Society room is in the top right hand corner of the map. This room is especially for women and is therefore, usually the prettiest room. It normally has nice curtains, attractive paintings, tablecloths, flowers, and other feminine touches. They are usually the only classroom provided with padded seats.
Mormons meet for three hours each Sunday. The main worship service lasts an hour and ten minutes. Following this, the families go in various directions, with adults and teens having two classes to attend, and children attending their own program. Relief Society is normally held the last hour and is only for the women. The organization was founded in 1842, and centers around providing service to others. On Sundays, the women meet for a class that is especially tailored to the particular lives and needs of women. Some weeks they study the same topic as the men, but with a feminine focus if there is one. Other weeks, they study unique topics. Lessons are drawn from teachings of past church leaders, talks given in semi-annual conferences from current church leaders at the international level, and topics of special interest to women.
During the week, each Relief Society may choose to have special clubs, classes, or meetings to help women perform service, learn new skills, and pursue hobbies and friendships. Examples might include a mom and tots group, a blogging club, a humanitarian aid group, lessons in car and home repair, or craft programs. The choices are as diverse as the women themselves, and vary based on the interests and needs of each group.
A unique feature of the Relief Society is the visiting teaching program. Women, working with an assigned partner, are given three or four other women to visit monthly. They come to the home with a brief spiritual message to discuss, and they also work to build a friendship with these women. They are charged with watching for needs the church can fulfill and are the first person a woman calls when she needs help. A visiting teacher will then either provide the service, or help to find someone who can. For instance, a visiting teacher might bring in a meal when the sister (the Mormon form of address for adult women) is ill, watch her children when she has a doctor’s appointment, or alert leaders the family has nothing to eat. It is reassuring to women to know there is someone they can call when they need help or just a friend.
The Relief Society also operates a literacy program that is tailored to whatever needs the congregation might have. Some groups use a church program to teach reading. Others teach English to immigrants, tutor inner-city children, or help people learn to write their personal and family histories.
Now go back to the map and click on the Primary room, found in the bottom right hand corner. This room belongs to the children of the church, ages three to twelve. In most wards (congregations) the children are divided into two groups, Junior Primary and Senior Primary, with age eight being the dividing line. They will meet in the Primary room all together for opening exercises. During this time, they have a prayer, songs, a scripture and a talk given by a child. Even a three-year-old might stand at the pulpit on a step that allows him to reach the microphone, and give a two and a half minute talk on a gospel principle with the help of a parent. This allows children to learn from their peers, and also helps the children learn poise, confidence and public speaking skills, while encouraging him to share his thoughts on an aspect of his faith.
Following this, most Primaries send the older children off to age-divided classes. Their classrooms are small and usually contain a chalkboard, bulletin board, and chairs sized to the students. The teacher prepares a lesson from a manual that can be read online. Read the lesson manuals used to teach Mormon children.
These older children are called Valiants. They have been baptized and are learning to be valiant in keeping the baptismal covenants (promises) they made to God. Mormon children are baptized at age eight. The lessons are taught through the scriptures, and they follow the same four year plan as their parents and teenage siblings, allowing families to discuss together the scripture stories learned. The children spend two years learning the Bible, one learning the Book of Mormon, and one learning church history and the Doctrine and Covenants. This last book is a collection of revelations received in modern times.
After their lesson, the children return to the Primary room for Sharing Time. The younger children, who were already having sharing time, go to their own classes. The younger children are called CTRs, which stands for Choose the Right. They are preparing to be baptized and are learning enough about their religion to make a wise choice and are also learning to become like Jesus. In their lessons, they follow a two year program. When it is repeated, they are more mature and can handle the same lesson taught at a higher level. They spend one year on the Bible. The second year covers the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Also included in Junior Primary are the Sunbeams, who are three at the start of the year. Their lesson manual is used for only one year and contains stories from all the scriptures taught in simple ways.
In Sharing Time, the children receive a fifteen minute lesson from a member of the Primary Presidency, a group of three women who run the program. There is a theme for the entire year, such as “I Am a Child of God” or “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus.” Each month, they study an aspect of the theme during Sharing Time. They also have fifteen minutes of singing with a music leader. Much of this music is focused around the theme as well. Near the end of the year, the children do a program for the entire congregation, taking over the regular service to sing and to teach the adults what they’ve learned.
The Primary room has chairs in a variety of sizes placed in rows. Children sit with their own classes and teachers. It usually includes a piano and pictures of Jesus with children. There is a chalkboard and decorated bulletin boards.
The Primary oversees a nursery, as well. This is for children who are eighteen months old to age three. If they are three years old January 1, they graduate to the Sunbeam class. This is not just child-care. It is a true class. The children have a lesson manual with simple lessons that teach them about God and Jesus in easy to understand ways. They generally have about ten minutes of lesson time, a fifteen minute singing time, crafts, group play, stories, and a play time. At least two teachers are present at all times.
Senior nursery children have weekday programs. The boys participate in Cub Scouts and the girls have a similar program called Activity Days.
In the next article, we’ll learn about the Youth program for teenagers, and about the cultural hall.
God’s Diversity of Gifts
Filed under: Doctrine & Covenants, Finding joy within the gospel, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, LDS Practices, Men & Priesthood, Priesthood, Priesthood, Self-Worth, Service, Uncategorized, Women
Mormon scriptures teach that every person God creates is given gifts, talents, traits, and experiences from Him, to be used to help others, as well as to bless our own lives. They are His gifts to us. What we choose to do with them is our gift to God. It does no good, for instance, to be given a gift to teach powerful spiritual messages if we refuse to learn about Jesus or turn down an opportunity to teach Sunday School.
11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.
12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.) Read more