Gospel & Doctrine

In today's society, blood often symbolizes death and violence. But in the scriptures, blood symbolizes life.

Think about it: Together with many other miracles that take place in the human body, blood gives us life. It feeds us, bringing needed nutrients and oxygen to each organ and limb. It comes to our aid in times of need, carrying cells that attack disease and other foreign invaders. And it bears our burdens, taking away the waste products from each cell and bringing them to other areas of the body to be properly disposed of.

In many ways our blood could be compared to Christ Himself. Through Him we live. He feeds our souls. He comes to our aid in our times of need, and strengthens us against sin. He bears our burdens when we bring them to Him. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as "Mormons") believe wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that only through His great Atonement may mankind be saved.

In the Old Testament, the priests in the house of Israel were instructed to perform animal sacrifices as a way of looking forward to Christ's miraculous Atonement, in which His blood was shed and His life was sacrificed for our sins. In the New Testament, Christ instituted the ordinance of the sacrament. Some people would recognize this as Communion or the Lord's Supper.

After introducing the bread as symbolic of His body, He blessed the cup and gave it to His disciples, saying, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28) Christ shed His blood, His life, for the remission of our sins.

Latter-day Saints do not believe that the emblems of the sacrament become literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ. But taking the sacrament weekly helps us to remember Him and His great sacrifice for us. It allows us to renew our covenants, recommitting ourselves to keep His commandments and stand as His witness.

The apostle Paul wrote, "We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:14) John testified that "the blood of Jesus Christ ... cleanseth us from all sin." (1 Jn. 1:7)

The idea of something like blood being able to actually cleanse us may seem odd to our senses. But taken with the idea that blood brings life, we can understand that Christ gave His life for us, and it is through that atoning sacrifice that we can be made clean from our sins through the power of repentance.

King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon explained:

And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent...Salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17-18)

We are eternally indebted to our Savior for His Atonement - that through His blood, we can be made clean.

Jesus Christ, during his ministry on the earth, "went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." (Matthew 9:35) The authority to heal the sick, and other priesthood powers, was given to His disciples as well. One example of this is found in the New Testament, where James states, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." (James 5:14-15)

Our Father in Heaven loves all of His children. These children include those who lived in the Holy Land at the time of Christ's mortal ministry, as well as all of us on the earth today. The priesthood, or the power to act in Christ's name, has been restored to the earth. In 1829, Joseph Smith received the priesthood, conferred through the laying on of hands by angelic messengers: John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John of Christ's original Twelve Apostles.

Joseph Smith, with his ordination to the priesthood, also received the authority to organize and preside over Christ's church on the earth. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or "the Mormons." Priesthood holders today must be worthy members of the Church and ordained through the laying on of hands by one who already holds the priesthood. Thus, any line of priesthood can ultimately be traced back to those heavenly beings who ordained Joseph Smith, and then on to Christ Himself.

This priesthood also carries with it the power to bless and heal the sick and afflicted. According to a page on "Administering to the Sick" www.lds.org, "Worthy priesthood holders have the power to heal those who have the faith to be healed. The person who is sick must exercise faith in the power of Jesus Christ ... People are not always healed after a priesthood administration, but Heavenly Father will answer our prayers in the way that is best for us. He knows that some people can become stronger by learning to live with their disability or sickness. Others may not be healed because it is not Heavenly Father's will."

Priesthood blessings can be a source of comfort for those who are ill. Through our faith, and according to the will of the Lord, people can be healed from their afflictions. This is yet another wonderful blessing from our Father in Heaven who is ever mindful of our needs.

Integrity is one of those values that is unfortunately remembered too seldom in today’s society. Promises are made, but kept only as long as the parties making them feel that they are getting what they want out of the deal. Public behaviors may be honorable, but private behavior may be a completely different matter. Even marriage vows are often made “until death do you part,” with an invisible addendum: “…or until you’ve decided to do something else.”

So what is integrity? Elder L. Tom Perry, a modern-day apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons”), explains it like this: “We can find several definitions in the dictionary: rigid adherence to a code or standard of values; moral soundness, especially as it relates to steadfastness to truth, purpose, responsibility, or trust; moral and ethical strength; or the quality of being whole, complete, undivided.” (L. Tom Perry, “Staying Power,” Ensign, Jul 2003, 40–44)

It’s the quality of being “whole, complete, (and) undivided” that perhaps we ignore too often. Society often focuses on the part about “rigid adherence” and sees the following of rules and the unbending keeping of promises as restricting freedom. Yet, as the Savior said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” (Matthew 12:25) He also said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24) In other words, as James put it in the New Testament, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)

To have true stability in our lives, we need integrity. More specifically, we need commitment to the Lord and His values. Those are the only values that will bring us peace.

Job in the Old Testament is someone who practiced integrity. He lost his property, his family, his health, and his friends. Yet he remained absolutely faithful to God:

3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. (Job 27:3-6)

Job did not waver in his faith in God, even when he had lost everything. Too often people commit to God, a spouse, or any other cause when things are going well, but when times get rough their commitment ends. The Savior taught us that, while life may not always be easy, He is always there for us and we can trust in Him and His purposes: “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)

Studying the scriptures can be of great value to us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormons”) considers the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price all to be scripture. Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church, counseled:

“Search the scriptures—search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 11–12; quoted in “Teachings of Latter-day Prophets on the Blessings of Scripture Study,” New Testament Class Member Study Guide, 27).

But frankly, it isn’t always easy to understand the scriptural texts, especially the first time you read them. Here are some ideas to help with your quest:

• Pray before you study. Ask your Heavenly Father to help you understand what you read, and to help you learn those truths that are most important for you in your life at this time.
• Don’t feel like you have to plow all the way through a particular book or chapter as quickly as you can. Instead, slow down. Stop and search for the truths that are present. If something impresses you, read it again. Study it more carefully.
• The LDS Church has created an extensive set of footnotes and cross-references for the LDS scriptural canon. These footnotes include meanings of archaic phrases as well as references to other scriptures on the same topic and references to the Bible Dictionary and Topical Guide. The latter two are included at the end of the printed version of the Bible. These scriptures, with electronic footnotes and copies of the Bible Dictionary and the Topical Guide, are available at scriptures.lds.org.
• Liken the scriptures to yourself. Apply the principles taught to things in your own life.
• Visualize the stories in the scriptures. How would you feel if you were participating in the event you’re reading about?
• Record thoughts and promptings from the Holy Ghost that you receive as you read. These could be appropriate to record in your personal journal, or some people keep a separate “scripture journal” as they study the scriptures. Some people also record these in the margins of their scriptures. Some electronic versions of the scriptures provide extensive space to write your thoughts.
• Read the scriptures again and again. Study them on a daily basis, even if it’s only for a few minutes. And once you’ve read them through, don’t stop. Read them again. The growth we can experience from regular personal scripture study is enormous.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the president and prophet of the LDS Church at the time of his death on January 27, has said,

“I am grateful for emphasis on reading the scriptures. I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Light within You,” Ensign, May 1995, 99, quoted in “Teachings of Latter-day Prophets on the Blessings of Scripture Study,” New Testament Class Member Study Guide, 27).

Upon baptism, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as "Mormons") covenant to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places." (Mosiah 18:9, in the Book of Mormon) What does it mean to stand as a witness of Heavenly Father and of Jesus Christ? A modern-day analogy here may be helpful.

The term “witness” is often used in a courtroom setting when trials are held to decide whether a certain person is at fault for a certain act, or other situations. An eyewitness testimony is valuable because the person giving that testimony personally experienced the events discussed.

Should a witness change his or her testimony based on the promptings or intimidation tactics of lawyers, police, or others involved? Absolutely not. The testimony of what that particular person experienced is crucial to a judge or jury in determining what really happened. And as much as others might wish that they could mold the testimony of a witness to fit what they want the outcome to be, the testimony of a witness they way they give it must not be tampered with by anyone else.

Some witnesses falter, however. Some, hoping to sway the verdict one way or another, change their stories or avoid giving out important information. The most reliable witnesses are those who answer each question honestly, wanting only to help lead the judge or jury to the real and complete truth and not their own someone else's agenda. They don’t try to hide or change information.

I am reminded of what the prophet Joseph Smith said about his First Vision that he had at the age of 14. He had simply prayed to find out from God Himself which church was His true church, and God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ – knowing that this boy would in time be their prophet through whom they would restore the true Church to the face of the earth – personally appeared to him and explained to him that none of the churches currently existing on the earth contained the fullness of the gospel of Christ or had the priesthood keys to His authority.

Imagine, if you will, a fourteen-year-old boy telling some of the people around him that he’d had this vision. A natural response for people might be to just “blow him off,” but Joseph experienced intense persecution for his testimony. In his words:

22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me. ..

24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.

25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not \deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation. (Joseph Smith History 1:22, 23-25)

It is not always easy to stand as a witness of something you know to be true. It’s one thing to stand up for your beliefs when everyone around you believes the same thing, but it’s something completely different when you face ridicule, rejection, or even physical harm or death. Joseph Smith ultimately paid the price of his mortal life for not denying what he knew he had experienced. (As a note of clarification, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “Mormons,” love and respect Joseph Smith for all that he did and gave in helping to restore Christ’s true Church to the earth. But we do not worship him or believe that he or his death can save us in any way. We are only saved through the grace and Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.)

Joseph didn’t back down from what he had witnessed. More importantly, Jesus Christ didn’t back down from what He knew He needed to do. An important challenge for all of us, then, is to consider those things that we really know to be true. If we aren’t sure what’s true, we can follow the example of the young Joseph Smith and ask God in faith. Of all people and beings, God will most absolutely not bear false witness.

Some people wonder how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons”) feel about Jesus Christ or if we celebrate Christmas any differently than the rest of the world. So with Christmas upon us, I’d like to share a couple of my favorite scriptures about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love all the scriptures, but I particularly love the account of Christ’s birth given in the gospel of Luke. I remember as a child we used to act out the story on Christmas Eve before we went to bed. Some years I got to be the innkeeper, or the innkeeper’s wife. I also remember playing the part of the angel – sometimes the same years I was the innkeeper (or the innkeeper’s wife). My younger sister probably had the best idea, though: One year she asked for the part of Mary. I had never asked for this part because it had always been reserved for our mother. But to my surprise, our parents let my sister be Mary. And best of all (for her, anyway), she got to ride on our dad’s back. (He was playing the donkey.)

My favorite part of that story, though, is the part where the angel visits the shepherds:

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 2:9-18)

My heart leaps every time I hear or read these verses. To be honest, I’m not sure precisely why. But it’s a scene I can almost envision—not quite as a memory, but somewhere deep in my heart. These humble shepherds were tending their flocks, something that would have been routine for them. But their routine met a joyous interruption in the form of an angel who had a message for them from God the Father Himself.

Our Heavenly Father did not intend for the birth of our Savior to go unknown by mankind. He sent this angel to tell the shepherds, and the shepherds shared the message with those around them.

But beyond this, “there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (vv 13-14) What a glorious celebration there must have been that night in the heavens! Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, had come to the earth! The hosts of Heaven were unrestrained in their rejoicing.

He came as a humble babe, born in a stable and laid in a manger in the midst of the animals. He was visited that first night not by the wealthy or the powerful, but by a group of shepherds who had been tending their flocks. But truly He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

It's been cold lately where I live, but we had only had a little dusting of snow so far this season. During the years I've lived here, we haven't had a large multi-inch snowstorm until January or later. So when a big snowstorm was forecast for the first day of December, it almost seemed odd to expect.

You could look outside the day before and not even see a sign of snow. And yet the weather forecasters were telling us that we had a one hundred percent chance of getting approximately 10 inches of snow by the end of the next day. Usually the forecasters don't publish their predictions with such certainty; they often leave a little wiggle room in there.

Even when we woke up the morning of December 1, there was no snow. But we acted in faith that the predicted snowstorm would come. We had some travel plans, and completed them early. We got the snowblower ready for action. And, just as predicted by those who understand these things, the snow really did come. We might not have believed the predictions if they'd come from our next-door neighbor, but the ones we read came from a reputable government agency that we knew we could trust. I'm glad that we were prepared for this storm.

Just as the weather forecasters let us know about the coming storm so that we could prepare, prophets let us know about things that we need to do to prepare for what is to come. The Lord has spoken to man through prophets throughout the ages, as detailed in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. And, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the "Mormons") will tell you, the Lord speaks to man through His prophets today.

The prophet Amos in the Old Testament tells us, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)

One example of this is found in the story of Noah. This story came to my mind in part because his warning to the people around him that the earth would be flooded is in some ways very similar to the weather forecasters' warning that my locality would be pelted with snow. Even though when the warning came it may have seemed unlikely to many that the catastrophe would actually happen, those things predicted or prophesied did actually come to pass. In my example, those who followed the advise of the weather forecasts were prepared and ready when the storm hit. And in Noah's case, those who heeded the words of the prophet were ready when the storm hit them. Unfortunately in Noah's day, he and his family were the only ones who were prepared for the storm. But we have a living prophet on the earth today, Gordon B. Hinckley, who receives direction from the Lord and tells us what the Lord would have us do.

The Lord wants us to be prepared for what is to come. He wants us to all come unto Him and live in a way that we can be with Him again someday.

I first learned what repentance was in Primary, the children's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our teacher told us that when we did something wrong, we needed to repent for it. She had us learn and recite the four major steps:

• Feel you're sorry.
• Say you're sorry.
• Ask for forgiveness.
• Try never to do it again.

Maybe you can envision a group of six- and seven-year-olds reciting this in a singsong voice. It's pretty amazing that I still remember this particular lesson. At the time, it seemed to me like a consequence for doing something wrong, in the same league as getting sent to your room or having to stay after school.

But the power of repentance is a truly glorious blessing from our Father in Heaven. As human beings, we all fall short of perfection. The Lord knows this. In His mercy, our Heavenly Father provided us with a Savior to atone for our sins. Because He has paid the price, we are not lost forever when we fall short. Through the Atonement of Christ and the grace of God, we have the ability to repent of our sins.

Repentance truly begins with faith in God and the Atonement of Christ. We need this power from the beginning of the process, helping us to recognize and turn from our sins. True repentance can be difficult. Allowing yourself to feel godly sorrow for things you have done can be quite painful.

And that's where the first step we learned as Primary children comes in: Feel you're sorry. That involves recognizing that you've done something wrong, and then truly feeling sorrow for having done it. That's a feeling that many of us try to escape from, either by blaming someone or something else, or just dismissing it altogether and chalking the whole thing up to experience. But real repentance involves feeling that sorrow, recognizing that what we have done has offended God and has likely hurt others.

Have you ever watched a child being reprimanded (or reprimanded a child yourself) for hurting another child? Often the adult will command the offender to tell the other child he or she is sorry. And quite often, the offending child mumbles a rather nasty-sounding "Sorry," indicating that the child is really only sorry he's in trouble and not that he committed the offense in the first place.

So when we move to the next step of repentance, confession, or "say you're sorry," it isn't enough just to mumble a "sorry" and be done with it. If we've felt the real sorrow in the previous step, these confessions will be a lot more meaningful.

Who do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confess to? It is usually a good idea to confess and apologize to anyone we have wronged or who may have been affected by our bad choices. It may be appropriate to confess to people who have witnessed our bad example that we have set for them. We also confess our sins before the Lord in prayer and pray for help to overcome them. Serious sins should be confessed and discussed privately with the bishop of your ward (local congregation); he can help you work through your repentance and determine when your repentance is complete. Higher Church authorities may be involved when needed.

The next step we learned in Primary is to ask for forgiveness. As you may have guessed, repentance in the end is not really a series of discrete steps. As we confess our sins to the Lord and to those we have wronged, it may be appropriate at that time to ask for forgiveness. The Lord is always willing to forgive those who are ready for it. People around us may understandably take a little longer. It's important to realize that our own salvation is not dependent on whether people in our lives forgive us - only on the Lord's forgiveness. But nevertheless, the forgiveness of others is something we seek after.

And as we confess and ask for forgiveness, we need to make restitution for our sins. "We must restore as far as possible all that has been damaged by our actions, whether that is someone's property or someone's good reputation. Willing restitution shows the Lord that we will do all we can to repent" (True to the Faith, pp. 132-135).

The final step we learned in Primary is to try never to do it again. Perhaps it goes without saying that if we repent of something and then turn around and do it again, we probably didn't repent fully the first time. True repentance includes an abandonment of the sin. We should also seek after righteousness. "It is not enough to simply try to resist evil or empty our lives of sin. We must fill our lives with righteousness and engage in activities that bring spiritual power. We must immerse ourselves in the scriptures and pray daily for the Lord to give us strength beyond our own. At times, we should fast for special blessings" (True to the Faith, pp. 132-135).

Repentance, although not easy or pleasant, is a precious gift in our lives and can bring us real peace and joy. All of us, regardless of our specific religious beliefs, can benefit from the power of truly seeking to purge wrong behavior from our lives and turning our lives over to God. As we use this power, we become better and stronger people.

Approaching our Heavenly Father in prayer comes naturally to some people, particularly those brought up believing in God and who were taught to pray as a child. To others, it is a daunting task: How do we pray to someone we can't see? What do we say? Does God care? Will He answer?

The answer to the last two questions: Absolutely. Your Heavenly Father loves you tremendously and will always listen to you, no matter what. Even though you can't see Him, He is there. Because of this, you don't need to worry about saying exactly the right thing. Just pour out your heart to Him, and He will hear you.

"Don't worry about your clumsily expressed feelings," said Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a talk given in the April 2007 general conference. "Just talk to your compassionate, understanding Father. You are His precious child whom He loves perfectly and wants to help. As you pray, recognize that Father in Heaven is near and He is listening."

You don't have to be anywhere special to say a prayer. It's helpful to be in a quiet place free from distractions-maybe in your bedroom, or outdoors in nature. But you can pray any place, at any time.

The Savior gave us a pattern for prayer in what we call "The Lord's Prayer" (Matthew 6:9-13). He began by addressing His Father: "Our Father which art in heaven." We might say something similar, calling on the Lord as our Father. For that is who He is.

Next the Savior praised and thanked the Lord: "Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." We, too, should thank the Lord for the many blessings He has given us. And we should remember that as our all-knowing, all-loving Father, He always knows what is best for us-even if it's something that we don't understand.

"Give us this day our daily bread" is the next part of the Lord's Prayer. We often ask our Father in Heaven for things that we need. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." As humans, we make mistakes, and we are always in need of the Lord's forgiveness. Fortunately, He will give it to us when we sincerely come unto Him and repent.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." We need the Lord's help avoiding temptation throughout our lives, and it is good for us to ask for it. As we draw unto the Lord in prayer, we will be strengthened against the evils of the world.

The last part of the prayer says, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen." Again, the Savior places His relationship with the Father in proper perspective. We would do well to do the same, remembering that everything that we have is from God. We close in the name of Jesus Christ, and the word "amen" signifies the end of the prayer. It literally means "so be it," putting our own last approval on the words that we have said. When we are praying in a group with others, they also may say "amen," indicating their own thoughts and desires have been represented in the prayer.

If you have not prayed for a while --or even if you have -- make now the time to begin. You don't have to do anything fancy. Just approach the Lord and tell Him what's on your mind. He will listen.

What do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe about God? This is a huge question. While it may have a simple answer, its implications are far-reaching. If we truly know God, who He is and what His role is in our lives, we can understand who we are and what His plan is for us.

Latter-day Saints believe that God is real, that He created the world and all of us on it, and that he is literally our Heavenly Father. He has a glorified and perfected body (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Humans, His spirit children, were created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). This means that we were formed in His likeness. So, when we want to know what God looks like, we need only look at each other for the initial answer.

God's body is glorified and perfected, unlike those mortal bodies we have here and now. We do believe in a literal resurrection, when we will one day all rise again with glorified and perfected bodies of our own. This is made possible through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

According to the first Article of Faith, as articulated by Joseph Smith, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." We believe in all three of these members of what we call the Godhead. We see these three members as unified in purpose, working together to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39, in the Pearl of Great Price). God is our Father, Christ is our Savior who atoned for our sins and works to bring God the Father's purposes to pass.

Both of these beings have bodies, but the Holy Ghost does not. "Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us." (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). The Holy Ghost whispers truth to us in our hearts and minds, testifies of truth, and comforts us in times of need. While these three glorious beings are one in purpose, they are three distinct personages. God the Father and Jesus Christ each have their own distinct bodies. Joseph Smith bore witness of this in his First Vision:

When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other -- This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:17; found in the Pearl of Great Price)

God is not a disinterested or uncaring being. Rather, He is our loving Father who does all things for our eternal good. He has provided a Savior to atone for our sins, and has given us scriptures, prophets, families, a wonderful world on which to live, and the gift of prayer through which we may always approach Him.

For more information on God and His plan for us, there is a page on www.mormon.org that discusses these things.

As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints becomes more prominent, many people of other faiths have questions about the Church and what its members believe. In the October 2007 General Conference of the Church, Elder M. Russell Ballard suggested that members formulate a list of basic beliefs of the Church that they could share with others when asked.

It's difficult to condense all the wonderful truths of the gospel into a short list, but here's my attempt to do so, patterned after some of the things that Elder Ballard mentioned in his talk.

• As stated in the First Article of Faith, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." We believe that God is our all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving Father, the father of our spirits, and that He does all things "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).
• We believe that His Son Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He atoned for our sins; through Him alone may we one day return to the presence of our Father in Heaven.
• Latter-day Saints believe that during Christ's mortal ministry, He established His church and ordained men to the Priesthood, giving them power to lead the church and care for its members. This church and the priesthood were later removed from the earth because of widespread apostasy.
• The church that Christ organized was restored in 1830 through Joseph Smith as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith as well, giving him and his successors the necessary keys to lead the Church.
• We believe the Bible to be the word of God. We consider it to be scripture and members are encouraged to study it regularly. Its preservation through the ages is a great blessing to us.
• The Book of Mormon is another book that we believe to be scripture. It is a record of people who lived in the western hemisphere from before the time of Christ until about four hundred years after His death. They were led to the Americas by the hand of God. The record largely covers God's dealings with them, including the ministries of some of their prophets. Many of their wars and political dealings are also covered, particularly as they pertain to the righteousness or wickedness of the people and the Lord's dealings with them in that context.
• The crowning event of the Book of Mormon comes when the resurrected Savior personally visits the people in the Americas. Among other things, it is a sweet reminder that God loves all of His children and wants them all to return to Him.
• Latter-day Saints place a high value upon the family. We believe marriage between one man and one woman to be ordained of God. We believe in having children and raising them in righteousness, teaching and guiding them and helping them to learn and do all that their Father in Heaven would have them do.
• In our temples, husbands and wives can be sealed together with their families for eternity, not just "till death do they part." We also perform other saving ordinances such as baptism for those who have died without the opportunity to do so for themselves.

If you'd like to learn more, www.mormon.org is a great place to go.