Mormonese

Temples are holy places where important ceremonies are performed and where God communicates with man on the earth. The Mormons build temples for similar reasons that the ancient Israelites did. The first and most fundamental reason is that God has commanded prophets to build them.

As the children of Israel traveled in the wilderness, God told Moses that the people should donate materials to build a tabernacle, a portable precursor to temples (Exodus 25:1-7). The offerings included gold, silver, brass, fine cloth, animal skins, wood, oil, spices, and precious stones (Exodus 25:1-7); these materials were valuable and hard to come by. Once constructed, the tabernacle served as a holy place where priests could perform their ceremonial duties, away from the distractions of regular life. The tabernacle had different areas to it, some more restricted than others (Exodus 26:33). The least restricted, outer area was where priests washed themselves and offered animal sacrifices (Exodus 29). The tabernacle also had an inner tent made of wood, overlaid with gold, and held together with golden rings (Exodus 26:29). The inner tent also was made special with curtains, linen, and embroidered scarlet that lined the walls (Exodus 26:1). In the innermost part of the tabernacle, the so-called “holy of holies,” only the presiding high priest (e.g., Moses) was allowed to enter. In this separate area, the Lord could commune with the high priest and tell him what the people needed to know (Exodus 25:8,22); this is also where the Ark of the Covenant was placed.

Diagram of ancient tabernacle, courtesy of Gabriel L. Fink

After the Israelites had established themselves in Jerusalem, they were commanded to build a permanent version of the tabernacle: a temple. Some time earlier, an angel had made it known to David (through his servant Gad) that he should build “an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite” (1 Chronicles 21:18). After receiving that commandment, David began gathering stone, wood, and precious materials to be used in building a temple there (1 Chronicles 22:1-4). However, because David had been a man of war, the Lord told him to pass the temple project on to his son Solomon who grew up in a time of peace (1 Chronicles 22:6-16). Over the course of seven years (1 Kings 6:38), Solomon oversaw the building of the temple—hence it is referred to as “Solomon’s Temple.” The temple was patterned after the tabernacle, yet with more precious materials (1 Kings 6:21), and it was twice as large. Although Solomon’s temple served the people for many years, it was raided several times during wars, its precious materials were stolen or traded away, and it was eventually destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:9).

About 70 years after the temple’s destruction, the Israelites rebuilt the temple under the direction of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:3; Ezra 6:15), although this time it was not nearly as ornate. Then around 17 B.C., after the Romans had taken control of Jerusalem, Herod the Great oversaw a huge effort to revamp and expand the temple. The construction process continued throughout Jesus’ life and was completed in 64 A.D., six years before “Herod’s temple” was demolished by a Roman army in response to a Jewish uprising (more). What little remained of the temple included the western, outer wall; to this day, many Jews treat this wall as a place of pilgramage and prayer (more), an indication of the importance that Jewish tradition still places on the temple. However, since the temple’s destruction, no significant rebuilding process has been undertaken; many Jews believe that a “third temple” will someday be built in the same location, but disagreement among the Jews and political disputes over the land have so far prevented it from happening (more).

Diagram of Herod’s temple (from www.bible-history.com)

In the New Testament, we learn that Jesus visited the temple and considered it the house of God (Matthew 24:1; Luke 2:46). In one notable demonstration of the value He placed on the temple, Jesus cast out of the temple a group of people who were using it for financial gain (Matthew 21:12). After they were gone, Jesus healed the blind and lame in the temple (Matthew 21:13-14). Later, after Jesus was crucified, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple, “was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51). One interpretation of the significance of its being torn in two is that Jesus’ sacrifice made it possible for all people to enter into God’s presence, not just the high priest (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Although few details are given, The Book of Mormon describes other temples that were built on the American continent by men who had emigrated from Jerusalem (2 Nephi 5:16; Helaman 3:14). Construction of the first of these temples was directed by Nephi, a prophet-leader. Also described in The Book of Mormon is a personal visit from Jesus Christ to a temple in the Americas, shortly after His death and resurrection (3 Nephi 11).

This long history of temple building and worshipping in temples served as a precursor to the temples that have been built (and continue to be built) in modern times by the Mormons. The first of these was in Kirtland, Ohio (USA), a small town settled by the Mormons in 1831. As the church began to grow, God commanded Joseph Smith to “build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high” (Doctrine and Covenants 95:8). As with Moses and Solomon, Joseph was given specific requirements for the size of the temple and how it should be used. The temple was to be constructed “not after the manner of the world…[but] after the manner which [God] shall show….” (Doctrine and Covenants 95:13-14). After much financial sacrifice and physical labor by church members, the Kirtland Temple was completed and used for worship services; this temple still stands and can be visited by the public (http://www.kirtlandtemple.org). Several years later, Joseph Smith was commanded (Doctrine and Covenants 124:27) to lead an effort to build another temple in Nauvoo, Illinois (USA) (http://www.nauvootemple.com). The Nauvoo Temple was never fully completed and was vandalized and destroyed by mobs in the late 1840s, after Joseph Smith had been assassinated and most church members had emigrated to Utah. Upon arriving in Utah in 1847, the Mormon pioneers started building more temples. Perhaps the most famous is the Salt Lake City temple. Today there are more than 130 such temples throughout the world.

Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah

So far this article has discussed the history of temples. Now the focus will be on the purposes of temples.

Temples can help form a connection between God and His children on the earth. As Solomon’s temple was being built, the Lord told him, “Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee…And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:12-13) Along similar lines, Mormons believe temples are the “house of the Lord” and that by worshiping in temples they can draw closer to God and receive answers to prayers more readily.

Temples also are places where people go to learn. During some Mormon temple rituals, information is shared about the origin and purposes of life. The people are taught about the Priesthood and what is required for them to return to God’s presence. Perhaps most importantly, people can gain personal spiritual guidance through answers to prayers.

But Mormon temple worship is about more than learning and prayer.

Anciently, temples served as places to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses. And among the ceremonies performed in ancient temples were animal sacrifices. The people would offer their firstborn flocks as a symbol of their willingness to give their best to God and as a way to be forgiven of sins. The sacrifices also were symbolic of the atoning sacrifice that would later be made by Jesus Christ, God’s firstborn son (Moses 5:4-8). After Jesus sacrificed for our sins, the laws requiring animal sacrifices were fulfilled (satisfied). Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” (Matthew 5:17) Nowadays, instead of asking us to sacrifice animals, God asks us to offer a “broken heart and contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20). Accordingly, Mormons temple rituals are designed to draw the people’s hearts and spirits to God. Each ritual—or ordinance—is accompanied by a covenant, in which the person dedicates himself/herself to God by promising to follow Him in specific ways. In return, God promises help and guidance.

Mormon temple ordinances are performed in a specific order, as the person has prepared himself/herself for successively greater commitment to God. Upon receiving all the temple ordinances, the person is prepared to enter God’s presence after this life, as long as he/she continues faithful to the promises that have been made. In fact, Mormons believe that those who have not received all the temple ordinances—and thus have not taken on the associated covenants—are unprepared to return to God’s presence. Knowing that billions of people who have lived on the earth were unaware of temple ordinances and died without them, Mormons perform ordinances on their behalf. By acting in place of someone who died without the ordinances, Mormons believe it becomes possible for that individual (whose spirit may be waiting in anticipation for such to occur) to return to God’s presence. Mormons believe that if the person accepts the ordinances, it is as valid as if the person had received the ordinances during their life.

One ordinance that is performed in temples is baptism. When a person is baptized, he/she is immersed in a pool of water, a symbol of spiritual death and rebirth. The person also covenants with God to “serve him and keep his commandments” (Mosiah 18:10). In return, God promises to “pour out his Spirit more abundantly” in that person’s life (Mosiah 18:10). In temples, Mormons can get baptized on behalf of those who did not receive baptism during their life. Interestingly, the apostle Paul mentions such a practice in New Testament times (1 Corinthians 15:29).

How temple ordinances are performed and the words that are said are considered sacred, only to be known by those who have participated in them. However, participation in temple ordinances is available to any person who prepares himself/herself (Psalms 24:3-6) to accept the covenants associated with them. It would be inappropriate for someone to make such extensive commitments to God without being prepared to do so.

Finally, it’s important to mention that the most important temple ordinance that Mormons receive is called sealing (also known as “temple marriage”). In a sealing, a man and a woman make a covenant with God that they will be faithful to their spouse “for time and for all eternity” (more here). Having made that covenant, they are promised that they (and their children) can be together forever, not just “till death do us part.” Thus, the ultimate goal of Mormon temples is to bring families together and keep them together forever.

The following resources explain more about temples.

1. The Holy Temple
2. Video: Temples and family history
3. Video: Why Mormons build temples
4. Video: The blessings of the temple

May 27th, 2010 | Category: Temple | Leave a comment

The prophet Moses was asked by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and to the promised land (Exodus 6:1-8; Exodus 33:1-3). During the long process, the people began to overwhelm Moses with requests for help “from morning unto the evening” (Exodus 18:13). When they had a matter that needed to be resolved, they approached Moses, who acted as a judge to help them resolve it (Exodus 18:15-16). He also spent time teaching individuals about the laws and statutes of God (Exodus 18:16). One day Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, visited him, and after observing the situation, counseled Moses: “The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.” (Exodus 18:17-18) Jethro then counseled Moses to teach the people to look to God for help in solving their problems (Exodus 18:19). And he counseled that Moses should appoint leaders to rule over the people in a hierarchy: some ruling over thousands, and others over hundreds, fifties, or tens (Exodus 18:21). Moses chose “able,” God-fearing men of truth who would teach the people the law and help resolve smaller problems, thus decreasing the leadership burden on Moses (Exodus 18:22). Only when a large problem needed to be resolved, Moses would address it. Also as a result of this hierarchy, communication could be passed easily to each individual: when Moses received a message from God, he could pass that message to the leaders at the top of the hierarchy, who could then pass the message down the lines.

Leadership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) follows a similar pattern. God calls prophets to lead the people spiritually, and the prophets, under God’s inspiration, share that responsibility with others in a hierarchy of leadership. The prophet (or President) holds responsibility for the entire church, and he assigns General Authorities to help direct the affairs of the Church. General Authorities are often assigned to a specific geographical region of the world and appoint additional leaders in smaller geographical areas called stakes. Each stake is led by a stake president, who aims to increase the Church’s influence in that part of the world (see Isaiah 54:2). To enable more sharing of leadership responsibilities, each stake is broken down into smaller areas called wards. The stake president appoints a bishop (1 Timothy 3:1-7) to lead each ward, and in turn the bishop appoints other local Church members to share in his responsibilities. On a regular basis, the bishop reports to the stake president, who in turn reports to the General Authorities, who then report to the prophet, ensuring that the Church is operating as it should and that local Church members’ needs are being met.

The General Authorities hold various titles, depending on their responsibilities, including Apostle (Luke 6:13; Luke 11:49; Acts 2:43; Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 12:28), Seventy (Exodus 24:9; Numbers 11:16; Luke 10:1; Luke 10:17), Presiding Bishop, General Relief Society President, General Sunday School President, and others. These leaders often serve in a full-time capacity so that, where possible, they can travel often to meet with Church members throughout the world to counsel, support, teach, and pray.

In a ward, the bishop plays a very important role. Primarily, his duty is to help with the spiritual and physical well-being of Church members in that local area. To aid him in fulfilling this duty, the bishop appoints two counselors (assistants), who together are called the bishopric. The bishopric also appoint other men and women to lead specific groups of people within the ward. For example, leaders are appointed to coordinate efforts of men who hold the various offices of the Priesthood. A woman (along with counselors) leads the women’s group in the ward called the Relief Society, which has the goal to increase faith, strengthen families, and serve (more here). Others lead the Young Women, Young Men (ages 12-18) or the Primary children (ages 1-11), helping them develop spiritually, mentally, and socially. Others are in charge of organizing “ward activities,” which are recreational events designed for fun, service, and to build camaraderie. Yet others coordinate Sunday School meetings. (These are just a few examples.) With everybody fulfilling specific responsibilities, the bishop’s leadership burden is lessened greatly. Also importantly, the various leaders have opportunities to learn and serve.

Church leaders are not compensated financially for their time and often spend long, dedicated hours each week. Most do this enthusiastically, in addition to their responsibilities at home, at work, and in the community. In fact, if you know a practicing Mormon, chances are that they currently hold (or have held) some kind of leadership responsibility in the Church.

Below are a few miscellaneous tidbits about leadership in the Church:

• Each leadership responsibility is described as a calling, meaning a person is called by God to do it.
• When a calling needs to be issued, leaders higher in the hierarchy seek inspiration from God in deciding who should have the calling.
• In most cases, a calling lasts for a few months or years, until the calling is rotated to someone else.
• Because the Church operates under the authority of the Priesthood, men and women fulfill mostly different responsibilities.
• Even though leaders do what they can to help local Church members, each person still has responsibility to be self reliant and can seek God’s direct help through prayer.
• Even though the Church is led by men on the earth, they look to Jesus as the head of the Church (Ephesians 2:20)
• Church leadership is organized in a hierarchy, but it is considered inappropriate for members to aspire to “move up” in the hierarchy, because God’s will should determine who holds each position.
• Church leadership should never be used as an excuse to act in a domineering or controlling way or used for personal advantage in any way. If a leader acts inappropriately, higher leaders have a teaching opportunity.
• Because Church leaders are human and thus prone to faults and errors, Church members should be understanding and continue to support leaders despite their weaknesses.

February 18th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God that He used to create the earth (Moses 1:29-33) and uses to govern the heavens and earth (see here; Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 4:20). God gives some authority to men on earth to exercise this power—but only to men who are willing to live by the laws of God—so they can act in His name and carry out His work. The apostle Paul said to the Hebrews, “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Hebrews 5:4)

Some examples of how the Priesthood is used on the earth can be found in the scriptures. In Old Testament times, high priests (men with the Priesthood) were responsible for participating in rituals—such as offering animal sacrifices (see here), being anointed with oil (Exodus 40:15; Leviticus 21:10), and wearing special clothing (Exodus 40:12-14; 39:27-29; 28:35-38; 29:4-9). The rituals had to be performed in certain ways, according to laws that were given by God through the prophets. Importantly, the rituals had symbolism behind them—they were references to something greater.

The New Testament mentions another way the Priesthood is used on the earth—to perform ordinances such as baptism. An ordinance is a type of ritual that is an outward expression of a person’s commitment to God. Ordinances must be done in a certain way and must be performed in the name of Jesus Christ, because He is the intermediary between us and God. When a person desires “to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people” (Mosiah 8:18), he or she comes to a priest and asks to be baptized. If the person has repented of past sins and is committed to living a pure life, the priest (and witnesses) go to a pool of water (or river or ocean, etc.); the priest says a prayer using specific words, and he immerses the person completely under water. This is a symbol of death and rebirth (Romans 6). Baptism is just one of several ordinances that God invites his people to accept throughout their lives.

Jesus Christ also was baptized. He was baptized by John the Baptist, because he was one who had authority from God to baptize.

The Priesthood is needed on the earth to do God’s work in our day, just as it was in olden times. However, in order for man to possess this authority, it needed to be passed on from someone who had it previously. In 1829 Joseph Smith was visited by John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John, who were resurrected (reference). They gave him the priesthood, and Joseph Smith then ordained other men to share in this responsibility. Joseph Smith also used that authority to organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This authority has been passed on over the years to other men who have used it to carry forward the work of God.

The New Testament mentions another way the Priesthood can be used: to anoint and bless the sick (see James 5:14-15). Anyone (whether they have the Priesthood or not) can pray for someone who is sick, and the Lord promises that faithful prayers will be answered (Matthew 21:22), though not always in the way we expect. A Priesthood blessing, given by someone who is acting under God’s authority, may be used to heal a sick person, as Jesus Christ did during His ministry. Jesus healed the sick and cured "all manner of disease" (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:15). The apostles and others with authority from God also healed the sick: "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….” (James 5:14-15) If you ask most Mormons, they can probably tell you of experiences they have had where a Priesthood holder gave them (or someone they love) a blessing of healing, and they felt a miracle happened as a result.

The Priesthood usually operates within a hierarchical structure of leadership. The men at the top of this structure share their responsibilities with people "below" them in the hierarchy. This helps to maintain order so that Priesthood holders can communicate God’s will to everyone within the church. This hierarchy is often is useful in very practical ways. For example, consider the scenario of a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake occurring. A few men who hold the Priesthood would be responsible for helping all people in that geographical area as much as possible. A few leaders at the top of the hierarchy would coordinate with leaders lower in the hierarchy to make sure every church member were accounted for and helped and that non-Mormons also were helped. This happens often (see here and here).

This is a very basic overview. More detail can be found here and here. However, below are several more points about the Priesthood:

• Even though the Priesthood is organized in a hierarchy, men don’t choose their positions or campaign for a higher position. They are called of God (through Priesthood holders above them in the hierarchy who pray to know what is best), and they must choose whether to accept.
• Priesthood holders are not compensated with money for their efforts. And they often sacrifice long hours to fulfill their responsibilities.
• Having Priesthood authority doesn’t make one man better than another. It just means that man has accepted responsibilities that others haven’t.
• Women are not given Priesthood authority but rather play a supporting role. While this may seem limiting to some, all women in the Church that I know are comfortable with this. Here you can read more about the roles women play in the Church.
• Priesthood holders must be men of God. They must be compassionate (Hebrews 5:2), virtuous, loving, patient, kind, humble, and diligent (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5-6) or else this power will have no effect for them (Doctrine and Covenants 121:36-42).
• The Priesthood is not hereditary. One can only receive it if they are worthy. The Priesthood is available to all men who fulfill the necessary requirements, regardless of race, wealth, social status, etc.

January 3rd, 2010 | Category: Baptism, Holy Ghost, Priesthood, Prophets | Leave a comment

Here you can find a basic explanation of women in the Mormon Church and the roles they play in it.

Several years ago, then-president/prophet of the Mormon church, Gordon B. Hinckley, spoke to the women of the Church in this talk. If you read it, you will get some sense for the importance of women in the Church and how they are viewed by its most prominent leaders.

January 3rd, 2010 | Category: Gender, Priesthood, Prophets | Leave a comment

I heard about a story from Charles Dickens in which he met a group of Mormons who were traveling from England to New York. Below are some excerpts from his account of June 4, 1863.

“I go aboard my emigrant ship…. Nobody is in ill temper, nobody is the worse for drink, nobody swears an oath or uses a coarse word, nobody appears depressed, nobody is weeping, and down upon the deck in every corner where it is possible to find a few spare feet to kneel, crouch, or lie in, people, in every unsuitable attitude for writing, are writing letters.

“Now, I have seen emigrant ships before this day in June. And these people are so strikingly different from all other people in like circumstances whom I have ever seen, that I wonder aloud, ‘What would a stranger suppose these emigrants to be!’

“The vigilant bright face of the weather-browned captain of the Amazon is at my shoulder, and he says, “What, indeed! The most of these came aboard yesterday evening. They care from various parts of England in small parties that had never seen one another before. Yet they had not been a couple of hours on board when they established their own police, made their own regulations, and set their own watches at all the hatchways. Before nine o’clock the ship was as orderly and as quiet as a man-of-war….

“‘A stranger would be puzzled to guess the right name for the people, Mr. Uncommercial,’ says the captain.

“‘Indeed, he would!’

“‘If you hadn’t known, could you ever have supposed–?’

“‘How could I! I should have said they were in their degree, the pick and flower of England.’

“‘So should I’, says the captain.

“‘How many are they?’

“‘Eight hundrend in round numbers….’

“‘Eight hundrend what? Geese, villain?’ ‘EIGHT HUNDRED MORMONS.’ I, Uncommercial Traveler for the firm of Human Interest Brothers, had come aboard this emigrant ship to see what eight hundred Latter-day Saints were like, and I found them (to the route and overthrow of all my expectations) like what I now describe with scrupulous exactness.

“The Mormon agent who had been active in getting them together, and in making the contract with my friends the owners of the ship to take them as far as New York on their way to Great Salt Lake, was pointed out to me. A compactly-made, handsome man in black, rather short, with rich brown hair and beard, and clear bright eyes. From his speech, I would set him down as American. Probably, a man who had ‘knocked around the world’ pretty much. A man with a frank open manner and unshrinking look; withal a man of great quickness. I believe he was wholly ignorant of my Uncommercial individuality, and consequently of my Uncommercial importance.

“Uncommercial. These are a very fine set of people you have brought together here.’

“Mormon Agent. ‘Yes, sir, they are a very fine set of people.’

“Uncommercial (looking about). ‘Indeed, I think it would be difficult to find eight hundred people together anywhere else, and find so much beauty and so much strength and capacity for work among them.’

“Mormon agent (not looking about, but looking steadily at Uncommercial). ‘I think so. We sent out about a thousand more yesterday, from Liverpool….’

“…Among all the fine handsome children, I observed but two with marks upon their necks that were probably scrofulous. Out fo the whole number of emigrants, but one old woman was temporarily set aside by the doctor, on suspicion of fever; but even she afterwards obtained a clean bill of health….

“I afterwards learned that a dispatch was sent home by the captain before he struck out into the wide Atlantic, highly extolling behavior of these emigrants, and the perfect order and propriety of all their social arrangements. What is in sotre for the poor people on the shore of the Great Salt Lake, what happy delusions they are laboring under now, on what miserable blindness their eyes may be open then, I do not pretend to say. But I went on board their ship to bear testimony against them if they deserved it, as I fully believed they would; to my great astonishment they did not deserve it; and my predispositions and tendencies must not affect me as an honest witness. I went over the Amazon’s side, feeling it impossible to deny that, so far, some remarkable influence had produced a remarkable result, which better known influences have often missed.

(Charles Dickens, The Uncommercial Traveler and Reprinted Pieces, 1958, pp 222-232. Copied from a book called Stories from Mormon History edited by Alma P. Burton and Clea M. Burton)

December 29th, 2008 | Category: Experiences, General | Leave a comment

I recently came across this video that shows Rachel Esplin, a Mormon woman attending Harvard University. She was part of a panel of people from various religions who answered questions about their beliefs. She answered some common questions that people have about the Mormons, and she explained why she believes the way she does. See below.

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose – 3. Rachel Esplin.

December 28th, 2008 | Category: Book of Mormon, General, God, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Priesthood, Religion | Leave a comment

Many people who know very little about the Mormon church have still heard about Joseph Smith, an American man who was born in Vermont in 1805 and died in Illinois in 1844.

Depiction of Joseph Smith Reading Bible

As a 14-year-old, Joseph lived in a time and place in which lots of different religions (mostly Christian) were seeking followers. Different members of Joseph’s family favored one church or the other, but he was confused about which church was the right one to follow. One day he was reading the Bible in James 1:5-6, which states:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

He describes his reaction to reading these verses this way:

Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different [churches] understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

So Joseph went one morning into the woods to pray. He described what happened in these words:

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction–not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being–just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. 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.

Joseph was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ.

No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the [religions] was right…and which I should join…I was answered that I must join none of them…many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time.

Depiction of Joseph Smith's Visit from God and Jesus

Joseph was told that these other churches contained part of the truth, but none of them contained a fulness of the truth. Important truths, as well as proper authority had been lost from the earth after the death of Christ’s apostles (e.g. Peter, James, John) and the resulting apostasy.

Prophets are called of God to relay important messages to people on the earth. Several prophets like Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah, and Paul, received messages from heavenly messengers so they could tell people God’s will in ancient days. Similarly, Joseph was asked to deliver messages to the world and reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth.

During the next 25 years, Joseph Smith led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon church”), which grew to have tens of thousands of followers (and now has millions).

Joseph was assassinated in Carthage, Illinois in 1844 by a mob. John Taylor, one of Joseph’s successors as leader of the church, stated the following about Joseph’s contribution:

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth…revelations and commandments…and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands…founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood (Doctrine & Covenants 135:3)

Below are depictions of what Joseph Smith and his wife Emma looked like.

Joseph Smith

Emma Smith

For more information:

• The restoration of the Gospel
• The restoration of the Priesthood
• How can I know this is true?

November 23rd, 2008 | Category: Book of Mormon, God, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Prophets, Religion | Leave a comment

Many believe in God, or at least a higher power of some kind, and want to please Him. But how could these millions or billions of people come to any agreement on what God wants?

Prophets are men who have been given authority from God to speak on His behalf.

He chooses a few men to be prophets and asks them to be His messengers to the rest of us. (This does not mean we cannot pray directly to God and receive answers to these prayers. It’s a beautiful truth that we can.) He tells these messengers specific laws that we should obey in order to please Him. He shows them the big picture, including why we are here on this earth, how to be truly happy, and how to reach “heaven” after we die. Prophets then share this information with us, and we are asked to follow these things without being able to see the entire “big picture.” It requires faith and humility to follow even when we don’t fully understand.

We can be confident that when we find a true prophet, following his teachings will mean following God’s will. One of our greatest desires in life should be to find out who God has called to be prophets.

God doesn’t ask us to trust men blindly. The Bible explains two ways to know whether a prophet is true: 1) “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16) and 2) “If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally.” (James 1:5) In other words, we can judge by what they do or what kind of impact they have on the world whether they are good men who could be called of God. And if any man claims to be a prophet, we can ask God to tell us in our minds and hearts whether it is true.

One bit of caution: even though they are great men, prophets are human beings with weaknesses just like the rest of us. For example, Moses felt inadequate to be a prophet because he said he was “slow of speech” (Exodus 4:10). Prophets can also be guilty of mistakes and sins. But that doesn’t make their messages any less important. Part of the challenge of having faith is to accept perfect messages delivered by imperfect men.

For more information:

• Heavenly Father reveals His gospel to all
• Jesus Christ established His church
• The great apostasy
• How can I know this is true?

August 26th, 2008 | Category: Prophets, Religion | Leave a comment

The name Mormon is a nickname used mostly to describe people who have been baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes this nickname has been used derogatorily, while other times it is simply a convenient way to refer to members of this church (rather than saying the full name of the church). This nickname is based on their belief in The Book of Mormon.

Another term that’s often used to describe Mormons is to say they are LDS, which is an acronym for the last three words in the name of the church: Latter-day Saints.

If you were to call a Mormon by these names, they likely would not be offended, though they might tell you the correct name of the Church.

Mormons live throughout the world, though there is a high concentration in the state of Utah in the United States because that is where a large group settled in the mid-1800’s and that is where the headquarters of the Church are located. Because of this, some people think it is an American church. However, many more Mormons live outside the United States than inside.

Part of the reason so many Mormons live outside the United States is that missionaries volunteer to go around the world to share their beliefs with others. They feel strongly enough about their beliefs that they pay their own way to share them with others.

Extremely important to Mormons is that they believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who are separate individuals with distinct roles. Also fundamental to their beliefs is the importance of prophets who are good men who help us know what God wants us to do and how we can find genuine happiness in life.

In this blog, I will discuss in simple terms the beliefs and culture of the Mormons in a way that I hope will help you understand better, even if you don’t necessarily agree. Please come back and visit this blog often or else you can sign up to receive an email when a new article is posted.

For more information:

• Explanation by football player Steve Young
• Summary of beliefs
• Church organization
• Church growth

August 26th, 2008 | Category: Book of Mormon, General, Religion | Leave a comment