The Atonement of Jesus Christ: Our Reconciliation with God

Another stellar article written by guest-writer Cody Bosch.

I would like to speak of the wonderful gift to mankind that is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cleverly phrased it, “Atonement is really three words:At-one-ment, meaning to set at one, one with God; to reconcile, to conciliate, to expiate.”

Elder Packer explains that the component parts of the word each have their own meaning. “At” as in place; “one” person, or God; and “ment” for a dictionary suffix which means to be at a state of condition due to action, or concrete result of action making, “to set” as it were. The atonement reconciles us with God.

“If punishment is the price repentance asks, it comes at bargain price. Consequences, even painful ones, protect us. So simple a thing as a child’s cry of pain when his finger touches fire can teach us that. Except for the pain, the child might be consumed.”

-Boyd K. Packer

Because of the fall of Adam and Eve--the descent of man from God's presence, to a fallen, sinful state--the Atonement was made necessary. The fall resulted in mankind being subject to death, temptation, and sin, conditions that one cannot overcome on their own. In order to reconcile us with God, a higher power needed to intervene.

The atonement was what Jesus Christ achieved in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. He suffered, bled, and died for the sins and pains of the world. When we engage our end of this Atonement by repenting and looking upon Christ, we can be forgiven. Thanks to Christ's triumph over death itself, we are able to live again as resurrected beings in the hereafter.

There are two types of death that humans can experience. These are physical and spiritual death. The atonement allows us to conquer both of these. Spiritual death is separation from God. You can experience this multiple times. This is through sin. When obeying the Lord's commandments and acting righteously, we are entitled to the Lord's presence, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Light of Christ. When in sin, we forfeit this sacred presence, and must repent to get it back.

“An atonement was made. Ever and always it offers amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent. Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and agency is ours to use it...I readily confess that I would find no peace, neither happiness nor safety, in a world without repentance. I do not know what I should do if there were no way for me to erase my mistakes. The agony would be more than I could bear. It may be otherwise with you, but not with me.”-Boyd K. Packer

Amnesty means an act of authority in forgiving a person or group of people. Every person except Jesus commits sins and transgressions, therefore putting them in need of amnesty and forgiveness. Repentance is the key that unlocks us from our spirit prison.

What is a Covenant?

This article was written by guest-writer, Cody Bosch.

“A covenant is a sacred promise, as used in the scriptures, a solemn, enduring promise between God and man. The fullness of the gospel itself is defined as the new and everlasting covenant.”-Boyd K. Packer. 
In an April 1987 address to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Boyd K. Packer related the story of the recent death of his fellow apostle, Elder A. Theodore Tuttle .The people of the Church were asked to fast and pray that he would recover from an illness that had been plaguing him.  Even with prayers of millions of faithful, however, Elder Tuttle eventually succumbed to his illness. During his address, Elder Packer, lest someone's faith be shaken, pulled out a sheet of paper that he originally had planned to read at Elder Tuttle's funeral, but at the time couldn't bring himself to do it.  Elder Packer informed the congregation of Elder Tuttle's humility and faith during his trying illness. In a visit to to Elder Tuttle's hospital bed, Elder Packer had heard the man say that he had prayed to God that all the blessings coming his way would be passed along to someone else who was more needful, more deserving.

“No matter what citizenship or race, whether male or female, no matter what occupation, no matter your education, regardless of the generation in which one lives, life is a homeward journey for all of us, back to the presence of God in his celestial kingdom.”-Boyd K. Packer. 

A covenant, like the one made by the ailing Elder Tuttle, is essentially a two-way promise between God and man. In exchange for obedience to God and His commandments, the commensurate blessings based on those commandments can be awarded in the Lord's  time. One covenant that each must make is the covenant of baptism. By being baptized by the correct authority, we signify to God that we are willing to end our life of sin and start anew, taking upon ourselves the name of Christ. The Lord holds His end of the deal by washing us clean from our repented sins, and have the opportunity for repentance should we stumble later on.
If you would like to learn more about covenants and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can follow this link to chat live with actual missionaries. Mormon.org/chat

We All Have Need of the Atonement of Jesus Christ

The following was inspired by LDS Apostle, Boyd K. Packer's October 2012 talk, "The Atonement"

If there is one thing I know about life is that it is not easy. Many a time, life seems cold and indifferent to the suffering of those living it. Any well-experienced person will tell you that life is not with trial, not without pain, and not without struggle. But many of those people will also tell you something else; it's worth it.
Life may give us trouble, but we are not alone in the journey. For a start, we have each other. One of the greatest assets we have been given in this life is our fellow man, whom we can learn from, teach, and give and receive assistance. But more importantly, God has given us what is without a doubt the greatest gift ever given: the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

What is the Atonement?
As mortal human beings, we are imperfect. Try as we might, we are all prone to weakness, and will occasionally slip up, violating the commandments God has given us. But God has said,
"Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence." 
(Moses 6:57)
Being imperfect, we naturally are unclean, and therefore cannot dwell with God without repentance. But then comes the tricky part. Being the creations of a benevolent God, who decided to create us, and give us life, we are eternally in His debt. To repent, we must pay the price for our sins to God. But how can we expect to even begin to pay Him back?
But God is merciful. He knew that the predicament of mankind stood in this cosmic catch-22, and He graciously gave us a solution. He would send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth, to obtain a body, live as we do, teach us on behalf of the Father and share with us the sacred power of God. He would live a perfect life, performing the impossible (for us) task of never sinning in His entire earthly life. And then, the Son of God would take upon Himself all the pains, afflictions, guilt, and sins of all mankind. He would bleed from every pore, be betrayed by those He called friends, be tortured, beaten and spat upon, and finally suffer the agony of death by crucifixion. Three days later, He would rise from the dead and ascend to His Heavenly Father.
In these actions, Jesus Christ performed what is called the "Atonement." Perfect, pure, and sinless He offered Himself as a sacrifice, a payment to God. Thanks to these selfless acts, we are able to repent, by admitting our faults to God, doing all that we can to fix the problem, and begging forgiveness from God and any we have wronged. Then, as we remember the body of Christ, which was broken for us, His blood, which was shed for us, we are able to lay our sins at the feet of Jesus Christ, and be made clean once more. The Lord, in His infinite mercy, gave us a way to become more than we are, to become clean, and able to once more dwell with our Father.
Is the Atonement just for our sins?
The Atonement covers much more than our sins. Looping back to the introduction, life inevitably holds trial. We all have our obstacles to face, and we all have our own unique challenges in life. In the midst of these times, it can be tempting to think that God does not understand, that this trial is just too much, and that our life isn't fair. But thanks to the atonement, this is not the case. The Savior Jesus Christ felt every pain, disappointment, and hardship we have ever felt, and more. He understands.
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
(Alma 7:11-12)
Armed with the knowledge of how we feel, of the intricacies and nuances of our circumstances, Jesus Christ will advocate with our Heavenly Father on our behalf come Judgement Day. Our judgement will be completely fair, just, and merciful. Through the Atonement, the Lord offers us all things. ensuring our salvation and exaltation if only we obey His commandments and remember His sacrifice with deep gratitude and humility. We are eternally indebted to God, yet He saw fit to give us the ultimate gift in His Son.

Forgive and Forget

Has anyone ever wronged you? Of course! As human beings, we naturally associate with others, and sometimes those interactions go wrong. Whether it's deliberate or not, someone will say or do something that offends the other. Each one of us will find ourselves at both ends of this scenario at some point in our lives. When we find ourselves at the receiving end of wrong-doing, a natural response is to take offense. We justify that if we continually remember that this person caused us pain, we can avoid the person, the situation, and the pain in the future. We tell ourselves it is for protection. But most often we are just holding onto it to nurse our own pride. The dust has settled, the time of confrontation has passed, but we still hold a grudge: an ugly burden that feeds on our sense of entitlement and  is a drain on our strength. There comes a time for everyone when enough is enough, and this self-inflicted burden must be dropped, the mind and heart set free from this self-inflicted torture. We need to forgive!
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke on the very subject of forgiveness in an address to the Church given in April 2011. He spoke of a man who had gone through much grief, and seemingly had every right to be angry, but who chose to forgive:
"[A friend of mine] married his sweetheart. They were deeply in love, and soon she was expecting their first child.
The night the baby was born, there were complications. The only doctor was somewhere in the countryside tending to the sick. After many hours of labor, the condition of the mother-to-be became desperate. Finally, the doctor was located. In the emergency, he acted quickly and soon the baby was born, and the crisis, it appeared, was over. But some days later, the young mother died from the very infection that the doctor had been treating at another home that night.
The young man’s world was shattered. As the weeks wore on, his grief festered. He thought of little else, and in his bitterness he became threatening. Today, no doubt, he would have been pressed to file a malpractice suit, as though money would solve anything.
One night a knock came at his door. A little girl said simply, 'Daddy wants you to come over. He wants to talk to you.'
'Daddy' was the stake president. The counsel from that wise leader was simply 'John, leave it alone. Nothing you do about it will bring her back. Anything you do will make it worse. John, leave it alone.'
This had been my friend’s trial. How could he leave it alone? A terrible wrong had been committed. He struggled to get hold of himself and finally determined that he should be obedient and follow the counsel of that wise stake president. He would leave it alone.
He said, 'I was an old man before I understood and could finally see a poor country doctor—overworked, underpaid, run ragged from patient to patient, with little medicine, no hospital, few instruments, struggling to save lives, and succeeding for the most part. He had come in a moment of crisis, when two lives hung in the balance, and had acted without delay. I finally understood!' He said, 'I would have ruined my life and the lives of others.'
Many times he had thanked the Lord on his knees for a wise priesthood leader who counseled simply, 'John, leave it alone.'

There comes a point when we each have to realize that holding a grudge for our neighbor is useless. Worse than useless! We must learn that our anger, however valid it might seem, ultimately stems from an inflated sense of pride. A perceived wrong comes our way, and we strap this burden to our back and carry it with us, to remind us of the gross injustice someone else has perpetrated. This burden stagnates us. We use up our energy on this useless task, and become unable to help others who sorely need us. It is the height of selfishness, centered on the "me, me, me."
The release of a grudge is quite possibly the most liberating feeling in the world. It's like carrying a fifty pound  rock on your neck for several miles and then finally dropping it on the side of the road, never to be picked up again. No more energy or strength needs to be spent on its dead weight, and with all your heart and mind, you can focus on other things.
Occasionally, a grudge might be more difficult to put down. We sometimes twist and contort under its weight, trapping ourselves underneath it in a manner that we cannot fix by ourselves. For these times we need help. We need the Lord Jesus Christ, who can lift any burden and heal any wound. With prayer, faith, a desire for change, and a willingness to act, Christ can help us remove the burden and cast it aside.
We can also learn to let go of these burdens before we even pick them up. We will no doubt be given some opportunity to feel hurt, whether the giver intends to hurt us or not. But it is our choice whether or not to be offended. We are under no obligation to pick up the stones that land at our feet, whether they are throne, or accidentally dropped.
Finally, I, like many others, often find myself in the strange position where the person I am having trouble forgiving... is me. For those moments, I find it helpful to remember what Christ Himself said on the matter:
"I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."
(Doctrine and Covenants 64:10)
I think this applies to the self as well. Guilt is a wonderful, natural feeling that God allows us to feel when we have sinned against His commandments. It is useful when we notice it, and use it to change and improve. But once the repentance process has been completed, it is of no use to keep kicking yourself for the mistake you made. We must learn from the mistake, and remember not to make the same one in the future, but never must we hitch ourselves to the dead weight of such self-torture. It is the Lord's job to judge each person for their deeds at the last day, and to acknowledge the repentance they commit and their efforts to come unto Him. One should do everything he can to clean the fallout of his sins, but he shouldn't make the error of appointing himself as his own jailer.
I know that the Lord is merciful, infinitely forgiving, and infinitely just. When we have done all that is in our power to remedy our shortcomings, and we act with mercy, charity, and love to all mankind, and choose to leave our burden's at the feet of Jesus Christ, we our able to make the trek and come unto the Lord. This I testify in the holy name of Jesus Christ--Amen.

A Pictorial History of Mormonism | Temples of the LDS Church | Part II

Hello, and welcome to the second installment of my temple series! My goal with this saga is to share the history of the Mormon church with members and non-members alike through pictures and interesting tidbits about each of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' many temples. (For other parts of this series, scroll to the bottom of this post)

21. Atlanta Georgia Temple
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Dedicated: June 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: Many high-profile people were in attendance of this temple's open-house, among them Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves.

22. Apia Samoa Temple
Location: Apia, Tuamasaga, Samoa
Dedicated: August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: In 2003, the Apia Samoa Temple, while closed for maintenance, was destroyed when a fire broke out. About a week later, the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to rebuild. The new temple was finished in 2005, still possessing most of the original architectural details of the original, though updated with a more practical floor plan. The statue of the Angel Moroni which stood atop the original temple's steeple survived the blaze, and was used on the new temple as well.

23. Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple
Location: Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga
Dedicated: August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: The Nuku'alofa Temple was under construction around the same time as the Apia Samoa Temple, and the two shared an arhcitectural layout until the Apia Samoa Temple was redesigned.

24. Santiago Chile Temple
Location: Santiago, Chile
Dedicated: September 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: This was the first temple built in a Spanish-speaking nation.

25. Papeete Tahiti Temple
Location: Papeete, Tahiti
Dedicated: October 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: Before this establishment of a Tahitian temple, members of the Church would have to travel 2,500 miles if they wished to attend the nearest temple (Hamilton, New Zealand).

26. Mexico City Mexico Temple
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Dedicated: December 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact:  The Mexico City Temple is the largest temple outside of the United States, and recieved an international award for its artistic use of precast concrete. The University of Mexico's school of architecture has praised the temple, and given it much study.

27. Boise Idaho Temple
Location: Boise, Idaho, USA
Dedicated: May 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: For the year following its dedication, the Boise Idaho Temple operated at 102 percent of its capacity, showcasing the local members' pride in temple work.

28. Sydney Australia Temple
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Dedicated: September 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: When the Temple was built, the Australian government originally ruled that it had to be without the statue of the Angel Moroni. Members of the Church gave the matter much prayer and fasting, and a year later, the decision was overturned and the statue found its place atop the spire of the temple.

29. Manila Phillipines Temple
Location: Manila, Metro Manila, The Phillippines
Dedicated: September 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: A typhoon was headed directly for Manila the day before the groundbreaking was to take place. Prayers were said by the members, and the next day, the storm changed course, allowing the groundbreaking to happen as scheduled.

30. Dallas Texas Temple
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Dedicated: October 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: The Dallas Temple shares an architectural design with its counterparts in Boise, Idaho and Chicago, Illinois.

31. Taipei Taiwan Temple
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Dedicated: November 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: Church officials made efforts to be respectful of the surrounding community in there design of this temple. The blue tile roof complements the nearby Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall.

32.Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala Department, Guatemala
Dedicated: November 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: Some 3,700 free copies of the Book of Mormon were given to visitors of the temple open-house, and most of these books contained handwritten testimonies of Church members in Guatemala.

33. Freiberg Germany Temple
Location: Freiberg, Saxony, Germany
Dedicated: June 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: Having been built in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the temple in Freiberg holds the distinction of the first, and so far only, temple built in a communist nation.

34. Stockholm Sweden Temple
Location: Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden
Dedicated: July 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: In 1995, King Carl XVI and Queen Silvia visited the temple grounds, welcomed by the Prophet Thomas S. Monson.

35. Chicago Illinois Temple
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Dedicated: August 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: The Chicago Temple became the second to be built in the state of Illinois, the first being the Nauvoo Temple, which was destroyed by arson in 1848 and eventually rebuilt in 2002.

36. Johannesburg South Africa Temple
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Dedicated: August 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: This was the first temple built on the continent of Africa.

37. Seoul Korea Temple
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Dedicated: December 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: The Church and the people of Korea have a common passion for family history. It is an old tradition in Korea to remember and keep records of ones ancestors, and the LDS Church stresses family history to perform temple ordinances for ancestors that didn't have a chance in life to be exposed to the gospel, but would have accepted it had they been given the chance. Thanks to this shared interest, one Korean Mormon was able to offer his own ancestral records dating all the way back to 927 AD.

38. Lima Peru Temple
Location: Lima, Lima Province, Peru
Dedicated: January 1986 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Fun Fact: The temple in Lima is known for being extremely busy, crowds of Saint often waiting in lines that stretch outside the building.

39. Buenos Aires Argentina Temple
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dedicated: January 1986 by Thomas S. Monson
Fun Fact: Built with similar architecture to the Lima Peru Temple, the Buenos Aires Temple was dedicated just one week after its sister in Peru.

40. Denver Colorado Temple
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Dedicated: October 1986 by Ezra Taft Benson
Fun Fact: At first, residents of the neighboring community were opposed to the idea of the Temple being lit with floodlights all night, so the Church agreed to shut the the lights off at 11:00PM. Over time however, the community grew to enjoy the beauty of the Temple, and requested that the lights be left on all night.

Other parts in this series:

Part I
Part II
Part III
More to come...

Mormonism: Why is the temple so important?

Anyone familiar with Mormonism probably has had some sort of exposure to the concept of temples. But many people are somewhat mystified by these buildings. What is their purpose? What goes on in there? And why does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stress so much importance on the temple attendance of its members?
Everything that goes on in Mormon temples is centered around the family and their relationship with Jesus Christ. All things done inside are to ensure the salvation of all and to bind families together for eternity. Simply stated, members of the Church go to the temple to perform essential ordinances and to make covenants with the Lord. It is a place of peace, a House of the Lord. Members go there for clarity, to reflect, to be nearer to God, to pray.
Another key purpose of LDS Temples is the redemption of the dead. Ancestors who died without baptism or the other essential ordinances of the Temple can do so by proxy. A living member of the Church, worthy to enter the temple, may perform these ordinances on behalf of the deceased by being baptized, confirmed, etc. in their place. Some outside the Church take issue with this, as it seems to them that the Church is forcibly converting people after death. But this is not the case. Members can only submit the names of direct ancestors, and if they wish to submit someone else's ancestor, they need express permission from a living descendant. According to the teachings of the LDS Church, there is an element of choice inherent in these proxy ordinances. Those on the other side have the choice as to whether they accept the ordinances, just as a person would have a choice here on earth. Members serving in the temple are merely opening a door for their ancestors; whether they walk through it or not is their choice.
One question often leveled to the Church is "Why is there so much secrecy surrounding the temple?" Most of what happens inside remains a mystery to non-Mormons, and even to those Mormons who have not been through the temple yet. Those who do know, usually don't talk about it outside the temple. If it's such a great place, why can't everybody know the intricate details?
There are a few reasons for this, the first being the sacredness of the temple and the mysteries learned therein. The temple is a sacred place, and only members of the Church who are worthy--meaning they obey the teachings of the Church to the best of their ability--may enter inside. These individuals may enter because they have disciplined themselves, and have proven themselves in the eyes of God that they can respect and cherish the blessings and teachings they receive inside the temple. Those who go through the temple have usually learned enough that what happens in the temple makes sense on some level, and has context. This is another reason that the inner-workings of Mormon temples are not trumpeted from the rooftops. They lack context. Without an understanding of the background of these ordinances, and their symbolic and spiritual implications, it's easy to discount them, to make light of them, and disrespect their holiness. The perceived "secrecy" is to protect the holy covenants of the temple from ridicule, and also to protect those who might mock them from judgement, as they do not have the full picture.
This is not to say that one trip to the temple can give you all the knowledge you need or instantly make you perfect. Members often describe themselves as continually learning new things, gaining new insights on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and gaining personal revelation for their lives. Even prophets, the men who lead, and receive revelation for the whole Church, have said that they are still learning on each visit to one of these sacred houses of the Lord.

On other sacred ordinances of the LDS Church, read this article about the importance of the sacrament.

The Principle of Agency in Mormonism's Plan of Salvation

Often lumped together with other similar concepts, such as "free will", agency is a key component of not only Mormonism, but much of Christendom as well. But how does one define it, and what is the understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the subject?
A good place to start is to clarify the subtle but important difference between agency and freedom. Simply put, agency is our ability to choose our actions, and freedom describes our capability of carrying out those actions. We need both in order to think and act for ourselves, and they are both essential to our salvation.
Before we came to this earth, we lived with God. We noticed that He had a glorified and perfect body of flesh and blood, whereas we were only spirits. We asked our Father how we might obtain bodies of our own. The Lord taught us of a beautiful plan, whereby we could obtain bodies and be tested according to our personal  righteousness. If we consistently chose right, we would be able to return to live with God once more. But, being human, we are weak, and bound to slip up here and there. So God's plan included the divine help of a Savior, one who could allow us to be cleansed of our sins, and one to advocate with the Father on our behalf. Our elder Brother Jesus Christ, volunteered to perform this holy service for all mankind and to give glory unto God. But one other also volunteered. Lucifer asked to be sent as our savior, but had a different plan from that of the Father. He would have taken away our agency, and thereby give us no choice but to choose right. He claimed he could save everyone with this plan. It sounds tempting. Who doesn't want to be saved, right? Except our earthly life is meant to be a test. What is the point of testing someone if you force them to give all the right answers? It wouldn't be a test at all. Lucifer continued to rebel against God, and was cast out along with his followers, becoming Satan.
 This life is meant to be a time of learning and growing. This life prepares us for the next and allows us to choose between the freedom of righteousness and the bondage of sin. Without a knowledge of true pain and sorrow, we couldn't possibly know of happiness, love, or peace. This is why we need agency and freedom. We must be able to choose and act for ourselves, or we will never progress and become better. Without a choice, there is no law. Without law, there is no sin. Without sin there is no sorrow, and conversely there is no righteousness, happiness, blessings.
Simply put, if we have no choice cannot know true happiness. And we have a simple choice: Satan, evil, and the bondage of sin, or Jesus Christ, good, and the freedom of righteousness. Satan tries to muddy the waters and make the choice seem more complicated than it truly is, using confusion as a devastating weapon. But Jesus Christ will always shine through the darkness, and if we just look for it, we can choose and act upon it, drawing continually nearer. Thus, the wise use of agency can bring us salvation.

The pioneers: people who used their agency in a very bold way.

Principles of Mormonism: Learning by the Holy Ghost

In my mind, one of the most touching principles of Mormonism, and much of Christianity for that matter, is the influence of the Holy Ghost. As a member of the Godhead, and one who quite personally influences us, the Holy Ghost--or Holy Spirit--has much to teach us, and we have much to learn.
What other names does the Holy Ghost have?
The Holy Ghost has, over the eons, been called many different names by many different people. Each of these names testifies of His power, and can introduce many nuances of His roles and abilities. Here are just a few of His names:

• Holy Ghost
• Holy Spirit
• Spirit of Promise
• Spirit of Truth
• Spirit of Might
• Spirit of Counsel
• Spirit of Knowledge
• Comforter
• the Still, Small Voice
• Breath of God
• many other names

What does the Holy Ghost do?

The Holy Ghost does not have a physical body, whereas Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both have bodies of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost, being a spirit, is able to speak directly to our spirits. When a person is humble, obedient to God's commandments, and desires to know the truth, the Holy Ghost can speak to them, and if they are ready to hear it, a person can be taught and uplifted by its message. The Holy Ghost exists to testify of sacred truths, to bear witness the greatness and divinity of God the Father and Jesus Christ. In times of sorrow we can be comforted and strengthened by the Holy Ghost, or in danger (be it spiritual or physical) we can be warned, prepared, and/or guided to safety. The Holy Ghost can do many things for us--and through us--if we righteously, humbly ask for His presence.

What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the "Light of Christ"?

 Though sometimes referred to by the same names and used almost interchangeably by many, the Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ are two separate and distinct concepts. The Light of Christ is not being, but a force. Its nature is much like the name implies. It is the radiating, ever-permeating influence of God. This is God's power and love spanning the universe, all things, and all people. Anyone who is humble and righteous can feel the Light of Christ and its warmth.

On the other hand, The Holy Ghost is one specific being, the third member of the Godhead, who is able to become our constant companion after baptism, confirmation, and continued righteousness. The Holy Ghost brings us peace, knowledge and comfort and can direct our hearts and attention to the Light of Christ.

How does the influence of the Holy Ghost feel?

This is a common question among those looking into Mormonism. Though pure and simple, it can often be difficult to explain. A common metaphor used is to pose another question; "Describe to me the taste of salt--and don't say 'salty'."

 Though it's really quite a simple thing, you might be surprised at how difficult it is to tell someone how salt tastes. "Well... it's not sweet," you might answer, "and its sort of like... I don't know."

The feeling one gets from the Holy Ghost is much the same, in that it is hard to describe to someone who doesn't know what it feels like. What's more is that it can be different for anyone. Some describe it as a sweet, warm sensation in the chest, others as a general feeling of lightness. Personally, I normally feel it by the presence of an inner peace that I know I don't have the ability to feel on my own. I've tried to replicate this peace through other means, but it never comes close to what the Holy Ghost has to offer. I know that it is a feeling that came from outside me. There are many different ways to experience it. We just have to be open to it, and recognize it when it comes.

Much of the time, the Holy Ghost is soft and gentle. It requires one's attention in that it can sadly be overlooked when one is distracted. Many influences vie for our time, attention, and energy, and try to overpower the Holy Ghost by shouting their messages to us, often quite literally. Though the Holy Ghost as much to offer, it will not force a person to pay attention. Each of us have the ability to choose for ourselves whether to listen to the voice of good, or to the voice of evil. But in order to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, we have to be listening for them.

Does the Holy Ghost literally "speak" to us?

It depends really. Though some describe physically hearing a soft voice of guidance at times, more often than not, the Holy Ghost "speaks" to us through feelings and promptings. He can lead our thoughts to what He would have us learn, and answer our questions gentle prods and careful nudges to the the truth. Though He can physically speak to us, He usually communicates to us by revelation and feelings of divine truth.

The Holy Ghost and Prayer

Simply by utilizing the power of the Holy Ghost, we can learn all the mysteries of God. When used in tandem with prayerful scripture study, the Holy Ghost can teach us nearly anything. But we must be willing to act. If we earnestly pray to our Heavenly Father, and exert our efforts to learn, think, and do what the Lord asks of us, the guidance of the Holy Ghost can solidify and confirm the truth of what we have learned, or teach us something more altogether. It is up to us to work for it, and on God's timetable, He can speak truth to us.

If you would like to learn a little more about Mormonism (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), the Holy Ghost, or other topics, please follow this link to chat live with real missionaries!

Mormonism, My Family, and Christmas

Though Mormonism is not unique for the mere act of celebrating the Christmas holiday, I feel that, throughout my life, the Christmas season  has always been a great bolster to my faith , as well as a blessing and uniting force over my entire family. Being conveniently located at the end of the calendar year, it provides a wonderful opportunity for reflection and personal growth. The family seems much closer, and the love is palpable.
One thing I am ever-thankful for is my father and mother's insistence that we keep the focus on the first syllable of the the word. "Christ". Like many children, we were also taught the magical, if silly, legend of Santa Claus, who lived up north, had a weight problem, and flew around the world to deliver presents to all the good little boys and girls. But my parents also stressed the Savior in all of our Christmas merriment. Being a family of history buffs, which may have been prompted by our father, we would often talk about the symbolic meanings and historic origins of the various decorations we were decking the halls with; how this or that pointed to Jesus Christ in some symbolically meaningful way, why people started doing it, etc.
At some point in the month, we schedule a time for what we call a "Back to Bethlehem" dinner. We discuss the Savior and His birth, and hold a feast, in which we put a large sheet on the family room floor, and have everyone sit in a big circle, while dining on finger foods, such as bread, meats, vegetables and fruits, somewhat like they would have eaten in the time of Christ, though we don't stress historical accuracy too much.
The festivities remind us of our roots, and make me thankful, not only for my Mormon upbringing, but for each of these opportunities to enrich my faith, and how often I am given the chance to testify of Christ, or have Him testified to me.
Every Christmas morning, before parading downstairs to see what "Santa" brought us, our parents would gather us all together in one room, and we'd kneel as a family and offer thanks to God for the ultimate gift that He had given us for Christmas: His Son. All in all, the Lord Jesus Christ features heavily throughout the whole affair, as well He should, and we try to use every opportunity to express our love for one another, and our gratitude for Jesus and His eternal sacrifice.

If you'd like to learn a bit more about Jesus or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please don't hesitate to follow this link to chat live with actual missionaries!

On the Christianity of Mormonism.

Mormonism and the Sacrament

The Sacrament is a key element of worship practiced in Mormonism. Each Sunday, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will eat a small piece of bread, and drink a sip of water in a manner similar, yet not identical, to the "Communion" or "Eucharist" rites practiced by many other Christian faiths. What is the significance of this ceremony, and why do Mormons do it every week?

How the Sacrament is Performed
The LDS Church generally holds Sunday meetings in a three-hour block. The Sacrament most often takes place during a special one-hour meeting known informally as "Sacrament Meeting". The other two hours are set aside for Sunday School classes. Each Sunday in before the Sacrament Meeting, the men of the congregation who hold the Priesthood will break bread into bite-size pieces and place them on handled trays. They will then fill up many thimble-sized cups with water and place these also on handled trays. These trays are then covered with a white cloth on a table until it is time for the Sacrament. When the time comes, one Priesthood holder will uncover the bread and bless it. Other men will then take the trays and pass them around to the whole congregation. When the trays are returned, they are recovered with the cloth and the water is then uncovered. The water is blessed and passed to the congregation in a similar manner. The trays are returned and both the bread and water are recovered.

Why water instead of wine?

The early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints actually did use wine to signify the blood of Christ in the Sacrament. So why the change? In 1833, Joseph Smith received a revelation known as the "Word of Wisdom". The Word of Wisdom details how members can be freed from addiction and habit by obeying a simple health code. This is the reason that Mormons are asked to not smoke, drink coffee or tea, drink alcohol, or partake of any addictive substance or activity. For many years however, when the Word of Wisdom was introduced, it was seen more as a guideline than a rule, and many members partook every now and then anyway, and wine was still used in the Sacrament. The Saints were cautioned  not to by alcohol from their enemies however, to avoid the threat of poisoning. This was remedied for a while by the Church producing its own wine. Over time, the Word of Wisdom became more emphasized, and review of the scripture Doctrine and Covenants 27:2 ("It mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.") prompted the substitution of water in the ordinance of the Sacrament, becoming the standard in 1912.

What does it all mean? Purposes and Origins of the Sacrament
The night before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ met with His disciples in the upper room for what was known as "The Last Supper". It was at this time that Christ instituted a very sacred tradition. Breaking some bread, He passed it around to each of His disciples and told them to eat in remembrance of His body. He then passed wine to His disciples, telling them to drink in remembrance of His blood which would later be shed on their behalf.
After this, the Savior went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He offered a prayer to God, His Father. In the Garden, Christ suffered immensely, experiencing the weight of every sin, every pain, every illness, and every affliction that mankind had ever, did ever, and would ever experience. The pain caused Him to bleed from every pore. He was then betrayed, beaten, wrongly sentenced, and crucified by a mob of wicked angry men. This great sacrifice which the Lord Jesus performed on our behalf is known as the "Atonement". He did so that He might more fully understand our pain, and that He could cleanse us of our sins if we repent and use the Atonement in our lives. We activate the Atonement by following the model laid down by Jesus Christ  in the Last Supper.
If you'll notice, the events of the Last Supper are similar in many ways to the Mormon Sacrament.
Baptism in the LDS Church serves multiple purposes. One of these purposes is gain membership into the Church, signifying the convert's willingness to emulate Christ. Baptism also serves to wash clean the sins of the penitent. But everyone sins. When a person makes a mistake after baptism, it is necessary to renew the covenants they made with the Lord at baptism. This is done by sincerely repenting of the mistakes that we make, and activating the power of the Atonement in our lives once more through the sacrament. In the Sacrament, as well as in baptism, we acknowledge the Savior and the sacrifices He made for us. We humble ourselves to the point of understanding our total dependence on the power of Jesus Christ, and our personal duty to obey His commandments.

For other sacred ordinances of the Mormon Church, read here about the temple and its importance.

The History of Mormonism: Joseph Smith, Tarred and Feathered

Throughout the history of Mormonism--and the history of religion in general for that matter--there have been many willing to sacrifice everything for their dearly held beliefs. When pinpointing the Mormon faith, this is perhaps most evident in the case of Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet of the Church. On April 6, 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially founded, with Smith presiding as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. The Church, though steadily gaining followers, had some bumps along the way. As with all religions, some of the new converts were not as devoted as others, and some even left the Church shortly after joining. They all had their reasons. There are accounts of a man leaving the Church because his horse died on the journey to Missouri, and another of a man leaving because his name was spelled wrong in a Church document. One such man was Ezra Booth. Booth had converted to the Church in 1831, and was soon sent out to serve as a missionary soon after. The mission was not what Booth expected it to be, and he soon grew bitter, and began to spread lies and express his hate for the Church, instead of preaching the gospel as he had been asked to do. Booth was later excommunicated for his misconduct. Upon returning to Ohio, Booth started writing letters to the local newspaper condemning Mormonism and its followers. These letters intensified the suspicions of the locals, and relations were somewhat strained. These events came to a head on March 24, 1832, when a group of men who had read Ezra Booth's letters got very, very, drunk. Joseph Smith and his wife Emma had recently adopted a pair of twin baby boys. Joseph had been up much of the night, tending to one of his new sons, who had the measles. Just as Joseph was falling asleep, the mob stormed into the Smith home and dragged Joseph from his bed and carried him out of the house. With a bucket of molten tar, the men began to smear Joseph's skin, covering all over his body, and gutting one of his pillows, covered him with the contents. Some of the men tried to force feed Joseph a vial of nitric acid. There were many angry threats to the Prophet's life and he was beaten severely. Joseph said a prayer for safety and mercy, and just then, an alarm sounded, scaring the mob away. Struggling back inside, Joseph showed himself to Emma, who fainted when the lighting made the tar look like blood. Thus began the long, arduous process of painfully removing the tar. During the struggle, the cold night air had been let in, and the Smith's new baby sadly perished from exposure. The very next day, Sunday, Smith got out of bed, and attended his Church meetings as usual. Beaten raw, covered in bits of tar, bruises, and more, Joseph got up before the congregation and gave a sermon as powerful as ever. He never mentioned the elephant in the room, skipping over the previous night's events entirely, even as some of the very men from the mob who attacked him sat among the congregation. In this trial, Joseph Smith displayed not only resilience in the face of adversity, but also a great capacity for forgiveness to those who had so viciously hurt him. I consider him a wonderful role model, and a man who very faithfully followed the example of his savior Jesus Christ.

Got a question about Joseph Smith, or other aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Please click here to chat live with real missionaries and ask them directly!

For another story of an early Latter-day Saint overcoming great trial, please read this story about John Rowe Moyle, a stone-cutter for the Salt Lake Temple.
Read about the lifestyle of the Mormon pioneers.

Jesus Christ and the LDS Church; Is Mormonism Christian?

As an ardent believer in, and an intense lover of Jesus Christ, it can be a bit disheartening to hear certain people categorize my religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known by its nickname, "Mormonism") as "non-Christian", or imply that there is an inherent difference between it and Christianity. I've always viewed the term "Christian" (one who does their best to follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ) as a personal choice. As mortal beings, we are not always able to know the thoughts and feelings of others. So it would seem to me that determining another Christian's level of devotion to Christ would be a matter of guesswork. Completely arbitrary.

As Jesus Himself told us in His Sermon on the Mount, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." I don't write this to call to repentance those who question my Christianity, as that is not my place. I merely write to ask for brotherhood in the beliefs and values we do have in common, and give some insight as to how this church--while not quite mainstream-- is an excellent example of a Christian church.

• The Savior's name is referenced the official title of the Church. The Church's name is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints".
• The Book of Mormon, a volume of holy scripture at the cornerstone of the Church's beliefs--and also where the Church gets it nickname-- mentions Jesus Christ over 482 times, not including when He is referred to by other titles, such as "Savior", "Redeemer", "Son of God", etc. The Book of Mormon has 531 pages, which puts a very conservative estimate at Christ being mentioned, on average, at least once every 1.2 pages of the book.
• The Book of Mormon is subtitled as "Another Testament of Jesus Christ"
• Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ. 
• Every Sunday, they renew their covenants made at baptism by partaking in the sacrament (similar to communion). Members are counseled to remain reverent at this time, and humble themselves by pondering on the Savior's ultimate sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross.
• Mormons believe that if they follow the Lord's commandments, and repent of all sins, they can be forgiven and washed clean by Christ's atoning sacrifice.
• The Church believes that after the death of Christ, their was a great apostasy among the believers, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ (in its fullness) was lost from the Earth. The Church considers itself a restoration of the Church Jesus Christ started, a divinely inspired renewal of the original Gospel of Christ in its fullness. This is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not trace its roots back to any Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox faith, as it arose independent of any of these lineages.

I love the Savior Jesus Christ, and do my best to follow His divine example. I am in awe that He would put up with me and my rebellious ways, and I would like to express a humble gratitude for Him and His condescension towards me--towards all of us. The perfect, sinless, Son of God was made to bear and overcome unthinkable agony and the deepest sorrow, all that we might be happy. I am proud to have Him as my guide, my example, and my Savior. I will close this article now in His sweet name, Jesus Christ--Amen.

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For more on the divine love of Jesus Christ read this post.
On Christmas, and how my family and I celebrate.

Jesus Christ: His Matchless Love

Jesus Christ loves you. If you aren't a particularly religious person to begin with, it may seem like an odd notion, but it is true nonetheless. He loves you more than you could possibly comprehend. Think of the person you love the most. It might be a spouse or significant other. It could be a parent, a sibling, a child, or even a close friend. It doesn't take anything away from the deep love you feel for that person, but the love of Jesus Christ, is so much deeper, so much purer, and so much greater than anything we can imagine.
Why does He love us?
Christ know us on a deeply personal level. He and our Heavenly Father know all about us: our motives, our thoughts, our desires, our actions, and everything in between. At the thought of this concept, many of us might make the mistake of thinking He has less reason to love us. After all, we have each and every one of us made one mistake or another in this life, and the thought that someone might know all the intricate details of our misdeeds is terrifying. So why would Jesus, the Son of God, and the most perfect being ever to walk the Earth, put up with such vile sinners for even a second? Surely He could find more worthy subjects than us. But the truth is, even as Christ knows all about our mistakes, our sins, and our misdeeds, He also sees and knows what we may become. He understands the context of our mistakes because He lived them. In the   Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross in Golgotha, Christ suffered for all the sins and all the pains of mankind. Everyone that has lived, is living, or will live is cleansed through the ultimate self-sacrifice of the perfect, unblemished Son of God, but only if we allow it to.
When we sin, no matter how major our sin is, we have the opportunity and the duty to repent. When we correct the situation, asking forgiveness, and leaving our sins behind, we can then approach our Lord and Savior by praying with an eye single to Him and appreciation of His redeeming sacrifice. When we do this earnestly, He will forgive us.
Jesus Christ loves us so much, that He was willing to sacrifice everything He had--and more--that we might be cleansed from wickedness, and brought to the eternal happiness that comes from a clean conscience, and closeness to the Lord, our God. Because of His sacrifice, we are able to reach our full potential, and rise to the level of that person that Jesus knows we may become. With an eye single to Him, and a sincere love for all we meet, there is no limit to our progression in righteousness, our understanding of the mysteries of God, and  our ability to love in the supreme way that Christ the Lord did.
I leave this with you in His holy name, Jesus Christ--Amen.

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On Mormonism and Christianity: is there a difference?
For an exploration of the nature of the Holy Ghost, click here.
Sacrament or Communion?