Mormon Doctrine: Finding Hope in Christ
As we read in the Bible, after the devastating death of her brother, Martha confessed:
Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:21, 23, 25-26).
What is Hope?
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by the media the “Mormon Church”) attest that hope is “the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ” (Hope — The Guide to the Scriptures). Eternal life is living forever in the presence of God and is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. (See Atone, Atonement and Resurrection.) While all mankind will be resurrected from the dead, not all will live forever in the presence of God. Hope comes by living so that Jesus Christ’s Atonement is efficacious in one’s life. Latter-day Saints, therefore, believe that having a basic understanding and faith in Jesus Christ’s life purpose and ministry is essential to having true hope.
Read MoreMormon Beliefs: What Matters Most
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Beliefs: What Matters Most
Mahatma Gandhi once said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” All it takes for change is one hero to stand and for others to look up to this role model. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I look for heroes in the scriptures. In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, I am drawn to Captain Moroni.* He is a steadfast Christian during an age of hardships. Dissensions are arising in the ancient American civilization, and a man named Amalickiah is conspiring to be king (at a time when a council of judges rule the land). Moroni, the chief commander of the armies, is troubled by the unfaithfulness of the dissenters. To re-enliven the Christians’ faith, Moroni “rent his coat…and wrote upon it – In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children” (Alma 46:12). He hoists this Title of Liberty to remind the people of what matters most – what is worth fighting for. His message becomes a theme for the people during times of war. And it can become a theme for me as well. Too often have I gotten swept up in the frenzy of life and let my priorities slip. Slacking and procrastination are not friends of a college student. I am working to recommit to my studies and to my religion. Video games can be fun, but entertainment should never be given more time than studying. I plan to never forget my priorities. I will raise the Title of Liberty, as well. God’s gift to me is this life. My gift to Him is what I do with it.
*Alma 48:17 “Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”
Additional Resources:
I Believe: Expressions of Faith
Read More
Mormon Beliefs: Beliefs about Competition
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Beliefs: Beliefs about Competition
Hey Dad,
Remember how we talked on the phone the other day about competition? You said you had some realizations that solidified your belief that competition is not ordained of God. We were talking about how your patients sometimes decide to go to your competitor physicians for their surgeries. I thought about that when reading Helaman 6:17 for my Book of Mormon class. It says, “They began to seek to get gain, that they might be lifted up one above another”. This is when the Lord had blessed the Nephites so long “with the riches of this world” that their prosperity was turning into pride and eventually wickedness (pride cycle). I believe you when you say that one of the hardest trials in this life can actually be prosperity because it is so hard to stay in check and remain humble.
Anyway, I admire how you stopped to realize that having patients go to your competitor physicians for their surgeries shouldn’t have made you frustrated. It must be hard to lose patients even when you know the other surgeon will do a good job. But the perspective you shared that the issue shouldn’t be about competition at all, but about serving the Lord’s children the best you can was inspiring for me to hear. You are a great example to me, Dad.
Helaman 6:17 also reminds me of a variation on a premortal theme. Satan’s plan was to have one above another. He wanted to be ruler and have us forever below him. Heavenly Father’s plan, on the other hand, was created so that we could all be like Him someday. I think it is incredible that the almighty being of the universe wants His creations, Him being the Father of our spirits, to have all that He has. What a selfless God to dedicate Himself to such a purpose.
There was a BYU Devotional last semester called Our Eternal Education that changed my perspective of competition. Here is the excerpt I find applicable:
Education as a Race
As teachers we try to encourage growth in our students, not just winning. Is the student or athlete trying to improve his own learning and understanding or is he only trying to beat someone else? We want students to feel that their personal improvement is a victory and that working hard is the way to improve.
In our eternal education we should remember that we are not in competition with others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a living apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, has spoken about how the success of others does not diminish our efforts. He stated:
Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those. [“The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign, May 2012, 31; emphasis in original]
From a spiritual perspective, are we in a race for eternal life? Elder Neil L. Andersen, a living apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, addressed this issue in his April 2012 conference talk:
Jesus’s call “Come, follow me” (Luke 18:22) is not only for those prepared to compete in a spiritual Olympics. In fact, discipleship is not a competition at all but an invitation to all. Our journey of discipleship is not a dash around the track, nor is it fully comparable to a lengthy marathon. In truth, it is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world. . . .
Wherever you now find yourself on the road of discipleship, you are on the right road, the road toward eternal life. Together we can lift and strengthen one another in the great and important days ahead. [“What Thinks Christ of Me?” Ensign, May 2012, 112]
Dad, you can see that the above reference supports and amplified those things you and I talked about. Thank you for sharing insights that change my perspective on gospel truths.
I think you raised your “spiritual bar” when you were called as Bishop, and it makes me want to be better! Thank you for that. I think of you when I read Doctrine & Covenants 90:22. A bishop. A man of God.
I love you!
Eliza Jane
A note to the reader: If this has struck a chord with you, I would welcome your questions or comments.
Additional Resources:
I Believe: Expressions of Faith
Read MoreMormon Beliefs: Don’t Worry About the Future
Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.
Mormon Beliefs: Don’t Worry About the Future
Sometimes I worry about my future. A whole lot. I worry about whether I am headed in the right direction. If I’m following my proper path. I wonder if I will be happy with my decisions, or if I will regret them someday. Stepping into the unknown is terrifying. It’s uncomfortable. I am so blessed that I don’t have to do it completely alone and completely blind. And as it turns out, no one does.
In Acts 16, Paul and other disciples were traveling and preaching. One night, Paul had a vision that instructed him to travel to Macedonia.
“And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us, for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia… and we were in that city abiding certain days” (Acts 16:10-12).
The Lord told Paul where to go, but He did not tell him how to get there, or what to do once he arrived. And although Paul responded immediately to God’s instruction, God did not immediately respond to him. “we were in that city abiding certain days.” The answer as to exactly why the Lord had called them there didn’t arrive right away. But it did arrive.
God doesn’t always tell us exactly where to go or what to do. But often, he gives us the next step. And sometimes that step is a pretty big leap of faith. But when we do as Paul did and immediately obey, we will only be blessed.
Additional Resources:
I Believe: Expressions of Faith
Read MoreMormon Beliefs: Armor of God
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Beliefs: Armor of God
This week we read all about the wars between the Nephites and Lamanites. In the end, the Nephites win even though they are outnumbered by a lot. The first way they make up for that is by using armor. In Alma 43:19, it says that Captain Moroni “prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing.” Because of this, the un-armored Lamanites “were exceedingly afraid of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites.” This is a lot like our situation today. You and I have a lot of challenges and struggles to go through, not just to do what’s right but also to do well in school and in all the other things we do. Our problems outnumber us by a lot, just like the Lamanites outnumbered the Nephites. But we can be a lot stronger by preparing ourselves. In the New Testament, Paul writes about putting on “the whole armor of God.” We need the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the breastplate of righteousness, and other pieces of armor. The Nephites won not just because they had physical armor, but because they had this spiritual armor too, like Helaman’s stripling warriors. None of them died in battle because they were all righteous and faithful. If we can be strong like that, we’ll be able to defeat all of our “enemies” too.
Additional Resources:
I Believe: Expressions of Faith
Read MoreMormon Beliefs: Mothers are Important
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Beliefs: Mothers are Important
Dear Mom,
This week Book of Mormon class was amazing as usual. The thing that stuck out most to me was Brother Griffin’s discussion on the mothers of the stripling warriors. The reason these young men were so strong was because their mothers taught them. They were taught that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. They were right! I think that today Satan tries to make the world disregard women because they are a great strength to their children and the world. Satan uses his forces of evil to increase divorce rates and tell women that their careers are more important than having a family. This leads to women spending less time with their kids or not having kids at all. This makes me very sad. I don’t know where I would be without you, Mom. You have taught me that I can put a smile on my face and be happy in trying times. You have also taught me how to be organized and disciplined. These traits will benefit me greatly on my mission. I know that when I teach a mother and her children the gospel in Ohio, I will want them to experience a taste of what a strong mother in the gospel gave me. Mothers give their children support, love and the strength to carry on. The Church needs more women who are always looking out for others like you ALWAYS do. You are inspirational, Mom! I’m so proud to be your stripling warrior! I know that if I trust in the Lord and do not doubt, I will be delivered and blessed.
Additional Resources:
I Believe: Expressions of Faith
Read More