Jodie – What Do Mormons Believe?

Question Box: Is there only one God?

Question: “Is there only one God, or are there other Gods out there?” Thanks for the question. Paul said,

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6)

We believe that there may be other Gods like God the Father existing somewhere in the universe, but if so, they don’t interact with us or our world. The only God we have is Heavenly Father. His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer. The Holy Ghost testifies of them and their work.

We also believe that the first of the ten commandments, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3), means that God should be first in our lives. We can make ourselves other artificial gods, when we let other things become more important to us than following our Savior’s example and keeping His commandments.

Question Box: What do I need to do to become a Mormon?

Good question. The short answer is that we become members by being taught fundamental doctrines and principles and then by being baptized. However, as part of that, we commit to keeping God’s commandments and taking upon ourselves Christ’s name – meaning we try to live our lives and treat others as Christ would. Missionaries teach people these fundamental doctrines and commandments, and then ask them to pray and ask God if what they’ve taught is true. Here are some links to other articles that may be useful too.

How do I become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Fundamentals of the Gospel
How Do You Pray?
Missionaries Knock On Your Door: What to Expect
Repentance Before Baptism
What Do Mormons Believe? – Baptism
What does baptism entail?

Question Box: Mormons and Racism

Recently, we were asked about our stance on racism. We believe, as Neil A. Maxwell stated, that “God’s second commandment, love thy neighbor, clearly leaves no room for racism.” (“Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness,” Ensign, May 1995) Thanks for your question!

How can I find peace and joy?

“Faith in Jesus Christ and following His teachings give us a firm hope, and this hope becomes a solid anchor to our souls. We can become steadfast and immovable. We can have lasting inner peace; we can enter into the rest of the Lord.” – Per G. Malm, “Finding Peace in Troubled Times, Ensign, Sept. ’11

“Perhaps we stray from the path which leads to peace and find it necessary to pause, to ponder, and to reflect on the teachings of the Prince of Peace and determine to incorporate them in our thoughts and actions and to live a higher law, walk a more elevated road, and be a better disciple of Christ. The ravages of hunger in Africa, the brutality of hate in the Middle East, and the ethnic struggles across the globe remind us that the peace we seek will not come without effort and determination…The famed statesman William Gladstone described the formula for peace when he declared: “We look forward to the time when the power of love will replace the love of power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.” – Thomas S. Monson, Finding Peace, Ensign, Mar. ’04

“To find peace—the peace within, the peace that passeth understanding—men must live in honesty, honoring each other, honoring obligations, working willingly, loving and cherishing loved ones, serving and considering others, with patience, with virtue, with faith and forbearance, with the assurance that life is for learning, for serving, for repenting, and improving. And God be thanked for the blessed principle of repenting and improving, which is a way that is open to us all.” – Richard L. Evans, In Conference Report, Oct. 1959, 128

How do I become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an individual choice. We become members by being taught fundamental doctrines and principles and then by being baptized. Two missionaries share short lessons covering 1) How our church came about – called the Restoration; 2) Our purpose in life – called the Plan of Salvation; 3) Basic principles – Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and the Holy Ghost; and 4) Basic Commandments: The Ten Commandments, Law of Chastity, Word of Wisdom, and Tithes and Fast Offerings. The missionaries will also give them a copy of the Book of Mormon to read and study along with the Bible on their own. At some point during the missionaries’ lessons, they will ask everyone to take the time to pray about what they’ve learned and ask God whether it is truly from Him.

After a person receives an answer to their prayers that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ’s church, they are invited to be baptized. They’ll meet with another missionary to have a ‘baptismal interview’, which just means the missionary will talk to them, make sure they’ve been taught everything in the lessons (listed above), and that they understand what they’ve been taught and are ready to be baptized.

The Restoration
Fundamentals of the Gospel
How Do You Pray?
Missionaries Knock On Your Door: What to Expect
Repentance Before Baptism
What Do Mormons Believe? – Baptism
Mormons Missionaries
Health and the Word of Wisdom
“Except a man be born of water…”
Mormon.org – Restoration
What does baptism entail?