What Do Mormons Believe? – Page 40 – "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Mormon Missionaries

This past week my family had a unique experience: On Wednesday we saw my little sister off to be a missionary in Chile, and then on Thursday we met my husband’s little brother at the airport as he returned from his mission in Brazil. To see the metamorphosis that these young men and women go through was incredible and I thought it might be interesting for some of our readers to know a bit more about these young people they see on bikes and street corners.

Elders (the young men) and Sisters (the young women) are addressed by their title and their last name. Mormons don’t all have the same first name.
Elders are generally between 19-21 years old. Sisters have to be at least 21. There are also “couple missionaries” who are married and already retired. They probably won’t tell you how old they are.
Elders serve for 2 years and Sisters serve for 18 months. Couples serve for 18 months as well.
Nearly all missionaries first go to the Missionary Training Center In Provo, Utah for a few weeks before they embark on their mission. There are 16 other MTCs throughout the world. They teach the basics of language and teaching techniques. Their language programs are so successful that several government organizations have approached the Mormon church to ask them what their secret is. Unfortunately, the secret is the Spirit and a very real manifestation of the gift of tongues. The State Department just can’t replicate that.
Missionaries don’t choose where they want to go. Otherwise, they would all end up in Venice, probably. They are called by members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles who receive their direction from the Spirit.
Missionaries pay for themselves. They aren’t church sponsored and they aren’t paid for their service. They are very literally serving.
There were 54,494 missionaries serving in 348 missions throughout the world as of April 2009.
Missionaries always work in a companionship. There are usually two, sometimes three, missionaries who live together, eat together, work together and teach together. Nothing weird going on there, it is an extension of having two or more witnesses when they teach and testify.
Missionaries don’t date. If you want to talk to them because you are hoping they will ask you out, you are wasting your time.
The missionaries’ purpose is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who is interested. They talk about the restoration of the Gospel through Joseph Smith, the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it applies to us directly, why we are here on the earth and what our purpose is eternally, and how to live a life in harmony with God. When you meet with the missionaries they will likely present a series of four to six lessons introducing gospel concepts.
When missionaries go home, they resume their normal lives. Then they date, go to school, get married, reminisce about their missions, and stop wearing ugly ties. In fact, if you have Mormon friends, ask them if they went on a mission. They might have some entertaining stories for you.

So next time you see a set of missionaries walking around, get to know them. (If they are wearing ugly ties, forgive them. They are only 19). They could be from anywhere in the world, and perhaps they were called to that mission just so that they could meet you.

Health and the Word of Wisdom

For the past two years I have sat for probably thousands of hours learning and studying about the human body as a medical student. The more I learn, the more I realize that our God truly is God. It is amazing to think that there is someone who knows perfectly how our bodies work and what each little enzyme does, exactly how each muscle contracts, and so on. We think that we know a lot, and we do, but there is so much more to learn.

The Human Body

With regard to physical health, it is important that we take care of our bodies and part of that process involves being wise in what goes into our bodies. God revealed to Joseph Smith a general outline of how we should do this. This is known as the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89). I find that by patterning my physical lifestyle and health philosophy after the Word of Wisdom is liberating–I feel better about who I am, I am healthier, and I have faith that God will bless me with certain things that he has promised to those who live by the Word of Wisdom (see below). I hope to encourage you to see the wisdom that is found in living the principles found in the Word of Wisdom.

As I have thought about how I should live my life with regard to physical health, I often think of what Paul teaches the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19):

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (1 Cor. 3-16-17) . . . For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor. 6:19).”

Salt Lake City, Utah LDS Temple

I don’t think that it could be any more plain–we are supposed to take care of our bodies in every way, because they are temples, temples where the Holy Ghost resides. Furthermore, our bodies aren’t ours, they are God’s, because they have been bought with the blood, tears, and suffering of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should take care of them.

I truly hope that you will think about how you treat your body. Do you maintain your temple by eating properly, exercising sufficiently, and sleeping the right amount? I believe, based on what Paul teaches, that we will be held accountable before God for the way that we have treated our bodies.

So, how does the Word of Wisdom apply? The Word of Wisdom and what Paul teaches are in essence the same thing, but the Word of Wisdom gives a few more guidelines for how to maintain our “temples”. The point that I want to emphasize are the promises that God gives to those who live their lives according to the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89:18-21). He states:

“And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.”

Just as the destroying angel passed over those houses in Egypt that had the blood of a lamb painted on their door post (a reminder that it was the blood — Atonement — of the real Lamb saving them from destruction), those that abide by the Word of Wisdom will also not be hewn down. Furthermore, health, strength, and treasures of knowledge will flow into our lives. I know that these promises are true, because I have seen them come into effect in my own life.

What does the Word of Wisdom teach us about health? After the Lord lays out what we shouldn’t take into our bodies, He discusses what we should eat and how we should eat. He states that we should eat mostly grains (D&C 89:14, 16), lots of fruits and vegetables (D&C 89:10-11, 16), and we should eat meat sparingly. And when we do eat meat it should be during the winter or when there is a famine (D&C 89:12-13). The diet that the Lord prescribes is a very sound diet. Your body doesn’t need a lot of excess meat, what it needs most of is glucose and that is supplied by grains, fruits and vegetables. Of course you can’t leave out the fact that their are essential amino acids, fats, and vitamins that we need from meat. But if you eat just a small quantity of meat and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, you will get everything that you need.

nutrition_veg

In addition, the Lord teaches us that we need to use all of our food with thanksgiving and prudence (D&C 89:11). I find it interesting that he says prudence. According to the 1828 version of Webster’s dictionary, prudence means wisdom applied to practice. This might be a stretch, but what I take away from that is that we need to be wise in how we eat–generally, we should eat less than what we typically do and we need to eat good wholesome foods (double-bacon cheeseburgers, fries, and many store-prepared foods really don’t fit in this category).

I wish that I could talk more about health, there is so much to say, but I don’t think that this is really the forum for that. Please take care of your body by eating wisely, consuming the right amount and types of food, and exercising regularly. It will reap benefits in your life and from what the Lord and Paul teach, we will be much happier and live longer if we do.

Do Mormons Pray To or For the Dead?

Q. Do Mormons pray to or for the dead?

Mourners often pray at gravesides of loved ones. To the first part, no; we do not pray to the dead. We pray to God the Eternal Father. We believe in His Son, Jesus Christ and we end our prayers in Jesus’ name. We believe that the Father and the Son are both very much alive.

Perhaps you are referring to the uniquely Mormon practice of baptism for the dead. It’s not exactly a prayer to or for the departed, but an ordinance and covenant made on their behalf. If that is what you meant, please read Baptisms for the Dead.

Regarding prayer for the dead, I would begin by recommending reading some of our other articles on prayer. Most recently, I like the way this one addresses how we pray and what we pray about. Personally, I would say there’s nothing wrong with praying for deceased loved ones. In fact, I think it’s a wonderful idea. The prophet Joseph Smith received revelation pertaining to the eternal welfare of his late elder brother, Alvin. I am sure the prophet Joseph prayed for his brother many times; he and his wife Emma likely prayed for the many children they lost as well. I know I have personally prayed for loved ones who have passed on, both those I knew in life and those I did not have the opportunity to meet.

There is a great bond that joins all generations. As Malachi of old prophesied, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).

So go ahead and pray for deceased loved ones. God will undoubtedly hear you.

Do Mormons Believe in the Trinity?

Q. What is the belief concerning the trinity, is it one God, 3 persons, or 3 gods that comprise one God? How does that work?

A core belief of all Christians is the testimony of Jesus Christ as divine. The nature of the godhead — God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Ghost — is a key topic in religious discussion, and has been debated for centuries. The traditional Christian view describes the godhead, or trinity, as united in substance and in person in a way that is incomprehensible by man. As Latter-day Saints we believe as all Christians do “in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1). We believe that they are one in purpose and mission and that they are three separate divine beings.

A brief study of history will show that the idea of numerical separateness of the godhead is not new, and was believed by many early Christians. For example, Arius, founder of Arianism, was ruled a heretic after the first council of Nicea for preaching, among other controversial doctrines, the separateness of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

There are many biblical passages which clearly show the separateness in person of God the Father and Jesus Christ (see Matthew 3:16-17, Luke 22:42, Acts 7:55-56). However, there are many others which also state that they are one (see Deuteronomy 6:4, John 10:30, 1 John 5:7). This dichotomy has long been recognized, and the First Council of Nicaea was convened in AD 325 to, among other reasons, set forth in formal creed the official view of the church. The famous Nicene creed, which was adopted at that council and continues today as a cornerstone statement of many current doctrines of the trinity, describes Jesus Christ as “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father” (The Nicene Creed).

The convening of councils for the construction of creeds has been the method used by “traditional” Christian churches to resolve doctrinal disputes. As Latter-day Saints we believe that there is a better way: through revelation given directly to authorized prophets, God has revealed and continues to reveal many gospel truths. Among the doctrines made clear in modern times by revelation is the nature of the godhead as three beings, united in purpose and separate in person. We value the inspired words in the Bible, and we believe that the same spirit which inspired its writers still inspires holy men today to teach doctrines that are equally true and valuable.

joseph_smith_first_vision_stained_glass2 It might be said that the doctrine of the trinity is the very first of all doctrines in which Latter-day Saint teachings differ from the traditional Christian view. The first prophet called of God in modern times was Joseph Smith. When he was a boy, disputes among churches prompted him to ask God for himself which church preached the eternal truth about God and salvation. In answer, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in glorious vision. God the Father himself said to Joseph “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith – History 1:17). What better example can there be of the unity of the Father and the Son as separate beings?

As stated earlier, Biblical evidence for the LDS doctrine is abundant. I have not focused on them so as to emphasize that we do not base our belief on a creed made by scholars concerning an expert interpretation of the Bible. We base our belief on the testimony given to us by the Holy Ghost that the first vision of Joseph Smith was real and prophets continue to reveal truth about God. I strongly recommend that any reader who wishes to see strong Biblical evidence of our belief read this talk (or watch it) by an apostle and special witness of Jesus Christ. I invite anybody who wishes to discover the truth of our message to study the scriptures, pray and ask God, who will tell you by the Holy Ghost that it is true.

This article was written by guest author Stephen Stacey

Our Life on Earth

I have met many people in my life who struggle with the questions, “Why am I here? What am I doing with my life? What should I be doing with my life?” Fortunately, there is an answer.

Life is full of ups and downs. At times we feel inclined to sing, rejoice and be happy. At others times, we feel as though we are treading through paths of misery and woe. In spite of life’s difficulties and pains, we are not meant to be continually mourning. Our purpose here in life is actually to have joy. The prophet Lehi of the Book of Mormon stated, “Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25) We exist in order to have joy!

While in this life, we ought to be happy and we ought to be preparing to join God in His Heaven after this life (Alma 34:32). The two go hand in hand. When we choose to prepare to meet God, that is, we choose to shun the evil and pursue the good, we will be more happy. It is in God’s nature to be happy and everything that is good (including happiness) comes from God. Obedience to the commandments and happiness are related. Conversely, when we make poor decisions that are contrary to the commandments of God, we cannot expect to be happy forever because wickedness never was happiness. (Alma 41:10)

Every decision we have to make has consequences. We are allowed in this life to make our own choices but we cannot choose the consequences that our decisions incur. Those consequences can be good and bring us knowledge, success or peace or those consequences can be just the opposite and damage the body, mind and soul. The commandments that God has given us are guidelines of a loving parent so that we might more fully enjoy life without being encumbered with additional pains. When we keep the commandments in our hearts and seek to obey them, God has promised a fuller and more abundant life. They are not intended to restrict, but to free. Milton R. Hunter, a member of the quorum of the seventy wrote in the book, ‘The Gospel through the Ages,’ the following about living life, “Religion is the highest expression of man’s will to live and to have that life more abundantly. Religion is the outreaching of the human heart for the most worthwhile things that life offers. In fact, it is the highest aspect of our struggle for life, beauty and happiness.” Those commandments contained in the Bible become less of a burden and more of a joy when we realize what things are truly worthwhile in the larger scheme of things.

When considering this principle of consequences from actions, one must not assume all pain and suffering comes from bad choices. Life is a growing experience. God did not place us all in a static environment. That would show nothing from us. All people grow more when they are stretched to their limits. “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and mygrace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27) Our real responsibility when dealing with hard times is to remember that we still control our attitude. The way we react to situations speaks volumes of our true self. When we have hope, we allow God to help us grow in trials. When we despair, we are left to languish and deteriorate.

God did not intend for us to only react, however, and He has given us certain commandments that we must be charitable towards our fellow man. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39). When we love God, we love our neighbor. We serve him and when we serve our neighbor, we are serving our God. (See James 1:27 and Matthew 25:34-40)

A truly full and abundant life would not be complete without our Savior, Jesus Christ. Through His gospel, He can be a daily part of our life. Through Him, our efforts to serve God will not be in vain. We will grow, our fellow man will grow, and we will all be perfected in Him. This process is continuous and does not end, even when this life will end. Our true faith and our willingness to come to Christ will be an integral part of our life and it will show.

See “The Plan of Salvation“