wisdom – What Do Mormons Believe?

Book of Mormon Prophets: Nephi

Nephi was the author of the first two books (sections) of the Book of Mormon. He was the son of a prophet named Lehi who lived in Jerusalem around 600 b.c. but who was commanded to flee the city with his family because it would later be destroyed. Nephi records his struggles, triumphs and insights as he and his family travel in the wilderness on their way to what is now known as the Americas, at the beginning of the Book of Mormon. Nephi

One of his most well-known declarations is found on page 6 (1 Nephi 3:7) where he says, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commandeth them.”

I’m grateful to have Nephi’s example of obedience and faith in my life. His testimony has strengthened my own as I have read his words and worked to be valiant like he was. It is reassuring to know that Heavenly Father will always make it possible for me to be successful as I try to keep His commandments and live as He expects me to live. I know that the things Nephi wrote are applicable to all of us and that thanks to the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ we can enjoy and learn from the words of the Lord’s Prophets from the Book of Mormon.

If you are interested in reading the Book of Mormon you can access it electronically at lds.org/scriptures (The Bible is also available on this site) or if you want your own copy of the book, you can contact the missionaries near you and they will hand deliver it to you. Either way, it is free and it is worth studying.

The Mormon Secrecy Code

Question from the box: “I have a mormon friend and he doesnt like to talk about what goes on when he goes to church. Is there a secrecy code or something? Once you are a mormon can you “un-become” a mormon??”

We try to practice the teaching of Christ when he said “hold up your light that it may shine unto the world… I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me.” Most faithful members of our church are more than willing to share their beliefs with any soul who shows even a little interest. Try letting your friend know that you really are curious, and ask specific questions. Hopefully he’ll open up.

We certainly have no secrecy code. That being said, if an experience is very sacred (e.g. temple worship), it “must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit” (D&C 63:64).

Members can be removed from the church in one of two ways. They can request that their names be removed, or they can be ex-communicated. The latter is usually due to willful disobedience of major commandments.

Simple Inspiration

For school, I had a comprehensive final in Bio-Chemistry. After months of intense studying, the date of the big test was finally here. Throughout the semester, my wife and I had been praying that I’d have a clear mind on the day of the test and that I’d remember the things that I had studied.

My test strategy is to go through the whole test and answer all the questions, and then go through again and double check them as I transfer my answers to the scan-tron. I came to a particular question where I was able to narrow it down to two answers. Initially I had marked “e” being pretty confident with my choice. But when I came upon it for the second time, I had a distinct thought, “No, that’s not correct”. Then I suddenly remember the things I learned when I studied the topic earlier. I changed my answer to “d” and I got the question right.

I thought about my experience throughout the day. I know that God does answer our prayers. We believe to receive answers for our questions, we must do our part. We must study it in our minds and then ask God if it’s right. If it is, we will feel that in our hearts and in our minds that it is right. (see D&C 9:8 & Moroni 10:3-5)

How Do You Pray?

Q. How do you pray?

This is an important topic. Paramount. Essential! We’ve discussed the topic of prayer already here, here, here, and my personal favorite, here. But I really don’t think we can emphasize prayer enough. Too often religious discussions get bogged down in abstract dogmas like grace and works, deification, and canon. These are good things to discuss, but we sometimes miss a chance to talk about what’s really practical in our lives here and now.

Many of our readers have never prayed before and probably feel intimidated at the thought. I hope my step-by-step instructions will be helpful to you.

Step 1: Prepare

Why are you praying? A prayer is communication with your Heavenly Father, and there are many reasons to speak to Him. Perhaps you are facing hard times and need help. He can help you. Maybe you need answers; maybe you just want to know if He is really there. He will respond. You can confess wrong-doing to begin repentance. You can thank Him for blessings. You can request to feel His love for you.

Meditation before prayer can help you focus your thoughts and will make your prayers more meaningful.

Another part of preparation is finding an appropriate time and place to pray. I’m focusing this article on personal, private prayers, so alone time is key. Turn off the music, find a quiet spot and allow yourself at least a few minutes without interruption.

Step 2: Address God

Jesus began His famous prayer, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” Jesus is the Son of God, so He naturally called on His Father in prayer. I think it’s significant that He invited us to call Him Father, too. The most powerful being in existence is your spiritual dad. Remember this relationship.

Kneel. It shows your respect and your willingness to defer to His wisdom. It represents humility. Your prayer does not depend on the position of your body, but it does depend on your attitude. Kneeling reminds you to adjust your attitude.

Step 3: Be Grateful

Express your thanks for the good things and people that are a part of your life. Think of the beauty of earth, the love of your mother, your innate, sharp intellect, your home. They are gifts from Father. Try to recognize when the Lord’s hand helped you and let Him know you appreciated it.

Again, your attitude is key. We are dependent on God for all our support. As King Benjamin taught in the Book of Mormon, “I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants” (Mosiah 2:21). Our gratitude is the least we can offer to Father for all He has given us.

Step 4: Speak Your Mind Plainly

You can talk to Heavenly Father as easily as you talk to your own parents. Share your thoughts with Him, let Him know what your dreams are and what kind of person you hope to become. Celebrate together your triumphs, and seriously reflect on your sins; request forgiveness.

He knows what’s halting your progress, and He can help you overcome. Ask how.

You can ask for help with other things, too. Things like: relationship trouble, career paths, patience, mathematics, lost car keys, what books are worthwhile, overcoming addictions, providing food, maintaining health, etc. It’s really wide open. There are things that are probably inappropriate to ask for (“please make my neighbor die”), but there is a wide field of possible blessings God is willing to grant, and is waiting for us to request.

Step 5: Close Your Prayer in Jesus’ Name

“…in the name of Jesus Christ; amen.” This little phrase, spoken in sincerity, indicates you have faith in Jesus Christ. Every answered prayer is a miracle, and miracles can only occur with faith in the Redeemer.

The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni was confronted by the charge that God can do no miracles. This was his response: “And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth” (Mormon 9:20-21).

This promise even extends to us today, whenever you pray to the Father in the name of Christ.

Praying in Jesus’ name also brings your heart and mind closer to the Savior’s. Read a bit more about that over here.

Step 6: Listen

This is the hardest step, especially if you are unaccustomed to praying. You’ll sit there in silence for a moment, thinking about the things you said in your prayer. You will analyze and over-analyze every thought that passes through your mind, wondering, “was that from me, or from God?”

Sometimes it will be obvious. Sometimes it will be subtle. Like a radio, we must tune into the signal and be ready to receive. We will talk more about this topic in another article, but I want to leave you with one important rule: if it is good, it comes from God.

Moroni taught, “But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good. And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me” (Ether 4:11-12).

Greatest Gift on Earth

present Think of the best gift you have ever received. Christmas, birthday, whatever. It was probably thoughtful, generous, useful, exactly what you needed even if you didn’t realize that you needed it. And that gift came from a person with limited resources, imperfect abilities to love completely and know your deepest needs.

Now think of the best gift you could ever receive–one from a loving heavenly parent with unlimited resources, perfect love, and such an intimate knowledge of who you are and what you need that it often surprises you. What gift would God give to you on a special day?

I’ll tell you and I want you to know up front that it is honestly the most important gift I have and will ever receive in this life.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost.

pentecost The gift of the Holy Ghost comes to you as part of your baptism. (For more information on baptism, look here.) It is God’s gift to you for your willingness to make a covenant to follow Him and it is the very thing that will help you receive the greatest gift He has to give: Eternal Life. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a promise that the Holy Spirit will be your constant companion, as you live worthily. Let me belabor this a little bit: a member of the Godhead (and there are only three) is your constant companion, giving inspiration, guidance, protection, comfort, knowledge, reproofs (when needed), and spiritual gifts throughout the rest of your life.

Some of the ways that I have personally benefited from this gift are:

Protection – Even though this one happens less frequently than the others listed below, it is still important. If a place is not safe or a person should be avoided, He will communicate that to you. For me, it is a generally uneasy feeling, sort of nauseous. At other times, people hear a voice, as in “stop and turn around” or “don’t talk to that person”. The way the Holy Ghost communicates with each person is tailored to them. Remember, God knows how to reach each of us perfectly.
Avoiding Spiritual Dangers – Along the same lines as physical dangers, there are very real spiritual dangers surrounding us that the Holy Ghost points out to us before we get hurt. You could call it a Sin-Warning-Alert System. The Spirit lets you know when you are going to do something that will drive Him away, and when you feel His absence, you know that you have done something to drive him away, and need to repent. And the guilt doesn’t go away–you can’t just push through it and get through on the other side unscathed. The only way is to turn around, change the behavior or thoughts, and ask for forgiveness. Then the Spirit will return and so will the peace. The Holy Ghost is the instrument that helps us gauge if we are in good standing with the rest of the Godhead, or if we need to repent.
Comfort – This happens often. At times of tragedy, the feeling is strong and warm, like walking around being hugged all of the time. (This is why LDS funerals are usually somewhat uplifting and peaceful.) On my mission, I had a few opportunities, when I felt all alone in the world, to pray and find companionship and comfort. Even with daily weaknesses and shortcomings, the Holy Ghost provides comfort and reassurance to help you get back on your feet.
Guidance – I cannot understate how important this is to me. What should I major in? What should I do for a career? Where should I live? Who should I marry? When should I have children? God gives us our freedom to make choices, but it is so nice to be able to consult with Him and receive answers and direction through the Holy Ghost. As a member of the Godhead, they all work together and are one in purpose and direction, so though you pray to God (in the name of Christ), the Holy Ghost is the one bringing you the answers to your prayers.
Knowledge – As a student, this was key. I had to show that my schooling was important to me through studying, attending class, and taking it seriously, but the Holy Ghost sure made it easier for me to retain things, write my essays and take my tests. I know that it was the Holy Ghost because the times that I wasn’t doing everything that I should have (living all the commandments) and He couldn’t be with me, I was barely able to keep my head above water. This isn’t just worldly knowledge though–spiritual knowledge is related to us almost exclusively through the Gift of the Holy Ghost. If you have just been baptized and you feel like you don’t know anything about what you have just covenanted to do, don’t worry. Just keep studying and asking and the Holy Ghost will teach you. And it doesn’t take long to understand the gospel as long as you are sincere and dedicated.
Reproofs – For awhile in my young adult life, I felt like this was the only way that the Holy Ghost was speaking to me, but I am sure glad that He did. The Holy Ghost is like a warning alarm, letting us know when we are veering off of the path back to Heavenly Father. He either tells us to straighten up or else He has to leave us until we repent and are worthy again. Both ways are effective at getting us to seek God again. If, as a recipient of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, you find yourself feeling unhappy, listless, frustrated and dissatisfied when you used to be happy and satisfied, it may be that He had to leave you. So repent, get back on the path and you can enjoy His presence again. Remember how nice that felt?
Spiritual Gifts – Spiritual gifts follow the true church of Christ. There are the public gifts like the gift of tongues or of interpretation of tongues, prophecy or healing (which all exist in this Church. They are just special and sacred so we don’t broadcast them for everyone to see). But there are also personal, private gifts of the spirit: Faith, visions, discernment, beholding of angels, teaching and learning wisdom, etc. These gifts aren’t intended to convince anyone that God is there, they are rewards for believing that He is, and for blessing the lives of others (1 Corinthians 12). And they are wonderful.

So can you see why I say that the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift I have ever or will ever receive? Even my marriage and beautiful children aren’t going to benefit me if I can’t make it to heaven to live with them forever. The Holy Ghost is going to help me get there. God wants everyone to have this gift because He loves us all and wants us to return to live with Him again. You don’t have to believe me, you can ask Him directly and the sweet answer that will come to your heart is the Holy Ghost.