Fundemantal to Our Faith

^{Some times our faith is misunderstood, our faith is in Jesus Christ, our standards are high, and we strive to love all mankind. These principles were taught by Christ himself. This article is a great source of information for those who do not understand our basic beliefs.}   

Fundemantal to Our Faith
By Elder Dallin H. Oaks

We Latter-day Saints know that our doctrines and values are not widely understood by those not of our faith. This was demonstrated by Gary C. Lawrence’s nationwide study published in his recent book, How Americans View Mormonism. Three-quarters of those surveyed associated our Church with high moral standards, but about half thought we were secretive and mysterious and had “weird beliefs.”¹ When asked to select various words they thought described Latter-day Saints in general, 87 percent checked “strong family values,” 78 percent checked “honest,” and 45 percent checked “blind followers.”²

When Lawrence’s interviewers asked, “To the best of your understanding, what is the main claim of Mormonism?” only 14 percent could describe anything close to the idea of restoration or reestablishment of the original Christian faith. Similarly, when another national survey asked respondents what one word best described their impression of the Mormon religion, not one person suggested the words or ideas of original or restoration Christianity.^3more

Favorite Scripture...

A few weeks back my scriptures were stolen. I have since received a new set, but because of that experience, I have felt like I lost all of my favorite scriptures. So the point of this blog is to get all of your favorite scriptures and share them. Please leave a comment with your favorite scripture reference and short explanation of why its your favorite.

My favorite scripture right now. Mormon 9: 7-21, I like these verses because to me it gives a great understanding of who God is, how He works, and so many other things. 21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, ^awhatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this ^bpromise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. 

Jacob 3:2

Jacob 3:2

O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

 I thought I would share this scripture, it was pretty much just a random find but I liked it. I really like the middle, "lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love", it made me think of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I thought that gospel means good news. I have had down days, the ones where your head hangs down, the brightness in my heart was gone and I felt empty. For me, being a missionary is tuff some times, I feel sad when I meet someone who is really awesome, but they wont open their heart to receive this good news. I get discouraged and satan begins to win the battle, but that isn't how our Father in heaven wants us to be, He wants to bless us, and He wants us to be happy. That is when I turn to Him in prayer, and remember the words of David in psalms 18:2, The Lord is my ^arock, and my ^bfortress, and my deliverer; my God, my ^cstrength, in whom I will ^dtrust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
 The Lord will build a fortress around us, He will provide strength when needed, and He will deliver us from the grasp of satan. I love my Savior, and all that He does for me to bear me up to lift my head. I feel this way because of the scriptures, they are the guide for each of us in our journey in life, they are the words of God and through them we can truly be filled with His love.

Prayer

"I saw a pillar of ^clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the ^dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me...When the light rested upon me I ^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him!" Joseph Smith History.


This is the account of Joseph Smith. In this wonderful vision, Joseph saw God the Father, and His Son, the Beloved, Jesus Christ. This visitation was brought on by Joseph's sincere desire to know more. He desired Gods direction in which religious group he should join. In life we all come across time in which we need guidance, either from parents, friends, or even God. I am so grateful for the power of prayer, and the knowledge that my Father in heaven loves me, I have grown closer to God as I have turned to Him for guidance and help. My relationship with Him has become more than just speaking to an unknown being, as I have earnestly looked for Him in everything in this world, I have found His beautiful signature. It is my testimony that God lives, he loves each of us, and He speaks to all. It all begins with a humble prayer.

Fourth Article of Faith

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 In the scriptures we learn of these four essential ordinances. The first being faith, I have learned through the scriptures as well as in my own life, that my faith is there very beginning of everything.  For my prayers to be answered, I must first have faith that God will answer me. To be healed through the atonement I must have faith. As we develop our faith in Jesus Christ, it leads us to do, or to act, one of those actions is repentance.  Repentance, is a sincere and honest desire to change or to turn away from sin, and it is by our faith in Jesus Christ that we have that desire, and it is through Jesus Christ that we are healed or cleansed from sin. The next step is baptism, we are not only baptized to follow the example of Christ, but to receive a remission of our sins or forgiveness of our sins. When we are buried in the water, it is symbolic of the burial of Christ, when we rise out, it is symbolic to the resurrection of Christ, in Romans 6 Paul counseled us to "walk in [a] newness of life" as Jesus, (Romans 6:4). With this newness of life, God has provided a gift to aid us in our daily walk. That gift is the gift of the Holy Ghost, this gift is given as it says in the fourth article of faith, by the laying on of hands. This is done by someone holding the priesthood authority of God, which was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness, along with all the priesthood keys to perform such ordinances has been restored through a prophet as God has done in times of old. I know that these ordinances are essential for us to return to live with our Father in heaven,  the scripture testify of this, Gods chosen servants testify of these things, and I testify of these things.

 3 Nephi 11
32 And this is my ^adoctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear ^brecord of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the ^cHoly Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.

3rd article of Faith

 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

We believe as it says in the 2Nephi 2:6,7;
  6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

  7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

 I have a firm testimony of this, that it is only in and through Jesus Christ that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, through the atonement, not only can I be cleansed of my sins, but I will be ressurected along with everyone else. I will have an immortal body. Although we have this blessing to be saved, it does not come without something on our part. We have to be obedient to the laws  and ordinances of the gospel. We have the Ten Commandments, tithing, the word of wisdom, but what are the ordinances? The first and ordinance of the gospel is baptism, it is also requisite to enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Through following Gods laws, and recieving the necessary ordinances, we can through Jesus Christ be saved, and recieve eternal life.