Ponder the Path

In New England in 1820 Joseph Smith was caught up in a fervent religious revival. Calvinism Christianity had heavily shaped the Christian understanding of God in his time. America was beginning to shifted away from orthodox Calvinist teaching in Joseph Smith’s time, which was a doctrine that about 30% of Christian believers adhered to in 1820. This shift has continued, today Christians who affirm the TULIP points of Calvinism make up less than 5% of Christians. Joseph Smith received answers to his sincere seeking and prayers over what church to join, in the form of a vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He prayed fervently in a grove of trees near palmyra New York in the Spring of 1820 to seek an answer directly to God because of the great tumult of opinions and confusion and strife among the different denominations, and their contest over the creeds and interpretation of the Bible. In this state of things, Joseph records his vision: “I saw two Personages, whose brightness and g...

Latter-Day Saints do not believe in creatio ex nihilo, creation from nothing; rather we believe in things that are eternally existent. Matter unorganized as well as intelligence unorganized. In this is an understanding that good and evil are not created, they simply exist in opposition to each other as opposite potentials. In our theology opposition is an existent principle as well. Genesis 1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…. And the earth was without form.” God created — formed, organized — took what was not organized, unformed, and organized it, formed it, into creation. Something created, is something useful, given order and purpose. In the beginning — we believe all things were created spiritually first, from unordered, unformed, intelligence. Afterward creation was made physical, from organized — formed — physical matter. We believe in a co-eternal principle that intelligence exists, never created, that the essence of all organized spirit is intelligence. T...

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone… shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” — James 2:17-18 Jacob’s ladder is a metaphor for how we climb to heaven by faith. All along the way there is divine help, because we simply can’t climb the latter alone; we must have divine help — grace — strengthening and enabling power — to do all the things we are called to do we must cooperate with Christ. We even need help to believe, if we are honest, as the father in Mark 9:23-24 discovers: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Another good illustration of cooperation with Christ as a work of faith, is when Peter is called by Christ to come and walk on the water with him. Peter believes it’s possible because he believes Christ has the power to help him do it, or that he can do it through Christ’...

There is an unusual excitement on the subject of religion in the United States today!! The whole country seems affected by it, and a great online debate is creating no small stir and division amongst the faithful #Christians of different sects. There is great zeal on display from the different influencers and preachers who are active on social media in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted to Christ. The different teachers and influencers pretend to be fine with Christians believing the tenants of whatever Christian sect they please; yet when people began to file off, some to one sect and some to another, it is discovered that the seemingly good feelings of both the influencers and the followers are more pretended than real; for a contest of confusion and bad feeling ensues — influencer contending against influencer, and follower against follower; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had an...

My granddaughter, who is two, is anxiously awaiting the birth of her sister. Her whole family is waiting everyday for her baby to be born. She is young and probably doesn’t quite understand what it all means, but she has learned in these last months that her parents are joyfully nurturing a new life growing in her mother’s womb, and that life is real to her, she even knows her baby’s name. She decided today that she needed to read a book to her baby, she picked up her favorite picture book, climbed up next to mom, moved her shirt off her rounded belly and patted “her baby” and began to read to her baby in her two year old jabbering. A child knows without any hesitation the immense value of a baby not yet born. She knows this baby already belongs to a family. This sweet scene of pure love from an innocent child captures perfectly the precious sanctity of all human life, born and unborn, and it should make every conscience shrink from the very thought of killing the life of any unborn ch...

The final and most important foundation of my faith in Christ and in my belief that The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church, the restored Church of Christ on Earth — Is the power that has come into my life through the truths taught, the ordinances provided, and enabling covenants extended through the priesthood power and authority of Christ’s chosen representatives on Earth. These principles and powers have transformed me and supported my life — becoming my strength and guide to faithfully do my duty to God, my family, and all men. My testimony results first from the witness inside my heart and mind — comes into action in my relations with my family members, and then outward from that. Of course I have seen great fruits of the gospel in other Latter-Day Saints and in their lives and I have been strengthened by many faithful followers of Christ throughout my life. — BUT I am careful not to base my convictions upon what others do and works that I can only see f...

I think free will, is a verily limited power intelligent beings possess that makes it possible for them to rebel against God (against order and truth). Free will is a condition of reality that explains how Satan rebels against God in the presence of God. It explains the existence of evil, not created by God, but as a reaction to him; in opposition to him. Free will simply exists as God exists. However, I believe the principle of #agency is a gift from God, and it differs in its nature from free will in this sense: Agency is the use of free will to enter an enabling relationship with God that provides for us the ability to act for ourselves in accordance with his law to bring about our progression through his plan for the immortality and eternal life of all created souls. “Wherefore, men are free… they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh tha...

It seems that many Christians think of the afterlife in terms of merely avoiding hell, and they think much less about the nature of heaven. Latter-Day Saints think very little about hell and focus instead on a desire to be in the highest heaven — united eternally with our families — and reaching our fullest potential. We distinguish between salvation and exaltation, and its exaltation that we set our hearts upon and strive with Christ to achieve. Exaltation: The highest state of happiness and glory in the celestial kingdom.

Grace is a word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. Many Christians think of this word as meaning “unearned favor of God.” Latter-Day Saints understand the idea of Grace somewhat differently. The main idea of the word in Latter-Day Saint teaching is as a divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. Grace = The Strengthening and Enabling Power of Christ imbued to us through the powers of Christ atonement. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts. Thus, the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to...

As a Latter-day Saint, I don’t believe humans are damned for things they were unable to learn or do while in this mortal fallen world because they lacked the opportunity to learn and do those things required for salvation. We are ultimately judged accountable for what we choose based on what we know; but I also believe God has a perfect plan to assure that ALL human beings will be given opportunity to come to know the gospel of Christ and to choose to accept his free gift of atonement and be saved. LDS are baptized in proxy for those who have died because of our belief that baptism is necessary for a person to enter the kingdom of heaven; and we believe this proxy ordinance work will continue through the millennial reign of Christ, until Christ shall say the work is done. We believe that the spirits of men who have died are waiting in a spirit realm for the day of resurrection, and while in this state the Gospel is preached unto them. This is what we believe Christ was doing in the day...

There is ONE Jesus. He knows who he is. He knows he’s the only one. Our view of him does not change reality; doesn’t change who he is; what his nature is. — There is one Jesus! — Different beliefs of him exist because people derive their ideas about his nature through fallible interpretation of scripture. When people say someone believes in a different Jesus. They simply mean, “Their understanding of Jesus’ nature is different from yours.” We are all in search of this ONE JESUS, and want to KNOW him correctly, as HE IS. Perfectly. Good! “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) While we are searching, let’s follow the example of Christ for how to treat fellow travelers.

WHAT IF? IF there was a church on Earth proclaiming to be the true church of Christ on Earth. IF that church proclaimed the heavens are open and God is speaking to man again. IF that church invited you to come and see, to come and read the revelations given to the world by Christ. IF that church claimed the priesthood was restored with all the power and authority to administer the sacraments and ordinances of faith. IF that restored church taught that the center purpose of God’s plan was for eternal marriage and family relationships & invites you to receive sealing ordinances bound on Earth and in Heaven. IF the testimony of the ordained prophets and apostles promised that covenant relationship extended through priesthood power within this true and living church would bring you closer to Christ than ANY other church; and that the power of this connection to Christ would completely transform your life and provide great joy to you in this life and the next. WHAT IF IT WERE TRUE? What...

Latter-Day Saints are commanded to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ — what does that mean to us? 1) “To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” — Doctrine and Covenants 50:14 2) Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. “I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. Behold, I speak unto you, and also to all those who have desires to bring forth and establish this work; And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.” — D&C 12:6-8 Missionaries ask those interested in learning about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints — and coming closer to Christ through knowledge of...

I am not ashamed of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! I pray daily for the miracle that God will give me the wisdom and the words to speak so that I might never lose control of my emotions and never speak words in anger no matter how ugly the words coming at me are. I want to defend my faith and teach the doctrine I love without landing myself in the toxic soup of venomous contention that infects civic dialogue today. This era of polarization and passionate disagreements presents perhaps the greatest challenge #LatterDaySaints have faced in seeking to follow Christ as peacemakers. Our world is saturated with words of insult, condemnation, and vilification. I hope that God will inspire me when and how to speak, that I may build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire. No matter how difficult the situation. I pray for discernment, even foresight, to know what interaction might lead to contention and pray that my words won’t foster that contention, for I know contention is of the devil...

You will often hear Latter-Day Saints proclaim — “I know it is true!” — with great zeal. You may have recoiled at the expression, thinking, you can’t know, it’s impossible! You are correct in a sense. Most of the time we do not have a perfect knowledge. We are still operating in a scope of belief and faith. “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” — Alma 32:21, BOM But belief is a principle of faith that grows with experience, and believers often testify in a knowing of things they have experienced. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrew 11:1, JST A well developed belief and an active faith can grow into a knowledge of things as they really are and provide believers with a perfect brightness of hope of things to come. “Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wh...

Lehi’s allegorical dream, reveals bold truths and essential lessons that shed light on what’s wrong with excusing or downplaying the seriousness of sin in a misguided attempt to extend compassion to sinners, or persuade and encourage them to come unto Christ. Picture Lehi after he ate of the fruit of the tree of life, he described his feelings, he said the fruit “filled [his] soul with exceedingly great joy.” (1 Nephi 8:12) Do you remember the effect of his experience? His heart was moved with concern for others, but did his compassion cause him to encourage others to continue wandering in darkness? Did he say, “Good for you! I’m so glad that you’ve found your own path.” NO! He could not, for he knew there was only one path that led to the tree and only one fruit that was “desirable above all other fruit.” Therefore, he beckoned them “with a loud voice” that they would come unto him. He beckoned, not with a soft voice, his compassion made him bold. He was filled with a sincere desire f...