Mormons believe in atonement through

In the mid-19th century, when rhetorical, emotional oratory was common, some church members and leaders used strong language that included notions of people making restitution for their sins by giving up their own lives.

However, so-called “blood atonement,” by which individuals would be required to shed their own blood to pay for their sins, is not a doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe in and teach the infinite and all-encompassing atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes forgiveness of sin and salvation possible for all people.” (See Mormon Church Statement on Blood Atonement.)

Many people do not realize that every word spoken by a prophet or other church leader is not official doctrine. Prophets, like everyone else, have agency and intelligence and, when a specific doctrine has not been given to us from God, is permitted to make his own decision. Sometimes they discuss these personal beliefs in public. In past times, leaders were not as cautious about this as they are today. In today’s world, where the most casual statement can live forever on the Internet, leaders often preface opinions with a reminder that this is what they are. However, when the Church was younger and smaller, this was not always true. Unless a belief has been canonized, it is not official doctrine. Blood atonement is one such belief, arising out of the common beliefs of the time.

Many people use as their source for this teaching the Journal of Discourses, a  book containing various talks by early church leaders. However, this record is not an official church publication and the talks were not recorded and were not official versions. They are based on notes taken by listeners and were not vetted by the leaders themselves. General Conferences, the semi-annual gathering of the Mormons, was different then than it is now, and in the first year of the Church, attendees could even ask the speakers questions and get opinions from them. The Journal of Discourses was intended to be used like a newspaper, not a book of scripture or doctrine. It was written for those who lived far from the central church.

The Mormons teach that we are saved through the atonement of Christ. It is His blood that saves us, not our own. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

This teaching is expanded on by Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of Jesus Christ in modern times:

 Prophets throughout the ages have emphasized the dual requirements of (1) avoiding and overcoming bad and (2) doing good and becoming better. Consider the penetrating questions posed by the Psalmist:

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3–4).

Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place.

Let me suggest that hands are made clean through the process of putting off the natural man and by overcoming sin and the evil influences in our lives through the Savior’s Atonement. Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good and become better. All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us.

In the Book of Mormon, we find the masterful teachings of King Benjamin concerning the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ. The simple doctrine he taught caused the congregation to fall to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. “And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (Mosiah 4:2; emphasis added), (David A. Bednar, “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Liahona, Nov 2007, 80–83).

Mormons teach that grace comes to us through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is what allows us to overcome death to live forever. Grace also allows us to repent of our sins and to be forgiven after we have done so. This comes to us without any conditions—every person who has ever lived on this earth has the gift of grace without any acts at all. Mormons do not believe the act of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior is required to receive God’s grace. It is without conditions.

However, to receive the fullness of the atonement, we must follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and live the gospel. Doing so allows us to return to God’s presence. The scriptures teach us that no unclean thing can dwell in God’s presence, and so we must cleanse ourselves and live as pure a life as possible while we’re on the earth. Of course mistakes happen. No one is perfect. However, through the atonement and grace, we are able to repent and start over as often as necessary and in time, this way, we will feel worthy to be in God’s presence. We will be ourselves in Heaven; to make it the perfect place God promised us, it can only be filled with those who love God and keep His commandments.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) Jesus taught. He repeated again and again the importance of obeying God’s commandments, warning that only those who do will be with God again. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

However, although we must obey the commandments and we must repent when we fall short, we cannot bring about our own atonement by doing so. Only the voluntary atonement of Jesus Christ, which happened in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary could bring about our atonement. We cannot use our own blood to atone for our sins, no matter what type they are, because the atonement required the voluntary sacrifice of a perfect being. For this reason, Mormons do not believe in blood atonement as the term is used to describe capital punishment.

A responsible researcher knows that sources are not equally reliable. Anyone can post on the Internet, and while that is a wonderful thing, it also means there are more opportunities for people to intentionally or unintentionally mislead others.

The best place to learn about a person or organization is to turn to the actual source. To learn about Christianity, we don’t go to an atheist website. We go to the Bible or to Christian websites. Our goal is to learn what Christians teach about themselves, both to other Christians or to non-Christians. Moral researchers aren’t interested in pursuing gossip. They want truth and knowing what  the members of that church really believe—not what atheists think they believe—is how you find the truth about Christianity.

The same process leads to truth about a specific Christian denomination. What does the denomination tell the outside world about themselves? What do they tell their own members? What is taught in Sunday School or in services? This gives you the most accurate look at any denomination. If no one in the church knows the doctrine, then it is not having an impact on the membership and is not what the church actually teaches.

With that in mind, here are some places you can learn about the Mormons. While there are missionaries who will be happy to visit your home and teach you, and the Mormons you know will be happy to answer your questions, you may be more comfortable studying them privately first. Then you can take what you’ve learned to real people and ask your questions.

Official Sources of Information About Mormon Beliefs:

Mormon.org: This site was created for people who are not Mormon but want to know more about it. It is an official website with basic information about the Mormons. There is also a chat room where you can talk to a missionary. It is not a place to argue or to debate, but to get information.

LDS.org: This is the official Mormon website for people who are Mormon. Most of it is public. The parts that aren’t are for specific congregations, with information about their activities, or for people who have specific church jobs and may need more training. These are open only to those who belong to that congregation or have that position. You will be able to access the same information as any Mormon who does not live in your area or who doesn’t have that job.

On this website, you can read the actual lesson manuals used to teach Sunday School and other classes. You can read both the student manual and the teacher’s manuals, if both exist. You can also read the official Mormon magazines at no cost and in entirety, including the most current editions. Find out what is said at each of the General Conferences (annual meetings broadcast publicly and internationally.) Visit the LDS Newsroom to learn the latest news, official positions on political issues, and commentary. The A to Z index lets you research specific Mormon doctrine in more detail, since this index is used by Mormons to prepare lessons and sermons, or just to learn more about their faith. You can also read the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as other LDS scripture and publication, free online. You’ll get a rather complete look at Mormon beliefs from the point of view of believing Mormons. This website is for people who are already Mormon, so you may find the vocabulary a little confusing, but the index mentioned above can help with that.

Mormon Channel: This is a radio station dedicated to Mormon programming. Most of it is aimed at current members of the Church. Some of the programs are non-denominational and include uplifting stories from people of other faiths. You can listen online.

Church History: A website for Mormons about the history of the Mormons. Learn more about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other aspects of the worldwide Mormon Church’s history.

Humanitarian Services: Have you ever wondered about those yellow Mormon Helping Hands vests that appear at service projects, or about the reports of Mormons working at disaster zones? This is the place to learn about the Church’s humanitarian arm. This division works on a non-denominational basis. Other funds help Mormons internally.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God: An official Mormon website dedicated to teaching what the Mormons believe about Jesus Christ. The site includes beautiful artwork, many articles by church leaders, and a selection of online multimedia materials.

Mormon Messages: An official YouTube channel with uplifting videos, some of which are non-denominational.

More Good Foundation: Ordinary people share their personal knowledge about Mormon doctrine, how they live it, and how they feel about it. If you want an unofficial but reliable source of information, this is the place to go.

principles of Mormonism, explaining that a survey showed few people really knew anything at all about Mormons, and what they did know was wrong or misunderstood.

“My object is to illuminate several premises and ways of thinking that are at the root of some misunderstandings about our doctrine and practice.

We Mormons know that our doctrines and values are not widely understood by those not of our faith.  This was demonstrated by Gary 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 Mormons in general, 87% checked “strong family values,” 78% checked “honest,” and 45% checked “blind followers.”[2]

When Lawrence’s interviewers asked, “To the best of your understanding, what is the main claim of Mormonism?” only 14% 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.[3] “

Elder Oaks focused on three aspects of Mormonism in his discourse:

1.    The nature of God, including the role of the three members of the Godhead, and the corollary truth that there are moral absolutes.

2.    The purpose of life.

3.    The three-fold sources of truth about man and the universe:  science, the scriptures, and continuing revelation, and how we can know them.

These three principles form the foundations of Mormonism and the explanation for why Mormons believe what they believe. However, they are also frequently misunderstood or misrepresented.

Elder Oaks explained that while most Christians believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, Mormons have a somewhat different view of this Godhead. This belief is the first statement in the Articles of Faith, a document listing thirteen fundamental principles of Mormonism. Mormonism teaches that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, unified in testimony, purpose, and values.

“We maintain that these three members of the Godhead are three separate and distinct beings, and that God the Father is not a spirit but a glorified Being with a tangible body, as is his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ.  Though separate in identity, they are one in purpose.  We maintain that Jesus referred to this relationship when he prayed to His Father that His disciples would be “one” even as Jesus and his Father were one (see John 17:11)—united in purpose, but not in identity.”

Elder Oaks explained that Mormons believe Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God, that He created the earth, that He is our teacher, and that through Him, we can be saved.

“Because of His resurrection all who have ever lived will be raised from the dead.  He is the Savior whose atoning sacrifice opens the door for us to be forgiven of our personal sins so that we can be cleansed to return to the presence of God our Eternal Father.  This is the central message of the prophets of all ages.  Joseph Smith stated this great truth in our third 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.”

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we testify with the Book of Mormon prophet-king Benjamin that “there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:17).”

The second principle Elder Oaks introduced was that of the purpose of life, something most people worry about. For Mormons, the purpose of life is rooted in what happened before we were born. Mormons teach we lived with God prior to our births, as spirits, and that we agreed to come here to gain bodies and to be tested. Through the atonement and obedience to the commandments God and Jesus patiently taught, we can return to God’s presence someday.

Another purpose of life on earth is to gain a family. Mormons teach that family is not something created just for life on earth, to end in divorce at the end of life. Rather, the reason God made our feelings of love for our families so powerful was because He never intended for us to force that love out of our hearts when we arrive in Heaven, a place we will be happier than we ever imagined. To be truly happy, most of us need our families, and God planned that we could earn the right to have them with us for eternity. That provides a family-centeredness that is made more powerful by knowing it is forever.

Elder Oaks said, “My faithful widowed mother had no confusion about the eternal nature of the family relationship.  She always honored the position of our faithful deceased father.  She made him a presence in our home.  She spoke of the eternal duration of their temple marriage and of our destiny to be together as a family in the next life.  She often reminded us of what our father would like us to do so we could qualify for the Savior’s promise that we could be a family forever.  She never referred to herself as a widow, and it never occurred to me that she was.  To me, as a boy growing up, she wasn’t a widow.  She had a husband and we had a father.  He was just away for a while.”

Mormons teach that marriage and family are essential to God’s eternal plan. He planned for us to have families and taught the pattern for family life, a traditional family consisting of a mother, a father, and children.

Elder Oaks quoted the speaker of the previous year, who pointed out that congregations are assigned geographically. Mormons do not decide which congregation they wish to attend. This causes them to be diverse, racially, economically, and in other ways, including age. A middle-aged couple might find themselves in a congregation with many young college students. A wealthy member might be assigned to an inner-city congregation. As Mormons move or boundaries change, they learn to interact with and respect people of all ages, economic standings, races, and other ways of being different.

Mormons are also assigned church work, often placing them in positions with people very different from themselves. An organizational president might be just twenty-three years old, with counselors serving under her who are twice her age. They learn to respect the younger woman’s leadership, and the young president learns to respect the experience and wisdom of the older women. Today’s leader might be tomorrow’s nursery assistant. People aren’t promoted, but simply assigned to a variety of positions in a lifetime, some requiring them to lead and other positions requiring them to follow.

One unique aspect of Mormonism, addressed in the final principle of Elder Oak’s talk, is that of sources of truth. While Mormons accept many sources as a place to find truth—including science—they recognize some things can never be proven in a laboratory.

“We seek after knowledge, but we do so in a special way because we believe there are two dimensions of knowledge, material and spiritual.  We seek knowledge in the material dimension by scientific inquiry and in the spiritual dimension by revelation.”

Elder Oaks explained that Mormons believe in revelation. Throughout the Bible, we learn that God communicated with His children through prophets. Today, Mormons proclaim that prophecy has returned to earth, just as it often did in Biblical times after episodes of apostasy. A prophet heads the church and receives revelation from God to guide the church and the people.

However, individual people also have the right to receive revelation, not for the entire church, but for their own sphere of responsibility. A person can always turn to God to know whether or not the Church is true and the prophet speaks the words of God. Prospective members are counseled to avoid blind obedience and to instead pray and ask God whether or not what they’ve learned is true. After baptism, they are always free to again turn to God for confirmation of anything they aren’t sure of.

“Personal revelation—sometimes called “inspiration”—comes in many forms.  Most often it is by words or thoughts communicated to the mind, by sudden enlightenment, or by positive or negative feelings about proposed courses of action.  Usually it comes in response to earnest and prayerful seeking.  “Ask, and it shall be given you;” Jesus taught, “seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).  It comes when we keep the commandments of God and thus qualify for the companionship and communication of the Holy Spirit.”

This personal revelation is the reason Mormonism continues to grow and to produce a membership with unshakable faith. If a person takes advantage of God’s promises, really working to know the truth, and being patient, they develop an unshakable testimony in time.

Read the entire talk: Fundamental Premises of Our Faith.

“We all know that every nation is ultimately at the mercy of its families. If families are riddled with problems, society eventually collapses under the weight of problems too vast for any government to meet. If families are strong, society is strong.” (See Sheri L. Dew: The Power of Virtue.)

Laws can demonstrate a nation’s priorities and enforce behavior, but deep, lasting change happens on a more personal level. When we read biographies of famous people, they nearly always begin with a study of the person’s family history and demonstrate how that affected the person’s choices in life. Parents and other family members have the most opportunity to influence the thinking and behavior of their children. While each person has agency—the right to choose for themselves how to live—children are most likely to eventually emulate their parents.

A parent has access to a child’s mind at the ages in which a child is most easily influenced. A child who grows up doing service projects from his earliest moments will consider that a natural way of life, just the way people live. A child who lives in a home filled with books will feel uneasy being in one without them. A child who has gone to church with his family every Sunday of his life will feel an odd little urge at the appointed time if he grows up and tries to stop going, especially if it was a pleasant experience.

It’s when a child is small that we have the best chance of helping him become the right sort of person. Those people who spend the most time with the child each day have the most influence.

Once a child has his values in place, he goes into the world to live accordingly. As an adult, it is very likely his life will reflect the way he was raised. The details may be different, but the overall values will be the same. This is why nations are at the mercy of families. Citizenship classes are not the means for creating good citizens, although they might help. It’s the family nations depend on to train up a child in the way he should go.

If we want the hungry fed, we have to take our children to a food bank with a bag of groceries so they will continue the battle when they grow up. If we want an educated population, we need parents who read to their children, take them on educational outings, and arouse their curiosity about the world. If we want a generation that obeys the law, we first need parents who set the example by obeying the law themselves and who talk to their children about this.

Nations are at the mercy of families, and this is very good news. It gives families a good amount of control over the world in which they live. While setting the course for your own family may not seem like much of a change, each of your children can go on to influence hundreds more, and within a few generations, influence multitudes of family members, in addition to people in the outside world. The Mormons have a number of traditions and routines which can help to strengthen families of any faith, and are easily adaptable to the faith of any given family.

One is family home evening. Each Monday night, Mormon families gather together to pray, sing, learn the gospel as taught by their own family members, and play. This treasured tradition ensures parents have an opportunity to impart values to their children. It also helps them strengthen the bonds that will increase the chances the child will emulate his parents.

Another tradition is family prayer and family scripture study. Mormon families gather each morning for a brief devotional which includes a family prayer, scripture study and discussion. In a busy day it can be a challenge for parents to get everyone together for those fifteen to twenty minutes each morning, but they find the benefits far outweigh the challenges.

Mormon families also attend church together. From birth, children sit in the basic worship service, known as Sacrament Meeting, with their families. While this admittedly makes Mormon services a bit noisier and busier as toddlers escape their parents and babies whimper, these children never know a day when church has not been part of their Sabbath. They spend the meetings cuddling with a parent or playing quietly in their seat, and this time becomes a treasured memory and a critical routine. Only after this service do children go into classes meant just for them while their parents attend their own meetings. Mormons don’t drop their children off at church; they attend with them.

Small additions to the week can make a big difference in setting the stage for the future of our nations. As parents give children the values and the skills they will need to be good citizens and to fix the challenges our world faces, those children grow up to influence yet another generation. While it’s not an over-night cure for what ails our world, it is the most certain way to improve it for the long-term.

Gordon B. Hinckley, the previous Mormon prophet, said:

I am more concerned about the moral deficit in our nations than I am about their budget deficits, though that, too, is a most serious matter. Do societies need more policemen? I do not dispute it. Do societies need more prisons? I suppose so. But what they need, above all else, is a strengthening of the homes of the people. Every child is a product of a home. Societies are having terrible youth problems, but I am convinced that they have a greater parent problem. I am grateful that we of the Church have for a long time taught and are teaching and spending a substantial part of our resources to fortify the homes of our people….What can be done? We cannot effect a turnaround in a day or a month or a year. But I am satisfied that with enough effort we can begin a turnaround within a generation and accomplish wonders within two generations. That is not very long in the history of man. There is nothing any of us can do that will have greater longtime benefit than to rekindle wherever possible the spirit of the kind of homes in which goodness can flourish.

(See Gordon B. Hinckley, “Four Simple Things to Help Our Families and Our Nations,” Ensign, Sep 1996, 2.)

that most topics of greatest interest to detractors are not critical elements of the current religion, but are fringe elements or practices no longer carried out. He advised them to keep the discussions focused on the core of the religion, the elements that affect salvation, rather than those that are merely interesting intellectual discussion points.

“When all is said and done, the most important thing about you and your testimony is that you base your beliefs on what Jesus Christ taught, and you try to follow Him by living your life in a way acceptable to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord.

This is your foundation. It was Joseph Smith’s foundation. He said: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, he was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

(See Elder M. Russell Ballard: Engaging Without Being Defensive.)

Every religion has information or writings that cover a wide spectrum of information. Some of this information is essential to the salvation of the believer, but much of it is not. For instance, we must know who created the world and believe that, but we don’t have to know exactly how long it took. That is merely interesting fodder for debate or curiosity, but has nothing to do with our salvation. It’s interesting to read the genealogy in the Old Testament, but there won’t be a test on it when we stand before the Savior in judgment. Some stories in the Bible are curious and we don’t really understand why a Biblical prophet made the choices he did, but most of the time, we don’t need to know.

What we do need to know is that God is our loving Father in Heaven, and Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son. Jesus died for us and is the only path through which we may return to God someday. We need to learn how to identify truth by communicating directly with God to learn it.

It is these things the Mormons focus on in their daily spiritual life. They work to build a loving relationship with God and Jesus Christ and to understand how They would have us live from day to day. They strive to be good family members and good citizens. They study the Savior’s life and then try to understand how to live that way themselves.

While groups who work to oppose the church often focus on unimportant intellectual games, the Mormons are busy trying to be like Jesus. When talking with a Mormon, it is important to remember they aren’t generally very interested in those fringe topics. Their testimony isn’t based on history or science, but on faith. This faith came about after developing a close and personal relationship with God and then trusting Him to answer their questions in ways they could understand. They worked to know God so well they easily recognize Him when He communicates with them.

There is little purpose in presenting a Mormon who really knows Christ with the teachings of men, which are unreliable and changing. They aren’t interested in using those teachings as a foundation for their eternal salvation. They know the Creator, and it is only His words that matter.

The Book of Mormon teaches that men are that they might have joy. (See 2 Nephi 2:25.) The Savior, Jesus Christ, gave us commandments that, when practiced for the right reasons in the right spirit, would allow us to live a joyful life even in times of trials.

Brigham Young was asked how he governed such a large group of people. He responded that he taught them correct principles and then let them govern themselves. Mormons today are taught basic principles and are expected to apply them to the larger world. When faced with a situation not explicitly covered by a commandment, they study it in relationship to what they know overall of the gospel and then make a choice.

Many commandments are designed to keep us morally and physically safe. For instance, Mormons are known for their health code, called the Word of Wisdom. This health code includes a prohibition against alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea. It encourages the use of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and suggests moderation in the use of meat. Although this was an odd way of living when the commandment was given by revelation from Joseph Smith in the 1800s, today science has caught up to revelation and agrees that this is indeed a healthy way to live. Following the statement of Brigham Young about governing ourselves, Mormons are also reminded to make other healthy choices, even if they aren’t specified in the commandment.

Mormons have a strict code of morality. Both men and women are counseled to practice the law of chastity. Intimate relationships are not permitted outside of marriage, even if the person never marries. Teenagers are taught to avoid dating until they are sixteen and then only in groups until they are adults. This helps to protect their morality and also helps them to finish high school.

Service to others is a critical part of the commandments. Jesus Christ taught us to give of both our time and resources to others. Mormons do this through church programs, but also give in their personal lives as well.

An example of a church program designed to help Mormons give is the fast offerings program. The first Sunday of each month is designated as Fast Sunday. The previous afternoon, Mormons who can safely do so begin a twenty-four hour complete fast-no food or drink of any kind-and donate the money saved by missing those two meals and snacks to a special fund that is separate from other church funds. It goes to help those in their congregation who are in need of food or other charitable help. While many can afford to give the money without experiencing any real sacrifice, the requirement to come up with the money by being hungry for a day causes them to think more carefully about what it would mean to be hungry all the time, and increases their ability to be compassionate.

Mormons are taught to be as self-reliant as possible, even while knowing the church can help when they’ve done all they can do for themselves and their families. To this end, they work to store at least a year’s supply of everything they would need should they experience unemployment, death of the wage-earner, or other challenges to their budget. This might not let them maintain their previous lifestyle, but it will allow them to feed their family and pay their bills during the crisis. When times are tight, they have the security of knowing they will be okay.

Mormons are commanded to get education, both formal and informal. This is part of their self-sufficiency plan, as a formal education can make it easier to have a career. Women, who are encouraged to remain in the home to raise their children, are also commanded to get an education and to be prepared to care for their families should the need arise, such as in the death or disability of the wage earner. In addition to the formal education, Mormons are encouraged to continue a life-long process of learning in both secular and spiritual realms. They’re taught that whatever they learn in this life will carry on into the next.

Family is central to Mormon teachings. Husbands and wives are commanded to love and care for each other, and together they are commanded to love and care for their children. No matter how busy their lives might be, families are taught to make their family life a priority, and to spend time together.

Each Monday night, Mormon families stay home, without friends, and hold Family Home Evening. During this time, they teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, resolve family concerns, and have fun together. It ensures some meaningful family time each week and also allows parents a setting in which to share their testimonies and values.

Mormon families believe it is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children their religion and their values. Although the Church has programs to assist the parents, they are only assisting, not taking over. For this reason, Mormon families have daily family, couple, and personal prayers, as well as daily scripture study as a family and as an individual. During this time, parents show their children what they believe and demonstrate, through both words and action, how to live what they believe.

Prayer and scripture study are critical aspects of Mormon commandments. Prayer allows each person to communicate with God and to build a personal and loving relationship with Him. It’s a way to seek answers for the help we need and also to thank God for the blessings we’ve received. Scripture study helps us to learn the commandments. Mormons are taught to read the Bible, as well as the restoration scriptures, and to apply the teachings to their everyday lives.

There are more commandments than can be listed here, but these are a sampling of the commandments Mormons follow in order to live a Christ-like and meaningful life. These commandments safeguard morality and health, promote a loving family, and prepare us to live again in the presence of God.

No one may receive revelation for a level of gospel structure higher than the one he is called to carry out. For instance, a child who is trying to decide how to overcome his struggles in math class can receive personal revelation to help him with that problem. A mother can receive revelation to help her understand how to care for her children. A leader who oversees the program for teenagers at church can receive revelation to help her know how to best serve the youth in her program. A bishop (the Mormon equivalent of a lay pastor) can receive revelation about how to best meet the needs of his congregation. Each person may receive personal revelation related to his or her own responsibilities in life.

However, only the prophet may receive revelation for the entire church, since that is his sphere of

responsibility alone. Since the very beginning of time on earth, God has utilized prophets to receive and share His messages to His children:

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

Revelation is not fortune telling. When Mormons receive revelation from their prophets, it is always about matters critical to eternal salvation, and is predicated on the behavior of the people of the world-not just the Mormons. For instance, when Noah was told to warn the people to repent or they would be destroyed, the warning was sincere and they were given a way to be protected. As a people, they could repent and the storm would not begin. Or some of them could repent and help to build the ark, which would hold anyone who chose to sincerely repent-before the rain began to fall. They chose to do neither, and so they were destroyed. Noah, because of his righteousness, and his family because of him or because of their own worthiness, was saved.

Personal revelation is available to every person who lives on earth and chooses to do what is necessary to receive it. It is not open only to members of God’s church. Those beginning their journeys can rely on the Spirit of Christ and periodic counsel from the Holy Ghost. Later, those who have been baptized and confirmed by a person who has authority from God may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to be with them at all times, as long as they’re living righteously.

LDS.org, the official website for the Mormons, offers these steps to help people prepare to receive personal revelation:

Pray for guidance. Be reverent. Be humble. Keep the commandments. Partake of the sacrament worthily. Study the scriptures every day. Take time to ponder. When seeking specific guidance, we should study the matter out in our minds. Patiently seek God’s will.

Personal revelation comes through a cooperative effort between man and God. He is always willing to share the truths we need to navigate life, but he also expects us to do our part. Notice that the steps above require us to learn the gospel and then to live it, in order to have enough knowledge to understand the answers given us and to entitle us to the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can’t be where wickedness is, so we have to work to be worthy of His presence and have a humble and worthy spirit in order to “hear” the answers we receive.

Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the modern day church, demonstrates the correct procedure for gaining personal revelation. He was, in general, a good person. He wasn’t perfect, of course, but he worked hard, obeyed his parents, and tried to do what was right as far as he understood it.

As the area in which he lived became caught up in a wave of conversions and missionary efforts by many churches, he began to pay attention to the teachings of the various churches. He had a desire to join a church, but was unwilling to make the decision lightly. We’re taught that if we need a specific answer, we should first study the issue out for ourselves. Joseph did this by visiting the churches and the revivals, and thinking through the teachings he learned there. He questioned some of the ministers, trying to understand what they taught and why they all taught different things but claimed that either they alone were right or that all the churches were equally right, even if they contradicted each other. He spent time thinking through (pondering) the problem.

This process was not giving him the answers he needed. He couldn’t figure out how to know which ministers were telling him the truth or how to know which church to join. He turned to the Bible for help. While reading on his own, one day, he found a scripture in the book of James, in the New Testament. James was the brother of Jesus Christ.

James offered logical advice on how to solve this problem. He said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5, King James version of the Bible)

Joseph realized this was the only way he would ever know what was true. Only God knew for sure. He himself was incapable of making this choice. The realization that we cannot reason out every problem alone and must have help is a part of humility, which is required for receiving revelation. We have to acknowledge that some truths are beyond the scope of our abilities to gain intellectually.

He decided to go into the woods by his home and pray for help with his problem. At this point, he had fulfilled each requirement that was available to men on earth at that time. He was ready to receive personal revelation.

The answer Joseph Smith received-a personal visit from God and Jesus Christ-is not typical of the way people receive personal revelation. A prayer that will lead to dramatic changes in Heaven and on Earth requires a dramatic answer. For most of us, the answers will be quieter and more subtle.

Richard G. Scott, an apostle of the Lord, explained how prayers are answered:

To help each of us recognize answers given, the Lord said: “If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.

“Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?” (D&C 6:22-23; italics added).

The Lord provides further insight by counseling us to study a problem out in our mind and then to ask if it be right: “If it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

“But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought.” (D&C 9:8-9; italics added.)

It is vitally important to recognize that the Lord also responds a third way to prayer by withholding an answer when the prayer is offered. Why would He do that?

He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience:

When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.

When He answers no, it is to prevent error.

When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act.

Most often what we have chosen to do is right. He will confirm the correctness of our choices His way. That confirmation generally comes through packets of help found along the way. We discover them by being spiritually sensitive. They are like notes from a loving Father as evidence of His approval. If, in trust, we begin something which is not right, He will let us know before we have gone too far. We sense that help by recognizing troubled or uneasy feelings.” Richard G. Scott, “Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer,” Ensign, Nov 1989, 30

Prior to His death, Jesus Christ had given His apostles all the authority necessary to operate the church when He was gone. This authority is known today as “keys.” They had the official priesthood handed down through the ages, and this gave them the proper authority. It is understood that Peter became the president of the Church after Jesus was resurrected and returned to His Father.

The apostles began to warn the people of a forthcoming apostasy. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he explained to them that although they were eagerly awaiting the return of the Savior, it would not come yet, because there had to be a falling away first:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

Even before the death of the apostles, the apostasy had begun. Several letters sent by apostles to church members warned them to remove false doctrine from their teachings. Paul wrote to the Galatians:

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1)

Similar warnings were sent to Thessalonica, and Ephesus, and Paul warned the Hebrews, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Timothy grieved that they had lost all the Christians in Asia to apostasy.

S. Kent Brown explains that one major division in the church was over the topic of the resurrection:

Much of the misunderstandings about the resurrection must be attributed to the notion of docetism, which came to be more and more influential during the second century. The term derives from the Greek verb dokeo, which means “to seem.” Docetics maintained that Jesus had only seemed to live among men, to suffer, and to die. In reality, they said, the heavenly Christ did not come into contact with the world of matter, for that would have defiled his divine nature.

Such a view of the Messiah denies that salvation comes as a result of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. In fact, the doctrine of salvation was subverted into the idea that Christ was a special messenger who brought to earth secret knowledge that would allow the elect to escape this corrupt world and to make their way back to the presence of the Father. This special knowledge was called gnosis, and those who held such a view of the Messiah were known as gnostics. (S. Kent Brown, “Whither the Early Church?,” Ensign, Oct 1988, 7)

When the apostles died, they took the keys to the kingdom with them. These keys, of course, are not literal, but it means the priesthood authority to lead God’s church was gone. Without that priesthood, there could not be a prophet. Prophets are the only method for the church to receive revelation from God.

Without a prophet, members of the church were unable to seek church-wide revelation concerning doctrine. Often questions arose and false practices began to wander into the church. Whereas, previously, the prophet and apostles could set things straight, there was no longer anyone qualified to do that. The differences of interpretation widened and soon, there were many different sects of Christianity, with differing beliefs.

There were periodic efforts to stem the flow of differences, including the council held at Nicaea. However, because the people who gathered there to create a unified creed didn’t have a prophet, they put the doctrine to a vote. They changed a few opinions, and essentially excommunicated those who didn’t cooperate.

Of course, truth can’t be found by voting, and so this really didn’t resolve the problem. While the majority of the churches-those invited to the meeting-chose a common belief, they still hadn’t learned the will of God on the subject. Divisions weren’t ended simply by declaring a creed, either. Over time, more and more denominations developed as people began to evaluate what their churches believed and started to develop even more opinions.

Over the centuries, we’ve seen many religious leaders, such as Martin Luther, who became concerned with how far Christianity had moved from the path set by the Savior. Although they didn’t have the keys to the kingdom, they made important contributions to the process of the restoration.

The restoration was necessary to fulfill the promises made by the Savior and His apostles that Christ would not come again until there had been a restoration of all things. This occurred in the 1800s, when Joseph Smith, then a fourteen-year-old boy, went into the woods to ask God which church to join. He was instructed not to join any, but to wait. In time, he was guided through the process of having the keys returned to the earth, and to the restoration of the fullness of the gospel.

All of this is necessary in order to prepare for the second coming. Each person on earth must have the opportunity to prepare for the second coming, just as the Jewish people had the opportunity to prepare for the first coming of Christ. The restoration allows us to do everything that is necessary for Christ’s return to earth and fulfills the promises of God.

The confirmation is a very simple procedure. The person being confirmed sits in a chair, with arms folded for the prayer that is about to begin. Men who hold the proper level of Mormon priesthood and who have been invited by the person being confirmed, gather around the seated person. They each place one hand on the child’s head, and one on the shoulder of the man next to them. The child will have previously decided who will confirm her. Since all worthy male members of the church of the proper age can hold the priesthood, this is usually the child’s father. If the father doesn’t hold the priesthood or isn’t living, any other priesthood holder can be selected.

The confirmation is done formally, with the priesthood holder simply confirming the child a member of the church in selected language, and then telling the child to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The child does not publicly respond to this, but does so in her own heart. Then a special blessing is bestowed on the child. There is not a prescribed method for this. The priesthood holder offers the blessing in whatever words are given to him by God. Often these include words of advice from God or a bit of information about God’s plan for that person. The confirmation concludes in the name of Jesus Christ. Then t

he child (or anyone being confirmed) stands and shakes hands with the men who participated, and usually hugs the family members.

After everyone has returned to their seats, a church leader invites the new member to stand and he or she is presented to the congregation as the newest member of that congregation. Members are invited to raise their right hand to demonstrate their welcome and their commitment to supporting the new member in her church membership.

Confirmation is most often done in church the Sunday following the baptism, but is occasionally done right after the baptism.

A convert (anyone who joins the church after his ninth birthday) prepares for this moment by meeting with missionaries to learn about the church. They are expected to make an informed decision. While they won’t know everything at baptism, they need to know how to pray to learn God’s will concerning this choice, and they need to have a basic understanding of the church’s teachings. They are taught about God, Jesus Christ, the scriptures, and a few basic principles of the religion. They must also attend church several times to find out what it is like.

A child who joins will have been preparing for this moment from birth, or since his parents became members of the church. They learn gradually more complex gospel principles in formal church instruction on Sundays beginning at the age of eighteen months. They are also taught at home. Families are encouraged to hold a family home evening each Monday, in which family members teach each other their religion. They also have family prayer and daily scripture study together. By the time the child is ready to be baptized, he has a firm foundation in his religion and knows how to pray.

Even at the age of eight, children are expected to pray and to ask God if they should join the church. They, like adult converts, must demonstrate a basic understanding of their religion and to have a testimony of their own.

The process of repentance involves several steps. The first step is to have faith in God. Without faith, repentance is not possible, because the entire process is based on our faith in God. If a person who has sinned lacks faith, then strengthening that faith is part of the repentance process.

The next step is to feel sorrow for the sin. Repentance is meaningless is one is just going through the motions. Sorrow comes not from being caught, or from having to cope with the consequences of sin, but from having disobeyed God. When we love God, we want to please Him and to live the way He has asked us to. Repentance, then, is an act of love, not fear.

The second step is to ask forgiveness. This is where confession enters in. The sinner must confess his sin to those involved or hurt by it and then ask their forgiveness. Smaller sins may be handled without ecclesiastical intervention. The person who has transgressed can simply go to the people involved and apologize.

For example, if a parent has lost her temper with her children, she would apologize to both her children and to God. Someone who broke an important piece of equipment at work would need to confess to his employer and to God. Someone who gave a speech that harmed their company would need to apologize to anyone who might have heard the speech, as well as God. The more public the sin, the more public the repentance process must be.

Sins which can affect a person’s church membership, such as violations to the law of chastity, or intentionally working to harm God’s church, require the assistance of a church leader, beginning with the bishop. A Mormon bishop is similar to a pastor or minister. The church leader cannot forgive your sins. Only God can do that. The church leader’s role is to guide the process. The sin and the repentance process are kept private unless the sinner himself chooses to violate that privacy and misrepresents what the church has done during the repentance process. In that case, it may be decided that the church can clarify the information, since the sinner himself first spoke publicly of the situation.

Finally, the person is required to forsake the sin forever. This is, of course, the most challenging step, but it is proof that the repentance was sincere and complete. Mormons are taught they can’t simply sin with a plan to follow up with repentance. This is not sincere repentance and mocks the atonement, which makes repentance possible.

Mormon beliefs teach that if the Savior had not been willing to do what He did for us, we would have been unable to return to God’s presence. No one but the Savior could live a sinless life or carry out the atonement. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Jesus Christ took on Himself each sin that had been committed previously and every sin that would be committed in the future. He atoned for each one, and for each of us individually. He then sealed that atonement with His voluntary death on the cross. It would not have been possible for His enemies to kill Him had He chosen not to die. That He did choose both the very painful atoning process, and the death on the cross, is His greatest gift to us. That God sent Jesus, knowing what would happen, and didn’t stop the process, even though it must have been painful to allow it to happen, is God’s greatest gift to us.

To the Mormons then, confession is one stage of a longer repentance process, and how it is done depends on the nature of the sin and who is affected.