Joseph Smith Archive
Jesus Christ’s Church Carries His Name
Brian is a BYU student and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as the “Mormon Church” by the media). He is currently taking a religion course at Brigham Young. Below is a paper that he wrote after being inspired concerning the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the ushering in of that Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
What does the name of the Mormon Church, better known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really mean? Well, lets’ take a few minutes, and analyze it. We will come to see after reading a few New Testament passages, especially those contained in Matthew chapter 24, that this name is much more significant than most people think.
To the well-read lector of the New Testament, it is common knowledge that the people who followed Jesus Christ were referred to as saints. In his epistle or writings to the Romans, chapter 15,... Read the rest of this entry »
Joseph Smith received very little formal education as a child and young man. He was largely educated by his parents, due to a lack of schools available. In all, he attended formal schooling only about three years. In addition, he was tutored by an angel named Moroni in spiritual things for several years prior to beginning his work. Despite this, by the time of his early death, he had become well-educated in many fields, including Hebrew. Read the rest of this entry »
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Revelation is how God communicates with us, His children, while we’re away from His presence. There are many different levels of revelation and many different ways it can be received.
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... Read the rest of this entry »
What are the Articles of Faith?
Personal Response by Bethany
Background:
In 1842, John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat, wrote to Joseph Smith requesting information for a friend who was writing a history of New Hampshire. Joseph Smith’s response to this inquiry has become known as the “Wentworth Letter.” The letter includes a brief history of the Church and significant events in its restoration. It ends with thirteen statements that have become known as the Articles of Faith and are published in the Pearl of Great Price. Read the rest of this entry »
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Personal Response by Lance
On the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October, the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes casually referred to by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon” Church or the LDS Church), including the modern prophet and Twelve Apostles, speak to the world in what is known as general conference. From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City the words of the prophet, the apostles, and other leaders are carried via TV, radio, satellite, and the Internet to more than eighty countries and translated into more than eighty languages. We invite everyone, regardless of religious belief, to join with us in watching or listening to general conference.
The reason I love general conference is best described by the opening words of one of the Church hymns, “Come, listen to a prophet’s voice, And hear the word of God” (“Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice,”... Read the rest of this entry »
Personal Response by Rachel
I have summed up the most significant lesson I learned on my mission in six words: “Come unto Christ and be happy.” This phrase has become a personal motto for the rest of my life. Each morning of my mission we had an hour to do personal study of the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. The more I studied the words of Jesus Christ through His ancient and modern prophets and apostles, the more I came to love Him and believe in Him. My growing belief and faith in Christ led me to follow His teachings, develop Christlike attributes, and testify of Jesus Christ’s restored gospel. As I obeyed the commandments of the gospel and became more like Christ, I felt the Holy Ghost’s influence more abundantly in my life. I felt the fruits of the Holy Ghost, which include “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). I learned that “If ye know... Read the rest of this entry »
Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) revere Biblical prophets and apostles such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, James, and Paul. They believe the Lord continues to call prophets and apostles in this modern day. Among those prophets God has chosen today is Joseph Smith (1805-44), the first modern prophet.
In addition to reverencing prophets and apostles, Mormons believe, like all Christians, that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Therefore, Mormons truly and sincerely worship God, the Eternal Father, in the name of the Jesus Christ-God’s unique Son. They worship no other man or women no matter who they are or what they have done. Read the rest of this entry »
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Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is often identified as the Mormon or LDS Church. LDS, in this case, is an acronym for Latter-day Saints, a part of the official name of the LDS Church. When religious bodies use similar names to identify themselves, such as FLDS and LDS, there may be and often is some confusion about the relationship between them.
Just as there are many Christian denominations which believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the long anticipated Jewish Messiah and the Savior of the world, yet disagree upon other significant doctrinal points, including the nature and composition of the Bible, there are individuals and groups who accept the message of the Restoration (the calling of Joseph Smith as a prophet and coming forth of additional scripture, including the Book of Mormon) yet disagree on some rather key doctrines, policies, and practices. Read the rest of this entry »
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Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
Current Latter-day Saint (LDS) practice in holding special meetings known as solemn assemblies is rooted in the Old Testament. Other Christian groups also hold gatherings identified as solemn assemblies because the practice is mentioned in the Bible. However, the LDS Church holds these meetings because of a commandment from the Lord to do so (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:70), not just because their presence is noted in ancient scripture. Read the rest of this entry »
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Personal Response by Arnold K. Garr
Some people are surprised when they find out that Mitt Romney was not the first Mormon to run for president of the United States. That distinction belonged to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church. He decided to run for president after the Church pleaded in vain for the government to compensate the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) for the property lost and afflictions suffered when they were expelled from the state of Missouri as a result of the extermination order in 1838. Joseph Smith‘s primary motivation for running for president was to do all in his power to protect the Latter-day Saints from the kinds of injustices they had suffered in Missouri. Read the rest of this entry »
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