Following are thoughts from Mormon leaders on religious freedom:

Separation of Church and State:

“Unfortunately, good culture alone is not strong enough to cause good culture to endure in perpetuity. Additional strength is needed from the power of theistic conviction. For this reason, a policy to separate completely church and state could become completely counterproductive. Theistic forces would be erased and atheistic forces would be allowed to flourish unopposed in the public square. The theistic and noble concept of “freedom of religion,” could be twisted and turned to become an atheistic “freedom from religion.” Such an unbalanced policy could sweep out theistic forces for societal success and leave the field wide open to atheistic ideology, secularism, suffering huge losses for all.” (See Apostle Talks Religious Freedom to Boston Youth for more information on this talk by Russell M. Nelson.)

Religious Exclusion

Our government is succumbing to pressure to distance itself from God and religion. Consequently, the government is discovering that it is incapable of contending with people who are increasingly “unbridled by morality and religion.” A simple constitutional prohibition of state-sponsored church has evolved into court-ordered bans against representations of the Ten Commandments on government buildings, Christmas manger scenes on public property, and prayer at public meetings. Instead of seeking the “national morality” based on “religious principle” that Washington spoke of, many are actively seeking a blind standard of legislative amorality, with a total exclusion of the mention of God in the public square.

Such a standard of religious exclusion is absolutely and unequivocally counter to the intention of those who designed our government. Do you think that mere chance placed the freedom to worship according to individual conscience among the first freedoms specified in the Bill of Rights—freedoms that are destined to flourish together or perish separately? The Founding Fathers understood this country’s spiritual heritage. They frequently declared that God’s hand was upon this nation, and that He was working through them to create what Chesterton once called “a nation with the soul of a church.” (Richard John Neuhaus, “A New Order for the Ages,” speech delivered at the Philadelphia Conference on Religious Freedom, 30 May 1991.) While they were influenced by history and their accumulated knowledge, the single most influential reference source for their work on the Constitution was the Holy Bible.

(M. Russell Ballard, “Religion in a Free Society,” Ensign, Oct 1992, 64)

There seems to be developing a new civil religion. The civil religion I refer to is a secular religion. It has no moral absolutes. It is nondenominational. It is nontheistic. It is politically focused. It is antagonistic to religion. It rejects the historic religious traditions of America. It feels strange. If this trend continues, nonbelief will be more honored than belief. While all beliefs must be protected, are atheism, agnosticism, cynicism, and moral relativism to be more safeguarded and valued than Christianity, Judaism, and the tenets of Islam, which hold that there is a Supreme Being and that mortals are accountable to him? If so, this would, in my opinion, place America in great moral jeopardy.

For those who believe in God, this new civil religion fosters some of the same concerns as the state religions that prompted our forefathers to escape to the New World. Nonbelief is becoming more sponsored in the body politic than belief. History teaches well the lesson that there must be a unity in some moral absolutes in all societies for them to endure and progress. Indeed, without a national morality they disintegrate. In Proverbs, we are reminded that “righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov. 14:34.) The long history and tradition of America, which had its roots in petitions for divine guidance, is being challenged.

The new civil religion is different from that envisioned by Benjamin Franklin, who seems to have first used the term “civil religion.” (M. Marty, Pilgrims in Their Own Land, 1984, pp. 155–66.) Franklin’s “civil religion,” as I understand it, was envisioned to replace the state religions of Europe, with their forced taxation and oppression. Franklin no doubt envisioned that this vacuum would be filled with a patriotism reflected by national symbolism, pride, ethics, values, and purpose. His eloquent statement concerning divine intervention in the Constitutional Convention clearly indicated he was not opposed to religiosity.

(James E. Faust, “A New Civil Religion,” Ensign, Oct 1992, 69)

Quoting George Washington

In January 1793, in a letter to members of New Church of Baltimore, President George Washington made the following observation which seems so very pertinent now:

“We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition, and that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In this enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty, it is our boast that a man’s religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the full respect and rights of citizenship to which he is entitled.”

(See The Threatened Demise of Religion in the Public Square – Talk Given by Elder Lance B. Wickman at J. Reuben Clark Law Society.)

Interfaith Cooperation to Protect Religious Freedom

Members of our church often join with other like-minded citizens, regardless of religious persuasion, in support of worthy causes and humanitarian projects. This can be done without losing independent identity and strength. We are mindful of history’s lesson that attempts of interfaith groups to unify through theological blending have not always been successful. Indeed, when divine doctrines are compromised to accommodate social pressures, religious institutions become no more relevant in their mission than other agencies of good intent. At the same time, we should be models of tolerance of others whose sacred beliefs may differ from our own. We recognize that if one religion is persecuted, all are attacked.

We need to safeguard the proper relationships of religion to governments and to the people we serve. We are under obligation to take a strong stand on moral issues in order to preserve a wholesome and ethical environment. As religious leaders, our participation in the political process may be needed to protect precious religious liberty. This is particularly important in countries of the earth whose citizens, until recently, have been deprived of freedom of religious expression and practice. Many of those nations are now shaping laws to allow freedoms that citizens of other countries have long enjoyed. These developing democracies deserve support.

Selected humanitarian projects can be pursued independently or cooperatively. We can promote education regarding moral values, the arts, service to humanity, and the value of education itself. We can give encouragement for family life, knowing that patience, righteousness, and love will be rewarded with joy.

Russell M. Nelson, “Combatting Spiritual Drift—Our Global Pandemic,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 102–8

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.

Walking in the Newness of Life

Romans 6:4 reads, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The fourth Article of Faith states: “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.”

The Savior revealed the true method of baptism to the Prophet Joseph Smith, making clear that the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority and that it must be done by immersion. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:73-74, we are taught, “The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water.”

The act of immersing a person in water is symbolic of that person’s sinful life being buried and their being reborn or receiving a new life—a spiritual life—a life dedicated to serving God and others. Immersion is also symbolic of the death and resurrection of the Savior. In Romans 6:3-11, we read these words, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I was born and raised as a baptist. As such, the method of baptism by immersion was not a new concept to me. I had read the New Testament gospel accounts of the baptism of Christ numerous times, and I fully understood that being baptized by immersion was indeed following the example that the Savior had set before us when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (See Matthew 3:13-17). I also understood the symbolism that Christ’s baptism represents and teaches us. I did not have a real issue with having to be baptized again because even growing up in the Baptist church, if I transferred from a church that was a part of one sect or convention to another, re-baptism was often required before membership would be accepted. What did concern me for some time was the idea of having to be baptized by one who had proper authority. The question in my mind was “Were not those who baptized me before authorized to do so?” It took a lot of soul searching, pondering the scriptures, and prayer to finally come to terms with the matter.

I had no doubt in my mind that this is the Lord’s true Church and that becoming a member of His Church was indeed the right thing to do. I also came to the realization that if I were to become a member of His Church I had to be willing to be obedient to the things which He has commanded and one of things which He commanded was that baptism was to be done by immersion and the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority.

To help settle many of my concerns, I made a commitment to read all of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price prior to being baptized. I had already read the Bible in its entirety several times, so I was very familiar with its teachings. As I read the Book of Mormon in particular, I came across some verses in Mosiah 18 that really made me stop and think and helped me in making my decision to be baptized. In Mosiah 18:8-10 we read:

“And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light…

“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life…

“Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?”

I further came to realize that if I were to become a member of His Church, I had to be willing to take His name upon me and be willing to follow His example because when we are baptized we enter into a covenant with God to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to keep His commandments, and to serve Him to the end (See Mosiah 18:8-10; D&C 20:37). Each time that we partake of the sacrament, we renew the covenant that we made at baptism (See D&C 20:77-79).

The question is asked in 2 Nephi 31:10, “Can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” Verses 11 to 13 continue:

“And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

“And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.”

Eleven years ago in the far away land of Iceland, where I was stationed in the Navy, I made the decision to be baptized into the Mormon Church. That decision started me on a whole new path in my life. I am convinced that had the Lord not taken me out of the main stream of things and sent me to a place as far away as Iceland, I probably would not be standing before this congregation this morning. My goals and my priorities where definitely a lot different than what the Lord had in mind. After being baptized in the Mormon religion and becoming more learned of the Gospel, and because of my willingness to take upon me His name, to follow His example, and to be obedient to His commands, I have seen and continue to see blessing after blessing in my life. Many doors that I once thought would never be opened to me are now beginning to open, and I have been blessed in so many ways with new opportunities to help me grow and mature in the Gospel.

I believe the words of President Joseph F. Smith best describe how I felt after being baptized: “When I [was] baptized for the remission of my sins, the feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned—and surely I was not without sin—that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from my sin; my heart was touched, and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as if I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul . . . this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord” (CR, April 1898, p.66).

I leave you with my testimony that I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. I know God lives and Jesus is the Christ. I know Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of the Lord. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is the Lord’s true Church upon the earth today and that His Church is being led by a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.

turn to Him for comfort and hope. A new website by the Mormons offers counsel and inspiration for those seeking to hold on to hope in the most difficult of circumstances.

Finding Hope offers this promise to visitors:

Finding hope in Jesus Christ sustains us through times of difficulty and despair, teaching us there is reason to rejoice even when darkness seems to surround us.

The website opens with a video of a talk given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an apostle of the Lord and a counselor to the Mormon prophet, called The Infinite Power of Hope. He teaches that we learn to have faith and hope gradually, a step at a time. We can learn to trust that our prayers will be answered. He reminds us that the atonement of Jesus Christ offers hope to even the bleakest moments, and can bring us joy.

President Uchtdorf understands the power of hope. He began his life in Czechoslovakia near the end of the Second World War. His father was drafted into the German army when President Uchtdorf was only three, and his mother was left to do the best she could with a young family. The children and their mother were often hungry and afraid. Finally, his mother decided to flee to Germany, where her family lived, crossing war zones and enduring hunger. President Uchtdorf notes that his mother did not sit back in fear. She acted in faith.

Another video offers to story of Victor Guzmon, a survivor of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. He talks about his struggles after the attacks, and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ helped him to find peace and acceptance.

Further down the page, you’ll find personal stories from real people, sharing how they learned to allow Jesus Christ to bring peace into their challenging lives. In these stories, you’ll discover tools you can use to find your own peace.

On the right hand side are three questions site visitors might have about hope: What is hope? How can hope help me? What do I need to do to find hope? Clicking on these questions will take you to brief explanations of the answers, and links to further resources.

Hope is defined as trusting God. God is our Father in Heaven and He loves us completely and unconditionally. He knows us better than anyone else and He knows what the future holds. He can guide us to make the right choices if we allow Him to do so. In time, we can learn that even our trials can become blessings as they help us to grow and mature. We can choose to be afraid or to let those trials destroy us, or we can choose to strengthen our relationship with God and let them become blessings. As we have to make choices during our trials, we can turn to God in prayer to receive perfect guidance. God can’t end all our trials, or prevent them in the first place, because they are often helpful to us. Some trials impact others. Some are caused by the agency of others, or our own agency. However, He can give us the strength to get through them and He can help us learn the purpose of each trial and how to use it to better our lives and the lives of others.

Would you like to teach others, including your children to have hope? Organize a family night with your children and prepare a brief lesson on hope and how it can help them. Just below the links discussed above are links to other resources. One of them takes you to media that can be used to teach others, including children. There are coloring pages of Jesus Christ and other hope-related topics, puzzles, games, and activities that can be printed off. The same section of links also takes you to beautiful music about hope you can listen to or sing with your family.

Images of hope is one of my favorite pages on the site. It contains paintings of the life of Jesus Christ. Through the eyes of great artists, we can view the birth, childhood, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Savior.

The final link in this section takes you to a list of scriptures about hope. Read what the Bible says about the subject and learn how we can apply them to our own lives.

Thomas S. Monson, the Mormon prophet, teaches: “Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” (See Thomas S. Monson, “Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Ensign, Mar 2009, 4–9. When we increase our faith, our ability to hope also grows.

The Book of Mormon is a book of scripture the Mormons use in addition to the Bible. It states: “And now as I said concerning 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). From this scripture in the Book of Mormon, we learn we don’t have to have perfect faith in order to have hope and comfort. If we had a perfect knowledge, it wouldn’t be faith. We can begin to develop our faith in God in small ways, gradually increasing our ability to trust God and to act on that trust.

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.

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

The other choice was to follow Lucifer. Lucifer wanted to take away our agency and send us to earth as puppets, with himself as the puppet master. He would control our every thought and action, and we’d live perfect lives, but for no purpose. Some were uncomfortable with the idea of continued agency, and rejected it. They preferred to stay with Satan and allow him to do their thinking for them. Those who followed Lucifer elected to give up their agency and were denied a chance to come to earth. They could not live here without agency.

The Mormon religion allows us to maintain control over our lives. Mormons teach that each person is required to find out for himself if the Mormon religion is true. While a very young child might believe simply because his parents believe, the child is taught, before he is eight years old, to begin deciding for himself. At age eight, he can be baptized, and before this happens, he is to learn his religion and to pray to know if it’s true.

This process is often repeated several times, as the child grows up and gains a stronger ability to recognize the promptings of faith. The pattern was set for us by Joseph Smith, the first Mormon prophet of modern times. He wanted to know which church to join, and after reading in the Bible that God would tell him, he went into the woods to ask God. Both God and Jesus Christ came to him to answer His question.

Most of us won’t get that type of answer, but we can receive an answer to our prayers, just as Joseph Smith did.

Does joining a church force you to give up your right to think for yourself? Of course not. Because each member of the church is taught to find out for themselves if the church is true, they are making an informed decision. Even after making this overall choice, if they learn something they’re not sure about, they can pray about that specific doctrine as well.

If your mother taught you not to touch a hot stove, and you obey, have you given up your right to think for yourself? No, because you are still free to touch the stove, as long as you’re willing to accept the consequences. You’re simply choosing to do what you know is best for you. Mormons, and other who believe in God, are doing the same.

One example often given is that of the sonnet. The sonnet is a poem with a very strict structure. Within the strict structure, however, a great deal of originality is possible. There are millions of sonnets, all following the rules, but all unique.

Believing in God is comforting. It’s a safe and healthy comfort, unlike the artificial comfort brought about by alcohol, drugs, or other immoralities many people turn to when they are stressed or worried. People who believe in God know there is someone who loves them and knows them, who always has their best interests at heart, and who, while not taking away our personal agency, will help us if we ask for help.

A true religion asks a great deal of its members. The Mormon religion isn’t a passive one. Because it’s a lay church, each member works hard to help it function, serving as leaders, teachers, and givers of service. They are held to a high standard of behavior.

Giving up your right to think for yourself is seemingly easy (although in reality it isn’t.) People looking for an easy way through life aren’t interested in being Mormon. The moral standards are very high and, since Mormons live in the everyday world, not in a sheltered community, this means making sacrifices and fighting those who want them to lower their standards. They raise families, have jobs, do volunteer work, and are also taught to make the most of the talents they have been given. They must figure out how to do this on their own, given their unique circumstances.

Religion never promises to be easy. The Mormons expect people to work hard for their own happiness and well-being, using the gospel as a guideline, but making choices within those guidelines.

To a Mormon, the Sacrament is very personal because it provides an opportunity for members to think about the great life, ministry, and Atonement of the Savior and how it applies and affects their individual lives. As written in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, “the Sacrament focuses attention on the sacrifice for sin wrought by the Savior and the need for all those who have been baptized to maintain their lives constantly in harmony with his teachings and commandments.”  The word “Sacrament” refers to the Lord’s Supper in which Christ used emblems in similitude of the sacrifice He was soon to make.  Christ met with His Apostles and instituted the sacrament as written in Luke 22:19-20:

19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which    is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

The broken bread reminds Church members of the Savior’s body, His suffering, and that through His mercy everyone will be resurrected and given the opportunity to obtain eternal life.  The water is symbolic of the Savior shedding His blood in suffering and anguish which started in the Garden of Gethsemane and ended on the cross.

This ordinance is an important part of worship and spiritual progression. Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized such as promising to obey Heavenly Father’s commandments and to always serve Him. In exchange for keeping these covenants, the Lord promises that we can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, the remission of sins, and the blessing of being spiritually reborn. In preparation of partaking of the sacrament, Church members take time to examine their lives and repent of sins. Members should have a humble and repentant heart in order to participate in the sacrament.

The Sacrament is administered by priesthood bearers who have authority.  As revealed in modern revelation, Priests in the Aaronic Priesthood and any Melchizedek Priesthood holder may officiate at the table. The sacrament table is prepared by teachers in the Aaronic Priesthood, and the bread and water are blessed by priests and passed to the members of the Church by deacons in the same priesthood. The sacramental prayers over the bread and water are scripturally exact as revealed by the Lord.

The Sacrament blesses my life each and every week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to renew my covenants with my Heavenly Father.  Partaking of the sacrament provides me with a sacred moment in a holy place where I can spiritually grow. Being involved in such a sacred ordinance more fully helps me realize the special blessing of being able to participate in it and its significance in my life – that Jesus Christ atoned for my sins and only through Him can I repent and one day live in His presence again.

Jesus also had siblings. According to Dr. Robert J. Matthews, who, in 1974, was an associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, we can estimate the number of siblings he had.

“We don’t know how many other children there were in the family, but the New Testament names four boys and lists some sisters. The Greek manuscripts are helpful here. Matthew speaks of “all” (Greek: pantai) his sisters (Matt. 13:56), suggesting more than two. The Greek term hai adelphia (the sisters) is used in the manuscripts, signifying a plurality-that is, three or more sisters. If the record had intended to convey that there were only two sisters, it is probable that the word pantai would not have been employed, but, instead, the word amphoterai, meaning “both,” would have been used.

Thus the household of Joseph and Mary apparently numbered at least five boys (including Jesus) and at least three girls-eight children-in addition to the parents.” (Robert J. Matthews, “Mary and Joseph,” Ensign, Dec 1974, 13)

Professor Matthews says in this article that there are two theories about these other children. One is that they were Joseph’s from a previous marriage, and that Mary stayed a virgin all her life. He points out if this were true, those children, older than Jesus, would have been the heirs to the Davidic line, not Jesus. In addition, Jesus was referred to as Mary’s firstborn child, not her only child.

It’s important to note that prophecy said Jesus must be born to a virgin. It does not say she had to remain a virgin after His birth.

The other theory is that these were the children of Joseph and Mary, making them Jesus’ half-brothers. In this case, they would be younger than Jesus.

The brothers are mentioned by name in the book of Mark, chapter six, verse 3, in the Bible: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

In the next verse, Jesus responds with a suggestion of sadness in His words: “4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4)

It appears He was not recognized as a prophet by His brothers at that time. In John 7, his brothers are pressuring him:

3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Carlfred Broderick, who in 1987, was a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California, notes that when Jesus was in his hometown and the people wanted to push him off a cliff, there is no record of His brothers coming to His defense. (Carlfred B. Broderick, “The Brothers of Jesus: Loving the Unbelieving Relative,” Ensign, Mar 1987, 50)

Professor Broderick also reminds us that on the cross, Jesus turned over care of His mother to one of His apostles, not to His brothers. It was apparent none of them came to Calvary that day, to support their mother or to be there for Him.

It may be this challenge, having brothers who turned their backs on the truth, that caused Jesus to speak of the importance of finding the lost sheep and of converting others. He knew, like so many others who face the heartache of an unbelieving relative, how challenging it was to see a loved one go astray.

There was not a change of heart until Jesus was resurrected. At that time, he appeared to His brother, James. Only now, when they could see the proof of his divinity, did they have a change of heart and fully repent of their earlier disbelief. Later scriptures mention the brothers as leaders in the church, with James seeming to fulfill a particularly high role. Some wrote portions of the New Testament. It was James who wrote the scripture that launched the restoration of the gospel.

In James 1:5, he wrote:

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.

Joseph Smith was fourteen years old when he read this passage in the Bible. He had been visiting various churches and trying to figure out how a person could tell which one to join. When he read this scripture, written by the Savior’s own brother, he realized this was the only way to know what God wanted. God knew which church was true. He went into woods and prayed. During the course of the prayer, God and Jesus Christ appeared to him. God introduced him to Jesus, who then instructed him not to join any of the churches, because none was entirely correct.

In a few years, when Joseph was grown, he would be mentored by an angel, who would prepare him to lead the restored gospel.