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.

The entire process took about five years, due to the sacred nature of the work and the need for accuracy. Verses were compared to the King James Version, which is the official translation used by Mormons in English, four more Spanish editions of the Bible, and Greek and Hebrew manuscripts as well.

The new edition is available in print and also on CD. It can be downloaded at no charge from church websites. For more information, interested people of any faith may visit Santa Biblia.

The Mormons produced a similar project with the King James Bible, which is the official Mormon Bible in English. Although text was not changed, footnotes and summaries, as well as new study materials, were added to a uniquely LDS version of a treasured edition of the Bible. This project was begun many decades ago, when church leaders became concerned because church members were using different editions of the King James version of the Bible for different purposes—one for children, for instance, a different one for teenage classes and so on. The church wanted an official edition of the Bible and an improved combined edition of the other LDS scriptures. However, after prayer, it was determined the Bible should be the priority.

For more on this project, read The Coming Forth of the LDS Editions of Scripture By Wm. James Mortimer.

Mormons use four books of scripture in their worship. The Old and New Testaments of the Bible are both used. In addition, Mormons use the Book of Mormon, an ancient scripture written by descendents of the Israelites of the Old Testament. A small group of Israelites fled Jerusalem when Lehi, a prophet, found his life in danger during the time of the prophet Jeremiah. God directed him, his family and a few other people, to journey across the ocean to the Americas. He and the prophets who followed kept records of their dealings with the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel, which were eventually preserved to be brought forth in our time.

In addition to these, the Mormons use the Doctrine and Covenants, a record of the modern revelations given. Most occurred early in church history, but some later revelations have been recorded as well. The Pearl of Great Price contains some translations of ancient records, revelations received by Joseph Smith, Joseph’s Smith’s personal history, and a statement of thirteen beliefs the Church holds.

All of these scriptures are studied by church members. Children under four have a curriculum that uses stories and teachings from all the books. Children ages four to eight study the Bible one year, and the other scriptures the next year, repeating the series until they move to the next level. From ages eight through adulthood, members study the scriptures in a four year rotation. The Bible is given two years, one for each testament, causing it to be studied twice as often as the other books. In addition to this, teenagers attend a weekday class each school day in which they also follow a four year rotation of study. Again, the Bible is given two years in this rotation.

Gordon B. Hinckley, a past president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught:

The Bible is our scripture. We believe that the prophets of the Old Testament who foretold the coming of the Messiah spoke under divine inspiration. We glory in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John setting forth the events of the birth, ministry, death, and Resurrection of the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Like Paul of old, we are “not ashamed of the gospel of [Jesus] Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). And like Peter, we affirm that Jesus Christ is the only name “given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Symbol of Our Faith,” Ensign, Apr 2005, 2–6

Many evangelicals teach that a person gets to heaven by being “saved.” This involves the act of accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. At the same time, they teach that acts cannot get you into Heaven. The Mormons also believe that a person must accept Jesus Christ as His Savior in order to return to God’s presence after death. Both groups agree that at least one act is required of all of us in order to be with God.

The confusion over the number of acts required to be saved comes from the differences in terminology used by Mormons. Mormons believe everyone is saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, even if they never accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, grace and eternal life, to a Mormon, are not the same thing. To understand this complex issue, let’s look at several essential points.

What is grace?

The Bible Dictionary, found in LDS editions of the King James Bible, defines grace for us:

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.  (see Bible Dictionary.)

In other words, grace allows us to rise from the dead, receive our bodies back from the grave in a perfected form, and life forever. This is possible only because Jesus Christ voluntarily gave up His life for us after taking on the sins of the world. No fully  human being was capable of doing this for Himself. Had Christ not made this sacrifice for us, life would end with death because none of us could live a perfect life or satisfy the demands of justice fully. Only Jesus, with a mortal mother and a Heavenly Father could live perfectly and choose to die for us.

Each person then, is resurrected and given a place to spend eternity. However, living forever isn’t the total sum of our goals for eternity if we love God. We who love Him want to live with Him in His home forever. This requires a bit more. Again, it is grace that makes this additional gift possible. Without grace, we could not repent of the sins we commit here on earth.

Why does repentance matter?

For this, we need to search the Bible, where we find the following scriptures:

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, KJV of the Bible)

The Book of James, who is believed to be the brother of Jesus, took this thought even further, and answers the question without any room for doubt:

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2, King James Version of the Bible)

James points out that believing in God is good, but even Satan believes in God. No, more is required that just to believe. He explains, using Abraham and Rahab as examples, that they obeyed the commandments because they had faith, and that faith was made perfect when they chose to not just believe, but to do what God taught them to do. It was the combination of faith and works that made them perfect in the eyes of God. Note especially the inclusion of Rahab. Rahab is a woman who was a harlot, so not a prophet or other person we might normally think to hold up as an example. If we looked only at that one aspect of her life, we’d see her as a lost soul, but God sees her as more and notes that she made courageous choices that helped to progress the work of God. She was, in fact, listed as an ancestor of Jesus Christ. This does not give her the right to sin as she chooses, but it demonstrates that the good works she did mattered and counted in the long run.

We see then, that faith and works must work together as a unified total in order for either of them to “get us into Heaven.”

Can Mormons (or anyone else) work their way into Heaven?

No. An evil person who did good works could not get himself into Heaven. A person who did good works every single day would not be admitted to God’s presence unless he had also accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior and unless His good works were an outward manifestation of the private faith in his heart.

A person who truly loves God will want to do His will. The greater our faith, the easier it becomes to make good choices. A person who says he has faith, who publicly proclaims that he has accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior, but who happily goes about his life robbing banks or hurting others, and who does not bother to repent is not going to be admitted into Heaven, as Jesus made clear, because his faith is not real and because no unclean thing can enter into God’s presence. Faith without works is a dead faith, but so is works without faith dead works. No one will live a perfect life, but we have a responsibility to repent when we do wrong, and to continually strive to keep the commandments.

The Book of Mormon teaches:

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. …

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.  (2 Nephi 25)

It is only through Jesus Christ that people can be saved. If we want to live with God, rather than to merely live forever away from His presence, we must have faith, and we must also keep the commandments, as Jesus Christ instructed us to do.

Although Mormons don’t participate in a formal ceremony, they do teach the principle behind it. As Pope John Paul II said, we must stand beside the Savior.

In the April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , whose members are often called Mormons, Jeffrey R. Holland gave a powerful talk on this subject, called “None Were With Him.” He spoke of how the Savior was abandoned during much of the challenging last days. He spoke of the abuse and denial not just of those who did not personally know and love Him, but also of the treatment from those within His personal circle, beginning with Judas, who knew Him, traveled with Him and taught the gospel. Peter, James, and John slept while the Savior atoned for the sins of everyone who ever had and ever would live, including those who slept outside the Garden after being asked to stay awake. In the final moments, Elder Holland wrote:

“Thus, of divine necessity, the supporting circle around Jesus gets smaller and smaller and smaller, giving significance to Matthew’s words: “All the disciples [left] him, and fled.”¹⁵ Peter stayed near enough to be recognized and confronted. John stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus’s mother. Especially and always the blessed women in the Savior’s life stayed as close to Him as they could. But essentially His lonely journey back to His Father continued without comfort or companionship.”

There was a spiritual purpose to this loneliness, as Jesus came to understand completely how it felt to be alone amidst suffering. However, Elder Holland offered this plea to Christians everywhere:

“Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path-the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, “I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”²⁰

My other plea at Easter time is that these scenes of Christ’s lonely sacrifice, laced with moments of denial and abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week-Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb-may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,”²¹ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

It could be said then, that Mormons carry out the Stations of the Cross every moment of every day, standing by the Savior, defending Him, serving as witnesses of Him, and making sure they give meaning to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Their leaders teach them that ours is not a religion that can be lived only on Sundays for a few hours. It must be lived at all times in order to be meaningful.

One way Mormons stand by Jesus Christ is to set an example of Him. When we’re baptized we take on His name, and even young children, who can be baptized at age eight, are taught that this is a sacred responsibility. When we take on His name, we have a responsibility to represent what He believes as much as possible, and to make the word Christian a meaningful and positive word. We try our best never to degrade His sacred name. While no one but the Savior was ever perfect all the time, we have a responsibility beyond that of others when we call ourselves Christians.

The Lord does most of His work through other people. When someone needs to be fed, He points them out to a person who has food. When a child of God needs a home, it’s provided through inspired service of another human being. When Jesus makes us aware of another person in need, it is our responsibility to pay attention. If we look the other way, make excuses, or waste time analyzing whose responsibility it really is, we leave the Savior alone. When we study the commandments on Sunday, but forget them on Monday, we leave Him alone. When we falter and choose not to repent, we leave Him alone.

Stations of the Cross is a lovely way to remember the sacrifices Jesus made for us, strengthening their ability to do so all year. While Mormons don’t participate in this ritual, they have a sacred obligation to remember those sacrifices every day of the year, even without the reminder of ceremony.

“Strictly speaking, the Law of Moses consists of the first five books of the Old Testament-what the Jews call the Torah. These five books of Moses (Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; and Deuteronomy) are also called the Pentateuch, but in the New Testament they are usually just “the Law.” Sometimes the term “the Law” was used for the whole Old Testament, but usually a distinction was made between the books of Moses (the Law) and those of subsequent prophets (the Prophets); hence, the custom in Jesus’ time of referring to the Hebrew scriptures as “the Law and the Prophets” (for example, Matt. 5:17; Matt. 7:12).

The Law was revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and came to be respected even by the gentiles for its antiquity and its comprehensive fairness. By the time of Jesus, it had stood as the criminal, civil, and religious code of the Jewish people for well over a thousand years. It had guided them in every aspect of human activity for so long that Jews found it difficult to conceive of life without “the Law” (Stephen E. Robinson, “The Law after Christ,” Ensign, Sep 1983, 69).

Robinson, who was at the time the article was written, an assistant professor of religion in Pennsylvania, explained that many Jews were angry at Jesus for teaching that the law of Moses was a temporary and lesser law, because it had become for them, “identified as the divine will itself-perfect, absolute, forever unchanging and unchangeable. The Law was thought of as the will of God exactly, precisely expressed; therefore, any deviation at all from the letter of the Law of Moses was also deviation from God. There was no room for flexibility or “extenuating circumstances.”

Jesus lived the Law of Moses and taught his followers to do the same until the atonement was fulfilled. He said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18 in the New Testament of the King James Bible).

When Jesus atoned for our sins, the Law of Moses was fulfilled and the people could take on a higher law.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets,” Jesus said. “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). The meaning of this verse may be amplified by an alternate translation: “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, I have come not to abolish but to complete, to make their meaning full.” 1 The Hebrew word Torah, which literally means “teaching or doctrine,” is rendered in the New Testament by the Greek word nomes, which means “law.” Therefore, what Jesus was conveying is that whenever He spoke of or taught from the law of Moses, He would render a fuller or more complete meaning. The law had been given to Moses by Jehovah, who was now upon the earth in His mortal ministry as Jesus Christ; therefore it was His prerogative to make the meaning of the law, the teachings, and the doctrine “full” and “complete.”

Jesus used the law of Moses as it was intended to purify lives and teach of salvation through the Messiah. The law of Moses, correctly understood and applied, would raise the natural man to a spiritual level and fortify him against the cunning of the devil. (See Thomas F. Olmstead, “The Savior’s Use of the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jul 2002, 47.)

Olmstead also pointed out that Jesus used the law to help explain his own actions, such as healing on the Sabbath. He taught the law. Olmstead explains, “Jesus did not reject the Law of Moses-the Torah-as found in the Old Testament. Rather, He used it to affirm its own truthfulness and give a more complete meaning.” Mormons refer to the more complete meaning as the higher law.

For the Jewish people of the time, this was difficult to understand. Robinson explained, “Furthermore, most Jews of Jesus’ day had come to believe that salvation came only by observance of the Law of Moses as the highest possible expression of God’s will, and in no other way.”

In contrast, James Faust, a former Mormon leader in modern times, said, “…the intent of a person alone becomes part of the rightness or wrongness of human action. So our intent to do evil or our desire to do good will be a freestanding element of consideration of our actions. We are told we will be judged in part by the intent of our hearts.” (See James E. Faust, “The Surety of a Better Testament,” Ensign, Sep 2003, 2-6.) This was the law introduced by Jesus during his ministry. Although obedience is required, so is intent and faith. A person must also believe, not just carry out the appropriate actions. This is a change from what was taught in Jesus’ day.

Jesus taught his followers to obey the law and then to take it a step higher. He taught that the law said that to commit adultery was a sin, and that the higher law was that it was a sin even to contemplate adultery or to think about someone other than your spouse in an inappropriate way. It was no longer enough to be just physically faithful to your spouse-you had to be emotionally faithful as well. While the law taught not to kill, Jesus added the requirement to avoid anger at the person. It was no longer enough just to avoid killing him. Each law was taken to a higher level, requiring more faith on the part of believers.

One important part of the law was the law of sacrifice. The Israelites were required to sacrifice their animals. Christians today are taught instead to sacrifice themselves. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by dying for our sins, and each Sabbath, we take a sacrament of bread and water to remember that sacrifice. But we are also required to make personal sacrifices. God asks of us to give up our worldly desires and focus our lives around Him. The greater our faith, the better able we are to sacrifice for God.

Elder Ballard taught, “While the law of Moses was fulfilled, the principles of the law of sacrifice continue to be part of the doctrine of the Church. The primary purpose of the law of sacrifice still is to test us and assist us in coming unto Christ. After the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice, two adjustments were made in the practice of this law. First, the ordinance of the sacrament replaced the ordinance of sacrifice; and second, this change moved the focus of the sacrifice from a person’s animal to the person himself. In a sense, the sacrifice changed from the offering to the offerer.”

What does the Law of Moses mean to a Mormon? In the early days of the church, Robinson says this was a major issue of concern to those who belonged to the church, particularly to those who converted to Judaism. They wanted to know the restored gospel was an addition to the law of Moses or if it was an entirely new law. Jesus had answered that question quite clearly in his earthly ministry. It was a law designed to lead people to Jesus and to help them understand the sacrifices He would make for them. The law was fulfilled by the atonement of Jesus. Aspects of it, including sacrifice, continue to be a part of the gospel, but in a more personal way, through personal sacrifice of selfishness and worldliness, not animal sacrifice. The law of Moses did not have the power to save us-only the atonement could do that. Despite this, it was an important step in the progression of man.

Adam and Eve were created by God and placed into a peaceful place to begin their lives. We can think of this as replacing the protected childhood of most people. Here they had everything they could want and only one request to obey. This allowed them time to settle into their marriage and the unfamiliar world in which they were placed, and they could have chosen to stay there forever, had they wanted to do so. However, their progress would be very limited if they did so. They would not have children or progress through a normal lifespan. This would also mean they could not fulfill the purposes for which they were sent.

The story of Adam and Eve really begins long before their birth. Prior to the creation of the world, God created

spirits. These spirits had the form of the people who live on earth today, but did not have bodies. They did, however, have personality, talents, and the right to make choices. Each developed in his own way, becoming something of the person he would be on earth.

When life is too comfortable, progress is limited. God, wanting us to progress further, told us He would create for us a world. We would be able, when we came there, to have a body and a family. We would have a figurative veil drawn over us so we would be unable to remember our time in God’s presence. However, the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost would testify to us quietly when we learned truth, if we were sincerely seeking truth. In this way, we’d be able to find our way back.

In order for this life to have meaning, we had to face trials, tribulation, hard work, and choices. In the Garden of Eden, none of that was possible. Adam and Eve understood they faced two conflicting set of instructions-to avoid the fruit of the tree and to go forth and multiply. Today, we often face conflicting instructions from God. For instance, a child is commanded to honor and obey his parents, but then might face a situation in which a parent instructs him to break another commandment. The child must then choose which commandment to obey. One of the challenges of mortal life is to use our agency and our wisdom to decide which commandment is the better part for that particular situation.

Adam and Eve would not raise a family in the shelter of the garden. Had they selfishly chosen to remain, we could not have come to earth. Eve chose the better part when she chose motherhood and made a decision to leave the garden, even though it meant hardship, suffering, and death, not just for her, but for all of us. It was the only way life on earth could have meaning and purpose.

Lehi, the first prophet of the Book of Mormon, explained it this way:

If Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall.” (2 Nephi 2:22-26)

These verses help us to understand that the ranges of emotion are essential to our learning in this mortal life. We can’t recognize or appreciate joy until we’ve experienced heartache. We couldn’t appreciate the pleasure of making good choices until we knew how sin affected our spirits. To experience all of this, we had to be in the world, not in the garden.

Mormons do not believe in original sin. The church has a statement of thirteen articles of faith, written by Joseph Smith. The second says, “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” While there are certainly consequences for our own lives in their choice, including that of death, the atonement protects us from being directly held responsible for another person’s choice.

Jesus Christ, in that same pre-mortal life, offered to serve as our redeemer. He alone would live a sinless life and then would atone for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, and following that, die for us on the cross. This made it possible for us to repent and be forgiven for our sins, and to live again after death. Because He atoned for our sins, we are not accountable for the choices made by Adam and Eve. We are accountable for only our own sins, and can repent only for those sins we ourselves committed.

We don’t have a very complete record of Adam and Eve’s time on earth, and so we don’t know a great deal about the thought process that went on. We do know that God’s plan for us was carried out.

Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle, helps us to understand the nature of the choice made by Adam and Eve, and explains how Mormons view them:

It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and “Adam fell that men might be” (2 Ne. 2:25).

Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall (see Bruce R. McConkie, “Eve and the Fall,” Woman, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979, pp. 67-68). Joseph Smith taught that it was not a “sin,” because God had decreed it (see The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1980, p. 63). Brigham Young declared, “We should never blame Mother Eve, not the least” (in Journal of Discourses, 13:145). Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin … for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56, 1:114-15).

This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (emphasis added). It also echoes a familiar distinction in the law. Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin-inherently wrong-but a transgression-wrong because it was formally prohibited. These words are not always used to denote something different, but this distinction seems meaningful in the circumstances of the Fall.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “‘The Great Plan of Happiness‘,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 72)

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.

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

In these verses, Jesus explains that angels-not the exalted beings, but the unworthy beings-will not be allowed to have eternal families because they will not be exalted.

The Bible also mentions some who were angels without having been mortal previously.

No angels have wings. Clearly, those who lived on earth aren’t going to sprout wings, since they are, as we are, in the image of their Father in Heaven. Wings are merely an earthly attempt to explain how angels are able to move around in the sky, but have no bearing in fact. With God’s power behind them, wings are unnecessary.

Those who minister to those on earth are of particular interest to us today. We find them in nearly every important event in our spiritual history.

One important example of the work angels do is shown in the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. It was an angel, Gabriel, who came to Elisabeth to tell her she would have a son named John, and then to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of Jesus. An angel-possibly also Gabriel-came to Joseph to reassure him that Mary’s child really was the promised Savior.

Angels also came to earth to announce the birth of the Savior:

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Angels remained a presence from time to time during the life of the Savior, for instance, ministering to Him as He suffered the extraordinary pain of taking on our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane.

In modern times, angels were the messengers who brought the restored gospel back to the earth. In the Book of Mormon, we read of Moroni, a prophet who was the last remaining righteous person in his personal world. He was a Nephite, as his people were known, and when his prophet father Mormon and the others of his people were killed, he inherited the records of his civilization. These records were sacred and would play a critical role in the restoration. They included details of the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas after his crucifixion. Moroni abridged the records and buried them for safekeeping.

After his death, he became an angel. When it was time to restore the Savior’s full gospel to the earth, it was Moroni, fittingly, who came to earth as an angel to tutor Joseph Smith. When he felt Joseph was sufficiently matured and educated, he allowed Joseph to take the records from the hill where they’d been kept for safekeeping all these years.

Later, as Joseph and his friend Oliver Cowdery were working on the translation of these records, which would become known as the Book of Mormon, they read about baptism. They had questions about this ordinance and went to the banks of the Susquehanna River to pray. At this time, John the Baptist came to earth as an angel. He had baptized Jesus, and still held the keys (the authority) of the Aaronic Priesthood, which is mentioned in the Old Testament. This priesthood is required in order to perform a baptism. He bestowed those keys on Joseph and Oliver, who were then able to baptize each other.

There is an additional, higher priesthood called the Melchizedek Priesthood, which also needed to be restored in order for the church to function as it did in the days of the Savior’s ministry. These keys had also been taken from the earth after the death of the apostles, and again, angels came to deliver them to Joseph. The keys are not literal, physical keys, but are the authority to act for God. Peter, James, and John, who had been Jesus’ apostles during his mortal ministries, had received the keys to the Melchizedek priesthood from Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. They continued to hold them, since the world had been in apostasy, and so they came to bestow them on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. With all the keys now restored, the church itself could be restored.

The work of angels is critical to God’s plan. They are frequently present when the most important events occur and are an important part of our lives on earth.

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.

I served for two years as a Mormon missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) in Mississippi and Louisiana. It was the greatest experience of my life. I loved sharing the gospel with the people of the South because so many of them have deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They were very kind to us missionaries coming to their door. I cannot count the number of people who let me into their home, as a complete stranger, to share what I believe. I learned that “southern hospitality” is very real and I believe it is because the people have good Christian values. There were also many people who turned us away but even this was usually done politely.

I was asked many times by the faithful people of the South why I was trying to convert people who are already Christian. Many are living very honorable lives and serving their fellow men as they put their trust in Jesus Christ. They would ask why we don’t send our Mormon missionaries to other parts of the world where people don’t know about Jesus Christ. I would explain that we do. We have missionaries all over the world speaking almost every language. We also have Mormon missionaries who are devoted to humanitarian aid. We try in every way that we can to help God’s children and bring them back to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
They would still wonder why they as Christians needed to talk to me. As I pondered this question, the answer came to me very powerfully in the form of a question: “Why would any Christian not want to know that Jesus Christ has restored His church to the earth, the very church that we read about in the New Testament?” I would simply explain to those who didn’t understand why I served in the South, that the message that we bring is from God and that He sent us out to share it with everyone.
Our message is very simple and extremely important. God is our Father in Heaven, and He loves us very much. By sinning we cut ourselves off from His presence and He has prepared a way for us to return to live with Him (John 3:16). Throughout all of time God has called prophets (See Amos 3:7) to teach us that this way is through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Jesus Christ truly suffered and died for our sins that we might be forgiven and He was resurrected so that we will all live again. These prophets that teach of Jesus Christ hold the authority of God to lead us and keep the doctrines of Christ’s gospel pure. Jesus Christ himself taught His gospel when He came to the earth, and He established His church on the “foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).
God is a God of order and the Church that was established by Jesus Christ was very well organized. He called apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers and others to help build up the Saints and bring everyone to a “unity of the faith”. The church was established to bring everyone to “a knowledge of the Son of God” (See Ephesians 4:11-13).
Sadly, before everyone could be brought to a knowledge of the Son of God and be brought to this unity of faith, Jesus Christ and the leaders of His church were killed. The Lord prophesied that this would happen. He said to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:9-11).
This prophecy was fulfilled. The very foundation of Jesus Christ’s church was destroyed, and the followers of Christ were left to interpret things on their own. Without the authority of God, or the priesthood, men interpreted the scriptures in many different ways and started the many different denominations that we see in the world today. The unity of the faith that was to be established was not achieved and we now have many different religions with highly varying beliefs.
I loved serving in the South because, in sharing the creation of Jesus Christ’s church and the following apostasy or falling away, many people came to understand something that they had been trying to figure out for a long time. I met so many people that had attended many different churches and couldn’t understand why the teachings were so much different and why the churches competed so much with each other. I loved being able to explain that Jesus Christ had established His church but that it was lost.
I was then able to explain the answer to the question I was asked so many times: “Why was I talking to people who were already Christian?” I was able to explain that Jesus Christ didn’t want His church gone forever and that He has restored it to the earth to prepare the way for His second coming. Because they could see the results of the confusion that had resulted following the apostasy, many of the people of the South recognized the need for this restoration of Jesus Christ’s original church.
The Church was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. Much like the people of the South that I was talking to, Joseph had seen the confusion of the many churches in New York as he was growing up. He searched long and hard trying to find out which church to join. He did what all of us must do to find answers from God. He studied his scriptures and he prayed. In the spring of 1820, he went to a quiet grove of trees near his home and prayed vocally to our Father in Heaven. He prayed to know which of all the churches he should join. He had an incredible experience in which he saw God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
He said of this experience, “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me . . . when the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17)
Joseph was called as a prophet, and Jesus Christ established His church again on the earth in these last days through him. I loved being able to share with the people of the South that the Mormon church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the Lord’s church again established on the earth. I saw people’s lives change as they came unto Jesus Christ and lived by His teachings. It was an incredible experience to see someone recognize that the Lord didn’t stop speaking in ancient times but that He has again called prophets and apostles to guide us in these troubling times.
There were also many people that didn’t believe what we taught. I had never had so many people question my beliefs from every angle. This caused me to study my scriptures more and pray to my Father in Heaven to know what was true. I found from God through the power of the Holy Ghost that the message that I was sharing is true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He is leading His church today through a modern prophet and twelve apostles. As my knowledge and testimony of this grew stronger and stronger, I would say to people, “I’m here to tell you that this is true. Your neighbor will tell you something else is true. You can ask me what is true. You can ask your pastor what is true. You can ask anyone what is true, but I don’t want you to get your answer from any of us. I want you to get your answer from God through prayer and scripture study. That is the only way that I know for myself.”
Even though many didn’t believe what I taught and even heavily questioned my beliefs, I was amazed at the kindness that they showed to me and the other missionaries. I have some great friends that I still keep in touch with that are active members of other faiths. These friends include pastors and leaders of other churches. It is one of our articles of faith in the Mormon church that “we claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” (Articles of Faith 1:11).
As Mormons, we believe in allowing others to believe as they desire. We still try to share our beliefs with everyone and when I am asked why I share my beliefs with other Christians I will continue to respond with the question, “Why would any Christian not want to know that Jesus Christ has restored His church to the earth, the very church that we read about in the New Testament?”