I believe, I know
This weekend it has once again been my privilege to listen to the Prophets, Apostles, and other General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address the world. It has been absolutely uplifting. As I watch and listen and internalize their messages, it is clear to me that these individuals are inspired of God - that there is a God who is guiding their preparation and delivery who stands at the helm of this great work. If you would like to hear their words, click here!
We live in a world of moral relativism. Most people today believe that there is no definite morality, that the notions 'right' and 'wrong' are out-dated, relative, and insignificant. Ironically it is this same society that demands exactness and verifiable data in their pursuit of scientific knowledge. When we believe in moral relativism, we stop standing for anything as we declare our emphatic stance on the absolute nothingness of the position relativism ultimately ends in. You cannot declare everything is equal and it's all up to the person and then become an advocate.
But I know that the notions of good and evil are real and exacting. We are taught in the scriptures and my modern-day prophets, seers, and revelators how we are to guide our lives. So many people spend their lives feeling an emptiness inside and I believe that comes directly from moral relativism. You see, when we know that we are giving our best, the Spirit confirms our actions to us and we are happy. That is why I am thankful for commandments. It gives me a goal to be working toward, with real measurable results.
Now you may be wondering what all this Mormonism stuff is about. And you wouldn't be alone. But I promise you that it makes you happy. We believe in a Restoration, meaning that after Christ's death, His church was ultimately lost. You may be wondering how that happened and how we got it back. Here's a little bit from my www.mormon.org profile.
Why Was A Restoration Necessary?
Mike answered...
When
Christ came to Earth the Gospel He taught and the church he organized
were in their perfect form. But it wasn't too long after He left that
there began to be some serious problems - just read Paul's letters! The
early church was composed with two very different ethnic groups.
Slowly the differing cultural influences began to take precedence over
the gospel and the church fell apart. The priesthood was lost and many
of the precious truths of the Gospel went with it.
The Bible thankfully still contained many of Christ's original
teachings. But with a limited number of manuscripts that themselves
weren't entirely identical documents retaining the purity of the work
became difficult. As copies were made by hand the differences between
versions became apparent as errors were made. Many of these errors came
just through the difficulty of hand copying the large documents, while
others were the intentional addition or removal of portions of the
Bible. And that was before the translators got involved. With
different language skills and interpretations, the problem was only
magnified until today we have a Bible with thousands of different
versions.
So it wasn't really that surprising when a young man was confused about
which sect was right. With a multitude of different Biblical versions
and a "tumult of opinions" as he called it, Joseph Smith found himself
at a loss of what was right in the world and what he was to do. In the
spring of 1820, he found himself reading James 1:5 which reads: "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."
That beautiful verse of scripture really hit home with him. He knew
that if he wanted to know what he should do, he would have to ask God.
So he did just that. One morning he headed into the woods of his home
and began to pray. He later wrote of the experience that while praying,
"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 saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. He asked Them which
of all the sects was true, which was the one he was to join. They
replied that none of them held the fullness of the gospel and commanded
him to join none of them. Through Joseph Smith they then restored the
fullness of the gospel of Christ - including the priesthood, the
original organization of the church, and the precious truths that had
been lost over time. God loves us too much to leave us without
guidance.
I know that is true. You can too. Through The Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith received The Book of Mormon through miraculous means. If you read this book you will be uplifted. If you read it sincerely, really looking for the truth and ask God if it be true, He will let you know. I know the Book of Mormon is true, that it perfectly complements the Bible, that Joseph Smith was the Prophet who restored the true Church of Jesus Christ. That is why I spent two years serving a mission in Singapore, why my brother Mark spent two years serving a mission in Sydney, and why my brother Matthew is going to Panama City!
If you would like to learn more, please click on any of the images above. Or read The Book of Mormon, I promise it will make you happy.
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