A Companion to the Bible

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd," (John 10:16).

Who are these "other sheep," the Lord mentions in this scripture? Could it be that some of the Lord's children resided in other lands, or "folds," during His ministry on earth? Could it be that he planned to visit them in His resurrected form as He did to His apostles? Furthermore, is it possible that the Lord inspired people in all lands to keep records of His dealings with men? If so, where are those records today?

Three years after Joseph Smith beheld a vision of God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ in answer to his supplication for truth, an angel of the Lord visited him and told him of an ancient record deposited nearby, which gave, "an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants," (JS-H 1:33-34).

It then became Joseph's calling to translate this ancient record into our modern language. This record, now called the Book of Mormon, tells of a prophet and his family who left Jerusalem in B.C. 600. It tells of their journey to a new land, the divisions created between them because of pride, and ultimately the destruction of their people, spanning over 1000 years. The crowning moment occurs when the Savior visits these ancient inhabitants in His resurrected form, as He did in Jerusalem.

Much like the Bible, the Book of Mormon contains records that were kept by many people, and were then compiled and abridged by a prophet named Mormon around A.D. 400. This compilation was made on one set of plates, so that they could be brought forth in this generation for the benefit of all men.

The LDS church views the Book of Mormon as a companion to the Bible. In other words, the Book of Mormon complements the Bible and each shed light on each other. Their purpose is one and the same, which is "to show...what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord...And also to the convincing...that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself to all nations." (Book of Mormon, Title Page).

The work of translating was no easy task. Joseph Smith was forced to move from place to place amidst persecution because of what he had seen. However, "with little formal education, Joseph Smith dictated the translation in just a little over two months of actual working time and made very few corrections. The book stands today essentially as he translated it and has been the source of testimony for millions of people throughout the world," (Our Heritage, p9).

How could a boy in his young 20's, with little education, translate such an incredible book of scripture in such a short time? Could he have possibly fabricated such a work? Having read the Book of Mormon, the only clear explanation I see is that he truly did translate an ancient record through the inspiration of the Lord.

But my conclusion is not just a logical one.

More resounding and convincing than these physical evidences is the testimony you can receive through actually reading the book. The surest way to determine whether the words represent the word of the Lord, is to read it, ponder it, and pray about it earnestly. In the concluding pages of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni states, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost, " (Moroni 10:4).

Understandably, this may sound like an unbelievable story to many of you. It may have sounded unbelievable to me if I had just heard it for the first time. But, I assure you that the truth of this book is not something that has just been indoctrinated in me. I have read its words, I have pondered its messages, and I have studied its doctrines. It has deepened my understanding of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It continues to help me find answers to life's questions. Furthermore, I have heeded Moroni's call at the end of the book, and the Lord has witnessed to me that it is true. I know that true and lasting joy comes by heeding its teachings.

I count the Book of Mormon as one of the greatest blessing the Lord has given me. When our family takes the time to read it, it brings peace in our home, brings answers to questions, and shows us the way to everlasting joy. When we cast aside the book and fail to read it, discontent and impatience soon prevail and we find ourselves distanced from the Lord. The more I read it, the more I begin to understand God's plan for me and the role He would have me play. Knowing that the Book of Mormon is true strengthens my knowledge that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the teachings of the restoration are true. I am forever grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for providing such a wealth of knowledge that I can turn to and rely on.

****

If you are interested in receiving a free copy of the Book of Mormon click here to visit the official LDS website and request a copy. I believe it should be the true starting point for all seekers of truth.

Take my Yoke Upon you

The greatest gift we have ever been given is the atonement of Jesus Christ. When we become "at one" with Christ, He can not only cleanse us from our sins but also succor us when in need.

When Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He felt the weight of all of our sins AND the sorrow for our infirmities--all of our heartache, pains, and sufferings of any kind. No matter how alone we may feel at times in our lives, we can turn to the Lord and know that He understands our every pain.

He beckons, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest unto your souls," (Matt. 11: 28-29)

When we are heavy laden with the sorrows of life, we can come unto the Lord and He can make our burdens feel light. To "yoke" means to become joined or linked together, and often refers to the harness that links oxen together before a cart. So, when we take His yoke upon us, He can help us carry our load so that it feels lighter. He doesn't necessarily take the burdens away from us, but He will carry them with us.

What does this mean for us? When we feel the desire to despair, when we feel as though no one can understand the pains we are coping with, when we feel like our burden is too heavy to bear, we can remember that the Lord suffered ALL for us and knows our infirmities.

The first prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith, suffered unimaginable trials. He was persecuted and driven from place to place. His clothes were ripped from his back while his enemies coated his flesh in tar and feathers. He was wrongfully imprisoned. In his most painful hour, he turned to the Lord for comfort and strength. The Lord responded with this message:

"If thou art called to pass through tribulation...If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations...and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you?...And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee;...and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (Doctrine & Covenants 122:5-8)

The Son of Man, our Savior Jesus Christ hath descended below them all. He has suffered more than any man on this earth will ever suffer. We should note that He doesn't promise us a life free of suffering. He explains that the trials and sorrows we suffer in this life will "be for thy good." Paul also explains in Romans that, "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, see also 38-39)

When we view our trials and sorrows as opportunities to grow and gain experience, and when we turn the the Lord so that He can help us carry our burdens, our load will be lightened. I can testify that by coming unto Christ, we can find "rest for our souls" and He can help us understand the purpose behind the sorrow we experience.

***

As it is Thanksgiving this week, I would also like to suggest that we develop an attitude of gratitude in the trials we face. In 1 Thessalonians, we read, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you," (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Notice he does not say, "give thanks when times are happy," or "give thanks for all blessings." He says to give thanks in EVERY thing. I suggest that we seek to have gratitude in all situations and all trials. Not only will this help us see the reason behind our sufferings, but it can bring the peace of Jesus Christ into our hearts so that we feel lighter. We all have so much to be grateful for. We would do well to contemplate and meditate on what those blessings are specifically, rather than lumping them all together by saying, "we're thankful for our blessings." Let us take the time to give true thanks to the Lord for all things.

Mormon Beliefs: Part V: The Restoration

In the seventh and final dispensation, the dispensation of the “fulness of times,” or the restitution of all things, the Lord again called a prophet to lead and direct his children on earth. This was foretold by the prophets of old, (The Acts 3:19-22, New Testament; Deuteronomy 18:15, Old Testament). During this time, the United States was one of the only countries with religious freedom and there was much religious excitement throughout the eastern states. Joseph Smith was a young boy at the time who desired to, “know which of all the sects was right.” Ephesians 4:5 taught that there was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” but Joseph Smith was confused about which church to join. He could not conclude which church was right or wrong. During this time he turned to the Bible for guidance, and found 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.” Because of this scripture, he decided to ask God which church he should join.

In the spring of 1820, he retired into a grove of trees and knelt in prayer. Of this experience, he said, “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 was told that none of the churches were totally correct. Even though many good people believed in Christ and tried to teach his gospel, they did not have the fulness of the truth or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances. Just as the Lord had done with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others, he called Joseph Smith as the prophet to open the final dispensation and restore the “fulness” of the gospel to the earth.

With the Restoration of the fulness of times, the authority of God was again given to man on earth to lead and direct Christ’s church, and perform sacred ordinances. God does not cease to be a God of miracles and has not ceased to speak to and direct his people through prophets. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8, New Testament; Mormon 9:9, Book or Mormon). Among the priesthood keys includes the power to seal in heaven and on earth, (Matthew 16:19, New Testament; Helaman 10:7, Book of Mormon). We believe that marriage is ordained of God. We believe that families can be together forever, that if a man and woman are married under priesthood authority, they can be sealed together for, “time and all eternity,” rather than, “until death do us part.” Families are meant to exist throughout the eternities.