Why so many tears?

It's true. We Mormons are criers. If you attend a Mormon church service for the full three hours in a ward where there are lots of members (at least 20 in each classroom), chances are high that you will hear at least one person start to choke up while sharing a comment or giving a talk, and it's pretty much guaranteed if you attend Sacrament Meeting on Fast Sunday (usually the first Sunday of the month).

Why so many tears and thick voices? Mormons believe in the Holy Ghost. He is a member of the godhead, but unlike Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ who have perfected bodies of flesh and bones, the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. Because he's a spirit, he can literally come and dwell within us. The mission of the Holy Ghost is to comfort, guide, counsel, and teach us. Anyone can be visited by the Holy Ghost. When Mormons say that they can feel that something is true, it could be that they have been visited by the Holy Ghost, and he testified to them that whatever they were thinking or wondering about was true. That's most often how he teaches us, when we're wondering if something is true or not.

When the Holy Ghost comes to be with us, we can feel it. It's a sweet, peaceful, warm feeling of power, sometimes barely noticeable and sometimes like a fire burning in our hearts, and it makes us feel loved and happy. The way the Holy Ghost feels is so wonderful that it alone can make a person cry just from sheer joy. It's pretty cool. When the feeling that the Holy Ghost gives us is accompanied with a reassuring feeling that whatever we were thinking about is true, that new knowledge can produce strong emotion. For example, if you were praying to God about whether the Bible is true or not, and you suddenly felt the Holy Ghost reassuring you that yes, it is true, then you would know that you no longer have to worry about believing in something that isn't actually true. You could then move forward with confidence that to read the Bible would put you on the right path. That new knowledge would make you feel relieved, confident, and maybe a little less stressed out.

Mormons are truth-seekers. We believe that each of us needs to find out if God is real, and if he is, what he wants us to believe and to do. Most Mormons have investigated the possibility of there being a God and have felt the Holy Ghost confirming to them that yes, God is real. We have also made it priority to find out what it is that God wants us to believe and to do. That's why when you go to church and hear Mormons talk about their beliefs, they will get emotional as they remember the times when the Holy Ghost came to them and testified of specific truths. They may also get emotional because they are feeling the Holy Ghost again as they are talking, reinforcing their testimonies of the truth.

The feelings inspired by the Holy Ghost are beautiful and can make us cry, but sometimes we cry out of emotion alone and not because of the influence of the Holy Ghost. Our church services tend to get very personal as we share stories from our own lives. We all experience really painful challenges, and many Mormons feel comfortable enough to share them and to share the lessons God taught them because of those experiences. Some of us will cry as we remember pain, and some of us because we're particularly passionate about something, and some of us just because we have trouble regulating our emotions. Keep in mind that strong emotion doesn't necessarily indicate the influence of the Holy Ghost or that whatever is said is true.

The Uplifted Hand

"All in favor, please make it manifest by the uplifted hand......Any opposed by the same sign......." 

For help understanding Mormon words and phrases used in this post, see Mormon Terminology, Pt. 1.

During the first part of Sacrament Meeting, the member of the bishopric conducting the meeting will conduct the ward business. Items of ward business include welcoming new members to the ward (congregation), releasing individuals from callings and extending new callings, and approving changes in ward boundaries. All of these items request the ward's unanimous vote. When the member of the bishopric proposes one of these changes, he says something like, "We would like to release Sister Anderson from her calling as Ward Pianist with a vote of thanks. All in favor, please make it manifest by the uplifted hand." This is the part where all the members of the ward will raise their right arms to a right angle with the elbow bent and palm facing forward (as shown in the picture below), to show their support for the proposed change.

One who isn't used to this custom might think it unusual to see all those arms raised, again and again with each item of business, but Mormons are used to it. Mormon practices often make use of outward symbols, just as the Law of Moses did. Mormons not only use the uplifted hand to show support for people and changes in the ward, but also when baptizing (as pictured) and performing other sacred rituals. Mormons might use the "uplifted hand" every Sunday, but it's still a sacred gesture.

Why do Mormons dress up for church?

If you have ever been to a church service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you probably noticed that the men wear suits and ties, typically with white shirts, and that the women wear dresses or skirts with nice tops. The children are also dressed up. You will hardly see men wearing colored shirts or anyone in jeans. Why do Mormons dress up like that on Sundays?

Mormons believe in outward symbols. In the Old Testament in the Holy Bible, we read that God had Israel follow the Law of Moses, which included many symbolic rituals and sacrifices that served to remind Israel of the Messiah who was to come save them. We believe that God still wants his children to learn from outward symbols. Therefore, on Sundays we dress up to help us remember that Sunday is a special day, a day to rest from our labors and to do God's work. We especially make sure that we dress up for church services to remind ourselves and our children that church attendance is extremely important and should not be observed casually.

The "Sunday best" dress code mentioned above isn't exactly a rule. The Church of Jesus Christ is a world-wide church, and you will find some variation in the definition of "Sunday best." But above all, remember that the way you dress is a personal matter and should be decided between you and God.

You may have also noticed that Mormon women typically don't wear dress pants to church. There is no theological objection to it, but Mormon culture doesn't exactly encourage it. My *guess* is that Mormons want to preserve the gender distinctions. Mormons believe that a person's gender is an important and eternal trait, meaning that we were either male or female before we were born and will be ever after. Considering that society doesn't exactly share our beliefs, we want to keep ourselves somewhat aloof from society's influence. Like I said, Mormons believe in symbolism. When the only ones who wear skirts and dresses are women and the only ones who wear suits and dress pants are men, a visual symbol of the distinction between the sexes is created.

It could also be that historically the women of the church have been wary of associating themselves too much with women who don't know and follow God's plan for us (the women "of the world"). When the women's rights movement made it socially acceptable for women to wear pants, but also did some more extreme things like burning bras, it might have been hard for everyone to sort out what changes were wonderful, good, and maybe not so good.

Ultimately, it's a good idea to wear something to church that is nicer than you would normally wear the rest of the week. That way you and your children can more easily remember to worship God and to honor his holy Sabbath Day.

Why don't Mormons smoke or drink?

The prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation from God known as the Word of Wisdom. It was basically some guidelines for keeping our bodies healthy. What happens when your lifestyle involves smoking and eating junk food all day? You not only put yourself at higher risk for lung cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious medical issues, but you also won't function at your best from day to day. You're more likely to be crabby and ill-disposed to pray or make other good choices. And how about that hangover? I'm pretty sure it's hard to look and feel your best during a hangover.

The Word of Wisdom is just what it implies: a revelation containing some sensible guidelines for our health. 

It teaches that we should exercise, eat healthy foods, and go to bed and wake up early. It also warns us that we shouldn't use or consume harmful substances, specifically coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol. (We can still use alcohol and tobacco for cuts and bruises or other skin injuries though.)

God promises us that if we live by the Word of Wisdom, we will find "treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures" and that we will "run and not be weary, walk and not faint." 

Interpretation issues:

Caffeine

There is nothing about caffeine in the Word of Wisdom. People may consume it if they wish to. Some people have supposed that the reason why coffee and tea are discouraged is because of caffeine, but that's just a matter of opinion. Yes, caffeine can be an addictive substance and therefore probably isn't very good for you. It would probably be wiser not to give yourself the chance to get addicted to it. But it would also be good to never try chocolate for that reason. I guess you just have to choose your battles.

Meat

The Word of Wisdom says to "eat meat sparingly." Most Mormons nowadays eat meat all the time, maybe because the revelation was received at a time when refrigeration was really poor and people got sick all the time from eating meat, but who knows. Some Mormons have taken a vegetarian or vegan interpretation of the revelation. When it comes down to it, the way you interpret and apply it to your life should be between you and the Lord. You should decide for yourself what you think it means and then ask God if your interpretation is correct. 

Mormons tend to have big families because...

Who is Thomas S. Monson?

Mormons believe that Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet on the earth today. He is the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

One fundamental Mormon belief is that God still talks to us today through living prophets. These are the last days that the Bible talks about, and God wants to give us all the help he can to live through them joyfully and to get ready for when he comes again. A modern-day prophet can give us counsel on specific modern topics, such as how to use technology wisely, that might be more difficult to glean from the scriptures. That's why God has given us modern-day prophets.

Joseph Smith was the first modern prophet, and Thomas S. Monson makes the 16th. You can read President Monson's biography and some of his talks at his official website, http://www.thomassmonson.org/.
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Obedience Brings Blessings - Thomas S. Monson - April 2013 General Conference

This is one of the talks President Monson gave at the last General Conference of the Church.

Mormon Terminology, Pt. 3: Acronyms

Mormons use these acronyms a lot! Here's what they mean. (Definitions coming soon.)
* Commonly spoken. In some cases, the acronym is always used in place of the full term.

BoM or BOM  (the Book of Mormon)
BYC* ( Bishop's Youth Council or Committee)
BYU* (Brigham Young University)
BYU-Hawaii*
BYU-I*  (Brigham Young University - Idaho)

CES* (Church Educational System)

D&C* (Doctrine and Covenants)

EFY* (Especially for Youth)

EQP (Elder's Quorum President)

FHE* (Family Home Evening)
LDS* (Latter-day Saint)

PPI (Personal Priesthood Interview)

RS (Relief Society)

YSA (Young Single Adult)

YM (Young Men)

YW (Young Women)

See also Mormon Terminology, Pt. 1 and Mormon Terminology, Pt. 2.

A Correct Understanding of the Godhead

The First Vision (J. Smith - Hist., vv.14-20)

          The First Article of Faith says, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." (Articles of Faith.) This fundamental truth not only establishes that we believe that there is a god, but also that Mormons are Christians. We Mormons believe that it's important to have a correct understanding of the similarities and differences to roles and natures of  each member of the Godhead.

         Mormons believe that God the Father is our literal father, and we are his spirit children. Jesus Christ is also Heavenly Father's son and our brother, but unlike us he is Heavenly Father's only begotten in the flesh, which is probably why he and his father look so alike. Both of them have physical, glorified bodies. Together they, with the Holy Ghost, are united in purpose and love.

         The Holy Ghost does not have a body, but is a spirit. He knows all things, and one of his key roles is to give us testimonies of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and of truth. Communication from the Holy Ghost feels something like warmth, fire, and purity in your chest that fills you with joy. Feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost is a beautiful, sacred thing, and it is available to everyone who wants to know God and actively looks for the truth. (A good way to begin to invite the Spirit into your life and into your home would be to invite the missionaries over, or to start reading the Book of Mormon, or to sincerely ask God if something is true. Those are perfect opportunities for the Spirit to bear witness to you of the truth of the matter in question.)

        God the Father is the one who's in charge. He is the one to whom we direct our prayers. Jesus always does whatever Heavenly Father asks him to do. Jesus is the Jehovah of the Old Testament and directs the affairs of God's church. He also came to earth to show us how to live by being an example, and he and the Holy Ghost are our greatest teachers.

This video from the April 2013 General Conference of the Church is of a member of the Quorum of the 70 explaining the doctrine of the Godhead a little further.

        One of the most important things for us to know is that Jesus is our Savior. Heavenly Father designed for us a plan whereby we could become like him, but the plan would require a savior for us. Jesus is that savior - he made our redemption possible, and we are indebted to him for that and for several other reasons. See What did Jesus Christ do for us, and what do we need to do about it? for more info about Jesus Christ, or go to http://mormon.org/jesus-christ. 

Mormon Terminology, Pt. 2

Get educated! Know what your Mormon friends are talking about when they use these words and phrases.
Also see Mormon Terminology, Pt. 1 and Mormon Terminology, Pt. 3: Acronyms.

• covenant - (v). To make a promise or agreement with God. When we partake of the Sacrament, we covenant that we will always remember God. If we keep that covenant, we will always have God's spirit to be with us.
• fullness of the Gospel - (n). All the essential teachings of Jesus Christ that we must know and live to be saved, nothing lacking. The LDS Church is the only church on earth that contains the fullness of the Gospel. 
• General Conference - (n). A semi-annual worldwide broadcast during the first weekend of April and October. The five, 2-hour-long sessions consist of several 15-minute talks given by selected Church leaders and most notably by the President of the Church (the prophet). The talks from the October 2012 General Conference were especially comforting to me as I was going through a really hard trial at the time. I can feel God's love for me when I hear the messages. 
• keep the commandments - (v). To obey God's laws. If we keep the commandments, God will bless us and we will be happy.
• latter days - (n). The period in time in the earth's history that comes right before the Savior's Second Coming. Jesus came in the meridian of time, but we live in the latter days. The Gospel will not be taken from the earth during the latter days, but it will go forth to all nations and peoples to build the kingdom of God in preparation for His coming.
• Primary - (n). The auxiliary or Sunday School class for children 12 and under. Mommy, we sang my favorite song in Primary today!
• saint - (n). A member of God's church, hence the name the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Latter-day Saints try to follow God's teachings and repent when they make mistakes. 
• temple - (n). A beautiful, holy building where the saints worship God and perform many important, sacred ordinances. The Church has at least 140 temples worldwide. 
• trial - (n). A long-lasting challenge. God allows us to suffer many trials so that we can learn from them and become better people. 

See also Mormon Terminology, Pt. 1 and Mormon Terminology, Pt. 3: Acronyms.

We Believe in Being Chaste - David Bednar, Apostle

General Conference was April 6th and 7th. Here is one of the 15-minute talks from one of the five 2-hour-long sessions.

There's a right way to live

Mormons believe that there is a right way to live. The purpose of life is to live in such a way that we prepare ourselves to live again with God someday. Jesus has said that "no man comes unto the Father except by me."   Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore, we must look to Christ and follow him. Go to mormon.org to learn more about Jesus Christ and his teachings, to request a free Book of Mormon or Bible, to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church), or to request to meet with the missionaries.

Choose the Right Way
by Clara McMaster

There's a right way to live and be happy.
It is choosing the right every day.
I am learning the teachings of Jesus.
They will help me and show me the way.

Choose the right way, and be happy.
I must always choose the right.
   ("Choose the Right Way," McMaster, Clara. Children's Songbook, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-  day Saints, 2000. 160-161.)

Why does God allow suffering and sin?

Every person will wonder now and then why we have to go through such painful experiences. Why do good people get sick, injured, and victimized? If there really is a loving god, and he's watching out for us, then why is there so much theft, rape, murder, war, and death? Why do some people have access to education and wealth whereas others don't?

Mormons have a common saying to sum up the explanation, that there must be "opposition in all things." Mormons believe that we all chose to follow God's plan to come here to earth, a place where we would be exposed to lots of good and evil, so that we could learn about everything and work toward becoming better people. Some of the things that happen to us are consequences of our choices, and other things are completely out of our control. But God has told us that all things will work together for our good, as long as we keep trying to be good people and obey God. (See The Purpose of Life post.)

Now, some people live in countries or other situations where they will never learn about God. Does that mean that their lives are wasted? No. They have still gained experience and knowledge and have touched other people's lives, and they will get to learn about God after they die. (See What happens after we die? post.)

Some babies are born without living longer than a few minutes. Are their lives and the efforts of their mothers wasted? No. Birth and death are integral parts of the journey we are all on. They are doors through which we begin a new phase of existence. As painful as the death of a child may be for loved ones left behind, the experience is still of great value to the child and can be a learning experience to his loved ones.

Someday Jesus Christ will come again, this time to be our king. The earth will be cleansed, and righteousness will prevail. There will be peace, happiness, brotherly love, and justice everywhere you look. We will live with him, and we will be not only happier, but wiser because of the experiences we had throughout our lives.

Are Mormons required to donate money?

To understand the answer to this question, we need to take a look at some Mormon beliefs.

Mormons believe that God is our loving father and king over all the earth. As such, everything and everyone are subject to him, whether we're aware of it or not. Because we are God's children, and he has all power over every detail in our lives, everything that we have is a gift from him.

To be specific, money, houses, cars, and other possessions are gifts from God. We have them because God blessed us with the qualities, hard work, family history, or whatever it took to acquire them. Mormons believe that we should be willing to give God anything he asks for because ultimately it's his stuff, not ours. We're just his stewards. God lets us enjoy our possessions and gives us the freedom and responsibility to use them as we will, but he also commands that we use them well. We need to be good stewards for him.

When it comes to money, Mormons believe that God has commanded us to support our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is why:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) claims to be the only church on earth that has the correct and complete teachings of God. Jesus Christ himself governs its affairs because it's his church. Therefore, Mormons believe that they have the most wonderful of all the gifts of God - the truth. And what do Mormons want to do with it? We want to share it!  The fullness of the Gospel is such a beautiful thing, and we want our brethren to be as happy as we are. So we share it, or try to anyway. God has also commanded us to share it. It's his truth, and it's his work to teach everyone how to be happy and successful by knowing and living the Gospel.

So we've established that sharing the Gospel is an important goal for the Church. But sharing the Gospel takes money. The Church produces millions of copies of the Book of Mormon, the Bible, church videos, pamphlets, pass-along cards, and other items given to investigators for free. The Church also helps pay for members to serve missions, subsidizes educational institutions, provides natural disaster relief, runs various humanitarian efforts such as the Wheelchair Program, provides reasonable support and transportation for some church leaders, and publicizes videos and other advertisements about Jesus Christ and his Gospel.  The Church also builds many temples, meetinghouses, and other buildings throughout the world and has budgets for church activities on all levels of the various branches of the Church.  There is so much that the Church has to pay for!

Mormons believe that we need to help build up the Church, take care of the poor, and share the Gospel by obeying the Law of Tithing. The Law of Tithing says that we are to give God "one tenth of [our] interest annually," which is understood to mean 10% of our income. Church members are also supposed to give a generous fast offering, if they are able, when they observe the Law of the Fast once a month (going without food for two meals and then giving the money that would have paid for the two meals to the Church). The tithing is then used for the aforementioned purposes while the fast offering is used to help the poor. Church members may also donate money to specific causes (like building temples) if they wish.

So God only asks for 10% back and has promised that he will bless us if we do it. He has said in ancient times, "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, 'Wherein have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings...Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be enough room to receive it." (found in Malachi) This commandment and promise in the Bible is a good one for Mormons to look to when it gets hard to pay tithing. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it really isn't our money; it's God's. We might have earned it, but God gave us the ability to earn it. God says that if we pay our tithing, he will bless us.

Yes, God requires us to pay our tithing, but we may choose not to. We can still participate in church activities if we don't pay tithing, and most people won't know it, but we don't get to go to the temple, and we won't enjoy the blessings that come in consequence of paying our tithing. We also will be keeping money that is not our own, but is God's. Many Mormons (including me!) have a testimony of paying tithing and can tell you that it has been a strength rather than a burden. To hear their stories and learn more about tithing and what it's used for, click on this link to visit Mormon.org. http://mormon.org/faq/topic/tithing

You are loved (Don't give up) - Josh Groban

Not just the Bible

Mormons believe that God not only dealt with the middle-eastern people in ancient days, but also with the people of the Americas. Just as the Jews had prophets whose prophecies were recorded and passed down through the ages, so did the people in the Americas. The prophets and political leaders of those people kept records that were buried in the ground and preserved by God to come forth to the world at a later date. Today those records are available to us, known as the Book of Mormon.


The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is an abridgment of the records kept concerning two nations, the Nephites (knee'-fights) and the Lamanites (lay'-meh-nights), made by the prophet-historian named Mormon. He was one of the last of the Nephites who were eventually wiped out by the Lamanites, who are ancestors to the American Indians.

Nephites and Lamanites are the descendants of the family of Lehi (lee'-high), a prophet who was led from Jerusalem to live in the Americas. They are also mixed with the Mulekites (myew'-leh-kites), descendants of Mulek who is the son of King Zedekiah from the Bible. The Mulekites were also led to the Americas, but were already living there when Lehi's family arrived.

The highlight of the Book of Mormon is when Jesus Christ comes to visit the Nephites after his death and resurrection. The main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to persuade the reader to believe in Christ, but it also serves to support the Bible and teach the word of God.

• Learn more at the official website: http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon/
• Get a FREE Book of Mormon here: http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon
• Get a FREE Bible here: http://mormon.org/free-bible/
• Read online versions now: http://www.lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng&cid=rdscriptures

Mormon Terminology, Pt. 1

Some commonly-used words relating to Mormon culture:

• bishop - n. The chief spiritual leader of a ward. "Our bishop challenged us to read our scriptures daily."
• bishopric - n. The bishop and his two counselors, the leaders of the ward. 
• calling - n. An assignment in the church. "She's the building scheduler. That's her calling."
• fireside - n. A meeting in the evening that sometimes features a satellite broadcast. "I really liked Neil L. Anderson's talk from the CES fireside last night."
• genealogy - n. The practice of discovering and keeping records of who your dead family members are by searching through records and interviewing older family members. "I've been working on doing my genealogy, and I found out that my great-great-great-grandfather's brother was convicted of murdering his wife!"
• home teaching - n, v. A program where two men are assigned to visit several families in their homes each month and see how they're doing. "Where's Dad? He left to go do his home teaching with Brother Jenkins."
• Priesthood - n. The authority to act in God's name. Also refers to the Sunday meeting for men. "What was the lesson in Priesthood today? It was about being diligent."
• Relief Society - n. The adult women's organization. Also refers to the Sunday meeting for the organization. "Sister Hansen gave a really insightful comment in Relief Society today."
• Sacrament - n. The ordinance in which Priesthood holders bless and distribute pieces of bread and cups of water to the congregation. It symbolizes how Christ died for each of us. "The bread and water of the Sacrament represent Christ's body and blood."
• Sacrament Meeting - n. The most important Sunday meeting, where the Sacrament is passed. The meeting also includes announcements and ward business, several talks and songs, and opening and closing prayers. "Sacrament Meeting in our ward starts at 9:00am this year."
• stake - n. A group of wards who are occasionally assigned to meet with each other for a conference on a Saturday and Sunday. They also participate in other activities with each other. "Is your sister coming to the stake dance this Thursday?"
• stake center - n. A church building that is often the location for stake meetings and activities and typically includes these extra features: offices for stake leaders, a cultural hall and stage, and a kitchen. "The ward Christmas party will be held at the stake center on December 8th."
• stake president - n. The spiritual leader of a stake. "I got permission from the stake president to have the event at the stake center."
• talk - n. A speech or sermon given during a meeting. "Brother Foster's talk on humility seemed well prepared and inspired."
• tithing - n. Ten percent of a member's income given to the Church. Considered the Lord's money. "We were having financial difficulty, but when we started paying our tithing our situation actually improved!"
• to go on a mission/serve a mission - v. To leave home and teach the Gospel to the people in the assigned area using the assigned language, unpaid. Typically lasts 2 years for males, 18 months for females. "I can't work for you this summer because I'm going on a mission. I'll be teaching the people of Santiago, Chile!"
• visiting teaching - n, v. A program where two women are assigned to visit two other women once a month in their homes and see how they're doing. "When we do our visiting teaching, we bless the lives of those we visit teach."
• ward - n. A group of church members living in the same geographic area assigned to meet together on Sundays at a designated time and place. The members also participate in other activities and meetings with each other. "My ward is having a barbecue this Saturday. Want to come?"

See also Mormon Terminology, Pt. 2 and Mormon Terminology, Pt. 3: Acronyms.

Finding Faith in Christ

Can I really become a better person?

   Every once in a while you'll hear someone say that people never change. While it may be true that some people will be cheap their whole lives through, and others greedy, that doesn't have to be the case for everyone. People's attributes can change. Just look at relationships. People drift apart all the time. Or how about the guy who goes from single to a boyfriend, a fiance, a husband, a father, and then a grandfather? With each of those new roles comes new responsibilities that, if accepted, will give him experience and new understanding. Even if he walks away from those responsibilities, he will be changed. How we choose to handle life's situations affects who we are today and who we are most likely to be tomorrow.

   Mormon doctrine is centered around the belief that people can change, not just by being acted upon by what life throws at us, but also by changing themselves. Mormons believe that if we set goals and work toward them, we can change. We also believe that we must, because God has commanded us to repent (to change for the better). When Jesus says "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect," he means that you need to work toward someday (far, far off, not in this life) becoming perfect like God.

   Change takes time, commitment, patience, and God's help. It doesn't matter what it is that you are trying to change. If you're wanting to overcome an addiction or lose weight, including God in the process will help you significantly. For some people, it may be the only way they will ever succeed. God doesn't just care about our spiritual needs. He knows what we want and need in other areas of our lives, and he is more than willing to help us if we will ask him to and then do our part to reach our goal.

   Mormons believe that another goal we should always be working on is to be like Jesus Christ. When we come to believe that God is real, we need to find out what he wants us to do and then do it as best as we can by setting goals and then working toward them. God has given us many goals to work toward. He has told us to love one another. He has given us the Ten Commandments. God also gave us the life of Jesus Christ as an example to follow. When we keep trying to obey God and live like Jesus Christ, he will bless our lives, and we will find ourselves happier and more successful than we would have been without his help. Not just spiritually, but in all areas of our lives.

   As we try to obey God or overcome a specific challenge, we will inevitably fail from time to time. Sometimes we get discouraged, thinking that it is hopeless, we'll never be good enough. That is your perfectionism talking. Don't listen! Trying to obey God or to improve yourself in other areas of your life is NOT pointless. Every good choice, no matter how small, matters! Every time we succeed at a worthy goal, heaven rejoices. God knows each of us perfectly. He knows that we are imperfect and rebellious at times, so he isn't discouraged or surprised when we do terrible, ugly things, knowing full well that we shouldn't, or when we just give up losing weight and decide to be obese the rest of our lives. God is our father, and he loves us so deeply that he will always love us, forgive us, and help us with what matters to us, no matter what we do to him, to ourselves, or to his other children. Murderers and rapists can have their sinful labels washed away in God's love and mercy if they will do what it takes to change. So can everyone else. There is hope for each one of us. We can change, if we ask God for help. God is eager to help us become better people in whatever aspect of our lives we want to work on, so he is eager to forgive us of our sins and help us rekindle our will to try again. God will also bless us with the things we need to change, such as supportive friends, more wholesome alternate activities, or whatever things we need. 

   It's important to remember that life gets harder as we go. God has designed it that way on purpose so that we will learn to face a variety of challenges and overcome them, or learn how not to deal with them. Don't get discouraged because you can't see your progress, or because you look at your grandpa and he's as cranky and selfish as ever. Give him back the mental and physical capacity that old age has taken from him and put him through the same stuff he went through at age 20, and with all those extra years of knowledge and experience, he should be capable of handling those age 20 challenges much better.

    To summarize, when we draw closer to God by wanting to change and asking for his help, he will draw closer to us because we invite him to. This change may be felt throughout the day. It may be characterized by a more positive attitude, or by a greater desire to do good and to avoid less worthy activities. Whatever the change may be in your life, it will be for the better. The more you choose to obey God and repent when you make a mistake, the more you will let God into your life. And he will bless you, and you will find that with time, commitment, and God's help, you can become a better person.

What did Jesus Christ do for us, and what do we need to do about it?

    Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, in spite of temptation. No one else ever has or ever will. We are all sinners (except the mentally disabled and young children, whom the devil doesn't have power to tempt), having done things that have broken God's laws. Because God has given us laws, and we have broken them, Justice demands that we be punished. There is no way for us to avoid that punishment through any effort of our own. But because Jesus Christ has never sinned, there is nothing to punish him for. He is free to do whatever he chooses, but what he has chosen to do is to satisfy the demands of Justice by taking our punishment for us.

    The punishment for sin involved terrible suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Golgotha, Jesus performed the Atonement for all mankind by suffering, dying, and being resurrected (getting his body back in its perfect and glorified form) on the third day after his death. He paid the price for the sins of every person. Now, instead of being indebted to Justice, all mankind are indebted to Jesus Christ. We will never ever be able to repay him for what he did for us, but all that he asks is that we believe in him and try to obey his every word. If we do this, we will be "saved" from punishment.

    Question: "What's the point of being saved? Why do I want to be saved?" Answer: It's not just about avoiding punishment. It's about living happily now and after we die. Mormons believe that the purpose of life is to become like God and live with him again. He is literally our father, and so we have the potential to become like him. If we believe in Jesus Christ, God's son, and follow his teachings given through the scriptures and inspired leaders, then we will eventually accomplish our goals through God's grace. When we live our lives the way God wants us to, we will be happy, and God will give us valuable knowledge and experience.

    To sum it all up, Jesus Christ is our Savior. All of our efforts and desire to serve and obey God would be for nothing if it wasn't for that free gift that Jesus Christ gave us. He took our punishment for us and made us able to live with God again. Now what we need to do is to live as God wants us to. He commands us to refrain from sinning and keep doing better each day. He wants us to keep learning about his commandments and to do our best to obey them all. Here is a great place to look for more information: http://mormon.org

    If we don't accept Jesus as our Savior, then we remain subject to Justice, and a terrible punishment awaits us (known as hell, which is suffering and the lack of God's presence). We wouldn't return to live with God and be like him, so we would be miserable. Only those who truly love being evil would choose such a fate, so most of us don't have to worry too much about going to hell. Everyone, dead or alive, will eventually learn about God's plan for us and will be able to choose to accept Christ and be saved or to reject him and be evil.

    God loves us dearly, and he is constantly reaching out to us. He wants to give us everything he has, and he wants us to come unto him. One of the best ways to come unto God is to talk to him through prayer. To pray to our Heavenly Father, all we ever have to do is direct our thoughts to him and then say whatever is in our heart. He always listens because he loves us. He will give us comfort and peace and let us know he is there (in his own time) if we believe that he will and seek to understand his ways better.

    If we want to know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real, the first thing we should do is try praying. We should also read the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Going to church helps significantly too. We should also act on our inclinations to do good things, like treating other people kindly. We should also investigate and follow God's basic commandments: 1) Have faith in Jesus Christ. 2) Repent, or replace our less worthy behaviors and habits with righteous ones. 3) Get baptized properly. 4) Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 5) Keep up the good work, no matter what life throws at us. Learn more at http://mormon.org/jesus-christ.

What does it take for a Mormon to become a missionary?

You've probably seen a pair of young men in suits out riding bikes with their goofy helmets on (who even does that these days?) and wearing backpacks. Maybe they've even come to your door, asking if they can share a message with you. But have you ever wondered how they got to be there? If they like knocking on doors so much, then why don't they get jobs as pizza delivery guys or something, or go to school?

Mormons believe that we have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Other churches have a lot of the truth and do an excellent job of bringing people to Christ, but they don't have as much knowledge as has been revealed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is because of this belief that Mormons believe that God has commanded us to share the fullness of the Gospel with the world. - If you have a good thing, you want to share it, right? If it's below zero and you have an overabundance of winter coats, and your neighbors don't have any, then you should give your neighbors some coats.

To qualify to serve for the full 18 months or 2 years, a prospective missionary must be able to meet the physical, mental, and emotional demands of a full-time mission. Young men must be at least 18 and single. For women, the age is 19. Older married couples may also serve a mission. Each prospective missionary must pass a worthiness interview with his or her bishop (the leader of a congregation), and then pass a similar interview with the stake president (the leader of a group of congregations). The interviews pretty much ask if you're living your beliefs, and they also make sure that you're prepared and able to serve.

Other preparation includes receiving vaccinations, having wisdom teeth removed, losing weight if necessary, purchasing missionary attire (like really good shoes for 2 years of walking!), getting a physical, and sending in  an application.

After all the requirements have been met and the application sent in, the prospective missionary waits to receive his mission call from the First Presidency (three men who lead the Church, along with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). When he receives his mission call a few months later, he usually calls his friends and family together and opens it. The mission call tells him where he is called to serve, what language he will be speaking, and when to report to the MTC (Missionary Training Center - there are several throughout the world).

The missionary bids farewell to loved ones and spends a few weeks at the MTC learning to speak his mission language and how to teach effectively. Then he is transported to where he will be serving, and the fun begins!
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