What Mormons Believe: Joseph Smith - Prophet of the Restoration

If you have ever wondered about the story of Joseph Smith or what Mormons believe about him you may enjoy and learn from this full-length film just made available online.

Joseph Smith and the Restoration

When Christ was on the earth, he established a church. Ever wonder what happened to that church? Find out in this video.



To learn more about Joseph Smith visit HERE and HERE.
To learn more about the Restoration of Jesus Christ's Church visit HERE.

The Same Church that Jesus Christ Organized

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka - the LDS Church or the Mormon Church) is the same church that Jesus Christ organized while he was on the earth.

Elder Haight said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims to the world that this church is a restoration of Christ’s church…. It is therefore not a reformation, a revision, a reorganization, or a mere sect. It is the Church of Jesus Christ restored in these latter days."

Watch this video of Wilford Woodruff's search for the truth as he sets out on a search to find the church of Christ on the earth. He later became the 4th Prophet of the Church.



To read about The Church of Jesus Christ in Former Times click HERE
(all of the features discussed exist in the church today).

To read about The Church of Jesus Chirst Today
(including how the Church was restored) click HERE.

To download this video for yourself click HERE.

The Sacrifices Made For Scriptures

A few nights ago for scripture study we talked about Moroni and how far and long he wandered to stay away from the Lamanites and protect the plates. I hadn’t realized that it was probably thousands of miles. My husband ended by saying and we have the scriptures right by our beds, we need to read them.

Then on Sunday morning I watched this video of the great sacrifices that Joseph Smith and other early saints went through to translate and make available the Book of Mormon. I love Elder Hollands words about how they would not have done what they did if this book wasn't true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I am grateful for the sacrfices made so that I can have access to its words.

Then I thought of others like Nephi who also risked their lives to obtain the word of God and I felt blessed and grateful to all of these wonderful men for their faith and their diligence in bringing the word of God to me. I think I often take for granted all that has gone on before so that I can have access to the scriptures right in my own home, right next to my own bed, always at my fingertips whenever I chose to pick them up. I need to be more faithful and diligent in my personal scripture journey because if I don’t I will be risking my own spiritual life and there is no reason why I or any of us should do this when our scriptures lie right by our beds (or on our bookshelves).

And when I shared all of these thoughts with my husband he reminded me of these great words from Elder Christofferson:

On October 6, in the year 1536, a pitiful figure was led from a dungeon in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, Belgium. For nearly a year and a half, the man had suffered isolation in a dark, damp cell. Now outside the castle wall, the prisoner was fastened to a post. He had time to utter aloud his final prayer, “Lord! open the king of England’s eyes,” and then he was strangled. Immediately, his body was burned at the stake. Who was this man, and what was the offense for which both political and ecclesiastical authorities had condemned him? His name was William Tyndale, and his crime was to have translated and published the Bible in English.

William Tyndale was not the first, nor the last, of those who in many countries and languages have sacrificed, even to the point of death, to bring the word of God out of obscurity. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude. We owe perhaps an even greater debt to those who faithfully recorded and preserved the word through the ages, often with painstaking labor and sacrifice—Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, John, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, Joseph Smith, and many others. What did they know about the importance of scriptures that we also need to know?

In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.

I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language. How incredible such a thing would have seemed to the people of William Tyndale’s day and to the Saints of earlier dispensations! Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3).

A Day to Remember - April 6

1 A.D - Birth of the Savior
1830 - The Prophet Joseph Smith restored the Church.
1853 - The cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated.
1877 - The St. George Temple was dedicated (the first operating temple)
1893 - President Wilford Woodruff dedicated the Salt Lake Temple.

What a special day to remember.

Mormon Myths Made Simple

This is a wonderful video that simply explains and clarifies the many myths that are out there about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To watch more videos like this visit MormonsMadeSimple.com .

Too Good

A few weeks ago we had a great lesson in Relief Society from the manual titled, "Valiant in the Cause of Christ". The whole lesson was great but there was one line in particular that was read and discussed that stuck out to me. I'll share the line with you shortly, so read on.

Have you ever thought that there was such a thing as being too good? If you do not now, think back to the time when you were a teen...maybe you were the one who people thought was "too good" or maybe you looked at others and thought that the things they did were silly and that they were "too good". Or that they or you were a "Molly Mormon" or a "Peter Priesthood". I think that we all have been and thought in one or both of these perspectives at some point in our lives, whether now, when we were younger, or both.

"You Cannot Be Too Good."

The line that so profoundly struck me was this great declaration from the Prophet Joseph Smith, “You cannot be too good." The word 'too' means "to an excessive extent" or "more than should be". So basically he stated clearly that we can't be overly good. There comes no point when the good that we choose to do and the righteous choices we make become too much when kept in balance with the guidance of the Spirit.

Of course we can excessively engage in something that is good, for example, we could read our scriptures (a good thing) too much if it was taking us away from being good parents. (I don't think too many of us have that problem, but it is just an example :) So it is possible for us to over exert ourselves in one area causing us to neglect other important and good things.But with that said, I want to move away from the exceptions and focus more on the wonderful side of this statement - "You cannot be too good."

Commandments Can Be Made Personal

The Lord said, “And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with com­mandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent before me” (D&C 59:4, emphasis added).

The commandments that we have received from God are not few in number but we can dig deeper by seeking and then following the personal revelations that we each can receive. I believe that the Lord expects this of us as He said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect” (Mat. 5:48)."

President Hartman Rector, Jr. Of the First Council of the Seventy said, "[Set] personal commandments... You should make up your own special and specific list of commandments. Such commandments would depend on your own past experience and your own particular weaknesses.

I love this idea of personal commandments. There are so many things within the Church that are left without specific and exact command. There are many things that are left to our own personal choosing and thus require us to set these "personal commandments" or boundaries for ourselves.

My Personal Story of a Personal Commandment

I hesitate to bring up this personal example but I feel it will better illustrate the blessing of seeking and following these personal promptings and setting commandments or guidelines for ourselves. I also think that it perfectly illustrates Satan's desire to make us think we are being "too good".

Now the reason I hesitate to share this story is because I don't want you to think that I think I am just great or too good but what I hope to convey is that personal commandments can uplift us and strengthen us especially in our own areas of weakness. I also want to convey that although we all know we have much to work on and are trying our best, Satan can squeeze his way in and try to make us feel that what we are choosing to do is "too good" or rather that we are going overboard and/or being silly.

So here is my story. Just after I graduated from High School my best friend and I set a goal for ourselves. We often sat in front of her house in my car and talked about all sorts of things from boys to spiritual matters. On this particular occasion we talked about movies. We talked specifically about PG-13 movies.

By the end of the conversation we both had resolved to not watch PG-13 movies anymore. There was more to it than just a simple conversation between two teenage girls, I felt the Spirit confirm to me that this is what I was to do. I have not watched a PG-13 movie since. This of course was a personal decision, not a commandment given directly or specifically from the Church. For me it was a matter of my own weaknesses, the feeling I had when I watched these movies, and lastly the realization that almost all, if not all, of these movies had at least that "one part" or that "one scene".

As I have followed this "personal prompting and commandment" I have received blessings, and of course some opposition. The blessings were of my weaknesses being made stronger, my sensitivity to violence, language, and sex greatly heightened, and an increased amount of self-control.

As our journey began with this new boundary it was difficult at times but not too hard because we were generally together and so we went through it together. After that Summer we both went our separate ways to college. At first it became a little tougher. I often had to warn dates of my decision and sometimes I was greeted with simply a surprised look and others a more direct questioning of my choice. At times I wondered by Satan's encouragement, if I was being silly or if I had gone overboard in my choice. But after more time passed it became easier to forgo watching these movies. It became more natural and if others were to find out about my choice there reactions began to not matter so much to me. There now have even been instances where the material displayed in PG movies becomes offensive or hard for me to watch. The making and keeping of this personal goal or commandment has been a great blessing in my life.

Testimony

I know that what Joseph Smith said is true. "[We] cannot be too good." We can always be better. We can set personal commandments for ourselves. We can make personal decisions with the guidance of the Spirit which will strengthen our weaknesses and help us become better, not too good, but better.

I know that Satan will try to convince us otherwise. He will try to make us uncomfortable. He will try to make us feel silly or even weird. But I know that as we follow the commandments of the Lord and as we listen to the promptings of the Spirit and make choices in our lives accordingly we will be strengthened, we will become more sensitive to the Spirit, and we will gain greater self-control in our lives. I know that as we do these things we will draw closer to reaching this commandment given from the Lord, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect” (Mat. 5:48)." We will never be too good but we can become better as we strive to be more like our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pictures Courtesy of LDS.org

One of the Most Significant Gifts Given to the World in Modern Times

"The gift I am thinking of is more important than any of the inventions and technological revolutions. This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel. I speak of the gift of the Book of Mormon."
-President Ezra Taft Benson


I had heard of this talk by President Benson but I don't think I had ever read it prior to a few nights ago. The Keystone of Our Religion is a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. It shares the words of the Lord about the Book of Mormon. It shares the significants of the timing of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. But most importantly it shares with all of us the importance of the Book of Mormon to each of us and why we should make the studying of it a bigger priority in our lives.

This is a longer post than normal but I urge you to read on. As I read this talk my testimony of the Book of Mormon was strengthened and I felt a greater desire to make it a keystone of my life. Below I took a portion of President Benson's talk to share with you but if you would like to read the whole talk you can click on the link in the previous paragraph.

"There are three great reasons why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit.

The first is that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion

There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony.

The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity.

The Book of Mormon is also the keystone of the doctrine of the resurrection. As mentioned before, the Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (D&C 20:9.) That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation.

Finally, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The enemies of the Church understand this clearly. This is why they go to such great lengths to try to disprove the Book of Mormon, for if it can be discredited, the Prophet Joseph Smith goes with it. So does our claim to priesthood keys, and revelation, and the restored Church. But in like manner, if the Book of Mormon be true—and millions have now testified that they have the witness of the Spirit that it is indeed true—then one must accept the claims of the Restoration and all that accompanies it.

The second great reason why we must make the Book of Mormon a center focus of study is that it was written for our day.

Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations... they saw our day, and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”

The third reason that the Book of Mormon is of such value to Latter-day Saints is given in the same statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith cited previously. He said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon.) That is the third reason for studying the book. It helps us draw nearer to God. Is there not something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like Him in our daily walk, to feel His presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book.

The Power and Blessings of the Book of Mormon

"It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance."

I love his thoughts and testimony of the Book of Mormon. I love his desire to distill in us the significants and value of that great book. I love his testimony of the power that the Book of Mormon contains.

If you have not yet read the Book of Mormon or if your testimony is wavering I urge you to take Moroni's Challenge (Moroni 10:3-5):

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things (the Book of Mormon), if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 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.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

My Testimony of the Book of Mormon:

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is the Word of God. I know that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know that he translated the plates and brought forth the Book of Mormon in our day. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that if we read it we can become more Christ-like and draw nearer to our Heavenly Father.

I know that I have received answers to prayers while reading the Book of Mormon. I know that I have found peace in the words of the Book of Mormon. I know that I am happier when I make my studies of the Book of Mormon a greater priority in my life. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Examplar.

I testify of these things and like President Benson my hope is "that the Book of Mormon may become the keystone of our lives."

To read the Book of Mormon online click HERE.

To receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon click HERE.

Praise to the Man - Joseph Smith

I chose this song this week because on Monday our family had the opportunity to go to the Church History Museum. We had a good experience there. I especially felt the Spirit as I was looking at some of Joseph Smith's belongings. I felt the Spirit witness to me that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God and that he did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. He did restore the Gospel to the earth and he did translate the Book of Mormon. I know this to be true.

Praise to the Man

There may be some misconceptions that we worship the Prophet Joseph Smith. However, we praise and honor him for restoring the Gospel to the earth and we have gratitude toward him for the many hardships and afflictions he had to face in order to do so but we worship our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Click here to read the Joseph Smith - History
Click here to enter the Joseph Smith Site

Elder Ballard answers the question:
Do you worship Jesus Christ in your Sunday services?

Elder Ballard answers the questions:
Was Joseph Smith a prophet? Are prophets necessary today?