Articles of Faith: Know What We Believe

This is something new I am starting. Each week I will post one of the Articles of Faith with some insights to help better understand the Article and to make us more familiar with them. I am starting off with a great talk by President Kimball about a boy who without hesitation shared the Articles of Faith with someone not of the LDS faith.

Articles of Faith: Know What We Believe
By President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985)

Twelfth President of the Church

Some years ago a young Primary boy was on a train going to California in the days when we traveled on trains. He was all alone. He sat near the window watching the telephone poles go by. Across the aisle from him was a gentleman who also was going to California. The attention of the gentleman was called to this very young boy traveling all alone without friends or relatives. He was neatly dressed and well-behaved. And this gentleman was quite impressed with him.

Finally, after some time, the gentleman crossed the aisle and sat down by the young man and said to him, “Hello, young man, where are you going?”

He said, “I am going to Los Angeles.”

“Do you have relatives there?”

The boy said, “I have some relatives there. I am going to visit my grandparents. They will meet me at the station, and I will stay with them a few days during the school vacation.”

The next questions were “Where did you come from?” and “Where do you live?”

And the boy said, “Salt Lake City, Utah.”

“Oh, then,” said the gentleman, “you must be a Mormon.”

And the boy said, “Yes, I am.” There was pride in his voice.

The gentleman said, “Well, that’s interesting. I’ve wondered about the Mormons and what they believe. I’ve been through their beautiful city; I’ve noticed the beautiful buildings, the treelined streets, the lovely homes, the beautiful rose and flower gardens, but I’ve never stopped to find out what makes them as they are. I wish I knew what they believe.”

And the boy said to him, “Well, sir, I can tell you what they believe. ‘We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost’ ” (A of F 1:1).

This wonderful story continues with this young boy sharing all of the 13 Articles of Faith with this man. President Kimball concludes with this question and challenge to us, "I am wondering how many of you know the Articles of Faith. … Have you repeated them? You are always prepared with a sermon when you know the Articles of Faith."

To read the remaining portions of this talk click on the title of the talk at the top of the post.

To read all 13 of the Articles of Faith click here.