The Bible

C. S. Lewis, in a letter to T. S. Eliot, made this observation: “Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated! (The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis 3:1346) Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) cherish the Bible. They hold it sacred and revere its words. In fact, it was a Bible passage that started the Church. Joseph Smith, the founder of the C... Read More

Thomas S. Monson, the sixteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon Church, counseled members to read good books. He said: May our homes be a library of learning. An essential part of our learning library will be good books. Reading is one of the true pleasures of life. In our age of mass culture, ... Read More

In my previous blog, "Antemortal Appearances of Jesus Christ," I shared some exciting Biblical accounts of those who saw the risen Lord after His crucifixion. In this blog, I desire to share additional witnesses, both immediately after the Lord's resurrection and in modern-day. For the exciting news is that Jesus Christ lives and leads His church today! One of my favorite stories from the New Testament is the following. Mary had just seen the risen Lord. I can only imagine the joy that flooded her heart as she looked upon His face and presence. In fact, she apparently went to embrace Him in that same joy, for He had to caution her not to - he had not yet gon... Read More

As Mormons (or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we believe in Jesus Christ. We worship Him and are grateful for His grace toward us. We know that through no other means can we return to the Father save by Jesus Christ. In the Book of Mormon, a companion volume to the Bible of scripture, we read of Jesus Christ: "Yes, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they ... Read More

Apostles serve as very special witnesses for Jesus Christ. As such, they have responsibility to carry the gospel of Christ to every nation. They also, just like the ancient Apostles, are responsible for clarifying gospel truths whenever misunderstandings arise. Elder Russell M. Nelson is an Apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes nicknamed the Mormon church). Elder Nelson gave a talk to the church November 2007 in a special setting called General Conference. His message was titled, "Scriptural Witnesses." The theme from Elder Ne... Read More

I love the Old Testament. It now is one of my most favorite books. But it wasn't early on in my life. Back then I thought it was nothing but boring accounts of the dusty travails of Moses' people. Page after page of Leviticus and Numbers used to bore me till I couldn't stand reading the Old Testament any more! I quit my effort. That was, until I took a Mormon Institute class near my college. (Institute is a religion class offered for college kids.) One semester I decided to take an Old Testament class. To this day I'm not sure why. I remember the first evening well. The Institute teacher stood before us and declared with absolute certainty that by the end of the semester he felt... Read More

Have you ever felt completely fatigued? Not physically, but emotionally? Where you feel that life cannot get any worse? Or perhaps you wonder why you were even born? One of the most powerful scripture stories I've ever read can be found in the Old Testament and for me, it speaks directly to these feelings. It's all about a brazen serpent. Moses had his hands full. He had been called of the Lord to bring the children of Israel out of Pharaoh's clutches and into freedom. But even after escape, the Israelites would do nothing but complain. As a result, Moses' burdens were great. Moses was told by the Lord before delivering the Israelites: "Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong... Read More

I did not grow up in the Mormon church (officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Thus, I had a rather confused image of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But no wonder. Modern-day voices declare many different things about God - and the Godhead. This dissension has evolved throughout history. When Christ was on the earth His church, His gospel, His teachings were all quite clear. But Christ was crucified. After resurrection, He returned to His disciples to continue to instruct them in the saving ordinances of the gospel. But eventually the people of the time also rejected them and murdered them. The remaining Christians were left to their own interpretations of God's will, since no prop... Read More

In a previous blog, I mentioned how Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of my faith. And yet, when I was a youth I barely knew who He was. I remember as a child belonging to another denomination, another faith, and being so terrified of God. During that time, I had a little turtle. He would crawl around on his rocks in his terrarium, helpless and defenseless. I was fully aware of my size and that this tiny turtle could never defend himself against my monster-sized child's fist. I was only five at the time, but was amazed that I held such power in comparison to the tiny little being of my turtle. I never did hurt him, because I adored him. But even as a young girl, I knew that my ability to harm or destr... Read More

I remember thinking the day I found my baby in his crib, dead from SIDS, "This can't be happening to me." As I blurred through many motions, from calling 911 to letting in the paramedics to going to the hospital behind the ambulance, I continued to think, "This can't be happening to me." When we walked through the doors of the emergency room at the hospital, I continued to hope against hope that my little baby son would revive. God is a God of miracles, after all - right? I listened patiently while both the nurse and the hospital social worker explained the doctors were serving my son as best they could. I trusted there was going to be a happy ending to this story. There wasn't. Well, then again, it depends on whose perspective you trust. If I loo... Read More

There is a hymn that moves me each time I hear it. It is called "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd." Even when I first joined the Mormon church (officially called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I noticed this hymn. The melody called to me; its beautiful lilting shape comforted me with its 6/4 time signature (feeling like a gentle waltz). Yet not only the melody was (and is) beautiful to me. The text was just as amazing. Here are some sample lines: "Dear to the heart of the Shepherd, Dear are the sheep of his fold; Dear is the love that he gives them, Dearer than silver or gold." (... Read More

When I think on the goodness of God, it reminds me of the word "mercy", and yet in so much more depth than the traditional meaning of mercy. Just what does "mercy" mean? If we go to most dictionaries, they will tell us traditional definitions of "mercy." The explanation would go something like this: "Mercy means to give kindness when it is not deserved." And that definition is indeed an accurate one. But I feel that mercy - at least when we speak of the goodness of God - is so much broader. Just as a judge has the power to stop a pending punishment or to actually pardon someone for an earthly crime, so too does God have the power to... Read More

I've been thinking a great deal lately about the power of Jesus Christ. Reason being, I'm a seminary teacher for Mormon high school kids. In fact, I'm an early morning seminary teacher. What this means, is that when most people haven't even stirred yet to get up, these 14-18 year olds are already showered, dressed, and sitting in chapels across the world - studying the life of Jesus Christ as found in the scriptures (all before beginning their high school day). It is an amazing experience to work with these kids, to see the light of the testimony of Jesus Christ in their lives. True, some kids struggle to find the Savior in their daily paths, but once found, most grow spiritually in amazing ways. Well, that's modern-day people; what about ancient indivi... Read More

One of the most amazing hymns I've heard sung is the hymn, "I Believe in Christ." You can listen to the song by going to the musical representation of the hymn. Simply click on "I Believe in Christ." You will be taken to a musical player. On the left side of the screen, you will see at the top a "play" button (sideways triangle), next to a "stop" button (a square) and a "pause" button (looks like two quotation marks). Underneath these tools on the left you can get interactive with the music. You may select to hear "Music with Parts", to hear it with "Words and Music... Read More

Jesus Christ is coming to earth again. He really is. And what an amazing thought. Will I be ready? It could be so easy to put off preparing for His visit. I think of it kind of like having a cousin come to my house unexpectedly. If I procrastinated getting ready, the visit could be awful. Crumbs on the kitchen floor, beds perhaps unmade, dirty laundry on the sofa. What a horrible experience. No, how much better to have planned wisely and be ready when my loved one makes their appearance. This is how I think about Jesus Christ and His ... Read More

Have you heard of the expression, "The Lamb of God"? It is a very important phrase, for it refers to Jesus Christ. The LDS.org website explains: "Jesus Christ was foreordained to carry out the Atonement, becoming 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' (Revelation 13:8; see also 1 Peter 1:19-21" ("Foreordination," LDS.org). When you think of the expression "Lamb of God," what comes to your mind? I know that for me, I think of baby sheep in t... Read More

Jesus Christ has many names. I love pondering on them. They each carry depth and resonance for me. Try it for yourself. As you read each of the following titles used to reference Him, feel the descriptive nature of each term's significance. For example, He has been called Bread of Life. How profound. We die without food. Thus how appropriate to signal the spiritual need our souls have for Jesus Christ and what He has brought us. Cornerstone. A cornerstone is an integral piece of stone to a building. Its purpose is to unite walls at their intersection. A cornerstone is the most basic, yet essential piece of construction. How symbolic of what Christ could be like in our lives, acting as a cornerstone to all that the Father offers us, acting as our found... Read More

Look at this urgent quote: "...reading and knowing the scriptures is not sufficient. It is important that we keep the commandments - be doers of the word and not hearers only. The great promise that the Lord has given us should be sufficient incentive for us to acknowledge him and do his will: "'And all saints who remember to keep and do these saying, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; "'And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; "'And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. "'And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the childrenof Israel, and no... Read More

For some the Old Testament is a thick book, murky and difficult to understand. For good reason - the book has been around for thousands of years and during its many translations and re-translations, some conflicts have occurred in the record (see my previous blog, "The Lord Still Calls Prophets Today.") But its purpose still remains - to bear witness that Jesus is the Christ and that He still leads His people today as back then. In fact, many of the ancient Biblical prophets actually saw our day and shared warnings and teachings for us now! Is that not stupendous? I find this so exciting and it... Read More

I remember sitting in an institute class during college. I loved my institute classes. Although typically a Mormon college kid will take just one religion class during a college semester, I would take three at a time. This on top of the usual college schedule of Biology, World History, math, etc! But I loved having a religion class almost every day of the week, and so you could nearly always find me at some point in the institute building across the street from my college campus. The institute teachers are individuals who love the gospel of Jesus Christ. So much so that they taught gospel classes full time to the college kids who wou... Read More

Are you a list maker? I know I am - or at least, I have been that way in the past. I'd make lists for grocery shopping outings; I'd make lists of tasks to do; I'd make lists of things I'd like to accomplish at some point in my life. Imagine my surprise to notice that there are also lists in the scriptures. Perhaps this should not have come as a surprise to me. And maybe it does not surprise you. But it surprised me! For example, can you think of one list that is so well-known that most English speakers know of it? Yes. You guessed right! The Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were given as a list to Moses from the Lord. ... Read More

We've talked in the past about a variety of scripture study techniques that will help you get the most out of your scripture study. If you're anything like me, you love your scriptures. I know I do. While there are days it is a challenge for me to read them, most days I do. I can tell when it has been a good scripture study time, because I don't want to stop! In fact on those kinds of days, I'll elongate my time with the scriptures by ending with singing hymns. It helps me come down from the peaceful feeling the scriptures have brought - down back to the rigors of daily life. Yep, the scriptures are awesome. And I'm always looking for additional ways to have them strengthen me and to come to life... Read More

With the conditions in the world being what they are, the scriptures become more and more a beacon of peace. I can't tell you enough how much solace they bring - it doesn't matter whether I'm feeling tired or discouraged or sad, the scriptures will restore my soul. I'm so grateful for the peace they bring! And beyond the peace they offer, the scriptures also bring insight and wisdom for those who spend enough time within them. And here is one technique that helps me greatly during scripture study: Look for Connecting Words. I learned of this technique when I read one of the study guides for studying scriptures published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the ... Read More

For someone new to the Mormon church (officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), there might be an amazing amount of really cool stuff to learn. That might seem a bold statement, but it is true. I came from another denomination as a kid and it is astonishing to learn what I have from the prophets, the scriptures, and through the Spirit. First, one needs to know that the Lord still calls prophets today. What an astonishing thought, but how comforting it is. Has there ever been a time in the world more crazy than the time we currently live in? If the Lord truly loved His children, wouldn't He care enough to lead us now as back then? And with so many... Read More

I am a Mormon. I didn't use to be. I belonged, as a child, to a different denomination. My parents were introduced to the church through a man my mother worked for. She wanted to know what was different about him. She'd noticed a happiness about him and his family that intrigued her. After asking, the man shared that his joy came from the gospel of Jesus Christ and that he belonged to the Mormon church (also known officially as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). My parents met with the missionaries, wanting to know more about the Mormon church and the teachings of it. Eventually the rest of the family joined my parents in meeting with the missionaries. Later we were baptized. Th... Read More

As Mormons (or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), we value the word of God. The scriptures have great meaning for us. As stated in one of our Articles of Faith: We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of god (Article of Faith 1:9). I love the scriptures. They contain the word of God and they change the direction of my day when I take time to read them. But I don't want to just read them; I want to study them d... Read More