This is what it is all about:
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Mormon Beliefs
I came across another wonderful article by MIchael Otterson of the Washington Post. It is titled, "Mormon Beliefs and Christian Creeds". While he doesn't go in to great detail about our beliefs, he does explain some. But I think his overall message of goodwill and unity between religions is most important. Click here to read the full article.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
New Versions of the Bible
A friend of mine posted this on her facebook today:
Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.
Romans 5:3-5 (NRSV)
At first I thought I was reading a quote by some person, but then I noticed the scripture reference at the bottom. I decided to look this up in the King James Version, and this is what I found:
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
I don't know about you, but for me those two different versions are VASTLY different! And one of the most important parts was left out all together, and that is the part that talks in verse 5 about the love of God.
I know that many people want to read newer translations/ versions of the Bible because it is easier to understand than the older English. But these are some of the "plain and precious things" that the writers of the Book of Mormon warned would be taken from the Bible. Here is what the prophet Nephi had to say about this: (note: the "great and abominable church" is defined as "Every evil and worldly organization on earth that perverts the pure and perfect gospel and fights against the Lamb of God." Guide to the scriptures)
"Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them."
1 Nephi 13:28,29
I fear that many of these precious teachings are being lost in the world today, not only through various interpretations of the Bible, but through a lack of study of the scriptures. I would encourage every student of the Bible to not only study their newer versions, but to also study the King James version so that they can find if some of the "plain and precious things" have been lost.
Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.
Romans 5:3-5 (NRSV)
At first I thought I was reading a quote by some person, but then I noticed the scripture reference at the bottom. I decided to look this up in the King James Version, and this is what I found:
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
I don't know about you, but for me those two different versions are VASTLY different! And one of the most important parts was left out all together, and that is the part that talks in verse 5 about the love of God.
I know that many people want to read newer translations/ versions of the Bible because it is easier to understand than the older English. But these are some of the "plain and precious things" that the writers of the Book of Mormon warned would be taken from the Bible. Here is what the prophet Nephi had to say about this: (note: the "great and abominable church" is defined as "Every evil and worldly organization on earth that perverts the pure and perfect gospel and fights against the Lamb of God." Guide to the scriptures)
"Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them."
1 Nephi 13:28,29
I fear that many of these precious teachings are being lost in the world today, not only through various interpretations of the Bible, but through a lack of study of the scriptures. I would encourage every student of the Bible to not only study their newer versions, but to also study the King James version so that they can find if some of the "plain and precious things" have been lost.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Quote of the Day: Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley:
“You live in a world of terrible temptations. Pornography, with its sleazy filth, sweeps over the earth like a horrible, engulfing tide. It is poison. Do not watch it or read it. It will destroy you if you do. It will take from you your self-respect. It will rob you of a sense of the beauties of life. It will tear you down and pull you into a slough of evil thoughts and possibly of evil actions. Stay away from it. Shun it as you would a foul disease, for it is just as deadly. Be virtuous in thought and in deed. God has planted in you, for a purpose, a divine urge which may be easily subverted to evil and destructive ends. When you are young, do not get involved in steady dating. When you reach an age where you think of marriage, then is the time to become so involved. But you boys who are in high school don’t need this, and neither do the girls”
(in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 71–72; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 51).
Friday, August 19, 2011
Mormon Messages: The Blessings of Scripture: 400th Anniversary of the KJV Bible
I love the King James Version of the Bible. Other versions, for me, lose the charm and beauty that is found in the old English. For me, it would be the same as if someone were to rewrite Shakespeare's writings using common vernacular. They just wouldn't be the same. I'm so thankful to those who gave their lives to preserve the Bible for us!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Book of Mormon Sampler: Mosiah 2:20-25
I love this reminder of why we should spend more time giving thanks to God:
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?
25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.
Mosiah 2:20-25
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?
25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.
Mosiah 2:20-25
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Michael Otterson: The Mormon church and the media’s ‘cult’ box
I found a wonderful article in the Washington Post by Michael Otterson, who is head of the public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. He answers critics who say that our religion is a cult. At the end of the article, he gives a list of topics about which our religion differs from others. He mentions that he will be writing about some of those topics in the future. I'm really looking forward to reading those articles!
Click here to read his response to those who say our religion is a cult.
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