Quote of the Day: Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

“The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”

^{(Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 40;Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32.)}

Mormon Messages: The Book of Mormon; an Introduction

If you have not read the Book of Mormon, and prayed about its truthfulness, I would implore you to do so now. Even if you have read it before, but not prayed about it, please do so again! While you read, you might ask yourself these questions:
--"Can there be additional scriptures besides the Bible?"
--"If God wanted to speak to people today, how would He do so?"
--"Does the Book of Mormon testify of Jesus Christ, and does it preach His gospel?"
I promise you that if you honestly read the Book of Mormon to know if it is true, and then pray about it, it will change your life for the better.

The End of the World

With the recent attention in the media to claims that the world will end May 21, 2011, I thought I would write a thing or two about this subject. Actually, I only wish to highlight the doctrine on this subject. There are some things we do know about the end, and some things we do not know.

1. No man knows when it will happen.

Although many have tried to speculate and calculate when it will happen, based on what information we do have in the scriptures, it is still just speculation. And what does the Bible say about it?

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matt. 24:36

2. Some things have to happen first. Some of these have happened, and some have not.

--A falling away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" 2 Thess. 2:3

We believe that this great apostasy has already happened.

--A restoration of all things
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Matt. 24:21

We believe this restoration occurred through the prophet Joseph Smith. What was restored?
-Many plain and precious gospel truths were restored through the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon.
-The Priesthood authority was restored through John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
-The keys of the gathering of Israel were restored through Moses to Joseph Smith.
-The "sealing" keys were restored through Elijah to Joseph Smith.
-The temple ordinances were restored.

--All nations will gather together to fight against Jerusalem
"For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city." Zechariah 14: 2

--There will be false christs

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5

--There shall be many sorrows including wars, and earthquakes:

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:6,7

--Two prophets will be killed in Jerusalem and lie dead in the streets. (See Revelation 11)

There are other things mentioned in the scriptures, although I won't list them here. But suffice it to say that although some things have happened already, we still do not know when the end will come. What we do know is that those who are prepared, need not fear!
"35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." Luke 12: 35-40

Mormon Messages: I am a Child of God

Quote of the Day: Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“God is at the helm. We will seek His direction. We will listen to the still, small voice of revelation. And we will go forward as He directs.

“His Church will not be misled. Never fear that. If there were any disposition on the part of its leaders to do so, He could remove them. All of us are beholden to Him for life and voice and strength” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 115–16; or Ensign, May 1997, 83 ).

Quote of the Day: Pres. Spencer W. Kimball

Pres. Spencer W. Kimball:

“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom”

( “Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec. 1974, 5 ).

Mormon Messages: Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership