The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Baptism by immersion is incomplete without the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Christ taught "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)  The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the baptism of fire: being "born... of the Spirit."

This gift must be given by those who have the authority of God, His priesthood.  One or more priesthood holders lay their hands on the head of the person and confirm him or her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They also confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost allows us to have the guidance of the Spirit at all times.  The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, and as long as we are living righteously we can have Him with us.  He will help us understand and learn truth.  He will guide us by feelings in our hearts and thoughts in our minds. (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3)  He will bring us peace and comfort. (John 14:26-27)  He can teach us all things.  He can bring us the "fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Through the Gift of the Holy Ghost we can find the strength and the conviction to continue on the right path through the rest of our lives.

God's Love for All His Children

We are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.  Because of that love He has always called Prophets to testify of His Son.  Christ Himself came to minister among men.  A record of His life, death, and resurrection is contained in the Holy Bible.  The Bible testifies of Christ's divinity.

Another record is now available in our day.  This record is the Book of Mormon.  It is another testament of Jesus Christ.  It tells of God's dealings with His children in the Americas.  God called prophets among them.  These prophets testified of Christ's life, death, and resurrection.  They also prophecied that Christ would visit God's children in the Americas after His resurrection.

The testimonies of Christ that are contained in the Book of Mormon have changed my life.  I know of God's love for every person in every nation: that includes me.  I know I am loved and watched over by a Father of infinite wisdom, compassion, and mercy.  I know that Christ did feel my every sorrow and heartache. More importantly I know that if I follow the Savior I can return to my Father.

I also know that God has still called living prophets in our day.  If that were not so, then the Book of Mormon would never have come forth.  If God had not called a prophet today, His priesthood power would be absent from the earth.  But I know that He has restored all things pertaining to His church and gospel.

God loves all His children.  Prophets spoke of Christ.  Prophets still speak of Christ.  We have two witnesses to these truths, namely, The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

One great difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any other Christian church is our scriptural canon.  We believe in and use the Bible.  It's testimony of Christ's life and of His divine Messiahship is an indespensible witness.  We also believe that God inspired prophets on the American continent to teach His gospel and to testify of Christ.  Their words were recorded and handed down from generation to generation.  Eventually the records of their words were abridged on golden plates by a prophet-historian named Mormon.  He entrusted this record to his son Moroni who finished the record and hid it away.

Three years after his vision of the Father and the Son, Joseph Smith knelt in His room to pray.  He was visited by Moroni and, among other things, was shown the location of the golden plates.  Joseph sought out the place that he had been shown and was met there by Moroni.  Eventually the plates were entrusted to Joseph and he began to translate them by the gift and power of God.

In 1830 the translated account was published as The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

I know that this Book is a true record, that it was written by prophets just like the Bibile was.  I also know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the Lord.  He could not have translated the Book of Mormon without the help of God.  I know that the priesthood power and authority of God has been restored and that the fullness of God's power and blessings is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The fullness of that gospel is taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Most importantly I know that Christ is my Savior, the Redeemer of the world.  I know He loves me and each and every one of God's children.

You can know the same things by the power of the Holy Ghost.  If you will sincerely read the Book of Mormon and pray to know of its truth you can receive the witness of the Holy Ghost. (see Moroni 10:3-5)

The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith

In the early 1800s God again showed His love for His children by calling a prophet.

As a young man, Joseph Smith honestly sought for truth.  His family was deeply religious and studied the Bible regularly.  Joseph investigated the many churches in his vicinity and studied the Bible to find which church to join.  The Bible taught that there would be "One Lord, one faith, one baptism..." so he sought that faith. (Ephesians 4:5)

While reading in the Bible, he came across James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God; who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him."  Trusting that the Lord would give freely to those who ask and not chastise them for asking, he determined to "ask of God."

On a clear spring morning in 1820 Joseph retired to a grove of trees near his home.  There he knelt and offered a spoken prayer.  He later described his experience in these words:

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17)

Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  They spoke to him and answered his questions concerning which church was right and which he should join.  Joseph was told that he "must join none of them" (JS-H 1:19).  None of the churches then standing had the priesthood authority of God.  This authority would be restored through Joseph Smith.

At later times Joseph Smith received the Priesthood under the hands of John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John.  These men came as angels and conferred the necessary Priesthood to baptize, give the gift of the Holy Ghost, and run the Church.

Joseph Smith was also led to a sacred record kept by the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.  He translated this record by the gift and power of God and published it as The Book of Mormon.  This Book is a fruit of  Joseph's work as a prophet of God.

Most importantly this Book supports the Bible in testifying of Christ's reality and divinity!

The Great Apostasy

After Christ's ascension into heaven, the Apostles were left to establish and maintain the Church.  They had been given authority and power by Christ to teach and baptize everyone who would believe.  They went forth and met with the saints and established congregations of saints throughout the known world.

But there were soon problems and divisions.  False doctrines were taught and spread.  The Apostles did their best to keep the doctrine pure and unified, but eventually the people rejected the Apostles as they had rejected Christ.  Those who believed and followed the Apostles were persecuted and many killed.  The Apostles themselves were killed or exiled.  The widespread wickedness and the rejection of these ordained servants of God led to the withdrawal of God's priesthood authority.  There was no longer the authority or power to baptize or to preside over the church.

There were still honorable people who searched for truth, but because of wickedness, pride and corruption, the fullness of Christ's Gospel was lost.  Honest seekers of truth did the best they could to follow the truth that they could find.  Uninspired men made unauthorized changes to the scriptures and the ordinances of the church.  Conspiring men purposefully mislead people, often to their own profit and gain.  Many churches were established, but none had the authority of God or the fullness of His truth.

The scriptures foretold that these things would occur.  Amos 8:11-12 speaks of this loss of truth as a famine.  It tells that men will seek truth but not be able to find it.  Christ's Apostles foretold this falling away.  Paul wrote to Timothy of a time when men "will not endure sound doctrine." (2 Timothy 4:3-4; see also 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Acts 20:28-30)

The Apostles also knew that a time would come when the Gospel would be restored.  Peter spoke of "times of refreshing" and "the times of restitution of all things." (Acts 3:19-21)  God loves all His children, so when the time had come that men would again listen to His prophets He would establish His church.

The Savior's Earthly Ministry

In the centuries preceding Christ's birth, the world had again fallen away from the truth of the gospel.  When Christ came to earth, he again established His church and taught His gospel.  He gave us an example of how to live.  Most importantly, he suffered and died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day.

At the beginning of His ministry Christ was baptized of John, who had the authority to do so. (Matthew 3:13-15)

Christ went and called twelve men whom He ordained as His Apostles.  He gave them priesthood power and authority to teach His gospel and establish His church. (see: John 15:16; Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1-2)

Christ "went about doing good." (Acts 10:38)  He healed the sick, raised the dead and cast out devils.

Eventually, like many of the prophets before, He was rejected.  In the last days of His life Christ would suffer for our sins, he would feel the pain and sickness of every human being (Alma 7:11-13), he would sweat "as it were great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44).

Then he would be betrayed, beaten and sentenced to death.  He would be hung on a cross and there He would die for us.

His body would be buried in a borrowed tomb and the tomb would be sealed and guarded. (Matthew 27:57-66)  But still, Christ was resurrected and came forth from the tomb on the third day!

Christ showed His resurrected body unto many, including His Apostles.  Christ taught His Apostles and sent them forth: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them...Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:19-20)  Christ then ascended into heaven and left the church in the care of His duly ordained Apostles.

Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel in Every Dispensation

One of the great ways that God shows His love for us is by calling Prophets.

Prophets are called and chosen by God.  They are ordained with the priesthood, the power of God delegated to man to do His work.  They are given the keys, or authority, to run His church and teach the gospel.

Prophets speak the words of God for our benefit.  They teach us His commandments and show us the way back to Him, through Jesus Christ.  The prophets have always prophesied of Christ and His coming.  They wrote their prophecies down and these writings were kept and read through the years.  We have many of these today in the Bible.  We also have words of prophets in the Americas as contained in the Book of Mormon.

When people reject the Prophets they fall into apostasy or disbelief.  This can happen individually or as communities and nations.  Throughout the scriptures we see this happening.  Adam taught his family the gospel, but eventually his posterity rejected his words.  When Noah was preaching, the people did not accept him.  Noah's family was righteous and after the flood they continued in righteousness for a while.  Eventually the gospel was rejected again.

We can protect ourselves from apostasy.  We can know that the words of the Prophets are true.  We can pray to ask God, in the name of Christ, if the scriptures are His words.  We can ask to know that He loves us and that this is the way He reveals His plan for all His children.  If we pray, God will confirm that the scriptures are His words.  He will also reveal to us how we can apply the teachings from the scriptures in our daily lives.

Central to all these teachings is the life, ministry, and atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We Believe: Organization of Christ's Church

"We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth." (Articles of Faith 1:6)


When Christ was here, he established His church.  "He called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." (Luke 6:13)  "The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come." (Luke 10:1)
   "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
   "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Ephesians 2:19-20)

There is order in Christ's church and there is reason for it.
   "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
   "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

   "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

   "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

   "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-15)

The order and leadership of ordained men of God ensures that Christ's gospel and doctrine is taught as He taught it.  This order is to establish and keep a "unity of the faith."  It helps us to grow in our "knowledge of the Son of God" and to "grow up into him in all things."

I am grateful that there is a living prophet today to guide Christ's church.  I am also grateful that I know for myself that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's prophet.  I have prayed to Heavenly Father in the name of Christ and received a personal witness through the Holy Ghost that Thomas S. Monson is called of God.

We Believe: Priesthood Authority

"We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (Articles of Faith 1:5)


As we learn in the New Testament, men must be called and set apart in the proper manner in order to officiate in the offices of the Priesthood: "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." (Hebrews 5:4)
   How was Aaron called?  By commandment of God to His Prophet Moses: "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother... that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office..." (Exodus 28:1)

It is the same today as it was then.  Men are called by God to serve in His Church and Kingdom.  The living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, holds all of the keys of the Priesthood.  In other words, he holds the authority to administer any and all ordinances that are essential to our salvation.  That authority is delagated in part to various local and general officers in the church.  These men are regular members of the church who are called by inspiration of God to lead and serve in His church.

I am thankful to have the Priesthood on the Earth to bless our lives.  It is the same Priesthood that Christ and His Apostles held.  It is the same priesthood that cured the lepers, made the blind see, and made the lame walk.
   I know God loves us and has given us His Priesthood to help us in our daily lives here on earth.

"Go ye into all the world..."

"...and preach the gospel to every creature." -Mark 16:15

As a missionary, I have been called by a living prophet of God.  That call was made by the same authority that Christ had when he sent the Apostles to "preach the gospel."  I am thus a representative of Christ.  I know that He is the only way that we can return to be with our Heavenly Father.  Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  It is through His Grace that we can be saved through our Faith and through following His commandments.

On this blog I'll be sharing what I know as a member of and missionary for the LDS faith.  I'll also answer questions that any of you may have.  Feel free to comment in a respectful manner.