New name... again

This blog started as a proselyting and teaching tool while I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I originally named it “Go ye into all the world...” to reflect my calling to teach the gospel. This title of course came from Christ’s command to His Apostles after His resurrection. The particular scripture reference is Mark 16:15.  (See also Matthew 28:19-20 and 3 Nephi 11:41.)

When I returned home I had planned on continuing to post on this blog as a way of sharing my testimony and thoughts relating to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I correspondingly renamed this blog “Be thou an example...” from Paul's first epistle to Timothy chapter 4, verse 12.  Paul counseled Timothy to be "an example of the believers" despite his youth.  Similarly, I wanted to use this blog for the same purpose.  However, as can be seen by the minimal number of posts over the last 8 years, I have not been the best at structured, regular writing and posting.

Now, nearly a decade later, I'm considering a new structure to my posts.  I realized that I often have insights either during personal or family scripture study, or during church each week.  There are many of these that are not too personal to share.  Also, I've been praying for a way to share the gospel online and one of these recent Sundays I felt the distinct impression that perhaps part of the reason for some of the insights I find is to share them.

In addition to this desire to share the gospel, I've always had in the back of my mind the idea of writing out the most important things I would want to tell my future children and grandchildren.  In line with this, I'll be using this blog to place my thoughts and insights on the gospel, as that is the most important thing in life that I can share with my posterity.

With a new purpose comes a new name: "That our children may know...."  This comes from The Book of Mormon, in particular 2 Nephi 25:26 quoted here:

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

I know that this is truth.  I know that Christ is the ultimate solution.  I know that we will all sin, but that Christ will redeem us if we will but turn to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  There is nothing so important in life as this.

May the peace of Christ and His Atonement abide with you always.

What I've Learned on My Mission

I want to start with a "Thank You!" to everyone in New York!  Thank you for two wonderful years in your service.  I hope our friendships can continue on and grow, even as we are miles apart.

So, what have I learned during these 24 months away from home?

Several things stand out as of prime importance.

First, we must develop faith, hope, and charity as Paul has taught.  If we have nothing to believe in, no hope for life after death, then our life becomes dark and we are inclined to cynicism.  Such an attitude does not lend itself to the Charity and love that should fill our souls.  "Believe in God; believe that he is... believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9)  "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20)

Second, selfless service is paramount in putting off the natural man, becoming like Christ, and becoming fully converted to His gospel.  Conversion comes as we honestly and consistently live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The central doctrine of His gospel is His Atonement and selfless sacrifice for us.  This sacred service to us would not have been possible if Christ weren't who He was.  When the selfish natural man in each of us would have turned inward, Christ always turned outward.  For example, despite the pains, abandonment, sorrow, and persecutions of His suffering in the Garden and on the cross, Christ still spoke to the Father on behalf of the Roman soldiers who had treated Him so cruely: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)  If you or I were in such a situation we would be more likely to curse our enemies than to bless them; or at the least not spare a thought for them as we focused on our own recent troubles.
   So how do we change our nature and come to love our enemies and pray for those that despitefully use us? (see Matthew 5:44)  We turn outward as the Savior did and serve without thought of personal reward or gain.  As we lose ourselves for the gospel's sake and for Christ's sake, we will find ourselves. (see Matthew 16:24-25)  We will not find ourselves if we set out to accomplish it.  We will only find ourselves as we lose ourselves in others; and we won't be looking for it to happen.

Third, ultimately it is only the gospel that can solve all our problems and save us.  There are so many problems, so many heartaches and troubles in this world.  Society runs around looking for new and novel ideas to problems that humanity has been faced with since the fall of Adam and Eve.  There is no greater or more powerful answer to all our concerns than the very answer that was given to our First Parents.  Christ and His gospel remain the only way to fully solve every social, civil, and personal problem.  In the gospel we not only find the virtues that are the basis of a sound and happy life, but also the principles of righteous living that bring the blessings of God to us and our families, nations, and world.

Lastly, I know that God the Father is our loving Heavenly Father.  He knows us each individually and desires our happiness and salvation.
   I know Jesus Christ is His Son, our Savior.  His Atonement can cleanse and heal us from the deepest sins and wounds, if we are willing to change what we need to and live His gospel.
   I know the Spirit of the Lord can speak to each of us.  He has spoken to me from time to time.  We can know what we need to know and do.  We can be comforted and encouraged in our daily struggles.
   I know that the church and kingdom of God are on the earth again.  God has restored everything necessary for the salvation of all His children.  We have again among us living prophets and apostles who speak the mind and will of God.  There is consistency and safety in their words because they are God's words.

Please:
   Study the scriptures.
   Pray with full sincerity of heart.
   Keep God's commandments.
   Selflessly serve others.
   and Believe.

Then you will recieve what you ask for, find what you seek, and doors will be opened when you knock.  I promise, in the name of Jesus Christ, that this is true.

Live the Law of Chastity

Many people often treat morality and moral actions as subjective and relative to society's current mainstream beliefs.  We know, however, that that standard is no standard at all, but rather a slippery slope that brings a lasting sense of shame and guilt to the lives of its practitioners and believers.

It is the fixed moral standards of God that remain steady and sure.  It is His standards that bring us peace and true happiness in this life.  Chastity is the Lord's standard and expectation for us.

Chastity includes abstinence from sexual relations before marriage and complete faith and fidelity to one's spouse within marriage.  Marriage is necessarily a union between a man and a woman to fulfil God's purposes in establishing families and bringing His children to earth.  Strive to protect the God-given procreative power.  As you live a chaste life you will enjoy trusting and confident relationships with family and friends.  You will develop greater self-control and personal strength.

To be chaste requires that we strive to keep not only our actions clean, but also our words, thoughts and appearance.  The way we speak and dress reflects our personal convictions and thoughts.  It reflects who we are and what we want to become.  We should dress modestly.  We should use clean, wholesome, and uplifting language.  We should direct our thoughts away from the impure and unclean and towards that which lifts the soul and helps us remember Christ.



Avoid pornography in ALL its forms, whether visual or written or otherwise.  It will as surely enslave you as any other addiction would.  It will destroy self-respect and endanger or ruin relationships with those you love.  It is NEVER safe to indulge in anything that is even slightly pornographic.  Learn to remove and replace undesired thoughts when temptation arises.  A memorized hymn or scripture can go a long ways in helping us control our thoughts.

As we strive for continuing cleanliness and purity the Lord will help us.  Through Christ's Atonement we can have the strength we need to live according to God's standards.

Keep the Ten Commandments

The Lord gives us commandments to teach us how to serve Him and how to treat those around us.  Some of the most well-known of these commandments are the 10 commandments.  These commandments are still in force today.  Obeying them will bring the promised blessings of happiness and peace in this life.

Quoting from Exodus 20:3-17 (see also Mosiah 12:33-37 and Mosiah 13:11-24), the 10 commandments are as follows:

• "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (verse 3)  Other gods may include our money, our position or power in life, or our possessions.
• "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image..." (v. 4)
• "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain..." (v. 7)  Clean, wholesome language is pleasing to God.  It also reflects our personal values. Language that makes light of sacred things or that degrades others is demoralizing and demeaning; not just to others, but to our own soul as well.
• "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God..." (v. 8-10)  Our worship and activities on the Sabbath reflect our personal commitment to follow the Lord.  We should lay aside the entertainment and activities of the week and focus on spiritual, family, and service centered activities.
• "Honor thy father and thy mother..." (v. 12)  The family is the basic unit of society.  More importantly it is a central part of God's Plan of Salvation.  Strive to love and serve your family.
• "Thou shalt not kill." (v. 13)  Violence in any form drives away the Spirit.  Pay attention to your personal attitudes and actions towards others.  Also consider the content of the media that you spend your time on.
• "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (v. 14)  Immorality is just as dangerous to our welfare as any other sin, vice, or disease.  We should decide now to be chaste.
• "Thou shalt not steal." (v. 15)
• "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." (v. 16)  We should be completely honest in all our doings.  As we strive for honesty we will be recognized as someone who has integrity and is trustworthy; someone whom the Lord can trust.
• "Thou shalt not covet..." (v. 17)

As we honestly strive to obey God's Commandments we will learn of their truthfulness. (see John 7:17)  Choose this day to serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)



Kingdoms of Glory

God loves us and wants to give us all He has, however we are taught that "no unclean thing can dwell with God." (1 Nephi 10:21)  When we are judged we will be rewarded according to what we have done in this life.  Our Heavenly Father will give us a place of glory in a kingdom of heaven.

If we have accepted the fullness of Christ’s gospel and lived it throughout our lives, repenting of our sins, we can live in the highest kingdom of glory. This kingdom is called the Celestial Kingdom. That is where we can live with God and our families. We can experience a fullness of joy and happiness. We can live the kind of life God lives. The glory of this kind of life is compared to the brightness of the sun.

If we live honorable lives, but are not faithful to Christ and His teachings, then we can inherit the Terrestrial Kingdom. We will live with other honorable people, but we will not live as families. The glory of this kind of life is compared to the brightness of the moon.

Last of all, if we live a life of sin and wickedness then we will receive an inheritance in the lowest kingdom, the Telestial Kingdom. There we will live with others who rejected and disobeyed Christ and His commandments. The glory of this kingdom is compared to the brightness of the stars.

The Resurrection, Judgment, and Immortality

When Christ suffered and died for us, He rose again the third day.  Because of Christ's great love for us, He will give all people the same blessing of rising again from the dead.  This is called resurrection.

When we are resurrected we will receive a perfect, glorified body of flesh and bones.  We will not feel pain or suffer death again.  The resurrection is essential in order for us to come and stand before God to be judged.

We will be judged according to what we have done in life and what the desires of our hearts are.  God will reward us accordingly with a place in heaven.

The Spirit World

At the end of our life here on earth we die, our bodies and our spirits are seperated.  We are the same person after death as we are in life.  We have the same desires, thoughts and feelings.

From the Book of Mormon we learn where our spirits go after death.  A prophet by the name of Alma taught his son about life after death. 

"Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life."  (Alma 40:11)

The place where our spirits live while waiting for the resurrection is called the spirit world.  Alma explains that those who chose to obey God in this life are "received into a state of happiness... called paradise..."  In that state they have "rest from... troubles and... care, and sorrow." (Alma 40:12) Those who chose to disobey God live in a state of unhappiness.

The disobedient and those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel in this life will be taught while in the spirit world.



Eventually all will be resurrected and leave the spirit world.  Our spirits will be reunited with our bodies eternally.

The Atonement

Before the foundation of this world Christ was chosen as our Savior.  As part of God's Plan, Christ would redeem us from the fall and bring us back to our Father.  He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)

Christ's redemption would remove the barriers to living with God that were brought about by the fall.  Namely, death and sin.

All of us here on Earth will suffer death.  Our spirits and our bodies will be seperated.  Christ Himself suffered death.  But He also rose from the dead and became "the firstfruits of them that slept."  Because of His love and grace we are assured that we too will rise from the dead.  Our bodies and our spirits will be reunited forever in a perfect state, just as Christ's body was.  "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

Christ also suffered for our sins.  In the garden of Gethsemane the pain was so great that He bled "at every pore" and asked the Father to "remove this cup."  But Christ was faithful and followed the Father's will and partook. (see Doctrine and Covenants 19:18-19 and Luke 22:39-44)

If we are faithful to the Savior and follow His will, we can be cleansed by His grace.  He has asked us to exercise our Faith, repent and turn from our sins, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure in Faith until the end. (see Moroni 7:33-34; 2 Nephi 31:11-13)

Our Life on Earth

This life is a wonderful opportunity!  God has given us this life for our benefit.  His purpose is for us to be able to receive eternal life or eternal happiness in His presence. (Moses 1:39)

God has provided commandments and the Gospel to show us the way that we can be happy in this life and make it back to live with Him in the next life.  However, it is our choice whether we follow what He has said.  God cannot and will not force us to choose good.  That is up to us.

Satan also has a plan.  "He seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)  He tempts us to sin.  He wants us to break God's commandments because he knows that doing so will bring us misery.  He knows that "wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41:10)

We will all face trials and adversity.  These trials come as a result of others' choices, of our choices, and as a natural result of the fallen world that we live in.  We can choose how we react.

As we go through life, facing our trials and temptations, we will all sin "and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  But we can be redeemed!  Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement we will all be resurrected and receive perfect, immortal bodies.  More importantly, our mistakes and sins can be washed away.

Agency and the Fall of Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were the first of God's children on this world.  God created them in His image and placed them in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:8)  Adam and Eve lived in a state of innocence without pain, sickness or sorrow.  But they also didn't have a full understanding of joy or happiness.

God gave them their agency, the ability to choose for themselves.  He also gave them commandments.  One of these was to not partake of the forbidden fruit -- the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (2 Nephi 2:15-16)

Satan came and tempted Adam and Eve to trangress God's commandment.  They followed satan's temptings and partook. (2 Ne. 17-19)  Thus they trangressed and fell.  Pain, sickness and death came into the world.  Adam and Eve were able to sin.  Adam and Eve were now also able to choose good and right and to have children and raise a family. (2 Ne. 2:22-23)  They could be happy in this life. (see 2 Ne 2:25)

God knew Adam and Eve would fall. (2 Ne. 2:24)  God knew it was necessary for them so that they could fully know good from evil and choose for themselves.  He provided a way for the fall to be overcome.  He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins and to die for us. (2 Ne. 2:26)

Because of the fall we have moral agency.  Good and bad are before us.  We "are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil." (2 Ne 2:27)  We can learn and progress in this life.  Through the plan of redemption we can exercise faith and repent and be brought back to our Father by Christ's grace. (Alma 22:12-14)

The Creation



By the power of His Son Jesus Christ, God created the earth. (see Genesis 1, John 1:1-3)  This earth gives us the necessary opportunity of having a body.  While here we are away from God's presence and must walk by faith. (2 Corinthians 5:6-7)  This life is a time of probation and testing. (Alma 34:32-34)  Obedience to God's commandments will lead us safely through this life and back to our loving Heavenly Father.

The first of God's children to be placed on Earth were Adam and Eve.

Pre-earth Life: God's Purpose and Plan for Us

Have you ever wondered if there is more beyond this life; if there is some reason for being here and somewhere to go afterwards?  There are answers to these questions.  They are found in God's plan.

This plan, called the plan of happiness, teaches us that we lived with our Heavenly Father before this life, that we have a purpose for being here, and that we can return to live with our Father again after this life is through.




Each of us are children of an eternal, loving, Heavenly Father.  He loves us and wants us to have the happiness and joy that He has.  He gave us this earthly experience to accomplish that.

He has given us agency, the right to choose our own actions.  While on this earth we can exercise our agency to choose good or evil.  God has also given us the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.  It is only as we choose good and follow Christ that we can return to our Heavenly Father and receive a fullness of joy and happiness.

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 Woodpile and Having a Firm Foundation

The other day my companion and I were asked to help an older lady pile up some firewood in her shed.  We willingly agreed and set up a time to help.  We got there on the appointed day and started piling wood.

   As I was stacking the wood, I noticed that the end of the pile wasn't very stable.  I rearranged the wood and continued stacking.  Not too much later I noticed that the pile had shifted again and that it was no longer stable.  I rearranged more of the wood hoping that would be the end of my problems.  Well, once again, after a few more minutes of stacking wood, something shifted and wood started falling.  Finally I moved enough wood to see the ground.  That's where I found my problem.

   Embeded in the ground was a log.  That wouldn't have been much of a problem except that this log was crooked.  Whatever I tried to stack on top of it would end up rocking and would shift the pile.  In order to fix it I would need to move at least half of what I had already stacked and spend a considerable amount of time and energy to remove or straighten that log.

Just like that woodpile, our lives will rock and shift and fall if we are not on a firm foundation that we can trust.  So what should be the foundation of our lives?





Mattew 7:24-27; Hymns #85



Broken Things to Mend



Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation in this life that will lead to true happiness and peace.



Christ himself taught this in Matthew 7:24-27 and in 3 Nephi 11:39-40.  When we fail to build our lives upon His truth and His gospel we are building on a sandy foundation; a foundation that will fall to the storms of the world and of satan.  But when we build upon His teachings and His gospel we are promised a sure foundation; "a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  He does know the way.  He has felt and suffered for our every sin.  He has also felt the pain of every sickness and disease, every mental, physical or spiritual suffering that we have ever endured. (Alma 7:11-13)  We can have full confidence in the Lord because He knows perfectly what we are faced with.  He knows the way.  He is The Way. (John 14:5-6)

Sexual Purity

Faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live what is known as the Law of Chastity.  This law is a commandment from God and includes complete abstinence from sex before marriage and complete fidelity within marriage.  We are not alone in this belief.  Here's a video of youth from six different faiths talking about why they chose to be sexually pure.

We Believe: Being

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (Articles of Faith 1:13)

I know that as we seek out good and virtuous things in life, there will be a greater measure of peace and happiness.  When bad things happen, when trials and troubles come, we'll be able to "endure" them.

   Our Heavenly Father's plan for us not only shows us good and virtuous paths in life, but it shows us the best path in life.  That path begins with Faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice.  As we continue we will want to repent of our sins, change our lives, and live more like Christ lived.  We will want to follow His example and be Baptized by immersion and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Then as we strive to live His commandments and continue in repentence we will be able to Endure faithfully to the End.

I know God is our Father and that He loves us.  I know Christ died for our sakes.  I know there is a plan and I am eternally grateful for it.  We can return to live with our Father after this life.

We Believe: Revelation

"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." (Articles of Faith 1:9)

As recorded in Amos 3:7 "the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."  God "is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (1 Nephi 10:18)  He has always revealed the Gospel through the prophets.  Every prophet prophecied of Christ and taught His gospel as it had been revealed to them.

   In our day the fulness of the Gospel of Christ has been revealed through modern-day prophets.  This revelation has included our Heavenly Father's plan for us, His children.  Also, we have come to learn more of the true character of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

   God will continue to reveal truth for our day through His Prophets.  We can know that the words they speak are the words of God if we will "ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4)

We Believe: Agency and Accountability

"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." (Articles of Faith 1:2)


Each of us has the God-given gift of Agency.  This means that we are free to make our own decisions in this life.  However, we do not choose the consequences of those decisions.
   We will receive true happiness and joy as we follow the Lord and live His commandments.  Eventually, righteous living will lead us back to our Heavenly Father and we will be able to have a "fulness of joy" in His presence. (Psalms 16:11)
   Opposite of righteousness is sin.  Sin is disobeying God's commandments.  This course of action will eventually lead to only misery and heartache. 

We are responsible for own sins and we will not be eternally punished for the choices of anyone else.  The actions of others may affect us, but they do not determine our salvation.  Our own choices and how we choose to react to the choices of others determine our personal salvation. (see Ezekiel 18:20)
   Because of this, we are not born into sin.  Little children are inocent and unable to sin.  They do not know enough to be fully accountable for their actions. (see Moroni 8)


"Choose you this day whom ye will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." -Joshua 24:15

Christ is the way. Choosing to follow Him brings peace and joy. When we sin, we can change and return to Him and be made whole through His Atonement.

We Believe: The Godhead

"We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." (Articles of Faith 1:1)


Fundamental to our beliefs and our understanding of the Gospel is our relationship with God and His Son.

God, Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct individuals, but they are unified in purpose.  God and Christ each have a glorified body of flesh and bones.  The Holy Ghost has a spiritual body. (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22-23)

God is the literal, loving Father of our spirits.  He has a perfect glorified body of flesh and bones.  We lived with Him as spirits before we came to earth.  He is a perfect parent who wants us to have all the joy and happiness that He has.  In order for us to receive all that He has, we needed bodies and the experiences of mortal life.  We are created in His image. (see Genesis 1:26-27; Doctrine and Covenants 20:18)

Among the Children of God is Christ.  He is the Firstborn and the Only Begotten.  Under the direction of the Father He was the creator of "all things." (see John 1:1-3; Moses 2:1,26-27)  He was known as Jehovah to the Old Testament prophets and revealed His Gospel to them.  Born to the virgin Mary in the "meridian of time" (Doctrine and Covenants 39:3) He walked among men and taught them according to the will of the Father (John 6:38).  In the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross He took upon Himself the burden of all of our sins.  He also suffered all of our physical and emotional pains and discomforts. (Alma 7:11-13)  After His death, He rose again and thus overcame physical death as an obstacle to returning to our Father in Heaven.  He is our Savior and Redeemer, our Lord and our King.

The Holy Ghost testifies to us of the truthfulness of the Gospel.  He bears witness of God the Father and Jesus Christ. (3 Nephi 11:32)  Through baptism and confirmation we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  This gift means that we can have the Spirit as our constant companion whenever we are living righteously and worthily.  He can guide and direct us in all aspects of our lives.  He can teach us "of all things." (Moroni 10:5)

I know that God is, indeed, our loving Heavenly Father, that He wants us to return to live with Him after this life.  I know Christ came to make it possible for us to repent and do those things that will help us become like Him.  I know these things through the Holy Ghost.  He has brought peace to my mind and comfort to my heart when nothing else could.
   I have prayed to know that God is there and that He loves us.  My prayers have been answered.  I invite you to do the same: to sincerely pray to know the truthfulness of these things, then to be committed to act on the answer that will come.  You can and will find greater joy by living the gospel than by any other way.

We Believe: For the Youth

  In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a lot of emphasis is placed on teaching the youth.  Why?

Because of the importance of families.

  The family unit is central to our Heavenly Father's plan for us.  Strong families result from strong values.  If future families are going to be strong and based on eternal morals and values, then the youth now need to be taught and learn to live those morals.

And it's not just for this life.

  Before this life we lived in a family.  Each person who has come or will come to this earth is a literal spirit son or daughter of God and lived as such in His presence before this life.  Since God is a perfect, loving, heavenly Father he wanted to give us all that he has.  He has a perfect body of flesh and bone.  He has a fulness of joy and glory.

  The only way we could gain that fulness was to accept His plan for us.  We would come to this earth, receive a body, and have the chance to learn and grow as families.  We would experience trials, troubles, sickness, joy, peace, and health.  But because of the bad, we would recognize and appreciate the good.  "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." (2 Nephi 2:11)  By faith in Christ, sincere repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of Holy Ghost, and enduring cheerfully and faithfully throughout our lives we would qualify for Christ's grace and mercy to make up the difference between our debt to justice and our best efforts.

  After this life, we will be given the glorious blessing of living with our families in God's presence if we have lived according to His plan.

So, the church teaches the youth so that the youth can one day teach their families and so that after this life those families can continue eternally.