Too Many Paths
We all have a story. And this is one reason I went looking for God outside of main stream Christianity. You see, my first memories are of attending a Presbyterian church while studying at a Catholic school. Then, my family moved to a Methodist church and I studied at a Southern Baptist school. I converted to Mormonism later is my life, after a brief stint with Atheism.
Meeting God Upon Mount Sinai
“And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” -Exodus 24:17
It had only been 3 months since the people had watched in awe and fear as God smote the Egyptians–throwing down their gods with demonstrations of terrifying power. Now He was calling upon them prepare themselves so that they could “see” the Lord when planned to come down on Mount Sinai in three days to meet with them.
People Say I Should Obey God – How?
From a question on Quora.
“People tell me I should obey God. How do I do that? In what way? Are there steps or instructions somebody can give me instead of having to look for it in the Bible?”
Growing in Grace
“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” -2 Peter 3:18a
You’ve learned that there is a God. You’ve come to God with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. You’ve moved through the steps of teshuvah, repented and have been restored. You’re looking for a denomination to be baptized into, or have been baptized, and you’re looking to have the physical manifestation (laying on of hands) to receive the Holy Ghost (baptism by fire). What’s next?
Born that Way
“And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.” -2 Nephi 1:120 RAV, 2:27b OPV
I was talking to someone once about a sin they were trapped in. They stated that they were “born that way,” that God had made them with that sin (think lying, stealing, etc.) and so they didn’t need to repent of it. The idea was that if God is perfect, then His creations are perfect, and there is no sin in what they were “born to do.”
Worshipping at Home
“And in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” -Acts 5:42
Some of the members of the Fellowship currently attend local congregations of other branches of our shared religion. While there are over 100 Latter Day Saint denominations that doesn’t mean there will be a place of worship near everyone. And that’s okay, the Lord has told us we only need two or three people to worship in His name (Matthew 18: 20).
And a Contrite Spirit
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” -Psalms 51:17
The Lord has asked us to come to him with a broken heart and contrite spirit (3 Nephi 4:49 RAV, 9:20 OPV). As we’ve already stated, a “broken heart” is a pierced heart. One open to both receiving and pouring out God’s Love, the true prayer now inscribed upon it. What then is the “contrite spirit?”
A Broken Heart
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” -Psalms 34:18
When teaching the people he had gathered in the Americas, Jesus did away with the sacrificing of animals. He asked for something more personal when he told them, “ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 4:49 RAV, 9:20 OPV). But what does this mean?
What is the Church of Christ?
“Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.” – Jesus Christ (Avahr 17:39)
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 18: 20)
How do I Pray?
“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” -Psalms 55:17
A prayer is a plea to God. The True Prayer is written in our hearts. When our hearts are pierced, we plea to God and he restores us. From here we may speak to God in the name of Christ. If you are new to prayer, that’s okay. Everyone has to have their first prayer vocal prayer, and Jesus taught us how to do it.
The Godhead
“We believe in God, the Eternal Father and Eternal Mother, and in the Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” -First Article of Faith
Whether one is a trinitarian or polytheistic, God is explained to us through the idea of multiple deity. In the Torah God is “Elohim,” Hebrew for “Gods.” With over 100 different Latter Day Saint/Mormon denominations, there are widely differing views of the nature of God. These range from the monotheism or the Trinitarian views given us by the Catholics, to ideas many find rather bizarre like the Adam-God theory. Here we will attempt a brief explanation of the Mormon Kabbalistic ideas of God by going over the variety and evolution of the Restored Gospel’s views on deity. There have been a number of changes in the nature of God in the original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1830-1844, and even more due to the wide range of denominations that now exist and have existed in the movement.
Why are We here?
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” – 2 Nephi 1:115 RAV, 2: 25 OPV
We were with God as spirit children of our Heavenly Parents before we were born. We were born to help one another to come unto Christ that we may return home to that God who created us.