Charity and the Gifts of the Spirit

The message of Jesus Christ is a message of Love. The pure love of Jesus Christ is charity. Charity can be defined as "(...) the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men should have for one another. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul" (LDS Church, official website, Gospel Topics).

The Savior wants all people to receive His love and to share it with others. He declared to His disciples:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34–35).

Exercising charity is the perfect way to invite the Holy Ghost to touch our hearts and souls. Charity allows us to be more sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord. Under his influence, one can fell joy and peace, many times materialized through a warmth in the heart that simply cannot be explained. The scriptures define the Gifts of the Spirit as:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Everytime we put our neighbours' interests ahead of our own, everytime we go the extra mile serving others, we become more receptive to the influence of the Spirit, therefore, becoming more like Jesus.

In the video below there is a wonderful message about the fruits of the spirit. It was told by the former president of the church, Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008). I hope it touches you as it has touched me.

The Book of Mormon testifies of the Bible and of Jesus Christ

The Book of Mormon is a book written by prophets who lived in the American continent. It contains the teachings of those prophets as it explains about the gospel principles in the perspective of the life and challenges experienced by those who lived in the old American continent. It testifies of Jesus Christ divinity. It also tell about the visit of the ressucted Jesus Christ to the natives of the American continent.

I have read the Book of Mormon many times. I have felt great happiness in discovering about the love of God and understading more about the principles that lead to happiness in this life. The reading of the Book of Mormon has helped me feel, through the Holy Ghost, that God lives, that He loves me, that He knows me. I also came to a greater understanding about what God wants me to do in this life and how I must treat the lives of those around me. I came to learn about the meaning of true religion, about the need to serve one another and to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in my Heavenly Father. Through the reading of the Book of Mormon I could get a better understanding about the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ - his attonement for mankind and the blessings and promisses extended to those who strive to be obedient sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Above all, after pondering about the teachings found in the Book of Mormon, I prayed and I can testifiy that I received a confirmation and the knowledge that God has once again called prophets on the face of the earth. That He loves His children in all countries and continents and that he extends His invitation to all of his children to come to Him through His son, Jesus Christ. I also know that Joseph Smith was called of god as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator and that he was called of God to restore the church of Jesus Christ in these latter days and allow me to partake of the truths of His true Gospel. I know that God allowed His only begotten son to attone for the sins of all makind so that we could have the opportunity of receiving eternal life and return to His presence. I know that God Lives. I know that my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives. I know that He loves me. This is my testimony in Jesus Christ name.

The video below shares the testimony of a modern Apostle of the Lord, Elder Russel M. Nelson, who explains about the Book of Mormon.

The Testimony of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is presided by one Prophet (the President of the church) and two Apostles (who serve as counselors to the President of the church). Together, these men form the First Presidency of the church. Currently, Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God on Earth. He is not only a Prophet, but also a Seer and a Revelator. Henry B. Eyring, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ serves as first counselor in the First Presidency and Dieter Uchtdorf serves as second Counselor.

The video below shares the testimonies of Elders Dieter Uchtdorf, Henry B. Eyring and Thomas S. Monson during the General Conference of the LDS Church on April 2008. On that day, Thomas S. Monson was sustained by the members of the church as the Prophet and President of the Church along with his counselors. This event followed the passing of the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley.

Are the Mormons Christians?

The most basic truth about mormonism is that its doctrine is based in Jesus Christ. All of its doctrinal teachings, all its gospel principles, all its religious practices, all its church activities and everything declared by the Mormon Church can only be fully understood by considering them under the perspective of Jesus Christ and His teachings. Even the official name of the Mormon Church testifiies of it - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Indeed, the doctrine of service, the priesthood of love, the exercise of charity, the message of salvation, the power to work miracles and many other aspects of the Mormon Church solemnly declare that it is not only a Christian church, but His true Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ.

God Continues to Reveal His Truths to His Prophets - The Testimony of an Apostle

Jeffrey R. Holland, an Apostle of Jesus Christ: "My Words . . . Never Cease". A testimony of continuing revelation taken from a talk given at the LDS Church April 2008 General Conference.

What a great blessing, to know and understand that God continues to communicate with His prophets in these latter days.

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7)

Being perfect, God is the same today as He was in the past. He has not changed and His voice of warning and promisses of blessings are still being declared nowadays.

My Conversion - Part I

I am a member of the Mormon Church since I was nine (I know, you may be thinking I was too you young when I was baptized and didn't actually know what I was doing... but I'll comment on that later). I have been a member since August, 1981 (there you go... you can now find out how old I am :o)

I decided to create this blog as a way to express feelings and beliefs in regards to Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - also known as the Mormon church. I hope it may be a source of information as well as a chance for others who don't know the LDS church to come to a better understanding about it. So, let me share a bit about me:

I was born in 1971 (you probably already figured that out). I was born in Brazil. My parents were very poor (please, don't start to stigmatize... continue reading!). Things were hard not only because of the country's economic condition (things were really hard in the 70s and 80s in Brazil) but because they had also been long searching for what my mother called the "true church of God". She attended many good churches and came to know about their teachings but she felt something was missing.

THE CONVERSION

In 1981, when my mother was working in our front yard, two young men stopped at the front gate and asked her if she would like to hear a message about Jesus Christ. She replied by asking "who wouldn't like to hear about Jesus Christ?" They came back later that same day, when my father was home. I remember I sat with my parents and listened to what those two men (they seemed old to an 9 year old but they were only 18!).

There was such a different atmosphere in our home when those two young men were there visiting us. There was excitement and, at the same time, peace as we longed for their next visit. At the time, my father was a poice office, member of a special force in the state police - similar to the SWAT in the U.S. It was interesting to see my father, a "tough guy", sitting during the lessons, asking questions, inquiring about the basic principles of the "mormon" doctrine. But what I remember most, was the explanation about the prophet Joseph Smith, how he described his search for "the true church of God". I could see that my mother, in particular, immediatly connected with that story. It was very remarkable to me, when the Elders of the church (missionaries of the church, despite being young, are called "Elders) started to explain how Joseph Smith, being only 14 years old, wanted to find out to each church he should join. Just like nowadays, there were many churches in the area where Joseph Smith lived. Each one claimed to be the true church of Christ. It was explained to us, that Joseph Smith read a passage in James, 1:5-6, which says:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But Let him ask with faith nothing waivering. For he that waivereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

We learned that Joseph was very touched by that passage of scripture. He decided to ask of God with faith that an answer would be given to him. The Elders explained that on a beautiful morning, Joseph

Just like Joseph, we too decided to ask God if those things were true. We were eager to get the knowledge about those things. Were they true? We knew that, just like Joseph, we indeed could ask God and He, being good and merciful, would give us an answer.